Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Buellia species with pluriseptate spores and the Physciaceae (Lecanorales, Ascomycotina) Taxonomic, phylogenetic and ultrastructural studies

This dissertation is primarily focused on the Buellia species with pluriseptate spores, often referred to the section or genus Diplotomma, and secondarily on the Physciaceae. An ultrastructural study at family level gives new information on spore characters. Variations in the composition and structure of the spore wall layers and septa are described.A phylogenetic analysis of the Physciaceae, based on morphological and chemical characters, is presented. In the resulting trees the species with pluriseptate spores appear in a poorly resolved clade together with other crustose species with 1-septate spores. A subsequent analysis, excluding foliose and fruticose species, shows that the species with pluriseptate spores do not form a monophyletic group, and that only a few are grouped together with the type species of Diplotomma. Due to low resolution, poor branch support, and uncertainty concerning the typification of Buellia all species treated are retained in Buellia.Altogether 35 species with pluriseptate spores are treated, including ten new to science, viz. B. aeruginosa, B. morsina, B. muriformis, B. oidaliella, B. pallido-marginata, B. romoletia, B. rubroreagens, B. terricola, B. tombadorensis, and B. tri-septata. Historical outlines are presented, and information on life strategy, morphology, chemistry, ecology, and distribution is given. All species are similar and macroscopically not easily distinguished, having crustose thalli and blackish apothecia, but there is a great variation in microscopic characters, secondary chemistry, substrate preferences, habitat ecology, and distribution range. Several names are typified and many synonyms are listed. References are given to all species referred to Diplotomma in literature.
Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria: Seven-Year Experience of a Tertiary Hospital.

INTRODUCTION Non-tuberculous mycobacteria are ubiquitous organisms. Precise determination of infection numbers is difficult, since reporting them to public health departments is frequently not mandatory; furthermore, isolating a non-tuberculous mycobacteria does not necessarily translate into disease. The aims of this study were to ascertain non-tuberculous mycobacteria data of a tertiary hospital, determine the incidence and approach to colonization versus disease, and the incidence of predisposing comorbidities. MATERIAL AND METHODS Retrospective study in a tertiary hospital, involving patients with positive cultural exam for non-tuberculous mycobacteria in any biological sample, from 2010 to 2017. RESULTS A total of 125 non-tuberculous mycobacteria isolates was identified, corresponding to 96 patients. Of these, 57.4% were male (n = 54); median age was 65 years (interquartile range = [50 - 82]). From these, 60.7% (n = 57) had some degree of immunosuppression, most frequently due to malignant tumour (49.0%) or HIV infection (39.2%). It was found that 29 patients (31.0%) had structural respiratory tract changes. Colonization was defined in 65.6% of patients (n = 63). While 71.0% of non-tuberculous mycobacteria infections were pulmonary, the remaining 29.0% presented as disseminated. According to available clinical records, 60.6% (n = 20) of the presumably infected patients fulfilled American Thoracic Society diagnostic criteria for non-tuberculous mycobacteria disease. DISCUSSION Several cases of non-tuberculous mycobacteria infection in this study presented as life-threatening, multi-systemic disease, highlighting the importance of accurate diagnosis and timely treatment. Other cases of presumed infection might instead have corresponded to colonization, possibly resulting in futile therapy. CONCLUSION While there are diagnostic criteria for treatment of non-tuberculous mycobacteria infections, no such guidelines exist to assess colonization. One of the most challenging aspects remains the correct differentiation between colonization and early-stage infection.
The influence of expertise on anticipation of badminton single serves

Badminton is a fast racket sport and requires players to develop highly advanced anticipation skills. Research has identified differences in the way that experts badminton players fixate their gaze during play. Investigating eye movement patterns in badminton players, may help to understand how expertise is associated with better anticipation abilities. All previous research on the return of a badminton serve has been solely made up of laboratory-based components and consequently it is arguable as to whether athletic skills are transferable from real-life settings. This study investigated the return of a badminton serve in a game setting. Expertise and type of serve acted as the independent variables when investigating between-group differences during fixation development. The experts (N=23) and novices (N=11) were asked to return forehand serves, whilst wearing a mobile eye tracker, for recording eye movement data for refixations, first visual intake duration and dwell time. The results demonstrated that both experts and novices targeted similar fixation sites. However, during the short serve, experts were found to make more fixations and longer fixation durations, suggesting that experts may use their pre-existing knowledge about badminton in anticipating serve returns.
Comparative toxicity of the cyanobacterial toxin cylindrospermopsin between mice and cattle: human implications

The cyanobacterial toxin cylindrospermopsin is produced by Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and Aphanizomenon ovalisporum in many parts of the world. A human poisoning incident occurring at Palm Island, Queensland, Australia in 1979 was subsequently ascribed to cylindrospermopsin. The structure of cylindrospermopsin, a tricyclic guanidinium moiety bridged to hydroxymethyluracil, was deduced in 1992. A number of studies have investigated the acute toxicity of cylindrospermopsin in mice. It is primarily a hepatotoxin with a 24-hour acute intraperitoneal (IP) LD50 of 2 mg/kg, a 5-day acute i.p. LD50 of 0.2 mg/kg and a 5-day acute oral LD50 of approximately 6 mg/kg. A human health risk assessment using data from longer-term oral dosing studies suggests a guideline value for cylindrospermopsin in drinking water of approximately 10 μg/L.We have recently studied cattle poisonings by cylindrospermopsin and detected the toxin in a number of tissues after necropsy. Concentrations of 1 mg/L or above in drinking water (dose is approximately 50 μg/kg/day) were shown to result in cattle death after short-term exposure (less than 10 days). Oral dosing of mice at levels up to 5 mg/L with cylindrospermopsin in drinking water for 90 days did not produce any significant toxicity. Human health risk assessment based on cattle however, which are much more sensitive to cylindrospermopsin than rodents, would produce a guideline for human drinking water of approximately 0.05 μg/L. A consideration of reported human poisoning incidents that implicate cylindrospermopsin suggests that humans may also be more sensitive than rodents to this toxin.
Effects of Drying on Polyphenol Oxidase and Antioxidant Activity of Morus alba Leaves

The effects of oven-drying at 50 and 100C, sun-drying and ambient air-drying at 24 ± 1C on the antioxidant properties (AOPs) of mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves were studied. Except for leaves oven-dried at 50C which showed minimal AOP changes, leaves dried under other conditions resulted in a significant decrease in AOP. Fresh mulberry leaves contained low oxidative enzyme activities (polyphenol oxidase [PPO]: 1.40 ± 0.58 ΔA435/min/g of fresh leaves and peroxidase: 1.59 ± 0.42 ΔA418/min/g of fresh leaves) which were reduced to nonmeasureable or lower values when they were dried at 50, 100C and blanched in boiling water. The major factor causing AOP decrease in thermally treated leaves (oven-drying at 100C and sun-drying) was due to thermal degradation but the decrease in AOP for ambient air-dried leaves was associated with the presence of PPO. Overall, oven-drying at 50C was the most preferred drying method. Practical Applications Mulberry with excellent free radical scavenging, antioxidant, anticancer and anti-hyperglycemic properties has long been used as traditional medicine and health food product. Generally, mulberry leaves are processed and consumed as tea. Drying, which helps preserve the nutrient contents of mulberry leaves, is an important method in mulberry tea processing. In order to exploit mulberry leaves more scientifically and efficiently for commercial purpose, the present study serves as an important work in providing insights into how oxidative enzymes and thermal stability of antioxidants in mulberry leaves affect the antioxidant properties when subjected to different drying conditions. The optimum drying condition found in this study will be beneficial to the tea processing industry.
Relationships Between Winter and Spring Weather and Northern Goshawk (Accipiter Gentilis) Reproduction in Northern Nevada

—Ecological factors, such as weather, play important roles in raptor population dynamics. We used logistic and Poisson regression analyses to investigate relationships between late winter, spring, and early summer temperatures and precipitation and Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) breeding, failure, and productivity in northern Nevada from 1992–2002. We also examined weather data for possible patterns that could explain reported trends in goshawk reproduction. Declines in occupancy of nesting territories by breeding goshawks were related to colder February and March temperatures and increased April precipitation. Warmer April temperatures and decreased precipitation in April–July favored reproductive success. Of all significant weather variables, only February and March temperatures had significant temporal trends. Although adverse weather is known to affect goshawk reproduction by decreasing nestling growth and survival, it is unlikely that direct weather effects were responsible for reported reproductive trends in our study area. Weather may have operated indirectly, influencing reproduction through changes in goshawk hunting behavior or food supply.
Low blood volume in the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)

The giraffe exhibits extraordinary hemodynamics including a high blood pressure at heart level. As part of a larger study, we hypothesized that its blood volume is 75–80 ml/kg body weight (b.wt.) as in other mammals. Six male giraffes were anesthetized and intubated. At induction, a bolus of Evans' blue (~0.5 mg/kg b.wt.) was given i.v. Blood samples were obtained approx. every 10 min for at least 75 min. Plasma was separated immediately and the theoretical dye concentration at time of injection determined by extrapolation of the spectrophotometric data. Plasma volume was 32.3 ±3.6 ml/kg b.wt. (mean ± SE, n=6), and blood volume was 56.0 ±4.9 ml/kg b.wt. based on hematocrit values of 42.7 ±1.5 %. Cardiac output (CO, determined by the rebreathing technique (Innocor®)) averaged 33.8 ±1.7 ml/(min·kg b.wt.)(n=5). The results suggest that giraffes are peculiar hemodynamically also because of low blood volume and low cardiac output. The low blood volume may be related to low compliance of the vascular system, and the low CO may be an element in explaining why relative heart mass in the giraffe is similar to that of other mammals.
Building Bridges Between Producers and Schools: The Role of Extension in the Farm to School Program

Childhood obesity is one of the leading problems facing Americans today. As children continue to struggle with both obesity and food insecurity, many parents and doctors look to schools to be responsible for providing healthful meals. The aim of the Farm to School (F2S) program is to bring fresh, local produce into school cafeterias. Aligning with Extension goals, the F2S program provides an opportunity for both the development of healthful lifestyles and increases in agricultural profits. Through interviews with producers and school food service directors, we determined ways Extension programming can be used to improve the efficiency of the F2S program.
Effect of Intercropping on Insect Pests of Groundnut and their Natural Enemies

In tropics, intercropping has been an important component of small farm agriculture (Lamb, 1978) and one of the reasons for the evolution of these cropping patterns may be the reduced incidence of insect pests (Altieri et al., 1978). Kennedy and Raveendran (1989) reported that groundnut intercropped with pearl millet reduced the incidence of leafminer, leaf hopper and thrips substantially. The results on the effect of intercropping pearl millet with groundnut on the population of leafminer, leaf hopper and thrips and the activity of their natural enemies are reported hereunder.
Analisis Derajat Ploidi dan Pengaruhnya Terhadap Variasi Ukuran Stomata dan Spora pada Adiantum raddianum

Polyploidy is a common phenomenon in plants, especially on the species of ferns. The objectives of this research are to find out the variation of the ploidy levels, to know the effects on the stomata index and size of stomata and spore in Adiantum raddianum. The materials used to conduct this observation of chromosomes number were made from root tips or young leaf tips (croziers). The modified squash method was used in microscopic preparation. The result of the observation showed that there was a variation in ploidy levels from 2n = 2x (diploid) to 2n = 7x (septaploid). It appeared to be general trend that the higher level the ploidy causes the lower the index stomata but the bigger the stomata and the spore size.
A STUDY ON THE PERCEPTION OF FILIPINO LIBRARIANS ON INNOVATION

Innovation is a word librarians and information professionals use as a go-to solution when they try to justify their value to its parent organization. They talk about high-tech libraries and innovative services like learning commons, makerspaces, online databases, and at the center of these changes are the innovative librarians. However, there is seemingly a disconnect between perceptions and implementations, thus prompting a back to basics investigation on the concept itself and how it is understood by Filipino librarians. This study offers insights into what Filipino librarians mean when they refer to the word “innovation. ” By exploring the concept of innovation, we may have an idea of the intention, commitment, direction, and importance of innovation in the strategic future of our libraries and information centers, thus painting a picture of Filipino librarians and their idea of the word “innovation” and how it reflected in their organizations. Surveyed for this study are librarians from all over the Philippines and their definition and perception of what words, definitions, services, and programs they consider as technological and innovative.
Respiratory burst activity of tilapia (Oreochromis mosambicus) phagocytes to Edwardsiella tarda ghosts

The respiratory burst activity of tilapia (Oreochromis mosambicus) phagocytes agaisnt Edwardsiella tarda ghosts produced by gene E mediated lysis was investigated. Stimulation with E. tarda ghosts (ETG) showed markedly higher respiratory burst activity than that with formalin killed E. tarda (FKC) in phagocytes. This result may suggest that ETG can induce effective cellular immune responses in fish.
Characterisation of the role of two two-component signal transduction systems and a putative zinc metalloprotease in the virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae

This thesis aimed to evaluate the contribution of several pneumococcal two-component systems to virulence by analysis of null mutants in a murine model of infection. In addition, a putative zinc metalloprotease, ZmpB, located immediately downstream of one of the TCS, was analysed for its role in virulence. Data indicated that one of the systems studied, TCS08, does not contribute significantly to virulence in serotype 2 pneumococcus, but may have a slightly more important role in a serotype 3 background. A second two-component system, TCS09, was found to be essential for virulence in a serotype 2. Despite the completely avirulent phenotype of the mutant, no difference in expression of many of the previously identified pneumococcal virulence-associated genes was detected in the mutant compared to its isogenic parental strain. Microarray analysis indicated that in serotype 2, TCS09 may be involved in nutrient perception in nutrient perception. TCS09 was found to be required for full virulence in a serotype 3 strain. In this strain, mutants appeared to be impaired in their ability to disseminate from the lungs to the blood in a pneumonia model of infection, but were not attenuated in virulence following direct inoculation into the systemic circulation. These data provide evidence that virulence determinants can behave differently based on the genetic background of the parental strain. ZmpB was found to contribute significantly to pneumococcal virulence in a serotype 3 strain. Further analysis of the contribution of this protein to infection found that ZmpB appears to have a role in promoting inflammation. Thus this work has identified ZmpB as being a novel pneumococcal virulence factor. The role of this protein in inflammation is being investigated further. This thesis has thus identified several genes important in the virulence of S. pneumoniae and work is currently ongoing to assess the potential of these genes as future vaccine or drug candidates. Data presented within this work also provides evidence that virulence determinants can behave differently based on the genetic background of the parent bacterial strain. This important observation could have significant implication for the future characterisation of pneumococcal virulence factors and may apply to other bacterial pathogens.
Atributos físico-químicos de um Latossolo do Cerrado brasileiro e sua relação com características dendrométricas do eucalipto

Soil mechanical penetration resistance exerts a strong influence on plant development since the root growth as well as crop yield are inversely related to this variable. On the other hand, soil organic matter and pH are also relevant for plant development, for being directly linked to soil nutrient availability. In the 2005/2006 growing season, the following dendrometric parameters of Eucalyptus camaldulensis were analyzed: (a) wood volume (WV), (b) perimeter at breast height (PBH) and c) plant height (PH), and the soil attributes: a) mechanical penetration resistance (MP), b) gravimetric moisture (GR), (c) organic matters (OM) and (d) and pH in a Dystrophic Red Latosol of the Cerrado (savanna-like vegetation). The purpose was to study the linear and spatial correlations among these variables, and to obtain soil quality indices for eucalyptus. A geostatistical grid was installed to collect soil and plant data, with 122 sample points, in an area of 1.98 ha. The variability of the plant data was medium and high, while the variability of the soil data was low, medium and high. The attributes WV, PB, PH, MP, GR, OM, and pH did not change randomly. Rather, they followed well-defined spatial patterns, with ranges between 17 and 169 m. The simple linear correlations among the attributes (plant and soil) were low, however significant for the attribute pairs WV vs MP1, WV vs MP5, WV vs OM2 and WV vs pH1. From the spatial correlation viewpoint WV varied significantly, inversely proportional to MP5 and pH1. The soil pH, sampled from the 0-0.15 m layer (pH1), turned out to be the best quality indicator of the studied soil toward estimating eucalyptus wood yield.
PERSEPSI PELAKU UMKM DAN SOSIALISASI SAK EMKM TERHADAP DIBERLAKUKANNYA LAPORAN KEUANGAN YANG BERBASIS SAK EMKM 1 JANUARI 2018 (Studi Kasus Pelaku UMKM Se-Malang)

ABSTRACT Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui adanya perbedaan persepsi pelaku UMKM terhadap diberlakukannya Laporan keuangan yang berbasis SAK EMKM 1 Januari 2018 serta mensosialisasikan SAK EMKM terhadp pelaku UMKM yang belum mengetahui SAK EMKM. Data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah data Primer, populasi penelitian yaitu pelaku UMKM di malang sedangkan sampel penelitian yang diambil adalah pelaku UMKM bidang makanan dan minuman. Teknik pengambilan sampel dilakukan menggunakan metode purposive sampling. Hasil yang diperoleh dengan menggunakan uji regresi linier berganda Y= 7.963 + 0,463 X1 + 0,594 X2, dan uji dari penelitian ini menggunakan uji t. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa secara parsial persepsi pelaku UMKM dan Sosialisasi SAK EMKM berpengruh signifikan terhadap penggunaan SAK EMKM. Kata kunci : Persepsi, Sosialisasi, Usaha Mikro Kecil dan Menengah, SAK EMKM ABSTRACT This study aims to determine the differences of perceptions of SMEs to the implementation of Financial Statements based on SAK EMKM January 1, 2018 and socialize SAK EMKM to SMEs perpetrators who do not know SAK EMKM. The data used in this study is Primary data, the study population is the perpetrators of SMEs in Malang while the sample research taken is the perpetrators of SMEs in the field of food and beverages. The sampling technique was conducted using purposive sampling method. The result obtained by using multiple linear regression test Y = 7.963 + 0,463 X1 + 0,594 X2, and test of this research use t test. The results of this study indicate that partially perceptions of SMEs and Socialization of SAK EMKM significantly influenced the use of SAK EMKM. Keywords: Perception, Socialization, Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, SAK EMKM
Composición química y caracterización calorimétrica dehíbridos y variedades de maíz cultivadas en México

Se estudio la composicion quimica y comportamiento termico de veinte hibridos y variedades de maiz, del programa de cruzamiento del INIFAP-Iguala, Mexico. Los granos de maiz semicristalinos y cristalinos tuvieron menor contenido de humedad que aquellos del tipo semidentado y dentado los cuales, a su vez, tuvieron los valores mas altos de proteina. Las variedades de maiz de calidad proteinica (QPM) no tuvieron el mayor contenido de proteina. La temperatura de gelatinizacion (determinada por calorimetria diferencial de barrido) estuvo entre 73.4-77.1 °C y la entalpia entre 1.9-4.7 J g-1. Este resultado es importante para el diseno de equipos de cocimiento o tratamientos termicos del grano de maiz, como en la produccion de tortillas.
A Hierarchical Routing Protocol based on Energy Consumption Weight Clustering Scheme for Cognitive Radio Networks

: In order to reduce the network congestion and data forwarding times, a hierarchical routing protocol based on energy consumption weight clustering scheme is proposed. Firstly, the concept of Energy Consumption Weight (ECW) is introduced. Then the clustering problem is modelled as a complete bipartite graph decomposition problem with maximum weights and a greedy clustering scheme based on ECW is presented to minimize the energy consumption of intra-cluster transmission. Subsequently, the Equal Reward Timeslots based Conjectural Multi-Agent Q-Learning (ERT-CMAQL) is applied to optimize routing and resource allocation in inter-cluster communication. Simulation results show that the proposed hierarchical routing scheme outperforms the flat routing protocol in terms of system energy consumption and packet transmission latency, and it effectively reduces the number of nodes involved in operation and decision-making in the multi-agent learning scheme when the size of network is large.