Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A checklist of butterflies (Insecta: Lepidoptera) from Taleigao Plateau, Goa, India

In a recent survey at the Taleigao plateau in Goa, a total of 98 species of butterflies belonging to 72 genera under five families were recorded. This amounts to around 39% of the total reported butterfly fauna of the state. Nymphalidae with 34 species was the most dominant family followed by Lycaenidae (25 spp.), Hesperiidae (16 spp.), Pieridae (13 spp.), and Papilionidae (11 spp.). Findings of the present study underline the importance of Taleigao plateau as a preferred habitat for butterflies.
Evaluation of Problem-based Learning Method for Teaching Islamic Education Courses to Students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Emphasis on teaching religious education in the university and raising the level of religious awareness of students in parallel with specialized education, raises attention to the important point that the set of Islamic education courses was in line with the demands and desires of students? The aim of this study is to an increase of the analytic mood among the students and faculty members of the department of Islamic education by the teaching method of Problem-based learning. The present study was performed cross-sectionally on students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Islamic education courses that they had taken as a general course. One of the strengths of this method is the student-centered and process-oriented instead of text-centric and moving from central memorization to research-oriented.
Trainbot: A Conversational Interface to Train Crowd Workers for Delivering On-Demand Therapy

On-demand emotional support is an expensive and elusive societal need that is exacerbated in difficult times — as witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior work in affective crowdsourcing has examined ways to overcome technical challenges for providing on-demand emotional support to end users. This can be achieved by training crowd workers to provide thoughtful and engaging on-demand emotional support. Inspired by recent advances in conversational user interface research, we investigate the efficacy of a conversational user interface for training workers to deliver psychological support to users in need. To this end, we conducted a between-subjects experimental study on Prolific, wherein a group of workers (N=200) received training on motivational interviewing via either a conversational interface or a conventional web interface. Our results indicate that training workers in a conversational interface yields both better worker performance and improves their user experience in on-demand stress management tasks.
Effects of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on two kelp bed communities on the Sanriku coast

To determine the effects of the tsunami on kelp bed communities, we examined two kelp beds that had been surveyed before 2011 on the Pacific coast of Honshu Island, Japan. One survey was conducted in Tomarihama on the Oshika Peninsula, which is dominated by the large perennial brown alga Eisenia bicyclis, and the other survey was conducted in Nagane in Otsuchi Bay, where the large annual brown alga Saccharina japonica var. religiosa dominates. In Tomarihama, the tsunami was associated with a limited loss of E. bicyclis individuals. In contrast, the population of sea urchins, the primary herbivore occurring at high densities, drastically decreased after the earthquake, and a large occurrence of juvenile E. bicyclis was then observed over a broader depth range owing to the decrease in grazing pressure. Some of these juveniles survived to adulthood, and with survival over this extended depth range, the E. bicyclis bed expanded to deeper areas. In Nagane, the biomass of S. japonica var. religiosa displayed no significant change before and after the earthquake. A definite reduction in sea urchins was not observed after the earthquake. Thus, the impact of the earthquake and tsunami widely differed between Tomarihama and Nagane.
Predatory arthropod community composition in apple orchards: Orchard management, landscape structure and sampling method

Studies on predatory arthropods in agricultural areas seldom include Diptera other than hoverflies, partly because common sampling methods are less effective for capturing species that easily fly off when disturbed. To study the effect from this bias when describing the predator community, we compared traditional beat sampling of branches and suction sampling for describing the community of predatory arthropods in Swedish apple orchards, both organic orchards and orchards using integrated pest management (IPM). Our results indicate that the proportion of both predatory dipterans and parasitic hymenopterans increase dramatically when using suction sampling (Diptera: 32% vs. 20%, Hymenoptera: 25% vs. 7%). In fact, predatory dipterans were the most abundant predatory group when using suction sampling, in contrast to beat sampling where spiders were the most abundant group. One group of predatory flies that was particularly rich in both species and individuals in the surveyed apple orchards was dance flies in the family Hybotidae. Even though the bias of sampling method was evident, it was encouraging that the method choice did not affect the conclusions concerning management on predatory arthropod communities. With both methods, dipteran and coleopteran predators were more abundant in organic apple orchards whereas opilionids were more abundant in orchards managed according to IPM. The inclusion of landscape variables further indicated effects of landscape diversity and of deciduous forest cover, but the response varied in sign between predatory groups. Whereas both Coleoptera and Heteroptera were more abundant in orchards surrounded by more complex landscapes (high landscape diversity and/or high deciduous forest cover), spiders, opilionids and dipterans were rather less abundant in these orchards. To conclude, our study points to the potential importance of predatory dipterans in apple orchards, and we highly recommend future studies of arthropod predators in apple and other crops to actively include predatory Diptera.
Low-Carbon R&D Can Boost EU Growth and Competitiveness

Research and Innovation (R&I) are a key part of the EU strategy towards stronger growth and the creation of more and better jobs while respecting social and climate objectives. In the last decades, improvements in costs and performance of low-carbon technologies triggered by R&I expenditures and learning-by-doing effects have increased their competitiveness compared to fossil fuel options. So, in the context of ambitious climate policies as described in the EU Green Deal, increased R&I expenditures can increase productivity and boost EU economic growth and competitiveness, especially in countries with large innovation and low-carbon manufacturing base. The analysis captures the different nature of public and private R&I, with the latter having more positive economic implications and higher efficiency as it is closer to industrial activities. Public R&D commonly focuses on immature highly uncertain technologies, which are also needed to achieve the climate neutrality target of the EU. The model-based assessment shows that a policy portfolio using part of carbon revenues for public and private R&D and development of the required skills can effectively alleviate decarbonisation costs, while promoting high value-added products and exports (e.g., low-carbon technologies), creating more high-quality jobs and contributing to climate change mitigation.
Isotopic insights into migration patterns of Pacific bluefin tuna in the eastern Pacific Ocean

Understanding regional migration, residency dynamics, and associated trophic ecology can inform recovery strategies for pelagic species such as Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) (PBFT). PBFT residency duration in the eastern Pacific is uncertain, particularly for larger individuals (here, >100 cm or ∼3+ years of age). We applied a previously tested “chemical tracer toolbox” (Fukushima-derived radiocesium and 13C and 15N stable isotope signatures) to examine migratory and residency patterns and dietary inputs of 428 age 1–6+ PBFT collected from 2012 to 2015 in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Age 1–3 individuals were a mix of residents and recent (≤500 day) migrants, while 98% of age 3–4 and 100% of age 4–6.3 year old PBFT were resident for >500 days in the eastern Pacific. Zooplanktivorous forage (e.g., sardine, anchovy, pelagic red crab, and trophically similar species) of the California Current Ecosystem constituted 57%–82% of diet across PBFT sizes. Migration timing estimates show that PBFT may spend.
Constrained Variational-Hemivariational Inequalities on Nonconvex Star-Shaped Sets

In this paper, we study a class of constrained variational-hemivariational inequality problems with nonconvex sets which are star-shaped with respect to a certain ball in a reflexive Banach space. The inequality is a fully nonconvex counterpart of the variational-hemivariational inequality of elliptic type since it contains both, a convex potential and a locally Lipschitz one. Two new results on the existence of a solution are proved by a penalty method applied to a variational-hemivariational inequality penalized by the generalized directional derivative of the distance function of the constraint set. In the first existence theorem, the strong monotonicity of the governing operator and a relaxed monotonicity condition of the Clarke subgradient are assumed. In the second existence result, these two hypotheses are relaxed and a suitable hypothesis on the upper semicontinuity of the operator is adopted. In both results, the penalized problems are solved by using the Knaster, Kuratowski, and Mazurkiewicz (KKM) lemma. For a suffciently small penalty parameter, the solution to the penalized problem solves also the original one. Finally, we work out an example on the interior and boundary semipermeability problem that ilustrate the applicability of our results.
At 50, Janzen–Connell Has Come of Age

Fifty years ago, Janzen (1970) and Connell (1971) independently published a revolutionary idea to explain the hyperdiverse tree communities of the tropics. The essential observations were that seedfall is concentrated in the vicinity of fruiting trees, whereas saplings recruit at a distance from reproductive conspecifics. These observations were encapsulated in a simple focal-tree model constructed of intersecting curves for seedfall and escape from host-specific enemies postulated to attack propagules (seeds and seedlings) in the vicinity of reproductive conspecifics. In conflict with the thinking of the times, the mechanism operates from the top down rather than from the bottom up. A deterrent to broad acceptance has been the giant intuitive leap required to generalize the focal tree model to an entire forest community. Recent theoretical and empirical results have succeeded in bridging the gap between the focal tree model and its community-level implications. With these new findings, Janzen–Connell has come of age.
Alteration of photosynthetic pigments and antioxidant systems in tomato under drought with Tebuconazole and Hexaconazole applications

Present investigation was focused on the response and regulation of the antioxidant defense system and photosynthetic pigment variation effect of two important fungicides or plant growth regulators Hexaconazole (HEX) and Tebuconazole (TBZ) on drought stressed tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants. Drought stress was imposed for 30 Days after sowing (DAS) of tomato plant. The water was irrigated by 4 Days Interval Drought (DID) and the control plants were regularly irrigated. Triazole treatment like HEX at 15 mg L-1 and TBZ at 10 mg L-1 imposed on 30, 40 and 50 DAS. The plant samples were collected on 40, 50 and 60 DAS. The photosynthetic pigments like chlorophyll – a, chlorophyll – b and total chlorophyll were estimated. The drought stress reduced the photosynthetic pigments and increased the antioxidant contents and antioxidant enzymes activities. The combined drought stress with triazole treatments increased the photosynthetic pigments then reduced the ascorbic acid (AA), α-tocopherol, catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, when compared to drought stressed plants. It can be concluded that the triazole treatment partially mitigated the adverse effects of drought stress in L. esculentum.
Impact of Annual Cycle on ENSO Variability and Predictability

Low-order linear inverse models (LIMs) have been shown to be competitive with comprehensive coupled atmosphere–ocean models at reproducing many aspects of tropical oceanic variability and predictability. This paper presents an extended cyclostationary linear inverse model (CS-LIM) that includes the annual cycles of the background state and stochastic forcing of tropical sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface height (SSH) anomalies. Compared to a traditional stationary LIM that ignores such annual cycles, the CS-LIM is better at representing the seasonal modulation of ENSO-related SST anomalies and their phase locking to the annual cycle. Its deterministic as well as probabilistic hindcast skill is comparable to the skill of the North American Multimodel Ensemble (NMME) of comprehensive global coupled models. The explicit inclusion of annual-cycle effects in the CS-LIM improves the forecast skill of both SST and SSH anomalies through SST–SSH coupling. The impact on the SSH skill is particularly marked at longer forecast lead times over the western Pacific and in the vicinity of the Pacific North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC), consistent with westward propagating oceanic Rossby waves that reflect off the western boundaries as eastward propagating Kelvin waves and influence El Niño development in the region. The higher CS-LIM skill is thus associated with the improved representation of both ENSO phase-locking and Pacific NECC variations. These improvements result from explicitly accounting for not only the annual cycle of the background state, but also that of the stochastic forcing.
Cognitive Dysfunction in Older Breast Cancer Survivors

Background Approximately 60% of the more than 3.8 million breast cancer survivors (BCSs) living in the United States are 60 years or older. Breast cancer survivors experience many symptoms including cognitive dysfunction; however, little is known regarding how age affects these symptoms. Objective This integrative review was conducted to synthesize the literature on cognitive dysfunction in older BCSs. The purpose was to (1) describe the prevalence of objective and subjective cognitive dysfunctions and (2) examine factors associated with cognitive dysfunction in older BCSs. Methods Whittemore and Knafl’s integrative review methodology was used to examine cognitive dysfunction in BCSs 60 years or older. Results Twelve quantitative studies were included. Up to 41% of older BCSs experienced cognitive dysfunction on neuropsychological examination, and up to 64% reported cognitive dysfunction on subjective measures pretreatment. Approximately half of older BCSs experienced cognitive decline from pretreatment to posttreatment regardless of cognitive measure. The domains most impacted were memory, executive functioning, and processing speed. Objective and subjective cognitive dysfunctions were associated with age, comorbidities, chemotherapy receipt, sleep, neuropsychological symptom cluster, frailty, and quality of life. Conclusions Cognitive dysfunction among older BCSs was common both prior to and following treatment. Cognitive dysfunction was associated with multiple factors that are compounded in the aging population and could be detrimental to quality of life and independent living. Implications to Practice Early assessment and intervention by healthcare providers, including nurses, for cognitive dysfunction in older BCSs are essential. Future research should focus on evidence-based interventions for cognitive dysfunction incorporating the unique needs of older BCSs.
Discovery of a Male Phenotype of the Parthenogenetic Gecko, Lepidodactylus lugubris , on Ishigakijima Island of the Yaeyama Group, Ryukyu Archipelago

We found one male phenotype of the parthenogenetic Lepidodactylus lugubris on Ishigakijima Island, Japan. This "male" had well developed hemipenes, preanal-femoral pores, and externally apparently normal testes. However, histological examination showed that spermatogenesis was aberrant in both testes and that mature spermatozoa were rare, if any, in the ductus epididymides. These facts strongly suggest the sterile nature of this individual. Because there are no bisexual species of Lepidodactylus on Ishigakijima and adjacent islands, the emergence of this "male" can not be explained on the ground of hybridization between a female L. lugubris and a male of a bisexual congener, or of the misidentification of a congener, as in cases of male emergences in a number of southern Pacific populations.
Social Capital, Credit Access and Household Nonfarm Enterprises in Nigeria: A new Empirical Evidence

Abstract This paper investigates the effects of social capital on access to credit by household nonfarm small enterprises in Nigeria. Specifically, the paper tries to ascertain how social capital determines ability of household small businesses to borrow from formal and informal sources and the amount of credit accessed. The study uses data from the General Household Survey to estimate probit and Heckman selection model that form the basic models of the study. Specifically, the results show that belonging to informal groups increases the probability of accessing credit by 1.88%, and also has significant positive impact on the probability of using the loan to operate the enterprise. Also, membership of cooperatives significantly increases the probability of accessing enterprise loan. The results show that belonging to cooperatives and informal groups are the only social capital variables that have statistically significant impact on the amount borrowed.
A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:The standard treatment for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is radiotherapy, although conventional fractionated radiotherapy (CFRT) may not be in the best interest of the patient. Instead, hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT) may shorten the treatment period and reduce related costs for this treatment, which is typically palliative in nature. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated survival outcomes among patients who received HFRT or CFRT for DIPG. The PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register, and Scopus databases were searched to identify relevant studies. Overall survival was the primary outcome of interest and progression-free survival was the secondary outcome of interest. Results: The search identified a total of 2376 reports, although only 4 reports were ultimately included in the meta-analysis. The studies included 88 patients who underwent HFRT and 96 patients who underwent CFRT. Relative to CFRT, HFRT provided comparable outcomes in terms of overall survival (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77–1.47) and progressionfree survival (HR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.75–1.45). Conclusions: The results of this meta-analysis suggest that CFRT and HFRT provide similar survival outcomes for patients with DIPG. Abbreviations: CFRT = conventional fractionated radiotherapy, CI = confidence interval, DIPG = diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, HFRT = hypofractionated radiotherapy, HR = hazard ratio, OS = overall survival, PFS = progression-free survival, SE = standard error.
Helminth Parasites of Anurans from Zaria, Northern Guinea Savannah Zone of Nigeria

Helminth parasitc infections were investigated in 150 Anurans collected in parts of the Northern Guinea Savannah during thedry and wet seasons of 2016. The Anurans that were investigated included Amietophrynus regularis, Kassina senegalensis,Afrixalus vittiger, Xenopus tropicalis, Xenopus fischbergi, Pyxiecephalus cf. edulis, Hoplobatrachus occipitalis, Amniranagalamensis and Ptychadena pumilio. Overall prevalence of helminth parasites was 64% (94/150). Seven species ofhelminths belonging to three taxonomic classes were recovered: Monogenea 4%, Trematoda 19.33% and Nematoda 40.67%were identified. Eupolystoma alluaudi (30%) was the only monogenean recorded from the bladder of S. regularis. Tematodesfound were Diplodischus fishthalicus (53.49%) and Haematoloechus micrurus (67.45%) from the rectum and lungs of H.occipitalis, respectively. Nematodes included Camallanus microcephalus from the oesophagus and small intestine of X.fischbergi ( 62.96%) and X. tropicalis (100 %), respectively, Camallanus dimitrovi (25.58%) from the small intestine andrectum of H. occipitalis, an unidentified nematode from the oesophagus and small intestine of X. fischbergi (1.85%) and X.tropicalis (33.33%), and an Aplectana (85.00%%) species from the small intestine and rectum of S. regularis. Except forEupolystoma alluaudi, the infestation level was generally low. Parasite prevalence was higher during the wet (39.33%) thandry (24.67%) season and the difference was not significant (p = 0.17). The prevalence and infection intensity were lower thanthose reported from anurans in southern biotopes of Nigeria. The occurrence of Camallanus macrocephalus is a new recordfor Nigeria, while X. fischbergi and X. tropicalis are new host records for C. macrocephalus. Keywords: Anurans, helminth, prevalence, Northern Guinea Savannah, Nigeria
CrosstalkNet: mining large-scale bipartite co-expression networks to characterize epi-stroma crosstalk

Background: Over the last several years, we have witnessed the metamorphosis of network biology from being a mere representation of molecular interactions to models enabling inference of complex biological processes. Networks provide promising tools to elucidate intercellular interactions that contribute to the functioning of key biological pathways in a cell. However, the exploration of these large-scale networks remains a challenge due to their high-dimensionality. Results: CrosstalkNet is a user friendly, web-based network visualization tool to retrieve and mine interactions in large-scale bipartite co-expression networks. In this study, we discuss the use of gene co-expression networks to explore the rewiring of interactions between tumor epithelial and stromal cells. We show how CrosstalkNet can be used to efficiently visualize, mine, and interpret large co-expression networks representing the crosstalk occurring between the tumour and its microenvironment. Conclusion: CrosstalkNet serves as a tool to assist biologists and clinicians in exploring complex, large interaction graphs to obtain insights into the biological processes that govern the tumor epithelial-stromal crosstalk. A comprehensive tutorial along with case studies are provided with the application. Availability: The web-based application is available at the following location: http://epistroma.pmgenomics. ca/app/. The code is open-source and freely available from http://github.com/bhklab/EpiStroma-webapp. Contact: bhaibeka@uhnresearch.ca