Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Utilization and enhancement of entomogenous fungi in the management of the pecan weevil (Coleoptera: curculionidae)

by ERIKA ANNE SCOCCO (Under the Direction of Wayne A. Gardner) ABSTRACT The pecan weevil, Curculio caryae (Horn), is a major pest of pecans, Carya illinoensis (Koch) Wangenh. Current control tactics are foliar sprays of chemical insecticides that killed natural enemies resulting in increased populations of secondary pests. The entomogenous fungi, Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin, are being developed as alternatives to these insecticides; however, the residual activity of the fungi must be extended to be economically competitive. Laboratory studies demonstrated that both fungi persisted significantly longer in composted cow manure, ground pine bark and composted biosolids than in a Faceville series soil and killed Tenebrio molitor L. larvae through 28 d postinoculation. Field trials in 2006 failed to demonstrate persistence and significant suppression of adult weevils. Microscopy studies of fungal activity in a Faceville series soil showed conidial germination up to 28 d with mycelial growth begining as early as 3 d after inoculation.
Syntactic complexity in the comprehension of wh-questions and relative clauses in typical language development and autism

This study investigates effects of syntactic complexity operationalised in terms of movement, intervention and (NP) feature similarity in the development of A’ dependencies in 4-, 6-, and 8-year old typically developing (TD) French children and children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Children completed an off-line comprehension task testing eight syntactic structures classified in four levels of complexity: Level 0: No Movement; Level 1: Movement without (configurational) Intervention; Level 2: Movement with Intervention from an element which is maximally different or featurally ‘disjoint’ (mismatched in both lexical NP restriction and number); Level 3: Movement with Intervention from an element similar in one feature or featurally ‘intersecting’ (matched in lexical NP restriction, mismatched in number). The results show that syntactic complexity affects TD children across the three age groups, but also indicate developmental differences between these groups. Movement affected all three groups in a similar way, but intervention effects in intersection cases were stronger in younger than older children, with NP feature similarity affecting only 4-year olds. Complexity effects created by the similarity in lexical restriction of an intervener thus appear to be overcome early in development, arguably thanks to other differences of this intervener (which was mismatched in number). Children with ASD performed less well than the TD children although they were matched on non-verbal reasoning. Overall, syntactic complexity affected their performance in a similar way as in their TD controls, but their performance correlated with non-verbal abilities rather than age, suggesting that their grammatical development does not follow the smooth relation to age that is found in TD children.
Factor Structure, Validity and Reliability of the Persian version of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II-7)

The aim of the present study was to examine the factor structure, validity and reliability the Persian version of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II-7) in Iranian population. This study was descriptive and was aimed at the standardization of AAQ-II-7. The sample was consisted of 661 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the University of Isfahan in 20122013 academic year. They were selected via a random sampling method. Participants were asked to answer AAQ-II-7, BDI-2 and GHQ-28. Results showed that Cronbach’s alpha was 0.85 indicating that Persian version of AAQ-II-7 maintains the capability of predicting mental health and could be utilized for assessment processing of ACT. Explanatory factor analysis (EFA) extracted one factors accounted for 52% of the total variance. This structure was confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Thus, like English original version AAQ-II the Persian version of AAQ-II-7 had one-dimensional measure of avoidance experiential and had satisfactory and acceptable reliability and validity in Iranian population.
How can transcranial magnetic stimulation change the way we treat traumatic brain injury ?

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major health and socioeconomic problem worldwide. Despite improvements in the acute management of TBI over the past decades, which has led to better outcomes, there remains a need for novel treatment protocols that facilitate or enhance neuroplasticity and brain repair. There have been an increasing number of scientific publications describing the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for assessment and treatment in many research settings and clinical conditions, including TBI. Method: This study aimed to identify the role of TMS, a noninvasive brain stimulation technique, in the assessment and treatment of TBI by reviewing articles published to date from the PubMed database. Results: Most published articles on TMS in TBI are case reports. The use of TMS was reported as both a diagnostic tool and therapeutic instrument. There are few controlled trials of TMS in patients with TBI. Conclusion: TMS has the potential to modify the care of patients with TBI. TMS is an important instrument for evaluating brain injury from a functional perspective and also providing insights into neuromodulation approaches that may enhance recovery.
AN ARMINGTON ASSUMPTION APPROACH TO MODEL INTERNATIONAL TRADE FLOW AND MARKET SHARE FOR APPLES IN CANADA

The purpose of this study is to estimate elasticities of substitution for apples imported from US, New Zealand and Chile. The study also tested the impact of NAFTA on the apple trade using trade data from 1988 to 2004. The assumptions of Armington model are used to model trade flow of apples employing Linear Approximate of Almost Ideal Demand System. NAFTA has a significant affect on the exporters' share of Canadian import market. Further, New Zealand is emerging one of the strong exporters of apples to Canada by gaining most of the share lost by other countries. Import demand of apples in the case of New Zealand and Chile are elastic while just above unit elastic in case of US. Apples imported from New Zealand were complements to those imported from Chile. The elasticities of substitution of New Zealand and Chile are statistically significant and slightly elastic while that of US is insignificant and inelastic. The rest of the world has elastic elasticities of substitution mainly due to the low share in Canadian imports of apples. Homotheticity could not be rejected that has important implications for international trade and CGE modeling. However, more evidence on testing of the Armington assumptions in trade flow investigations of fruits and vegetables are required.
Security Interests, Misbehavior, and Common Pools

The Modigliani-Miller Theorem on the irrelevance of corporate capital structure is perhaps the best-known result in modern finance. Simply put, the theorem states that, under certain assumptions, the market value of a firm is independent of its capital structure. Under the stylized assumptions of the theorem, substituting equity for debt or adding layers of debt to the capital structure of a firm, as occurred during much of the 1980s, has no affect on the firm's value. ' The theorem applies not only to the mix of debt and equity, but also to the mix of debt itself, such as between secured and unsecured or senior and subordinated debt.2 Understanding existing patterns of debt and equity therefore begins with the Modigliani-Miller Theorem. One must identify which of the theorem's assumptions do not hold and explain why relaxing them leads to the patterns of debt and equity that currently exist. Much scholarship has examined the assumption that changes in capital structure do not affect the way in which a firm uses its assets.3 There is little reason to think that this assumption is true. It is now well-understood that equityholders may choose different projects if debt is present than they would otherwise: equityholders enjoy all of the benefits of successful projects but share the losses from unsuccessful ventures with creditors.
Analysis of post-operative systemic to pulmonary artery shunt failure

Background: Systemic to pulmonary artery shunts are utilized in the palliation of children with congenital heart disease and limited or ductal dependent pulmonary blood flow. Methods: This case-control series matched all children at our institution between 2009 and 2015 who had an acute systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt complication to subjects without acute shunt complication. Subjects were matched according to weight (within 10%), shunt type and size, and use of cardiopulmonary bypass. Nine variables, identified a priori, were compared to determine factors associated with acute shunt failure. Results: Seventeen subjects with shunt failure were identified during the study period. Two infants were excluded because their shunts failed in the operating room prior to sternal closure. There were 10 right modified BlalockTaussig shunts and five central shunts in each cohort. Shunt size was either 3.5 or 4.0 mm. Median (1st quartile-3rd quartile) age at time of surgery was 15 days (10-45) in the shunt complication cohort. Pulmonary artery size was the only factor that was statistically significant between the cohort with the acute shunt complication and the cohort without [median (1st quartile-3rd quartile) 3.70mm (3.25-4.4) vs. 4.50mm (4.00-5.10); p=0.014]. Conclusion: The impact of acute shunt complication on morbidity and mortality remains substantial. In this study, smaller pulmonary artery size was associated with increased risk of acute shunt failure. Further studies with sufficient power are required to determine additional modifiable risk factors.
A novel look at long-run convergence dynamics in the US

When regional disparities follow a cyclical short-run pattern, convergence analysis results can be sizeably distorted. To tackle this issue, we propose a method based on the extraction of the trend from regional income time series that eschews misleading results when the nature of the cyclical pattern changes over time. Using real per capita personal income data for 48 conterminous US states and the distribution dynamics approach, we identify three distinct consecutive phases: strong convergence (1930-1970), substantial persistence (1971-1980) and divergence (1981-2010).
A switching-parameter algorithm for finding multiple solutions of nonlinear resistive circuits

An efficient algorithm for finding multiple solutions of a system of nonlinear algebraic equations is presented. This algorithm consists of solving an associated system of first order nonlinear differential equations whose independent variable may be switched from one variable to another during each integration step. The choice of the forward Euler predictor and Newton-Raphson corrector for integrating the differential equations leads to an extremely efficient method for implementing this switching-parameter algorithm. This approach involves only the recursive solution of an associated system of linear algebraic equations and can be easily programmed. The switching-parameter algorithm can also be used to derive the driving-point or transfer characteristic curve of multivalued resistive nonlinear networks.
Virtual Nature Environments Based on Fractal Geometry for Optimizing Restorative Effects

Exposure to nature has been shown to have psychological benefits, such as reducing mental fatigue and stress by restoring capacity in directed attention. Moreover, these effects have been found to extend to purposefully designed, virtual representations of nature. Several constructs have been proposed that underlie beneficial characteristics of nature but these constructs have been found difficult to quantify and reproduce consistently. This has made it challenging to create optimized restorative virtual nature environments. Here we present two studies to investigate the role of a more quantifiable parameter fractals in the restorative effects of virtual nature. Basic nature scenes featuring trees were generated based on fractal geometry. Results from both an online study including 2D images and a lab study featuring immersive VR showed a small but consistent preference for images with a fractal dimension of 2.3. Results from psychophysiological measurements in the lab study did not show clear effects of the nature scenes on recovery from stress. We discuss the implications of these findings in the light of research towards restoration and give directions for future research.
Synthesis of fast swelling superporous hydrogel: effect of concentration of crosslinker and acdisol on swelling ratio and mechanical strength

Fast swelling highly porous superporous hydrogels (SPH) are synthesized through a method utilizing rapid solution polymerization of acrylic acid for development of gastric retention devices. The swelling property, mechanical strength and release profile of SPH containing Metformin was investigated by changing the amount of crosslinking agents, (Bis) and AcDiSol. The results indicate that swelling ratio increases in the concentration range of 1%-2.5% w/v of Bis while beyond 2.5% w/v the swelling ratio slightly decreases but is not significant. Mechanical strength of the SPH was significantly increased by increasing the concentration of Bis from 1%-3.5% w/v. The release kinetics of SPH containing different crosslinker concentrations was measured in 0.1NHCl which was found to be consistent with the expected swelling behavior. AcDiSol was an important factor in maintaining the capillary structure required for fast swelling. Increase in AcDiSol resulted in decrease in swelling ratio of composite from 98.36±0.5% to 85.57±0.4%. As the amount of AcDiSol increases the mechanical strength increases due to increased cross linking density of the Superporous Hydrogel. This study indicates that superporous hydrogel composite possessed two properties necessary for gastric retention i.e., fast swelling and mechanical strength. Keywords: Superporous hydrogel; Croslinking agent; AcDiSol; Swelling ratio; Mechanical strength
Hypnosis and Mindfulness for the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders: Empirical and Applied Perspectives

The abundance of diagnosable anxiety disorders that are present in our culture today provides a convenient rationale for further investigating the types of treatments, especially non-pharmaceutical, that clinicians have to offer. Hypnosis and mindfulness are two noninvasive techniques that share some important structural and practical similarities. With the recent increase of interest in mindfulness in psychotherapy it is important to acknowledge what these traits are and how these methods complement one another in both theory and practice. It can be concluded as a result of the following literature reviews that both hypnosis and mindfulness as separate techniques have received some empirical validation, yet there are limitations in research design and an inadequate volume (especially in the mindfulness literature) of reliable clinical studies as opposed to case studies. Despite these limitations, there is reason to believe these methods could be even more powerful if used in conjunction. A rationale and suggested model for integrating hypnosis and mindfulness for treating anxiety disorders is included. Chapter One: Introduction Over the past few decades, there has been an explosion of mindfulness research and consequently more clinical attention gained for this modality (Williams, Hallquist, Barnes, Cole, & Lynn, 2010). Specifically, mindfulness has been evaluated as a therapeutic intervention for anxiety disorders. In a recent meta-analytic review of articles pertaining to mindfulness-based therapy (MBT) for anxiety, Hofmann (2010) concluded that MBT reduces symptoms of anxiety across a relatively wide range of severity. Although perhaps not as widely supported, hypnosis for the treatment of anxiety also has a range of applications to be utilized by practitioners (Evans & Coman, 2003). According to Michael Yapko (2011), hypnosis and mindfulness (specifically guided mindfulness meditations) are similar in that they both utilize attention and the power of suggestion through openness to accepting new ideas. Although hypnosis does not share the same language as mindfulness (e.g., the concept of “acceptance”), its underlying principles are nearly identical (Yapko, 2011). These treatment modalities can be easily integrated to enhance one another in a complementary fashion, and in fact, empirical findings indicate that combining hypnosis and mindfulness may result in greater therapeutic outcomes, as compared to either modality used in isolation (Williams et al., 2010; Holroyd, 2003). As a result of the aforementioned findings, there is a clear need for additional research and training in the synthesis and implementation of these treatment methods. Such a hybrid approach also has the potential to reduce public stigma and ignorance among counselors who are commonly unfamiliar with hypnotherapeutic techniques. It is my wish to shed light on not only the theoretical and structural similarities between mindfulness and hypnosis, but to provide a demonstration of how this integration can be
Oceanographic and climatic evolution of the Miocene Mediterranean deduced from Nd, Sr, C, and O isotope compositions of marine fossils and sediments

Isotopic compositions of marine sediments and fossils have been investigated from northern basins of the Mediterranean to help constrain local oceanographic and climatic changes adjacent to the uplifting Alps. Stable C and O isotope compositions of benthic and planktonic foraminifera from the Umbria-Marche region (UMC) have an offset characteristic for their habitats and the changes in composition mimic global changes, suggesting that the regional conditions of climate and the carbon cycle were controlled by global changes. The radiogenic isotope composition of these fossil assemblages allows recognition of three distinct periods. In the first period, from 25 to 19 Ma, high Nd values and low 87Sr/86Sr of sediments and fossils support intense tectonism and volcanism, related to the opening of the western Mediterranean. In the second period, from 19 to 13 Ma the 87Sr/86Sr ratio of Mediterranean (UMC) deviate from the global ocean, which is compatible with rapid uplift of the hinterland and intense influx of Sr from Mesozoic carbonates of the western Apennines. This local control on the seawater was driven by a humid and warm climate and indicates restricted exchange of water with the global ocean. Generally, the Nd values of the fossils are very similar to those of Indian Ocean water, with brief periods of a decrease in the Nd values coinciding with volcanic events and maybe sea level variation at 15.2 Ma. In the third period, from 13 to 10 Ma the fossils have 87Sr/86Sr similar to those of Miocene seawater while their Nd values change considerably with time. This indicates fluctuating influence of the Atlantic versus the Paratethys and/or locally evolved seawater in the Mediterranean driven by global sea level changes. Other investigated localities near the Alps and from the ODP 900 site are compatible with this oceanographic interpretation. However, in the late early Miocene, enhanced local control, reflecting erosion of old crustal silicate rocks near the Alps, results in higher 87Sr/86Sr.
Event related potentials and language comprehension.

The ability to comprehend language dominates our species-specific activity. Correspondingly, deficits in language function (e.g., the dyslexias and aphasias) are extremely debilitating. Yet, despite its central importance, an adequate understanding of the cognitive and neural processes underlying language comprehension remains elusive. One primary reason for the lack of progress has been a paucity of adequate methodologies. Language comprehension occurs very rapidly (in "real time") and any sufficient model must describe the process as it unfolds over time (cf. Swinney, 1981; 1982). Unfortunately, few methodologies allow for rapid and on-line measurement. Most researchers resort to the use of measurements that are made "after-the-fact" (e.g., measures of sentence reading times) or that reflect the state of affairs at a discrete moment during comprehension (e.g., cross-modal priming studies; cf. Swinney, 1979). Furthermore, these measurements are intrusive; one cannot know for certain the influence the measurement itself has on the phenomenon being investigated.
Positive interactions between suspension-feeding bivalves and seagrass-a facultative mutualism

In shallow coastal waters, suspension-feeding bivalves often dominate the benthos in numbers as well as biomass. In the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, these filter feeders are usually associated with seagrass. Two simultaneously conducted field experiments (a mussel density manipulation and a mussel predation experiment) were conducted to examine the potential positive interactions between the suspension-feeding mussel Modiolus americanus (Leach) and the seagrass Thalassia testudinum Banks ex Konig. The mussel density manipulations resulted in a doubling of the total nitrogen and total phosphorus levels of sediments, and a significant reduction in leaf tissue C:N, N:P and C:P ratios, demonstrating that the mussels increased the sediment nutrient content and that these increased nutrients were biologically available to the plant. T. testudinum responded to the presence of mussels by significantly increasing leaf widths and lengths. In addition, productivity sig- nificantly increased in the mussel-addition treatments. Another response to the presence of mussels included a significantly reduced epiphytic load on the seagrass leaves. The mussel predation exper- iment evaluated the effects of seagrass on the survivorship of the associated mussel, M. americanus. Mean survival was significantly greater in vegetated habitats than in unvegetated sediments. Con- sequently, when mussels are present in seagrass meadows, they elevate seagrass productivity through either increased nutrient resource pools or reduced epiphytic loads on the leaves, while the seagrass increases mussel survivorship. Thus, this study demonstrates the reciprocal positive inter- actions of these organisms when associated and suggests that seagrass meadows may exist as a mosaic of nutrient and productivity 'hot spots' when suspension-feeding organisms are present. These positive interactions may have important consequences in the development, structure and organization of seagrass communities.
Thermohaline steps induced by melting of the Erebus Glacier Tongue

A vertically stable, step-like thermohaline structure is observed throughout a continuous, 400 m conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) profile taken near the Erebus Glacier Tongue, McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. The pattern is best developed between the sea surface and 250 m depth, the interval corresponding to that of the irregular underwater profile of the Glacier Tongue. The steps average 17 m in thickness and typically display discontinuities of 0.1°C in temperature, 0.04‰ in salinity and 3.5 × 10−4 g cm−3 in density. The observations are compared with theory and laboratory experiments of cell development and lateral flow near ice melting into vertically stratified salt water. At this location, subsurface seawater is inferred to remain above the in situ freezing point year-round, and contains sufficient heat to account for much of the Glacier Tongue thinning by basal melting. An adequate volume of meltwater would result to produce the measured salinity steps. We discuss related observations and some implications of this process for ocean circulation and biological productivity in the Antarctic.