Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quizlet and podcasts: effects on vocabulary acquisition

Abstract To date, several studies have investigated the potential benefits of using Quizlet and podcasts for vocabulary development. However, they have mainly focused on the use of available material, and its effects on receptive vocabulary acquisition and students’ motivation. In contrast, relatively little has been done to study the effects of student-generated podcasts and Quizlet flashcards sets on second language vocabulary acquisition including productive skills. Hence, the present study seeks to analyze and compare how student-created podcasts and Quizlet flashcards affect vocabulary retention, taking into account both receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge. Twenty-three adults, aged 18–61, participated in the study. The instruments used were vocabulary tests as pre-tests to check students’ prior knowledge, and as immediate post-tests to measure receptive and productive vocabulary acquisition, and a questionnaire to gauge students’ perceptions of the two methods. Results showed that although there was no significant difference between the two methods regarding receptive or productive vocabulary acquisition, and both techniques helped students to retain new vocabulary, participants expressed a greater preference for the Quizlet methodology.
Increasing Sphingolipid Synthesis Alleviates Airway Hyperreactivity.

RATIONALE Impaired sphingolipid synthesis is linked genetically to childhood asthma and functionally to airway hyperreactivity. OBJECTIVES To investigate if sphingolipid synthesis could be a target for asthma therapeutics. METHODS The effects of GlyH-101 and fenretinide via modulation of de novo sphingolipid synthesis on airway hyperreactivity was evaluated in mice deficient in serine palmitoyl-CoA transferase, the rate limiting enzyme of sphingolipid synthesis. The drugs were also used directly in human airway smooth muscle and epithelial cells to evaluate changes in de novo sphingolipid metabolites and calcium release. RESULTS GlyH-101 and fenretinide increased sphinganine and dihydroceramides (de novo sphingolipid metabolites) in lung epithelial and airway smooth muscle cells, decrease intracellular calcium concentration in airway smooth muscle cells, and decrease agonist-induced contraction in proximal and peripheral airways. GlyH-101 also decreased airway hyperreactivity in SPT-deficient mice in vivo. CONCLUSIONS This study identifies the manipulation of sphingolipid synthesis as a novel metabolic therapeutic strategy to alleviate airway hyperreactivity.
Nutritional Fortification of Sunflower Meal by Bacillus Subtilis ATCC PTA-6737 Fermentation

Sunflower meal with 3 mm particle size (SFM) with 66 or 80% moisture content was inoculated with 1x107 cfu (colony forming unit/g) of Bacillus subtilis ATCC PTA-6737 and fermented for 0, 24, 48 and 72 h. The pH was increased from 5.75 to 9.1 of SFM fermented at both moisture levels with no significant changes in organic acid production. The bacterial growth was peaked at 24 h. Dry matter and crude fibre contents of SFM decreased by 10-13 and 18%, respectively. In contrary, the amount of crude protein, crude ash and soluble amino acid nitrogen increased by 36, 61% and 145%, respectively, with no regard to the effect of moisture content. Phytic acid was degraded up to 42% at both level of moisture content. In conclusion, SFM was enriched with ash and protein and lowered in fibre and phytic acid contents, and can be used as alternative feed material in animal nutrition.
Paleoproterozoic Adakitic Rocks in Qingchengzi District, Northeastern Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt: Implications for Petrogenesis and Tectonism

Herein, zircon U-Pb geochronology, Lu-Hf isotopes, and whole-rock major and trace element geochemistry are presented for two Palaeoproterozoic granitic rocks in Qingchengzi district, northeastern Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt (JLJB). These new geochronological and geochemical data provide reference clues for exploring the petrogenesis and tectonic setting of Paleoproterozoic magmatic rocks in the Qingchengzi district, which further constrain the tectonic nature of the JLJB. Our zircon U-Pb dating denotes that the Paleoproterozoic magmatic events in the Qingchengzi district were emplaced at ~2163 Ma and ~1854 Ma, represented by granite porphyry and biotite granite, respectively. Geochemically, these Palaeoproterozoic rocks are characterized by high Sr (760–842 ppm), SiO2 (69.72–70.89 wt.%), and Al2O3 (15.53–16.78 wt.%) contents, low Y (2.1–9.0 ppm) and Yb (0.25–0.80 ppm) contents, which indicate an adakite affinity. Combined with Hf isotopic composition (εHf(t) = −1.5~+4.8; TDM2 = 3109~2560 Ma), we believe that the Paleoproterozoic adakitic magma originated from partial melting of the thickened lower crust material in the Meso-Neoarchean. Moreover, these rocks are enriched in light rare earth elements and large ion lithophilic elements (e.g., K, Rb, and Cs), and depleted in heavy rare earth elements and high field strength elements (e.g., Nb and Ta). These features are similar to magmatic rocks formed in an arc environment (either island arc or active continental margin) and are not consistent with an intraplate/intracontinental environment. According to this study and previous research results, we conclude that the arc–continent collision model is conducive to the Paleoproterozoic tectonic attribute of the JLJB, and the oceanic crust subduction between the Namgrim and Longgang blocks may have induced the widespread occurrence of magmatic events in the region.
A cross-sectional study to assess the awareness of hepatitis B virus infection in auxiliary staff of a tertiary care hospital

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is 50-100 times more infectious than HIV and this communicable disease can be prevented by vaccination. Auxiliary staff (class IV workers) of a hospital is one of the most important health workers who work at ground level and are directly or indirectly exposed to blood and body fluids in the course of their work and therefore are at high risk of infection with blood-borne pathogens. They are expected to have an optimum level of awareness toward HBV infection. This study was conducted with the aim to study the awareness about HBV infection, and its transmission, vaccination and protective practices among auxiliary staff.Methods: A cross‑sectional descriptive study was carried out in 220 auxiliary staff of a tertiary care hospital in Maharashtra, using a pretested, pre-validated questionnaire.Results: Out of 220 respondents 146 had heard about HBV infection. Out of 146 respondents, 89 were aware about >1 routes of transmission, 135 heard about vaccination and 70 had taken 3 doses of vaccination. Almost all took protective measures at work-place.Conclusions: The results showed that respondents had inadequate awareness about of HBV infection, routes of transmission and vaccination.
Echiniscus testudo (Doyère, 1840) in New Zealand: anthropogenic dispersal or evidence for the ‘Everything is Everywhere’ hypothesis?

ABSTRACT Many species of microscopic invertebrates, such as tardigrades or rotifers, have been traditionally regarded as cosmopolitan. This conviction was based on classical taxonomic observations of very similar phenotypes across the globe and hypothetical abilities of micrometazoans for large-scale dispersal with air and water currents. However, several recent studies showed that micrometazoan species may have restricted geographic ranges, suggesting that microscopic size is not the only determinant of dispersal. Here, we describe the first Australasian record of Echiniscus testudo, a heterotardigrade originally described from the Holarctic. Morphological and genetic analyses gave congruent conclusions and confirmed that European and New Zealand populations represent a single species. Importantly, however, without broader sampling in primeval localities, it is not possible to test whether the New Zealand record of E. testudo is a result of natural dispersal or whether the species was brought to Australasia by humans.
Study the Correlation between Serum level of Interlukin 6 and Lactate Dehydrogenase in Myeloma Patients at Stage III with Serum Creatinine and Calcium Level

Multiple myeloma (MM) still an incurable disease that require better recognition and more research. Many previous studies shown the interaction between myeloma cells and bone marrow stromal cells for the initiation and progression of multiple myeloma . Many chemokines and their receptors including interleukin-6 (IL-6) an play important roles in this interaction. The main purpose of this study is assess the serum level of IL-6 and Lactate dehydrogenase on stage-III of MM patients and healthy controls then Finding the correlation with creatinine and calcium levels. Serum level of IL-6 , Lactate Dehydrogenase , creatinine and calcium levels of (30) MM patients diagnosis at stage –III according to International staging System (ISS) were measurement. The results for these parameters compare with (30) age- and sex-matched healthy controls groups. The results were showed that the mean levels of IL-6 , Lactate dehydrogenase , creatinine and calcium (increased or decreased)high significant (p? 0.001) when compared with healthy controls . The results of the study suggested the important role of chemokines including IL-6 in the progression of the disease and its relationship with some biochemical parameters , especially in the stage-III of the disease.
The effect of feed barrier design on displacements during feeding of dairy cows in small herds

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of feed barrier design on displacements in dairy cows fed only roughage diets in the bunk in small commercial dairy herds. Six Norwegian dairy herds with open barriers (OB) and six herds with individual headspace barriers (IHB) were randomly selected. Number of displacements and withdrawals without physical contact was somewhat higher, but not significantly higher, in the IHB herds than in the OB herds but the variation between herds within the type of barrier were very large. The number of pushes and buttings directed towards the front part of the body of cows was significantly higher in the OB herds than in the IHB herds whereas pushes and butts directed towards the side of cows were significantly higher in the IHB herds than in the OB herds.
Peri-urban family farming and agricultural earnings: The effect of long-term participation in an extension program in a metropolitan area

The objective of this paper is to assess the effect of long-term participation in an extension program on peri-urban family farming earnings. For this purpose, a survey of a sample of 156 participants in the Local Development Program (PRODESAL) of the Chilean National Institute for Agricultural Development (INDAP) was conducted in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago. Half of the respondents were long-term participants with at least four yrs in the program, and the rest of the farmers were one-yr beneficiaries. A treatment regression model (TRM) with a binary endogenous variable was used to identify differences among long- and short-term farmer participation in PRODESAL. The first stage of the model is a probit regression that identifies factors influencing long-term participation in PRODESAL. The second stage has the total value of production (TVP) as a dependent variable, which captures agricultural earnings, and one of the explanatory variables is the binary endogenous regressor of the first stage of the model. The results show a positive impact of long-term participation in PRODESAL on TVP. Other variables, such as farm size, fertilization and access to credit, were significant and positively related to TVP as well. Education and social capital are shown to be variables that increase the probability of long-term participation of family farmers in the program.
Characterization of complete chloroplast genome of Angelica sinensis (Apiaceae), an endemic medical plant to China

Abstract Angelica sinensis is a famous traditional Chinese medicinal herb which is used with a long history in China. However, presently, it is on the verge of extinction due to over-exploitation and habitat destruction. To conduct population genomic studies and offer strategies of conservation and management, we sequenced the complete chloroplast genome of A. sinensis using the next-generation sequencing technology. The complete cp genome is 142,822 bp in length, which contains a large single-copy region (LSC) of 99,964 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 17,750 bp, and two inverted repeat (IRa and IRb) regions of 12,554 bp. The G + C content of cp genome is 37.4%. The genome comprises a total of 128 genes, including 83 protein-coding genes, eight ribosomal RNA(rRNA) genes and 35 transfer RNA (tRNA). Phylogenetic inference indicated that A. sinensis was closely related to A. gigas, A. decursiva, A. nitida and A.dahurica.
Single-channel EEG features during n-back task correlate with working memory load

Working Memory (WM) load is an important cognitive feature that is highly correlated with mental effort. Several neurological biomarkers such as theta power and mid-frontal activity show increased activity with increasing WM load. Such correlations often break down in cognitively impaired individuals, making WM load biomarkers a valuable tool for the detection of cognitive impairment. However, most studies have used a multi-channel EEG or an fMRI, which are not massively accessible. In the present study, we evaluate the ability of novel features extracted from a single-channel EEG located on the forehead, to serve as markers of WM load. We employed the widely used n-back task to manipulate WM load. Fourteen participants performed the n-back task while their brain activity was recorded with the Neurosteer inc Aurora EEG device. The results showed that the activity of the newly introduced features increased with WM load, similar to the theta band, but exhibited higher sensitivity to finer WM load changes. These more sensitive biomarkers of WM load are a promising tool for mass screening of mild cognitive impairment.
Climate seasonality drives ant–plant–herbivore interactions via plant phenology in an extrafloral nectary‐bearing plant community

Interactions between ants and plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) are among the most common mutualisms in Neotropical regions. Plants secrete extrafloral nectar, a carbohydrate‐rich food that attracts ants, which in return protect plants against herbivores. This ant–plant mutualism is subjected to temporal variation, in which abiotic factors can drive the establishment and frequency of such mutualistic interaction. However, studies investigating how abiotic factors (e.g. climate) directly and indirectly influence ant–plant–herbivore interactions are incipient. In this study, we investigated direct and indirect (via plant phenology) effects of temperature and rainfall on ant–plant–herbivore interactions. To address these goals, each month we estimated six plant phenophases (newly flushed leaves, fully expanded leaves, deciduousness, floral buds, flowers and fruits), the activity of EFNs and abundance of ants and herbivores in 18 EFN‐bearing plant species growing in a markedly seasonal region (the Brazilian Cerrado) during a complete growing season. Our results showed that (a) there were marked seasonal patterns in all plant phenophases, EFN activity and the abundance of ants and herbivores; (b) the peak of EFN activity and ant and herbivore abundance simultaneously occurred at the beginning of the rainy season, when new leaves flushed and (c) rainfall directly and indirectly (via changes in the production of new leaves) influenced EFN activity and this in turn provoked changes in ant abundance (but not on herbivores). Synthesis. Overall, our results build towards a better understanding of how climate drives seasonal patterns in ant–plant–herbivore interactions, explicitly considering plant phenology over time.
Dispersion et génétique chez un oiseau marin longévif : l'albatros hurleur : dynamique de population, structure et diversité génétiques, consanguinité

The ecological and evolutionary impact of dispersal and inbreeding may be exacerbated in insular species. Albatrosses, in particular, have an extreme way of life raising several questions in that regard. In this thesis, I address some of these questions. In the introduction (chapter 1), I enounce hypotheses that are specific to the study species, the wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans), in relation to dispersal, population dynamics, and genetics. However, the fortuitous discovery of a very poor genetic diversity in this species led to substantial modifications of the initial objectives and hypotheses of the thesis. Thus, the patterns of genetic diversity in two sister species, the wandering and Amsterdam (D. amsterdamensis) albatrosses, are studied in chapter 2. Simulations support the hypothesis that the two species inherited a poor genetic diversity from their common ancestor, some 0.8 million years ago. Albatrosses thus appear to challenge the widespread view about the negative consequences of genetic depletion on species survival. In chapter 3, the objective was to identify explicitly which model of population dynamics best applies to the wandering albatross. Populations exhibited little genetic differentiation across the species’ range. All genotypes grouped together in a cluster analysis, suggesting that current colonies have derived from one ancestral source that had a low genetic diversity. In contrast, band re-sighting data indicated that about one bird per cohort has dispersed among islands in the past decades. Therefore, low contemporary dispersal rates are not mirrored by genetic data, presumably because populations are not at migration–drift equilibrium. A metapopulation dynamics model involving the recent colonization of several islands seems consistent with the very low levels of both genetic diversity and structure within the wandering albatross. Yet, other factors likely contributed to shape current genetic patterns. The limited genetic diversity and structure raise questions about inbreeding and its effect. Thus, in chapter 4, evidence for inbreeding in the wandering albatross is reviewed. The hypothesis that reproductive success decreases with increasing genetic similarity between mates was also tested using molecular data and pair breeding histories. While the hypothesis was not supported, a lack of resolution from the markers cannot be ruled out given the very poor genetic diversity in albatrosses. Some perspectives about inbreeding-related aspects (e.g. inbreeding avoidance, purging) based on recent literature are also proposed. Overall, this wandering albatross case study leads to several stimulating hypotheses and shows how
Metal contents in fish and crustaceans from brackish, freshwater and marine systems in South-Western Nigeria

Abstract Present study investigated trace element concentrations in either muscles or whole samples of 37 finfish and crustaceans harvested with gillnet from fresh (Olomore), marine (Eti osa) and brackish (Lekki Lagoon) waters of Ogun and Lagos states, Nigeria between June and August 2013. Trace elements were determined using ICP-MS after digestion with a microwave autoclave system. The results revealed that the general trend of trace elements in the sampled finfish and crustaceans was marine > brackish > freshwater. If all the samples are considered, 16.2% and 13.5% exceeded the 20 μg g−1 and 30 μg g−1 limits for Cu and Zn, respectively, as set by the European Union, while 71%, 50%, 79% of marine, fresh and brackish samples, respectively, exceeded the limit of 48 mg Fe per 60 kg person as set by FAO/WHO. In addition, samples exceeded the acceptable limit set by WHO/FAO, thus adequate efforts should be placed on the monitoring of effluents that are being discharged into open water bodies in Nigeria.
Health seeking behaviour among construction workers in Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu: a descriptive study

Healthcare seeking behaviour (HSB) has been defined as, "any action or inaction undertaken by individuals who perceive themselves to have a health problem or to be ill for the purpose of finding an appropriate remedy". Health seeking behaviour can also be referred to as illness behaviour or sick-term behaviour. Health seeking behaviour is situated within the broader concept of health behaviour, which encompasses activities undertaken to maintain good health, to prevent ill health, as well as dealing with any departure from a good state of health.
Sensitivity of single units in the LSO of decerebrate cat to sinusoidally amplitude modulated tones

Fluctuations in amplitude are a common component of behaviorally important sound stimuli. Amplitude modulation (AM) is encoded by the peripheral auditory system in the timing of discharge spikes, and, more centrally, in the discharge rate. The mechanism producing this transformation from a time- to rate-based code is not known, but recent modeling efforts have suggested a role for neurons with response characteristics consistent with cells in the lateral superior olive (LSO). The responses of single units in the LSO of unanesthetized decerebrate cat were recorded to monaural sinusoidally amplitude modulated (SAM) tones by systematically varying sound level and modulation frequency (fm), and are described in terms of synchronization to the envelope and average discharge rate as a function of fm. LSO units typically synchronize strongly to low fm, and discharge preferentially (i.e. more strongly) over a small range of fm in response to low level SAM tones. At higher sound levels synchronization decreases and response rate increases until most or all modulation in the response is lost. These results contrast with responses recorded in the barbiturate-anesthetized cat, which tend to respond to most low-frequency modulations, and are consistent with LSO as an intermediate processing stage between the peripheral temporal- and central rate-based code for AM sounds.
Neural and linguistic differences explain priming and interference during naming

When naming an object, humans are faster to produce the name (“cat”) if immediately having named a related object (“dog”) but paradoxically slower to name the same object (“cat”) if there are intervening speech acts (Wei and Schnur 2019). This dependence of behavior on prior experience is ubiquitous in other domains, often termed “priming” (if behavior is speeded) or “interference” (if behavior is slower). However, it is unknown the changes in the language system (conceptual, lexical, and/or connections between representations) and corresponding brain mechanisms which create these paradoxical effects on the same speech act. Using fMRI during simple picture naming, we observed distinct brain regions and different connections associated with priming and interference. Greater priming was associated with increased activation in the ventral occipitotemporal cortex, while greater interference was associated with decreased functional connectivity between the left posterior temporal and angular gyri. To provide neural evidence of where in the language system priming and interference in naming occur, we assayed the response of different brain areas to conceptual or lexical aspects of speech. The brain and language systems adapt to prior naming experience by modulating conceptual representations during priming, but modulating conceptual, lexical and the mapping between representations during interference.