Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of management on native and exotic plant communities in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Invasive species are threatening the diverse habitats within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The invasive exotics burdock (Arctium minus), bishop’s goutweed (Aegopodium podgraria), forget-me-not (Myosotis spp.), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), periwinkle (Vinca spp.), red clover (Trifolium pratense), spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa), and sweet clover (Melilotus spp.) have the ability to alter ecosystems and are invading significant acreage within the park. Management of these plants is therefore a high priority for the park. Multi-criteria risk models were developed and tested for those eight species by assigning risks to GIS layers such as vegetation, soils, and hydrology. The average overall accuracy of the introduction phase of invasion was 89.5%, while the establishment phase tested at 93.4% accuracy, and the spread phase tested at 91.6% accuracy. The predictive models can be the first step to a proactive approach to invasive plant management that includes locating and eradicating the population of a given invasive plant before it becomes established and
Chitosan Coatings Modified with Nanostructured ZnO for the Preservation of Strawberries

Strawberries are highly consumed around the world; however, the post-harvest shelf life is a market challenge to mitigate. It is necessary to guarantee the taste, color, and nutritional value of the fruit for a prolonged period of time. In this work, a nanocoating based on chitosan and ZnO nanoparticles for the preservation of strawberries was developed and examined. The chitosan was obtained from residual shrimp skeletons using the chemical method, and the ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by the close-spaced sublimation method. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron dispersion analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the hybrid coating. The spaghetti-like ZnO nanoparticles presented the typical wurtzite structure, which was uniformly distributed into the chitosan matrix, as observed by the elemental mapping. Measurements of color, texture, pH, titratable acidity, humidity content, and microbiological tests were performed for the strawberries coated with the Chitosan/ZnO hybrid coating, which was uniformly impregnated on the strawberries’ surface. After eight days of storage, the fruit maintained a fresh appearance. The microbial load was reduced because of the synergistic effect between chitosan and ZnO nanoparticles. Global results confirm that coated strawberries are suitable for human consumption.
A comparison of implant stability between two dental implant designusing two different stability measuring technique

Objective To investigate the primary stability of aggressive thread design implant comparing to nonaggressive thread design implant and to evaluate the correlation between ISQ�values and IST�values. Materials and methods 96 implants were used in this study. 48 BLT Straumann? and 48 BLX Straumann? �were used. All implants were digitally planned and placed in 3D printed model�using computer assisted guided surgery. The edentulous area at models were�packed with randomized pattern of four different kinds of polyurethane blocks to replicate mixed cancellous bone. Postoperative implant stability measurement was performed immediately after implant insertion. Implant stability was measured by Osstell ISQ for ISQ value and AnyCheck for IST value. The data was analyzed using Spearman correlation and Mann-Whitney U test. Results The mean ISQ value was 67.87 and 65.87, for BLX and BLT respectively. While, the mean IST value was 71.30 for BLX and 69.25 for BLT. The primary stability between BLX and BLT found no statistically significant difference in both ISQ value and IST value. There was a significant correlation between ISQ value and IST value. Conclusion�The aggressive thread design implant (BLX) and�nonaggressive thread design implant (BLT)�has no statistically difference�in both ISQ and IST groups. Moreover, there was a correlation between ISQ and IST in both implant design.
Al Dente: A History of Food in Italy

Pasta, pizza, parmesan cheese - we have Italy to thank for some of our favourite foods. Home to a dazzling array of wines, cheeses, breads, vegetables and salamis, Italy has become a mecca for foodies. Outside Italy, cities around the world are home to Michelin-starred Italian restaurants and television chefs extol the virtues of Italian cuisine, presenting it as a model of fresh and healthy eating. Taking readers across the country's regions and beyond, Al Dente explores how Italy's cuisines became what they are today. For centuries, southern Mediterranean countries such as Italy fought against food scarcity, wars, invasions and an unfavourable agricultural environment. Lacking meat and dairy, Italy developed foodways that depended on grains, legumes and vegetables until a stronger economy in the late 1950s allowed the majority of Italians to afford a more diverse diet. The last half century has seen new packaging, conservation techniques, industrial mass production and more sophisticated systems of transportation and distribution, bringing about profound changes in how the country's population thinks about food. Including historical recipes for delicious Italian dishes to enjoy alongside a glass of crisp Chianti, Al Dente is a fascinating history of what is perhaps the world's favourite cuisine.
The P2X7 Receptor in Autoimmunity

The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) is an ATP-gated nonselective cationic channel that, upon intense stimulation, can progress to the opening of a pore permeable to molecules up to 900 Da. Apart from its broad expression in cells of the innate and adaptive immune systems, it is expressed in multiple cell types in different tissues. The dual gating property of P2X7R is instrumental in determining cellular responses, which depend on the expression level of the receptor, timing of stimulation, and microenvironmental cues, thus often complicating the interpretation of experimental data in comprehensive settings. Here we review the existing literature on P2X7R activity in autoimmunity, pinpointing the different functions in cells involved in the immunopathological processes that can make it difficult to model as a druggable target.
Receptor modelling studies of airborne particulate matter in the United Kingdom and India

Research described in this thesis was conducted in the United Kingdom and India, and although the overall subject was source apportionment of traffic emissions, specific objectives as well as research design were different in each case. In the UK, composite PM\(_{2.5}\) traffic profiles were derived from ambient data including tunnel and twin-site measurements, and sensitivity of a CMB model to various traffic profiles was tested. The two composite profiles were found to be similar, although lower uncertainties were observed for the tunnel profile. The UK-based traffic profile was found to quantify the traffic contribution consistently, and independent estimates of traffic contribution were found to correlate well with the CMB output. PM10 road dust was chemically characterized in Birmingham and New Delhi, and detailed chemical source profiles were prepared for both cities. Source contributions from dust and non-exhaust emissions were estimated for both cities. In New Delhi, ambient PM\(_{2.5}\) and size-segregated PM data were collected at a high-traffic location. Ambient PM\(_{2.5}\) concentrations were found to be very high, especially in the winter. Source inferences were derived based on mass closure and traffic emissions were found to contribute between 15 and 25% across seasons.
Etude des phénomènes d'auto-organisation des ensembles de dislocations dans un alliage au vieillissement dynamique

Durant ces dernieres annees la deformation plastique est de plus en plus souvent etudiee du point de vue de la dynamique des systemes complexes, caracterisee par l'auto-organisation et impliquant plusieurs echelles. Le present travail est une etude multi-echelles de la dynamique collective de dislocations dans un alliage AlMg sujeta l'effet Portevin-Le Chatelier (PLC). Pour atteindre cet objectif nous avons realise l'enregistrement simultane des courbes de traction, de l'emission acoustique (EA) et du champ de deformations locales, ainsi que la caracterisation quantitative de la complexite grâce aux analyses statistique et multifractale. Le travail de these a permis de montrer que la manifestation apparente des processus de deformation plastique depend de l'echelle d'observation. L'analyse de l'EA a revele un comportement intrinsequement intermittent et invariant d'echelles dans toutes les conditions experimentales. Ces resultats suggerent qu'aux echelles associees a l'EA, la plasticite peut etre gouvernee par une dynamique universelle, qu'elle soit liee a l'instabilite PLC ou a un ecoulement macroscopiquement homogene. Malgre le caractere ubiquitaire de cette observation, le champ de deformations locales montre des processus de deformation ondulatoires, et l'analyse statistique des chutes de contrainte revele des echelles caracteristiques. Une hypothese de synchronisation des avalanches des dislocations est avancee afin d'expliquer dans certaines conditions experimentales le passage de l'echelle mesoscopique a l'echelle macroscopique
The Maritime Boundaries of the Indian Ocean Region

Adopting an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to the political geography of the Indian Ocean, this study analyzes the law of the sea, evaluates the national legislation of those Indian Ocean littoral states which have proclaimed their maritime limits over offshore waters, and examines the numerous bilateral and trilateral agreements on continental shelf and seabed limits of the states in the region. It also previews the potential demarcations in the region of study. An important aspect of the work is the series of maps and diagrams accompanied by detailed captions or commentaries. The book should be especially useful to scholars and students of political geography and international law, as well as lawyers concerned with law of the sea matters. Government departments and practitioners concerned with maritime affairs, ocean resource management and the transboundary problems should also find this book a helpful reference. It should also be of interest to commercial users of the seas and ocean resources.
Study of Through Glass Via (TGV) Using Bessel Beam, Ultrashort Two-Pulses of Laser and Selective Chemical Etching

Selective laser etching is a promising candidate for the mass production of glass interposers. It comprises two steps: local modification by an ultrashort-pulsed laser and chemical etching of the modified volume. According to previous studies, when an ultrashort-pulsed laser beam is irradiated on the sample, electron excitation occurs, followed by phonon vibration. In general, the electron excitation occurs for less than a few tens of picoseconds and phonon vibration occurs for more than 100 picoseconds. Thus, in order to compare the electric absorption and thermal absorption of photons in the commercial glass, we attempt to implement an additional laser pulse of 213 ps and 10 ns after the first pulse. The modified glass sample is etched with 8 mol/L KOH solution with 110 °C to verify the effect. Here, we found that the electric absorption of photons is more effective than the thermal absorption of them. We can claim that this result helps to enhance the process speed of TGV generation.
E-consultation Acceptance in Ghana: A Quantitative Analysis and Proposed Model for Enhancing Digital Health

This study investigates the adoption and enhancement of digital health through e-consultation in Ghana's healthcare systems. It examines the challenges hindering the successful implementation of e-consultation, including security, privacy and awareness. By conducting a quantitative analysis and proposing a comprehensive model, this study aims to provide insights into overcoming these barriers, to improve healthcare accessibility and reduce disparities through e-consultation. The research integrates the DeLone and McLean IS Success Model, focusing on quality, use, user satisfaction, and net benefits, alongside the Diffusion of Innovation theory of technology adoption. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining literature review and quantitative analysis. Clinicians and patients received distinct questionnaires, covering knowledge, skills, performance, safety, and e-consultation challenges. Univariate statistics provides an initial data overview, followed by factor analysis. With a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0.710 and Bartlett's test of sphericity yielding 1300.894, the data proves suitable for factor analysis. Using Principal Axis Factoring, the study reveals significant correlations among factors: Attitude, Regulatory Framework, Diffusion, and Acceptance. Based on these findings, an E-consultation Framework is proposed, emphasizing robust E-consultation Technology Frameworks. By adopting e-consultation and advanced digital health integration, Ghana can advance healthcare accessibility, diminish disparities, and enhance citizens' well-being within the digital health domain.
Habitat heterogeneity and soil-vegetation relations in south of the Nile Delta, Egypt

Floristic composition and soil characters in representative habitats of the southern Nile Delta region in Qalyubia were analyzed in terms of habitat variations and species diversity. A total of 90 sites were surveyed and nineteen environmental factors were recognized in four main habitats: canal banks, cultivated lands, waste lands and sandy plains. Basic statistical treatments were established by using SPSS v. 10.0. The produced data were subjected to cluster analysis by using MVSP v. 3.1; indirect and direct ordination methods i.e. Detrended and Canonical Correspondence analyses, respectively by using CANOCO v. 4.5. A total of 164 species representing c. 7.7% of the Egyptian plant species were recorded and their life-form spectrum was identified. The majority of species were belonging to the families: Gramineae, Compositae, Leguminosae and Cruciferae. The floristic similarity between the recognized habitats showed a significant positive correlation between the canal banks and cultivated lands. Cynanchum acutum subsp. acutum, Cynodon dactylon, Phragmites australis and Pluchea dioscoridis were of high ecological amplitude. Three main vegetation groups (i.e. weeds, halo/ helophytes and xerophytes) were recorded, and their controlling ecological factors were identified. Ordination analysis reveled that, the three groups were well segregated along the DCA axis 1, and were highly related to calcium carbonates, fertility and species diversity gradients in addition to the gradient of human interference. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) produced a similar pattern to that of the floristic Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) and revealed that, the weed plants (i.e. vegetation group A) were highly associated with organic matter, phosphorus, potassium, saturation percentage, potassium cations and pH; the Halo/Helophytic plants (group B) with bicarbonates, sulphates, calcium, magnesium and sodium; the xerophetic plants (group C) with CaCO3 and pH.
Forest Canopy Acts as an Atmospheric NOx Sink: Results From Micrometeorological Flux Measurements

Human activities have released a large amount of nitric oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere, leading to elevated regional atmospheric NOx concentration and nitrogen (N) deposition. Several studies have observed a downward NOx or NOy (NOx and its oxidation products) flux to the forest canopy, but attributed it to the photochemical reactions and conversion from gaseous N to particulate N. Here, we focus on the possibility of NOx sink by forest canopy based on an observed downward NOx flux of 0.28 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in a temperate forest of northeastern China, using hourly monitoring of NOx fluxes. In combination with results from previous studies, we find that the downward NOx or NOy fluxes ranged from 0.2 to 1.4 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in temperate forests and from 5.3 to 8.5 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in subtropical forests and they were positively related to atmospheric NOx concentration, mean annual air temperature and annual precipitation across eight forest sites from around the world. If assuming 50% of downward NOx or NOy was directly taken up by the canopy, we estimate a NOx or NOy sink of 0.2 and 1.1 Tg N yr−1 by global respective temperate and subtropical forests, representing an effective scavenger of atmospheric NOx and a considerable N source to forests. We suggest that interception of NOx or NOy by forest canopy should be considered in global NOx budgets and their contribution to the global forest N pool in global Earth System's models.
Observer-Based Platoon Formation Control With Prescribed Performance Guarantees for Unmanned Surface Vehicles in Presence of Nonsmooth Input Characteristics

This brief focuses on the platoon formation control for a fleet of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) with uncertain kinetics, unmeasured velocities, input saturation and dead zone to ensure collision avoidance (CA) and connectivity maintenance (CM). The prescribed performance techniques are implemented to ensure that the formation errors between each USV and its leader are constrained within predefined ranges and angle errors. This enables CA and CM to ultimately remaining within the requested line-of-sight (LOS) range. Moreover, by combining a known smooth function with the extended state observers (ESOs), which cannot only recover relevant velocity information but also compensate for the effects caused by input saturation, dead zone, uncertain kinetics and external disturbances. Consequently, this brief presents a prescribed performance formation control scheme that guarantees uniformly ultimate boundedness of the closed-loop system. Based on the simulation results, it has been confirmed that the developed control strategy is effective.
Helping the honey bee and other flower-visiting insects in urban areas

As is much of the world’s biodiversity, bees and other flower-visiting insects are in global decline, largely due to human activities. The impacts of humans on wildlife can be ameliorated, at least to an extent, by wildlife-friendly management practices in both rural and urban areas. This thesis comprises two introductory chapters (Part 1), followed by a series of ten research chapters (Parts 2 - 5) aimed at informing management practices that encourage bees and other flower-visiting insects in urban areas, and ends with a concluding chapter (Part 6). The projects are grouped in four parts making contributions to four broad areas of research. Part 2 is concerned with evaluating the attractiveness of ornamental garden plants to insect flower-visitors. Individual projects examine the advice currently available to gardeners via recommended plant lists, and describe surveys of plant varieties grown in a public garden (Southover Grange garden, Lewes), a Plant Heritage national collection of asters (Picton Garden, Malvern), and the experimental gardens planted on campus of the University of Sussex, Brighton, as well as in towns of Plumpton and Magham Down. Part 3 evaluates the attractiveness to insects of urban wild flowers, including those growing in amenity grass areas in parks, and the effects on their abundance and diversity of the various mowing regimes, as well as the attractiveness of the common autumn flowering ivy. Part 4 uses waggle dance decoding to investigate honey bee foraging in the urban landscape of Brighton, with an additional particular focus on foraging on spring-blooming oilseed rape in the surrounding agricultural land. Part 5 examines an aspect of good practice in urban apiary set up, the use of lattice fence or hedge barriers, which should facilitate beekeeping in urban areas, including in private gardens and allotments.
Avian range extensions from the southern headwaters of the río Caroní, Gran Sabana, Bolívar, Venezuela

Bolívar state, comprises a remnant of a band of elevated savannas that once separated the Amazonian and Guianan lowlands. In its southern part, the río Cukuenan crosses east–west from near the border with Guyana to the junction with the río Caroní, forming the southern border of Canaima National Park, which is dominated by savanna. Four tributaries (Uairén, Surucún, Uaiparú and Icabarú) drain the more forested area south of the Cukuenan from the Orinoco / Amazon watershed on the Sierra de Pacaraima, which marks the border with Brazil. I refer to this area as the southern headwaters of the Caroní. As a resident of the region since 2000, I have discovered avifaunal diversity to be much greater than previously recognised (>500 species). Here I detail the numerous range extensions I have documented, in order to promote ornithological interest in the area. Most of the area lies at 800–1,000 m with tepuis to 1,600 m (Chirikayén) and valleys at c.650 m (río Uaiparú) and 500 m (río Icabarú). With annual rainfall of c.2,000–2,250 mm, the three main bioclimatic types in the area are savanna, wet premontane forest and, at lower elevations in the Uaiparú and Icabarú valleys, tropical humid forest5. Savannas, mostly in the elevation range 850–1,000 m, exist in the form of islands, up to 100 km2, surrounded by forest. The savannas around Santa Elena, at the east end of the study area, form the southern tip of the much more extensive savanna occupying the northeast Gran Sabana and were bordered to the south until recent times by unbroken forest. The forest border along the steep southern flank south of Santa Elena is now being breached by slashandburn agriculture, facilitating the arrival of lowland savanna species from Roraima state in Brazil. The study area (Fig. 1), a strip of land c.80 km × 15 km, refers to that part of the southern headwater region accessible via the limited road system, in particular the Paují road linking Santa Elena to Icabaru, which is mentioned in birders’ guidebooks6,18,25. I refer to this accessible part as the Paují road area. Ornithological exploration was initiated here by Phelps in 194519, specifically around Santa Elena and Pauraitepuy. Although much of the forest habitat along the roads is now disturbed by slashandburn agriculture, the area still possesses several extensions of largely continuous forest, notably in the Uaiparú Valley (c.200 km2) and the Surucún basin (c.400 km2). The forests of the Uairén basin are more fragmented and disturbed due to the proximity to Santa Elena (c.25,000 inhabitants). Forested areas in the Cotinga 31
History and Current Status of Mediterranean Spotted Fever (MSF) in the Crimean Peninsula and Neighboring Regions along the Black Sea Coast

Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is a tick-borne rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia conorii subspecies conorii and transmitted to humans by Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks. The disease was first discovered in Tunisia in 1910 and was subsequently reported from other Mediterranean countries. The first cases of MSF in the former Soviet Union were detected in 1936 on the Crimean Peninsula. This review summarizes the historic information and main features of MSF in that region and contemporary surveillance and control efforts for this rickettsiosis. Current data pertinent to the epidemiology of the disease, circulation of the ticks and distribution of animal hosts are discussed and compared for each of the countries in the Black Sea basin where MSF occurs.