Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE DEVELOPMENT OF HALIDRYS SILIOUOSA (L.) LYNGB.

Summary From culture experiments it has been shown that the early stages in the development of Halidrys siliquosa are more similar to those of Cystoseira and Sargassum than to those of Fucus. The young plant has cryptoblasts along the primary frond and these are absent from the adult thallus. These hair pits are associated with the development of apical cells and the definitive axis of the adult thallus. The first year's growth is entirely vegetative and results in a pinnately branched thallus of ‘leafy laterals’only. Air vesicles are differentiated during the second year's growth and fertile receptacles are formed later. The receptacles are initiated from the end of August and new ones continue to be formed until December. Gametes are differentiated shortly before their discharge from December till March. After gamete discharge the receptacles disintegrate. The adult thallus shows a seasonal periodicity in growth and reproduction. There is a period of rapid vegetative growth during the spring and early summer which is followed by receptacle differentiation and-then gamete discharge from December to March.
Moderated Mediation Between Transformational Leadership and Organizational Commitment: The Role of Procedural Justice and Career Growth Opportunities

This study examined a moderated mediation model to explain how the indirect effect of transformational leadership (TL) on employees’ organizational commitment (OC) via procedural justice (PJ) is moderated by career growth opportunities (CGOs) in organizations. Data were gathered from 265 college faculty members. The results indicate that PJ serves as mediator between TL and OC, and this mediation process is affected by career growth. This research contributes to the leadership, human resource management, and organizational psychology literature by explaining how CGOs may affect the mediating process of PJ through which the relationship between TL and OC is determined. Organizational leaders can take insights from the findings of this study to increase their employees’ OC. Theoretical implications and future research directions have been discussed.
BREAKING SEED DORMANCY IN THE WHITE SAXAUL TREE (HALOXYLON PERSICUM BOISS. ET BUHSE) AMARANTHACEAE

Seed dormancy is an obstacle to revegetation and reclamation efforts, particularly in arid and semiarid environments. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the most effective germination pretreatment for Haloxylon persicum, a tall desert shrub or small tree. The experiment employed a completely randomized block design. Dormancy breaking treatments included scarification with 98% sulfuric acid for 10, 20, 30, and 60 minutes; debracting seeds; debracting + piercing seeds; stratification for 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks; and leaching seeds in flowing water for 1, 2, 3, and 4 days. Results demonstrated that scarification with 98% sulfuric acid for 10 min was the most effective treatment which increased germination from 23.3% (control) to >82.6%.
Aluminum-surfaced mulch: an approach to control of tomato spotted wilt virus in solanaceous crops.

The effect of plastic film mulches on thrips immigration and tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) incidence in tomato, pepper, and tobacco fields was studied. Three treatments (aluminum-surfaced plastic mulch, black plastic mulch, and a nonmulched control) were arranged in a randomized complete block design in each of three separate crop fields. Thrips immigration into treatment plots was estimated with the use of yellow sticky board traps. Compared with the nonmulched treatment, aluminum-surfaced mulch reduced the numbers of trapped thrips by 68% and the incidence of TSWV by 64% in tomato (.)
Macroinvertebrate communities of the Doubs River prior to completion of the Rhine-Rhone connection

The Rhine–Rhone connection project concerns the part of the Doubs River between Montbeliard and Dole (France), i.e. downstream from the confluence of the Allan River. In order to update our knowledge of the benthic macroinvertebrate communities of the Doubs River, three types of aquatic environments of this hydrosystem were sampled (main channel, backwaters and the Freycinet canal). Hydraulic characteristics are the most explanatory environment variables of lotic macroinvertebrate distribution of the Doubs hydrosystem. The aquatic fauna of the Doubs River is varied due to the diversity of biotopes, microhabitats and current velocities. The lotic aspect is well defined. Rheophilic taxa are present in the main stream in riffle areas or located downstream from weirs where the current velocity is rapid (>75 cm s−1). The physics of flow (‘stream hydraulics’) create the richness of habitats and thereby the biological diversity. Backwaters have a relatively high richness, similar to that of stations in the main stream located in the same sector. Conservation management must be oriented towards the present ecological situation of the Doubs River, i.e. that of a lotic ecosystem with active connections with its backwaters. The primary goal from a conservation perspective must be the maintenance and the improvement of areas highly sensitive to disturbances.
Purulent Appendicular Peritonitis in Pregnancy: Management and Pregnancy Outcome

Appendicitis represents the most common cause of acute abdomen in pregnancy, accounting for 25% of non-obstetric surgery in pregnant women, with an incidence between 0.06% and 0.28% [1,2]. Forty per cent of cases takes place on the second trimester [3]. Diagnosis of appendicitis during pregnancy remains challenging, for the low sensitivity of ultrasound (US) and low predict value of typical symptoms, due to the change of appendix location and to the physiological mild leukocytosis [4-7]. Therefore, complications occur more frequently during pregnancy than in non-pregnant women [8].
Characterization of PPO-Inhibitor–Resistant Waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) Response to Soil-Applied PPO-Inhibiting Herbicides

Abstract Waterhemp resistance to foliar applications of protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)–inhibiting herbicides has become increasingly disconcerting given the widespread distribution of glyphosate resistance. Fortunately, soil-residual PPO-inhibiting herbicides remain efficacious in waterhemp populations resistant to PPO-inhibiting herbicides; however, these herbicides should theoretically select for the resistant biotype as herbicide concentrations diminish in the soil. Accordingly, the objectives of this research were twofold: (1) evaluate the efficacy of three PPO-inhibiting herbicides, foliar- and soil-applied, on PPO-resistant (PPO-R) and PPO-susceptible (PPO-S) waterhemp, and (2) investigate the differential effects of PPO-inhibiting herbicides on an R biotype and an S biotype during several discrete developmental events relevant to soil–residual herbicide activity (i.e., radicle protrusion, radicle elongation, and waterhemp emergence). Greenhouse and growth chamber experiments indicated that the R biotype was least sensitive to the diphenylether herbicide fomesafen, followed by sulfentrazone and flumioxazin; however, fomesafen plus s-metolachlor improved soil-residual efficacy over fomesafen alone. Growth stage considerably influenced the R : S ratio, decreasing from 38× to 3.4×, when comparing ratios generated from foliar applications and soil-residual applications measuring radicle protrusion, respectively. Overall, this research supports the use of full soil-residual herbicide rates, reinforcing the importance of best management practices to manage the spread of herbicide resistance. Nomenclature: Flumioxazin; fomesafen; glyphosate; s-metolachlor; sulfentrazone; tall waterhemp, Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer (syn. rudis) AMATA.
Biological parameters of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) assayed with Bacillus thuringiensis berliner

A bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) e um promissor agente de controle de Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith). Alem do efeito letal sobre os hospedeiros, os entomopatogenos podem causar alteracoes fisiologicas que comprometem o desenvolvimento dos insetos, podendo chegar a ponto de prejudicar a alimentacao e/ou reproducao. No presente estudo, quatro bioensaios em laboratorio foram realizados para verificar os efeitos subletais de isolados de Bt sobre os parâmetros biologicos de lagartas de segundo instar de S. frugiperda. A atividade de 39 isolados foi avaliada pelo peso de lagartas e de pupas femeas, oviposicao e fecundidade de ovos de insetos sobreviventes. Foram observados efeitos subletais sobre as lagartas nos seguintes isolados: ESALQ 1.1, ESALQ 1.4, ESALQ 1.6, ESALQ 3.7, ESALQ 4.2 e ESALQ 5.2 (peso de lagartas e pupas femeas); ESALQ 5.1 (peso de lagartas); ESALQ 1.2 e ESALQ 3.7 (fecundidade dos ovos); ESALQ 3.7 (oviposicao e fecundidade dos ovos) e ESALQ 3.7 e ESALQ 5.2 (oviposicao). Quando os parâmetros foram analisados juntos, foram observadas correlacoes significativas entre eles, exceto no segundo bioensaio (peso de pupas femeas ´ oviposicao, peso de pupas femeas ´ fecundidade dos ovos e oviposicao ´ fecundidade dos ovos). Alguns isolados de Bt afetaram os parâmetros biologicos, principalmente peso de larvas e pupas femeas e, em alguns casos esses efeitos passaram para estagios posteriores do ciclo do inseto, afetando a oviposicao e a viabilidade dos ovos. Embora, esses efeitos sejam dificeis de avaliar, especialmente em campo, eles deveriam ser considerados quando a atividade de um entomopatogeno e avaliada.
Hunting‐Related Changes in Game Encounter Rates from 1994 to 2001 in the Mbaracayu Reserve, Paraguay

Abstract: This longitudinal study examines the impact of native hunting on the populations of 10 important game species in the Mbaracayu Reserve, Paraguay. From July 1994 to July 2001, native Ache research assistants surveyed 7,535 km of diurnal random transects in the reserve. Analyses of data from these transects and harvest‐ rate data from 5,526 Ache hunter days suggest that the hunting return rate declined significantly for one species. Nonsignificant declines were observed for 6 of the other 9 species. Native harvest percentages of the stock population appear sustainable for 10 major prey species, but rates of harvest from nonindigenous poaching could not be determined. Crude encounter rates for all 10 species declined over time, but only 2 of these were statistically significant in a univariate model. Multivariate logistic regression controlling for habitat type and location in the reserve showed significant declines in encounter rates over time for 4 species, but the effect of interaction between time and hunting pressure failed to confirm that declines in encounter rates were steeper in more‐hunted versus less‐hunted areas of the reserve. This may mean that other factors unrelated to hunting pressure are responsible for some of the declines in game encounter rates.
Immunotoxic potential of sodium fluoride following subacute exposure in Wistar rats

Fluoride pollution in drinking water is an international problem as the fluoride present is often at levels above acceptable limits. This study was done with an objective to determine the immunotoxic potential of sub acute exposure of sodium fluoride in Wistar rats with special reference to the Dinitroflurobenzene contact skin sensitivity test and pathological alterations in splenic histoarchitecture. The rats were intoxicated orally to sodium fluoride at dose levels of 5, 25 and 50 mg/kg body weight, respectively for 28 days. On day 21 the external surface of right ear pinna of rats were sensitized to 40 µl of 2% Dinitroflurobenzene in vehicle followed by challenge application of 40 µl of 1% Dinitroflurobenzene in vehicle on day 25. The left ear pinna served as control and 40 µl of vehicle (4:1 acetone- olive oil) was applied. The increase in ear thickness (in mm) was measured with Engineers micrometer at 0, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h post challenge. The results revealed a dose dependent decrease (p < 0.001) in mean ear thickness (in mm) of sodium fluoride intoxicated rats following challenge application of 1% Dinitroflurobenzene in vehicle. The blood picture revealed dose dependent leucocytosis associated with neutrophilia and lymphocytopaenia. There was also dose dependent decrease in organosomatic index of spleen and severe depletion of lymphocytes in white pulp of spleen. This report highlights the proposition that prolonged exposure to fluoride contaminated drinking water is likely to result in immunotoxicity. Key words: Fluoride, immunotoxicity, rats, dinitroflurobenzene, spleen.
SARS-CoV-2 differs from SARS-CoV in the requirements for receptor expression and proteolytic activation to trigger cell-cell fusion and is not inhibited by Bromhexine

The SARS-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infects cells through interaction of its spike protein (SARS-CoV-2-S) with the ACE2 receptor and activation by proteases, in particular TMPRSS2. Viruses can also spread through fusion of infected with uninfected cells. We therefore analyzed cell-cell fusion activity of SARS-CoV-2-S with regard to the requirements for ACE2 expression, proteolytic activation, and sensitivity to inhibitors and compared it to SARS-CoV-S. We compared S-protein-driven fusion with target cells recombinantly overexpressing ACE2, TMPRSS2, or both. SARS-CoV-2-S-driven fusion was moderately increased by TMPRSS2 and strongly by ACE2, while the reverse observation was made for SARS-CoV-S. TMPRSS2-mediated effects were inhibited by the serine protease inhibitor Camostat. Effector-target-cell fusion by SARS-CoV-2-S was only affected by Camostat when receptor expression was limiting or when the S1/S2 cleavage site was mutated. Mutational ablation of the SARS-CoV-2-S S2’ cleavage site abrogated any effects of TMPRSS2 on fusion. Mutation of the SARS-CoV-2-S S1/S2 cleavage site reduced effector-target-cell fusion when ACE2 or TMPRSS2 were limiting. When both factors were abundant, initial target-effector-cell fusion was unaltered, but syncytia remained smaller over time. Overall, its polybasic cleavage site renders SARS-CoV-2-S-mediated cell-cell fusion less dependent on TMPRSS2 activity on target cells. Unexpectedly, we observed enhancement of SARS-CoV-2-S-mediated fusion by Bromhexine, another TMPRSS2 inhibitor. This effect required intact proteolytic cleavage sites, suggesting interference of Bromhexine with proteolytic priming, but not in a therapeutically desired way. Infection with SARS-CoV-2-S-pseudotyped particles clearly differed in the requirements for proteolytic activation from cell-cell fusion. TMPRSS2 strongly enhanced infection, which was reversed by Camostat but not by Bromhexine. IMPORTANCE Cell-cell fusion allows the virus to infect additional target cells without the need to produce free virus. Fusion likely also contributes to tissue damage by creating virus-infected syncytia. Our results demonstrate that the S2’ cleavage site is essential for activation by TMPRSS2 in trans and unravel important differences between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. Bromhexine, an inhibitor of the TMPRSS2 protease, is currently tested in clinical trials against COVID-19. Our results indicate that Bromhexine does not inhibit SARS-CoV-2-S-mediated particle entry and enhances fusion. We therefore caution against overly optimistic use of Bromhexine in higher dosage in clinical trials or as a therapy, at least until its effects on SARS-CoV-2 spike activation are better understood. The related compound Ambroxol, which similar to Bromhexine is clinically used as an expectorant, did not exhibit activating effects on SARS-CoV-2 S-mediated fusion and may therefore currently represent a better choice in therapeutic regimens for COVID-19.
Bayesian credibility premium with GB2 copulas

Abstract For observations over a period of time, Bayesian credibility premium may be used to predict the value of a response variable for a subject, given previously observed values. In this article, we formulate Bayesian credibility premium under a change of probability measure within the copula framework. Such reformulation is demonstrated using the multivariate generalized beta of the second kind (GB2) distribution. Within this family of GB2 copulas, we are able to derive explicit form of Bayesian credibility premium. Numerical illustrations show the application of these estimators in determining experience-rated insurance premium. We consider generalized Pareto as a special case.
Beyond size – morphological predictors of bite force in a diverse insectivorous bat assemblage from Malaysia

Summary Bite force is used to investigate feeding performance in a variety of vertebrates. In all taxa studied, bite force is strongly correlated with body and head size. Studies of bite force in bats have largely centred on neotropical species with a particular focus on species that maximize dietary differences. Little is known about the bite force of bats from the Old World tropics, nor of variation in bite force within diverse assemblages of obligate insectivores. Moreover, factors other than size are poorly known but may be important in driving interspecific differences in bite force, and thereby diet. Here, we examine the correlation between morphological variation and bite force of 35 species of insectivorous bats from a single palaeotropical assemblage. We confirmed the overall relationship between size and bite force across species, but found that bite force is predicted more strongly by head length than body mass or forearm length. From the combined action of jaw muscles and muscle-bone mechanisms, bats generate a mechanical advantage that creates pressure during biting. We calculated the size-independent mechanical advantage for each of five mandible lever systems (three delineated by the temporalis muscle and two delineated by the masseter muscle) operating through three function points (molar, canine and incisor). Size-independent mechanical advantage of the suprazygomatic portion of the temporalis muscle at the molar function point was the only significant predictor of size-independent maximum bite force across all species. Within families, the size-independent mechanical advantage of the superficial portion of the masseter muscle plays a significant role in predicting size-independent maximum bite force in both the Rhinolophidae and Vespertilionidae. For the family Hipposideridae, however, size-independent mechanical advantage showed no role in predicting size-independent maximum bite force, suggesting that size really matters in predicting the maximum bite force capacity for this family.
Effect of virginiamycin and bovine somatotropin on growth, nutrient conversion and blood parameter in young female calves

L'essai a ete realise sur 20 genisses (Pie Rouge Tcheque x Frisonne). Les genisses, maintenues en cases individuelles, ont recu du lait, un aliment concentre et du foin pour couvrir a 85 % des normes NRC (1978) leurs besoins d'entretien et de croissance. Les genisses, âgees de 21 a 24 jours, ont ete reparties en quatre lots. Les genisses du lot 1 ont recu une injection sous-cutanee d'huile d'olive, tous les 7 jours. Celles du lot 2 ont recu, outre les injections d'huile d'olive, 80 mg par jour de virginiamycine par voie orale. Celles du lot 3 ont recu des injections de 100 mg de methionyl bST recombinee (forme retard) tous les 7 jours. Celles du lot 4 ont recu a la fois de la virginiamycine et de la bST. L'essai a dure 70 jours. Les genisses du lot 1 (temoin) ont gagne en moyenne 0,52 kg/Jour La virginiamycine et la bST ont eu tendance a ameliorer le gain de poids vif et l'efficacite alimentaire, mais seule leur combinaison a eu un effet significatif (p < 0,05): le gain de poids vif a ete accru de 9,6 % avec la virginiamycine, de 5,8 % avec la bST et de 15,4 % avec la combinaison des deux. Le taux sanguin d'hemoglobine et les taux seriques de glucose, de proteines et de cholesterol n'ont pas ete significativement modifies. En revanche, la bST, mais non la virginiamycine, a significativement augmente la teneur du plasma sanguin en hormone de croissance.
The effects of dietary selenium on growth performances, oxidative stress and tissue selenium concentration of gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio)

A 100-day growth trial was executed to determine the dietary selenium (Se) requirement of juvenile gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio). Selenomethionine was supplemented to casein-gelatin diets at 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5 and 5 mg Se kg(-1), respectively. Each of these seven semi-purified diets containing 0.34, 0.47, 0.66, 0.82, 1.23, 2.77 and 5.13 mg Se kg(-1) was fed to triplicate groups of gibel carp (2.74 +/- 0.02 g) in a flow-through system. No behaviour abnormalities and no mortality were found in fish exposed to dietary Se concentrations. With the increasing dietary Se supplemented concentrations, weight gain of fish remarkably increased at the levels of l= 1 mg Se kg(-1) diet and then showed no significant difference above 1 mg Se kg(-1) levels. Although growth performances (weight gain, hepatosomatic index, condition factor and survival) were not impaired in gibel carp fed at above the levels of 2.5 mg Se kg(-1), indicators of oxidative stress were changed significantly. Serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities significantly declined, hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities significantly increased and the tissue Se concentrations significantly raised at the highest supplemented level of 5 mg Se kg(-1). A clear linear relationship between Se-depended GPx activities and hepatic Se concentrations was observed. The present results indicated that the dietary Se requirement for gibel carp is 1.18 mg Se kg(-1) diet based on weight gain, GPx activities and tissue accumulation.
Embarrassingly Shallow Autoencoders for Sparse Data

Combining simple elements from the literature, we define a linear model that is geared toward sparse data, in particular implicit feedback data for recommender systems. We show that its training objective has a closed-form solution, and discuss the resulting conceptual insights. Surprisingly, this simple model achieves better ranking accuracy than various state-of-the-art collaborative-filtering approaches, including deep non-linear models, on most of the publicly available data-sets used in our experiments.
Age-specific reproduction in feral horses

Two age-specific reproduction schedules were constructed for feral horses (Equus caballus) on the basis of lactation status of 14 788 females captured during herd reduction programs and pregnancy rates of 667 horses determined by serum progesterone assays. The probability of detecting lactation progressively decreased for females captured further from the foaling season, indicating that these data resulted in substantial underestimates of true foaling rates. A third reproductive schedule was, therefore, constructed on the basis of a subsample of 1144 horses captured immediately after the foaling season in June. Characteristics common across all three data sets were first reproduction at age 2, an increase in the proportion of females foaling through age 6, highest foaling rates from 6 to 15 years, and a gradual decrease in foaling rates of females >15 years. Variability in the proportion of reproductively active females in each age-class was detected among populations and among years within a population; .