Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Malvaceae in the flora of Egypt 2. Pollen morphology and its taxonomic significance

The pollen grains of 22 species bolonging to 10 genera of Malvaceae which are represented in the flora of Egyptwere studied using light microscope (LM). The pollen grains are spheroidal, relatively large with numerouspores scattered irregularly all over the grain, sculpturing is echinate. Pollen morphological differences werefound useful when combined with other gross morphological characters to distinguish between certain taxa.
The Efficacy of Anti-Inflammatory Medication in Postoperative Cognitive Decline: A Meta-Analysis

Objective: Post-operative cognitive decline is a surgical complication involving chronic impairments in different cognitive domains. Although the exact mechanisms behind postoperative cognitive decline are still unknown, there is increasing evidence for a key role of neuroinflammation. This meta-analysis aims to investigate the efficacy of anti-inflammatory treatment on postoperative cognitive decline. Participants and Methods: An electronic search was performed using PubMed, Psychinfo, EmBase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and clinicaltrial.gov (until November 2019). No year or language restrictions were applied. Only randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled studies that investigated clinical outcome in adult patients who underwent surgery under general anaesthesia (except brain surgery) were included. The search yielded 574 papers, of which nineteen fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Results: The current meta-analysis found a significant effect of different anti-inflammatory agents on the incidence of POCD (OR=0.67, p=0.010). Administration of COX-2 inhibitors (OR=0.31, p<0.0001), ketamine (OR=0.44, p=0.38) and lidocaine (OR=0.79, p=0.33) showed better results than placebo in a meta-analysis of at least two studies. Erythromycin (OR=0.14, p=0.006), erythropoietin (OR=0.15, p=0.07) and dexmedetomidine (OR=0.58, p=0.03) were significant in single studies. No beneficial effects on cognition were found for magnesium, 17β- estradiol, dexamethasone and melatonin. Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis provide evidence for a potential efficacy of anti-inflammatory agents on POCD, but further research is necessary to determine which agents are most appropriate for clinical application.
Greater autism knowledge and contact with autistic people are independently associated with favourable attitudes towards autistic people

Abstract Understanding individual differences in attitudes to autism is crucial for improving attitudes and reducing stigma towards autistic people, yet there is limited and inconsistent research on this topic. This is compounded by a lack of appropriate measures and multivariate analyses. Addressing these issues, using up-to-date measures and multiple linear regression, we examined the relative contributions of participant age, sex, autism knowledge, level of contact with autistic people, and autistic traits to attitudes towards autistic people. We found that greater autism knowledge and higher levels of contact, but no other variables, were uniquely predictive of attitudes towards autistic people. We conclude that, in addition to public awareness campaigns to raise knowledge of autism, it may be important to increase contact between autistic and non-autistic people to improve public attitudes towards autistic people.
A Novel Heavy-Tailed Mixture Distribution Based Robust Kalman Filter for Cooperative Localization

In cooperative localization for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), the practical stochastic noise may be heavy-tailed, and nonstationary distributed because of acoustic speed variation, multipath effect of acoustic channel, and changeable underwater environment. To address such noise, a novel heavy-tailed mixture (HTM) distribution is first proposed in this article, and then expressed as a hierarchical Gaussian form by employing a categorical distributed auxiliary vector. Based on that, a novel HTM distribution based robust Kalman filter is proposed, where the one-step prediction, and measurement likelihood probability density functions are, respectively, modeled as an HTM distribution, and a Normal-Gamma-inverse Wishart distribution. The proposed filter is verified by a lake experiment about cooperative localization for AUVs. Compared with the cutting-edge filter, the proposed filter has been improved by 50.27% in localization error but no more than twice computational time is required.
Simultaneous multi-area recordings suggest a novel hypothesis about how attention improves performance

Visual attention dramatically improves subjects’ ability to see and also modulates the responses of neurons in every known visual and oculomotor area, but whether those modulations can account for perceptual improvements remains unclear. We measured the relationship between populations of visual neurons, oculomotor neurons, and behavior, which was inconsistent with all published hypotheses about how attention improves perception. Our results support the novel hypothesis that attention reshapes the visual representation of attended stimuli to more effectively influence the premotor neurons that guide decisions without explicitly changing the readout or decision process. Our results suggest a path toward understanding the neural underpinnings of perception and cognition in health and disease by analyzing neuronal responses in ways that are constrained by behavior and interactions between brain areas.
Morphological and cytogenetic characterization of new ornamental Passiflora hybrids (P. ‘Vivis’ and P. ‘Jhovi’)

The present study was performed for the morphological and cytogenetic description of F1 hybrids obtained from a cross between Passiflora coccinea Aubl. and Passiflora hatschbachii Cervi. Hybridization was confirmed by genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). Corona banding was the most relevant floral descriptor for separating the hybrids into two groups, the cultivars P. ‘Vivis’ and P. ‘Jhovi’, and the parents and hybrids had diploid chromosome number 2n = 18. The F1 progenies exhibited normal meiotic behavior with normal tetrad production, which guaranteed high pollen viability (>70%) and fertile hybrids. Therefore, P. ‘Vivis’ and P. ‘Jhovi’ have the potential to be used for ornamental plants market.
Consumer attitudes and olive oil acceptance: the traditional consumer

In order to investigate extra virgin olive oil acceptance, preference tests were carried out on two olive oil consumer groups, representative of two different cultures and traditions. The first consumer group consisted of 20 South Italian families from Potenza. The second group consisted of 152 Northern Individual consumers tested in Milan. These tests were carried out on 6 oils (2 Greek, 2 Spanish and 2 Italian) produced during the 1992-93 season. Similar methods were employed in both tests but they were carried out under completely different environmental conditions. For our testing of the 20 families we tried to ensure that the consumption conditions remained as traditional as possible. On the contrary, the test carried out on the 152 consumers was more standardized and allowed a direct comparison between the samples. The responses to preference tests were processed using the PREFMAP statistical method. The preferences of Southern Italian consumers are sharply differentiated: what is considered to be optimal for a consumer may be unacceptable for another one. Whereas the preferences expressed by the consumers of a city in Northern Italy is more homogeneous.Therefore, for both Southern and Northern Italian consumers, the sensory profile of extra virgin olive oil should be programmed and standardized. This allows maximum acceptability to be obtained and consumer expectations to be fulfilled.
Habitat use by an endemic and a non-native gecko: natural habitat provides a last refuge for the Barbados Leaf-Toed gecko

ABSTRACT Island endemic reptiles face many threats that potentially have a negative effect on their conservation status, such as habitat loss, interactions with introduced predators and competitors, and stochastic environmental events. Since confirmation of the continued existence of the Barbados Leaf Toed gecko (Phyllodactylus pulcher) on the island of Barbados, West Indies, efforts have been made to increase ecological knowledge of the gecko in order to inform conservation direction and safeguard this critically endangered endemic species. The present study is the first to determine the microhabitat use of P. pulcher and that of the non-native gecko Hemidactylus mabouia on Barbados, and makes comparison to patterns of displacement of native geckos following Hemidactylus spp. invasions seen elsewhere. Factor Analyses of gecko locations and habitat data collected during night-time surveys indicated a strong non-random selection by P. pulcher for structurally diverse, rock habitat with an abundance of natural crevices. Where H. mabouia is present in natural habitat along the Barbados coast, the species also selected for exposed rocky habitat, albeit to a significantly lesser degree than did P. pulcher. Measures of body condition suggest the non-native gecko is less able to exploit such habitats and that its ability to thrive on Barbados is due to utilisation of a broader niche as befitting a habitat “generalist”, rather than competitive displacement of the native gecko from cliff side habitat. Our findings highlight the importance for protection of the remaining natural cliff side habitat and promotion of biosecurity on Barbados as being key to the survival of P. pulcher.
Assessment of Rail Vibration Transmission from the Ground to the Foundation of a Building

This paper presents the problem of rail transport vibration transmission from the ground to building foundations. Field measurement results of vibration parameters on the ground near buildings and their foundations have been covered in this study. It has been shown that vibrations at the foundation of a building are much smaller than vibrations on the ground. The most intense vibrations on the foundation slab occur in the vertical direction. Comparison with other experimental data on vibration transfer from the ground to buildings structures has been made. The data obtained can be utilized in designing vibration protection measures and to analytically predict vibration effects in buildings. This analysis can be performed after measuring the vibration of rail transport on the ground surface.
RELATIONSHIP OF METEOROLOGICAL VARIABLES AND INOCULATION TECHNIQUES CONDUCIVE FOR LOOSE SMUT OF WHEAT DEVLEOPMENT

Ustilago tritici , a seed borne pathogen, remains dormant in seed embryo and causes loose smut disease. The present study was conducted to evaluate two inoculation methods i.e., dip inoculation and syringe inoculation to find out the better method for efficient and reproducible assessment of disease severity, disease incidence and screening of resistant wheat germplasm. Syringe inoculation was found to be better for the inoculation of heads with higher disease incidence than dip inoculation method. Twenty-seven lines were tested for their resistance against loose smut. Two lines were moderately resistant, nineteen lines susceptible and three lines were highly susceptible. Environmental conditions play an integral role in the development of loose smut disease. The relationship of temperature, humidity and rainfall with loose smut development was studied. An average temperature of 23-27 ° C, relative humidity 60-90% and rainfall 0.02-1 mm rainfall were statistically most conducive for disease development. The correlation of environmental factors significantly influenced the disease development.
Myxomycetes of Coron Island and additions to the Myxomycetes of Palawan group of islands in the Philippines

The main objective of the research reported herein is to present an annotated checklist generated from the first survey of myxomycetes in the limestone forests of Coron Island in the province of Palawan, Philippines. A total of 25 morphotaxa were identified from specimens isolated in the laboratory from samples of ground leaf litter, twigs, and vines (lianas) collected from five sites along the coasts and inland forests of Coron Island. Among the identified taxa one (Badhamia macrocarpa) was a new record for the country, while another was temporarily assigned to the genus Perichaena (Trichiida: Trichiidae) until the proper classification of the specimen could be determined. In addition, the present study brings the updated total number of records of myxomycetes for the Palawan group of islands to 56 morphospecies.
Decomposition of Certain Complete Graphs and Complete Multipartite Graphs into Almost-bipartite Graphs and Bipartite Graphs

In his classical paper [14], Rosa introduced a hierarchical series of labelings called ρ, σ, β and α labeling as a tool to settle Ringel’s Conjecture [13] which states that if T is any tree with m edges then the complete graph K2m+1 can be decomposed into 2m + 1 copies of T . Inspired by the result of Rosa [14] many researchers significantly contributed to the theory of graph decompositions using graph labelings. In this direction, in 2004, Blinco et al. [6] introduced γ-labeling as a stronger version of ρ-labeling. A function g defined on the vertex set of a graph G with n edges is called a γ-labeling if (i) g is a ρ-labeling of G, (ii) G is a tripartite graph with vertex tripartition (A,B,C) with C = {c} and b̄ ∈ B such that {b̄, c} is the unique edge joining an element of B to c, (iii) g(a) < g(v) for every edge {a, v} ∈ E(G) where a ∈ A, (iv) g(c)− g(b̄) = n. Further, Blinco et al. [6] proved a significant result that the complete graph K2cn+1 can be cyclically decomposed into c(2cn + 1) copies of any γ-labeled graph with n edges, where c is any positive integer. Recently, in 2013, Anita Pasotti [4] introduced a generalisation of graceful labeling called d-divisible graceful labeling as a tool to obtain cyclic G-decompositions in complete multipartite graphs. Let G be a graph of size e = d . m. A d-divisible graceful labeling of the graph G is an injective function g : V (G) → {0, 1, 2, . , d(m + 1) − 1} such that {|g(u) − g(v)|/{u, v} ∈ E(G)} = {1, 2, . , d(m+ 1)− 1}\{m+ 1, 2(m+ 1), . , (d− 1)(m+ 1)}. A d-divisible graceful labeling of a bipartite graph G is called as a d-divisible α-labeling of G if the maximum value of one of the two bipartite sets is less than the minimum value of the other one. Further, Anita Pasotti [4] proved a significant result that the complete multipartite graph K( e d +1)×2dc can be cyclically decomposed into copies of d-divisible α-labeled graph G, where e is the size of the graph G and c is any positive integer (K( e d +1)×2dc contains e d + 1 parts each of size 2dc). Motivated by the results of Blinco et al. [6] and Anita Pasotti [4], in this paper we prove the following results. i) For t ≥ 2, disjoint union of t copies of the complete bipartite graph Km,n, where m ≥ 3, n ≥ 4 plus an edge admits γ-labeling. ii) For t ≥ 2, t-levels shadow graph of the path Pdn+1 admits d-divisible α-labeling for any admissible d and n ≥ 1. Further, we discuss related open problems.
Handbook of thermo-optic coefficients of optical materials with applications

Preface. Introduction. Refractive Index: Introduction. Measurement. Dispersion Relations for Refractive Index. Derivation of the Sellmeier Coefficients. Sellmeier Coefficients. Comparison of Refractive Indexes. References. Thermo-Optic Coefficients: Definition. Measurement. Dispersion Relations. Derivation of the Sellmeier Coefficients: Nonlinear Crystals. Other Oxide and Laser Crystals. Halide Crystals/Glasses. Semiconductors. Optical Fiber/Optical Glasses. References. Applications: Nonlinear Optical Laser Devices: Noncritically Phase-Matched Second Harmonic Generations. Noncritical Optical Parametric Oscillators. Sum Frequency Generation. Optical Fiber Communication Systems: Chromatic Dispersion and Zero-Dispersion Wavelength. Thermo-Optic Switch. Optical Fiber Temperature Sensor. Thermo-Optic Modulators. References. Future Technology. Subject Index.
Single-disc investigations on nitrogen removal of higher loads in sequencing batch and continuously operated RDR systems

Nitrification of ammonium-rich synthetic wastewater was studied in a continuously operated rotating disc reactor (RDR) with additional aeration. For a wastewater with 500 mg L -1 NH 4 -N a nearly complete oxidation to nitrate could be demonstrated for a hydraulic residence time of 27 h (HRT). The reactor was nearly completely mixed. Nevertheless, the biofilm covering the first discs was remarkably thicker than that of the last discs. In order to study the bioactivity of selected discs, single-disc reactors were used. The determined ammonium oxidation rate was nearly independent of the thickness and location of the disc. In contrast, the nitrite oxidation rate increased from the first to the last discs. Some results from experiments on nitrogen removal in sequencing batch single-disc reactors (SBSDR) are discussed. The SBSDR was operated with 2 phases, a partially submerged phase for nitrification and a completely submerged anoxic phase in which acetate was added for denitrification. It was advantageous to operate without additional aeration and thus produce more nitrite and saving carbon and energy. First results of the treatment of a synthetic wastewater with a C:N ratio of 1 in a 5-phase SBBR process providing 2 nitrification, 2 anoxic and a final aerobic post-treatment phase showed average specific rates.
Thumb Pain in Physiotherapists Practicing Manual Therapy: Prevalence and Consequences

Background: Injury pertaining to work around thumb area has become a well-recognized issue for physiotherapists who perform diverse manual techniques in the treatment of patients with musculoskeletal disorders. This may result in alteration in implementation of treatment technique, changing in choice of treatment technique, reduction in working hour, reduction in number of patients being treated, quitting the jobs etc as a result of the work-related condition. Hence this problem cannot be ignored. Objective: The main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of thumb pain in Physiotherapists practicing Manual therapy in Delhi-NCR in India and to determine its impact on the work. Methods: Cross sectional survey of 118 Physiotherapists practicing Manual therapy in Hospitals and manual therapy clinics in Delhi-NCR in India was conducted and descriptive data for age, gender, handedness, years of experience, working hours per week, manual therapy techniques used, thumb pain measurement on VAS and its consequences on work were obtained. Results: The prevalence of thumb pain was observed as 38.98% that had following impact on work practice of physiotherapists: 32.61% changed the implementation of their treatment techniques, 32.61% changed the choice of their treatment techniques, 15.22% decreased their number of patients for treatment in daily routine, 10.87% reduced their working hours and 8.70% decreased the use of manual technique. Conclusions: In this study, incidence of thumb pain was low (38.98%) in Physiotherapists who practice manual therapy and the most important consequence was change in choices and implementation of treatment technique.
To seek one's fortune: Labour migrants from the Western Balkans in Norwegian hospitality industry

The hospitality industry is known for the large fluctuation of labour. The subject of this study is hospitality workers from the countries of the Western Balkans who are currently employed in the catering business (cooks, chefs) in a Scandinavian country Norway. The task was to investigate the reasons for their coming to the northern regions, as well as the experience and knowledge gained while working in their restaurant facilities. The aim of the paper was to obtain information on the reasons for the selection of these sites, differences in work and experiences, as well as future plans. The results showed that there is a considerable satisfaction with the work in the Scandinavian countries. The key item in easy adjustment and destination selection is played by living standards i.e. income, which is the focus of the interest of migrant workers from the Western Balkan countries.
The high rate of Candida parapsilosis candidemia among non-burn patients with polytrauma in the surgical intensive care units of a university hospital

Aim: Candidemia is a life-threatening infection that has been reported to be associated with poorer outcomes in trauma patients. The present study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of candidemia in non-burn patients with polytrauma. Material and Methods: We conducted a retrospective, single-center, observational study of polytrauma patients with candidemia admitted to the surgical intensive care units of a university hospital in Turkey between 2013 and 2017 on. Results: The incidence of candidemia was 127 episodes per 1000 intensive care unit admissions in polytrauma patients. Nonalbicans Candida species accounted for 75.5% of all candidemia episodes. C. parapsilosis (51.05%) was the predominant species, followed by C. albicans (24.52%) and C. tropicalis (12.21%). The highest crude mortality rate (72%) was observed in patients with C. parapsilosis candidemia. In multivariate analyses, who had undergone prior gastrointestinal surgery were 7.1 times more likely to have C. parapsilosis candidemia than those with other strains. Conclusion: Our study, remarkable, demonstrated a high incidence of Candidemia had in polytrauma patients, and non-albicans Candida species were the most frequently isolated candida species. According to our study findings, a prior history of gastrointestinal surgery may help predict C. parapsilosis, as the causative agent of candidemia in polytrauma patients. However, since our study was observational and limited to such a small number of patients, the results obtained should be applied with caution.
Effects of Biochar on Irrigation Management and Water Use Efficiency for Three Different Crops in a Desert Sandy Soil

This paper aimed at investigating if the application of biochar (BC) to desert sand (DS) from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), characterized by a very poor soil-water retention (SWR) and by a very low value of the maximum water available for crops (AWmax), could positively affect soil water balance, by reducing the irrigation needs (VIRR) and improving the irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) and the water use efficiency (WUE). The analysis was performed for three crops, i.e., wheat (Triticum aestivum), sorghum (Sorghum vulgare) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). BC was applied to the DS at different fractions, fBC (fBC = 0, 0.091, 0.23 and 0.33). Drip irrigation was adopted as a highly efficient water saving method, which is particularly relevant in arid, water-scarce countries. Soil water balance and irrigation scheduling were simulated by application of the AQUACROP model, using as input the SWR measured without and with BC addition. The effect of BC was investigated under either a no-water stress (NWS) condition for the crops or deficit irrigation (DI). The results showed that the application of BC made it possible to reduce the predicted VIRR and to increase the IWUE under the NWS scenario, especially for wheat and sorghum, with less evident benefits for tomato. When a deficit irrigation (DI) was considered, even at the lowest considered fBC (0.091), BC counterbalanced the lower VIRR provided under DI, thus mitigating the yield reduction due to water stress, and improved the WUE. The influence of BC was more pronounced in wheat and tomato than in sorghum. The results evidenced that the application of BC could be a potential strategy for saving irrigation water and/or reducing the effects of drought stress in desert sand. This means that biochar could be used a management option to promote local production and reduce the dependency on food import, not only in the UAE, but also in other countries with extremely arid climatic conditions and large extensions of sandy soils similar to the considered DS.