Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantifying Uncertainties in Ground Motion-Macroseismic Intensity Conversion Equations. A Probabilistic Relationship for Western China

ABSTRACT We analyze the global and local uncertainties of ground motion-macroseismic intensity conversion equations and derive new probabilistic relationships between the macroseismic intensity and peak ground motion parameters (peak ground acceleration and peak ground velocity) for western China based on the assumption that the peak values of ground motion are randomly distributed for each MMI level, bounded by a normal distribution. For this purpose, a strong ground motion database consisting of 37 moderate- to large-magnitude earthquakes that occurred in western China between 1994 and 2017 is employed along with the corresponding modified Mercalli intensity (MMI) information inferred from isoseismal maps and earthquake damage reports. The mean value and standard deviation parameters in the probabilistic formulas are obtained from the result of the analysis of the local uncertainties of the data compiled for Western China. We propose a method for the rapid assessment of computer-generated intensity maps using the new probabilistic formulas. Our method composed of two steps. (1) According to a Bayesian formula, the possibility, expectation and standard deviation of the seismic intensity are calculated by the ground motion parameters recorded at a site station. (2) Furthermore, expectation and standard deviation maps of the seismic intensity throughout an area are obtained through spatial interpolation. Finally, an application is illustrated to validate this new methodology by presenting rapidly estimated (computed) intensity maps of the 8 December 2016 Hutubi (Ms 6.2) earthquake in western China.
Chitosan Improves Osmotic Potential Tolerance in Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) Seedlings

Salinity and water-deficit stress reduce yield in agricultural crops. On the other hand, seed germination is critical in seedling establishment and subsequent plant growth. Therefore, the present investigation was carried out to evaluate the effects of chitosan (Ch) concentrations (0% [control], 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 3%) on the tolerance of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) to different osmotic potentials (0, −0.4, −0.8, and −1.2 MPa). Induced osmotic potential significantly decreased germination percentage, germination index and rate, length and weight of root and shoot, and protein content. Proline content, malondialdehyde content (MDA), and catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) activity increased when osmotic potential was increased to −0.8 MPa. Under unstressed conditions (0 MPa), there were no significant differences in germination percentage among different concentrations of chitosan, whereas MDA content, CAT, and POX activity were increased by low concentrations of chitosan (0.05%–0.4%). With increasing water-deficit stress, low concentrations of chitosan increased germination percentage but decreased MDA and proline contents and CAT and POX activity. Thus, it could be concluded that low concentrations of chitosan exhibited positive effects on water-deficit alleviation through the reduction of enzyme activity. Therefore, chitosan should be an effective biostimulator to enhance seedling growth and plant tolerance to oxidative stress conditions, especially under conditions of drought stress.
Directed preferential attachment models: Limiting degree distributions and their tails

Abstract The directed preferential attachment model is revisited. A new exact characterization of the limiting in- and out-degree distribution is given by two independent pure birth processes that are observed at a common exponentially distributed time T (thus creating dependence between in- and out-degree). The characterization gives an explicit form for the joint degree distribution, and this confirms previously derived tail probabilities for the two marginal degree distributions. The new characterization is also used to obtain an explicit expression for tail probabilities in which both degrees are large. A new generalized directed preferential attachment model is then defined and analyzed using similar methods. The two extensions, motivated by empirical evidence, are to allow double-directed (i.e. undirected) edges in the network, and to allow the probability of connecting an ingoing (outgoing) edge to a specified node to also depend on the out-degree (in-degree) of that node.
Assessing sublethal levels of sediment contamination using the estuarine amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus

Recent emphasis on the incorporation of sublethal end points into sediment toxicity test methods follows the realization that acute lethality tests may not provide sufficient sensitivity for predicting subtle ecological effects of sediment contamination. To this end, a partial life-cycle test with the amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus Shoemaker was evaluated for solid-phase testing of contaminated estuarine sediments. Initially, juvenile and adultLeptocheirus plumulosus and the amphipod Hyalella azteca were exposed to gradients of chemical contamination prepared by diluting field-collected contaminated sediment with texturally similar reference sediment. Ten-day exposure results indicate juvenile Leptocheirus plumulosus is more sensitive than adult Leptocheirus plumulosus and Hyalella azteca, with significant mortality of juvenile Leptocheirus plumulosus occurring in sediment diluted to 12.5% of the adult lowest-observed-effect concentration (LOEC). Long-term exposure (30 d) of juveniles to dilutions of the acute juvenile LOEC shows significant effects on growth in sediment concentrations below the lethal threshold. Effects on reproductive end points (proportion of gravid females, number of young) parallel growth effects. Evaluation of nontoxicant experimental variables indicates significant effects of temperature and feeding regime on sensitivity of juvenile Leptocheirus plumulosus to contaminated sediment.
Epiphyte Accrual on Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile Leaves: Implications for Light Absorption

Abstract We examined the pattern of epiphyte accrual along the life-span of Posidonia oceanica leaves, both for the total epiphyte community and the main epiphyte groups (i. e. red encrusting algae and brown erect algae). Moreover, we document the importance of this epiphyte accrual pattern for evaluating P. oceanica-epiphyte interactions by assessing the dependence of the quantity and quality of light absorbed by epiphytes on their accrual pattern. Epiphyte biomass increased with leaf age following a sigmoidal curve (r2 = 0.90, P < 0.001), both for the epiphyte community and for the two main groups. Total epiphyte biomass increased with leaf age at a rate of about 0.03 day−1 to reach a constant maximum value of 2.60 mg DW cm−2 on leaves older than 200 days. Brown erect algae grew about an order of magnitude faster (0.120 day−1) than red encrusting ones (0.017 day−1). However, the former group of algae reached their maximum biomass (1 mg DW cm−2) on 150 days-old leaves, whereas red encrusting algae continued to grow along the whole leaf life-span to reach a maximum biomass of 1.70 mg DW cm−2. The non-linear increase in epiphyte biomass with leaf age involved a non-linear increase in epiphyte light absorption with leaf age, which reached a maximum constant value of 30% of incident light on 250 days-old leaves. Moreover, because red encrusting algae contribute a higher fraction to total epiphyte biomass on older leaves, we observed a shift in absorbed light quality with increasing leaf-age. Our results indicate the importance of accounting for the pattern of epiphyte accrual with leaf age when assessing seagrass-epiphytes interactions, especially for long-lived seagrass species where epiphytes may differ much in growth and biomass between young and old leaves.
Erratic Oviposition and Egg Defects in Broiler-type Pullets

Abstract THE females which produce chicks for broiler production have changed greatly during the past 15 to 20 years. Broiler chickens were twice as large at 8 weeks of age in 1965 as those of the same age in 1952 (Maine Broiler Test Reports, 1952–1965). The mothers of broiler chicks now reach an adult body weight of 3 1/2 to 4 kilograms. During this same period (1950–1965), egg-type females have been reduced from about 2.2 kilograms adult body weight to approximately 1.9 kilograms. This dramatic difference in body size between broiler- and egg-type females has been accompanied by many other changes in appearance and behavioral activity. External and behavioral differences are more readily observable than those which are internal and physiological The following report records observations concerning non-rhythmic laying patterns and the high incidence of egg defects in these large-bodied broiler strains. Irregularities of oviposition time and the accompanying defects appear .
Effect of hepatitis C virus on the central nervous system of HIV-infected individuals

Correspondence: Daniel Forton Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, St George’s University of London, Blackshaw Road, London SW17 0QT, United Kingdom Tel +44 208 725 3520 Fax +44 208 725 3032 Email dforton@sgul.ac. uk Abstract: Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with a spectrum of neuropsychiatric manifestations ranging from asymptomatic cognitive impairment, detectable only by sensitive neurocognitive tests, to overt HIV-associated dementia. Highly active antiretroviral therapy has led to significant reductions in the incidence of severe HIVassociated dementia. However, the overall prevalence of milder HIV-associated cognitive disorders appears to be increasing as HIV-infected subjects live longer in the era of combined antiretroviral treatments. Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is also associated with neuropsychological symptoms and impaired cognitive performance in some patients, and recent evidence suggests that these central nervous system (CNS) symptoms may be caused by HCV entry into the brain via endothelial infection. Similarly to the neuropathological processes in HIV infection, microglial activation in HCV infected subjects may underlie the CNS metabolic abnormalities and impaired cognitive performance that have been described in studies of HCVinfected cohorts. A significant proportion of HIV-infected subjects are coinfected with HCV, but the impact and clinical importance of coinfection on cognitive function has only been addressed in a small number of research studies. There is some evidence that coinfection may adversely affect neurocognitive function; however, studies published thus far are limited by a number of confounding factors and small sample sizes. This article aims to review the current evidence examining neurocognitive function in HIVand HCV-monoinfection and further critically discusses previous studies that have explored the impact of coinfection with HCV on CNS function of HIV-infected cohorts. It is clear that, as the population of HIV-infected individuals ages and neurocognitive disorders persist in the post-combination antiretroviral treatment era, a better understanding of the neuropathological processes and improved characterization of deficits is required to allow development of better treatments. At the advent of interferon-free, directly acting antiviral therapies against HCV, this is increasingly important. The impact of CNS infection by these viruses remains poorly understood, both in terms of neurocognitive symptoms and as a potential mechanism for HCV virological relapse after treatment.
Lettuce and celery responses to both BAP and PBZ related to the plug cell volume.

Aims: Decreasing vegetable transplant costs involves decreasing the plug cell volume, which is known to have negative effects during post-transplant growth. The objective of this work was to evaluate the impact of different plug cell volume and hormonal regulators on both lettuce and celery yield. Study Design: Two genotypes of lettuce (‘Dolly’ and ‘Shirley’) and two of celery (‘Golden Boy’ and ‘Green Fox’) were used in the experiments. Plants grown in 288or 200-cell trays and were sprayed with different solutions of BAP and PBZ. Place and Duration of Study: Experiments were conducted at the INTA Balcarce Experimental Station, Argentina (37o45′S, 58o18′W) during the 2008-2009 and 2010-2011 growing seasons. Methodology: Three experiments were performed. In the experiment 1, base temperature from lettuce and celery plants grown in 288or 200-cell trays were determined through the method of temperature summation. Experiment 2 showed the response to 100 mg L BAP of both vegetables grown in two plug cell volume. Experiment 3 showed the combined effect of different BAP and PBZ concentrations related to different plug cell volume. Results: Results showed that spraying lettuce and celery plants with a single pretransplant application of BAP or PBZ increased post-transplant fresh weight. On the other hand, the different genotypes of lettuce and celery evaluated showed significant Original Research Article American Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 4(10): 1103-1119, 2014 1104 differences in the Tb. Conclusion: We proposed that the use of larger plug cells and growth regulator sprays may allow plants to overcome the root restriction imposed by the cell volume, with a correlative increase in post-transplant productivity of lettuce and celery. A significant decrease in Tb would partially explain the highest growth rate in the largest cell size volume.
Evaluating the Impact of Grafting on Local Tomato Production in Nebraska

Growers all around the world have been struggling to improve water and nutrient efficiency in vegetable production. For a variety of ornamental and specialty crops, grafting the desired cultivar with a higher root density rootstock is known to improve water and nutrient uptake efficiency. Such innovative tools can be very beneficial for vegetable production, such as tomatoes. A grafting experiment was conducted under limited water and Nitrogen (N) condition. The greenhouse experiment took place at the University of Nebraska Lincoln East Campus in Lincoln, Nebraska, from fall 2018 to early summer 2019. Determinant fresh market tomato, ‘BHN-589’ were grafted onto one of two potentially valuable rootstocks, ‘Estamino’ and ‘Maxifort,’ with the nongrafted scion cultivars as controls. Nitrogen fertilizer treatments were implemented at 0.5 X, 1.0 X, and 1.5 X of 120 ppm of N, and water treatment was divided into high (above field capacity) and low (below field capacity). Overall, grafting did not have any consistent impact on fruit yield. ‘Estamino’ improved % of fruits marketability by 28% compared to the nongrafted plants especially under 1.5 X of N fertility treatment. However, there were no significant difference in total and marketable yield between grafted and nongrafted plants. Moreover, 1.5X N reduced % marketability of the tomatoes under both high and low water treatment.
Further spreading in the Italian seas of already established non-indigenous mollusc species

gianluca stasolla, francesca riolo, armando macali, cataldo pierri and fabio crocetta Museo di Storia Naturale, Sezione di Zoologia ‘La Specola’, Universita di Firenze, via Romana 17, I-50125, Firenze, Italy, Mappamondo GIS srl, Via Rubens 3, I-43123, Parma, Italy, Centro Ittiogenico Sperimentale Marino, Borgo Le Saline, I-01016, Tarquinia, Italy, LifeWatch Italian Network, Mediterranean Thematic Center, LifeWatch Services Center, Via le San Nicola, I-73100, Lecce, Italy, European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Water Resources Unit, Via Enrico Fermi, 2749, I-21027, Ispra, Italy
Remdesivir: A Review of Its Discovery and Development Leading to Emergency Use Authorization for Treatment of COVID-19

The global pandemic of SARS-CoV-2, the causative viral pathogen of COVID-19, has driven the biomedical community to action—to uncover and develop antiviral interventions. One potential therapeutic approach currently being evaluated in numerous clinical trials is the agent remdesivir, which has endured a long and winding developmental path. Remdesivir is a nucleotide analogue prodrug that perturbs viral replication, originally evaluated in clinical trials to thwart the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Subsequent evaluation by numerous virology laboratories demonstrated the ability of remdesivir to inhibit coronavirus replication, including SARS-CoV-2. Here, we provide an overview of remdesivir’s discovery, mechanism of action, and the current studies exploring its clinical effectiveness.
Preventing Summer Reading Slide: Examining the Effects of Two Computer-Assisted Reading Programs

Students who display reading difficulties/disabilities at the end of third grade are less likely to succeed in content areas and graduate from high school than their reading-proficient peers. Literature suggests that students in rural school districts lag behind their suburban peers in terms of their reading levels and accessibility to resources. Furthermore, students from low socioeconomic status (SES) households and those who have disabilities exhibit greater learning loss during the summer break. This exploratory study examined the effects of two parent-implemented computer-based reading programs on the reading skills of 20 students at-risk for reading failure during a summer break. Parental and students’ perceptions regarding the effectiveness and desirability of the programs were elicited. Results suggested that both programs facilitated gains in phonemic awareness and phonics. Furthermore, students in the Funnix group exhibited large gains in vocabulary and oral reading fluency, and the students in the PLATO group exhibited large gains in comprehension. Most of the students indicated they liked the programs and the programs helped them read. Similarly, most of the parents agreed that the programs were useful, and they were comfortable using the programs. A description of the computer programs, results, implications, and limitations of the study are discussed.
Genetic and Biochemical Effects of Natural Extracts on in Vitro Maturation of Egyptian Buffalo Oocytes

Preparation of oocytes is one of the critical factors that determine the developmental competence of embryos produced by in vitro fertilization (IVF). The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different maturation media on the nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation of buffalo oocytes. Also, to investigate if the addition of ginseng and fenugreek to the maturation media during in vitro maturation (IVM) would influence on IVM, and developmental competence of buffalo oocytes as well as intracellular GSH level. Three experiments were conducted to achieve the goals of present study. In the first experiment, the buffalo oocytes were cultured in different media without any supplementations to detect the most suitable effective medium for IVM. The second experiment compared between different culture media for IVM of oocytes through measurement of intracellular glutathione level. The third experiment examined the effect of ginseng and fenugreek additives during the IVM of Egyptian buffalo oocytes. The results of this study proved that the TCM-199 medium significantly increased the percentage of cumulus expansion, nuclear maturation and intracellular GSH concentration after IVM of buffalo oocytes, while CR1aa was the least effective medium. Treatment with ginseng and fenugreek extracts during IVM culture efficiently improves the development competence of buffalo oocytes, and this improvement is correlated with increase of intracellular GSH concentration. In conclusion, TCM-199 was the most effective medium and is desirable for in vitro maturation of Egyptian buffalo oocytes. Ginseng and fenugreek additives enhanced the quality of less effective medium (CR1aa), as well as optimized the effect of TCM-199 medium.
The growth of Sphagnum species in the southern Pennines

Abstract The growth of transplants of six Sphagnum species at a blanket bog site in the southern Pennines was investigated and compared with that of similar transplants of the same provenance at a site in the Berwyn Mountains, North Wales. All species made some growth in the first year at the polluted southern Pennine site, but only Sphagnum recurvum grew in the second year. All species made good growth in both years at the relatively unpolluted North Wales site. A similar result was obtained in a later transplant experiment, and after more than 3 years, Sphagnum recurvum alone survives of the original transplants in the southern Pennines. The failure of these transplants is discussed in relation to a fumigation experinlent in which Sphagnum species were subjected to concentrations of sulphur dioxide in air and sulphate in rain similar to those occurring in the southern Pennines today. It is concluded that current concentrations of sulphur pollutants may not entirely account for the failure of the transpl.
IMPORTANCE OF VEGETATIVE COVER TO CYCLES OF MICROTUS POPULATIONS

A hypothesis is presented that a site-dependent threshold level of vegetative cover is necessary for a population of Microtus to increase in numbers sufficiently to undergo a multi-year cycle. The hypothesis is supported by results of studies in grassland habitats in the tallgrass prairie of Oklahoma and Minnesota, the mixed grass prairie of South Dakota, and the shortgrass prairie of Colorado. Levels of cover below the threshold sometimes support resident, breeding populations of voles. Levels above the threshold may influence amplitude, duration, and synchrony of Microtus cycles.
Peer support services in family reunification process in child welfare: perceptions of parents and family coaches

ABSTRACT Despite the fact that family reunification remains the foremost permanency-planning goal for children in the child welfare system, reunification is not always successful and reentry into foster care after reunification is hardly a rare event due to parental unaddressed needs, stress, and lack of supports. This study explored a peer-delivered pre- and post-reunification support program for child welfare-involved families. Using qualitative focus groups and interviews, experiences of parents with the peer support services were examined. The findings suggested that the presence of a family coach with a shared experience remained a critical source of support for many parents, providing emotional, informational, instructional, and advocacy supports while cultivating the special feelings of connection, comfort, trust, and guidance. The efforts to ensure sustainable permanency outcomes should seriously consider the important role that family coaches play as supporters, guides, and trusted confidantes to a vulnerable population of parents in need of more comprehensive emotional and concrete services.
The response of Western Meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta) to the playback of undegraded and degraded songs

Male Western Meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta) respond more strongly to playback of undegraded songs than degraded songs when both are played at the same amplitude and from the same position in the territory. The difference in response is only found if the song played is of a type that is sung by the test bird. These results support the use of cues from sound degradation to estimate distance; they also support a mechanism of degradation assessment which requires familiarity with the stimulus. We discuss the role of acoustic and visual cues in distance estimation and the significance of our results for a proposed function of song matching.