Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Description of Two New, Mycophagous Soil Ciliates (Ciliophora, Colpodea): Fungiphrya strobli n. g., n. sp. and Grossglockneria ovata n. sp.

ABSTRACT The morphology and infraciliature of two new, mycophagous soil ciliates are described. Specimens were isolated from dried, rewetted soil samples with the non‐flooded Petri dish method and investigated in vivo and with various silver impregnation techniques. Fungiphrya strobli n. g. , n. sp. was discovered in the mud of rock‐pools on the summit of Table Mountain, Republic of South Africa. It is a holotrichously ciliated, about 50 × 40 μm‐sized grossglockneriid with the oral apparatus on the right side of the cell. The adoral ciliature, minute in all other members of the group, is well developed and has a mean of eight kineties forming a conspicuous left, oral polykinetid, highly reminiscent of that found in small species of the genus Colpoda. The ejected extrusomes have a unique, inflated distal end. Grossglockneria ovata n. sp. was discovered in leaf litter from the Lackawanna State Forest in Pennsylvania, USA. It differs from the other members of the genus by the ovate shape, smooth cortex, and the sparse, irregularly‐shaped mucocysts. Taxonomic characters and ranking of grossglockneriids are discussed. Because of the complex, unique feeding tube associated with a unique feeding strategy, mycophagy, it is argued that grossglockneriid ciliates should be classified in a separate order, in spite of their close genetic relatedness to members of the order Colpodida.
Linguistic structures and functions of thesis and dissertation titles in Dentistry

Abstract Titles play an important role in genre analysis. Cross-genre studies show that research paper and thesis titles have distinctive features. However, thesis and dissertation titles in the field of dentistry have thus far received little attention. Objective: To analyze the syntactic structures and their functions in English-language thesis and dissertation titles in dentistry. Methodology: We randomly chose 413 titles of English-language dentistry theses or dissertations presented at universities in 12 countries between January 2000 and June 2019. The resulting corpus of 5,540 running words was then analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively, the two complementary focuses being grammatical structures and their functions. Results: The average title length was 13.4 words. Over half of the titles did not include any punctuation marks. For compound titles, we found that colons, dashes, commas, and question marks were used to separate the different components, colons being the most frequent. Four syntactic structures (nominal phrase, gerund phrase, full-sentence, and prepositional phrase) were identified for single-unit titles. Single-unit nominal phrase titles constituted the most frequent structure in the corpus, followed by compound titles. Four particular rhetorical combinations of compound title components were found to be present throughout the corpus. Conclusions: Titles of dentistry theses and dissertation in English echo the content of the text body and make an important contribution to fulfilling the text’s communicative purposes. Thus, teaching research students about the linguistic features of thesis titles would be beneficial to help them write effective titles and also facilitate assessment by teachers.
AutoCAD: examination of factors influencing user adoption

Abstract The primary purpose of the research is to examine and validate determinants of user intention to use AutoCAD software, utilising the constructs from prior studies in a more integrated model. The paper proposes a revised Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for measuring the adoption of AutoCAD. In the study, a latent construct PPA (perceived physical accessibility) was added to the proposed research model as a new determinant of AutoCAD adoption. An online survey of AutoCAD users was conducted to collect data. This data was empirically used to test the proposed research model. The Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique was used to evaluate the causal model, and the confirmatory factor analysis was performed to examine the reliability and validity of the measurement model. The study results show that user behavioural intention to use AutoCAD is significantly affected by three determinants: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and perceived physical accessibility of the software. This finding contributes to an expanded understanding of the factors that promote acceptance of AutoCAD software. Moreover, the main contribution of this study is to verify the impact of the added PPA variable on the behavioural intention to use and the actual use of AutoCAD, and also to create measurement scales for this new latent variable in TAM.
The Effect of Different Types of Fibers on Protein Quality of Crab Leg Analog Paste and Gel Made from Alaska Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma)

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of wheat, citrus, and carrot fiber on protein oxidation and denaturation of crab leg analog pastes and gels produced from Alaska pollock surimi. There were no significant differences between protein carbonyl contents of the crab leg analog pastes with and without dietary fibers (DF; p > 0.05). The extractability of salt soluble protein in crab leg analog pastes significantly decreased by the addition of DF (p < 0.05), whereas it did not change in the crab leg analog gels (p > 0.05). The electrophoretic patterns in the pastes and gels showed that the addition of carrot fiber followed by wheat fiber and citrus fiber protected the degradation of myosin heavy chains in paste.
Causality Between Public Debt, Public Debt Service and Economic Growth in an Emerging Economy

Abstract This paper explores the causality between public debt, public debt service and economic growth in South Africa covering the period 1970 – 2017. The study employs the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach to cointegration and the multivariate Granger-causality test. The empirical results indicate that there is unidirectional causality from economic growth to public debt, but only in the short run. However, the study fails to establish any causality between public debt service and economic growth, both in the short run and long run. In line with the empirical evidence, the study concludes that it is economic growth that drives public debt in South Africa, and that the causal relationship between public debt and economic growth is sensitive to the timeframe considered. The paper recommends policymakers in South Africa to consider growth-enhancing policies in the short run, since poor economic performances may lead to high public debt levels.
Habitat preference of Primula × brevistyla in the Cuha valley (Bakony Mountains, Hungary)

Habitat characteristics of the Primula × brevistyla hybrid zone developed in the Zorog Hill (Bakony Mts, Transdanubian Middle Range) containing even backcrossed individuals uniquely in Hungary - and we might say that uniquely even in Europe - are presented here applying Borhidi's ecological indicator values. The intermediate feature of the relatively narrow (some ten metres wide) zone rich in hybrids is well represented by the obtained light-, humidity- and temperature spectra comparing to those of the adjacent areas. The habitat most favourable for the hybrids can be found in a nudum like hornbeam-oak wood association developed on a steep western slope. Beyond the assessment of ecological indicator values we also tried to reveal other factors playing role in the long-term survival of the hybrid population, from which by our studies a community structural factor, the low ground coverage and therefore the resulting weak competition proved to be the most significant.
Growth of horse mackerel populations in the western parts of the Black, Marmara, and Aegean seas

Abstract This study estimated the growth of horse mackerel, Trachurus mediterraneus (Steindachner), populations from the western parts of the Black, Marmara, and Aegean seas. Dependencies of individual daily weight gain at age were determined. The calculations showed that in the area studied the highest absolute weight gain was 45.4 mg day−1 for fish at the age of 2.46 years from Zonguldak (Black Sea). The relative annual increase in the population biomass of T. mediterraneus inhabiting different areas of the Black, Marmara and Aegean seas was determined. It was revealed that the annual relative increase in the biomass of horse mackerel caught in the Black Sea exceeded that in the Marmara and Aegean seas. At the same time, the highest relative annual biomass increase (94.8%) was observed in populations from the Varna-Bourgas region and in the coastal waters of Sevastopol (70.9%) in the Black Sea.
The Cellular Structure of Cork from Quercus Suber L.

The main characteristics of the cellular structure of cork from Quercus suber L. are reviewed and complt;mented with new observations of virgin and reproduction cork by scanning electron microscopy. Particular emphasis is given to cell geometry and topology and to the corrugations that are observed in the cell walls. The effect of the growth season in these features is described. Large variations in cell size, wall thickness and corrugations are reported.
Repeatability of Magnetic Resonance Measurements Used for Estimating Crohn’s Disease Activity

Abstract The MR activity indices used for quantification and follow-up of Crohn’s disease are composed of a number of subjectively determinable components with equivocal repeatability. The purpose of this article was to assess the repeatability of measurements used for quantitative estimation of Crohn’s disease activity in the terminal ileum. In five adults (23–57 y.o.) and 12 children (10–17 y.o.) with active terminal ileitis, the inflamed bowel was divided into 3 cm segments (n = 32 in adults, n = 46 in children), and measurements for the calculation of MaRIA and Clermont scores were performed. Parameters included apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) for diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences with selective and non-selective fat suppression, wall signal enhancement before (WSI-preGd) and after (WSI-preGd) gadolinium enhancement, bowel thickness, and presence of ulcers. The measurements were standardised (accurate site-to-site comparison, exact ROI size, where applicable) and repeated by the same researcher after two months. Intra-observer agreement for ADC, WSI-preGd and WSI-postGd, bowel thickness was assessed with a paired t-test, and the significant difference in presence/absence of ulcers was assessed by the Pearson 2 test. Absolute difference was not found between the 1st and 2nd measurements of ADC, WSI-preGd, WSI-postGd and wall thickness. There was systematic difference in the presence of bowel ulcers. In standardised conditions the repeatability of ADC, WSI-preGd and WSI-postGd is high. Efforts must be made to precisely define the size and appearance of ulcers that may be included in the index calculation.
Critical freeze damage temperatures of flower buds of kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis Planch.)

Abstract Controlled freezing tests in the laboratory were undertaken on both dormant and extending kiwifruit shoots (Actinidia chinensis Planch., cvs Hayward and Abbott) collected from vines at Auckland. Damage occurred to buds on dormant shoots at temperatures below –10°C. At later stages of bud and shoot development, when spring growth had commenced, up to 10% of flower buds were damaged after 30 min exposure to -1.5 to -2.0°C. The extent of damage increased with time of exposure at these temperatures. Some method of preventing freeze damage may be necessary to cultivate kiwifruit vines successfully in areas that are likely to experience temperatures of -1.5 to -2.0°C during spring.
Military Expenditure and Macroeconomic Perfromance – The Case of an Emerging Country

Abstract The study investigates the nexus between military expenditure and macroeconomic performance in Nigeria between 1980 and 2017. Data on military expenditure and some macroeconomic variables such as output (GDP), exchange rate and inflation rate are used in the study. The Vector Auto-regression technique VAR is applied so as to study the interactions among the variables in the short run. The result shows that military expenditure in Nigeria is significantly influenced by output and exchange rate shocks. It was also revealed that military expenditure does not make significant contributions to the behaviour of output in Nigeria. Military expenditure appears to be insulated against inflation shock since the largest chunk of military expenditure is traded in foreign currency hence less affected by domestic prices.
Lessons from nearly 20 years of Precision Agriculture research, development, and adoption as a guide to its appropriate application

Precision Agriculture (PA) is an all-encompassing term given to the use of a suite of technologies that promote improved management of agricultural production through recognition that the potential productivity of agricultural land can vary considerably, even over very short distances (a few m). It can be regarded as a means of increasing the chance that the right crop management strategies are implemented in the right place at the right time. Numerous examples exist of the successful application of PA to various cropping systems around the world, in many cases supported by a burgeoning PA literature. However, the rate of adoption by growers of many crops remains low and, in some industries, is negligible. One such example is the Australian sugar industry, in spite of its relatively high rate of adoption of controlled traffic and the ready access that growers have to supporting infrastructure such as local GPS base stations. However, the Australian sugar industry is now seeking an informed basis from which to make decisions as to appropriate investment in PA, whether these be in terms of pragmatic application by growers, the level of involvement (if any) by millers, or with respect to research to facilitate such adoption. A part of acquiring this informed view of PA is to look at its application in other cropping systems. This review therefore examines PA research and application in a range of cropping systems from around the world and considers the key drivers of variability in these production systems. Constraints to the adoption of PA and its likely economic benefits are also considered in light of experiences from around the world. It is concluded that sugarcane production is ideally suited to the adoption of PA. Like other broadacre systems, such as cereal production, the opportunity exists to target the management of inputs to production. However, the vertically integrated nature of the sugar industry and existence of a potentially significant crop quality imperative also present opportunities for targeted strategies such as selective harvesting, as used in the wine industry. Thus, to get the best result from adoption of PA, the sugar industry will need to consider it as a tool for optimising management of the production of sugar, as opposed to solely an avenue for improving the agronomic management of sugarcane. Several recommendations are made as to how this adoption might be supported.
The diversity of Scenedesmus and Desmodesmus (Chlorophyceae) in Itasca State Park, Minnesota, USA

J.L. Johnson, M.W. Fawley and K.P. Fawley. 2007. The diversity of Scenedesmus and Desmodesmus (Chlorophyceae) in Itasca State Park, Minnesota, USA. Phycologia 46: 214–229. DOI: 10.2216/05-69.1 Species of Scenedesmus and Desmodesmus are ubiquitous in freshwater ecosystems. However, phenotypic plasticity coupled with the minute variations between named species make the identification of taxa by light microscopy extremely difficult, especially from field samples. As a result, the actual level of diversity and distributions of these genera are not known. In this study, the diversity of Scenedesmus and Desmodesmus from Itasca State Park (ISP), Minnesota, USA was studied using culture techniques followed by light microscopy and internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) rDNA sequence analysis. From 100 characterized isolates of Scenedesmus, Desmodesmus and allied isolates, 34 different sequence types were detected, 24 of which are different enough from each other to correspond to distinct taxa. This diversity greatly exceeds that described for these genera in previous studies of ISP algae using light microscopy alone. The sequences of five ISP isolates identically matched those of previously described species or isolates, and sequences of six ISP isolates differed by eight bases or less from those of previously described species. The isolation of Desmodesmus species from Itasca State Park with sequences identical to those from isolates from highly disjunct locations around the world suggests that these species are widely distributed. Results from this study also indicate that isolates with very similar (< 8 substitutions) ITS-2 sequences tend to have only very slight morphological variation. We conclude that culturing and ITS-2 sequence analysis is an effective technique for investigating species level diversity in Scenedesmus and Desmodesmus.
New finite-time stability analysis of singular fractional differential equations with time-varying delay

Abstract The Lyapunov function method is a powerful tool to stability analysis of functional differential equations. However, this method is not effectively applied for fractional differential equations with delay, since the constructing Lyapunov-Krasovskii function and calculating its fractional derivative are still difficult. In this paper, to overcome this difficulty we propose an analytical approach, which is based on the Laplace transform and “inf-sup” method, to study finite-time stability of singular fractional differential equations with interval time-varying delay. Based on the proposed approach, new delay-dependent sufficient conditions such that the system is regular, impulse-free and finite-time stable are developed in terms of a tractable linear matrix inequality and the Mittag-Leffler function. A numerical example is given to illustrate the application of the proposed stability conditions.
Life history variation between high and low elevation subspecies of horned larks Eremophila spp.

Environmental variation along elevational gradients can strongly influence life history strategies in vertebrates. We investigated variation in life history patterns between a horned lark subspecies nesting in high elevation alpine habitat Eremophila alpestris articola and a second subspecies in lower elevation grassland and sandy shoreline habitats E. a. strigata. Given the shorter breeding season and colder climate at the northern alpine site we expected E. a. articola to be larger, have lower fecundity and higher apparent survival than E. a. strigata. As predicted, E. a. articola was larger and the trend was toward higher apparent adult survival for E. a. articola than E. a. strigata (0.69 vs 0.51). Contrary to our predictions, however, there was a trend toward higher fecundity for E. a. articola (1.75 female fledglings/female/year vs 0.91). The larger clutch sizes, higher nest survival, and shorter renesting intervals have apparently allowed E. a. articola to compensate for the short breeding season. Estimates of population growth rate (λ) predicted a stable population for E. a. articola (λ=1.00) and a rapidly declining population for E. a. strigata (λ=0.62) this may provide an explanation for the deviations from our expectation of higher reproduction in E. a. strigata. We suggest that anthropogenic influences (e.g. habitat loss and degradation and increased nest predator abundance) to E. a. strigata nesting sites may be responsible for reducing annual fecundity to the point where it is almost half that of E. a. articola. This result suggests that human influenced habitat changes that, in turn, change demographic rates may result in vital rates that do not accurately reflect historically divergent life histories between the two groups. Our results underscore the importance of including estimates of multiple traits in life history studies to provide insight into compensatory interactions among components of demographic rates and to identify recent changes to demographic rates that might result in a mismatch between observed and predicted life history strategies.
Effects of parity and litter size on maternal behaviour in Kivircik ewes

Abstract Aim was to investigate effects of parity and litter size on grooming lambs, responses to sucking attempts of lambs, maternal behaviour score, and survival of their lambs in Kivircik ewes. Proportion of time spent grooming lambs was 0.34, 0.42, 0.41 and 0.45 in first, second, third and fourth parity ewes (P>0.05). Multiparous ewes stood and allowed lambs to suck for a greater proportion of sucking attempts compared with primiparous ewes. When the lamb attempted to suck, circling was the behaviour most often observed among ewe movement behaviours, whereas backing and moving forward behaviours were observed very rarely. Mean maternal behaviour score given to single and twin-lambed ewes were 2.87 and 3.36, respectively (P<0.05). The effect of ewe parity on survival of their lambs was not significant. However, mortality rate of twin lambs (19.2%) was significantly higher than that of single lambs (5.7%). Kivircik ewes did not increase the total maternal care to their lambs when they lambed twins, and time that the lamb received grooming attention in twin born lambs was about half of the time received grooming in single born lambs. Furthermore, survival rate of the twin born lambs was lower than that of single born ones.
Evaluation of Cardiac Function in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease with Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain

Abstract Background and Objectives The importance of myocardial dysfunction in sickle cell disease (SCD) is currently debated. It is difficult to find a reliable index of function in patients with chronic overload as in SCD. Speckle tracking echocardiography, a new mean of evaluating cardiac function, might be a useful tool in SCD. It has been applied in many fields to detect early cardiac function deterioration, and it is less load dependent compared with other function parameters. Studies in patients with SCD are rare, and the results are conflicting. The present study aimed to determine whether left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) was abnormal in a population of adults with SCD and whether it was correlated with clinical or biological parameters. Methods We prospectively enrolled 37 patients and 34 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Echocardiography was performed in patients and controls. Results We found that the left ventricular diameter and mass were higher and the ejection fraction and longitudinal strain were lower in patients compared with controls. Diastolic dysfunction was uncommon. LV-GLS was abnormal in 21% of the patients. No correlation was observed between strain and clinical or biological parameters. Conclusions We concluded that LV-GLS could be a useful tool for evaluating these patients. However, the clinical impact of reduced LV-GLS remains to be determined.