Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do invasive bighead goby Neogobius kessleri and round goby N. melanostomus (Teleostei, Gobiidae) compete for food?

Bighead goby (Neogobius kessleri ) and round goby (Neogobius melanostomus ) have been invading new non-native areas about two decades successfully. In this study, diet spectrum, seasonal variation, feeding strategy and diet overlap between these two invasive species were assessed. Materials were collected from the Danube at Bratislava by fishing rods and/or electrofishing. The diet spectrum of both species was diverse: a total of 46 food types in bighead goby and 51food types in round goby were observed. Dikerogammarus sp. , chironomid larvae and Corophium sp. were the most predominant food types in bighead goby, whereas in round goby, chironomid larvae, Corophium sp. , bryozoans and Cladocera predominated. The diet varied over seasons. In the Slovak part of the Danube, bighead goby and round goby have adapted to local food resources, consuming diverse food from small to large items, both with soft and/or hard body. This enhances the capability of these invasive species to spread successfully. It appears that even if both exploit similar food resources, their proportional content differs. Further differences between these gobies were also found in their food behaviour and feeding strategy. Both species tend to be specialists where possible, but round goby demonstrates higher flexibility towards general feeding strategy.
Mechanical Determinants of the U-Shaped Speed-Energy Cost of Running Relationship

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the energy cost of running (Cr) and speed and its mechanical determinants by comparing running in normal [100% body weight (BW)] and reduced (20% and 60% BW) gravity conditions at several speeds (2.25, 3.17, 4.08, and 5.00 m·s−1) in experienced runners. Methods: Twelve experienced runners (24.6 ± 5.4 year) ran on an AlterG treadmill in a partially randomized order at the four running speeds and at the three gravity conditions in order to assess Cr, spatiotemporal parameters, spring-mass characteristics and elastic energy (EL) during running. Results: For the three gravity conditions, the speed-Cr per kg of body mass relationship was curvilinear (significant speed effect: P < 0.001) and was significantly downward shifted with reduced gravity (100%>60%>20% BW; P < 0.001). EL, expressed in J·step−1, was significantly higher at 100% BW than at 60 and 20% BW and at 60% BW than at 20% BW (significant gravity effect: P < 0.001) with a significant increase in EL per step at faster speeds for the 3 gravity conditions (P < 0.001). EL, expressed in J·kg−1·m−1, was significantly downward shifted with gravity (100%>60%>20% BW; P < 0.001), with no significant speed effect (P = 0.39). Conclusions: Our findings showed that, for the three gravity conditions, the speed-Cr relationship was curvilinear, and the optimization of the stretch-shortening cycle and muscle activation in the muscle-tendon unit may be involved to explain these U-shaped relationships, especially at normal terrestrial gravitational conditions (100% BW). The U-shaped speed-Cr per kg of the body mass relationship was shifted downward in hypogravity conditions, which was characterized by decreased EL compared to 100% BW. These mechanisms may contribute to the less than proportional decrease in Cr per kg of body mass relative to gravity.
The concept of green infrastructure and urban landscape planning: a challenge for urban forestry planning in Belgrade, Serbia

Abstract: The beginning of the 21st century has witnessed a growth in our understanding of the importance of planning urban landscapes in the context of urban population growth and unpredictable climatic conditions. In the search for responses to the challenges set by the development of contemporary urban landscapes, researchers have offered solutions based on the concept of sustainable and resilient cities, whose spatial development would be based on an interdisciplinary approach to strategy development: biodiversity, urban ecological networks and connectivity, multifunctionality and modularity. Although the concepts of a green infrastructure, in their spatial and functional dimensions, allow the application of such strategies, there are still problems when it comes to implementation and measuring the results achieved. At the same time, there is a growing discussion of the important role played by urban forestry in the context of the collaborative planning of urban landscapes and the application of the ideas of a green infrastructure. The key question is: what are the modalities of application of the concept of green infrastructure in the process of planning the development of the modern city and how can the resulting benefits be evaluated? With the modalities of application of the concept of green infrastructure in mind, we discuss its multi-scale and multifunctional dimensions as applied in the case of Serbia. The realisation of the green infrastructure concept is presented through the example of the Urban Forest Management Plan for the City of Belgrade - Mladenovac Municipality. The results of using the spatial-ecological approach in creating the plan and establishing connectivity as a new aim in forest management planning show that the implementation of the green infrastructure concept, and the achieved multifunctional ecosystem values, can be presented on the basis of the parameters of landscape metrics. In light of the new urban world, future research should focus on the application of the landscape ecological approach of the green infrastructure concept in collaborative planning at the urban landscape scale, which allows the creation of ecosystem services and benefits to human well-being.
Transferring soils from high‐ to low‐elevation forests increases nitrogen cycling rates: climate change implications

We assessed the potential impact of global warming resulting from a doubling of preindustrial atmospheric CO2 on soil net N transformations by transferring intact soil cores (0–15 cm) from a high‐elevation old‐growth forest to a forest about 800 m lower in elevation in the central Oregon Cascade Mountains, USA. The lower elevation site had mean annual air and soil (10‐cm mineral soil depth) temperatures about 2.4 and 3.9 °C higher than the high‐elevation site, respectively. Annual rates of soil net N mineralization and nitrification more than doubled in soil transferred to the low‐elevation site (17.2–36.0 kg N ha–1 and 5.0–10.7 kg NO3––N ha–1, respectively). Leaching of inorganic N from the surface soil (in the absence of plant uptake) also increased. The reciprocal treatment (transferring soil cores from the low‐ to the high‐elevation site) resulted in decreases of about 70, 80, and 65% in annual rates of net N mineralization, nitrification, and inorganic N leaching, respectively. Laboratory incubations of soils under conditions of similar temperature and soil water potential suggest that the quality of soil organic matter is higher at the high‐elevation site. Similar in situ rates of soil net N transformations between the two sites occurred because the lower temperature counteracts the effects of greater substrate quantity and quality at the high elevation site. Our results support the hypothesis that high‐elevation, old‐growth forest soils in the central Cascades have higher C and N storage than their low‐elevation analogues primarily because low temperatures limit net C and N mineralization rates at higher elevations.
Toxic and Essential Metals in Staple Foods Commonly Consumed by Students in Ekiti State, South West, Nigeria

Humans are exposed to Toxic Metals(TMs) and Essential Metals (EMs) through different sources but the most important are staple foods. Exposure to TMs and EMs may bring about harmful and beneficial effects respectively. Previous studies on the assessment of TMs and EMs levels in staple foods commonly consumed in Nigeria were focused on general populace while less attention had been paid to staple foods consumed by students within University campuses. Hence, this study was designed to determine the concentrations of selected TMs and EMs in staple foods commonly consumed by University students given the peculiar nature of their feeding habit. A structured questionnaire to obtain information on the kinds of staple foods consumed was administered to 200 consenting students of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti. Some samples of staple foods were identified. The identified staple foods were purchased from food vendors and local market in the research location and sorted into categories. Staple foods were oven dried at 105° C for 24 hrs and pulverized. One gramme each of staple food was digested using dry ashing. The digests were analysed for Zinc, Copper, Lead and Cadmium using atomic absorption spectrophotornetes, Data were subjected to descriptive statistics and compared with permissible limits as set by FAOIWHO guidelines for food standard Questionnaire indicated the followings: Spaghetti, jollof rice, rice with stew, wheat with soup, white and red beans, akara (beans cake), moin-moin, melon, groundnut, yam, amala,( cassava and yam flour), garri (fried cassava), eba, potato as staple foods usually consumed by the University students. The staple foods were categorized into cereals, legumes and tubers respectively. In the staple foods, the mean concentration\ (mg/kg) of zinc, copper, Cadmium and Lead ranged respectively as follows: 11.1±5.34-16.6±11.9, 3.70±3.30-5.60±5.10, 0.02±0.02-0.28±0.23 and 0.10±0.10-0.22±0.17. respectively.Hightest concentrations (mg/kg) of zinc (16.6±11-9) and cadmium (0.28±0.23) were found in cereals while the highest concentration of copper (5.60±5.10) and lead (0.22±0.17) were found in legumes and tubers respectively. The concentrations of zinc, copper, and lead were within the permissible limits set by FAO/WHO guildelines for food standard while cadmium concentration in cereals such as rice and wheat were above the permissible limits Staple Foods consumed by the University students were relatively safe in terms of toxic and essential metals contamination except cereals whose cadmium level exceeded the permissible limit.
ON ISOPERIMETRIC SURFACES IN GENERAL RELATIVITY

We obtain the isoperimetric profile for the standard initial slices in the Reissner‐Nordstrom and Schwarzschild anti-de Sitter spacetimes, following recent work of Bray and Morgan on isoperimetric comparison. We then discuss these results in the context of Bray’s isoperimetric approach to the Penrose inequality.
Sirolimus Nano Liposomes Optimization of sirolimus nano liposome prepared by modified ethanol injection method using response surface methodology

The aim of the present study was to apply experimental design methodology in the development and optimization of sirolimus liposomes employing a modified ethanol injection method. Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and cholesterol (Chol) as well as dioleoylphosphoethanolamine (DOPE) were utilized in the preparation of liposomes. Particle size (PS), encapsulation efficiency percent (EE%) and cumulative percent of drug release in 24 h (D24h) were investigated. Analysis of drug was performed using a validated RP-HPLC method. The response surface methodology, utilizing the polynomial equations, graphical plots and response optimization were used to evaluate the effects of each formulation variables on the responses and prediction of the optimal formulation for sirolimus liposomes as well. DPPC/Chol and DOPE/ DPPC molar ratios were selected as independent variables and correspondingly, results of PS, EE% and D24h were considered as responses of the experimental design. Results ranges for PS, EE% and D24h were 89-200 nm, 63.3-97.4 % and 13.18-22.86 %, respectively. The effects of DPPC/Chol and DOPE/DPPC molar ratios on D24h were significant, but in the case of PS and EE%, only the DPPC/Chol molar ratio had a significant effect (P< 0.05). Therefore based on the obtained results, the ethanol injection method could be a rapid, simple and inexpensive method for the preparation of liposomes. – Spalte 1 –
The Effects of Various Choices of IFRS Implementation on the Relevance of Accounting Information

To adopt IFRS, some jurisdictions as South Africa has chosen a method of implementation IFRS by the adoption of the IASB process while others like Canada, South Korea and the European Union countries opted for outstanding by standard method to implement IFRS. China preferred an incomplete transposition of these standards to the international reference. Faced with these various choices, the question of the impact of the IFRS implementation on the relevance of accounting information remains posed. To answer this question, we have studied the evolution of the relevance of accounting information following the adoption of the IFRS implementation method for a sample composed of listed companies. These firms are from six countries which have opted for different implementation methods of IFRS. The results show a maintain of the high relevance of accounting information for South Africa which opted for an implementation process and an improvement of the relevance for countries which has adopted a standard by standard method of IFRS implementation such as Canada, Germany and Spain excepting South Korea. In China, which conducted an extensive but incomplete convergence of its standards to IFRS, the results demonstrate a decrease in the relevance of the accounting information. Also, comparative analysis of the results shows a better relevance of accounting information for countries which have opted for methods of implementation fairly close to the IFRS.
The Impact of Using E-Portfolio on Nursing Student's

Background: The Modern Electronic Technologies have had a deep impact on traditional methods of education and brought forth new methods for effective education. Electronic portfolio is one of the newest methods of teaching. Therefore, the purpose of the present research was to study the impact of using e-portfolio on Nursing Students' Learning in Physiology Course. Methods: The design of the study was a pre-test/post-test one with an experimental group and a control group. The population of the study included all Nursing students of Nursing Faculty of Malayer city in the academic year 2014-15. The sample of the study was selected using available sampling and included 30 students who were placed in an experimental group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). The instrument used in this study was a learning test of basic Physiology Course developed by the researcher himself; the face validity of the test was judged by experts of subject and the pre-test and post-test method showed that the reliability of the test is 0.78 & 0.81, respectively. In order to collect data, at first, Pre-test learning were taken from experimental and control groups. Then, the control group, educational content related to physiology course was instructed through traditional methods and experimental group, the same content were instructed through the e portfolio method (with Use google chrome) during one academic semester. Finally, Learning post-test were taken from both groups. The obtained data were analyzed through the SPSS software and an independent t-test used to analyze the data. Results: The results of the study demonstrated that Using an e Portfolio method to increase in the amount of learning in nursing students of the experimental group (t: 10.38, P: 001). Conclusions: According to the results and effectiveness in the use of an electronic portfolio of the teaching-learning process in the physiology course, the use of this electronic technology in nursing education and consequently medical education is recommended.
Modeling and measurements of urban aerosol processes on the neighborhood scale in Rotterdam, Oslo and Helsinki

Abstract. This study evaluates the influence of aerosol processes on the particle number (PN) concentrations in three major European cities on the temporal scale of 1 h, i.e., on the neighborhood and city scales. We have used selected measured data of particle size distributions from previous campaigns in the cities of Helsinki, Oslo and Rotterdam. The aerosol transformation processes were evaluated using the aerosol dynamics model MAFOR, combined with a simplified treatment of roadside and urban atmospheric dispersion. We have compared the model predictions of particle number size distributions with the measured data, and conducted sensitivity analyses regarding the influence of various model input variables. We also present a simplified parameterization for aerosol processes, which is based on the more complex aerosol process computations; this simple model can easily be implemented to both Gaussian and Eulerian urban dispersion models. Aerosol processes considered in this study were (i) the coagulation of particles, (ii) the condensation and evaporation of two organic vapors, and (iii) dry deposition. The chemical transformation of gas-phase compounds was not taken into account. By choosing concentrations and particle size distributions at roadside as starting point of the computations, nucleation of gas-phase vapors from the exhaust has been regarded as post tail-pipe emission, avoiding the need to include nucleation in the process analysis. Dry deposition and coagulation of particles were identified to be the most important aerosol dynamic processes that control the evolution and removal of particles. The error of the contribution from dry deposition to PN losses due to the uncertainty of measured deposition velocities ranges from −76 to +64 %. The removal of nanoparticles by coagulation enhanced considerably when considering the fractal nature of soot aggregates and the combined effect of van der Waals and viscous interactions. The effect of condensation and evaporation of organic vapors emitted by vehicles on particle numbers and on particle size distributions was examined. Under inefficient dispersion conditions, the model predicts that condensational growth contributes to the evolution of PN from roadside to the neighborhood scale. The simplified parameterization of aerosol processes predicts the change in particle number concentrations between roadside and urban background within 10 % of that predicted by the fully size-resolved MAFOR model.
Compressibility effects for the AGARD-B model

Abstract A numerical study of the flow topologies over the 60° delta wing of the AGARD-B model at Mach 0·80 has revealed that vortex bursting occurs between 13°-15° angle-of-attack, while vortex separation occurs above 18°. These aerodynamic features have been identified as additional comparison criteria which need to be replicated for facilities using the model for calibration or inter-tunnel comparison purposes. The numerical simulations were performed using ANSYS Fluent V13, a structured mesh with near wall treatment and the Spalart-Allmaras and κ-ω SST turbulence models, and validated experimentally in a 5′ × 5′ transonic facility. Other aspects not previously identified or studied are firstly a recovery shock between the primary and secondary vortex that exists only when vortex bursting occurs, and secondly the lack of a shock between the wing and vortex when the flow topology corresponds to the centreline shock region as observed in other studies.
Student Perceptions of Textbook Layout and Learnability in Private Schools.

This research is an exploratory study that investigates students’ perceptions pertinent to textbook layout and organization and their evaluation of the textbook ease of learning. The objective is to find out whether the layout dynamics of school textbooks make any difference in students’ interest in studying or subject understanding. 73 students from various private schools of Pakistan’s cosmopolitan city Karachi responded to a quantitative survey that gauged their perceptions regarding textbook components such as paper, print, color, and textbook pedagogical features. Findings indicate that students rank print and color above paper quality, and that there is no particular relationship between a book layout and the actual use of textbooks.
Characteristics and Sensory Optimization of Taro (Colocasia esculenta) under Different Aging Conditions for Food Application of Black Taro

The physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacities, and sensory optimization of taro (Colocasia esculenta) under different aging conditions were investigated to develop black taro. Black taro was processed in three steps (steaming: 95±3 o C for 1 h; aging: 85, 90, 95 o C for 20, 40, and 60 h; drying: 60 o C for 24 h) and ground into a powder for all experiments. Black taro showed an increased crude fiber content and browning index compared to raw taro. Calcium oxalate contents, reducing sugar contents, moisture contents, and lightness values were decreased during the processing of taro. Improvements in total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP) were observed in the black taro samples aged at higher temperature. Response surface methodology was used for sensory optimization, and the optimum aging conditions with the highest acceptance values were found to be 88.73 o C for 39.50 h for taste, and 88.82 o C for 42.60 h for overall acceptance.
Early Frasnian sharks from central Iran

Two limestone bone-beds in the early Frasnian of the Chahriseh section, central Iran, yielded numerous chondrichthyan teeth and scales. The fauna includes, most probably, only two taxa: a hitherto unknown aztecodontid omalodontiform, Manberodus fortis gen. et sp. nov., and a multicuspid phoebodontiform, provisionally referred to as Phoebodus cf. latus GINTER & IVANOV, 1995. A new omalodontiformfamily, Aztecodontidae, including Aztecodus LONG& YOUNG, 1995 and Manberodus gen. nov., is proposed.
Service Value Assessment in Emerging Chain Restaurants in Nairobi Kenya

Traditionally, Kenya’s restaurants have in the past largely depended on international tourists for the main stay of their business. With the earlier steady growth of Tourism in the 1980s, these restaurants registered very good business, also supported by the fact that there were only a handful of restaurants that could be considered as ‘tourist class’. However, tourist arrivals in Kenya began to face serious challenges in the 1990s. Simultaneously, more serious restaurant ventures made market entry, especially within the capital city of Nairobi. It has been acclaimed that the prices charged for local hospitality services have not worked well to support it. As this takes place, questions have been asked as to whether these new investments have introduced product and service quality that is worth the price that they charge for the same. It was against the argument that is developing above that this study carried out a value assessment amongst the emerging chain restaurants in Nairobi city. The study sought to establish the part played by restaurants in building destination competitiveness through quality service offer and value pricing. A series of chain restaurants operating in Nairobi were identified all together with the specific unit and outlets that they operate. The customers in these restaurants were conveniently sampled and interviewed to inform this study of their perceptual judgment of service and value. The data was then be analyzed and interpreted to establish the extent to which these customers approve of service and value and how this can influence Kenya’s destination competitiveness, both for domestic and international tourists. The assessment of customer expectation and perception resulted in a four factor construct. An assessment of service quality led to the identification of the critical latent variables that leads to customer attraction and satisfaction in restaurants. An evaluation of prices charged indicated that price is a critical component in value assessment amongst customers.