Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
2-17607 p0748-0755 FESdj

The red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier, is the most important insect pest on date palms. Weevils were collected from randomly selected infested date palms in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Mites from three families were recorded. Uroobovella sp. (Acari: Urodinychidae) were the most common phoretic mites. Curculanoetus sp. (Acari: Histiostomatidae) were second in abundance. Uropoda orbicularis (Acari: Uropodidae) was recorded on one beetle. The abundance of phoretic mites varied among body parts of R. ferrugineus , and the maximum numbers occurred in the subelytral space. The mean intensity, mean abundance, and prevalence of Uroobovella and Curculanoetus mites did not differ between male and female weevils. Uroobovella had significantly greater mean intensity, abundance and prevalence compared to Curculanoetus . Most Uroobovella and Curculanoetus aggregated under the sublytral space, which presumably offers protection from the hot and dry environment. This study is the first to document the presence of phoretic mites on R. ferrugineus in UAE and will help to direct future research on their interactions.
The Itô formula for a new stochastic integral

We study the new stochastic integral introduced by Ayed and Kuo in 2008. Our main results are two Itô formulas that extend the one presented by Ayed and Kuo. We generalize the notion of the Itô process onto the class of instantly independent stochastic processes and use it in the formulation of the two Itô formulas we derive.
No direct coupling between bending of galaxy disc stellar age and light profiles as seen from CALIFA

Recent theoretical and observational works claim the existence of galaxies with a characteristic age profile consisting on a negative radial trend followed by a smooth age upturn in its outskirts (“U-shape”). This shape has been generally related to down-bending light distributions; however, the existence of a real link between observed Surface Brightness (SB) profiles and changes in stellar properties such as age is still unclear.
GaN-based Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Devices

Si-based semiconductors-related technologies are well developed for their applications in electronic devices and integrated circuits (ICs). However, the properties of Si-based semiconductors are seldom being applied in high-frequency and high-power systems. In comparison, the GaN-based semiconductors have also aroused huge interests in recent years owing to their advantages, such as wide and direct energy bandgap, better thermal and chemical stability, and high-electron drift velocity. Therefore, GaN-based semiconductors are widely utilized in electronic devices, including field-effect transistors (FETs) (Khan et al., 1993; Zolper et al., 1996; Klein et al., 1999; Yoshida & Suzuki, 1999; Johnson et al., 2000; Zhang et al., 2000; Jimenez et al., 2002; Binari et al., 2002; Braga et al., 2004; Wallis et al., 2005; Horio et al., 2005; Hong & Kim, 2006; Saripalli et al., 2007) and high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) (Egawa et al., 2000; Karmalkar & Mishra, 2001; Vetury et al., 2001; Islam et al., 2002; Koley et al., 2003; Khan et al., 2003; Mizutani et al., 2003; Lu et al., 2003; Meneghesso et al., 2004; Fareed et al., 2005; Inoue et al., 2005; Seo et al., 2008). Among the devices mentioned above, GaN-based HEMTs possess high electron mobility larger than 1000cm2/Vs at room temperature and large operating current due to the formation of two dimensional electron gases (2DEGs). In addition, the GaN-based optoelectronic devices, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) (Han et al., 1998; Chang et al., 2004; Fujii et al., 2004; Wierer et al., 2004; Shen et al., 2006; Lee et al., 2006; Chang et al., 2006; Lee et al., 2007; Chen et al., 2007; Chuang et al., 2007), photodetectors (PDs) (Kuksenkov et al., 1998; Walker et al., 1998; Katz et al., 2001; Rumyantsev et al., 2001; Sheu et al., 2002; Seo et al., 2002; Pau et al., 2004; Su et al., 2005; Vardi et al., 2006; Navarro et al., 2009), and laser diodes (LDs) (Nakamura et al., 1996; Nakamura et al., 1996; Saitoh et al., 2003; Suski et al., 2004; Schoedl et al., 2005; Peng et al., 2006; Laino et al., 2007; Braun et al., 2008; Rossetti et al., 2008), have also been investigated and developed extensively for display, lighting, memory system, and communication system in recent years. It has been reported that utilizing Schottky contact gate could substantially improve the performances of GaN-based metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MES-FETs) and metal-semiconductor high-electron mobility transistors (MES-HEMTs) in high-frequency applications (Chumbes et al., 2001; Ohno et al., 2001; Javorka et al., 2002; Okita et al., 2003; Endoh et al., 2004). However, these devices are not suitable for high-power applications because of large gate leakage current, small gate voltage swing (GVS) and small breakdown 8
Spatial and temporal variation in benthic macrofauna and relationships with environmental variables in an estuarine, intertidal soft-sediment environment

We quantified the distribution, abundance, biomass and assemblage structure of ben- thic macrofauna at different spatio-temporal scales in a temperate estuarine, intertidal soft-sediment environment in the Schelde estuary, The Netherlands. Hierarchically scaled surveys were conducted yearly between 1994 and 2000, covering 4 spatial scales: region (10 4 m), transect (10 3 m), station (10 2 m), and replicate samples (10 -1 m). Our approach provided a powerful framework for quantify- ing the proportion of the variation among samples that was attributable to each spatial or temporal scale, and we explicitly aimed at identifying the role of environmental variables in explaining the observed variability. Variance components calculated for 11 dominant macrobenthic species revealed that variations at the scale of stations and year × station interactions were the most im- portant components of variability. Regional and transect differences were only apparent for a few species, although multivariate analysis revealed clear inter-regional differences for the macrobenthic assemblage structure. Only a few species displayed significant variability associated with the factor year solely. Both spatial and temporal components explained > 70% of the total variance. A sub- stantial part of the total variation in abundance of individual species was explained by the observed environmental variables (27 to 56%). Multiple regression with subdivision of the environmental variables into a long-term average and a temporal component showed that the long-term averages were much more important than the short-term deviations from this average, with local environ- mental variables (mud content, chlorophyll a, bed level height) explaining the largest part of the observed variation. For a few species and total biomass, salinity also explained a large part of the observed variation. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) with forward selection revealed that salinity and mud content, and to a lesser extent chlorophyll a and bed-level height, accounted for most of the variance in the macrobenthic species data. Partial CCA indicated that of the variation in the species data a large part was spatially structured (56.7%), with about half of this variation being explained by the environmental variables used. Only 4.1% of the species variation was temporally structured. Our results have important consequences for both the interpretation of monitoring programmes and the enhancement of sampling designs.
Fast events and waves in an active region of the Sun observed in H alpha with high spatial resolution

Context. We study the chromosphere of an active region of the Sun in the Hα line. Aims. The development of new instrumentation and new methods of data analysis allows to scrutinize the dynamics of the solar chromosphere with high spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution. The observations we present shed light on some magneto-dynamic processes occurring above an active region in the chromosphere. Methods. We took a time series of 55 min in Hα from AR 10875 at ϑ ≈ 36 ◦ . We used the “Gottingen” Fabry-Perot spectrometer at the Vacuum Tower Telescope, Observatorio del Teide/Tenerife, to obtain two-dimensional spectrograms in Hα. Adaptive optics and image reconstruction yielded a spatial resolution better than 0. �� 5 throughout the time sequence. From the wealth of structures, we
On the conditions of carbon nanotube growth in the arc discharge

The conditions for single wall carbon nanotube formation in the arc discharge method of nanotube production are described. Carbon nanotube seed formation and charging in the interelectrode gap are found to be very important effects that may alter carbon nanotube formation on the cathode surface. The model predicts that the long carbon nanotubes formed in the relatively dense plasma region can be deposited on the cathode surface. The nanotubes in the cathode deposit are primarily oriented in the cathode surface plane and not along the electric field. This prediction is qualitatively confirmed by an SEM analysis of the cathode deposit.
Role of multislice CT in evaluation of pancreatic cancer

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the role of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in evaluation and prediction of pancreatic tumors resectability. Patients and methods: The study included 40 patients who had pancreatic masses, 18 males and 22 females, and their age range was 18–86 years with a mean age of 57 years. All the patients underwent non-contrast and contrast enhanced Multi-slice CT using a 16-slice machine. The gold standard for diagnosis was histopathology and operative data. Results: Adenocarcinoma as reported by pathological studies was found in 18 patients, cyst adenocarcinoma in 2 patients, infiltrative periampullary adenocarcinoma in 4 patients, intraductal papillary mucinous tumor in 2 patients, mucinous cyst adenocarcinoma in one patient, solid pseudopaplillary neoplasm in 2 patients and mucinous cystadenoma in 4 patients. According to MDCT criteria 21 patients were considered suitable for tumor resection and 16 patients were considered inoperable with unresectable tumor, 5 out of the 21 operable patients was unresectable during operation due to 1 missed liver metastasis, 1 missed omental deposit, 1 missed of superior mesenteric vein invasion, 1 missed lymph node metastasis and 1 missed duodenal invasion.Conclusion: Contrast-enhanced multiphase pancreatic imaging by multislice computerized tomography (MSCT) with its postprocessing techniques represents the image of choice for diagnosis and predicting pancreatic masses and resectability. [Zeinab ali and Wael Alhoseny. Role of multislice CT in evaluation of pancreatic cancer. Cancer Biology 2014;4(2):67-78]. (ISSN: 2150-1041): (ISSN: 2150-105X (online). http://www.cancerbio. net. 9
A Comparison of Tests for QTL Mapping with Introgression Libraries Containing Overlapping and Nonoverlapping Donor Segments

Near-isogenic line (NIL) libraries can be used to detect benefi cial trait variation in germplasm that is unadapted or has poor agronomic performance. The objectives of our study were to compare the t test, Dunnett test, and linear model test with regard to the power and false positive rate of quantitative trait loci (QTL) detection in NIL libraries of different design. We employed computer simulations with maize genome models to investigate nonoverlapping NIL libraries, overlapping NIL libraries, and stepped aligned inbred recombinant strains (STAIRS) libraries for traits with oligogenic inheritance. Quantitative trait loci detection power of the linear model and Dunnett tests were similar for nonoverlapping and STAIRS libraries; for overlapping NIL libraries the Dunnett test was slightly superior. False positives were greatest for the t test and lowest for the linear model test. False positive sums with the Dunnett test were generally higher than for the linear model test if the heritability was 0.9 or lower. We conclude that the linear model test is superior to the Dunnett test for nonoverlapping NIL libraries and for overlapping NIL libraries with heritabilities below 0.9, as usually occur. Analysis of a rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) library revealed two other major advantages of the linear model test. First, detection of positive and negative QTL effects present in the same line is possible. Second, for NILs with multiple donor segments, observed phenotypic differences can be assigned to individual chromosome segments.
Bisphenol-A Hepatotoxicity and the Protective Role of Sesame Oil in Male Mice

The present study is conducted to estimate the protective effects of sesame oil (SO) against bisphenol-A (BPA) induced hepatotoxicity in male mice. BPA (50 mg/kg b wt) was gavages orally to mice once a day for twenty-eight successive days. While, SO was administered to the mice orally at 1 mL/kg b wt. through three regimens (before, with or after) treatment of BPA. After the complementation of treatments, the liver of each sacrificed animal was subject to DNA damage evaluation using alkaline comet assay and histopathological examination. In addition, blood was collected for biochemical assessment of the liver function. Results showed that, BPA significantly reduced the relative liver weight, and caused DNA damage, several histopathological alterations in liver tissue and elevation in ALT and AST compared to the control. On the contrary, oral gavages of SO with BPA was effective in the increase of relative liver weight, amelioration of DNA damage and histopathological alterations, and in the reduction of the liver enzyme levels compared to BPA's treated mice. Furthermore, the best alleviation of the undesirable effects of BPA appears in the administration of SO to mice before the BPA treatment, followed by after treatment and during or with BPA treatment. In conclusion, the present study provided clear evidence that SO possesses a promising protective activity against the noxious effects of BPA.
Basel III and its Effects on Banking Performance: Investigating Lending Rates and Loan Quantity

In late 2010, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision issued the Basel III document enumerating measures focused on improvements in the definition of regulatory capital, introduction of a leverage ratio as a backstop for risk-based capital requirement, capital buffers, enhancement of risk coverage through improvements in the methodology to measure counterparty credit risk and liquidity measurement standards. This study investigates the impact of the new capital requirements introduced under the Basel III framework on bank lending rates and loan growth. Higher capital requirements, by raising banks’ marginal cost of funding, lead to higher lending rates. The data presented in the paper suggest that assuming a 1.3 percentage point increase in the equity-to-asset ratio to meet the Basel III regulations, the country-by-country estimations imply a reduction in the volume of loans by an average 4.97 percent in the long run for the banks in countries that experienced a crisis and by 18.67 percent for the banks in countries that did not experience a crisis. The wide variance in the results reflects crosscountry differences in the elasticity of loan demand with respect to loan interest rateand bank’s net cost of raising equity.
INFORMATION ASYMMETRIES, FAMILY OWNERSHIP AND DIVESTITURE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM WESTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

Compared to other transactions, corporate divestiture is characterized by greater ambiguity and lower transparency, which can be detrimental to stock market reaction. Drawing upon agency theory and information economics literature, this paper examines the relationship between information asymmetries, family ownership and the divestiture financial performance in Western European countries. Based on a sample of 115 Western European divestiture transactions carried out between 1996 and 2010, we find support for the assertion that information asymmetry impacts divestiture financial performance. We also show that the influence of information asymmetries is moderated by family ownership, which acts as a signal of divestiture quality.
Application of the Ultrasound Doppler method for velocity measurements in an electromagnetically-stirred liquid metal

This experimental study considers the transient liquid metal flow which is generated inside a cylindrical container by discontinuously applying a rotating magnetic field (RMF). The focus is on the fluid motion arising from the impulsive spin-up from the resting state, a single pulse or a sequence of RMF pulses. The ultrasonic Doppler velocimetry (UDV) has been used to determine profiles of the fluid velocity in the ternary alloy GaInSn. The azimuthal and vertical velocity components have been measured allowing for an analysis of both the primary, swirling flow and the secondary flow in the radialmeridional plane. The experimental results show an excellent agreement with recently published numerical results. The investigations reveal that the recirculating flow in the radialmeridional plane undergoes characteristic oscillations. Periodic reversals of the meridional flow direction can be observed for a specific length of the RMF pulses.
Analyzing the Influence of Ethical Sales Behavior on Customers Loyalty through Customer Satisfaction and Trust in Insurance Company

The purpose of this study is to analysis of a model for investigation the influences of ethical sales behavior on customer loyalty in insurance industry with a case study in Parsian Insurance Company in Iran. The theoretical topics collected by means of library and Internet and the data was obtained from questionnaire. To analyze the data, the structural equation modeling embedded in the AMOS software was applied. The results of analyzing data reveal that the presented model is an appropriate model for investigation the influence of ethical sales behavior on customer loyalty in insurance company. Results also show that the salesperson’s ethical behavior has an important influence on customer satisfaction from salesperson and their trust to the seller. Ethical behavior also has great impact on customer loyalty to the insurance; however this influence is not proven directly, it is mediated by customer satisfaction and trust to the salesperson.
Improved culture medium for micropropagation of Aloe vera L

An efficient micropropagation protocol was developed using lateral shoot explants of Aloe vera . Both shoot induction and elongation were better on MS medium supplemented with 4mg/l BAP + 0.2mg/l NAA + 1g/l PVP. All cultures showed shoot regeneration in this medium with 16 shoots/explant. Addi-tion of 1g/l PVP was ineffective for controlling phenolic browning of explants and culture discoloration. However, more adventitious buds (21.5 shoots/explant) developed on MS medium supplemented with 4mg/l BAP + 0.2mg/l NAA + 1g/l PVP+10mg/l citric acid+0.5g/l activated charcoal. Browning of ex-plants was minimized in this medium and elongation of micro-shoots and the growth of the plantlets were also better. Further elongation and rooting of micro-shoots were obtained when sub-cultured on to MS basal medium containing 0.5g/l activated charcoal and 100% of the survival of rooted plantlets was observed after acclimatization. Therefore, the above protocol could be effectively used in rapid mi-cropropagation of elite plants of Aloe vera . Key words: Aloe vera , Phenolic browning, Micropropagation, Culture media, Growth hormones DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.4038/tare.v13i4. 3291 TARE 2010; 13(4): 87-93
Spatial Ecology and Survival of Swainson's Hawks (Buteo swainsoni) in the Northern Great Plains

Abstract In recent years, anthropogenic conversion of grassland habitat has raised concerns about the status of breeding Swainson's Hawks (Buteo swainsoni) in the northern Great Plains region of North America. During 2013–2014, we captured breeding Swainson's Hawks in north-central South Dakota and south-central North Dakota to estimate home-range size, determine adult survival rates during the breeding season, and evaluate habitat selection. We captured, radio-tagged, and monitored 13 Swainson's Hawks in 2013, and captured two additional Swainson's Hawks in 2014. In 2014, seven of 13 individuals initially captured in 2013 returned to the same breeding territory for the 2014 breeding season. Average 95% MCP home-range size in 2013 was 205.4 ha (SD = 135.3 ha, n = 10) and 211.1 ha (SD = 208.8 ha, n = 9) in 2014, and size did not differ between years (t13 = 0.07, P = 0.95), averaging 208.3 ha (SD = 244.9 ha, n = 19 home ranges measured for 12 birds) for the 2 yr of the study. Mean core home-range size (50% MCP) was 78.2 ha (SD =105.9 ha, n = 10) in 2013 and 59.7 ha (SD = 80.7 ha, n = 9) in 2014; core home-range areas also did not differ between years (t17 = −0.46, P = 0.65). Swainson's Hawks did not select habitats in proportion to their availability in 2013 (χ242 = 781.99, P < 0.001) and 2014 (χ240 > 999.99, P < 0.001). In 2013, breeding Swainson's Hawks selected against wetland and grassland habitats and selected for trees as foraging habitats. Similarly, Swainson's Hawks selected against grassland habitats for foraging in 2014. We used known-fate analysis in Program MARK to estimate adult survival during the breeding season. The top-ranked model indicated survival was constant at 0.94 (95% CI = 0.68–0.99) during the breeding season and did not differ between years. Our results suggest that Swainson's Hawks maintain a moderately high degree of breeding-site fidelity and have home ranges smaller than those documented elsewhere, and that their home-range size is influenced positively by the presence of grasslands and negatively by development.
Implementing randomised control trials in open and distance learning: a feasibility study

ABSTRACT Randomised control trials (RCTs) are an evidence-based research approach which has not yet been adopted and widely used in open and distance education to inform educational policy and practice. Despite the challenges entailed in their application, RCTs hold the power to robustly evaluate the effects of educational interventions in distance learning and conclude on whether (or not) these interventions should be adopted and used extensively. The aim of this paper is to spark discussions around the use of RCTs in distance learning by illustrating their benefits and drawbacks including challenges in adopting RCTs in education. To achieve this aim, a RCT was implemented to examine whether a small-scale intervention in four language modules could improve attendance at an end-of-module speaking assessment, and in consequence, performance, completion and pass rates. Results raise the need for further research in order to identify what type of interventions should be designed and put into practice to elicit a positive impact on learners. The paper concludes with a discussion on why RCTs should be brought to the forefront as a viable method for the effective evaluation of the impact of open learning analytic interventions.
Findings of a Formative Evaluation of a Transitional Housing Program for Forensic Patients Discharged into the Community

Using results from a formative evaluation, this article describes the transitional rehabilitation housing pilot (TRHP) program located in two metropolitan Canadian cities. TRHP is an innovative community mental health service, created to support hospitalized forensic patients in their transition to living independently in the community. The evaluation used a multimethod, multi-informant approach to describe TRHP services and assess their quality. Results suggest that TRHP is serving the intended population and generally being implemented as planned. Stakeholders identified numerous strengths and weaknesses of the program. Findings are discussed in the context of previous research and their implications for future program development.