Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Attitude towards Biology and Its Effects on Student’s Achievement

The main purpose of this study was to examine the relation between attitudes towards science in biology courses and students’ biology achievement. A total of 185 grade 12 (age 17-18 years) students in Isfahan answered to a 30-item questionnaire provided by authors based on STAQ-R inventory. The results showed that among attitude towards science dimensions, only “biology is fun for me”, have meaningful and positive relation with students’ achievement in biology. Also there was no significant difference between girls and boys in attitude towards biology, although girls had better achievements in biology in comparison with boys.
Symbolic or Substantive Policy? Measuring the Extent of Local Commitment to Climate Protection

Over 1000 US municipalities have formally committed to reduce their local greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through participation in one of several climate-protection networks. This has attracted the attention of researchers interested in theories of free riding and local political decision making who question why municipalities become engaged in this global effort. However, whereas joining a climate-protection network or adopting an emissions-reduction goal are relatively low-cost acts, the implementation of such policies entails higher costs. This raises legitimate questions about the extent and type of follow-through made on municipal climate-protection commitments. With this paper I begin to fill in the data gap around municipal climate-protection initiatives and construct an index that quantifies the GHG-reduction policies implemented by local governments. Data informing the index are collected on municipalities in the US state of Indiana and are used to test theories of local political decision making. Findings point to the important role that policy entrepreneurs play in advancing local climate protection as well as to the potential inadequacy of membership in climate-protection organizations as an indicator of increased implementation of GHG-reducing activities.
Heterosis for some physio-morphological plant traits in spring wheat crosses

An experiment was conducted at the experimental site of Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan to study heterosis analysis and gene action on seven wheat varieties and their F1 hybrids in 7×7 diallel fashion. Data for flag leaf area, flag leaf related traits including epidermal cell size, stomatal frequency, leaf venation, stomatal size, hygrophilic colloids and grain yield per plant was collected and analyzed. Higher positive values for flag leaf area (16.53) and leaf venation (9.89) were found in MH-97 × 4072. Negative hygrophilic colloids (-28.00) and stomatal frequency (-13.92), however, positive flag leaf area (9.35) and leaf venation (5.62) were recorded for Uqab-2000 × Punjab-96 with, and. In contrast, 4072 × Punjab-96 produced positive leaf venation (8.36) and epidermal cell size (2.36), but negative stomatal frequency (-8.18), stomatal size (-3.65). Considering genetic behavior of these three crosses, they should be utilized for future wheat breeding program to develop varieties able to survive not only under optimum environmental conditions but also perform better under stressful environment.
Optical Properties of Spherical Colloidal Nanocrystals

The desire to fabricate materials with novel or improved properties is a powerful stimulus for the development of materials science. Thermal and electrical conduction, optical response, energy conversion and storage are just a few of the large number of properties underwent a very fast evolution in the last decade thank to the birth of a new branch of materials science and technology defined “Nanotechnology”. Nanotechnology includes the totality of the physical, chemical, biological and engineering knowledge involving artificial structures whose properties are controlled at the nanometer level. Among the multitude of nanomaterials created, a particular class of them is becoming very popular and represents nowadays the most fascinating and potentially revolutionary inorganic semiconductor structure, which is the family of the colloidal quantum dots. They are often referred to as “nanocrystals” and the colloidal definition reveal their chemical origin. Actually, the chemical synthesis currently represents the most effective way to obtain high quality (in terms of size control, narrow size distribution, good crystalline structure and high optical performances) nano-objects on a gram scale which can be handled as ordinary chemical substances and implemented in several opto-electronic devices as well as biological ambient. Today, colloidal nanocrystals are successfully used as active media in lasers (Chan, et al., 2004; Klimov et al., 2000, 2007), LEDs (Anikeeva et al., 2009; Caruge et al., 2008), photovoltaic (Gur et al., 2005; Huynh et al., 2002; Kim et al., 2003), sensors (Oertel et al., 2005), biological labelling (Deka et al., 2009; Michalet et al., 2001), photo catalysis (HewaKasakarage et al., 2010). Chemical syntheses allow for the fabrication of nanocrystals (NCs) with nearly atomic precision. They are currently prepared in a variety of compositions as nearly spherical particles (Peng et al., 2000), elongated nanorods (Krahne et al., 2011), and other more complex structures like tetrapods (Fiore et al., 2009) and octapods (Miszta et al., 2011; Zhang et al., 2011). Moreover, the sophistication with which inorganic nanoparticles can be prepared has inspired the creation of multi-combined nano-systems having different compositions ranging from the all-semiconductor to hybrid semiconductor-metal nanoparticles possessing on demand properties in terms of electronic levels energy. As a consequence, the in-depth knowledge of the electronic structure of nanocrystals became of fundamental importance and a huge effort on the theoretical and experimental point of view has been made in the two last decades dedicated to their study and comprehension.
A twenty-year retrospective study of tetanus in horses: 42 cases

The retrospective study included 42 horses affected with tetanus and treated between 1990 and 2009. A total of 34 coldblood horses and 8 warmblood horses were included in the study. The most frequent clinical signs were rigidity of limb muscles, trismus, and nictitating membrane prolapse. The overall mortality rate was 45.3 % and the mean age of infected animals was 5.8 years. The first 7 days of disease are the most critical period for survival. A more rapid progression and the presence of recumbency and profuse sweating were confirmed as indicators of poor prognosis.
Multilateral Trade Liberalization and Mexican Households: The Effect of the Doha Development Agenda

Empirical evidence suggests that global trade reforms are unlikely to produce analogous results across countries, especially when analyzing their effect on poverty. This implies that the analysis of trade reform on social welfare cannot be generalized and needs to be conducted on a country by country basis. Moreover, even within the same country, geographic areas, households, and individuals are likely to be differentially affected, some of them benefiting more than others, while others might lose. With this in mind, the author provides a quantitative estimate of the effect on Mexican households from the implementation of the Doha development agenda. His analysis uses a two-step approach for which changes in prices and factors are estimated through a CGE model (GTAP) and then mapped into the welfare function of the household using household survey data. The empirical approach the author uses aims to measure the impact of Doha implementation by tracing changes in the household prices of goods and factors and their impact on household welfare, taking particular account the role of domestic price transmission. The findings suggest that multilateral trade liberalization alone would have a negative effect on Mexican households, even though very small. However, when the implementation of the Doha development agenda is complemented by domestic policies aimed at increasing productivity and improving domestic price transmission, the overall effects become positive. The results point to the importance of domestic price transmission in determining the variance of the effects across households.
Minimal mass blow up solutions for a double power nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation

We consider a nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation with double power nonlinearity, where one power is focusing and mass critical and the other mass sub-critical. Classical variational arguments ensure that initial data with mass less than the mass of the ground state of the mass critical problem lead to global in time solutions. We are interested by the threshold dynamic and in particular by the existence of finite time blow up minimal solutions. For the mass critical problem, such an object exists thanks to the explicit conformal symmetry, and is in fact unique. For the focusing double power nonlinearity, we exhibit a new class of minimal blow up solutions with blow up rates deeply affected by the double power nonlinearity. The analysis adapts the recent approach developed by Rapha\"el and Szeftel for the construction of minimal blow up elements.
A unitary account of conceptual representations of animate/inanimate categories

In this paper we present an ERP study examining the underlying nature of semantic representation of animate and inanimate objects. Time-locking ERP signatures to the onset of auditory stimuli we found topological similarities in animate and inanimate object processing. Moreover, we found no difference between animates and inanimates in the N400 amplitude, when mapping more specific to more general representation (visual to auditory stimuli). These studies provide further evidence for the theory of unitary semantic organization, but no support for the feature-based prediction of segregated conceptual organization. Further comparisons of animate vs. inanimate matches and within-vs. between-category mismatches revealed following results: processing of animate matches elicited more positivity than processing of inanimates within the N400 time-window; also, inanimate mismatches elicited a stronger N400 than did animate mismatches. Based on these findings we argue that one of the possible explanations for finding different and sometimes contradictory results in the literature regarding processing and representations of animates and inanimates in the brain could lie in the variability of selected items within each of the categories, that is, homogeneity of the categories.
TEMPERATURE CONTROL OF BACTERIOPLANKTON GROWTH IN A TEMPERATE LARGE LAKE

In order to examine the significance of temperature in controlling growth of bacterioplankton in a large lake with a pronounced pelagic zone we performed 12 temperature shift-up experiments year-round in mesotrophic Lake Constance, Germany, with samples from 1 ,6 , 10 or 20 and 50 m depth. We measured incorporation of I4C-leucine (Leu) and 3H-thymidine (TdR) at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25°C including the in situ temperature *2"C. The results show that during most of the year bacteria at 1 and 6 m were well adapted to the ambient temperature, ranging between 4 and 23"C, because in situ and optimum growth temperatures agreed within 1 to 5°C. At 20 and 50 m, in situ and optimum growth temperatures usually diverged by more than 5"C, and often by more than 1O0C, indicating that bacterial growth at these depths was clearly limited by temperature. Hence, in the upper water column, temperature controlled bacterial growth by selecting for a well-temperature-adapted community whereas in the lower part of the water column temperature directly controlled bacterial growth. In several experinlents we observed 2 temperature optima. We interpret this observation as an indication of the existence of 2 different subpopulations with different temperature preferences. Qlo vakues of Leu incorporation and TdR incorporation, ranging from 1.4 to 42.5, exhibited systematic differences. At 1, 6 and 10 m, Qlo of Leu was higher than that of TdR except in 3 cases, whereas at 20 and 50 m Qlo of TdR was higher than that of Leu except in 3 cases. This observation suggests that protein synthesis (Leu) and DNA replication (TdR) are controlled differently by temperature in differently adapted bacterial communities. In order to test the hypothesis that utilization of the most important substrates is optimized at the optimum growth temperature we carried out 5 additional experiments in which we measured uptake and respiration of dissolved free amino acids and monosaccharides. In 3 experiments we found that the fraction of amino acids respired had a distinct minimum at the optimum growth temperature whereas respiration of monosaccharides had such a minimum only in 1 experiment. The experiments gave no indication of enhanced respiration percentages at minimum growth temperatures.
Loss of Fitting and Distance Prediction in Fixed vs Updated ARIMA Models

In many cases, it might be advisable to keep an operational time series model fixed for a given span of time, instead of updating it as a new datum becomes available. One common case, is represented by model–based deseasonalization procedures, whose time series models are updated on a regular basis by National Statistical Offices. In fact, in order to minimize the extent of the revisions and grant a greater stability of the already released figures, the interval in between two updating processes is kept "reasonably" long (e.g. one year). Other cases can be found in many contexts, e.g. in engineering for structural reliability analysis or in all those cases where model re–estimation is not a practical or even a viable options, e.g. due to time constraints or computational issues. Clearly, the inevitable trade–off between a fixed models and its updated counterpart, e.g. in terms of fitting performances, out–of–sample prediction capabilities or dynamics explanation should be always accounted for.
Characterization of the Weed Seed Bank in Zero and Conventional Tillage in Central Chile

We studied the abundance, species composition, and depth distribution of the weed seed bank under no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) at two sites, A and B. Soil samples were taken at three soil depths (0-2, 2-5, and 5-15 cm). Germinated, dormant, and total seeds were counted. The total number of seeds was higher (p ≤ 0.05) under CT treatment at the two sites (CTA = 5175 seeds m -2 , NTA = 3250 seeds m -2 , CTB = 33 770 m -2 , and NTB = 22 437 seeds m -2 ). The number of viable, dormant, and germinated seeds was also higher (p ≤ 0.05) in CT at the two sites. The percentage of viable seeds was low with 37% (CTA), 34% (CTB), 21% (NTA), and 8% (NTB). Viable seeds of Chenopodium album L. (CHEAL) dominated in the two trials with 67% (CTA), 20% (NTA), 96% (CTB), and 77% (NTB). In a principal component analysis, PC1 separated viable seeds of weed species according to tillage and PC2 separated weed species according to sites. Poa annua L. was the most important species associated with NT followed by Cichorium intybus L. , and Sonchus while Euphorbia helioscopia L. and Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv. were associated with CT.
New aquatic Oniscidea (Crustacea: Isopoda) from groundwater calcretes of Western Australia

Three blind new species of Haloniscus Chilton (Scyphacidae s.l.) from groundwater calcretes in Western Australia are described: H. tomentosus, H. longiantennatus and H. stilifer. A diagnosis of the genus and a key to the species are proVided, and its distribution is briefly discussed. Haloniscus stepheni Nicholls and Barnes, is redescribed and transferred to the genus Andricophiloscia Vandel in the family Philosciidae. A further new blind philosciid species collected in the same calcrete system as H. longiantennatus and H. stilifer is described and tentatively ascribed to the genus Andricophiloscia (A. pedisetosa).
Proximate and heavy metals composition of Plantain (Musa paradisiaca L.) fruits harvested from some solid waste dumps in Uyo Metropolis, Nigeria

Plantain thrives well in waste dumpsites. These wastes usually contaminate the soil with heavy metals which become absorbed by the plants. The risk of heavy metal toxicity in humans is an issue of serious concern globally. Proximate composition of plantain fruits harvested from three randomly selected waste dumpsites in Uyo metropolis, Nigeria were determined using AOAC standard analytical techniques while their heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu, Co, Cd and As) concentrations and that of their rhizosphere soil were analysed with Unicam Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Proximate analyses results revealed that carbohydrate content was higher in the fruits harvested from the control uncontaminated soil sites (91.61%) than in the fruits harvested from dumpsite soils (87.23%; 87.89%; 88.00%). Dumpsite soils had higher heavy metals concentrations than the control soil. Lead (Pb) was the highest occurring heavy metal in all the dumpsite soils. Fruits harvested from the dumpsite soils had higher heavy metals concentrations than those from the control soil. Pb was the only heavy metal whose concentration in the plantain fruits was higher than the WHO/FAO permissible limit. This work has established that the selected dumpsite soils have been contaminated with heavy metals which have been absorbed by the plantain cultivated there. Cultivation and consumption of plantain from these dumpsite soils should be discouraged.
From useless thickets to valuable resource? – Financial performance of downy birch management on drained peatlands

Downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) stands on drained peatlands are often considered useless because they typically do not yield good-quality sawn timber. However, covering an area of ca. 0.5 million hectares and with total yields of up to 250 m3 ha–1, downy birch stands on peatlands in Finland have a potential for pulpwood and/or energy wood production. We examined the financial performance of alternative management regimes (with or without thinnings, different thinning intensities, several rotation lengths) combined with alternative harvesting methods (pulpwood, energy wood, or integrated, energy wood being delimbed stems or whole trees). We used data from 19 experimental stands, monitored for 20–30 years. For harvesting removals we considered both actual thinning removals and final-cutting removals with alternative timings that were based on the monitoring data. We assessed the profitability as a combination of the net present value of the birch generation and the bare land value of future generations of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst. ). The most profitable management was growing without thinnings until wholetree final cutting at the stand age of 40–45 years with an advanced multi-tree harvesting method. In contrast, the standard method in whole-tree final cutting resulted in the lowest profitability, and an integrated method with the energy wood as delimbed stems was the best of the standard methods. Thinnings were unprofitable especially when aiming to produce energy wood, whereas aiming for pulpwood, light precommercial thinning was competitive. Commercial thinning at the traditional “pulpwood stage” had little effect on profitability. The best stand age for final cutting was 40–65 years – earlier for very dense stands and whole-tree energy wood harvesting with advanced method, later for precommercially thinned stands and pulpwood harvesting.
Parent–infant psychotherapy: a systematic review of the evidence for improving parental and infant mental health

Abstract Background: Parent–infant psychotherapy (PIP) is a psychodynamic intervention with parent–infant dyads, designed to address regulatory disturbances in infancy and problems in the parent–infant relationship. Aims: This systematic review aimed to examine whether PIP is effective in improving the parent–infant relationship or other aspects of parent or infant functioning. Methods: A systematic review was undertaken. Electronic databases were searched for randomised controlled trials in which participants had been allocated to a PIP intervention or control group/other treatment. Results: Eight studies were identified that provided data comparing parent–infant psychotherapy with a no-treatment control group (four studies) or comparing PIP with other kinds of treatment (four studies). Meta-analyses indicated that parents who received PIP were more likely to have an infant who was rated as being securely attached to the parent after the intervention; however, there were no significant differences in studies comparing outcomes of PIP with another model of treatment. Conclusions: Although PIP appears to be a promising method of improving infant attachment security, there is inconclusive evidence of its benefits in terms of other outcomes, and no evidence to show that it is more effective than other interventions for parents and infants. Many studies had limitations in their design or implementation, and findings must be interpreted with caution.
Handbook of Research on Icts for Human-Centered Healthcare and Social Care Services

Of the many of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products, electronic games are considered as having great potential for improving health and social outcomes. This chapter considers the factors that may be involved in facilitating health and social outcomes and also those factors that might be considered risk factors by reviewing studies that have shown both positive and detrimental effects on people’s physical and mental health. The authors also debate some research questions that remain unanswered and suggest guidelines for practitioners, researchers, and game designers. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-3986-7.ch003
Records of performance and sanitary status from a dairy cattle herd in southern Brazil

Over the last decades, the emphasis on the health of dairy cows has changed from an individual to a herd level. In this scenario, the role played by the recording system and its interpretation by veterinarians has gained primordial importance. The records of productive and reproductive performance and of sanitary status from a southern Brazilian dairy cattle herd have been presented and discussed. The period of study was 2000-2009. Mean values per lactation period were 349D 8436M 290F 275P 201SCS (D: days in lactation, M: kg of milk yield, F: kg of fat, P: kg of protein and SCS: somatic cell score in 1000 cells/ml of milk). Major indexes of reproductive efficiency included age at first calving (31 months), services per conception (2.1), intercalving interval (428 days), calving to conception interval (146 days), mean annual rates of parturitions (76.2%), fetal losses (9.8-19.0%), and stillbirths (3.6%), apart of voluntary waiting period (94 days). Main information on sanitary status of the herd was associated with the mean prevalence of common disorders of dairy cattle such as anaplasmosis (29.8%), mastitis (27.8%), digital diseases (26.3%), ovarian cysts (21.3%), placental retention (19.7%), postpartum uterine infections (10.6%), and calf diarrhea (23.7%) and pneumonia (16.8%), among others. In addition, culling reasons (low reproductive performance [56.3%] and udder/mastitis problems [33.6%]), causes of cattle deaths (anaplasmosis [16.4%] and leukosis [11.4]), and the impact of cattle diseases such as tuberculosis, leukosis, and neosporosis on the herd have also been presented and succinctly discussed. Numbers between brackets represent rates accumulated in the 10-year period.