Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Network dynamics of Broca’s area during word selection

Current models of word-production in Broca’s area posit that sequential and staggered semantic, lexical, phonological and articulatory processes precede articulation. Using millisecond-resolution intra-cranial recordings, we evaluated spatiotemporal dynamics and high frequency functional interconnectivity between ventro-lateral prefrontal regions during single-word production. Through the systematic variation of retrieval, selection, and phonological loads, we identified specific activation profiles and functional coupling patterns between these regions that fit within current psycholinguistic theories of word production. However, network interactions underpinning these processes activate in parallel (not sequentially), while the processes themselves are indexed by specific changes in network state. We found evidence that suggests that pars orbitalis is coupled with pars triangularis during lexical retrieval, while lexical selection in Broca’s area is terminated via coupled activity with M1 at articulation onset. Taken together, this work reveals that speech production relies on very specific inter-regional couplings in rapid sequence in the language dominant hemisphere.
Separate lanes for math and reading in the white matter highways of the human brain

Math and reading involve distributed brain networks and learning disabilities associated with these skills have a high rate of co-occurrence. However, it is unknown what are shared vs. dissociated white matter substrates of math and reading networks. Here we address this question using an innovative, multimodal approach applying functional MRI, diffusion MRI, and quantitative MRI to define these networks and evaluate structural properties of their fascicles. Results reveal that the superior longitudinal (SLF) and arcuate (AF) fascicles are shared between math and reading networks. Strikingly, within these fascicles, reading- and math-related tracts are segregated into parallel sub-bundles and show structural differences related to myelination. These novel findings: (i) open a new avenue of research enabling linkage of sub-bundles within fascicles to behavior and (ii) may explain both isolated and comorbid cases of math and reading disabilities, which may be associated with white matter abnormalities within sub-bundles or entire fascicles, respectively.
The association of illness perceptions and God locus of health control with self-care behaviours in patients with type 2 diabetes in Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the associations between illness perceptions, God locus of health control (GLHC) beliefs, and self-care behaviours in Saudi patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 115 adults with T2D in a Saudi Arabian diabetes clinic. Illness perceptions, GLHC beliefs, and self-care behaviours were assessed using the Arabic versions of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, God Locus of Health Control, and Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities. Logistic and linear regressions were conducted. Results: Greater perceptions of personal control (OR = 2.07, p = .045) and diet effectiveness (OR = 2.73, p = .037) were associated with higher odds of adhering to general diet. Greater perceptions of diet effectiveness (β = 0.27, p = .034) and better understanding of T2D (β = 0.54, p < .001) were significant independent predictors of fruit and vegetables intake and exercise respectively. Patients with lower GLHC beliefs (OR = 4.40, p = .004) had higher odds of adhering to foot care than those with higher GLHC beliefs. Illness perceptions and GLHC beliefs did not predict adherence to a low-fat diet, self-monitoring of blood glucose, or not smoking. Conclusion: Greater perceptions of personal control, coherence, diet effectiveness, and lower GLHC beliefs were associated with higher adherence to self-care behaviours in Saudi patients with T2D. Interventions designed to promote self-care behaviours in Saudi patients with T2D could focus on addressing these perceptions.
Inter-row stubble seeding and plant growth regulators to improve field pea standability and production

Abstract: Field pea (Pisum sativum) is an important economic and rotational crop in Alberta, Canada; however, standability problems are a major barrier to increasing seeded area in highly productive growing environments. Field experiments were conducted from 2015 to 2017 at three sites in the central and Peace regions of Alberta to determine if (i) pea standability and production can be improved using inter-row seeding into untilled standing wheat stubble; (ii) pea standability and production can be improved using chlormequat chloride (CCC), trinexapac-ethyl (TXP), or ethephon (ETH) plant growth regulators (PGRs); and (iii) PGR responses are cultivar-specific. Depending on the site–year, there were 16–17 inter-row seeding, PGR, and cultivar treatment combinations arranged in a randomized complete block design. Relative to the no-stubble control, inter-row seeding into 20- or 30-cm-tall, untilled wheat stubble significantly improved standability between 6% and 23% under conditions when lodging occurred. It also reduced days to maturity and increased 1000-seed weight, but had no effect on yield. Individual PGR treatments (CCC, TXP, and ETH) generally had small and inconsistent impacts on agronomic traits, yield, and seed quality. In dry conditions, PGRs reduced yield. CDC Meadow was slightly more responsive to PGR treatments than AAC Lacombe, indicating responses may be cultivar-specific. Because of the small and inconsistent responses, PGRs have little value as an agronomic tool in field pea. Alternatively, inter-row seeding into standing wheat stubble is a low-cost, easy to implement practice for improving field pea standability.
Adaptive tracking of human ECoG network dynamics

Objective. Extracting and modeling the low-dimensional dynamics of multi-site electrocorticogram (ECoG) network activity is important in studying brain functions and dysfunctions and for developing translational neurotechnologies. Dynamic latent state models can be used to describe the ECoG network dynamics with low-dimensional latent states. But so far, non-stationarity of ECoG network dynamics has largely not been addressed in these latent state models. Such non-stationarity can happen due to a change in brain state or recording instability over time. A critical question is whether adaptive tracking of ECoG network dynamics can lead to further dimensionality reduction and more parsimonious and precise modeling. This question is largely unaddressed. Approach. We investigate this question by employing an adaptive linear state-space model for ECoG network activity constructed from ECoG power feature time-series over tens of hours from 10 human subjects with epilepsy. We study how adaptive modeling affects the prediction and dimensionality reduction for ECoG network dynamics compared with prior non-adaptive models, which do not track non-stationarity. Main results. Across the 10 subjects, adaptive modeling significantly improved the prediction of ECoG network dynamics compared with non-adaptive modeling, especially for lower latent state dimensions. Also, compared with non-adaptive modeling, adaptive modeling allowed for additional dimensionality reduction without degrading prediction performance. Finally, these results suggested that ECoG network dynamics over our recording periods exhibit non-stationarity, which can be tracked with adaptive modeling. Significance. These results have important implications for studying low-dimensional neural representations using ECoG, and for developing future adaptive neurotechnologies for more precise decoding and modulation of brain states in neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.
An Assessment on the Impact of Training and Development on Employees’ Performance in the Namibian Defence Force at Okahandja

The study focused on assessing the impact of training and development on employee performance in the Namibia Defence Force (NDF) at Okahandja. Since its inception, the NDF has been providing continuous training and development programs to pursue the organizational mission & vision. Sadly, for the past two (2) years when the organization started facing financial challenges; it suspended most of its training activities both internal and external. This, in turn, has affected employees’ performance who should be continuously trained during peacetime to upgrade their skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to perform their duties professionally. The study employed descriptive research design to draw a sample of 100 employees from a population of 500 employees. Correlation analysis was used to establish relationship between training, development, and employee’s performance. The study found out that there was positive relationship between training and development with employee’s and NDF performance. It also revealed that employee’s performance increased the way the NDF staffs works with other government agencies across the country. Therefore, the NDF should seek to prioritize their training and development (T&D) programmes based on the training budget and avoid random cost cutting.
Assessment of the Suitability of 10 Winter Triticale Cultivars (x Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus) for Organic Agriculture: Polish Case Study

The aim of the study was to compare 10 winter triticale varieties according to their traits useful for cultivation in organic farming. The study was carried out in the years 2014–2017 in the experimental organic farm of the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation–State Research Institute in Pulawy (Poland). The highest-yielding varieties under organic conditions were Pizarro and Subito. Borowik cultivar showed the highest competitive ability against weeds. The highest number of weeds was found in the Leontyno cultivar, which was connected to the lowest plant density, the lowest weight of the above-ground parts of the canopy and smaller value of tillering coefficient. The most affected by the fungal pathogens Drechslera tritici-repentis (Died.) Shoem. and Puccinia striiformis Schwein. were Fredro and Algoso. Cluster analyses indicated that the most useful cultivars for cultivation in the organic system were: Borowik, Subito, and Tomko, which all showed higher yielding potential, bigger competitiveness against weeds, and average resistance against fungal pathogens. Pizarro, Tulus, and Twingo, which showed high resistance to fungal pathogens with lower competitiveness to weeds, were classified to the second group of usefulness. The least useful for the organic system were: Algoso, Fredro, Grenado, and Leontyno.
Cytogenetics of two Farlowella species (Loricariidae: Loricariinae): implications on the taxonomic status of the species

2016; Eschmeyer, Fong, 2017) where Rhinelepinae and Otothyrinae were created based on molecular data only. The Loricariinae is a group of armored catfishes divid-ed into two tribes, Harttiini and Loricariini (Covain et al ., 2016), with a total of 34 recognized genera, of which, 15 are Farlowella is one of the most diverse genera of the Loricariinae, restricted to South America rivers. The taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships among its species are contentious and, while genetic studies would contribute to the understanding of their relationships, the only available datum refer to the karyotype description of only one species. In the present study two Amazonian species, Farlowella cf. amazonum and F . schreitmuelleri , were analyzed using conventional and molecular cytogenetic procedures. Both species had diploid chromosome number 58, but different fundamental numbers (NF) 116 and 112, respectively, indicative of chromosomal rearrangements. C-banding is almost poor, especially in F . cf. amazonum , and occurs predominantly in the centromeric and in some telomeric regions, although genome of F . schreitmuelleri possessed a much larger heterochromatin amount then those of F . cf. amazonum . The chromosomes bearing the NOR sites were likely the same for both species, corresponding to the 1 st metacentric pair in F . cf. amazonum and to the 28 th acrocentric in F . schreitmuelleri . The location of the 5S rDNA was species-specific marker. This study expanded the available cytogenetic data for Farlowella species and pointed the remarkable karyotype diversity among species/populations, indicating a possible species complex within genus.
Biochemical basis of plant-insect interaction in arid horticulture crops: a scientific review

Plants are persistently confronted to both abiotic and biotic stresses that drastically reduce their productivity. Plant responses to these stresses are multifaceted and involve copious Biochemical, physiological, molecular, molecular and cellular adaptations. Recent evidence shows that simultaneous occurrence of abiotic and biotic stress can have a positive effect on plant performance by reducing the susceptibility to biotic stress which is a positive sign for arid horticulture crops. Some of these adaptations specifically biochemical adaptations become the source of plant defense mechanisms against biotic stresses like insect’s pest and diseases. These biochemical adaptations/mechanisms includes production of secondary metabolites of plant defense against the biotic stresses especially against insects are wide spread and highly dynamic, and are mediated the response directly or indirectly in arid horticultural crops. Production of secondary metabolites viz. terpenes, phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, N & S containing compounds is constitutive as well as inducible through mild stress caused by insect damage to plants which leads to affect the feeding, growth and survival of the insect. Quality and quantity of constitutive secondary metabolites production is species as well as cultivar specific and can be expressed as signature of particular plant or species and leads to the phenomenon of host-plant interaction or host-plant resistance. This phenomenon of host plant resistance to insect can be exploited for development of crop cultivars which readily produce the inducible response upon mild infestation and can perform as one of the of integrated pest management for sustainable arid horticulture crop production. This review presents overviews about these constitutive and inducible responses towards biochemical adaptations in arid horticulture crops to protect themselves against insects.
Technology-Based Recruitment and Selection Approaches of an American Multinational Company (AMNC): Practical Implications

This study identifies and discusses six technologies that affect recruitment and selection approaches using an American multinational company (AMNC) as a case study. It indicates that technology-based recruitment and selection approaches have had a noticeable impact on the AMNC’s recruitment and selection processes and practices in general, and the three stakeholders (human resource- HR- managers, hiring managers, and job-applicants) in particular. It concludes that the use of technology-based recruitment and selection approaches is not the matter of choice but is a requirement for the success of any company. It also offers the study’s implications and future research directions.
Impact of sowing date on bread wheat kernel quantitative and qualitative traits under Middle East climate conditions

The current study explored the effects of six spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, four sowing dates (early, timely, late and very late) and their interactions on quantitative and qualitative traits during two cropping years. A combined analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that the effect of sowing date was significant on kernel yield and filling period. The quality traits were not significantly affected by the sowing date. Interaction of sowing date × cultivar × year was significant for some quantity and quality traits including yield, filling period, sedimentation value and gluten index. Average kernel yield reduction of all the cultivars, measured under late and very late planting, was 34% and 50% of optimum sown (November) in 2013–2014, and 25% and 38% in 2014–2015, respectively. For most of the studied traits, the effect of year was confirmed on higher level compared to the effect of cultivar or sowing date. The range for cultivar effect was high for thousand kernel weight, medium for gluten index and low for the other traits. The sowing date had the highest contribution to kernel yield followed by filling period and wet gluten, respectively. Negative relationship was observed between quality traits and kernel yield, but quality traits significantly and positively correlated with each other. In summary, the quality and quantity potential of wheat can be exploited by planting it at optimum time.
A narrative review of the interpretation of guidelines for the treatment of infective endocarditis

The recommendations of the current guidelines and the position papers of professional societies from the European Society of Cardiology/European Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons (ESC), the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Society of Thoracic Surgeon (ACC/AHA/STS) and American Association of Thoracic Surgeon (AATS) regarding management of patients with valvular heart endocarditis were updated over the past decade. However, some of the recommendations appear to contradict one another. Given the changing paradigms on how the disease manifests, our aim was to review the respective guidelines and highlight these differences whilst drawing attention to the subsequent studies from which they were derived. In particular, concerns regarding antibiotic prophylaxis and therapy, imaging modality for diagnosis and follow-up, cerebrovascular sequalae and timing of surgery are appraised in detail. We also identified the novel techniques used such as transcatheter therapies and advances in imaging modalities used for diagnosis and treatment of this condition. The lack of randomised control trials (RCTs) does raise several issues regarding applicability of findings in day-to-day practice. Therefore, the focus of upcoming studies should be on clearly defined multicenter RCTs to provide more robust evidence for the management and treatment of infective endocarditis as future guidelines will be based on the outcomes of these trials.
Habitat fragmentation: A long and tangled tale

In 2002, I attended a lecture by Ursula Franklin (Figure 1), a phys‐ icist, pacifist, Holocaust survivor and the recipient of nearly every honor that Canada has to offer. Franklin was 81 years old at the time. She began her lecture with a story about her early research career. In the 1960s, Franklin had been hired by a mining company to de‐ velop a new alloy of stainless copper. Her new alloy held up well in field exposure trials in Montreal, but after a year in Birmingham it “looked like it had chicken pox”. When the mining company offered Franklin more money to develop a better alloy, she replied, “No way. You don’t need better alloys; what you need is better air”. Franklin’s exhortation to the audience was to “treasure different eyes and dif‐ ferent questions” (Franklin, 2014a). That lecture has stuck with me over the years. Each time I find an unexpected result, which happens quite often, I try to see things with different eyes. Franklin also said that sometimes a field of research gets so stuck in one line of thought that it becomes almost impossible to ask cer‐ tain questions. She called these “non‐questions”: “those things that seem so self‐evident, so secure, so unchallenged as not to need to be coped with. When such issues are raised, those encapsulated in the establishment of a particular culture and thought process find it difficult even to acknowledge a question has been asked” (Franklin, 2014b). For researchers encapsulated in the culture of conservation bi‐ ology, the assertion that habitat fragmentation is bad for wildlife species seems self‐evident and secure. Thus, questions such as, “Is habitat fragmentation a big problem for wildlife species? ” or, “Are the effects of habitat fragmentation generally negative or positive? ” seem frankly absurd. They are non‐questions. In this essay, I provide a history of habitat fragmentation re‐ search, I describe why these non‐questions are important, I outline my role in tackling them, I discuss reasons why the fragmentation re‐ search culture remains largely incapable of changing, and I speculate on the future of habitat fragmentation research. Received: 19 July 2018 | Accepted: 13 August 2018 DOI: 10.1111/geb.12839
Expression of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) polyisoprenoids in response to Ganoderma boninense infection

Afandi D, Basyuni M, Putri LAP, Chalil D, Syahputra I. 2019. Expression of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) polyisoprenoids in response to Ganoderma boninense infection. Biodiversitas 20: 68-76. Currently, oil palm is an important economic crop and has become one of the world's major vegetable oils as well as a potential source of biodiesel. Unfortunately, oil palm plantations in Asia, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia face the threat of basal stem root diseases caused by Ganoderma sp. Various methods and approaches have been made to select the oil palm that is tolerant to Ganoderma boninense, among others using biochemical selection. This research aimed to analyze polyisoprenoids expressionof oil palm tolerant to G. boninense using two-dimensional thin layer chromatography (2D-TLC). The plant material used in this trial weretwo cross-series of genetic materials belonging to PT Socfindo, that were known to have certain levelsof tolerance to G. boninense. The first wasa cross-series of 15-year-old oil palm in the field, and the secondwasa new cross-series for an early detection in the nursery stage. The results showed that there werediversitiesin the expression of polyisoprenoids between tissues, treatments, and level of tolerance. Polyprenols with a chain length of C45-C65 and dolichols of C45-C55were detected in the leaf tissue but not found in the root tissue. Polyprenols with a carbon chain length of C80-C100 occurred in infected palm root tissue but did not in the healthy oil palm. The increase of polyisoprenoid (polyprenol and dolichol) in infected and inoculated root tissues it is presumablydue to the plant biochemical response to the presence of G. boninense attack. Cluster analysis demonstrated distinct groups of polyisoprenoid carbon-chains betweenroot and leaf tissues of oil palm mature and seedling. Interestingly, in the absence of G. boninense infection, the polyisoprenoid carbon chain pattern in the tolerant oil palm seedlingroot tissue is different from that in the susceptible seedlings. Thus, the polyisoprenoid carbon chain pattern can be considered as a potential biochemical marker for the screening of oil palm tolerance to G. boninense.