Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Mysterious Ring in Dark Space?

We report the discovery of a low-surface-brightness (27.42 mag arcsec−2 in g band) nebula, which has a ring-like shape in the Beijing–Arizona Sky Survey (BASS). Positive detections have been found in multiband data from far-ultraviolet to far-infrared, except the z band from BASS and W1, W2 from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. The reddening of the nebula E(B − V) ∼ 0.02 mag is estimated from Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) 100 μm intensity and H i column density. With the help of the 3D reddening map from Pan-STARRS 1, the Two Micron All Sky Survey, and Gaia, the distance to the nebula of about 500 pc from Earth is derived. Such a low-surface-brightness nebula whose energy can be interpreted by the diffuse Galactic light could account for the optical counterpart of the infrared cirrus, which was detected by IRAS more than 30 yr ago. The ring-like structure might be the ultimate phase of an evolved planetary nebula, while the central white dwarf star has been ejected from the nebula for an unclear reason. On the other hand, the ring structure being a superposition of two close filaments might be another reasonable explanation. Considering the lack of spectroscopic data and uncertainty in the distance measurement, these interpretations need to be checked by future observations.
THE CROWDING-OUT EFFECT OF FISCAL POLICY ON CAPITAL INFLOWS IN NIGERIA

The study investigated the effect of fiscal policy on crowding out capital inflows in Nigeria using annual data between 1970 and 2011 by using the foreign direct investment (FDI) as proxy to capital inflows represent the dependent variable, budget deficit (BD), foreign borrowing (FL) and domestic borrowing (DL) as proxies to fiscal policy are placed as explanatory variables. Cointegration and ECM technique were employed. Our finding showed that in both the short and long run, BD does not crowd out but rather crowd in FDI. In the short run, DL averagely has significant positive impact on FDI. However, in the long run, DL has significant negative impact on FDI. More so, in both short run and long run period, FL has significant negative impact on FDI, therefore, FL crowds out FDI. The speed of adjustment back to equilibrium showed that the explanatory variables have capacity to adjust FDI significantly. The study recommends that the government could try to be aware of the implication of its fiscal policy in running a budget deficit and making proper decision in sourcing for funds to finance the deficit. Foreign borrowing is less expensive in financing budget deficit, so if the government must borrow, it should give preference to this source. Generally, the government should reduce deficit because of the implications inherent in it.
Implications of the use of sorghum in broiler production

This study aimed at evaluating total or partial replacement of corn by sorghum in broiler diets and at estimating the effect of the pigment supplementation on broiler performance, carcass and cuts yield, and possible breast and leg pigmentation. We used 1680 one-d-old Ross® 308 broilers. Birds were sexed and distributed according to a completely randomized design (2 x 3 + 1). Treatments consisted of a control diet based on corn and diets with two levels corn replacement by sorghum (50 and 100%) and three pigments levels, with four replicates of 60 birds per treatment. There was no effect (p > 0.05) of the dietary replacement of corn by sorghum on performance, carcass and parts yield, and no changes in breast and leg meat pH (p >0.05). Meat redness (a*), yellowness (b*) and luminosity (L*) increased (p < 0.05) as pigment inclusion levels increased. It was concluded that the use of sorghum instead of corn did not affect broiler performance or carcass and cuts yield. When adequate pigments were used, meat color significantly improved.
Prediction of saturated hydraulic conductivity of compacted soils using empirical scaling factors

A new empirical-based scaling method is introduced to predict saturated hydraulic conductivity (K s ) of compacted soils. This method is an improvement of the former non-similar media concept (NSMC) model that is generalized for tilled and untilled conditions. In this method, geometric mean particle size diameter (dg ), geometric standard deviation (σ g ) and saturated soil water content (total porosity) are successfully incorporated in the empirical-based scaling factor of K s . Results showed that the scaled model overestimated K s by ∼18%, whereas the NSMC model underestimated K s by ∼21%. However, the scaled model based on the similar media concept (SMC) failed to predict K s . Because of the complexity and high uncertainty in determining the shape factor parameter in the NSMC model, it is suggested that the new scaled model might be used reliably in practical cases to predict K s in the various layers of compacted soils irrespective of the tillage condition. Further assessment of the new scaling model in other areas, in which new collected data are available, is recommended.
Causality and Dynamic Relationships between Exchange Rate and Stock Market Indices in BRICS Countries: Panel/GMM and ARDL Analyses

Purpose This paper aims to investigate simultaneously the causality and the dynamic links between exchange rates and stock market indices. It attempts to identify the short- and long-term effect of the US dollar on major stock market indices of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South-Africa (BRICS) nations. Design/methodology/approach This paper applies a new methodology combining the panel generalized method of moments model and the panel auto-regressive distributed lag (ARDL) method to investigate the existence of a causal short-/long-run relationships and dynamic dependence among all stock market returns and exchanges rates changes of BRICS countries. Findings Results show that exchange rate changes have a significant effect on the past and the current volatility of the BRICS stock indices. Besides, ARDL estimations reveal that exchange rate movements have a significant effect on short- and long-term stocks market indices of all BRICS countries Originality/value The findings have implications for policymakers and market participants who try to manage the exchange rate will have a different dose of intervention if they know that the effects of currency depreciation are different than appreciation. These results have important implications that investors should take into account in frequency-varying exchange rates and stock returns and regulators should consider developing sound policy measures to prevent financial risk.
Digital Pathways, Pandemic Trajectories. Using Google Trends to Track Social Responses to COVID-19

We already know which countries have controlled the spread of COVID-19 better and what “good practices” have enabled them to do so. Eventually, some of these policies could be replicated in other countries. But it is not enough to make a well-informed public intervention. We also need quickly available indicators of how actively populations are responding to the virus threat because current changes in social behaviour could mean significant differences in the spread of the COVID-19 in two weeks (after the incubation period). In this article, Pablo Beytía Reyes and Carlos Cruz Infante explore the potential of Google Trends to quickly track social responses to the pandemic. In all the countries that have reached a downward changepoint in the COVID-19 contagion, an “information saturation peak” preceded it: people were massively searching for information on the subject over 2 to 5 days, and about a week after the peak of searches was reached, a decline in the growth trend of coronavirus confirmed cases could be observed. Does it make sense to associate a Google search boom with a decrease in transmission trends? The authors propose that the frequency of searches is a quick indicator of 1) people’ concerns on the virus, 2) the development of a more informed citizenry on how to avoid transmission and 3) active social response to the virus spread, which generally lead to a downward change in the contagion trend.
Mediatización de las epidemias: la cobertura sobre la pandemia de la gripe A (H1N1) de 2009 en Argentina, Estados Unidos y Venezuela

espanolEn este articulo se explora la mediatizacion de las epidemias como objeto de conocimiento publico, mediante un analisis de contenido de las noticias sobre la gripe A (H1N1) de 2009 en Argentina, Estados Unidos y Venezuela. Los resultados indican que los periodicos siguieron los esfuerzos de las autoridades sanitarias de movilizar la atencion publica y, simultaneamente, contener la alarma exagerada y los discursos sobre el virus. EnglishThis article explores the mediatization of epidemics as object of public discourse through content analysis of news coverage of the A (H1N1) influenza pandemic of 2009 in Argentina, the United States and Venezuela. The results indicate that newspapers followed efforts by public health authorities to create public engagement and, simultaneously, to contain a sense of alarm and control discourse about the pandemic.
Helmintofauna de cavalas, Scomber japonicus Houtt, do Rio de Janeiro

There were identified twelve species of helminths from fifty "Spanish Mackerel", Scomber japonicus Houtt, in Rio de Janeiro; Kuhnia scombri (Kuhn, 1829), and Grubea cochlear (Diesing, 1859) (Monogenea); Opechona orientalis (Layman, 1930), Lecithocladium harpodontis Srivastava, 1942 e Nematobothrium scombri (Taschengerg, 1879) (Digenea); plerocercus of Trypanorhyncha, Scolex pleuronectis Muller, 1788 and Rhinebothrium sp. (Cestoda); Bolbosoma sp. (Acanthocephala) and larval Anisakidae (Nematoda), types Raphidascaris, Phocanema, Contracaecum and Anisakis I. Larval Phillobothriid, following species are referred in Brazil for the first time: Grubea cochlear, Kuhnia scombri, Nematobothrium scombri and Opechona orientalis.
Phylogenetic Relationships of the Decumbentes Group of Paspalum, Thrasya, and Thrasyopsis (Poaceae: Panicoideae: Paniceae)

Paspalum (Poaceae: Panicoideae: Paniceae) includes 330 species distributed mainly in tropical and subtropical regions of America. Due to the large number of species and convergence in many characters, an adequate infrageneric classification is still needed. Studies on Paniceae based on molecular and morphological data have suggested that Paspalum is paraphyletic, including the genus Thrasya, but none of these analyses have included a representative sample of these two genera. In this study, phylogenetic relationships among the informal group Decumbentes of Paspalum, plus subgenera and other informal groups, and the genera Thrasya and Thrasyopsis were estimated. A cladistic analysis under parsimony was performed using a matrix of 50 taxa and 77 morphological and anatomical characters. Different analytical parameters were explored, equally weighing characters and employing implied weights by varying the concavity constant, k, from I to 12. Almost all analyses showed that species of the Decumbentes group and Thrasya form a natural group, supported by the presence of axillary peduncles in the upper foliar sheath, the upper glume slightly shorter than the spikelet, margins of the lower lemma plicate on the upper anthecium, and the upper anthecium without simple papillae. The position of Thrasyopsis is not clear because it varies within the different analyses. The most important clades are discussed as well as diagnostic characters usually employed to distinguish the genera.
Genetic Variation at the Human MGMT Locus and its Biological Consequences

O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (MGMT) repairs DNA adducts that result from alkylation at the O6 position of guanine. These lesions are mutagenic and toxic and can be produced by a variety of agents ranging from carcinogens present in cigarette smoke to drugs used in cancer chemotherapy. There is a considerable amount of interindividual variation of MGMT activity and recent work has uncovered a series of polymorphisms that affect protein activity or are associated with differences in expression levels. On the other hand, current evidence for an association with cancer risk is tenuous: while some studies find such associations, others fail to support them. However, all published studies are based on small sample numbers. Not yet addressed are issues such as the relationship between sequence variation and the extent of the side effects of chemotherapy with O6-alkylating agents. This review summarises the current state of knowledge in these areas.
Histological Changes in Liver Tissue Resulting from Hydatid Cyst Infection: Comparison between Sheep and Cattle in Iraq

Hydatidosis is one of the most common parasitic zoonosis diseases not only in Iraq but throughout the world. Liver infected with hydatid cysts were randomly collected from 15 sheep and 18 cows of different ages and sexes during the period extended from September 2018 to December 2018. This study was aimed to provide insight on the histological changes of liver associated with E. granulosus and to compare the changes of liver tissue between sheep and cattle. Samples were collected from private (individual) butchers’ places at Diyala province in Iraq. Livers had been transferred to Zoology Laboratory in Department of Biology in College of Education for Pure Sciences in Diyala University. Specimens from infected livers were immediately taken and fixed in 10 % formalin. Then the routine histological sections were done. The results showed that there were many histological changes resulting from infection with hydatid cysts infection including infiltration of inflammatory cells, necrosis, degeneration of liver tissue, fibrosis, fibrosis around portal veins, congestion of portal vein, increase in bile duct numbers, maladjustment of hepatic cords. A comparison between the histological changes of sheep and cattle showed the same histological changes, with a difference in the severity of these changes as they were more severe and developed in the livers of cattle than in sheep.
Evaluation of Bottom Sediment Qualities in Ihetutu Minefield, Ishiagu, Nigeria

Bottom sediment qualities in Ihetutu minefield were assessed to ascertain the impact of Pb-Zn mining activities on the sediments from streams, rivers and ponds in the area. Levels of Cu, Zn, Fe, Ni, Mn, Pb, Cd and Cr and some physico-chemical parameters were measured in bottom sediments taken from four sampling stations (streams/mine pits) within Ihetutu minefield of Ishiagu which receives discharges from mining and human activities, and a control sampling station in Uturu (about 12 km away from study area). The study was conducted in four seasons (Rainy, Late Rainy, Dry, and Late Dry Seasons). Sample digestion was done with a temperature adjustable block digester. Heavy metal analysis was carried out with Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (FAAS) while other physico-chemical parameters were determined with standard field and laboratory procedures. Ranges of mean values of results obtained were; pH = 5.81 - 6.44, EC = 269.00 - 1545.00 μS/cm, Cl− = 43.30 - 112.33 mg/kg, alkalinity = 0.70 - 1.25 mg/kg, NO3- = 5.90 - 7.90 mg/kg, TOC = 0.81 - 1.75 mg/kg, TOM = 1.40 - 3.02 mg/kg, Cu = 4.74 - 50.93 mg/kg, Zn = 26.78 - 57.07 mg/kg, Fe = 1066.19 - 1764.05 mg/kg, Mn = 36.66 - 42.96 mg/kg, Ni = 4.02 - 17.19 mg/kg, Pb = 38.01 - 162.23 mg/kg, Cd = 1.01 - 25.90 mg/kg, and Cr = 1.23 - 1.62 mg/kg. Assessment of heavy metals pollution, using pollution indices revealed that Contamination factor ranged from moderate to very high degree of contamination while Pollution load index also showed a deterioration of bottom sediment qualities. Geoaccummulation index indicated moderate to very high pollution, especially with Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd in the mine pit, while Enrichment factor indicated high enrichments and inputs from anthropogenic sources especially, the Pb-Zn mining activities. Pollution of the area by heavy metals was in the order of Fe > Pb > Zn > Mn > Cu > Ni > Cd > Cr. Highest positive correlation (r = 0.992) was between Pb and Cu while the highest negative correlation (r = 𕒴.789) was between Ni and Mn. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) at significance level, α = 0.05, showed no statistically significant differences in the sampling stations (p > 0.05). Compared to background (control), DPR and other standard guidelines/values, bottom sediments from Ihetutu minefield were highly polluted with Pb, Zn and Cu especially at the mine site. The overall results from the study revealed that toxic substances released from the prolonged Pb-Zn mining activities in the study area have impacted negatively on the bottom sediments, thereby also possibly deteriorating the quality of lives of the bottom sediments dwelling organisms in the streams, rivers, and pits/ponds in the area.
Changes in wolf spider (Araneae) assemblages across woodland–pasture boundaries in the central wheat‐belt of New South Wales, Australia

The abundance of wolf spiders (Lycosidae) was measured across woodland-pasture boundaries in the wheat-belt of New South Wales, Australia, to determine the nature and magnitude of any edge effect. Spiders were collected by spotlighting along sample plots in woodlands located at distances of 5, 20, 35 and 200 m from the edge, and along sample plots in paddocks located at distances of 5 and 20 m from the edge. The wolf spider assemblage changed significantly across the edge, but the difference could be accounted for only by a change between the woodland and the paddock and not by any changes within the woodland at different distances from the edge. Ground cover (wolf spider microhabitat) changed significantly between the paddock and the woodland, but there were no consistent differences in microhabitat with distance from edge within either paddocks or woodlands. There was a significant correlation between an ordination of sites based on spider species abundance and an ordination based on microhabitat variables, suggesting that the wolf spider assemblage was responding to differences in microhabitat. Fine-scale selection of microhabitat by most wolf spider species was non-random, with most species preferring locations with grass cover, rather than more open locations. The present study indicates that wolf spiders are mostly unaffected by edge conditions at the woodland-paddock boundary. Accordingly, small and/or linear remnants with high edge-to-area ratios may constitute suitable faunal habitat for wolf spiders and perhaps other terrestrial arthropod species, despite the fact that this configuration is unsuitable for many vertebrate species.
Basic psychological needs and subjective well-being in Portuguese older people

El objetivo de este estudio es la validación de la versión en portugués de la Escala General de Satisfacción de Necesidades Básicas (BNSG-S: Sousa, Pais Ribeiro, Palmeira, Teixeira, y Silva, 2012) en una muestra de personas mayores portuguesas, y analizarlas mediante ecuaciones estructurales modelar el efecto de la percepción global de los ancianos portugueses sobre la satisfacción de las necesidades psicológicas básicas en el bienestar subjetivo. En este estudio se recorreou dos muestras de ancianos portugueses de entre 60 y 90 años de edad. Los resultados revelan que solo el Modelo 3 del BNSG-S (3 factores, 11 ítems) mostró buenos resultados de ajuste a los datos (χ² = 103,16, df = 41, SRMR = .05, TLI = .90, CFI = .93, RMSEA = .07, 90% CI = .05-.08). En la segunda parte del estudio, verificamos que la satisfacción de las necesidades psicológicas básicas tiene un efecto positivo en el bienestar subjetivo en los ancianos portugueses. En presencia de esta evidencia, llegamos a la conclusión de que la versión portuguesa del BNSG-S puede utilizarse como un medio para evaluar la satisfacción de las necesidades psicológicas básicas de la población de mayor edad y su satisfacción tiene un efecto positivo sobre el bienestar subjetivo en La población portuguesa de más edad. This study’s goal is the validation of the Portuguese version of the Basic Need Satisfaction General Scale (BNSG-S: Sousa, Pais Ribeiro, Palmeira, Teixeira, & Silva, 2012) in a sample of Portuguese older people, and analyze through a structural equations model the effect of the Portuguese elderly individuals’ global perception about the satisfaction of basic psychological needs on subjective well-being. Two samples of Portuguese elderly people aged between 60 and 90 years old were considered in this study. The results reveal that only Model 3 of the BNSG-S (3 factors, 11 items) showed good results of adjustment to the data (χ²=103,16, df=41, SRMR=.05, TLI=.90, CFI=.93, RMSEA=.07, 90% CI=.05-.08). In the second part of the study, we verified that satisfaction of basic psychological needs has a positive effect on subjective well-being in Portuguese elderly people. In the presence of this evidence, we concluded that the Portuguese version of the BNSG-S can be used as a means to evaluate the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs of the older population and their satisfaction has a positive effect on subjective well-being in the Portuguese older population.
Conversion factors as determined by relative macroinvertebrate sampling efficiencies of four common benthic grab samplers

Collection efficiencies of benthic grab samplers vary depending on the type of substrate sampled and the organism targeted. When benthic invertebrate samples obtained with two or more sampling devices are compared, it is necessary to understand the relative efficiency of each sampler and, if appropriate, apply conversion factors to the data obtained from one or more of the samplers. We used data from field trials to generate substrate- and taxon-specific conversion factors for four common benthic grabs (Shipek, petite Ponar, standard Ekman, and large Ekman). The Shipek grab collected fewer benthic invertebrates per square meters than the other samplers in silt and sand substrates. The large Ekman collected more benthic invertebrates per square meters than other samplers in silt substrate but performed poorly in sand substrate. The petite Ponar and standard Ekman showed similar performance in silt and sand substrates. The wide range of conversion factors generated from our field trials demonstrates the importance of using substrate- and taxon-specific factors when comparing samples collected with different devices.