Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detrimental effects of larval blow flies (Protocalliphora azurea) on nestlings and breeding success of Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus)

The effect of bloodsucking parasitic larvae of the blow fly Protocalliphora azurea (Fallen, 1817) (Diptera) on Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus (L., 1758), breeding success was studied in populations breeding in nest boxes in southwestern Slovakia. Out of 52 examined nests only seven broods (13%) were unparasitized. The mean number of larvae per parasitized nest was 22.6 and the total number of parasites per nest ranged from 1 to 80. Large numbers of blow fly larvae and pupae significantly influenced nestling survival and fledging success. In broods with parasite load per chick higher than nine, at least one nestling died. To record the effects of parasites on the body size of nestlings of different ages, nestlings were measured on days 5, 10, and 13 post hatch. First and second broods were analysed separately. A significant negative effect of parasite load per nestling on the body mass, wing length, tarsal length, and tail length of nestlings was found in the second broods only in the 10- and 13-day-old chi.
Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Service Industries: A Conceptual Model and Research Propositions

The purpose of competitive strategy is to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) and thereby enhance a business's performance. The authors focus on the distinctive organizational skills and resources underlying SCA in service industries and the moderating effects of the characteristics of services, service industries, and firms within an industry on the skills and resources underlying a business's competitive positional advantages. The proposed conceptual model of SCA in service industries and propositions builds on relevant literature in the fields of marketing, strategic management, and industrial organization economics.
Parallel evolution? Microsatellite variation of recently isolated marine and freshwater three‐spined stickleback

Variation at nine microsatellite loci, four of which are linked to phenotypic traits (spine length and lateral plate morphology) in Canadian three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus, are used to test for selection on marine and freshwater three-spined stickleback morphs in Iceland. There are indications of strong selection on loci linked to dorsal spine length, providing another potential example of parallel divergence at the genomic level in three-spined stickleback.
Drag reduction on hydrophobic transverse grooved surface by underwater gas formed naturally

Low fluid friction is difficult to obtain on super-hydrophobic surfaces for a large flow velocity, because the entrapped gas within the surface is weakened substantially. Once the gas removed, the friction of the fluid increases markedly due to its own surface roughness. In this study, a hydrophobic transverse microgrooved surface is designed to sustain the air pockets in the valleys for a long time. Direct optical measurements are conducted to observe the entrapped gas when water flows past the surface in the perpendicular direction of grating patterns. More importantly, this hydrophobic transverse micro-grooved surface has been determined to have the capability of automatic formation of gas. Some of the gas is continually carried away from the surface and new gas is continually generated to substitute the lost gas. And the stable slippages at the surface are achieved corresponding to the relative stable gas on this designed surface.
A REDESCRIPTION OF PORRHOMMA CAVERNICOLA KEYSERLING (ARANEAE, LINYPHIIDAE) WITH NOTES ON APPALACHIAN TROGLOBITES

Abstract The Appalachian troglobite Porrhomma cavernicola (Keyserling 1886) is redescribed. Porrhomma emertoni Roewer 1942 is a junior synonym (new synonymy). An unusual stridulatory organ with the plectrum on trochanter II and the striae on coxa I is found in both sexes of this species. Porrhomma cavernicola is widespread in Appalachian caves. By contrast, Appalachian Nesticus (Nesticidae) troglobites tend to be highly endemic. This despite the fact that both groups of spiders are web-builders that may be found in the same caves. Porrhomma cavernicola is added to a previous phylogenetic analysis of linyphiid spiders. Implications of this analysis for the phylogenetic structure of linyphiid spiders is discussed.
Effect of ginkgolides on β‐amyloid‐suppressed acetylocholine release from rat hippocampal slices

As Ginkgo has been shown to improve age‐related memory deﬁcits and β‐amyloid‐related peptides have been suggested to play a signiﬁcant role in memory degeneration in Alzheimer's disease, the present study was carried out to examine the effect of two major ginkgolides, A and B, on β‐amyloid peptide‐modulated acetylcholine (ACh) release from hippocampal brain slices. Addition of β‐amyloid fragment25–35 (0.01–1 µM) in the superfusion medium suppressed the K+‐evoked [3H]‐ACh release from the rat hippocampal slices in a concentration‐related manner; a 40% reduction in ACh outﬂow was observed with the highest amyloid concentration used (1 µM). Inclusion of ginkgolide B (GKB, 0.01–10 µM) caused a concentration‐related reversion of the inhibitory effect elicited by the effective concentration of β‐amyloid (1 µM). The reversal of the β‐amyloid‐inhibited ACh release by GKB (1 µM) was not blocked by tetrodotoxin (1 µM) indicating a direct interaction of GKB on the cholinergic nerve terminals. In contrast, addition of the same concentration range of ginkgolide A (GKA, 0.01–10 µM) had no effect on β‐amyloid‐inhibited ACh release. These results suggest that GKB may elicit its anti‐amnesic effect by minimizing the inhibitory effect of β‐amyloid peptides on cholinergic transmission. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gazing Without Eyes: A “Stare-in-the-Crowd” Effect Induced by Simple Geometric Shapes

Of the many effects that eye contact has, perhaps the most powerful is the stare-in-the-crowd effect, wherein faces are detected more readily when they look directly toward you. This is commonly attributed to others’ eyes being especially salient visual stimuli, but here we ask whether stares-in-the-crowd might arise instead from a deeper property that the eyes (but not only the eyes) signify: the direction of others’ attention and intentions. In fact, even simple geometric shapes can be seen as intentional, as when numerous randomly scattered cones are all consistently pointing at you. Accordingly, we show here that cones directed at the observer are detected faster (in fields of averted cones) than are cones averted away from the observer (in fields of directed cones). These results suggest that perceived intentionality itself captures attention—and that even in the absence of eyes, others’ directed attention stands out in a crowd.
Secretory Structures and Localization of Alkaloids inConium maculatumL. (Apiaceae)

Abstract In this paper histochemical investigations of the secretory structures ofConium maculatumL. , are described that discriminated between ducts and vittae. The localization of alkaloids in seedlings, vegetative organs, flowers, and in the mericarp (during its development from ovary to full maturity), was achieved using specific histochemical tests.
A comparison of skeletal muscle protein bands in Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas, 1771) and Pelophylax caralitanus (Arıkan, 1988) populations in Turkey using SDS-PAGE

In this study, skeletal muscle protein bands of Pelophylax ridibundus specimens from 31 populations inhabiting all geographic regions of Turkey and Pelophylax caralitanus specimens from the Isparta (Lake Egirdir) population were compared using sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). In total, 270 adult (134 females, 136 males) P. ridibundus specimens and 12 adult (5 females, 7 males) P. caralitanus specimens were used in SDS-PAGE characterization. The first group (31 different populations of P. ridibundus) had 27 homologous protein bands whereas the second group (1 population of P. caralitanus from Lake Egirdir) had 28 bands. It was shown that the second group had one additional and unique band. The results of the present study show that specimens of the P. ridibundus and P. caralitanus populations in Turkey are different in terms of the total number of skeletal muscle protein bands.
Why Are Some Salespeople Better at Adapting to Organizational Change?

This study empirically examines the longitudinal influences of salesperson goal orientations on performance trajectories during a planned change intervention that requires learning to answer two questions. First, what is the functional form of salespeople's performance trajectories during a period of change implementation? Second, why are some salespeople better at adapting to change than others? Polynomial growth models show that the average salesperson performance trajectory displays an initial decline, gradual recovery, and eventual restabilization. Salesperson learning orientation is related positively to larger initial declines, steeper recovery slopes, and higher restabilization levels. In contrast, performance orientation is related positively to smaller initial declines, but shallower recovery slopes and lower restabilization levels. The results suggest that successful implementation of planned change interventions largely depends on identifying and appreciating the heterogeneity of individual traits that share meaning with the change. The study has implications on what sales managers should expect in terms of performance losses and gains during change and how managers can predict which salespeople will reap the largest performance benefits from a change intervention.
Product Innovations, Advertising, and Stock Returns

Under increased scrutiny from top management and shareholders, marketing managers feel the need to measure and communicate the impact of their actions on shareholder returns. In particular, how do customer value creation (through product innovation) and customer value communication (through marketing investments) affect stock returns? This article examines, conceptually and empirically, how product innovations and marketing investments for such product innovations lift stock returns by improving the outlook on future cash flows. The authors address these questions with a large-scale econometric analysis of product innovation and associated marketing mix in the automobile industry. They find that adding such marketing actions to the established finance benchmark model greatly improves the explained variance in stock returns. In particular, investors react favorably to companies that launch pioneering innovations, that have higher perceived quality, that are backed by substantial advertising support, and that are in large and growing categories. Finally, the authors quantify and compare the stock return benefits of several managerial control variables. The results highlight the stock market benefits of pioneering innovations. Compared with minor updates, pioneering innovations have an impact on stock returns that is seven times greater, and their advertising support is nine times more effective as well. Perceived quality of the new car introduction improves the firm's stock returns, but customer liking does not have a statistically significant effect. Promotional incentives have a negative effect on stock returns, indicating that price promotions may be interpreted as a signal of demand weakness. Managers can combine these return estimates with internal data on project costs to help decide the appropriate mix of product innovation and marketing investment.
The Mirandea Clade (Acanthaceae, Justicieae, Tetramerium Lineage): Phylogenetic Signal from Molecular Data and Micromorphology Makes Sense of Taxonomic Confusion Caused by Remarkable Diversity of Floral form

Abstract The Mirandea clade (Acanthaceae) is part of the Tetramerium lineage (Acanthaceae: Justicieae). Traditionally, macromorphological floral traits such as floral form and color have guided taxonomy in the Tetramerium lineage but earlier results on this group indicate that these traits are highly homoplastic. The present study includes all described species and multiple samples of Hoverdenia, Mirandea, and Yeatesia to fully delimit the Mirandea clade, test monophyly of species, and determine relationships among them using DNA sequence data from five regions (nuclear: nrITS and ncpGS; cp: trnS—G, ndhF—trnL(UAG), and trnT-L). The Mirandea clade is here shown to include seven species currently placed in four genera: Mirandea, Hoverdenia, Yeatesia, and Justicia. The lineage is edaphically and geographically cohesive, occurring along the Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico and southern Texas in xeric habitats, except for one species that inhabits a broad geographical region of the southeastern U. S. A. in mesic habitats. We present micromorphological data from seeds and pollen and discuss the evolution of these traits, as well as other floral traits. These results support the heterodox idea that micromorphological traits of seed testa and pollen exine, morphologies that are not found among other clades of the Tetramerium lineage, are phylogenetically informative among members of the Mirandea clade whereas floral traits are not. Plants in this clade exhibit remarkable interspecific variation in both floral form and color, suggesting divergent evolution in conjunction with pollination syndrome. Taxonomic implications of these results are discussed.
Design and Optimize of a Novel Segmented Soft Pneumatic Actuator

This article proposes a novel soft pneumatic actuator inspired by the segmented structure of earthworms. The actuator adopts a new structure of free bottom to eliminate the constraint of the bottom and enlarge the bending capacity of the actuator. Through simulation, it is found that the new actuator improves the bending angle by 20% and output force by 40% compared with traditional actuator. Moreover, key parameters of the actuator are analyzed to acquire their effect on bending angle and bending linearity. A guideline for the design and optimization of the actuator is proposed. To validate the simulation results, we build up a test platform to test bending angle and output force of the actuators, the results shows that errors between the simulation and the test remained in the limit of about 10%. Finally, a three-jaw soft gripper is fabricated and its grasping strategy is studied. The quantitative analysis shows its excellent adaptability and load capacity.
Fuzzy Logic-Based Adaptive Point Cloud Video Streaming

Point cloud video provides 6 degrees of freedom (6DoF) viewing experiences to allow users to freely select the viewing angles of 3D scenes and is expected to be the next-generation video. This paper studies the point cloud video streaming and proposes a fuzzy logic-based point cloud video streaming scheme to solve the inherent technical issues. In particular, a point cloud video is first partitioned into smaller tiles, along with a low-quality base layer covering the entire video. Each tile is encoded into different quality levels, and both the compressed and uncompressed (i.e., decoded) versions of each tile are prepared for selection. Then, based on the user's viewing angle and predicted future network bandwidth condition, fuzzy logic empowered quality level selection, with properly defined novel fuzzification, fuzzy rules, and defuzzification, is conducted to maximize the received point cloud video quality under the communication resource, computational resource and quality requirements constraints. Extensive simulations based on real point cloud video sequences and network traces are conducted, and the results reveal the superiority of the proposed scheme over the baseline scheme. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work studying point cloud video streaming using fuzzy logic.
Diallel among soybean genotypes with high oil content and resistance to sudden death syndrome

The objective of this work was to use a partial dia llel to evaluate the combining ability of 14 soybea n genotypes and recommend superior combinations. Seven of the genot ypes had high oil yield; other seven exhibited tole rance to sudden death syndrome and they generated 49 hybrids in a diallel cross without reciprocals. F 2 plants of each cross and the parents were evaluated for the following tr aits: number of days to maturity (NDM), oil content in the seeds (OC), grain yield (GY) and oil yield (OY). The resu lts indicated the existence of genetic variability in the parents and progeny for all the traits. The rank of the par ents based on the means was similar to the rank bas ed on general combining ability (GCA) for all the traits. The spe cific combining ability (SCA) and the GCA were sign ificant for all the traits, with a predominance of additive effects . The parent with the highest GCA and mean for OC w as the cultivar A 7002; on the other hand, the lowest valu es were found in PI 520733 and IAC 100. The crosses with the highest oil yields were those involving parent A 70 02, except when it was crossed with IAC 100.
Word of Mouth for Movies: Its Dynamics and Impact on Box Office Revenue

This article uses actual word-of-mouth (WOM) information to examine the dynamic patterns of WOM and how it helps explain box office revenue. The WOM data were collected from the Yahoo Movies Web site. The results show that WOM activities are the most active during a movie's prerelease and opening week and that movie audiences tend to hold relatively high expectations before release but become more critical in the opening week. More important, WOM information offers significant explanatory power for both aggregate and weekly box office revenue, especially in the early weeks after a movie opens. However, most of this explanatory power comes from the volume of WOM and not from its valence, as measured by the percentages of positive and negative messages.
Non-disjoint promise problems from meta-computational view of pseudorandom generator constructions

The standard notion of promise problem is a pair of disjoint sets of instances, each of which is regarded as Yes and No instances, respectively, and the task of solving a promise problem is to distinguish these two sets of instances. In this paper, we introduce a set of new promise problems which are conjectured to be non-disjoint, and prove that hardness of these "non-disjoint" promise problems gives rise to the existence of hitting set generators (and vice versa). We do this by presenting a general principle which converts any black-box construction of a pseudorandom generator into the existence of a hitting set generator whose security is based on hardness of some "non-disjoint" promise problem (via a non-black-box security reduction). Applying the principle to cryptographic pseudorandom generators, we introduce The Gap(KSAT vs K) Problem: Given a string x and a parameter s, distinguish whether the polynomial-time-bounded SAT-oracle Kolmogorov complexity of x is at most s, or the polynomial-time-bounded Kolmogorov complexity of x (without SAT oracle) is at least s + O(log |x|). If Gap(KSAT vs K) is NP-hard, then the worst-case and average-case complexity of PH is equivalent. Under the plausible assumption that ENP ≠ E, the promise problem is non-disjoint. These results generalize the non-black-box worst-case to average-case reductions of Hirahara [31] and improve the approximation error from Õ([MATH HERE]) to O(log n). Applying the principle to complexity-theoretic pseudorandom generators, we introduce a family of Meta-computational Circuit Lower-bound Problems (MCLPs), which are problems of distinguishing the truth tables of explicit functions from hard functions. Our results generalize the hardness versus randomness framework and identify problems whose circuit lower bounds characterize the existence of hitting set generators. For example, we introduce The E vs size(2o(n)) Problem: Given the truth table of a function f, distinguish whether f is computable in exponential time or requires exponential-size circuits to compute. A nearly-linear AC0 ο XOR circuit size lower bound for this promise problem is equivalent to the existence of a logarithmic-seed-length hitting set generator for AC0 ο XOR. Under the plausible assumption that [MATH HERE], the promise problem is non-disjoint (and thus the minimum circuit size is infinity). This is the first result that provides the exact characterization of the existence of a hitting set generator secure against ℭ by the worst-case lower bound against ℭ for a circuit class ℭ = AC0 ο XOR ⊆ TC0. In addition, we prove that a nearly-linear size lower bound against co-nondeterministic read-once branching programs for some "non-disjoint" promise problem is sufficient for resolving RL = L. We also establish the equivalence between the existence of a derandomization algorithm for uniform algorithms and a uniform lower bound for a problem of approximating Levin's Kt-complexity.
Effects of small hydropower plants on fish assemblages in medium‐sized streams in central and northern Portugal

1. Over the last decade the development of small hydropower projects has been one of the most active areas of the energy sector. One of the main environmental challenges faced by such projects is related to fish passage. 2. The impact of 18 small hydropower plants (SHPs) with distinct levels of fish-pass effectiveness was investigated in the summers of 1998 and 1999 by comparing fish assemblage composition and structure at 36 sites, above and below SHPs. 3. With regard to effectiveness, it was estimated that eight (44.4%) of the surveyed passage facilities were suitable for target species, whereas the remaining 10 (55.6%) were considered unsuitable. In neither case did the composition of fish assemblages upstream and downstream from SHPs differ significantly, while assemblage similarity was relatively high. 4. Multivariate techniques identified cover, depth and coarse substrate as the main parameters structuring fish assemblages. It is suggested that these variables have created a rich, patchy, heterogeneous habitat, thereby providing satisfactory resources and favourable conditions required by fish and contributing to the maintenance of assemblages. 5. Although populations of some species that occurred both upstream and downstream from SHPs have developed differences in their size structures, SHP-induced fragmentation of fish populations may not necessarily result in genetic divergence among semi-isolated populations. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antibacterial activity of Saudi honey against Gram negative bacteria

The antibacterial activity of local Sidr and Mountain Saudi honeys against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii were evaluated. Disc diffusion method, gel diffusion method, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were used in this investigation. The findings indicated that both honey samples had growth inhibitory effect and all tested gram negative bacteria were sensitive to 40-80% concentrations. Increasing the honey concentration significantly (P≤0.05) increased the inhibition of growth of the tested bacteria. Sidr honey was more potent than Mountain honey in producing the inhibitory growth effect as an antibacterial agent. Sidr and Mountain honeys in different concentrations were more effective against E.coli than other bacteria. MIC of the two honey samples was 20 mg/mL while the MIC of K. pneumoniae was 40 mg/mL in the case of Mountain honey. The MBC of the two honey samples was 40 mg/mL and the MBC of A. baumannii that valued was 20 mg/mL. We are of the opinion that Sidr and Mountain Saudi honeys could potentially be used as therapeutic agents against bacterial infection particularly to the tested microorganisms.