Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The local structure of compactified Jacobians

This paper studies the local geometry of compactified Jacobians. The main result is a presentation of the completed local ring of the compactified Jacobian of a nodal curve as an explicit ring of invariants described in terms of the dual graph of the curve. The authors have investigated the geometric and combinatorial properties of these rings in previous work, and consequences for compactified Jacobians are presented in this paper. Similar results are given for the local structure of the universal compactified Jacobian over the moduli space of stable curves.
The Theory of Planned Behavior Augmented with Cognitive Cultural Intelligence and Work-Related Perceptions in Predicting Intention to Work Abroad

This research examined university students’ intention to pursue employment abroad after finishing their studies. While most studies on predicting career choice among students relied exclusively on utilizing the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study augmented the TPB with cognitive cultural intelligence (cognitive CQ), serving as a moderator, and work-related perspectives, serving as another predictor. Participants were 153 students, who were studying business administration in a university in Turkey. The results indicated that subjective norms and perceived behavioral control but not attitudes predicted the intention and, hence, partially supported the TPB. Students’ perceptions of overseas career development opportunities were found to be another predictor of the intention to work abroad. Also, this study revealed that cognitive CQ had moderating effects on the translation of subjective norms and perceived behavioral control into intention. Such findings contribute to the understanding of the TPB and offer useful implications for organizations selecting employees for overseas assignments and those recruiting foreign employees. 
Vibrational Stabilization by Reshaping Arnold Tongues : A Numerical Approach

This paper presents two contributions to the stability analysis of periodic systems modeled by a Hill equation: The first is a new method for the computation of the Arnold Tongues associated to a given Hill equation which is based on the discretization of the latter. Using the proposed method, a vibrational stabilization is performed by a change in the periodic function which guarantees stability, given that the original equation has unbounded solutions. The results are illustrated by some examples.
Gamification, a Successful Method to Foster Leptospirosis Knowledge among University Students: A Pilot Study

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that has been reported in Malaysia and has been associated with a recent trend of recreational activities among the youth. Thus, efforts such as educational interventions among high-risk populations, especially the youth, are key to increasing public awareness regarding leptospirosis. This paper presents the findings of a pilot study wherein an educational intervention using a gamification intervention method was used to determine changes in leptospirosis knowledge among youth. On this note, students from a public university in Seremban district, Malaysia, were recruited and were asked to complete questionnaires before and after gamification activities. Baseline and immediate post-intervention data on leptospirosis knowledge were obtained. The total knowledge score was calculated, and differences in the mean pre- and post-intervention knowledge score were determined. Of the total 185 questionnaires that were completed at baseline and immediately post-intervention, only 168 that belonged to respondents who had heard of leptospirosis were analysed in this paper. A significant increase in leptospirosis knowledge was observed for the students following health education by gamification (p < 0.01). The results demonstrate the effectiveness of an educational intervention using gamification in improving leptospirosis knowledge among youth and suggest that gamification could become an efficient tool to prevent the disease within university-age demographics.
Evaluation of LSA performance in Spanish using multiple corpus of text

Latent Semantic Analysis is a natural language processing tools that allows estimating semantic distance between terms. The suc- cess of LSA is mainly based on the training corpus choice, which have been studied principally in English. This study focuses on studying LSA with regional Spanish corpus and evaluate the performance by identifying synonyms. We found that performance was slightly better than chance, concordantly with previous results. Standard LSA method cannot dy- namically increase the training corpus. By using classiers we combined multiple LSA models and showed that the use of automatic classiers increase the performance.
Spatial dynamics of green corridors

Forest management aims at building ecological networks that minimize the impacts on timber production. We formalize the construction of ecological networks in forest environments as the optimal control dynamic graph-theoretic problem. The ecological network is based on a set of bioreserves and patches linked by green corridors. The network is defined as a graph, in which bioreserves, which host the species, are represented by the target nodes provided with an attraction function. The role of patches, which are represented by the unmarked nodes, is to receive the species before redirecting them to bioreserves. We consider two cases: a case of complete graph, where the ecological network is fully connected, and a case of incomplete graph, where the ecological network is partially connected. We use an ecologically and economically weighted Mahalanobis distance when dealing with the species migration through the grid. We find that the connectivity between areas depends on their ecological similarity. In both cases, at the equilibrium, the ecological network maintains its connectedness while minimizing the distances between nodes weighted by the opportunity costs of timber production. Whether the graph is complete or incomplete, the optimal control imposes specific conditions on the shadow values. Our simulations show that taking into account the opportunity costs of timber production is essential to determine the economic soundness of the ecological project, but the optimality threshold depends on the type of network that is envisaged.
E- Öğrenme Güncesi: Dil Öğreniminde Öğrencinin İnisiyatif Kullanmasını Arttırmaya Yönelik Bir Araç

This study aims to explore the extent to which e-learning journals stimulate learner control over the language learning process through critical reflection on the process itself. The study involved 71 first-year non-native English-speaking students taking a two-semester “Text and Composition” course at the Department of Translation and Interpretation (English-French-Turkish) at a four-year English medium university in Turkey. The data were collected through e-learning journals, post-course interviews and post-course questionnaires. The results indicated that e-learning journals encouraged learners to reflect critically on their learning, resulting in increased learner control over the language learning process. Moreover, e-learning journals promoted positive change in the attitudes of the learners towards using more ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) in the language learning process.
Sample Washing Procedures Influence Mineral Element Concentrations in Zinc‐Sprayed Apple Leaves

Abstract Widespread use of postbloom zinc (Zn) nutritional sprays in tree fruit and nut orchards can lead to substantial surface contamination of apple leaf samples by Zn spray residue, which complicates diagnosis of tree Zn status and Zn nutritional requirements. Detergent washing alone substantially reduced the Zn, iron (Fe), and aluminum (Al) concentrations of Zn‐sprayed Golden Delicious apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) leaves compared to unwashed leaves. Adding a 0.1M HCl washing step further reduced leaf Zn concentration, but had no additional effect of leaf Fe and Al concentrations. There was evidence for nitrogen (N) and sodium (Na) contamination of the leaf samples, possibly from chemical components of the detergent washing solution. The results indicate that the detergent washing is critical for eliminating Fe or Al contamination introduced by dust or soil adhering to leaves collected from trees grown in dusty environments or impacted by soil splash. Adding the acid wash should improve the estimate of the physiologically meaningful Zn concentration in Zn‐sprayed leaf tissue; however, the resulting leaf Zn concentrations may still be biased by a small and possibly variable amount of Zn spray residue.
Equal rights for chick brood parasites

Evolutionary interactions between brood parasites (e.g. cuckoos) and their hosts (e.g. small songbirds) became an important model for the study of coevolution, recognition and other subjects central to evolutionary biology. I argue that both primary literature and textbooks provide an unequal picture of brood parasite-host relationships: they make an impression that hosts can defend against parasite only at the egg stage but not at the nestling stage. However, the general impression that chick discrimination is either very rare or even non-existent does not follow from available data - it is studies of chick-related host adaptations which are rare. Using quantitative data on publication and citation rates of egg vs. chick studies I show that there is a strong inequality in favour of egg studies and against chick studies in respect to both research effort (number of studies, number of model host species, studies sample sizes) and citation rates. This bias is apparent in both observational and experimental studies. I argue that current poor knowledge of chick discrimination and mimicry can hardly be explained by logistic obstacles. Both theoretical frameworks and experimental designs were developed and successfully used in several studies of parasite chicks. I suggest that chick discrimination and mimicry should become a priority issue in brood parasitism research in the future to reach a more balanced view of host-parasite interactions.
Spectral bounds for vanishing of cohomology and the neighborhood complex of a random graph

In this article, we derive two spectral gap bounds for the reduced Laplacian of a general simplicial complex. Our two bounds are proven by comparing a simplicial complex in two different ways with a larger complex and with the corresponding clique complex respectively. Both of these bounds lead to generalizations of the result of Aharoni, Berger and Meshulam (2005), which is valid only for clique complexes. As an application, we decrease by a logarithmic factor, the upper bound for the threshold for vanishing of cohomology of the neighborhood complex of the Erdos-Renyi random graph derived by Kahle (2007). We also increase the lower bound for the above threshold by a polynomial factor.
A Competence Model for Environmental Education

The goal of environmental education is ultimately to enable a person to strive for and to attain a more ecological way of life. In this article, we begin by distinguishing three forms of environmental knowledge and go on to predict that people’s attitude toward nature represents the force that drives their ecological behavioral engagement. Based on data from 1,907 students, we calibrated previously established instruments to measure ecological behavior, environmental knowledge, and attitude toward nature with Rasch-type models. Using path modeling, we corroborated our theoretically anticipated competence structure. While environmental knowledge revealed a modest behavioral effect, attitude toward nature turned out to be, as expected, the stronger determinant of behavior. Overall, we propose a competence model that has the potential to guide us into more evidence-based ways of promoting the overall ecological engagement of individuals.
Gamete donation: Knowledge, attitude and perception of infertile couple in a public hospital in Nigeria

Aim : To assess the knowledge and attitude of infertile couples towards gamete donation. Method : A descriptive cross-sectional survey conducted at the Human Reproduction Research Programme/Invitro Fertilization Clinic, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH). Infertile couples on followed up at the gynaecologic clinic of the Hospital had orally administered questionnaire by one of the authors. The questionnaire included questions on their biodata, awareness of ART and knowledge and perception of gamete donation. The study involved the female and male partners and findings were compared. Result : A total of 114 females and 39 males participated in this study. Awareness of gamete donation was more amongst female respondents (67.5%) compared to the male respondents (53.8%). Majority of female respondents were willing to receive and donate gametes (62.3% and 85.1%). In contrast most male respondents were averred towards receiving donated gametes (59%). Overall, majority of study participants' wanted anonymity of donor and recipient. However in contrast to the male respondents, a significant majority (60.5%) of female respondents would like to know the physical attributes of the donor. The older females accepted treatment with gamete donation more than the younger ones. Conclusion : Awareness of gamete donation as treatment option for infertile couples is fairly high in our setting. However, acceptance of gamete donation may be influenced by age, religion and concerns of anonymity and disclosure. Public enlightenment programme to educate and correct false perceptions about gamete donation is desirable to address these concerns. Running head: gamete donation; developing nation Keywords : Gamete Donation, Awareness, Perception, Infertility, IVF, ART
Wheat TaSPL8 Modulates Leaf Angle Through Auxin and Brassinosteroid Signaling1[OPEN]

Wheat TaSPL8 regulates lamina joint development and leaf angle through auxin signaling and the brassinosteroid biosynthesis pathway. In grass crops, leaf angle is determined by development of the lamina joint, the tissue connecting the leaf blade and sheath, and is closely related to crop architecture and yield. In this study, we identified a mutant generated by fast neutron radiation that exhibited an erect leaf phenotype caused by defects in lamina joint development. Map-based cloning revealed that the gene TaSPL8, encoding a SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING-LIKE (SPL) protein, is deleted in this mutant. TaSPL8 knock-out mutants exhibit erect leaves due to loss of the lamina joint, compact architecture, and increased spike number especially in high planting density, suggesting similarity with its LIGULESS1 homologs in maize (Zea mays) and rice (Oryza sativa). Hence, LG1 could be a robust target for plant architecture improvement in grass species. Common wheat (Triticum aestivum, 2n = 6× = 42; BBAADD) is an allohexaploid containing A, B, and D subgenomes and the homeologous gene of TaSPL8 from the D subgenome contributes to the length of the lamina joint to a greater extent than that from the A and B subgenomes. Comparison of the transcriptome between the Taspl8 mutant and the wild type revealed that TaSPL8 is involved in the activation of genes related to auxin and brassinosteroid pathways and cell elongation. TaSPL8 binds to the promoters of the AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR gene and of the brassinosteroid biogenesis gene CYP90D2 and activates their expression. These results indicate that TaSPL8 might regulate lamina joint development through auxin signaling and the brassinosteroid biosynthesis pathway.
Rapid Assay for Detecting Enhanced Atrazine Degradation in Soil

Abstract Atrazine is widely used to control broadleaf weeds and grasses in corn, sorghum, and sugarcane. Field persistence data published before 1995 showed that the average half-life of atrazine in soil was 66 d, and farmers expect to achieve weed control with a single application for the full season. However, reports of enhanced atrazine degradation in soil from fields that have a history of atrazine applications are increasing. A rapid laboratory assay was developed to screen soils for enhanced atrazine degradation. Soil (50 g) was placed in a 250 ml glass jar and treated with 7.5 ml of water containing atrazine (5 µg ai ml−1) and capped with a Teflon-lined lid. The assay was conducted at room temperature (25 C). Soil subsamples (1.5 to 3 g) were removed at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 d after treatment and extracted with an equal weight of water (wt/vol). The atrazine in the water extract was assayed with high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The half-life of atrazine in soils with a history of use was ≤ 1.5 d, whereas the half-life in soils with no history of atrazine use was > 8 d. The advantages of this assay are (1) the ease of set up; (2) the rapidity of extraction, and (3) the simplicity of the quantification of the atrazine. Nomenclature: Atrazine; corn, Zea mays L; sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench; sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum L.
ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, SE DEPOSITION AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF BROILERS AS AFFECTED BY SELENIUM-ENRICHED YEAST

The purpose of this investigation was to study effects of using seleniumenriched yeast on productive performance, carcass composition, Se deposition in meat, some blood constituents and antioxidant activity of broiler chickens. One hundred fifty chicks of commercial broiler strain were divided into five groups, each group comprised five replicates (6 birds per replicate). The groups received a basal diet complemented with 0.2 (control), 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, or 0.6 ppm selenium (Se)/ kg diet. The experiment continued from one-day-old to five weeks of age. Data obtained illustrated that dietary treatments had insignificant effect on growth performance. Selenium (Se) concentration in breast muscles was increased by increasing Se-enriched yeast level in the diet, where the highest content of Se was in birds fed diet supplemented with 0.6 ppm Se/ kg (being 0.48 ppm /kg). Also, supplementing broiler diets with Se-enriched yeast resulted in higher activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) than in control group. Conversely, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly declined by increasing dietary Se levels. Concerning total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels, groups received 0.3 and 0.4 ppm Se/ kg diet appeared significantly similar to control group. Levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), as well as low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) in plasma were decreased in all treated groups compared to control group. In conclusion, complementing broiler diets with Se-enriched yeast might be recommended to improve the antioxidant status and blood lipid profile.
Nonlinearities in Swiss macroeconomic data

Up until lately, studies on asymmetric business cycles focused on U.S. data and were mainly based on univariate analysis. This paper extends the literature beyond U.S. data in studying Swiss macroeconomic data for which almost no empirical research is available so far. Secondly, this paper applies specific tests to differently detrended data, thus studying the robustness of the results taking the frequency characteristics of the data into account. Thirdly, multivariate tests will be restricted in order to pin down the underlying source of nonlinearity and its transmission channel, focussing mainly on possible nonlinear effects of money supply.
Long-term epigenetic changes in offspring mice exposed to alcohol during gestation and lactation

Background: Alcohol exposure impairs brain development and leads to a range of behavioural and cognitive dysfunctions, termed as foetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Although different mechanisms have been proposed to participate in foetal alcohol spectrum disorders, the molecular insights of such effects are still uncertain. Using a mouse model of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, we have previously shown that maternal binge-like alcohol drinking causes persistent effects on motor, cognitive and emotional-related behaviours associated with neuroimmune dysfunctions. Aims: In this study, we sought to evaluate whether the long-term behavioural alterations found in offspring with early exposure to alcohol are associated with epigenetic changes in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Methods: Pregnant C57BL/6 female mice underwent a model procedure for binge alcohol drinking throughout both the gestation and lactation periods. Subsequently, adult offspring were assessed for their cognitive function in a reversal learning task and brain areas were extracted for epigenetic analyses. Results: The results demonstrated that early binge alcohol exposure induces long-term behavioural effects along with alterations in histone acetylation (histone H4 lysine 5 and histone H4 lysine 12) in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. The epigenetic effects were linked with an imbalance in histone acetyltransferase activity that was found to be increased in the prefrontal cortex of mice exposed to alcohol. Conclusions: In conclusion, our results reveal that maternal binge-like alcohol consumption induces persistent epigenetic modifications, effects that might be associated with the long-term cognitive and behavioural impairments observed in foetal alcohol spectrum disorder models.
Microbialites from the Freshwater System of Cuatro Cienegas, Mexico: Genomic, Molecular Organic, and Stable Isotopic Perspectives

v Introduction . 1 Materials and Methods. 9 Sample Collection . 9 DNA Extraction. 11 Amplification, Cloning, and rRNA Sequencing. 11 Sequence Analysis. 12 Lipid Extraction. 12 Separation of Compound Classes . 13 Analysis by GC-MS . 14 Stable Isotope Analysis. 15 Microscopy . 16 Material Balance . 16 Results . 18 Bacterial Clone Libraries . 18 Lipid Extracts. 22 FAME Distribution . 22 Alcohol Distribution. 23 Hydrocarbon Distribution. 23 Carbon Isotope Profiles. 24 Microbialite Composition . 24 Discussion. 25 Phylogenetic Analysis . 25 Uniqueness of 16S Clone Libraries. 25 Phototrophic Community Composition . 26 Non-phototrophic Community Composition. 28 Phylogeny Summary . 30 Molecular Organic Biomarkers. 30 Hydrocarbons . 31
Cortical and Commissural Defects Upon HCF‐1 Loss in Nkx2.1‐Derived Embryonic Neurons and Glia

Formation of the cerebral cortex and commissures involves a complex developmental process defined by multiple molecular mechanisms governing proliferation of neuronal and glial precursors, neuronal and glial migration, and patterning events. Failure in any of these processes can lead to malformations. Here, we study the role of HCF‐1 in these processes. HCF‐1 is a conserved metazoan transcriptional co‐regulator long implicated in cell proliferation and more recently in human metabolic disorders and mental retardation. Loss of HCF‐1 in a subset of ventral telencephalic Nkx2.1‐positive progenitors leads to reduced numbers of GABAergic interneurons and glia, owing not to decreased proliferation but rather to increased apoptosis before cell migration. The loss of these cells leads to development of severe commissural and cortical defects in early postnatal mouse brains. These defects include mild and severe structural defects of the corpus callosum and anterior commissure, respectively, and increased folding of the cortex resembling polymicrogyria. Hence, in addition to its well‐established role in cell proliferation, HCF‐1 is important for organ development, here the brain.