Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CONTROLLED AGEING FOR STORABILITY ASSESSMENT AND PREDICTING SEEDLING EARLY GROWTH OF CANOLA CULTIVARS (Brassica napus L.)

Seed aging decreases the quality of seed and grain and results in agricultural and economic losses. Accelerated aging is one of the most useful tests used for the evaluation of seed vigour and storability. Present experiment was carried out for investigation the effect of different periods of seed accelerated ageing treatment (0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h) on germination and seedling early growth of four canola (Brassica napus L.) cultivars. Applied cultivars were including of Okapi, Orient, Fornax and SLM046. Accelerated ageing was conducted at 40 °C and 100% relative humidity. At the end of ageing periods 1 g of seed was used for Electrical Conductivity test. Rest of seeds were located in Petri dish on whiteman paper then transformed to germinator at 25°C under darkness. Results showed that with increase the time of accelerated ageing treatment all of germination parameters decreased; however the sensitivity of cultivars to ageing periods was different. Maximum germination percentage, vigour index and also the longest shoot was obtained under 96 h from cv. Fornax, whereas the minimum vigour was observed from cv. Okapi. Result of EC test revealed that the highest solute leakage of the seeds was related to cv. Okapai which followed by cv. Orient that could be result of severe membrane damages.
Approximate simulation of coupled fast and slow reactions for stochastic chemical kinetics

Exact methods are available for the simulation of isothermal, well-mixed stochastic chemical kinetics. As increasingly complex physical systems are modeled, however, these methods become difficult to solve because the computational burden scales with the number of reaction events. This paper addresses one aspect of this problem: the case in which reacting species fluctuate by different orders of magnitude. By partitioning the system into subsets of “fast” and “slow” reactions, it is possible to bound the computational load by approximating “fast” reactions either deterministically or as Langevin equations. This paper provides a theoretical background for such approximations and outlines strategies for computing these approximations. Two motivating examples drawn from the fields of particle technology and biotechnology illustrate the accuracy and computational efficiency of these approximations.
Evaluation of Venom Peptides of Two Jumping Spider Species ( Araneae : Salticidae ) as Insecticide Potential

Protein fractions in crude venom preparation of two species of the jumping spiders, Plexippus paykulli (Audouin) and Theyne imperialis (Rossi), were evaluated in the laboratory for their effectiveness against field-collected live Rhopalosiphum erysimi (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Venom glands of spiders were removed, and protein fractions from the venom were separated by SDS-PAGE. A common and dominant protein fraction (~29 kDa) in venom of each spider was selected for bioassay. The observed mortality rate of R. erysimi was 79.5% and 90% respectively against the tested protein fractions of P. paykulli and T. imperialis. Based on the results, it is concluded that selected protein fractions of P. paykulli and T. imperialis have bioinsecticide potential. © 2018 Friends Science Publishers
Multiple Scattering in Discrete Random Media Using First‐Order Incoherent Interactions

We consider scattering of electromagnetic waves by a finite discrete random medium composed of spherical particles. The size of the random medium can range from microscopic sizes of a few wavelengths to macroscopic sizes approaching infinity. The size of the particles is assumed to be of the order of the wavelength. We extend the numerical Monte Carlo method of radiative transfer and coherent backscattering (RT‐CB) to the case of dense packing of particles. We adopt the ensemble‐averaged first‐order incoherent extinction, scattering, and absorption characteristics of a volume element of particles as input for the RT‐CB. The volume element must be larger than the wavelength but smaller than the mean‐free path length of incoherent extinction. In the radiative transfer part, at each absorption and scattering process, we account for absorption with the help of the single‐scattering albedo and peel off the Stokes parameters of radiation emerging from the medium in predefined scattering angles. We then generate a new scattering direction using the joint probability density for the local polar and azimuthal scattering angles. In the coherent backscattering part, we utilize amplitude scattering matrices along the radiative‐transfer path and the reciprocal path and utilize the reciprocity of electromagnetic waves to verify the computation. We illustrate the incoherent volume element scattering characteristics and compare the dense‐medium RT‐CB to asymptotically exact results computed using the Superposition T‐matrix method (STMM). We show that the dense‐medium RT‐CB compares favorably to the STMM for the current cases of sparse and dense discrete random media studied.
Floral Morphology and Development in Aragoa (Plantaginaceae) and Related Members of the Order Lamiales

Inflorescence and floral morphology and development were investigated in Aragoa (Plantaginaceae) and related genera. Each inflorescence of Aragoa is a reduced, axillary raceme, on which the actinomorphic floral apices generally arise successively. The inflorescences of Aragoa and Plantago are polytelic and lateral. The five sepals emerge from the abaxial to the adaxial side of the floral apex, but at maturity, the calyx is actinomorphic. The four stamens arise simultaneously and before emergence of the petals. The four petals emerge unidirectionally united, but the corolla becomes actinomorphic. Aestivation is cochlear ascendent. The two united carpels initiate simultaneously. The abaxial‐adaxial inception of the calyx and corolla during early floral development in genera such as Aragoa, Digitalis, Plantago, and Veronica may indicate that the zygomorphic condition is ancestral in those genera. The tetramerous corolla, which is actinomorphic during middle and late development, and the presence of four stamens are possible synapomophies of the clade ( \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{bm} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pifont} \usepackage{stmaryrd} \usepackage{textcomp} \usepackage{portland,xspace} \usepackage{amsmath,amsxtra} \usepackage[OT2,OT1]{fontenc} \newcommand\cyr{ \renewcommand\rmdefault{wncyr} \renewcommand\sfdefault{wncyss} \renewcommand\encodingdefault{OT2} \normalfont \selectfont} \DeclareTextFontCommand{\textcyr}{\cyr} \pagestyle{empty} \DeclareMathSizes{10}{9}{7}{6} \begin{document} \landscape $$Aragoa+Plantago$$ \end{document} ). Pentamery of the calyx and corolla appears to be plesiomorphic in the broader Aragoa‐Angelonia clade. Characters related to development and morphology of inflorescences and flowers of Aragoa are essentially similar to those found in Plantago, which is consistent with the molecular‐based sister group relationship between these genera.
Do stock returns provide a good hedge against inflation? An empirical assessment using Turkish data during periods of structural change

This paper provides empirical evidence on the relation between stock returns and inflationary expectations using a panel of firm level data covering a broad range of industries and Turkish common stock market index from 1986 to 2013. I use survey of inflationary expectations to examine Fisher hypothesis where I show, no matter the data is aggregate or disaggregate; ex-ante inflationary expectations and stock returns are positively related, whereas ex-post inflationary realizations are negatively related. I find that holding stocks of manufacturing industry firms provide for about 15% better hedge in comparison to that of service industry firms.
Development and Evaluation of an Injectable Chitosan/β-Glycerophosphate Paste as a Local Antibiotic Delivery System for Trauma Care

Complex open musculoskeletal wounds are a leading cause of morbidity worldwide, partially due to a high risk of bacterial contamination. Local delivery systems may be used as adjunctive therapies to prevent infection, but they may be nondegradable, possess inadequate wound coverage, or migrate from the wound site. To address this issue, a thermo-responsive, injectable chitosan paste was fabricated by incorporating beta-glycerophosphate. The efficacy of thermo-paste as an adjunctive infection prevention tool was evaluated in terms of cytocompatibility, degradation, antibacterial, injectability, and inflammation properties. In vitro studies demonstrated thermo-paste may be loaded with amikacin and vancomycin and release inhibitory levels for at least 3 days. Further, approximately 60% of thermo-paste was enzymatically degraded within 7 days in vitro. The viability of cells exposed to thermo-paste exceeded ISO 10993-5 standards with approximately 73% relative viability of a control chitosan sponge. The ejection force of thermo-paste, approximately 20 N, was lower than previously studied paste formulations and within relevant clinical ejection force ranges. An in vivo murine biocompatibility study demonstrated that thermo-paste induced minimal inflammation after implantation for 7 days, similar to previously developed chitosan pastes. Results from these preliminary preclinical studies indicate that thermo-paste shows promise for further development as an antibiotic delivery system for infection prevention.
Endogenous Regime Switching Error Correction Model for Stock Price and Dividend

This paper considers a new model for stock price and dividend. The model is an error correction model with two distinct features. First, it adopts the time varying coefficient cointegration to explain the long-run relationship between stock price and dividend. Second, the model allows for regime switching with endogenous autoregressive latent factor. In such an endogenous regime switching model, the future transition between states depends on the current state as well as the realization of the underlying time series. The empirical application on the S&P 500 Index and dividend shows that it fits the data better than existing models. It is shown that the linear cointegration is not suitable to describe the long-run relationship between stock price and dividend and the error correction model with endogenous regime switching is better in explaining the data than one with the conventional Markov switching. Additionally, the latent factor extracted from our model specifically reveals the periods for each regime and the periods of high volatility regime includes the NBER recession periods and some periods with financial crisis.
Identification of reversible causes of minority inequity in stroke: severity related to race and socio-economic status

ABSTRACT Objectives: Previous reports of a higher incidence and risk of stroke in minorities were associated primarily with race and ethnicity, yet the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and racial disparities in stroke is less well known. We have investigated the effects of SES on the incidence of stroke type and its severity in minorities. Methods: The clinical and demographic data on 140 patients diagnosed with a stroke in the North Lawndale neighbourhood of Chicago, one of the city’s poorest communities, were collected prospectively over a 13-month period and then were retrospectively analysed. Results: Overall, haemorrhagic stroke occurred in 31% of cases, differing from the previously reported haemorrhagic stroke incidence of 15%. When accounting for SES, the incidence of haemorrhagic stroke in the uninsured versus the privately or Medicaid-insured increased to 50%. Uninsured African-American patients experienced even higher rates of haemorrhagic stroke at 55%. Conclusions: Patients who are uninsured minorities may be at an increased risk for severe strokes. This increase in risk appears to be related to the increased incidence of risk factors and lack of treatment. The lack of funds, care access, and limited education in these patients may be related to their increase in risk factors. This paper identifies potentially reversible environmental and societal factors that can lead to improved outcomes in indigent minority patients.
Feasibility of the Musical Contour Regulation Facilitation (MCRF) Intervention for Preschooler Emotion Regulation Development: A Mixed Methods Study

Emotion regulation (ER) describes the goal-directed ability to manage and shape the dynamics and timing of one's emotional experiences and expressions, an ability that develops early in life. Though development of maladaptive ER skills can significantly impact developmental outcomes, interventions for at-risk children are limited. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the Musical Contour Regulation Facilitation (MCRF) intervention, a multi-session strategy for promoting ER development in preschoolers, with a focus on typically developing preschoolers as a preliminary exploration of a novel intervention. Eight typically developing children (M = 3.88 years) participated in the 11-session MCRF intervention across four weeks. ER-related behaviors were assessed pre- and post-intervention, and teacher interviews were conducted post-intervention. Teachers noted positive change in children's behavior following the intervention in terms of their emotion skills and peer interactions. Furthermore, they believed in the importance of music for developmental outcomes. Large and medium effects sizes in ER-related abilities were noted, and acceptability and integration of the intervention into the regular daycare environment was supported by interview data. Findings support further refinement and examination of the MCRF intervention in children who are at risk.
An Empirical Essay to Explain the Contrarian Profits in the Tunisian Stock Market: Behavioral Approach vs. Rational Approach

This paper aims to investigate the behavioral and the rational explanations for the contrarian profits in the Tunisian stock market. We use the CAPM and the three-factor model of Fama and French (1993, 1996) to examine the rational explanations including the market risk, the size effect and the book to market effect. Behavioral explanations include the overconfidence bias and the investor sentiment. We use the decomposition of the trading volume advanced by Chuang and Lee (2006) to extract the factor reflecting the investor overconfidence and the ARMS index to measure the investor sentiment. These two variables are included in the three-factor model of Fama and French (1993, 1996) in an attempt to confront the rational approach with the behavioral approach. The results indicate that the contrarian profits on the Tunisian stock market are explained by the market risk, the size effect and the Book to Market effect; and that once adjusted for these three risk factors, they disappear. However, only the factor reflecting overconfidence among the two behavioral factors seems to play a role in explaining these abnormal returns.
Local flux-profile relationships of wind speed and temperature in a canopy layer in atmospheric stable conditions

Abstract. The particularities of the physics of the canopy layer pose challenges to the determination and use of traditional universal functions so helpful in the atmospheric surface layer. Progress toward "universal-like functions" such as those provided by Monin-Obukhov similarity theory for the canopy layer has been modest. One of the challenges lies in that the assumptions underlying Monin-Obukhov similarity theory do not hold within a canopy layer. This paper thus examines the local flux-profile relations for wind (Φm) and for temperature (Φh). It uses three different stability parameters, i.e., h/L(h) at tree top, local z/L(z), and the local bulk Richardson number (Ri), within a tall forest canopy in nighttime stable (indicated by h/L(h) > 0) conditions. Results suggest that the in-canopy Φm can be described using the local Richardson number Ri. Furthermore, Φm is found to increase linearly with Ri in the upper canopy layer for |Ri| 1, |Φm| decreases with |Ri| in a power function, a result consistent for all levels of measurements within the canopy. When both local Φh and local Ri are positive, i.e., the local downward turbulent heat flux is consistent with the local temperature gradient, the local Φh increases with the local Ri when Ri 1. The relationship between local Φh and Ri disappears when counter-gradient heat transfer occurs in strongly stable conditions. A self-correlation analysis is used to examine the influence of self-correlation and the physical meaning of these relationships.
Even parity excitations of the nucleon in lattice QCD

We study the spectrum of the even-parity excitations of the nucleon in quenched lattice QCD. We extend our earlier analysis by including an expanded basis of nucleon interpolating fields, increasing the physical size of the lattice, including more configurations to enhance statistics and probing closer to the chiral limit. With a review of world lattice data, we conclude that there is little evidence of the Roper resonance in quenched lattice QCD.
Formation and growth of fresh atmospheric aerosols: eight years of aerosol size distribution data from SMEAR II, Hyytiälä, Finland

We analyzed size distributions measured continuously at a boreal forest measurement site at Hyytiala, Finland between 1996 and 2003. From the eight-year data we identified days when new aerosol particle formation was taking place as well as days when no formation was detected, removing days with ambiguous status. The event days were then classified based on whether it was possible to determine formation and growth rates of new particles. These characteristics were then calculated. We found that new particle formation happens frequently in the boreal forest boundary layer, with at least 24% of days containing an event. Events are more probable during spring and autumn than during other times of the year. The average formation rate of particles larger than 3 nm was 0.8 cm -3 s -1 , with enhanced rates during spring and autumn. The mean growth rate was 3.0 nm h -1 , peaking in summer. The created event database is valuable for future studies of reasons leading to new particle formation in the atmosphere.
A Young Man Dying Of Fulminant Hepato-Renal Syndrome. The Tagging To Alcohol Addiction Obscured the Diagnosis and Precluded the Treatment of Chronic Viral Hepatitis (HBV, HCV, HDV) As the Cause of His Liver Cirrhosis

Discourse: The present report describes a 47-year-old man who was referred to hospital due to liver cirrhosis and acute hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) that rapidly progressed, and of which he died within two months. As a result of a sequence of unfortunate events in his management, including an inaccurate and in part erroneous record of the patient’s past history, alcohol was considered as the sole cause of the liver failure (ALD), importantly, without taking a liver biopsy. The patient was ranked outside curative therapy, including renal replacement therapy (RRT) as the bridge to eventual liver transplantation. Instead, he received two courses of corticosteroids (for ALD). The negative serology for hepatitis viruses was not controlled, until in the other hospital during the final days before death, when the patient tested positive for HBV (HBsAb). Autopsy: At autopsy, the liver was large (2.800 g) with micronodular cirrhosis but no typical signs of ALD. When examined using immunohistochemistry (IHC), liver cells were extensively loaded with HBV, HCV and HDV, implicating an activation of a latent chronic viral hepatitis during the hospitalization, and massive replication of all three hepatotrophic viruses. This activation, remaining unnoticed by the clinicians, obviously resulted in acute-on-chronic fulminant viral hepatitis with rapid and fatal liver failure. Conclusions: By labeling the patient’s liver failure as ALD obscured adequate search for other potential causative factors for the patient´s HRS. This is most unfortunate, because standard curative medical treatments (DAA, direct acting antivirals) are available for viral hepatitis, and their diagnosis by biopsy should be straightforward. In contrast, treatment with steroids is contraindicated in viral hepatitis.
Mammals repel mosquitoes with their tails

ABSTRACT The swinging of a mammal's tail has long been thought to deter biting insects, which, in cows, can drain up to 0.3 liters of blood per day. How effective is a mammal's tail at repelling insects? In this combined experimental and theoretical study, we filmed horses, zebras, elephants, giraffes and dogs swinging their tails. The tail swings at triple the frequency of a gravity-driven pendulum, and requires 27 times more power input. Tails can also be used like a whip to directly strike at insects. This whip-like effect requires substantial torques from the base of the tail on the order of 101–102 N m, comparable to the torque of a sedan, but still within the physical limits of the mammal. Based on our findings, we designed and built a mammal tail simulator to simulate the swinging of the tail. The simulator generates mild breezes of 1 m s–1, comparable to a mosquito's flight speed, and sufficient to deter up to 50% of mosquitoes from landing. This study may help us determine new mosquito-repelling strategies that do not depend on chemicals. Highlighted Article: Mammals swing their tails three times faster than a gravity-driven pendulum. Our experiments with artificial tails show that tail motion generates winds sufficient to repel mosquitoes.
Development of a Preliminary Ultrasonographic Enthesitis Score in Psoriatic Arthritis — GRAPPA Ultrasound Working Group

Objective. To assess the performance of various sonographic elemental entheseal lesions in distinguishing between psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and controls to inform the development of a novel sonographic enthesitis score for PsA. Methods. A total of 100 age- and sex-matched individuals (50 PsA and 50 controls) were evaluated. Eleven entheseal sites were scanned bilaterally according to a standardized protocol by 2 sonographers. Based on the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) definition of sonographic enthesitis, the following lesions were assessed: structural entheseal changes (hypoechogenicity), thickening, bone erosion, enthesophytes, calcification, and Doppler signal, in addition to bursitis and bone irregularities. The images were read by 2 readers blinded to the clinical information. A series of logistic regression models were used to find the optimal combination of entheseal sites and elementary lesions that distinguished PsA from controls. Results. Mean age was 55 ± 10 years (59% males). The optimal model that distinguished PsA from controls included 5 elementary lesions (enthesophytes, Doppler signal, erosions, thickening, and hypoechogenicity) and 6 entheseal sites (patellar ligament insertions into the distal patella and tibial tuberosity, Achilles tendon and plantar fascia insertions into the calcaneus, common extensor tendon insertion into lateral epicondyle, and supraspinatus insertion into the superior facet of the humerus). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for this model was 0.93 (95% CI 0.88–0.98). Conclusion. We identified potential elemental ultrasonographic abnormalities and entheseal sites that could distinguish PsA and controls. This information will contribute to the development of a new sonographic score for assessment of enthesitis in patients with PsA.