Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Irrigation Type on Inoculum Density of Macrophomina phaseolina in Melon Fields in Arizona

Charcoal rot, caused by Macrophomina phaseolina, has become increasingly problematic for melon growers using subsurface drip irrigation in Arizona; but has rarely been observed in fields with furrow irrigation. Since the relationship between increasing incidence of charcoal rot on melon and irrigation type is unknown, studies were initiated to determine the effects of edaphic factors on inoculum density. Soil samples were collected once from fields irrigated by subsurface drip, with and without plastic mulch, and by furrow at 10, 20 and 30 cm depths. Samples were analysed for percentage soil moisture, pH, salinity and inoculum density. Percentage soil moisture was significantly higher at 20 and 30 cm depths in the furrow-irrigated field compared with the drip-irrigated field with plastic mulch, but not in the field without plastic mulch. Average minimum and maximum temperatures and inoculum density were significantly lower at all three depths in the furrow-irrigated field compared with both types of drip irrigation. pH was significantly higher in the furrow-irrigated field compared with both types of drip irrigation at 20 and 30 cm depths but not at 10 cm depth. Differences in inoculum densities of M. phaseolina suggest that drip irrigation may contribute to higher disease incidences.
Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial of Video- Versus Recall-Assisted Reflection in Simulation-Based Teaching on Acquisition and Retention of Airway Skills Among Trainees Intubating Critically Ill Patients*

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Objectives: Conventionally, simulation-based teaching involves reflection on recalled events (recall-assisted reflection). Instead of recall, video-assisted reflection may reduce recall bias and improve skills retention by contributing to visual memory. Here, we test the hypothesis that when compared with recall, video-assisted reflection results in higher acquisition and retention of skills involved in airway management among junior critical care doctors. Design: Randomized control trial. Participants were randomized 1:1 to video-assisted reflection or recall-assisted reflection group. Setting: University-affiliated tertiary care center. Subjects: Junior critical care doctors. Intervention: Video-assisted reflection. Measurements and Main Results: All participants underwent simulation-based teaching of technical and nontechnical airway skills involved in managing a critically ill patient. These skills were assessed before, post-workshop, and in the following fourth week, by two independent blinded assessors using a validated scoring tool. Quality of debrief was assessed using a validated questionnaire. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to assess time and group interaction. Forty doctors were randomized. At baseline, the groups had similar airway experience (p = 0.34) and skill scores (p = 0.97). There was a significant interaction between study groups and changes over time for total skill scores (F[2, 37] = 4.06; p = 0.02). Although both the study groups had similar and significant improvement in total skills scores at the postworkshop assessment, the decline in total skills scores at delayed assessment (F[1, 38] = 5.64; p = 0.02) was significantly more in the recall-assisted reflection group when compared with the video-assisted reflection group. This resulted in lower mean skill scores in the recall-assisted reflection group when compared with the video-assisted reflection group in the delayed assessment (89.45 [19.32] vs 110.10 [19.54]; p < 0.01). Better retention was predominantly in the nontechnical skills. The perceived quality of debrief was similar between the two groups. Conclusion: When compared with recall, video-assisted reflection resulted in similar improvement in airway skills, but better retention over time.
Phylogenetic Placements of Loxoscaphe thecifera (Aspleniaceae) and Actiniopteris radiata (Pteridaceae) Based on Analysis of rbcL Nucleotide Sequences

Abstract Nucleotide sequences of the chloroplast-encoded rbcL gene were determined for Loxoscaphe thecifera and Actiniopteris radiata and used in maximum parsimony cladistic analyses to determine their phylogenetic positions in the context of a broad range of advanced fern taxa. Loxoscaphe nested firmly within the Aspleniaceae, and Actiniopteris was placed with Onychium in the Pteridaceae. To help resolve conflicting contemporary treatments that either subsume Loxoscaphe species within Asplenium or segregate them as an independent genus, the rbcL sequence of L. thecifera was subjected to a more focused analysis involving all rbcL sequences available to represent the taxonomic diversity of Aspleniaceae. Loxoscaphe thecifera was sister to Asplenium griffithianum + prolongatum, robustly and surprisingly nested within the clade of Asplenium species recognized as Asplenium section Thamnopteris, a group accepted by some as the segregate genus Neottopteris. These results indicate that there is presently no phylogenetic justification for accepting Loxoscaphe as a genus independent of Asplenium. Similarly Actiniopteris radiata, recently moved from the cheilanthoid to the taenitidoid group of Pteridaceae, was subjected to a more focused analysis in the context of an expanded set of cheilanthoid and taenitidoid species that included the first use of an rbcL sequence from the genus Anogramma and newly sequenced species of Onychium and Pteris. Actiniopteris is robustly grouped with two Onychium species in a clade sister to traditional taenitidoids and deeply separated from the cheilanthoids, supporting affinities previously suggested by spore morphology.
A Qualitative Study of Intimate Partner Violence Among Young Gay and Bisexual Men

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent among young gay and bisexual men (YGBM) and is associated with physical and mental health problems, as well as deleterious psychosocial conditions. Most previous studies of IPV among YGBM have been quantitative in nature and have not examined the numerous subtypes of IPV, the chronicity of IPV experiences, and how is IPV manifested in the context of these same-sex relationships. Thus, a qualitative approach may be useful in exploring these multidimensional and understudied experiences. The present qualitative study sought to (a) explore dimensions of IPV victimization, perpetration, and bidirectional IPV among a sample of (n = 26) YGBM living in New York City and (b) explore the chronicity of IPV experiences among these YGBM. Participants were recruited from an ongoing cohort study of YGBM. Participants completed semistructured interviews that included questions about IPV victimization, perpetration, and bidirectional IPV. A modified version of the consensual qualitative research method was used to analyze the data. The YGBM in this study reported numerous forms of physical, psychological, sexual, and financial IPV victimization and perpetration. Bidirectional experiences of IPV were common. The various subtypes of IPV victimization and perpetration are explored in detail in this manuscript. In addition, many participants reported multiple experiences of abuse within the same relationship, and some participants experienced a pattern of abusive relationships over time. This study corroborates findings from quantitative studies, which indicate that IPV is a prevalent and significant health problem among YGBM, and one that warrants additional attention from researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers. Furthermore, this study adds rich qualitative data to the existing literature—data that can be used to help develop and refine future measures of IPV that are tailored for use with YGBM.
Escaping Herbivory: Refuge Effects on the Morphology and Shoot Demography of the Clonal Forest Herb Maianthemum canadense

Vegetative shoots tended to be larger on boulder tops, but there were no differences between large and small boulder tops in internodal rhizome lengths or branching frequencies. Shoot densities, frequency of occurrence of flowering shoots, and frequency of flowering shoots within quadrats were higher on large boulder tops than small boulder tops. Such differences were not observed in Oxalis acetosella, a species which is not browsed. Similar patterns have been reported for other forest herbs throughout the eastern United States from locations where browsing pressure is great. Refugia may allow browse-sensitive plants to persist, albeit at lower densities, in overbrowsed habitats.
Hook selectivity of Giant Trevally (Caranx ignobilis) and Nakedbreast Trevally (Carangoides gymnostethus) (Carangidae) caught in the hook-and-line fishery off Negombo, Sri Lanka

In the present study, an attempt was made to quantify hook selectivity of two carangid species ( Caranx ignobilis and Carangoides gymnostethus ) which were predominantly caught in the hook-and-line fishery off Negombo, Sri Lanka. As the length frequency data of C. ignobilis and C. gymnostethus recorded by hook size were skewed towards the larger fish, a modification of Baranov-Holt method for gillnet selection was employed. For both species there were positive significant relationships (p DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljas.v16i0.6712 Sri Lanka J. Aquat. Sci. 16 (2011): 11-26
ISOCHRONOUS OSCILLATORS

We exhibit the solution of the initial-value problem for the system of 2N + 2 oscillators characterized by the Hamiltonian where N is an arbitrary positive integer, Ω, b and are N + 2 arbitrary real constants, with m = 0,1,…,N are the 2N + 2 canonical coordinates and the corresponding 2N + 2 canonical momenta. In the classical context the solution is completely periodic with period T = 2π/|Ω| (for arbitrary initial data). In the quantal context the (infinitely degenerate) spectrum is equispaced, with spacing ℏ|Ω|; all the corresponding eigenfunctions are also exhibited. This finding obtains as special case of a more general (new) class of isochronous Hamiltonians.
Effect of solar radiation on photosynthetic extracellular carbon release and its microbial utilization in alpine and Arctic lakes

The effect of solar radiation (photosynthetically active radiation and ultraviolet radiation (UVR)) on the photosynthetic extracellular release (PER) of phytoplankton and its utilization by bacterioplankton were studied in an alpine lake (Gossenkollesee, Austria) over a seasonal cycle. For comparison, 2 Arctic lakes on the Taymir Peninsula (Siberia) were investigated as well. The contribution of PER to primary production (% net PER) ranged between 0 and 95% (mean 32%) in Gossenkollesee (May 1999 to July 2000) following a seasonal trend that was inversely related to phytoplankton biomass. PER was released only under light conditions and was positively related to the intensity of solar radiation. During the ice-covered period, the % net PER increased, while total primary production (Ptot) decreased with experimentally increasing irradiance, indicating radiation- induced stress with dark-adapted phytoplankton. During the ice-free period, the increase of % net PER with increasing irradiance was independent of photoinhibition. The fraction of PER not immedi- ately incorporated by bacteria (~60% of total PER) may be an important contribution to the generally low pool of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in Gossenkollesee. At the Arctic site, net PER amounted to 21% of Ptot in an ice-free lake and 51% in the ice-covered Lake Nyagamya. In all lakes, the amount of PER was sufficient to meet the bacterial carbon demand. The UVR-induced inhibition of primary production in the investigated lakes was inversely related to the DOC concentration of the water column, with the lowest effect in the ice-free Arctic lake (3.5% reduction of Ptot) and the highest impact in the alpine lake (56% reduction of Ptot, 61% reduction of PER); the percentage of net PER was apparently not controlled by UVR. This suggests that the investigated alpine lake is more sensitive to changes in UVR than the Arctic lakes are.
Mass- and Area-Based Contents in Nitrogen, Proteins, and Chlorophyll within Crowns of Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) and Black Spruce (Picea mariana) Trees Located along a Temperature Gradient

Abstract: The variation in nitrogen, insoluble and soluble proteins, and chlorophyll concentrations (mg·g-1) and contents per unit leaf area (mg·cm-2) as a function of specific leaf area (SLA) was examined in leaves sampled at the bottom, middle, and upper sections of the crowns of balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and black spruce (Picea mariana) trees located along a temperature gradient in Quebec, Canada. Differences in needle dimensions, mass, surface, and SLA among crown sections and needle age were more pronounced for balsam fir than for black spruce. Relationships of foliage nitrogen, insoluble and soluble proteins, and chlorophyll content per unit leaf area as a function of SLA were generally more significant than those based on concentration. However, the different variables varied little along a temperature gradient. The higher significance of area-based relationships in comparison with mass-based relationships was attributed to the change in leaf morphology in response to light availability within the crown. Yet, nitrogen availability most likely restricted light acclimation to changes in morphology, since there was very limited modulation of nitrogen partitioning among the different protein fractions as a function of light environment.
Cocoon formation and metabolic depression by the aestivating hylid frogs Cyclorana australis and Cyclorana cultripes (Amphibia: Hylidae)

Two northern Australian burrowing hylid frogs, Cyclorana australis and C. cultripes, form a cocoon when induced to aestivate. The cocoon completely encases the frog except for the external nares and it consists of shed multiple layers of outer epidermal cells interspersed with ground substance. The cocoon of C. australis was about 24 µ thick and had about 34 layers (formed at about 0.7 layers day -1 ), and the cocoon of C. cultripes was about 16 µ thick with about 51 layers (about 0.6 layers day -1 ). Evaporative water loss decreased from 15.8 to 1.1 mg g -1 h -1 for cocooned C. australis, and 15.1 to 1.3 mg g -1 h -1 for cocooned C. cultripes; these correspond to cutaneous resistances of 3 to 112 sec cm -1 for C. australis, and 0 to 223 sec cm -1 for C. cultripes. Metabolic rate declined significantly with aestivation by 70% from 0.160 to 0.049 mg O2 g -1 h -1 for C. cultripes after about 6 weeks of cocoon formation, and respiratory exchange ratio decreased significantly from 0.98 to 0.68. Metabolic rate declined insignificantly by 40% from 0.158 to 0.095 ml O 2 g -1
Associations Between Interpersonal Violence, Psychological Distress, and Suicidal Ideation Among Formerly Incarcerated Men and Women

Survivors of interpersonal violence are at increased risk of negative mental health outcomes; however, scant research has explored the relationship between violence exposure and mental health symptoms among formerly incarcerated individuals. This cross-sectional survey study investigates the demographic characteristics and mental health symptoms (i.e., psychological distress and suicidal ideation) associated with interpersonal violence exposure, including physical and sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, and sexual violence perpetrated by prison employees in a sample of formerly incarcerated men and women, with the aim that the findings both deepen the understanding of the effects of sexual violence exposure and help inform prison and jail policies. Surveys were administered to English-speaking adults ages 18 and older to recruit a sample of adults who were formerly incarcerated (N = 201). Questions on the survey included questions regarding demographic details, sexual violence exposure, mental health symptoms, and time incarcerated. Findings show that higher levels of sexual violence exposure were significantly associated with higher levels of psychological distress and reporting of suicidal ideation. Results also suggest that higher levels of income and education and younger age were significantly associated with sexual violence perpetrated by prison employees. In addition, most forms of interpersonal violence were independently associated with psychological distress and suicidal ideation in this population. The findings make recommendations for prison and jail policies to include targeted treatment for individuals with sexual victimization histories, to mitigate the risk of revictimization and appropriately treat adverse mental health outcomes from sexual victimization within and outside the confines of incarceration.
Root elongation and branching is related to local hexose concentration in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings

Root architecture can be profoundly affected by the carbon availability in the plant. We hypothesized that this effect could be mediated by the carbon status of root cells involved in elongation and branching processes. Arabidopsis thaliana plants were grown at several photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) and were supplied with various sucrose concentrations in the root medium. Hexose and sucrose concentration was estimated in individual roots in the apical growing region of the primary root and of secondary roots as well as in the zone of primordia development. Local sugar concentration was high in fast-growing and in highly branched roots and robust relationships between root elongation rate or branching and hexose concentration (but not sucrose) were found that were common to all situations experienced. Moreover, these relationships accounted for the plant-to-plant variability within a treatment as well as for the variability among individual secondary roots within a plant. These results support the view that local hexose concentration integrates changes in carbon availability from several sources and acts as a signal to induce at least part of the response of the root architecture to the environment.
The elevation gradient of lichen species richness in Nepal

Abstract This study of elevation gradients of lichen species richness in Nepal aimed to compare distribution patterns of different life-forms, substratum affinities, photobiont types, and Nepalese endemism. Distribution patterns of lichens were compared with elevational patterns shown by a wide range of taxonomic groups of plants along the Nepalese Himalayan elevational gradient between 200–7400m. We used published data on the elevation records of 525 Nepalese lichen species to interpolate presence between the maximum and minimum recorded elevations, thereby giving estimates of lichen species richness at each 100-m elevational band. The observed patterns were compared with previously published patterns for other taxonomic groups. The total number of lichens as well as the number of endemic species (55 spp.) showed humped relationships with elevation. Their highest richness was observed between 3100–3400 and 4000–4100m, respectively. Almost 33% of the total lichens and 53% of the endemic species occurred above the treeline (>4300m). Non-endemic richness had the same response as the total richness. All growth forms showed a unimodal relationship of richness with elevation, with crustose lichens having a peak at higher elevations (4100–4200m) than fruticose and foliose lichens. Algal and cyanobacterial lichen richness, as well as corticolous lichen richness, all exhibited unimodal patterns, whereas saxicolous and terricolous lichen richness exhibited slightly bimodal relationships with elevation. The highest lichen richness at mid altitudes concurred with the highest diversity of ecological niches in terms of spatial heterogeneity in rainfall, temperature, cloud formation, as well as high phorophyte abundance and diversity implying large variation in bark roughness, moisture retention capacity, and pH. The slightly bimodal distributions of saxicolous and terricolous lichens were depressed at the elevational maximum of corticolous lichens.
Phylogenetic relationships among Neofabraea species causing tree cankers and bull's-eye rot of apple based on DNA sequencing of ITS nuclear rDNA, mitochondrial rDNA, and the β-tubulin gene

Three fungal species responsible for anthracnose canker, perennial canker, and bull's-eye rot of apple have been considered members of the genus Pezicula for a number of years. Recent studies, however, have provided evidence to (re-)classify these species as Neofabraea . There has been a long historical debate regarding the taxonomy of two of these fungi. In Europe, both Neofabraea malicorticis and N. perennans have generally been considered N. malicorticis , while in North America a species distinction has been maintained. Phylogenetic analyses of Neofabraea isolates were based on DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region of nuclear rDNA (38 isolates), the mitochondrial rDNA small subunit (partial; 48 isolates), the β-tubulin gene (partial; 25 isolates), and a combined data set (21 isolates). Our work provides evidence for the existence of four distinct Neofabraea apple pathogens including N. malicorticis , N. perennans , N. alba , and a putative new Neofabraea species that was isolated in both Europe and eastern North America. Our results indicate that the primary Neofabraea species causing tree cankers and bull's-eye rot in North America are N. malicorticis and N. perennans in the west, and N. alba in eastern Canada. N. perennans , N. alba , and the undescribed Neofabraea species were found in Europe but the presence of N. malicorticis was not confirmed by our limited sampling. Inclusion of Rosa spp. in the host range of N. malicorticis is merited.
Risk-Adapted Cutoffs in Colorectal Cancer Screening by Fecal Immunochemical Tests.

OBJECTIVES Fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) for hemoglobin are increasingly used in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The use of uniform positivity thresholds (cutoffs) within screening populations is expected to imply lower positive predictive values (PPVs) and higher numbers of colonoscopies needed (numbers needed to scope [NNSs]) to detect advanced neoplasms among screening participants at lower risk compared with those at higher risk. We aimed to assess such variation and its potential implications in a large screening cohort. METHODS A quantitative FIT (FOB Gold; Sentinel Diagnostics, Milan, Italy) was conducted in fecal samples collected by 4,332 participants of screening colonoscopy before bowel preparation. Participants were classified into 3 risk groups (low, medium, and high) by tertiles of a previously derived risk-factor-based risk score. We determined the variation of PPVs and NNSs for detecting advanced neoplasms (i.e., CRC or advanced adenoma) when using the same FIT cutoffs and variation of FIT cutoffs that would yield uniform PPVs across risk groups. RESULTS When a fixed FIT cutoff of 10 μg/g was used, the PPV increased from 23.3% to 41.8% from the low- to the high-risk group, with NNS decreasing from 4.3 to 2.4 (P < 0.001). Similar variations of PPVs and NNSs across risk groups were observed at higher FIT cutoffs. When risk group-specific cutoffs were defined to achieve fixed PPVs of 25%, 30%, and 35% across all risk groups, cutoffs varied from 5.3 to 11.4, 6.5 to 18.7, and 7.5 to 31.0 μg hemoglobin/g feces, respectively, between high- and low-risk groups (P < 0.05 for all differences). DISCUSSION Using risk-adapted cutoffs may help to achieve target levels of PPV and NNS and might be an option to consider for personalized FIT-based CRC screening.