Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of indole compounds in fruiting bodies and in mycelia from in vitro cultures of Calocera viscosa (Basidiomycota)

Calocera viscosa (Pers.: Fr.) Fr. (Basidiomycota) from Dacrymycetaceae family is a widespread species of mushroom in Poland. The aim of this study was to investigate the content of indole compounds in fruiting bodies and in mycelium cultured in vitro on solid and liquid medium of this species. Fruiting bodies of Calocera viscosa were collected in coniferous forests in south Poland and were used to derive in vitro cultures. The optimal medium composition for cultures was determined. Fresh material: fruiting bodies and mycelium from culture in vitro was frozen and then dried by lyophilization. The crushed dry biomass was extracted with petroleum ether to remove oil fraction, material was dried and extracted with methanol. Analysis of indole compounds was performed in methanol extracts using chromatographic methods: TLC, UV Vis, EIMS and HPLC. This analysis presented in all three extracts the following indole compounds: L-tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan, 5-methyltryptophan, melatonin and indole (contents fluctuated in the range: 0.37 to 11.88 mg/100 g d.w.). 5-hydroxytryptophan contents in all extracts were significant and amounted to 11.88 mg/100 g d.w. in fruiting bodies, and 11.42 in mycelium from liquid cultures and and 10.59 in mycelium from solid cultures. In addition, the fruiting bodies and mycelium from cultures on liquid medium revealed the presence of serotonin (0.39 and 3.19 mg/100 g d.w. respectively).
Development and Validation of Assessing Quality Teaching Rubrics

Purpose : This study aimed at examining the psychometric properties of the Assessing Quality Teaching Rubric (AQTR) that was designed to assess in-service teachers’ quality levels of teaching practices in daily lessons. Methods : 45 physical education lessons taught by nine physical education teachers to students in grades K-5 were videotaped. They were all Caucasians (5 females and 4 males) with their teaching experience ranging from 6 years to over 20 years. Four investigators coded the taped lessons using AQTR assessment sheet. Results: The total scale and the four sub-scales of the AQTR had satisfactory Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. The results of t-test and the MANOVA revealed that the AQTR was a valid instrument to differentiate quality levels of the Overall Quality Teaching, Task Design, Task Presentation, Management, and Instructional Response among each teacher, and between the above-average and the below-average groups. The confirmatory factor analysis further confirmed the establishment of the construct validity of the AQTR. Conclusions: The AQTR was a reliable and valid measure that can be used to assess in-service teachers’ quality levels of teaching practices
LOST WITHOUT TRACE OR NOT BROUGHT TO MIND? - A CASE STUDY OF REMEMBERING AND FORGETTING OF COLLEGE SCIENCE

There is a considerable literature from studies of memory that could inform research into learning in science. Yet this important area has not been a focus of inquiry in science education, perhaps because of the difficulty of carrying-out longitudinal studies. The present study reviews the main findings from memory studies and considers the implications for science learning (and associated research). A case study is presented of one learners thinking about a key area of chemistry during, and then some time after, studying at college level. Previous published research from the case study is summarised, and then new data is presented to illustrate the ex-students thinking. The data suggest that key areas of learning were readily brought to mind, but recall was both partial and distorted (reflecting the findings from memory research). The limitations of the case study, and the methodological difficulties of this type of research, are considered. It is suggested, however, that if the present findings were to be widely replicated, then there would be important consequences for curriculum planning and assessment as well as teaching. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. : 2003, 4, 249-277]
T HE RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION OF ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL FLOWS TO S OUTH A FRICA : AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION

The need for external capital flows to developing countries to supplement domestic savings for investment and growth cannot be over-emphasised, especially in Africa, where there are high levels of poverty and low domestic capacity to save. To achieve sustainable economic growth, countries require other sources of capital from outside the domestic economy. This study uses co-integration and error correction modelling techniques together with tests for weak exogeneity to analyse the effects of four major capital flows into South Africa. This is done for the period 1970 to 2012 in order to determine the relative contribution of these capital flows to South Africa’s economic growth. The results reveal that foreign direct investment and remittances had a positive and significant impact on South Africa’s economic growth during the period investigated. Debt liabilities and portfolio equity, however, were not statistically significant in terms of their contribution to economic growth.
Usability of a Mobile Application for Patients Rehabilitating in their Community

Methods: Data were from the intervention arm (n=95) of a 36-week, randomized controlled trial. Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale (SUS) (n=41) and semi-structured interviews (n=49). The analysis compared SUS scores by cohort characteristics, with t-tests and ANOVA. Interview responses were coded for valence. Pearson correlations quantified the association between SUS scores and usage.
Intensive neuromotor therapy with suit improves motor gross function in cerebral palsy: a Brazilian study

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common disability in children caused by central nervous system lesion. The aim of the present study was to verify the intensive neuromotor therapy effects in children with CP, in a reference Brazilian centre. In this study, three years of medical records from a Brazilian reference Centre of Intensive Neuromotor Therapy (INMT) which use the INMT protocol were analysed. The motor evaluation for each child was done by the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and GMFM-88 by an experienced professional, before and after each INMT module. A total of 53 children between the ages of 1 and 15 years (age at treatment initiation, initial evaluation), with a mean age of 5.94±3.38 years, participated in the study. Participants performed between 1 and 10 INMT modules. There was no strong correlation between age and overall performance on the GMFM scale, but it was observed a strong negative correlation between the percentage of GMFM gains and the number of modules (r=-0.709; R 2 = 0.50; p = 0.022, CI95%[0.014 - 0.026]), suggesting that patients tend to present higher percentage gains in the first modules. Through an intra-module comparison, it was observed statistical difference in the total score in each of the modules.
NOT FOR CITATION Cash Transfers , Agriculture and Child Nutritional Status : Evidence from Malawi

In the last decade, cash transfer programmes have become popular components of poverty reduction strategies in Sub Saharan African countries. Along with well established benefits such as a reduction in food insecurity and increased school enrolment, recent research has found these programmes are also effective in promoting on-farm activities and investments in agricultural assets. In addition, some cash transfer interventions have proven effective in improving nutritional status of children living in beneficiary households. In this paper, we use data from the Mchinji Social Cash Transfer pilot programme to assess if the programme had an impact on child nutritional status and to what extent this impact can be linked to increases in agricultural production by beneficiary households. At the household level, the analysis shows a substantial impact on household food and non-food expenditure as well as a shift in the consumption preferences towards better nutrients. At the individual level, we find children of age 0-5 residing in beneficiary households being, on average, taller compared to the control group which translates into a significant reduction in the stunting rate among children. Further, we find that the programme positively affected food consumption out of own production and that children living in families experiencing a shift toward home production of foods, such as meat and fish, benefitted more in terms of nutritional outcomes. JEL Classification: I15, I38, O12, O22, Q12
Relational Contracting and Teambuilding: Assessing Potential Contractual and Noncontractual Incentives

Integration in construction projects implies alignment of both structural arrangements and operational mechanisms, in order to effectively coordinate and streamline the combined efforts of various interacting parties, for improved project outcomes. Appropriate use of relational contracting (RC) principles may help achieve such integration. As such, the aims of the reported study are to examine the relative usefulness of various potential strategies and factors, to provide suitable contractual and noncontractual incentives, for building a RC culture, and nurturing effective teamwork in construction. Results from statistical analyses of 83 questionnaire responses from Hong Kong are presented. These results attribute various degrees of importance to different factors and strategies, both for RC and teamworking. The outcomes also suggest the need for a highly interactive and consolidated approach, both for propagating RC and building integrated project teams. It is observed that trust and trust based operational and contractual arrangements can effectively provide the required incentives, for implementing various RC-based working arrangements in construction. These should extend to assessing “relational” attributes during team selection, under cliental initiative and top management support. Outcomes of this study are expected to benefit both industry practitioners and researchers, in exploring, designing, and implementing suitable RC-based working arrangements.
New Lower Devonian Polygnathids (Conodonta) from the Spanish Central Pyrenees, with comments on the early radiation of the group

The comprehensive study of six Pragian-lower Emsian (Lower Devonian) sections from the Spanish Central Pyrenees has yielded a rich assemblage of conodont faunas, highlighting an important succession of Polygnathus species. Among them, the presence of the biostrati­graphical markers P. pireneae , P. kitabicus, P. excavatus excavatus and P. exc. 114 stands out. This conodont succession allows the identification of the Pragian/Emsian boundary and the early Emsian zones and subzones: the kitabicus Zone and the Lower and Middle excavatus subzones. It is also remarkable the presence of three new polygnathid species: P. aragonensis n. sp. , P. carlsi n. sp. and P. ramoni n. sp. Additionally, P. pannonicus and P. sokolovi are also reported for first time in the Iberian Peninsula. According to all these records, the abundance and diversity of these species suggest that during this time interval an evolutionary radiation of the group took place, identifying two pulses during the early radiation of the group. The first one during the pireneae-kitabicus Zone, and a second one during the Lower excavatus Zone. The new data presented herein increase considerably the known paleobiodiversity of the genus dur­ing the Pragian-early Emsian interval in the Spanish Central Pyrenees and corroborates the presences of the most important early Emsian conodont markers used in other regions such us Europe, North Africa, Central Asia, Australia, and North America. ozonas Dc, E y F asociados al evento de enfriamiento global del Mioceno medio.
Evaluation of total flavonoid content and analysis of related EST-SSR in Chinese peanut germplasm

As important antioxidants and secondary metabolites in peanut seeds, flavonoids have great nutritive value. In this study, total flavonoid contents (TFC) were determined in seeds of 57 peanut accessions from the province of Hebei, China. A variation of 0.39 to 4.53 mg RT g-1 FW was found, and eight germplasm samples containing more than 3.5 mg RT g-1 FW. The TFC of seed embryos ranged from 0.14 to 0.77mg RT g-1 FW. With a view to breeding high-quality peanut varieties with high yields and high TFC, we analyzed the correlations between TFC and plant and pod characteristics. The results of correlation analysis indicated that TFC was significantly negatively correlated with pod number per plant (P/P) and soluble protein content (SPC). We used 251 pairs of expressed sequence tag simple sequence repeat (EST-SSRs) primers to sequence all germplasm samples and found four EST-SSR markers that were significantly related to TFC.
Sample Efficient Learning with Feature Selection for Factored MDPs Zhaohan

In reinforcement learning, state is often represented by feature vectors. Prior sample complexity bounds scale with the complexity of all features. However, not all features may be necessary for learning a good policy. Therefore it is of significant interest to understand if the sample complexity can scale with the complexity of necessary features instead of all features. We answer this in the affirmative for at least one important case of interest: factored Markov Decision Processes. We show that is possible to eliminate unnecessary features by using directed exploration and leveraging the negative information from failing to reach desired states. Under mild assumptions, this is sufficient to show there exists an RL algorithm whose sample complexity scales with the cardinality of the parent sets of the necessary features, rather than the parent sets of all features. This yields an exponential improvement in sample complexity bounds when the maximum cardinality of the parent sets of the necessary features is smaller than for all features.
MURRAH : III. FACTORS AFFECTING CUMULATIVE PART LACTATION YIELDS IN MURRAH BUFFALOES (BUBALUS BUBALIS)

Data pertaining to 1,003 Murrah buffaloes from six Military farms covering a period of 43 years from 1940-1982 were collected. The first lactation yield of each buffalo was partitioned to 9 parts i.e. the first 60 days, 1-90 days, 1-120 days, 1-150 days, 1-180 days, 1-210 days, 1-240 days, 1-270 days and 1-300 days were estimated from partial milk yields of first lactation. The data were analysed by least square analysis of variance techniques. Least squares means of cumulative part lactation of first lactation were 407.21±7.85, 614.56±11.53, 806.44±14.91, 948.17±18.16, 1,146.11±21.15, 1,349.93±30.36, 1,403.15±27.25, 1,524.05±31.41 and 1,628.80±38.93 kg, respectively. The coefficient of variation ranged from 23.20 to 30.10 %. The farm and period effects were highly significant on all cumulative part lactation milk yield. The heritability estimates were ranged from 0.106±0.093 to 0.714±0.141. The phenotypic and genetic correlations among the cumulative partial yields were found to be positive and highly significant in the present study.
Genetic algorithms compared to other techniques for pipe optimization

The genetic algorithm technique is a relatively new optimization technique. In this paper we present a methodology for optimizing pipe networks using genetic algorithms. Unknown decision variables are coded as binary strings. We investigate a three-operator genetic algorithm comprising reproduction, crossover, and mutation. Results are compared with the techniques of complete enumeration and nonlinear programming. We apply the optimization techniques to a case study pipe network. The genetic algorithm technique finds the global optimum in relatively few evaluations compared to the size of the search space.
Solubilization of ibuprofen for freeze dried parenteral dosage forms

Abstract Ibuprofen, a weakly acidic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug having poor aqueous solubility, is a challenging drug for the development of pharmaceutical formulations, resulting in numerous research attempts focusing on improvement of its solubility and consequently bioavailability. Most studies have been done for solid dosage forms, with very little attention paid to parenterals. Hence, the main purpose of the present study was to enhance ibuprofen solubility as a result of formulation composition and the freeze drying process. Moreover, the purpose was to prepare a freeze dried dosage form with improved ibuprofen solubility that could, after simple reconstitution with water for injection, result in an isotonic parenteral solution. Solubility of ibuprofen was modified by various excipients suitable for parenteral application. Drug interactions with selected excipients in the final product/lyophilisate were studied by a combined use of XRPD, DSC, Raman and ss-NMR. Analyses of lyophilized samples showed solubility enhancement of ibuprofen and in situ formation of an ibuprofen salt with the alkaline excipients used.
Agent-based models of competitive speciation I: effects of mate search tactics and ecological conditions

Aims: To understand competitive speciation dynamics of an initially monomorphic and randomly mating population under different ecological conditions (different food resource distributions) and different competition scenarios (competition between specialist, intermediate and generalist individuals). To compare the speciation potential of two female mate-search tactics (best-of-n and threshold). Model: Generational agent(or individual-) based simulation model with male and female individuals; polygynous mating system with explicit leks and two different female mate-search tactics; explicit modelling of food resource; explicit implementation of an ecological range variable (αeco) determining the range of food objects individuals of a given phenotype can eat (and thus the competition between individuals). Key variables: Individuals in one-trait experiments are characterized by a phenotype consisting of two traits, Teco (defines preferred mates for females and preferred food objects for all individuals) and Tmate-range (defines the degree of assortative mating of females). In two-trait experiments, females select mates according to Tmate (a mating trait independent of Teco). Conclusions: Given a one-trait system, a population can undergo competitive speciation to completion. New species occupy niches located anywhere in the environment and not just in the extreme regions; species constellations are determined by (αeco). Given a spatially explicit ecological gradient model, populations do not speciate in geographical space; thus neighbouring individuals constantly compete. Best-of-n mating usually promotes speciation better than threshold mating. Speciation may also occur in a two-trait system, although in such a case assortative mating has to evolve also. Such speciation depends on a more restricted set of parameter values than does the one-trait case.
Benefits Leader Reversion: How a Once-Preferred Product Recaptures its Standing

In general, consumers establish a preference for one product early in a decision process. When this preference does not include consideration of product prices, the currently preferred product is called the “benefits leader. ” This article proposes that consumers who switch to a cheaper product after learning prices retain a trace of preference for the benefits leader. Retention of the benefits leader is evidenced by the distortion of new information to favor the benefits leader and by greater-than-normative reversion to it. The authors also find that reversion does not occur when the initially leading product (that consumers switch from) is based on a cost savings. This suggests that though consumers retain cognitive elements associated with benefits leaders, they do not retain similar elements associated with leaders based on cost savings.
BINARY CENTRAL STARS OF PLANETARY NEBULAE DISCOVERED THROUGH PHOTOMETRIC VARIABILITY. III. THE CENTRAL STAR OF ABELL 65

A growing number of close binary stars are being discovered among central stars of planetary nebulae. Recent and ongoing surveys are finding new systems and contributing to our knowledge of the evolution of close binary systems. The push to find more systems was largely based on early discoveries which suggested that 10%–15% of all central stars are close binaries. One goal of this series of papers is confirmation and classification of these systems as close binaries and determination of binary system parameters. Here we provide time-resolved multi-wavelength photometry of the central star of Abell 65 as well as further analysis of the nebula and discussion of possible binary–nebula connections. Our results for Abell 65 confirm recent work showing that it has a close, cool binary companion, though several of our model parameters disagree with the recently published values. With our longer time baseline of photometric observations from 1989 to 2009 we also provide a more precise orbital period of 1.0037577 days.
Direct numerical simulation of gas transfer across the air–water interface driven by buoyant convection

A series of direct numerical simulations of mass transfer across the air–water interface driven by buoyancy-induced convection have been carried out to elucidate the physical mechanisms that play a role in the transfer of heat and atmospheric gases. The buoyant instability is caused by the presence of a thin layer of cold water situated on top of a body of warm water. In time, heat and atmospheric gases diffuse into the uppermost part of the thermal boundary layer and are subsequently transported down into the bulk by falling sheets and plumes of cold water. Using a specifically designed numerical code for the discretization of scalar convection and diffusion, it was possible to accurately resolve this buoyant-instability-induced transport of atmospheric gases into the bulk at a realistic Prandtl number ( $\mathit{Pr}=6$ ) and Schmidt numbers ranging from $\mathit{Sc}=20$ to $\mathit{Sc}=500$ . The simulations presented here provided a detailed insight into instantaneous gas transfer processes. The falling plumes with highly gas-saturated fluid in their core were found to penetrate deep inside the bulk. With an initial temperature difference between the water surface and the bulk of slightly above $2$ K, peaks in the instantaneous heat flux in excess of $1600~\text{W}~\text{m}^{-2}$ were observed, proving the potential effectiveness of buoyant-convective heat and gas transfer. Furthermore, the validity of the scaling law for the ratio of gas and heat transfer velocities $K_{L}/H_{L}\propto (\mathit{Pr}/\mathit{Sc})^{0.5}$ for the entire range of Schmidt numbers considered was confirmed. A good time-accurate approximation of $K_{L}$ was found using surface information such as velocity fluctuations and convection cell size or surface divergence. A reasonable time accuracy for the $K_{L}$ estimation was obtained using the horizontal integral length scale and the root mean square of the horizontal velocity fluctuations in the upper part of the bulk.