Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE DISTRIBUTION AND DISPERSAL OF PIKAS: CONSEQUENCES OF INSULAR POPULATION STRUCTURE'

The population structure of a small boreal mammal, the pika (Ochotona prin- ceps), was analyzed from demographic data and the observed spacing of populations on discrete islands of habitat in the Sierra Nevada of California. These islands of habitat varied in size and distance from one another. Not all of the islands were occupied and most seemed to contain fewer individuals than they could hold. The populations apparently represent dynamic equilibria between extinction, which was directly related to island size, and recolonization, which was inversely related to interisland distance. Distances greater than 300 m appeared to pose difficult barriers to dispersing juveniles. The study site is near the distributional boundary of pikas in this area. The birth rate is higher, adult death rate lower, and juvenile death rate higher than for other pika populations found near the center of the altitudinal or geographic range of the species. It appears that the probability of successful colonization de- creases with progressively lower elevations, until ultimately colonization is unable to offset extinction and the limit of the species range is determined.
Measuring customer experience in online grocery industry

Author: Janne Hilpi Title: Measuring customer experience in online grocery industry Year: 2017 Location: Helsinki Master’s Thesis. Lappeenranta University of Technology, Industrial Engineering and Management 70 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables and 1 appendix Examiners: Associate Professor Kalle Elfvengren Associate Professor Lea Hannola
Additive genetic variance for stem strength in field pea (Pisum sativum)

Weak stem strength in field pea (Pisum sativum) is a major restriction to yield, seed quality and ease of harvest. Three aspects of stem strength: load at breaking point, flexion and compressed stem thickness, showed substantial genetic variation among a diverse range of six parents including modern cultivars, landrace accessions, and interspecific progeny. Diallel analysis of parents and F1 progeny was conducted using a simple additive-dominance model, which was adequate for load and compressed stem thickness. There were significant additive genetic effects for load and compressed stem thickness with no evidence of dominance or maternal effects, and also significant additive genetic effects for flexion which was subject to more complex genetic control. Valuable alleles for these stem strength traits were present in commercial cultivars and landrace types of field pea. Efficient and practical breeding for improved stem strength will involve several recurrent selection cycles with moderate selection pressure for compressed stem thickness in early generations, followed by verification of improvements in lodging resistance in subsequent field trials. Compressed stem thickness is relatively easy to measure on individual plants in the field and is closely associated with load.
Phylogeny of Clusiaceae Based on rbcL sequences

Phylogenetic models of the Clusiaceae have so far been based on morphological data only. As an additional source of phylogenetic information, the chloroplast gene rbcL was sequenced for 26 species, representing all available genera of Clusiaceae. The DNA data were analyzed cladistically together with previously published sequences. The results show that the aquatic family Podostemaceae is nested inside Clusiaceae as the sister group of subfamily Hypericoideae or tribe Hypericeae. The subfamilies Kielmeyeroideae and Clusioideae, as delimited in recent morphology‐based classifications, are largely supported as monophyletic. The sole exception is Clusiella, which links with Kielmeyeroideae rather than with Clusioideae. We conclude that pollination by resin‐collecting bees arose independently in Clusiella and the Clusioideae: Clusieae.
Identification and Enumeration of Steelhead Kelts at a Snake River Hydroelectric Dam

Abstract Improvement of iteroparity rates in U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed Snake River populations of steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss requires a means of distinguishing prespawn (mature) steelhead from postspawners (kelts) and sufficient kelt abundance to aid recovery efforts. We used ultrasound imaging of gonads to identify and enumerate prespawn steelhead and kelts incidentally collected in the juvenile bypass facility at Lower Granite Dam (LGR) on the Snake River, Washington. We also evaluated the accuracy of visual identifications based on external coloration and condition in relation to the known maturational status determined by ultrasound examinations. Steelhead (n = 1,353) were sampled during 10 weeks between April and June 2000, a period that spanned the peak of adult steelhead occurrence in the juvenile bypass system. Based on ultrasound appraisals, we estimated that kelts composed 94.6% of the 3,968 adult steelhead encountered in the LGR juvenile bypass system during the study period.
Contribution to the knowledge of the plant communities of the Caribbean-Cibensean Sector in the Dominican Republic

Abstract The Caribbean-Cibensean Sector (Eastern Coastal Plain) is situated in the east of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Despite intense tourist activity and farming, two types of forest can still be found in this area. This survey analyses the phytosociological profile of these forests. As a result of the heavy water losses in the underlying coral limestones, both the primary and the secondary forest undergo water stress and, consequently, there is no doubt that they are edaphoxerophilous. However, growing on deeper soils, the Chrysophyllo oliviformi-Sideroxyletum salicifolii primary forest undergoes less intense water stress than the Zamio debilis-Metopietum toxiferi secondary forest, which is a development of the former and appears as a result of the outcropping of coral limestones. Both forest formations are located in a pluviseasonal tropical, subhumid, infratropical macrobioclimate, but as a result of the xericity induced by the porous coral substrate and high potential evapotranspiration, these forests occasionally behave ambivalently, that is, either as climatophilous or edaphoxerophilous. The great number of endemic species and the high endangered level of some, such as Goetzea ekmanii O. E. Schulz, Peresquia quisqueyana Alain and Cubanola domingensis Aiello, lead us to propose that these two forest types be regarded as habitats worthy of preservation.
The Impact of Commercial Exploitation on Sawfish and Shark Populations in Lake Nicaragua

Abstract The Lake Nicaragua Rio San Juan System harbors two classical examples of freshwater adaptation by elasmobranchs, the bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas, and the largetooth sawfish, Pristis perotteti. The bull shark is heavily concentrated around the river mouth and reproduces along the coast. The sparser population in the lake is recruited almost entirely through upstream movements from the lower river. Relatively heavy, year round commercial fishing around the river mouth since the late 1960's has sharply reduced the shark population in the lake. Since the shark fishery is primarily in Costa Rican waters, control and management can be effected only by a cooperative agreement between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, which has not yet been reached. The sawfish lives and reproduces primarily in the lake, where until 1970 a heavy concentration occurred, with relatively few being found in the lower river. Since 1970 heavy commercial fishing for sawfish has been carried on in Lake Nicaragua. A sharp reduction i.
Multi Objective Scheduling Optimization in Flexible Manufacturing System by Jaya Algorithm

In Flexible Manufacturing System Scheduling plays a crucial role, to meet the customer requirements and cope up with frequent fluctuations in demand. Many researchers are attempted the scheduling problem by considering the single objective, and very few researchers have applied GA, CS, PSO algorithms to solve the Multi-objective Scheduling Problems. The FMS considered in this work has Scheduling of 80 verities of products to be manufactured on 16 CNC machine tools by considering multi-objectives as Minimization of Machine Idle time and Minimization of Penalty cost. In this work Jaya Algorithm has been implemented using Mat lab, to solve Multiobjective scheduling problem to minimize the Combined Objective Function Value. The effectiveness of this algorithm is tested on benchmark problems by using different methods like Largest Processing Time (LPT) and Shortest Processing Time (SPT). The problem considered is that 80 jobs have to be manufactured by processing on 16 machines is taken from literature. COF value for the sequence obtained by Jaya Algorithm is better compared with values obtained by other algorithms. It is concluded that the proposed Jaya algorithm is better than many other earlier approaches.
The Transformation of Home-Based Businesses into electronic-Home-Based Businesses

The availability of various Internet-based applications and the emergence of e-Business concept have become one of the main catalysts and enablers for new market innovation. This has prompted enterprises to change in order to compete in the current market. Today, we can see how the online enterprises have grown successfully via their virtual structure. This phenomenon seems to have affected all sizes of enterprises, from large to micro enterprises including home-based businesses. In this research, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used and data were gathered using triangulation methods via interview, direct observation, document analysis and survey questionnaires. The findings discussed in this paper focused on identifying the current Malaysian HBBs’ environment in terms of structure, practice, culture and strategy. These outcomes were used to design the proposed framework, called Malaysian e-Home-Based Business (Me-HBB) Pre-implementation Framework. This framework was developed to assist the HBB companies in considering and adopting e-Business within their home environment and value chain system.
Running Head: GnRH stimulation test in young girls

INTRODUCTION: Premature thelarche (PT) is the isolated breast development in girls prior to 8 years of age. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test is sometimes used to distinguish between PT and central precocious puberty (CPP) although the interpretation of the test in early ages is challenging. The objective of this study is to determine the FSH and LH responses to GnRH stimulation in girls below 3 years of age with PT. METHOD: A standardized GnRH stimulation test, bone age and pelvic ultrasound were evaluated and those without pubertal progression after a minimum of one-year follow up were included in the study. RESULTS: In the GnRH stimulation test, the baseline median LH was 0.29 (0.100.74) IU/L, baseline median FSH was 4.96(3.18-7.05) mIU/mL, the peak median LH was 5.75 (3.31-8.58) IU/L, the peak mean FSH was 40.38 ± 20.37 mIU/mL. Among un co rr cte d p r o f the patients, 33.3% (n=10) had baseline LH > 0.3 IU/L, 67% (n=20) had peak LH > 5 IU/l and 16.6% (n=5) >10 IU/L. The peak LH/FSH ratio was 0.17 ± 0.09 and ≤ 0.43 in all participants. CONCLUSION: Although consensus statements usually define baseline LH >0.3-0.5 IU/L, peak LH >5 IU/L, and LH/FSH ratios >0.66-1.0 as diagnostic cut-offs for CPP, in children below 3 years of age, the baseline and peak LH values may be detected pubertal, possibly due to mini-puberty. The dominant FSH response in the GnRH stimulation test is more valuable than the peak LH response in the diagnosis of PT.
Ontario Bulk Milk Somatic Cell Count Reduction Program. 1. Impact on Somatic Cell Counts and Milk Quality

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the bulk milk SCC control program in Ontario and to observe the effect of the program on milk components and milk quality. The data were from the approximately 9500 farms in Ontario, Canada. Data on milk quality, milk components, and kilograms of milk produced were collected monthly from January 1985 through September 1991. The SCC data had a significant seasonal pattern. The expected lowest mean SCC occurred in April, and the expected highest mean SCC occurred in October. The SCC control program had a significant impact on the mean monthly SCC. A decrease of approximately 58×10 3 cells can be attributed to the program. Percentage of fat and lactose increased significantly with decreasing bulk milk SCC. Bulk milk SCC had very little effect on protein percentage. In herds that produced milk with lower SCC, we observed significantly lower plate loop count, lower incidence of inhibitor violations, and lower freezing point of the milk.
Interaction between Group Work, Motivation and Instructional Feedback in Project-Based Courses.

This study aimed to define the relationships between the factors affecting the learning processes of participants in project-based courses. The study sample consisted of 132 participants who had taken an instructional design course offered at the undergraduate level. The MSLQ, SAGE, and SPIF were used as data collection tools. The findings showed that the conflicts caused by the individuals with negative affect about instructional feedback diminished the quality of product and process during group work. Positive affect was found to be directly affected by “extrinsic goal orientation,” which is one of the motivation variables.
Searching behaviour of Encarsia formosa as mediated by colour and honeydew

The habitat‐ and host‐searching behaviour of female Encarsia formosa Gahan (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) was assessed using an airflow olfactometer and a filter paper test. Responses to different odour cues, colours, host‐produced honeydew, non‐host honeydew and single carbohydrates were determined. The parasitoid was not attracted to or arrested by odours emanating from clean tobacco leaves, tobacco leaves heavily infested with the host Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) and covered with honeydew, or honeydew alone. However, E. formosa females showed a significant response to green light transmitted through a tobacco leaf. The yellow part of the spectrum was partly responsible for this response. Thus, the long‐range orientation is random with respect to the presence of hosts. Filter paper tests showed that the short‐range searching behaviour is influenced by water soluble, non‐volatile contact‐kairomones contained in the host‐produced honeydew. Contact with honeydew excreted by L3/L4 T. vaporariorum resulted in longer searching times than honeydew from adult T. vaporariorum or L3/L4 Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae). No difference was found between the response to honeydew excreted by adult and L3/L4 B. tabaci. The parasitoids' response to honeydew was unaffected by the host plant on which the whiteflies had fed. Non‐host honeydew and single carbohydrates also affected the searching behaviour of E. formosa but to a lower extent than host honeydew. The possible differences in the carbohydrate and amino acid composition of the honeydew excreted by different life‐stages of T. vaporariorum and B. tabaci are discussed.
Sapling dynamics in a southeastern Texas floodplain forest

How much temporal variation in recruitment, mortality and change in size class occurs in the sapling layer of mature temperate forests in the absence of large-scale exogenous disturbance? Using 15 years of data from a flood-plain forest in Big Thicket National Preserve, we found that year-to-year variation in demographic parameters was greater than we originally expected. Death rates were generally more variable than recruitment rates, and were much more variable for large saplings than for small ones. Small saplings of the 10 most common species had at least one year when they experienced two to eight times their long-term mean recruitment and death rates. Large saplings had at least one year when they experienced three to 10 times their long-term mean death rates and at least one year with two to seven times the long-term mean recruitment rate. Temporal patterns in sapling death rates were related to flooding patterns, while temporal patterns in recruitment were related to the Palmer Drought Severity Index, an indicator of drought severity and soil moisture availability. We also identified apparently synchronous patterns of demographic response among less flood-tolerant species which differed from the responses of more flood-tolerant species. We demonstrated the effects of both climatic variation and light variation in affecting stand-wide sapling demographics in a forest where canopy gaps are important for regeneration, and where chronic understorey disturbance favours growth over survivorship as a sapling strategy.
Diallel Analysis of Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in Wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) negatively impacts grain yield and quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell) worldwide, especially when warm, humid weather prevails during flowering and grain filling. Our objective was to determine the mechanism of genetic control of FHB resistance in selected winter and spring wheat germplasm. Six genotypes, ‘Nekota’ (A), ‘2137’ (B), ‘Harding’ (C), ‘Ning7840’ (D), ‘ND2710’ (E) and ‘BacUp’ (F), were included in a modified diallel. The F1 and F2 populations were evaluated in a greenhouse, whereas only F2 populations were evaluated in a mist-irrigated field nursery. Plants were artificially inoculated with Fusarium graminearum Schwabe isolates in both environments. Additive gene effects were more important than non-additive gene effects. General combining ability (GCA) effects were significant in both F1 and F2 populations in both environments. Specific combining ability (SCA) effects were significant only in the greenhouse environment for F2. Combining ability ratio (0.66 to 0.89) was high, and narrow-sense heritability (0.40 to 0.64) was moderate. Parents D and E had large positive GCA effects for resistance to FHB. Parent B had the largest negative GCA effect for susceptibility to FHB. Graphical analysis of data based on the biplot method was also used to visualize the data and showed that the D/E cross had the lowest percentages of uninfected kernels. Lines D and E had the best resistance to deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation. Percentages of uninfected kernels and DON content were negatively and significantly correlated in the F1 (r = −0.71, P < 0.01) and F2 (r = −0.84, P < 0.01) greenhouse environments. Multiple field tests across years and locations are needed to confirm whether or not selecting for low disease index will identify genotypes with low DON content. Parents D and E, both ‘Sumai3’ derivatives, contributed resistance to FHB and were better than F, which is a ‘Nuy Bay’ derivative. Parent B must be avoided in FHB resistance breeding programs because of its susceptibility and undesirable negative GCA effect.
Economic Integration of the Visegrád Countries into the European Union

Inspired by Oosterhaven and Van Der Linden (1997), Oosterhaven and Hoen (1998) and Hoen (2002), this paper analyzes the structural changes in the Visegrád countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) that took place in the course of their integration into the European Union using structural decomposition analysis. Two variables, value added and employment, are decomposed for the period 1996-2008 as well as 1996-2004 and 2004-2008, what allows a comparison between the pre-accession period and the post-accession period for all four countries. The results point out that both variables were driven by the changes in the domestic final demand, what might be the result of an increase in productivity. Interestingly, the effect of the changes in exports to the old member states declined after the accession. On the contrary, the effect of the changes in exports to the other new member states and the rest of the world increased in the post-accession period in all Visegrád countries but Hungary.
OCCURRENCE OF CRONOBACTER SPECIES IN KAREISH AND DOMIATI CHEESES

Received at: 19/6/2014 Accepted: 5/7/2014 A total of 100 samples of Domiati and Kareish cheese were randomly collected and examined for the detection of Cronobacter species. Detection was performed using Cronobacter Screening Broth (CSB), Chromogenic Cronobacter Isolation Agar (mDFI) followed by biochemical testing. Cronobacter species were isolated from 8% of total samples. Cronobacter sakazakii was isolated from both Kareish and Domiati cheeses, while, Cronobacter malonaticus and Cronobacter turicensis were isolated only from Kareish cheese. The identified isolates of Cronobacter sakazakii were further tested by real time PCR. The results indicate that Kareish and Domiati cheeses represent risk for humans and further attention should be paid for manufacturing and handling of such cheeses.
ASPECTS OF PRAGMATIC COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES IN PERSONS WITH SYMPTOMATIC SPEECH DISORDERS

The principal objective of the presented paper is to introduce, from the theoretical point of view, the various specifics of disturbed pragmatic language level in people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). In the following part, mainly empirically, we will present the particular results of research examinations (Disturbed communication skill and the impact of its symptomatology on inter-disciplinary cooperation of professionals and the affected family in a complex intervention, n. Pdf_2012_012). Communication deficits in selected forms of disturbed communication skills focused on evaluating the partial determinants of verbal and non-verbal components of communication in special education practice, Faculty of Education at Palacky University (n. PdF_2013_021, main investigator: Kateřina Vitásková), the partial results of which map, and render an analysis of, speech and language therapeutic intervention in people with ASD. Towards the end of the paper, we aim to acquaint the reader with a research focused on the global detection of pragmatics in people with ASD, considering the element of non-verbal communication (GAČR, Pragmatic language level in people with ASD, 14-31457S, 2014/2016, main investigator: Kateřina Vitásková).
Risk of Internet Addiction in Adolescents: A Confrontation Between Traditional Teaching and Online Teaching

The technological evolution has given the opportunities to develop new models of education, like online teaching. However, Internet Problematic Use and Internet Addiction are becoming frequently represented among adolescents with a prevalence that varies worldwide from 2% to 20% of the high school population. The aim of this study was to analyse the risk of Internet Addiction in a High Schools student sample comparing two different types of schools (online and traditional teaching) and analyzing the associations between pathological use of Internet and socio-demographic factors connected to the different educational orientations and to the daily usage of Internet. Students were enrolled from four different orientation school programs (different high school, technical and economical Institute, vocational schools). Each student completed a self-reported test to collect socio-demographic data and th Internet Addiction Test (IAT) from K. Young to assess the risk of Internet Addiction. The Mann-Whitney test for quantitative variables was used for statistical analysis. 522 students were enrolled, 243 students from online teaching and 279 from traditional teaching schools. Internet Addiction was observed in 1,16% of the total sample, while 53.83% of subjects was at risk of development Internet Addiction. No significant difference was found between the two different types of teaching, nor considering gender. Considering the amount of time spent on the web in portion of the sample at risk of developing Internet Addiction, the Traditional Teaching group spent between 4 and 7 hours a day on the Web, while the Online Teaching group between 1 to 3 hours/daily. However, no statistically significant difference was found. Although our data demonstrate that there is no clear association between online education and problematic use of Internet, the excessive use of Internet is linked to a massive waste of personal energy in terms of time and social life.