Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of a new biotic index for ecological status assessment of Italian coastal waters based on coralligenous macroalgal assemblages

This paper presents a new biotic index (ESCA, Ecological Status of Coralligenous Assemblages), based on analyses of in situ records of coralligenous macroalgal assemblages in the Mediterranean Sea. The ESCA index was developed on the basis of previous impact evaluation studies carried out by traditional destructive methods. It was validated on an independent dataset collected during a 3-year study carried out at five localities in the north-western Mediterranean, and tested on a gradient of anthropogenic stressors. Assemblage descriptors selected as metrics of the ESCA index were: (a) presence/absence and abundance of sensitive taxa/groups (expressed as sensitivity level of assemblages, SL), (b) diversity of assemblages (expressed as α-diversity) and (c) heterogeneity of assemblages (expressed as β-diversity). The three metrics were combined to give a final value for the multimetric ecological index, Ecological Quality Ratio, calculated as the ratio between the measured values and the value obtained in the reference condition. The Ecological Quality Ratio values ranged from 0 to 1 and five ecological status classes were defined in accordance with the Water Framework Directive. The ESCA index could be used to define the ecological status of the studied sites, providing differences between assemblages similar to those shown by multivariate analyses. Moreover, ecological quality values were quite steady throughout the study period. The ESCA index may represent a useful tool for monitoring programmes in coastal waters, since it has been developed in compliance with the Water Framework Directive; it synthesizes complex information in a simple and reliable way; and its application is simple and cost-effective. However, further studies are necessary to complete index development and to properly evaluate its strengths and weaknesses on a larger scale.
A phylogenetic reconstruction of Antennaria (Asteraceae: Inuleae)

A cladistic analysis of 32 sexually reproducing species of Antennaria Gaertn. revealed that the genus comprises five constitutive monophyletic groups: Geyeriae, Argenteae, Dimorphae, Pulcherrimae, and Catipes. Three of the groups, Argenteae, Dimorphae, and Geyeriae, have retained relatively large numbers of plesiomorphic characters. The members of these three groups are mostly nonstoloniferous and have not evolved characters often associated with sexual dimorphism that occur in the remainder of Antennaria. Consequently these three groups closely resemble the suprageneric outgroup, Anaphalis and Gnaphalium. The Pulcherrimae and Catipes represent the most specialized groups. These two groups have wider distributions and occur in a much greater diversity of habitats than the Argenteae, Dimorphae, and Geyeriae. Evolutionary advancement in the genus has been toward dioecism and coincident sexual dimorphism, probably as a method to promote outcrossing. In addition, polyploidy and two asexual means of reproducti.
OBSERVATIONS ON HEMATOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL MARKERS IN GALLUS DOMESTICUS, CONSECUTIVE FOODER SUPPLEMENTATION WITH ORGANIC SELENIUM

Selenium prevents the formation of free radicals. Haematologically, selenium has an important role in protecting haemoglobin against peroxidising. In the present study 20 laying chickens of the Rosso breed were subjected to the experiment, being divided into two batches. The experimental batch was given feed diet 21/5 for laying hens together with 6 grams/kg M.F. (mixed fodder) Sel-PlexTM, while to the control batch was given the same feed diet but without the added selenium. Before the start of the experiment as well as 30 days after, biological samples were collected and used to determine hematological and biochemical parameters. The results were bio-statistically interpreted. In the experimental batch significant growths were observed for the erythrocyte parameters: erythraemia, haemoglobinemya, haematocrite, MCV and MCH. Of the biochemical markers, significant growths were observed in the ascorbinemic acid, lipids and serum pseudocholinesterase. The following parameters dropped significantly, proteinemia and blood
Mexican Grasslands and the Changing Aridlands of Mexico: An Overview and a Case Study in Northwestern Mexico

Grasslands cover about 14% of Mexico. They comprise alpine and subalpine grasslands, tropical savannas, arid and semi-arid grasslands, and induced grasslands. Arid and semi-arid grasslands comprise most of the grass-dominated communities in Mexico. There is great concern about the transformation of these into thornscrub through the action of several interrelated factors, mainly: overgrazing and diminishing fire frequency. At the same time, the introduction and naturalization of African grasses is changing the structural and functional properties of native grasslands and are creating new grass-dominated communities at the expense of other types of vegetation. In some cases the conversion has been so successful that consequences are irreversible in the short-term. A case study in the Sonoran Desert is presented where African buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) is being planted for the deliberate conversion of the desertscrub. It is now actively invading large tracts of central Sonora, Mexico. Its presence in desert communities introduce a grasS/fire cycle in assemblages of species with little evolution with fire. The presence of buffelgrass is creating a new, highly xerophytic grassland in Sonora at the expense of the desertscrub. The conversion changes the structure and functioning of the community, lowering the standing crop biomass and overall
The benefits of early rib fixation for clinical outcomes of flail chest patients in intensive care unit.

Background In the present study, we aimed to compare clinical results of conservative and surgical stabilization approaches and to investigate the effect of early reduction in patients with a flail chest. Methods Between March 2013 and December 2017, 34 patients (23 males, 11 females; mean age 43.7±12.1 years; range, 20 to 74 years) with a flail chest who underwent early rib fixation were included in the surgical group and 29 patients with a flail chest (19 males, 10 females; mean age: 45.7±15.8 years; range, 24 to 74 years) who were followed with the conservative approach were included in the conservative treatment group between February 2012 and December 2017. We applied early rib reduction on the first or the next day (within 24 to 36 h) of trauma. The length of hospitalization, the presence of pneumonia and septic complications in the postoperative period, mortality, mechanical ventilation duration, tracheostomy rate, respiratory function test results, and pain scores were recorded and compared between the groups. Results The length of stay in the hospital and intensive care unit, and duration of mechanical ventilation were statistically significantly higher in the conservative treatment group than the surgery group (p<0.001, p<0.001, and p<0.001, respectively). None of the patients required tracheostomy in the surgical group, while five patients required tracheostomy in the conservative treatment group (p=0.004). Mortality rates were 2.94% and 20.69% in the surgery and conservative treatment groups, respectively (p=0.027). Pain scores were statistically significantly different in favor of the surgical group compared to the conservative treatment group (p=0.0038 and p=0.044, respectively). Conclusion The results of our study show that early fixation and weaning reduce the need for mechanical ventilation, length of hospitalization, the need for tracheostomy, and mortality rates. This approach also provides a significant improvement in the long-term pain complaints and pulmonary function tests of patients with a flail chest.
Automotive regions in transition: Preparing for connected and automated vehicles

The advent of ‘connected and automated vehicles’ (C/AV) is posing substantial transformation challenges for traditional automotive regions across the world. This article seeks to examine both conceptually and empirically how automotive regions reconfigure their industrial and support structures to promote new path development in the C/AV field. Drawing on recent conceptual advances at the intersection of evolutionary economic geography and innovation system studies, we develop an analytical framework that casts light on how regional preconditions provide platforms for asset modification that underpin different routes of transformation. We distinguish between a reorientation route and an upgrading route. The framework is applied to a comparative analysis of industrial path development and system reconfiguration towards C/AV in two automotive regions, namely Ontario (Canada) and the Austrian automotive triangle.
Sufficient Statistics for Welfare Analysis: A Bridge Between Structural and Reduced-Form Methods

The debate between "structural" and "reduced-form" approaches has generated substantial controversy in applied economics. This article reviews a recent literature in public economics that combines the advantages of reduced-form strategies -- transparent and credible identification -- with an important advantage of structural models -- the ability to make predictions about counterfactual outcomes and welfare. This recent work has developed formulas for the welfare consequences of various policies that are functions of high-level elasticities rather than deep primitives. These formulas provide theoretical guidance for the measurement of treatment effects using program evaluation methods. I present a general framework that shows how many policy questions can be answered by identifying a small set of sufficient statistics. I use this framework to synthesize the modern literature on taxation, social insurance, and behavioral welfare economics. Finally, I discuss topics in labor economics, industrial organization, and macroeconomics that can be tackled using the sufficient statistic approach.
New approaches to crop disease management in conservation agriculture

The economic importance of wheat diseases in Australia was estimated in 1988 (Brennan and Murray 1989), 1998 (Brennan and Murray 1998) and 2008 (Murray and Brennan 2009). The value of wheat and area sown has changed over time, but the expression of yield losses as a percentage of the production enables comparisons between surveys (Table 1). Estimates were made for the northern (central and northern NSW plus Qld), southern (southern NSW, Victoria and SA) and western (WA) grain growing regions of Australia. Five key diseases, reported to increase in prevalence with the adoption of CA, have all steadily risen in their importance across all three regions (Table 1). The cereal root disease Take-all (Gaeumannomyces tritici) has generally declined in estimated importance over time. This may reflect the intensification of cropping over this period which has seen a reduction in the area of annual grass-legume pastures. The grass component in ley pastures is known to significantly contribute to elevated levels of take-all in following cereal crops as they serve as an alternate host for the causal pathogen (MacLeod et al. 1993).
Measures for Obtaining Inclusive Sets of Area Cladograms under Assumptions Zero, 1, and 2 with Different Methods for Vicariance Biogeography

We present modifications to computer programs of a posteriori and a priori methods for vicariance biogeography that enable them to obtain inclusive sets of area cladograms under assumptions zero, 1, and 2. With CAFCA (Component Compatibility Analysis) an upper limit for area cladogram selection by the number of steps is not always sufficient for inclusive sets. CAFCA needs additionally a lower limit for the number of components used to derive area cladograms when noninclusion arises because CAFCA selects area cladograms with different resolutions. PAUP (Brooks Parsimony Analysis) derives inclusive sets when it selects area cladograms under assumptions zero, 1, and 2 by using an upper limit for the number of steps and not collapsing unsupported nodes. For the computer programs Component 1.5 (Component Analysis), Component 2.0 (Reconciled Tree Analysis), and TAS (Three Area Statement Analysis) we suggest a two‐step procedure for inclusive sets. The first step involves dealing with widespread taxa a priori under assumptions zero, 1, or 2. The second step involves dealing with sympatric taxa “as is” (Component 1.5 and TAS) or by tree reconciliation using an upper limit for the number of losses (Component 2.0).
Comparison of the effects of six stunning/killing procedures on flesh quality of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, Linnaeus 1758) and evaluation of clove oil anaesthesia followed by chilling on ice/water slurry for potential implementation in aquaculture

The effects of different stunning/killing procedures on flesh quality of European sea bass were investigated: (1) anaesthesia with clove oil, (2) anaesthesia with 2-phenoxyethanol, (3) percussive stunning, (4) immersion in ice/water slurry, (5) chilling on ice and (6) anaesthesia with clove oil followed by immersion in ice/water slurry. Muscle pH values were significantly lower in sea bass anaesthetized or stunned by a blow to the head compared with fish immersed in ice/water slurry, chilled on ice or immersed in ice/water slurry after clove oil anaesthesia. Lightness was highest in sea bass anaesthetized by 2-phenoxyethanol or percussively stunned and lowest in ice-chilled fish. Redness and yellowness were highest in fish chilled on ice and lowest in fish anaesthetized with clove oil. Liquid loss, fat loss and shear values were not significantly different among the procedures. In general, lipid oxidation values during refrigerated or frozen storage did not significantly differ among treatment groups. Combination of clove oil anaesthesia followed by chilling on ice/water slurry appears to improve both flesh quality and welfare of sea bass, although the implementation of further studies is warranted to consolidate this finding.
UNDERSTANDING CONSUMERS' PURCHASE INTENTIONS IN ONLINE VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES: AN INTEGRATION OF PERCEIVED BENEFIT AND COMMITMENT-TRUST THEORY

In the fourth industrial revolution era, people are purchasing products from e-commerce. Even within the online community, we purchase products that match the information provided by the community, or exchange used products. Therefore, this study intends to study consumers' behavioral intention in online community. The purpose of this study was to suggest factors affecting continuous participation and purchase intention in online community of interest drawing on the perceived benefit and Commitment-Trust Theory (CTT) to advance our understanding. The collected 231 data through the survey were analyzed using structural equating model analysis. SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 21.0 were used to analyze the data. According to the result, continuous use intention influenced purchase intention, and trust and commitment is critical for the continuance intention. Of the four benefits, only learning, economic and hedonic benefits affected trust and commitment. This study contributes to the existing research on online communities as it combines perceived benefit and CTT to explain variances for users’ continuous participation. This study also provides suggestions in numerous ways regarding interest-based online community operations.
Attempted Construction of Recombinant Vectors Designed to Study the Solubility of Overexpressed Proteinase Inhibitor 2 when Co-expressed with Thioredoxin

Overexpression of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli can result in biologically inactive aggregates of misfolded proteins known as inclusion bodies. The fusion of thioredoxin A (TrxA) to target proteins has been used in commercial plasmids to increase the solubility of overexpressed protein which can reduce the formation of inclusion bodies. The objective of this study was to create recombinant plasmid vectors that would overexpress TrxA fused to proteinase inhibitor II (PI2), a protein domain containing 8 disulphide bonds known that is known to form inclusion bodies. We hypothesized that the co-expression of TrxA in either cis or trans with PI2 would increase levels of soluble PI2 when overexpressed in E. coli. We designed oligonucleotide primers to amplify the PI2 gene from plasmid pE32PI2 using polymerase chain reaction. We found that the addition of dimethyl sulfoxide at concentrations between 0.25% and 1.0 % was required for PCR amplification of the PI2 gene from pE32PI2. In this study the PI2 gene was successfully amplified by PCR using DMSO as an additive. The expected DNA band sizes were confirmed by gel electrophoresis.
Principles of Ontology Construction Overview of tutorial

The Foundational Model of Anatomy (FMA), initially developed as an enhancement of the anatomical content of UMLS, is a domain ontology of the concepts and relationships that pertain to the structural organization of the human body. It encompasses the material objects from the molecular to the macroscopic levels that constitute the body and associates with them non-material entities (spaces, surfaces, lines, and points) required for describing structural relationships. The disciplined modeling approach employed for the development of the FMA relies on a set of declared principles, high level schemes, Aristotelian definitions and a frame-based authoring environment. We propose the FMA as a reference ontology in biomedical informatics for correlating different views of anatomy, aligning existing and emerging ontologies in bioinformatics ontologies and providing a structure-based template for representing biological functions. 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Assessment of integrated pest management module for the management of pink bollworm in cotton

A study on assessment of integrated pest management module for the management of pink bollworm in cotton was conducted in 2 ha in farmers fields in cotton growing tract of Prakasam district during 201819. Lowest per cent rosette flowers (5.6%), green boll damage (8%), open boll damage (17%) was recorded in IPM module over farmers practice of per cent rosette flowers (14%), green boll damage (15%), open boll damage (35%), respectively. IPM module recorded 12 q/ha (C:B ratio of 1: 0.8) which is 20 % higher than that obtained in farmers practice (10 q/ha with C:B ratio of 1:0.6).
Interactions between insect immunity and an insect-pathogenic nematode with symbiotic bacteria

It is well known that some insect-pathogenic nematodes always live in symbiosis with Gram negative bacteria belonging to the genus Xenorhabdus (earlier referred to as Achromobacter). We have here used diapausing pupae of Hyalophora cecropia as a model system and investigated the Mexican strain of Neoaplectana carpocapsae and its bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophilus for their ability to withstand insect immunity separately and in the symbiotic unit. We have prepared a reconstituted nematode containing a streptomycin-resistant mutant of X. nematophilus. In normal pupae LD50 (the injected dose that causes death of 50% of the population) of the bacteria was about 500 cells; for immunized pupae it was 5 x 105 cells. Cecropia immunity did not affect the nematodes. Fewer than ten nematodes with bacteria were lethal, while LD50 of axenic nematodes was about 500. Immune haemolymph caused lysis of X. nematophilus. Immune proteins P9A and P9B were identified as the active components in Cecropia immunity against X. nematophilus. It was found that the nematodes help the bacteria by excreting an immune inhibitor that selectively destroys both forms of P9 as well as immune protein P5. These results contribute to our understanding of the symbiotic relationship between nematodes and their bacteria and its survival value against induced insect immunity.
Influence of transportation conditions on the quality of beef breeds in Cameroon

The influence of transportation conditions on the quality of beef was evaluated on carcasses from three indigenous cattle breeds in Cameroon. Twenty bulls of similar age (3 to 5 years inclusive) from the Gudali, Red Mbororo and White Fulani breeds transported by train and by truck from the same production zone to the abattoir were investigated. Beef samples were used to evaluate technological and chemical properties. Gudali bulls transported by train produced beef with the highest proportion of bright red colour (85%). Beef from Gudali bulls transported by truck had the highest drip loss (9.87±2.82%), White Fulani bulls transported by truck produced beef with the highest freezing and cookout losses (19.40±3.02 and 28.37±1.90% respectively). Means of transportation did not significantly (p>0.05) influence chemical properties. These results indicate that in Cameroon, animals transported by truck give poor quality beef. Therefore, measures should be taken to minimize animal stress especially during truck transportation.
ESTRUTURA DA REDE DE INTERAÇÕES ENTRE FLORES E ABELHAS EM AMBIENTE DE CAATINGA

STRUCTURE OF NETWORK OF BEE-FLOWER INTERACTIONS IN BRAZILIAN WHITE DRY FOREST. This study aimed to characterize the network interactions between plants and their bees visitors in Brazilian white dry forest, in Canudos, Bahia (9o56’34”S e 38o59’17”W). The network comprises 70 species of bees and 40 plant species. Among the 296 interactions conducted, 28% were established by bees (Apis mellifera, Trigona spinipes and Frieseomelitta doederleini), revealing a prevailing generalist interactions in this network, since these bees are typically generalists in resource use and habitat selection. The network interactions presented in a nested way, with N = 0.945 and NODF = 17.81, both statistically significant (p<0.001). Nested may be a result of differences in attractiveness of plant species, and aspects of the selection of renewable resources by the bees, based on other characteristics besides the abundance and floral availability. This topology is characterized by a cohesive core, where generalist species interact with each other, establishing a functional network and providing resources for the persistence of rare species, giving greater system stability. Investigations are necessary to understand the factors that influence and determine such organization pattern in these communities, since the detection of patterns and understanding of the causes for which are established, are essential to guide actions for the conservation of this ecosystem.