Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Root Growth Near Vertical Root Barriers

©2005 International Society of Arboriculture Roots from trees near sidewalks are known to grow under and take advantage of cracks in pavement, resulting in additional cracking or lifting of the pavement (D’Amato et al. 2002). The cost of the damage is in excess of $100 million per year in the United States (McPherson and Peper 1995; McPherson 2000). Vertical root barriers are one treatment that has been found to redirect root growth to lower levels of the soil, thus reducing damage to the sidewalk (Wagar 1985; Barker and Peper 1995; Gilman 1996; Costello et al. 1997). Since vertical barriers are known to divert or reduce root growth, numerous products are now available. This study was developed to examine root growth patterns near a variety of vertical root barriers.
Spatio-temporal changes in macroinfaunal assemblages of tropical saltmarshes , northern Brazil

Spatio and temporal variation in benthic macroinfaunal structure in saltmarshes from the Pará coast was described at four sites, sampled in April and November of 2008, representing peak conditions in the wet and dry periods, respectively. Differences in abundance and taxa were found among sites and between dates. High macroinfaunal abundance and number of taxa were associated with tall, dense vegetation and sand, and with high salinity, higher temperatures and low sediment organic matter content in November. Typically marine organisms, such as Halmyrapseudes spaansi, Capitella cf. capitata and ostracods of the Family Cypridae were identified as dominant taxa at this time and associated with relatively lower organic matter content in the sediment.
Effect of Innovation Strategies on Performance of Firms in the Telecommunication Sector in Kenya

One ways to achieving growth and sustaining performance is to encourage and foster innovative practices and creativity internally within the institution. The objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of innovation strategies adopted by firms in the telecommunication industry in Kenya on performance. Data was analyzed though descriptive statistics and the relationship between the variables established using regression analysis. The descriptive statistical tools such as Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and MS Excel were used to help the researcher describe the data and determine the extent. The data was presented through percentages, means, standard deviations and frequencies. The paper concludes that adoption of innovation strategies affected performance of the firms to a great extent.
Quality of rocoto pepper (Capsicum pubescens Ruiz & Pav.) seeds in relation to extraction timing

Rocoto pepper ( C. pubescens ), is one of the domesticated species of the genus Capsicum in South America. Currently, its supply and demand are arising in national and global market. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal extraction timing of the seeds of C. pubescens according to physiological and physical seed qualities. Seed qualities measurement include seed weight, number of seeds per fruit, total emergence, emergence rate, mean emergence time, mean daily emergence, survival percentage, peak value and emergence value. Treatments were evaluated for comparison as follows: seed extraction ranged from 0 to 3 days after harvest (T1), and seed extraction ranged from 14 to 17 days after harvest (T2). T1 presented seeds with the best physiological qualities and a total emergence value of 84.2%, in contrast to 74.8% obtained in T2. A positive correlation was found between seed size, number of seeds per fruit and overall quality, respectively. Based on the results of this study, is recommended to use and conserve the seeds extracted immediately after harvest, as well as larger seeds from biggest fruits.
Tipos de erros de fala em crianças com transtorno fonológico em função do histórico de otite média

PURPOSE: To describe articulatory indexes for the different speech errors and to verify the existence of a preferred type of error in children with speech sound disorder, according to the presence or absence of otitis media history. METHODS: Participants in this prospective and cross-sectional study were 21 subjects aged between 5 years and 2 months and 7 years and 9 months with speech sound disorder. Subjects were grouped according to the presence of otitis media history: experimental group 1 (EG1) with 14 subjects with otitis media history and experimental group 2 (EG2) with seven subjects without otitis media history. The amount of speech errors (distortions, omissions and substitutions) and the articulation indexes were calculated. Data were submitted to statistical analysis. RESULTS: The performances from EG1 and EG2 regarding the indexes were different from each other in both phonological tasks applied. In all analyzes, the indexes evaluating substitutions indicated that this type of error was the most prevalent in children with speech sound disorders. CONCLUSION: The use of indexes was effective to indicate that substitution is the most prevalent type of error in children with speech sound disorders. The greater occurrence of speech errors observed in the picture naming task in children with otitis media history indicates that such errors are possibly associated to difficulties in phonological representation secondary to fluctuating conductive hearing loss.
The effect of innovation and technological specialization on income inequality

Using a panel of 28 European Union countries for the period 2003–2014, the authors provide empirical evidence for the relationship between innovation, technological specialization, and income inequality. The results of the fixed effect panel regressions show two important findings. Firstly, the positive link was found between innovation, as measured by patenting activities, and income inequality as measured by Gini index and the top 10% income shares of the richest. Secondly, the authors also found the positive correlation between technological specialization, as measured by the Coefficient of Variances (CV) of Revealed Technological Advantage Index, and income inequality. Overall, the study enriches the previous literature suggesting that innovation may increase the gap of income distribution through the mechanism of Skill-Biased Technical Change (SBTC) and the Schumpeterian view of entrepreneurial rent. More importantly, this study is the first which found that not only the level of innovation does matter to the income distribution, but also how the innovation activities are specialized or diversified. Concentrating the activities into few narrow sectors (i.e., increase technological specialization) may also lead to the increase of income inequality.
Ecological and Anthropological Threats to Ethno-Medicinal Plant Resources and their Utilization in Maasai Communal Ranches in the Amboseli Region of Kenya

Use of traditional medicine is prevalent among rural communities of Africa. They have immense knowledge on ethno-medicine but its use is rapidly diminishing partly due to lifestyle changes and exposure to Western ideologies. This study investigated threats to medicinal plant resources and knowledge on their use in a communally owned Maasai group ranch through a questionnaire and discussions. Traditional medicine was preferred over modern medicine though most members visited local health centers whenever a need arose. Knowledge of ethno-medicine was wide-spread in the community and did not appear to have been significantly impacted by formal education, Christianity or occupation but it varied by gender and among different age groups. Teaching of traditional Maasai ethno-medicine was prevalent but older members of the community felt that the younger generations generally lacked an interest in learning such traditions. The community also felt that medicinal plants harvested within the ranch had declined and attributed this to several factors including; land use changes especially introduction of agriculture, charcoal burning, over exploitation for commercial purposes, drought and increase in human population. Future research is needed to elucidate the impacts of formal education, current lifestyle changes and introduction of Christianity and Western medical care on knowledge and use of ethno-medicine. There is an urgent need to mitigate decline of locally available medicinal plant resources.
The dependence of traction evolution on the earthquake source time function adopted in kinematic rupture models

We compute the temporal evolution of traction by solving the elasto‐dynamic equation and by using the slip velocity history as a boundary condition on the fault plane. We use different source time functions to derive a suite of kinematic source models to image the spatial distribution of dynamic and breakdown stress drop, strength excess and critical slip weakening distance (Dc). Our results show that the source time functions, adopted in kinematic source models, affect the inferred dynamic parameters. The critical slip weakening distance, characterizing the constitutive relation, ranges between 30% and 80% of the total slip. The ratio between Dc and total slip depends on the adopted source time functions and, in these applications, is nearly constant over the fault. We propose that source time functions compatible with earthquake dynamics should be used to infer the traction time history.
Should attractive males have more sons

It is often argued that females with attractive partners should produce more sons because these sons will inherit their father's attractiveness. Numerous field and laboratory studies have addressed this hypothesis, with inconsistent results, but there is surprisingly little theoretical work on the topic. Here, we present an extensive investigation of the link between male attractiveness and offspring sex ratios, using evolutionary, individual-based computer simulations. In situations where sexual selection leads to the stable exaggeration of a costly male trait and a costly female preference, we find that females with attractive partners produce more sons than females with unattractive partners. This same qualitative pattern is seen for a wide range of different models, with discrete or continuous variation in the male trait, under Fisherian or good-genes sexual selection and for abrupt or gradual sex ratio adjustment. However, in all simulations, it takes a huge number of generations to evolve, suggesting that selection acting on sex ratio adjustment is weak. Our models ignore many potential costs and constraints associated with manipulation, which implies that selection may be weaker still in natural populations. These results may explain why published evidence for sex ratio bias in relation to male attractiveness is mixed. Copyright 2007.
Quantitative effect of leaf damage caused by downy mildew ( Plasmopara viticola ) on growth and yield quality of grapevine 'Merlot' ( Vitis vinifera )

The impact of downy mildew ( Plasmopara viticola ) epidemics on the plant growth and yield quality was analysed during three years under field conditions in order to show a relationship between disease severity on leaves and yield quality losses. Three different treatments were compared: A = “Untreated canopy” (to prevent quantity losses, the clusters were treated once with a contact fungicide at the discovery of the first downy mildew sporulation); B = “Reduced fungicide schedule” (based on a first treatment at the appearance of the first symptoms, to avoid yield quantity losses followed by one or two additional fungicide applications during the early epidemic phase with the aim of delaying the epidemic). C = “Standard schedule” (schedule normally applied in the vineyard). The experimental plot was moved each year to avoid stress influence due to a repetition of the trials on the same place. The epidemic progress in the treatment A has shown the same tendency during the three years with an increase starting from the beginning of the ripening phase. The disease severity was more important on the lateral than on the main leaves. During the three years of the study, the disease did not influence the amount of total healthy leaf area per plant until veraison. From this phenological stage until harvest, the healthy leaf area per plant decreased rapidly at the same time as the epidemic increased. The yield quantity was not affected indicating that a single fungicide application at the finding of the first sporulation was enough to preserve the crop production. Among the yield quality parameters, the sugar content has been negatively influenced by the downy mildew leaf damage. The difference was particularly evident between the treatments A and C with differences from 1.4 to 2.04 °Brix. Generally, treatment B didn’t differ from C. Sugar uptake in the berries begun to show a different dynamic between 7 and 14 days after the onset of ripening. No correlation between disease severity progress on the canopy and sugar accumulation in the berries from veraison until harvest was found, indicating the capacity of the vine to compensate a stress situation induced by the downy mildew damage on leaf canopy.
Partially purified polygalacturonase from Aspergillus niger (SA6)

Polygalacturonase (PG) was isolated from Aspergillus niger ( A. niger ) (SA6), partially purified and characterized. The PG showed two bands on SDS-PAGE suggesting an “endo and exo PG with apparent molecular weights of 35 and 40 KDa, respectively. It was purified 9-fold with a yield of 0.18% and specific activity of 246 μmole/ml/mg. The K M and V max of the enzyme were 2.74 mg/ml and 0.78 μmole/min/mg, respectively. The optimum temperature and optimum pH of the enzyme were 40°C and 4.5, respectively. The PG was found to be more stable to temperature changes than to pH changes. Keyword: Polygalacturonase, Aspergillus niger
Product development of sweet fermented rice (Khao-Mak) from germinated native black glutinous rice.

Product development of sweet fermented glutinous rice (Khao-Mak) of germinated native black glutinous rice was determined. Experiments were designed by using Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with composed of 6 treatments. There are the ratio of glutinous rice and germinated native black glutinous rice 011:1, 01 :01, 01 :01, 01 :01, 01 : 01 and 1:011, respectively. Sensory evaluation was determined by using 9-point hedonic scale. The results were found that most of consumer liked treatment 2 (glutinous rice : germinated native black glutinous rice; 80:20) with the highest score 8.10 (like) and significantly different from another treatments (p≤ 0.05). Then change in chemical characteristic (pH, total soluble solid, % alcohol and anthocyanin content) during fermentation were studied. The results exhibited that the similar trends was found in all of treatments. The physical, chemical and microbiological characteristic of final product were L* a* b* (12.44, 11.81 , 00.70), chemical composition; moister, ash, lipid, protein, fiber and carbohydrate content were 55.00, 1.09, 1.35, 3.00, 0.59 and 30.01 (%wb), respectively, total soluble solid (5.23 ◦ brix), pH (4.34), alcohol content (1.15 %), the total plate count (8.00 x10 3 cfu/g), yeast and molds count (5.30 x 10 3 cfu/g) and E. coli were in the community standard product of Thailand. Finally, the free radical scavenging capacity were assay by DPPH method shown that IC50 value had significantly higher three fold than control (59.70 ± 1.28 and 199.38 ± 2.59 mg/ml, respectively) (p≤ 0.05). In addition, -aminobutyric acid (GABA) content were found 6.53 mg/100 g. In conclusion, the Khao-Mak from germinated black native glutinous rice from this research could be a new healthy product in the future.
Middle School Students' Perceptions on Academic Motivation and Student Engagement

This qualitative study investigates the perceptions of suburban middle school students’ on academic motivation and student engagement. Ten students, grades 6-8, were randomly selected by the researcher from school counselors’ caseloads and the primary data collection techniques included two types of interviews; individual interviews and focus group interviews. Findings indicate students’ motivation and engagement in middle school is strongly influenced by the social relationships in their lives. The interpersonal factors identified by students were peer influence, teacher support and teacher characteristics, and parental behaviors. Each of these factors consisted of academic and social-emotional support which hindered and/or encouraged motivation and engagement. Students identified socializing with their friends as a means to want to be in school and to engage in learning. Also, students are more engaged and motivated if they believe their teachers care about their academic success and value their job. Lastly, parental involvement in academics appeared to be more crucial for younger students than older students in order to encourage motivation and engagement in school. MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS 5 Middle School Students’ Perceptions on Student Engagement and Academic Motivation Middle School Students’ Perceptions on Student Engagement and Academic Motivation Early adolescence marks a time for change for students academically and socially. Students are challenged academically in the sense that there is greater emphasis on developing specific intellectual and cognitive capabilities in school, while at the same time they are attempting to develop social skills and meaningful relationships. It is often easy to overlook the social and interpersonal challenges faced by students in the classroom when there is a large focus on grades in education, especially since teachers’ competencies are often assessed on their students’ academic performance. When schools do not consider psychosocial needs of students, there is a decrease in academic motivation and interest, lower levels of student engagement and poorer academic performance (i.e. grades) for middle school students (Wang & Eccles, 2013). In fact, students who report high levels of engagement in school are 75% more likely to have higher grades and higher attendance rates. Disengaged students tend to have lower grades and are more likely to drop out of school (Klem & Connell, 2004). Therefore, this research has focused on understanding the connections between certain interpersonal influences and academic motivation and engagement.
THE EFFECT OF VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES OF EFL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ON THEIR LISTENING COMPREHENSION ABILITY

The present study is an attempt to investigate whether vocabulary learning strategy has any effect on the listening comprehension of Iranian EFL Undergraduate Learners studying at Payam Noor University in Babol. The participants of the study were 35 male undergraduate university students majoring in English Translation chosen based on one step cluster sampling. This study followed Schmitt's classification of VLSs such as determination, social, memory, cognitive, and metacognitive strategies. The data were collected through using Schmitt’s VLS questionnaire adopted from Bennett (2006) and TOEFL listening comprehension test from Barron's. Descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) and stepwise multiple regressions were used to analyze the data. The results for descriptive statistics showed EFL undergraduate students in Payam Noor University in Babol are as medium strategy users who used determination strategies most frequently and social strategies least frequently. The results related to stepwise multiple regressions revealed only contribution of metacognitive strategy (one out of five categories of VLS) to listening comprehension.
Quality of family context or sibling status? Influences on cognitive development

This study analyzes the influence of socioeconomic status, quality of family context and sibling status on cognitive development in a sample of 551 five‐year‐old children. The regression analyses confirmed the predictive value of socioeconomic status and quality of family context on cognitive development. The quality of family context mediates the relation between socioeconomic status and cognitive development. None of the variables relating to the sibling group showed a significant relationship with cognitive development.
Combined atomic force microscope and acoustic wave devices: Application to electrodeposition

We present a combination of acoustic wave based sensors with scanning probe microscopy as a tool for better understanding the interaction of the former with the surrounding viscous medium when used for detection of analytes in liquids. Simultaneous analysis of the gold coated sensing surface with an atomic force microscope and monitoring changes in the acoustic propagation properties during copper electrodeposition provides a mean of correlating observations on the nanometer and millimeter scales. We find that the frequency shift of the quartz crystal microbalance is predominantly attributed to viscous effects in the lower mass range (below 1 μg/cm2 copper electrodeposition) and only becomes representative of the added rigid mass in the higher mass range. We observe that the sensitivity of surface acoustic wave Love-mode devices appears constant over the whole mass range analyzed (0.5–10 μg/cm2), indicating a rigid layer interaction leading to a frequency shift representative of the deposited mass. © 2003 American Vacuum Society.
Initial insights from a global database of rainfall-induced landslide inventories: the weak influence of slope and strong influence of total storm rainfall

Abstract. Rainfall-induced landslides are a common and significant source of damages and fatalities worldwide. Still, we have little understanding of the quantity and properties of landsliding that can be expected for a given storm and a given landscape, mostly because we have few inventories of rainfall-induced landslides caused by single storms. Here we present six new comprehensive landslide event inventories coincident with well identified rainfall events. Combining these datasets, with two previously published datasets, we study their statistical properties and their relations to topographic slope distribution and storm properties. Landslide metrics (such as total landsliding, peak landslide density, or landslide distribution area) vary across 2 to 3 orders of magnitude but strongly correlate with the storm total rainfall, varying over almost 2 orders of magnitude for these events. Applying a normalization on the landslide run-out distances increases these correlations and also reveals a positive influence of total rainfall on the proportion of large landslides. The nonlinear scaling of landslide density with total rainfall should be further constrained with additional cases and incorporation of landscape properties such as regolith depth, typical strength or permeability estimates. We also observe that rainfall-induced landslides do not occur preferentially on the steepest slopes of the landscape, contrary to observations from earthquake-induced landslides. This may be due to the preferential failures of larger drainage area patches with intermediate slopes or due to the lower pore-water pressure accumulation in fast-draining steep slopes. The database could be used for further comparison with spatially resolved rainfall estimates and with empirical or mechanistic landslide event modeling.