Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Devonian placoderm fish Bothriolepis canadensis revisited with three-dimensional digital imagery

The external morphology of the Late Devonian placoderm fish Bothriolepis canadensis from the Escuminac Formation (Miguasha, Canada) is reanalyzed using cutting-edge technology in three-dimensional (3D) digital imagery such as 3D surface scanner and 3D modeling software. Nineteen well-preserved specimens of B. canadensis were used to reconstruct a 3D digital model of the dermal armor, whereas four specimens were used to reconstruct the fleshy posterior part of the body. Digital manipulation of the model allows us to investigate some biomechanical aspects and constraints of the morphology. Mobility of the cephalic armor, submarginal plates and pectoral fins has been previously hypothesized based on inaccurate reconstructions. In contrast to previous interpretations, there is no indication of mobility between the cephalic and thoracic armors. The submarginal plate is immobilized on the cephalic armor; a gill opening is located between the submarginal and anterior ventrolateral plates of the thoracic armor. The median dorsal ridge of the thoracic armor forms a hydrodynamic dorsal crest with its maximum height along the posterior median dorsal plate, which most likely has an important role in locomotion. The fully retracted and protracted (70°) position of the pectoral fins allows only for restricted movement excluding the possibility of stroking and using them as anchoring devises. Maximum of mobility is reached in a protracted angle of 16°, which allows a rotation of 32° around the brachial process and 15° in an up-and-down movement. The 3D model of B. canadensis brings out unexpected novelties on one of the supposedly best-known Devonian fish. Isabelle Béchard. Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec, G5L 3A1, Canada Present address; Centre de développement et de recherche en imagerie numérique, 608 avenue SaintRédempteur, Matane, Québec, G4W 0E1, Canada. bechard.isabelle@cdrin.com Félix Arsenault. Centre de développement et de recherche en imagerie numérique, 608 avenue SaintRédempteur, Matane, Québec, G4W 0E1, Canada. arsenault.felix@cdrin.com Richard Cloutier. Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, Québec, G5L 3A1, Canada. richard_cloutier@uqar.ca Johanne Kerr. Parc national de Miguasha, 231 route Miguasha Ouest, Nouvelle, Québec, G0C 2E0, Canada. kerr.johanne@sepaq.com PE Article Number: 17.1. 2A Copyright: Society for Vertebrate Paleontology January 2014 Submission: 8 July 2013. Acceptance: 15 December 2013 Béchard, Isabelle, Arsenault, Félix, Cloutier, Richard, and Kerr, Johanne. 2014. The Devonian placoderm fish Bothriolepis canadensis revisited with three-dimensional digital imagery. Palaeontologia Electronica Vol. 17, Issue 1;2A; 19p; palaeo-electronica.org/content/2014/647-3d-bothriolepis BÉCHARD ET AL.: 3D BOTHRIOLEPIS
The effects of somatisation, depression, and anxiety on eating habits among university students

The psychological and physical well-being of students is a cause for concern. For the majority of the student population this means substantial changes in healthy behaviours including eating habits. The current research was aimed at investigating integrative eating in 170 Australian university students. Self-awareness and health locus of control were measured in order to assess their relative impact on positive integrative eating practices. The self-report measures included Your Personal Eating Style Profile, Forms A and B of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale, and the Situational Self-Awareness Scale. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses provided tentative support for the hypothesis that an internal locus of control is a significant predictor of integrative eating total, as opposed to beliefs in powerful others and chance, which were not found to be significant. Private selfawareness was found to be a significant predictor of integrative eating total, after controlling for age, gender, social desirability and health locus of control. An unexpected finding was that awareness of surroundings was also found to be a significant predictor of positive integrative eating. No significant interaction was identified between self-reported private self-awareness and self-reported internal locus of control. Methodological implications of the current investigation and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Summer methane ebullition from a headwater catchment in Northeastern Siberia

Abstract Streams and rivers are active processors of terrestrial carbon and significant sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. Recent studies suggest that ebullition may represent a sizable yet overlooked component of the total CH4 flux from these systems; however, there are no published CH4 ebullition estimates for streams or rivers in subarctic or arctic biomes, regions that store vast quantities of vulnerable, old organic carbon in permafrost soils. We quantified CH4 ebullition from headwater streams in a small arctic watershed in Northeastern Siberia. Ebullitive emissions were 0.64 mmol m−2 d−1, which is lower than the global average but approximately 2 times greater than the pan-arctic diffusive CH4 flux estimate reported in a recent synthesis of global freshwater CH4 emissions. The high CO2:CH4 of sediment bubbles (0.52) suggests that methane emissions may currently be constrained by resource competition between methanogens and microbes using more efficient metabolic st.
Evaluation of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and some related heavy metals in soil and groundwater of Ubeji settlement, Warri Metropolis, Nigeria.

Soil and groundwater samples in areas of oil spill in Ubeji settlement, Warri metropolis, Nigeria, were collected in order to determine the oil and grease, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and some related heavy metals in the samples. Control samples were taken from a low density residential area in Delta State (Ekrejeta in Abraka) which is relatively free from petroleum activities. The parameters were evaluated in order to determine the quality of the soil and groundwater of Ubeji settlement, as a follow up on an earlier research conducted on the surface water and sediment of the settlement’s river. This research is so important because the local population uses the soil and water resources for agricultural and domestic purposes. Measurements of oil and grease and TPH in samples were done gravimetrically, while atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used for determination of heavy metals. For oil and grease and TPH, the soil had mean concentrations of 1064.90 ± 7.70 and 579.10 ± 9.30 mg kg-1, respectively, while groundwater had 315.15 ± 11.60 and 28.70 ± 1.30 mg L-1, respectively. Mean heavy metal concentration of the soil and groundwater varied between 0.30 ± 0.01 to 215.49 ± 25.33 mg kg-1 and 0.03 ± 0.01 to 3.05 ± 0.07 mg L-1, respectively. These values reveal that the investigated samples had higher levels of oil and grease, TPH and heavy metals than the control samples and regulatory standard limits. This however, is an indication of pollution of soil and groundwater of the settlement by petroleum hydrocarbons.
Antisense suppression of glutamate decarboxylase in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) results in accumulation of glutamate in transgenic tomato fruits

Tomato plants were transformed with a plasmid that contained a the gene for glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) from Lycopersicon esculentum L. coupled, in the antisense orientation, with the constitutively active 35S promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus. Four independent transformants were obtained. In the fruits of these transgenic plants, the level of expression of GAD mRNA was lower than that in non-transgenic plants. When tomatoes were harvested six weeks after the first flowering, we found that the levels of total free amino acids in transgenic fruits were 1.2 to 3.2 times higher than those in non-transgenic plants. In particular, the level of glutamate in fruits of transgenic plants was about twice that in fruits of non-transgenic plants.
The Cross-country Determinants of Potential and Actual Migration 1

In this study, we use cross-country bilateral data to quantify a two-step process of international migration and its aggregate determinants. We first analyze which country-specific factors affect the probability that individuals join the pool of potential (aspiring) migrants. Then, we consider the bilateral and destination country factors that affect the frequency at which potential migrants turn into actual migrants. Using information on potential migrants from World Gallup surveys and on actual migrants from national censuses for 138 origin countries and 30 major destinations between 2000 and 2010, we analyze economic, policy, cultural, and network determinants of each step. We find that the size of the network of previous migrants and the average income per person at destination are crucial determinants of the size of the pool of potential migrants. Economic growth in the destination country, on the other hand, is the main economic generator of migration opportunities for a given pool of potential migrants. We also find that college-educated exhibit greater actual emigration rates mainly because of better chances in realizing their immigration potentials, rather than because of higher willingness to migrate.
Determining apparent exhumation from Chalk outcrop samples, Cleveland Basin/East Midlands Shelf

Abstract Porosity measurements of 22 Upper Cretaceous Chalk samples, and mean Chalk porosities derived from sonic logs in three wells, were used to quantify apparent exhumation (height above maximum burial-depth) in the onshore Cleveland Basin/East Midlands Shelf. Late Cretaceous/Tertiary exhumation of the East Midlands Shelf resulted in the removal of 1.2 km of section near the coast and more than 2 km of section inland, to the west. The southern margin of the Cleveland Basin was exhumed by 2 km, and exhumation increases northwards towards the recognized inversion axis running east–west along the basin’s centre. The northwards increasing exhumation associated with the east–west trending inversion axis of the Cleveland Basin is superimposed upon the regional westward trend of increasing exhumation of eastern England. These two trends control the outcrop distribution of the Upper Cretaceous Chalk in the Cleveland Basin/East Midlands Shelf.
Changes in Quadriceps and Hamstring Co-Contraction Following Landing in Microgravity Condition: Comparing Females with Different Activity Levels

1. Department of Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran. 2. Department of Sport Biomechanics, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran. 3. Department of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 4. Sport Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
Preparation of Polycrystalline TiO2 Photocatalysts Impregnated with Various Transition Metal Ions: Characterization and Photocatalytic Activity for the Degradation of 4-Nitrophenol

A set of polycrystalline TiO2 photocatalysts loaded with various ions of transition metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mo, V, and W) were prepared by using the wet impregnation method. The samples were characterized by using some bulk and surface techniques, namely X-ray diffraction, BET specific surface area determination, scanning electron microscopy, point of zero charge determination, and femtosecond pump−probe diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (PP-DRS). The samples were employed as catalysts for 4-nitrophenol photodegradation in aqueous suspension, used as a probe reaction. The characterization results have confirmed the difficulty to find a straightforward correlation between photoactivity and single specific properties of the powders. Diffuse reflectance measurements showed a slight shift in the band gap transition to longer wavelengths and an extension of the absorption in the visible region for almost all the doped samples. SEM observation and EDX measurements indicated a similar morphology for all the parti.
Abundant Cyanopolyynes as a Probe of Infall in the Serpens South Cluster-Forming Region

We have detected bright HC7N J = 21 20 emission toward multiple locations in the Serpens South cluster-forming region using the K-Band Focal Plane Array at the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope. HC7N is seen primarily toward cold filamentary structures that have yet to form stars, largely avoiding the dense gas associated with small protostellar groups and the main central cluster of Serpens South. Where detected, the HC7N abundances are similar to those found in other nearby starforming regions. Toward some HC7N ‘clumps’, we find consistent variations in the line centroids relative to NH3 (1,1) emission, as well as systematic increases in the HC7N non-thermal line widths, which we argue reveal infall motions onto dense filaments within Serpens South with minimum mass accretion rates of M � 2 5 M⊙ Myr −1 . The relative abundance of NH3 to HC7N suggests that the HC7N is tracing gas that has been at densities n � 10 4 cm −3 for timescales t . 1 2 × 10 5 yr. Since HC7N emission peaks are rarely co-located with those of either NH3 or continuum, it is likely that Serpens South is not particularly remarkable in its abundance of HC7N, but instead the serendipitous mapping of HC7N simultaneously with NH3 has allowed us to detect HC7N at low abundances in regions where it otherwise may not have been looked for. This result extends the known star-forming regions containing significant HC7N emission from typically quiescent regions, like the Taurus molecular cloud, to more complex, active environments.
Electronic and optical properties of metal-nanoparticle filled graphene sandwiches

We sandwich gold nanoparticles between graphene sheets and contrast the electronic and optical properties of these hybrid structures to those of single layer graphene with and without gold nanoparticle overlayers, and laminated unfilled double layers. Undecorated graphene has the highest sheet resistance while filled sandwiches have the lowest. The optical extinction spectrum for sandwiches is redshifted and broadened compared to decorated single layer graphene. We also find that the presence of gold nanoparticles in sandwiches shifts the work function relative to unfilled double-layer graphene. The low sheet resistance and favorable optical properties of metal-filled sandwiches make them attractive candidates for optoelectronic applications.
Yield losses induced by African cassava mosaic virus in relation to the mode and the date of infection

Abstract Yield reduction of cassava infected with African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV) was greater when plants were infected from the outset as cuttings than later by the whitefly vector Bemisia tabacl. Early infection by B. tabaci caused greater losses than late infection. When symptoms first appeared, more than four months after planting, there was no significant yield reduction. Yield reductions in plots where diseased plants were inter‐mixed with healthy ones and subject to inter‐plant competition were much greater than when they were assessed using separate healthy and infected plots. Crop losses due to ACMV in the cultiver CB were estimated at ca 40%.
ECONOMIC CRISIS AND ECONOMIC DISPARITIES IN EUROPEAN UNION

The impact of the economic and financial crisis is still being felt. It started as an acute crisis of the banking system, but then quickly affected the real economy, causing a substantial slump in business investment, household demand and output. The current economic crisis has affected almost all European countries but the countries of the European south and the former eastern socialist republics have suffered the most. The objective in this paper is to quantify economic disparities as expressed by several growth indicators, such as GDP per capita, employment/unemployment rates, labour productivity rates and use them to compare the economic performances before and after the crisis. EU took several measures to recover from the economic crisis. Nevertheless, its ability to adjust to widely diverse national and local contexts that have been impacted differently by the effects of the crisis, and to support the different patterns of economic growth that will result from it, is yet to be seen.
Five case studies of Emirati working women in Dubai - their personal experiences and insights

This ethnographic case study explored the insights and experiences of a small selection of working graduates from Dubai Women's College. Based on a literature review and a preliminary study, the following themes were identified and employed as stimuli for discussion: the balance between work and family responsibilities, gender issues in the workplace, issues of power relationships for women, coping with restrictions in an Arabic Islamic environment, reasons for work, and sources of influence and satisfaction. The research utilized feminist post-structural theory to collect the data and then analyze and interpret the comments made by the women. Self-reflexivity and transparency of the positionality of the researcher were critical in this research that relied on an unstructured personal interview approach. The research resulted in a rich description of the thoughts and concerns of five diverse women. Through discourse analysis, the dominant socio-cultural discourses in the areas of gender, marriage, kinship, ethnicity, meritocracy, materialism and religion that women interact with in this cultural environment were identified. The extent to which the women take up, disrupt and challenge these discourses was also explored with a view to suggest ways to 'better' women's lives. Implications of this study include an agenda for increased emancipation of women by greater freedom of choice through self awareness and the development of potential strategies to support empowerment.
Granzyme B Is an Essential Mediator in CD8+ T Cell Killing of Theileria parva-Infected Cells

There is established evidence that cytotoxic CD8+ T cells are important mediators of immunity against the bovine intracellular protozoan parasite Theileria parva. However, the mechanism by which the specific CD8+ T cells kill parasitized cells is not understood. ABSTRACT There is established evidence that cytotoxic CD8+ T cells are important mediators of immunity against the bovine intracellular protozoan parasite Theileria parva. However, the mechanism by which the specific CD8+ T cells kill parasitized cells is not understood. Although the predominant pathway used by human and murine CD8+ T cells to kill pathogen-infected cells is granule exocytosis, involving the release of perforin and granzyme B, there is to date a lack of published information on the biological activities of bovine granzyme B. The present study set out to define the functional activities of bovine granzyme B and determine its role in mediating the killing of T. parva-parasitized cells. DNA constructs encoding functional and nonfunctional forms of bovine granzyme B were produced, and the proteins expressed in Cos-7 cells were used to establish an enzymatic assay to detect and quantify the expression of functional granzyme B protein. Using this assay, the levels of killing of different T. parva-specific CD8+ T cell clones were found to be significantly correlated with the levels of granzyme B protein but not the levels of mRNA transcript expression. Experiments using inhibitors specific for perforin and granzyme B confirmed that CD8+ T cell killing of parasitized cells is dependent on granule exocytosis and, specifically, granzyme B. Further studies showed that the granzyme B-mediated death of parasitized cells is independent of caspases and that granzyme B activates the proapoptotic molecule Bid.
Recent trends in aerosol optical properties derived from AERONET measurements

Abstract. The Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) has been providing high-quality retrievals of aerosol optical properties from the surface at worldwide locations for more than a decade. Many sites have continuous and consistent records for more than 10 years, which enables the investigation of long-term trends in aerosol properties at these locations. In this study, we present the results of a trend analysis at selected stations with long data records. In addition to commonly studied parameters such as aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Angstrom exponent (AE), we also focus on inversion products including absorption aerosol optical depth (ABS), single-scattering albedo (SSA) and the absorption Angstrom exponent (AAE). Level 2.0 quality assured data are the primary source. However, due to the scarcity of level 2.0 inversion products resulting from the strict AOD quality control threshold, we have also analyzed level 1.5 data, with some quality control screening to provide a reference for global results. Two statistical methods are used to detect and estimate the trend: the Mann–Kendall test associated with Sen's slope and linear least-squares fitting. The results of these statistical tests agree well in terms of the significance of the trend for the majority of the cases. The results indicate that Europe and North America experienced a uniform decrease in AOD, while significant (>90%) increases in these two parameters are found for North India and the Arabian Peninsula. The AE trends turn out to be different for North America and Europe, with increases for the former and decreases for the latter, suggesting opposite changes in fine/coarse-mode fraction. For level 2.0 inversion parameters, Beijing and Kanpur both experienced an increase in SSA. Beijing also shows a reduction in ABS, while the SSA increase for Kanpur is mainly due the increase in scattering aerosols. Increased absorption and reduced SSA are found at Solar_Village. At level 1.5, most European and North American sites also show positive SSA and negative ABS trends, although the data are more uncertain. The AAE trends are less spatially coherent due to large uncertainties, except for a robust increase at three sites in West Africa, which suggests a possible reduction in black carbon. Overall, the trends do not exhibit obvious seasonality for the majority of parameters and stations.
Re-examining students’ perception of e-learning: an Australian perspective

Purpose – Australian tertiary institutions are increasingly incorporating technologies, such as social media and Web 2.0 tools into teaching in response to changing student needs. The purpose of this paper is to revisit a fundamental question, frequently asked in marketing, “what do our ‘customers’ [students] think now? ” This will help determine the effectiveness of application of these technologies in courses and teaching programs in a changing competitive educational environment. Design/methodology/approach – Using a mixed method approach, data were collected through 31 qualitative interviews and a survey of 231 university marketing students. Quantitative techniques included summary statistics, factor analysis and t-test. Findings – Results indicate while students’ perceived flexibility and better learning outcomes as positive aspects of e-learning, they have concerns about flexibility for self-paced learning, self-motivational issues, lack of human interaction and fostering teamwork. Research limitatio.