Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diet and harvesting regimen for the production of mud crab Scylla olivacea in brackish water ponds

: The effects of diet (fish bycatch or a mixed diet of 75% brown mussel flesh and 25% cooked cracked corn) and harvesting regimen (bimonthly selective harvesting, or single terminal harvesting) on growth, survival and production of mud crab Scylla olivacea (Herbst) in brackish water ponds were determined in a replicated factorial experiment. The crabs were stocked at 0.6 individuals per m2 for 118 days. There was no significant interaction (P > 0.05) between the diet and harvesting regimen treatments. Regardless of diet, the survival rate and net production of mud crabs were significantly higher (P < 0.05) when crabs were subjected to bimonthly selective harvesting than at single terminal harvest. Comparative cost–return analysis showed that bimonthly selective harvesting and mixed diet treatments attained higher net return and return on investment, and lower cost of production than the other treatments. Partial budgeting analysis showed that bigger profits can be earned by using a bimonthly selective harvesting and a mixed diet of 75% fresh or fresh-frozen brown mussel flesh and 25% cooked cracked corn.
Seed rot fungal pathogen of post harvest irvingia gabonensis in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria

Post harvest seed rot pathogens of Irvingia gabonensis were investigated against the rot fungi, tusing samples collected from twelve markets located within the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The survey revealed the presence of Aspergillus flavus (17.70%), Aspergillus niger (16.78%), Botryodiplodia theobromae (13.65%), Fusarium moniliforme (12.67%), Penicillium notatum (14.48%) and Rhizopus nigricans (24.70%) as the associated pathogens. The distribution, pathogenicity and spore germination kinetics were discussed and control measures proffered. Keywords: Irvingia gabonensis , rot fungi, karnel, pathogenicity
Polyphasic characterization of a thermo-tolerant filamentous cyanobacterium isolated from the Euganean thermal muds (Padua, Italy)

In this paper we report a morphological, ultrastructural, biochemical and molecular (16S rRNA, 16S–23S ITS, rbcL and rpoC1 gene sequencing) survey on a very thin, non-heterocystous, filamentous cyanobacterium, isolated from mats covering several mud maturation tanks of the Euganean Thermal District, at temperatures ranging from 26 to 59°C. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis results, obtained using cyanobacterial primers targeting the 16S rRNA gene, confirmed that this cyanobacterium is one of the commonest taxa growing in the mud tanks. Comparison with Geitlerinema sp. PCC 8501 (=Phormidium laminosum Gomont ex Gomont strain OH-1-p Cl 1), a thin thermobiotic species isolated from hot springs of Oregon and morphologically similar to our isolate, led us to hypothesize that the Euganean and PCC 8501 strains are either very similar sister species or ecotypes of the same species in a yet to be defined clade, clearly distinct within the paraphyletic Leptolyngbya group.
Exploring The Sleeping Experiences Of Shiftwork Nurses

Shiftwork scheduling in nursing can lead to diminished health status, quality of life and job dissatisfaction, and it can contribute significantly to decreases in the quality of patient care. In light of the current nursing shortage, and the increasing need for healthcare professionals and services in the coming years, it is imperative that nursing administrators focus on identifying and implementing interventions that counteract the deleterious effects of shiftwork now. This investigation was conducted to explore the sleeping experiences of shiftwork nurses. A convenience sample of 69 (N = 69) licensed nurses working day shift, evenings, nights and rotating shifts at a Midwestern Community Hospital were studied using a structured sleep measurement tool developed by Dr. Daniel Buysse (1989). Statistical findings indicated a significant difference between the groups of nurses for sleep quality F (3, 65) = 2.963,p . 039 and sleep duration (3, 65) = 4.658,p . 005. Evening shift nurses in this investigation were found to incur the poorest sleep quality and night shift nurses the poorest sleep duration. The sleeping experience of shiftwork nurses remains an important issue, therefore further studies are needed that would explore larger and more diverse populations of shiftwork nurses.
A New Species from Southwestern China in the Afro-Palearctic Lineage of the Horseshoe Bats (Rhinolophus)

Abstract A new species of horseshoe bat (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae) is described from southwestern China. The presence of a wedge-shaped sella and pointed connecting process of the nose leaf aligns the new species to the landeri group in the Afro-Palearctic lineage of Rhinolophus. However, the new species is distinctly separable from these allopatrically distributed species by its noticeably larger body size. Other sympatric large-sized species of Rhinolophus have rounded connecting processes. Molecular systematic analyses based on mitochondrial cytochrome-b sequences confirmed the affinity of the new species to the Afro-Palearctic lineage, but in a clade most closely related to the ferrumequinum, fumigatus, and maclaudi groups. Of these species, only R. ferrumequinum ranges into Asia and overlaps in distribution with the new species. R. ferrumequinum is similar in general body size and external appearance; however, the new species is distinct in the characteristics of the nose leaf, skull, and baculum. The presence of a new species from southwestern China in the Afro-Palearctic lineage indicates a more complex historical biogeographic scenario within Rhinolophus than previously known. The difficulties found in allocating the new species to one of the phenetically described traditional species groups stress the convenience of using a phylogenetically based systematic organization of the genus Rhinolophus.
“But His Yelp Reviews Are Awful!”: Analysis of General Surgeons’ Yelp Reviews

Background Patients use Web-based platforms to review general surgeons. However, little is known about the free-form text and structured content of the reviews or how they relate to the physicians’ characteristics or their practices. Objective This observational study aimed to analyze the Web-based reviews of general surgeons on the west side of Los Angeles. Methods Demographics, practice characteristics, and Web-based presence were recorded. We evaluated frequency and types of Yelp reviews and assigned negative remarks to 5 categories. Tabulated results were evaluated using independent t test, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation analysis to determine associations between the number of total and negative reviews with respect to practice structure and physician characteristics. Results Of the 146 general surgeons, 51 (35%) had at least 1 review and 29 (20%) had at least 1 negative review. There were 806 total reviews, 679 (84.2%) positive reviews and 127 (15.8%) negative reviews. The negative reviews contained a total of 376 negative remarks, categorized into physician demeanor (124/376, 32.9%), clinical outcomes (81/376, 22%), office or staff (83/376, 22%), scheduling (44/376, 12%), and billing (44/376, 12%). Surgeons with a professional website had significantly more reviews than those without (P=.003). Surgeons in private practice had significantly more reviews (P=.002) and more negative reviews (P=.03) than surgeons who were institution employed. A strong and direct correlation was found between a surgeon’s number of reviews and number of negative reviews (P<.001). Conclusions As the most common category of complaints was about physician demeanor, surgeons may optimize their Web-based reputation by improving their bedside manner. A surgeon’s Web presence, private practice, and the total number of reviews are significantly associated with both positive and negative reviews.
Schistosoma Mansonii aspartic protease expression and refolding trials

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that causes considerable socio-economic losses in affected areas due to loss of productive capacity of affected individuals and high rates of morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic controls for this parasitic disease have shown some drawbacks with resistance emergence to praziquantel, the drug of choice for treatment, being reported in recent years. Thus, new chemotherapeutic targets are been investigated, aiming to develop drugs that are more effective, with lower cost and fewer adverse reactions. Among these new targets, aspartic proteases are among the most promising, since their involvement in other diseases such as Alzheimer's and diabetes have been proven and a chemotherapeutic arsenal for AIDS treatment has been developed based on the structure and function of the HIV1 aspartic protease. The rational design of new drugs requires knowledge of the structures of target proteins. In this study we have examined the activation of pro-enzyme, recombinant forms of two putative cathepsin D-like aspartic proteases from the helminth Schistosoma mansonii (SmCDs). Extensive folding trials were undertaken in attempts to determine the potential for activation of the proteolytic activities of the enzymes. A recombinant protein disulfide isomerase from the same organism was also prepared for use in protease folding trials. Preliminary evidence suggests that an activated form of one of the two proteases (SmCD2) may be obtained by introducing a solubilizing maltosebinding tag on the N-terminal end resulting in soluble expression of the enzyme. This result has raised the prospect of developing an in vitro screening tool to identify potential lead compounds for new drug development. Although PDI samples were purified and active in rearrange disulfide bridges of insulin, no evidence of assistance in refolding SmCDs were observed. Since PDI itself may be considered as a drug target, crystallization attempts in order to obtain its structures were done. Both crystallization of PDI and its influence in SmCDs refolding must be further be investigated in different conditions.
Phylogeography of the fiscal shrike (Lanius collaris): a novel pattern of genetic structure across the arid zones and savannas of Africa

Aim Savanna occupies a substantial part of Africa, being distributed around the two major tropical rain forest blocks in what is referred to as the Savanna Belt. Our current understanding of the genetic structure within species distributed across the Savanna Belt is primarily derived from mammalian taxa, studies of which have revealed a suture zone or transition between northern and east/southern Africa clades in south‐western Kenya and north‐western Tanzania. We conduct a phylogeographic study of the fiscal shrike (Lanius collaris), a polytypic species distributed across the Savanna Belt of Africa and for which morphological and vocal data are in agreement with the suture zone recovered for mammalian taxa, to test the hypothesis of a spatially congruent genetic break across several taxa, including birds.
Regional‐scale variation of dissolved organic carbon concentrations in Swedish lakes

We assessed spatial variability in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations measured in nearly 2000 Swedish lakes. Inter‐lake variance peaked at two different scales, representing within‐region and between‐region variability. The variation between regions was greater than the variation among lakes within regions. We tested relationships between DOC and runoff, drainage ratio, and altitude for spatial heterogeneity using geographically weighted regression. Relationships varied geographically, but cluster analysis delineated two contiguous regions of similar relationships. Altitude had a significant inverse relationship with DOC in the highlands, and drainage ratio had a significant positive relationship with DOC in the lowlands. These heterogeneous relationships explained regional patterns in DOC concentrations. We conclude that regions, rather than individual lakes, are a key, emergent scale of spatial variability for DOC concentrations. This scale of variability reflects the intersection of environmental gradients (e.g., altitude) with spatially heterogeneous relationships (e.g., DOC—drainage ratio relationship). Regional‐scale structure in limnological patterns indicates that individual lakes are not independent from one another, but are emergent groups where DOC concentrations are a function of similar environmental patterns and processes.
ArticleISSN : 2638-5910 The Diabetes Epidemic in the South Pacific : A Pilot Study Utilising Hand Grip Strength in Tonga

Background: Hand-grip strength (HGS) has been shown recently to help in predicting disease outcomes and assessing health risk, particularly in cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Studies confirming its link to diabetes (T2DM) suggest there is potential for its use as simple screening tool. This study examined this possibility in a developing-world population, in a cohort of Tongan diabetics. Methods: HGS was measured in a randomly selected cohort of patients, comprising in total 149 patients, of which 91 with and 58 without T2DM. Other measurements recorded included patient demographics, blood pressure and date of diabetes diagnosis. Results: HGS was found to reduce significantly with age in all groups and it also related to BMI in males. Binary logistics regression models were produced using ‘HGS,’ ‘Age’ and ‘BMI’ which had a sensitivity of 82-84% (M/F) and specificity of 50-57%. Conclusions: This study uses one of the well-known effects and complications of T2DM, affected hand grip strength of sufferers, as a parameter in a ‘tool’ to predict the presence of the disease showing very good sensitivity. Further research is needed into the more general utility of the tool, while further work may help identify among the diagnosed those who would benefit from specialist treatment.
Suitability of the Osmotic Shock Procedure for the Analysis of Membrane Transport in Root Tips of Zea mays L.

Root tips of Zea mays L. previously subjected to osmotic shock were studied as to uptake and efflux of glucose and uptake of phosphate, as well as release of protein and other Lowry-positive substances. The osmotic shock procedure applied was similar to that frequently used in order to release periplasmic proteins from bacteria. After treatment with hypertonic solutions of sorbitol (>0-3 M) the uptake of phosphate and glucose is reduced and protein is released into the medium. All osmotic treatments leading to a significant reduction of either glucose or phosphate uptake are accompanied by a strongly increased release of glucose and Lowry-positive substances. Damage of plasma membrane barrier function can be directly observed by the uptake of Evans Blue (Gaff and Okong'o-Ogola, 1971) into the cells involving mainly older vacuolated rhizodermal cells. The occurrence and extent of the alterations of membrane semipermeability are strongly dependent on the duration of exposure to and the concentration of the sorbitol solution used. The velocity of the osmotic transitions (from hypotonic to hypertonic and vice versa) is of minor importance. Sensibility of cells to osmotic stress increases with differentiation and vacuolation. Conditions for a selective reduction of phosphate uptake seem to occur when only meristem and near tip regions subjected to a mild osmotic shock are used.
Digestibility Characteristics of Selected Feed Ingredients for Developing Bespoke Diets for Nile Tilapia Culture in Europe and North America

The apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter (ADC DM), protein (ADCp), essential amino acids (ADC EAA), and energy (ADCe) for Nile tilapia of a selected range of animal and plant feed ingredients found in Western European and North American markets were determined. The investigation was able to provide useful data and information as a prelude for effective diet formulation for this fish species. A reference diet was used for the basis of assessing hydrolyzed fish protein concentrate (CPSP), full-fat soybean meal (FFSBM), solvent-extracted soybean meal (SESBM), maize gluten meal (MGM), poultry meat meal (PMM), hydrolyzed feather meal (HFM), and spray-dried hemoglobin meal (SDHM) by substitution. For each major commercial test ingredient, the ADC were as follows: for plant proteins – FFSBM (ADCp 86.99% and ADCe 74.84%), SESBM (ADCp 93.46% and ADCe 82.16), and MGM which was also utilized well by Nile tilapia (ADCp 83.03% and ADCe 82.36%); for animal proteins – PMM (ADCp 69.30% and ADCe 73.47%), HFM (ADCp 45.53% and ADCe 49.11%), and SDHM was highly digested (ADCp 85.79% and ADCe 75.96%). The ADC EAA reflected the same trends as ADCp, and these varied from >87% on average for the EEA in fish meal, >88% for CPSP, >84% for FFSBM, >63% for SESBM, >83% for MGM, and only 61% for PMM, >63% for HFM, and >77% for SDHM. Highest ADC were obtained with SDHM and SESBM among the animal and plant by-products tested, respectively. These are discussed in the context of practical diets for tilapia.
Psychological Insulin Resistance and Low Self-efficacy as Barriers to Diabetes Self-care Management in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc/3.0), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Korean Journal of Adult Nursing Vol. 31 No. 1, 61-67, February 2019 pISSN 1225-4886 / eISSN 2288-338X https://doi.org/10.7475/kjan.2019. 31.1. 61
Organization and synaptic ultrastructure of glomeruli in the antennal lobes of the moth Manduca sexta: a study using thin sections and freeze-fracture

The antennal lobe of the brain of Manduca sexta comprises a central area of coarse neuropil surrounded by dense, spheroidal glomeruli, where all synaptic interactions between antennal-nerve axons and the second-order neurons of the lobe occur. Neuronal interactions in the glomeruli are complex, involving several types of neuritic profiles and mediated by synapses with a one-to-many ratio of pre- to postsynaptic elements. Presynaptic profiles in the glomeruli have been categorized into three types, containing round clear vesicles, large numbers of large dense-cored vesicles, and pleiomorphic clear vesicles, respectively. Preliminary studies of horseradish peroxidase-filled axons and neurons indicate that antennal-nerve axons form synapses without large numbers of dense-cored vesicles and that antennal-lobe neurons not only receive synapses but also may synapse onto other elements in the antennal lobe. A typical synaptic contact involves multiple postsynaptic elements apposed in pairs to an individual presynaptic element. The presynaptic element contains a bar-shaped membrane-associated density, which follows a shallow groove in the membrane and is flanked by synaptic vesicles. Postsynaptic elements are lined by membrane-associated densities in the region opposite to the synaptic bar, and may be observed to participate in serial synapses. Freeze-fracture replicas of the glomerular neuropil contain many membrane specializations that are thought to be presynaptic, some of which resemble those of vertebrate excitatory synapses. At these apparently presynaptic regions, large particles cluster in the P face of the membrane and are often surrounded by plasmalemmal deformations presumably representing sites of exo- or endocytosis. The shape of the predominant type of presynaptic membrane specialization (a plaque) does not match the shape of the presynaptic membrane-associated density (a bar); this raises the possibility that vesicle release occurs at isolated ‘active zones’ along the presynaptic bar. Postsynaptic sites are represented by clusters of large particles in the E face of the postsynaptic membrane.
Recognise misinformation and verify before sharing: a reasoned action and information literacy perspective

ABSTRACT The menace of misinformation online has gained considerable media attention and plausible solutions for combatting misinformation have often been less than satisfactory. In an environment of ubiquitous online social sharing, we contend that it is the individuals that can play a major role in halting the spread of misinformation. We conducted a survey (n = 396) to illuminate the factors that predict (i) the perceived ability to recognise false information on social media, and (ii) the behaviour of sharing of information without verification. A set of regression analyses reveal that the perceived self-efficacy to detect misinformation on social media is predicted by income and level of education, Internet skills of information seeking and verification, and attitude towards information verification. We also found that sharing of information on social media without verification is predicted by Internet experience, Internet skills of information seeking, sharing, and verification, attitude towards information verification, and belief in the reliability of information. Recommendations regarding information literacy, the role of individuals as media gatekeepers who verify social media information, and the importance of independent corroboration are discussed.
Structural changes in bovine oocytes during final maturation in vivo

On the basis of structural observations bovine oocytes were grouped into four successive classed: 0, those before the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge; 1, those up to 8 h following the LH peak level; 2, those between 8 and 19 h after the LH peak level; and 3, those between 19 h after the LH peak level and ovulation. Oocytes in class 0 had mitochondria located in a generally peripheral position. Interior to the mitochondria were elements of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and numerous membrane-bound vesicles which bore ribosome-like particles on their outer surface. The first visible changesater the LH peak level as seen in class 1 were the formation of the periviteline space with loss of contact between the cumulus cells and the oocyte, and ruffing of the nuclear envelope. These changes were followed b the resumption of meiosis as defined by germinal-vesicle breakdown (GVBD), the disappearance of RER, and the formation fo clusters of mitochondria in association with lipid droplets and elementrs of smooth endolasmic reticulum (SER). The period between 8 and 19 h following LH peak level (class 2) was characterized by intensive clustering of mitochoncria in association with lipid droplets and elements of SER, conversion of lipid, fusion of vesicles, and the appearance of ribosomes in the cytoplasm. During the final stage (class 3), the polar body was extruded, the mitochondria dispersed, and the majority of the organelles became located toward the center of the cell. The relatively organelle-free cortical region contained cortical granules immediately adjacent to the plasma membrane together with aggregates of tubular SER. The structural changes are discussed in the context of follicular steroidogenesis and oocyte developmental competence.