Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Four New Species of Eimeria (Protozoa: Eimeriidae) from the Pika Ochotona princeps from Alberta and O. pallasi from Kazakhstan1

SYNOPSIS. Eimeria worleyi n. sp. and Eimeria barretti n. sp. from the pika Ochotona princeps from Alberta and Eimeria pallasi n. sp. and Eimeria shubini n. sp. from the pika Ochotona pallasi from Central Kazakhstan are described. Oocysts of E. worleyi were 12–16 by 10–15 μ (mean 13.5 by 12.5 μ) and spherical to subspherical. E. barretti oocysts were ellipsoidal to slightly ovoid and 27–36 by 21–27 μ (mean 32.9 by 23.8 μ). Oocysts of E. pallasi were ellipsoidal or ovoid and 19–34 by 17–26 μ (mean 26.3 by 21.3 μ). E. shubini oocysts were spherical and 22 μ in diameter. E. kriygsmanni Yakimoff and Gousseff, 1938 of Svanbaev (1958) in O. pallasi, [non] E. kriigsmanni Yakimoff and Gousseff, 1938 in Mus musculus, is a synonym of E. pallasi. E. musculi Yakimoff and Gousseff, 1938 of Svanbaev (1958) in O. pallasi, [non] E. musculi Yakimoff and Gousseff, 1938 in Mus musculus, is a synonym of E. shubini.
A redescription of Eutrombidium locustarum (Walsh) (Acari: Microtrombidiidae) and a new North American Podapolipoides (Acari: Podapolipidae), parasites of Schistocerca piceifrons (Walker) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) from Yucatan, Mexico

ABSTRACT Three families and genera of parasitic mites are reported from one specimen of Schistocerca piceifrons collected in Yucatan, Mexico: Eutrombidium (Microtrombidiidae: Eutrombidiinae), Podapolipoides (Podapolipidae), and Proctotydeus (Iolinidae). A redescription of Eutrombidium locustarum (Walsh) from S. piceifrons including all active instars correlated through laboratory rearing is offered to clear misconceptions in the systematics of North American Eutrombidium. Podapolipoides yucatanensis n. sp. is described, illustrated, and compared with related species of Podapolipoides. Revised keys to American Podapolipoides and Eutrombidium are presented.
Do fossil plants signal palaeoatmospheric carbon dioxide concentration in the geological past

Fossil, subfossil, and herbarium leaves have been shown to provide a morphological signal of the atmospheric carbon dioxide environment in which they developed by means of their stomatal density and index. An inverse relationship between stomatal density/index and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration has been documented for all the studies to date concerning fossil and subfossil material. Furthermore, this relationship has been demonstrated experimentally by growing plants under elevated and reducedcarbon dioxide concentrations. To date, the mechanism that controls the stomatal density response to atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration remains unknown. However, stomatal parameters of fossil plants have been successfully used as a proxy indicator of palaeo–carbon dioxide levels. This paper presents new estimates of palaeo–atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations for the Middle Eocene (Lutetian), based on the stomatal ratios of fossil Lauraceae species from Bournemouth in England. Estimates of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations derived from stomatal data from plants of the Early Devonian, Late Carboniferous, Early Permian and Middle Jurassic ages are reviewed in the light of new data. Semi–quantitative palaeo–carbon dioxide estimates based on the stomatal ratio (a ratio of the stomatal index of a fossil plant to that of a selected nearest living equivalent) have in the past relied on the use of a Carboniferous standard. The application of a new standard based on the present–day carbon dioxide level is reported here for comparison. The resultant ranges of palaeo–carbon dioxide estimates made from standardized fossil stomatal ratio data are in good agreement with both carbon isotopic data from terrestrial and marine sources and long–term carbon cycle modelling estimates for all the time periods studied. These data indicate elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations during the Early Devonian, Middle Jurassic and Middle Eocene, and reduced concentrations during the Late Carboniferous and Early Permian. Such data are important in demonstrating the long–term responses of plants to changing carbon dioxide concentrations and in contributing to the database needed for general circulation model climatic analogues.
Trap-Filling of ZnO Buffer Layer for Improved Efficiencies of Organic Solar Cells

Trap-assisted recombination loss in the cathode buffer layers (CBLs) is detrimental to the electron extraction process and severely restricts the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of organic solar cells (OSCs). Herein, a novel organic–inorganic hybrid film composed of zinc oxide (ZnO) and 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8, 8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ) is designed to fill the intrinsic charge traps of ZnO-based CBLs by doping F4TCNQ for high-performance inverted OSCs. Thus, constructed ZnO:F4TCNQ hybrid film exhibits enhanced surface hydrophobicity and adjustable energy levels, providing favorable interfacial condition for electron extraction process. Consequently, trap-assisted recombination loss in the CBLs was efficiently suppressed, leading to the significantly improved fill factor and PCEs of both fullerene- and non-fullerene-based OSCs using the ZnO:F4TCNQ hybrid CBLs. This work illustrates a convenient organic acceptor doping approach to suppress the internal charge traps of traditional inorganic CBLs, which will shed new light on the fabrication of high-performance CBLs with facile electron extraction processes in inverted OSC devices.
The Food and Feeding Ecology of the Cattle Egret, Ardeola Ibis, When Nesting in South-East Queensland.

The food of the cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis (Ardeola ibis)) in south-eastern Queensland was determined from boluses regurgitated by advanced chicks over 3 breeding seasons and from the stomach contents of 21 adults. They ate a wide range of animals, mainly Acrididae (including Patanga guttulosa (Wlk.) (Austracris guttulosa) and Gastrimargus musicus (F.)), but also skinks, frogs, cicadas and spiders. They fed almost entirely on pastures, preferring moist to dry situations. Most fed in association with cattle, and pecked ticks (Boophilus microplus (Can.)) and flies (Lucilia sericata (Mg.)) directly off animals.
What Brings Out the Best and Worst of People With a Strong Explicit Achievement Motive? The Role of (Lack of) Achievement Incentives for Performance in an Endurance Task

An explicit achievement motive is intuitively related to good performance. In contrast, the present paper directs attention to conditions where individuals with a strong explicit achievement motive display poor performance. We hypothesized that participants with a strong achievement motive perform worse in a bicycle ergometer task when task instructions lack achievement incentives than when the instructions include achievement incentives. Furthermore, we expected that, when achievement incentives are lacking, they show even worse performance than participants with a weak achievement motive. For the latter, we assumed that they are relatively unaffected by the achievement incentive content of the instructions. In a within-subject experimental design (N = 55) with two blocks (achievement incentives vs. lack of achievement incentives; each block consisted of three trials), our hypotheses were partly supported. The lack of achievement incentives brought out the worst (regarding performance), but the presence of achievement incentives did not bring out the best of participants with a strong achievement motive. In the discussion, we suggest how to improve future experimental achievement settings and reflect the results within the framework of the differentiation into implicit and explicit motives.
Exosomal MicroRNA-320a Derived From Mesenchymal Stem Cells Regulates Rheumatoid Arthritis Fibroblast-Like Synoviocyte Activation by Suppressing CXCL9 Expression

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic systemic inflammatory disease, is a primary cause of disability worldwide. The involvement of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) in the regulation of the pathogenesis of RA has been highlighted. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are important candidates for cell-based treatment in many inflammatory autoimmune diseases. Herein, we identify whether MSC-derived exosomes loaded with microRNA-320a (miR-320a) regulate RA-FLSs. Synovial tissues from 22 patients with RA and 9 patients with osteoarthritis were collected. RA-FLSs were obtained from patients with RA, and their functions were evaluated by determining levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and IL-8 and by transwell migration and invasion assays. Dual luciferase reporter gene assays were employed to identify interaction between miR-320a and CXC chemokine ligand 9 (CXCL9). A co-culture system of MSC-derived exosomes and RA-FLSs were performed. The collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse models with arthritis and bone damage were developed. Our results revealed the existence of reciprocal expression of miR-320a and CXCL9 in the synovial tissues obtained from patients with RA. CXCL9 knockdown or miR-320a upregulation suppressed the activation, migration, and invasion of RA-FLSs. CXCL9 was confirmed to be a target of miR-320a, and CXCL9 overexpression restored RA-FLS function in the presence of miR-320a. MSC-derived exosomes containing miR-320a mimic significantly suppressed RA-FLS activation, migration, and invasion in vitro and attenuated arthritis and bone damage in mice with CIA in vivo. Our study uncovers that MSC-derived exosomes participate in the intercellular transfer of miR-320a and subsequently inhibit the progression of RA. These results provide a novel potential therapeutic approach for RA treatment by increasing miR-320a in exosomes.
Commitment devices in online behavior change support systems

Commitment devices-a self-imposed contract that helps an individual stick to a plan of action-have been widely used to make a positive influence on one's behavior change. We analyze commitment contract posts in StickK.com, an online behavior change support system to characterize the types of target behaviors and the effectiveness of different commitment devices for behavioral changes. We provide several practical implications for designing behavior change support systems that could inform further directions for research in behavioral economics and psychology.
Distinct Routes to Understand the Relationship Between Dispositional Optimism and Life Satisfaction: Self-Control and Grit, Positive Affect, Gratitude, and Meaning in Life

Over the last years, understanding the implications of prospective thinking toward the future has become of increasing interest. This study aims to delve into the relation between dispositional optimism, one of the most relevant prospective constructs, and life satisfaction. Additionally, we also seek to prove the mediating effect of different cognitive and affective variables associated with both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being on this relationship. A first study is conducted with 275 secondary students to assess the relationship between optimism and life satisfaction through self-control and grit (14.82, SD = 1.07), which indicates a mediating effect of grit but not of self-control. A second study is carried out with 1,356 university students (21.5, SD = 2.35) to demonstrate the mediating effect of positive affect on dispositional optimism and life satisfaction. Results show a strong relationship between optimism and positive affect, but no mediating effect on life satisfaction. Finally, a third study comprising 371 secondary students (14.12, SD = 1.78) demonstrates the existence of a serial multiple mediation from gratitude and meaning in life over the relationship between optimism and life satisfaction. Implications are discussed in terms of how prospective variables like dispositional optimism may lead to an increase in subjective well-being (SWB) through different affective and cognitive mechanisms.
Understanding the Fundamental Plane and the Tully Fisher Relation

The relation between early type galaxy size, surface brightness and velocity dispersion, “the fundamental plane,” has long been understood as resulting from equilibrium in their largely pressure supported stellar dynamics. The dissipation and feedback involved in reaching such an equilibrium through merger formation of these galaxies over cosmic time can be responsible for the orientation of the plane. We see a correlation between surface brightness enhancement and youth in the 6dF Galaxy Survey. Correlations of this “tilt” with stellar mass, age, concentration, shape, and metallicity now point the direction for further work on the resolved kinematics and structure of these nearby galaxies and on their initial mass function and dark matter component. On the face of it, the Tully Fisher relation is a simpler one dimensional scaling relation. However, as late type galaxies have bulges as well as disks, and, as the surface density of disks is only standard for the more massive galaxies, additional parameters are involved.
Early impact of COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric surgical practice in Nigeria: a national survey of paediatric surgeons

Introduction The novel Coronavirus disease has had significant impact on healthcare globally. Knowledge of this virus is evolving, definitive care is not yet known, and mortality is increasing. We assessed its initial impact on paediatric surgical practice in Nigeria, creating a benchmark for recommendations and future reference. Methods Survey of 120 paediatric surgeons from 50 centres to assess socio-demographics and specific domains of impact of COVID-19 on their services and training in Nigeria. Seventy four surgeons adequately responded. Responses have been analysed. Duplicate submissions for centres were excluded by combining and averaging the responses from centres with multiple respondents. Results Forty-six (92%) centres had suspended elective surgeries. All centres continued emergency surgeries but volume reduced in March by 31%. Eleven (22%) centres reported 13 suspended elective cases presenting as emergencies in March, accounting for 3% of total emergency surgeries. Nine (18%) centres adopted new modalities for managing selected surgical conditions: non-operative reduction of intussusception in 1(2%), antibiotic management of uncomplicated acute appendicitis in 5(10%), more conservative management of trauma and replacement of laparoscopic appendectomy with open surgery in 3(6%) respectively. Low perception of adequacy of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was reported in 35(70%) centres. Forty (80%) centres did not offer telemedicine for patients follow up. Twenty-nine (58%) centres had suspended academic training. Perception of safety to operate was low in 37(50%) respondents, indifferent in 24% and high in 26%. Conclusion Majority of paediatric surgical centres reported cessation of elective surgeries whilst continuing emergencies. There is however an acute decline in the volume of emergency surgeries. Adequate PPE need to be provided and preparations towards handling backlog of elective surgeries once the pandemic recedes. Further study is planned to more conclusively understand the full impact of this pandemic on children's surgery. Key words pandemic, COVID-19, children's surgery.
An Quick Available-Bandwidth Measurement Method Based on Link Delay Growth Rate

Available bandwidth(ABW) has become a key indicator of network measurement, in order to measuring measurement accuracy, in particular, the measurement speed with available bandwidth measurement is also very important. This paper proposes a quick available bandwidth method named QuickAbw, which obtains the available bandwidth quickly under the two link delay growth rates. The link delay growth rate is the rate of growth in the interval between probe packets over time when low-intrusion probe packets with equal intervals just cause link congestion. It is worth mentioning that the probe packets stop sending immediately after causing the link node to overflow, so this method has little impact on the link. Simulations show that QuickAbw has higher measurement accuracy and shorter measurement time than other well-known available bandwidth tools for comparison in a network with single bottleneck-link. Finally, we tested in a real environment consistent with the simulation environment settings, and the experimental results were basically consistent with the simulation results.
Real-Time Speech Emotion Recognition Using a Pre-trained Image Classification Network: Effects of Bandwidth Reduction and Companding

This paper examines the effects of reduced speech bandwidth and the μ-low companding procedure used in transmission systems on the accuracy of speech emotion recognition (SER). A step by step description of a real-time speech emotion recognition implementation using a pre-trained image classification network AlexNet is given. The results showed that the baseline approach achieved an average accuracy of 82% when trained on the Berlin Emotional Speech (EMO-DB) data with seven categorical emotions. Reduction of the sampling frequency from the baseline 16–8 kHz (i.e., bandwidth reduction from 8 to 4 kHz, respectively) led to a decrease of SER accuracy by about 3.3%. The companding procedure on its own reduced the average accuracy by 3.8%, and the combined effect of companding and band reduction decreased the accuracy by about 7% compared to the baseline results. The SER was implemented in real-time with emotional labels generated every 1.033–1.026 s. Real-time implementation timelines are presented.
Worldwide and Regional Forecasting of Coronavirus (Covid-19) Spread using a Deep Learning Model

In December 2019, Covid-19 epidemic was identified in Wuhan, China. Covid-19 may cause fatality especially among elderly, and people with chronic health problems. After human to human transmissions of the disease, it has rapidly spread throughout China, and then the outbreak has reached to neighboring countries in Asia. Now, the spread of the virus is accelerating in the world, and increasing number of new cases has been reported daily in Europe, Middle East, Africa and America regions. Recently, World Health Organization (WHO) also announced Covid-19 as a Pandemic. As of 3 April, worldwide around more than 1 million cases and around 60,000 fatalities are reported. Thus, forecasting regional and worldwide outbreak size of Covid-19 is important in order to take necessary actions regarding to preparedness plans and mitigation interventions. In this work, we design a deep learning model, which is an effective artificial intelligence method, to provide regional and worldwide forecasts. Particularly for worldwide, our approach predicts the cumulative number of cases, cumulative number of deaths and daily new cases. For Europe and Middle East regions, we predict the cumulative number of cases, and for Mainland China we predict daily new cases and the cumulative number of deaths. We predict the next 10 days based on the previously reported actual time series data of Covid-19. For worldwide forecasts, we use the data provided by Worldometers. For Europe and Middle East forecasts, we use the data provided by World Health Organization, and for China Mainland forecasts, the data is obtained from Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. This is the first time that a deep learning model has been employed for Covid-19 spread prediction, solely based on the known reported cases of Covid-19. The proposed deep learning architecture consists of Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) layer, dropout layer, and fully connected layers to predict regional and worldwide forecasts. We evaluate our approach with Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) metric. For forecasting, we use the network models that give the minimum RMSE on the last 3 days of actual data. Networks, which achieves the minimum RMSE on the last 3 days, are used to predict the next 10 days. Every day, the spread and situations are changing. Our approach can take into account these real-time changes; the deep learning model can be re-trained with new daily data and perform real-time forecasting. Results show that the proposed deep learning model is promising, it can predict possible scenarios regionally and globally for the spread of Covid-19.
Ecological Psychology and Enaction Theory: Divergent Groundings

Both ecological psychology and enaction theory offer an alternative to long-standing theoretical approaches to perception that invoke post-perceptual supplemental processes or structures, e.g., mental representations, to account for perceptual phenomena. They both do so by taking actions by the individual to be essential for an account of perception and cognition. The question that this paper attempts to address is whether ecological psychology and enaction theory can be integrated into a stronger non-representational alternative to perception than either one can offer on its own. Doing so is only possible if most of the basic tenets and concepts of ecological psychology and enaction theory are compatible. Based on an examination of the role that sensations play within each approach; the manner in which each treats the concept of information; and how each conceptualizes an organism’s boundaries, it is concluded that a synthesis of the two approaches is not possible. Particular attention is paid to the concept of sensations, the limitations of which were an impetus for the development of ecological psychology.
Gorduras de descarte e componentes externos do corpo de novilhos e vacas de descarte de diferentes grupos genéticos

The objective of this research was to evaluate the trim fat and external components of the body of two categories, steers and cull cows, from two genetic groups: 5/8 Charolais (Ch) 3/8 Nellore (Ne) and 5/8Ne 3/8Ch. The average age of animals at the end of the experimental period was of 23 and 68 months, for steers and cull cows, respectively. The animals were maintained at feedlot finished until they reached the finishing degree for slaughter. The experimental diet had a roughage concentrate ratio of 40:60 (dry matter basis), containing 14.2% of crude protein and 2,869kcal of digestible energy kg-1 dry matter. The experimental design was complete randomized in a 2x2 (two categories and two genetic groups) factorial scheme. The slaughter weight (PAB) (509.67 versus 414.50kg) and the empty body weight (PCVZ) (433.01 versus 355.27kg, respectively) were higher for cows in relation to steers. When the components were expreseds in absolutes values and adjusted for PCVZ and PAB, cull cows showed higher inguinal fat, renal fat and internal total fat weights. When the components weights were adjusted for PAB e PCVZ, the steers showed higher head, foots, tail broom and total external components. The 5/8Ch 3/8Ne animals showed higher head absolute weight and ruminal fat in relation to PCVZ, while the 5/8Ne 3/8Ch showed higher rawhide weight in relation to PAB and PCVZ, and in relation to PAB higher total extern components weight. The carcass dressing percentage and non integrants body parts of carcass didn't show any correlation.
The phylogenetic position of Thermophis (Serpentes: Colubridae), an endemic snake from the Qinghai‐Xizang Plateau, China

The snakes of the genus Thermophis, including two species (Thermophis baileyi and Thermophis zhaoermii), which are found only on the Qinghai‐Xizang Plateau, were studied to determine the phylogenetic position of the genus within the broad superfamily Colubroidea. In this study, T. baileyi from two different localities in Xizang and T. zhaoermii from western Sichuan formed a monophyletic group as determined using Bayesian and likelihood methods of phylogenetic inference. Based on the nucleotide sequence of the cyt b and c‐mos genes, Thermophis appeared to be a member of the subfamily Xenodontinae, which prior to this finding had been confined to a New World distribution. The molecular data also indicate a large genetic distance between T. baileyi and T. zhaoermii, which strengthens the validity of the new species: T. zhaoermii.