Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Small coastal streams—Critical reservoirs of genetic diversity for trout (Salmo trutta L.) in the face of increasing anthropogenic stressors

Abstract We used microsatellite markers to investigate levels and structuring of genetic diversity in trout (Salmo trutta L.) sampled from 16 rivers along the south coast of Cornwall in southwest England. This region is characterized by many small coastal streams with a few larger catchments. At a regional level, genetic structuring of contemporary populations has been influenced by a combination of events, including the last Ice Age and also more recent human activities over the last millennium. All populations are shown to have gone through strong genetic bottlenecks, coinciding with increased exploitation of mineral resources within catchments, beginning during the Medieval period. At more local levels, contemporary human‐induced habitat fragmentation, such as weir and culvert construction, has disproportionally affected trout populations in the smaller catchments within the study area. However, where small catchments are relatively unaffected by such activities, they can host trout populations with diversity levels comparable to those found in larger rivers in the region. We also predict significant future loses of diversity and heterozygosity in the trout populations inhabiting small, isolated catchments. Our study highlights how multiple factors, especially the activity of humans, have and continue to affect the levels and structuring of genetic diversity in trout over long timescales.
Braided Networks for Scan-Aware MRI Brain Tissue Segmentation

Recent advances in supervised deep learning, mainly using convolutional neural networks, enabled the fast acquisition of high-quality brain tissue segmentation from structural magnetic resonance brain images (MRI). However, the robustness of such deep learning models is limited by the existing training datasets acquired with a homogeneous MRI acquisition protocol. Moreover, current models fail to utilize commonly available relevant non-imaging information (i.e., meta-data). In this paper, the notion of a braided block is introduced as a generalization of convolutional or fully connected layers for learning from paired data (meta-data, images). For robust MRI tissue segmentation, a braided 3D U-Net architecture is implemented as a combination of such braided blocks with scanner information, MRI sequence parameters, geometrical information, and task-specific prior information used as meta-data. When applied to a large (> 16,000 scans) and highly heterogeneous (wide range of MRI protocols) dataset, our method generates highly accurate segmentation results (Dice scores > 0.9) within seconds****The concepts and information presented in this paper are based on research results that are not commercially available.
Biochemical composition and trophic strategies of the amphipod Eurythenes gryllus at hadal depths (Atacama Trench, South Pacific)

Amphipods Eurythenes gryllus were collected at 7800 m depth in the Atacama Trench (South Pacific) for studying their biochemical composition (in terms of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates and fatty acid content) and to gather information on bioenergetic strategies and trophic habits of organisms living in this extreme environment. The effect of long-term formalin storage on the biochemical determinations was also determined. Proteins were the dominant biochemical class of organic compounds (39–53%D.W.), whereas carbohydrates accounted for a very small fraction (1–2%D.W.). Lipid concentrations of E. gryllus accounted for 7–18%D.W. and were much lower than those reported for other deep-sea amphipods. These differences are likely to be more dependent upon food availability in the Atacama Trench rather than upon temperature. Lipid composition of E. gryllus revealed the dominance of monounsaturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated fatty acids accounting for a very small fraction, suggesting that hadal amphipods are higher dependent upon lipid reserves than amphipods inhabiting at shallow depths. The ratio of C18:1Δ9 to C18:1Δ11 was >11 confirming the necrophagous trophic habits of this hadal amphipod.
Electrochemical Properties of a Verdazyl Radical in Room Temperature Ionic Liquids

Room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have been widely investigated as alternative electrochemical solvents for a range of dissolved species over the past two decades. However, the behaviour of neutral radicals dissolved in RTILs is relatively unexplored. In this work, the electrochemistry of a stable verdazyl radical – 1,5-dimethyl-3-phenyl-6-oxoverdazyl (MPV) – has been studied on a platinum thin-film electrode using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry in 10 different RTILs. The organic solvent propylene carbonate is also employed as a comparison. The nature of the solvent system was found to have a large effect on the electrochemical behaviour, particularly on the reduction reaction of the verdazyl radical. Chronoamperometry on a microdisk electrode was used to calculate diffusion coefficients (D), and plots of D versus the inverse of viscosity were linear, suggesting typical hydrodynamic diffusional characteristics of the radical, in line with the behaviour of dissolved neutral and charged compounds (e.g. ferrocene and cobaltocenium) in RTILs. Overall, this study demonstrates that different RTILs have a significant influence on the electrochemistry of MPV, and therefore careful selection of the solvent system for electrochemical applications is advised.
The role of public procurement as innovation lever: evidence from Italian manufacturing firms

ABSTRACT The study focuses on the impact exerted on private R&D expenditures by regular and innovative public procurement when taken in combination or insolation with supply-push measures. The econometric analysis relies on a pulled sample of 4206 Italian manufacturing firms observed between 2010 and 2014. The empirical exercise confirms previous evidences on the relevance of technology-push instruments in sustaining firms’ innovativeness. On the contrary, the ability of public procurement activities in shaping innovative investments is found to depend on a number of instances related to: (i) the adoption of contemporaneous supply side measures; (ii) the inclusion of innovative demand in procurement contracts. The analysis provides important suggestions with respect to the potential effectiveness of demand-side tools when implemented in weak administrative and innovation systems, as in the Italian case. Moreover, it is shown that the design of the policy mix matters, and its effectiveness improves when demand-side and supply-side instruments are jointly implemented.
Prospects for strain improvement in entomopathogenic fungi

The deployment of entomopathogenic fungi for the control of insect pests offers an environmentally-acceptable strategy. Major obstacles to their application include variability in effectiveness due to uncontrolled environmental parameters (temperature, humidity) and development of suitable formulation techniques. Strains differ considerably in genetic ability to cause mortality and to spread within populations. Pathogenicity is the result of the interaction of numerous individual traits determining germination and penetration, followed by successful growth within the target host, which is a prerequisite for induction of mortality. No effective singlegene determined toxin has been reported for entomopathogenic fungi, but the application of gene cloning techniques for specific proteases is a likely future development. Genetic manipulation techniques, designed to recombine complex traits associated with pathogenicity via the parasexual cycle, are described here in relation to successful steps achieved in strain improvement programmes which involve: (a) Verticillium lecanii (Zimm.) Viegas against the glasshouse whitefly: Trialeurodes vaporariorum and the aphid Macrosiphoniella sanborni; (b) Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorokin against the rice brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens.
Opposing effects of organic and conventional fertilizers on the performance of a generalist and a specialist aphid species

1 Sustainable and conventional farming systems use fertilizers that differ in the availability of nitrogen, which may affect plant quality to alter the abundance and performance of potential pest species. 2 We grew brassica plants in several types of fertilizer, including those commonly used in conventional and sustainable farming systems, and an unfertilized control. The effects of fertilizer type on the performance of two aphid species and foliar glucosinolate content were investigated. 3 Both aphid species performed poorly (with reduced fecundity) on the unfertilized treatment compared with those feeding on fertilized host plants. 4 Brevicoryne brassicae, the brassica specialist, performed best on Brassica oleracea plants fertilized with an organic animal manure, with a 72% increase in fecundity and an 18% increase in intrinsic rate of increase compared with plants fertilized with ammonium nitrate. 5 By contrast, the generalist Myzus persicae had an intrinsic rate of increase that was reduced by 15% on plants growing in the animal manure compared with those growing in ammonium nitrate. 6 These results may explain earlier findings on the effects of fertilizer type on aphid populations in the field, and are discussed in the context of pest species' responses to sustainable and conventional agricultural systems.
Catastrophic Extinction of Population Sources in a Butterfly Metapopulation

Increasing emphasis is being placed on the large-scale and long-term dynamics of populations. A butterfly (Euphydryas editha) metapopulation that was naturally restricted to rocky outcrops in an area of coniferous forest suffered two major perturbations in 30 yr. First, humans clear-cut patches of forest in about 1967. The butterfly colonized the clear-cuts, in which it began to oviposit on a novel host plant, Collinsia torreyi. Breeding success was high, and the clear-cut habitat supported a population source; in the mid-1980s, there was net movement of adults from clear-cut to outcrop, and butterfly densities were elevated on outcrops close to population sources. The second major perturbation came in 1992, when a severe summer frost killed C. torreyi plants (outcrop hosts were not damaged). As a result, E. editha larvae starved in clear-cuts, and the source populations became extinct. This occurrence allowed us to test several predictions of source-sink theory. As predicted, densities declined on outcrops, and particularly on those close to former sources; by 1993, densities on outcrops were no longer correlated with isolation from former sources. True population sinks are predicted to become extinct in the absence of immigration, but this prediction was not observed. Outcrops were not true sinks because E. editha occupied this habitat before the creation of sources, survived the frost on outcrops, and persisted on outcrops in areas where they were isolated from sources. Outcrops were pseudosinks; breeding success was poor at immigration-enhanced densities, but outcrop populations did not rely on immigration to persist. The implications for conservation biology are that populations with high mean density and that act as sources are not necessarily more stable than lower-density or pseudosink populations. This may be especially true of systems subject to recent human disturbance, as in the present case.
High spatial resolution studies of phase transitions within organic aperiodic crystals

The understanding of the symmetry breakings within crystals that are aperiodic by construction is actually very limited. Quasicrystals and incommensurate composite crystals may potentially allow such studies. We focus in this article on the phase transitions of the aperiodic n - nonadecane/urea which recovers a translational symmetry within a four dimensional space at room temperature. High resolution neutron and synchrotron studies are reported as function of the temperature on this organic crystal which presents an exceptional mosaicity. They reveal the richness of such approach showing the appearance of very long wavelength supplementary intermodulations. This work generalizes the Landau theory to incommensurate composite crystals.
Trade‐off between mobility and fitness in Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Abstract. 1. The codling moth Cydia pomonella, one of the most important pest insects of apple fruit orchards worldwide, is regarded as a ‘sedentary’ insect, but the natural populations consist of both mobile and sedentary genotypes that display different dispersal capacity in the field. The current study investigated whether there is a fitness consequence of being mobile in this species by comparing two strains with contrasting levels of mobility obtained through bi‐directional selection.
Initial Validation of the Teaching Sustainability Questionnaire and Relationships of Latent Factors Predicting Physical Education Teachers Intent to Remain Working in High Poverty Schools

ABSTRACT Psychological flexibility (PF), teaching resiliency (tRES), and sense of purpose (SOP) are characteristics that influence physical education teaching sustainability. The study's purpose was to validate an instrument measuring PF, tRES, and SOP relative to teachers’ intent to remain teaching (IRT) in high poverty (>60% low-income) schools and evaluate latent variable relationships. A 22-item Teaching Sustainability Questionnaire (TSQ) was completed by 540 teachers working in high poverty schools. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure (PF [ = 8.6, =.89], RES [ = 2.0, = .87], SOP [ = 1.4, = .74]. Confirmatory factor analysis affirmed factor structure, and the data were an acceptable fit for the model ( (290) = 681.83, p < . 001, SRMR = . 05, RMSEA = . 05, CFI = . 94, TLI = . 93, /df = 2.35). Convergent/divergent validity values were acceptable (AVE ≥ .43, CR ≥ .8), and analysis of the structural model indicated that elevated PF, tRES, and SOP predict IRT. Model re-specification indicated a mediating relationship of PF and tRES with SOP.
CHANGES OF DEHYDROASCORBIC ACID CONTENT IN RELATION TO TOTAL CONTENT OF VITAMIN C IN SELECTED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Vitamin C performs many functions in the human body and is very important for its proper functioning. The main vitamin C sources in the human diet are fruits and vegetables. Changes of total content of vitamin C (Tc), L-ascorbic acid (AA) and dehydro- L-ascorbic acid (DHA) in selected fruits and vegetables during storage at 20°C until spoilage were determined. A decrease of Tc and AA contents and an increase of DHA concentration were noted. Products of high acidity such as lemon and tomato were charac- terized by the highest retention of vitamin C. An increase of the DHA to Tc ratio (%) was observed. On the first day of storage the DHA/Tc ratio was higher than 10% in broccoli, cucumber and banana, while on the last day - it amounted over 40% in banana and cu- cumber, between 20 and 40% in parsley leaves and broccoli, and below 20% in tomato, cauliflower and lemon. In order to obtain correct results of vitamin C determination in fruits and vegetables it is necessary to take DHA content into consideration.
Antioxidant activity of α-tocopherol and Trolox in different lipid substrates : Bulk oils vs oil-in-water emulsions

This study was aimed at evaluating the antioxidant effectiveness of α-tocopherol and its water-soluble analogue, Trolox, in different lipid systems. The oxidative stability of lipids in bulk and emulsion systems at 37 °C decreased in the order corn oil triglycerides > methyl linoleate > linoleic acid. In both bulk and emulsified linoleic acid, Trolox was a better inhibitor of hydroperoxide formation and decomposition than α-tocopherol. However, in bulk methyl linoleate and corn oil triglycerides, although Trolox was a better inhibitor of hydroperoxide formation, in emulsions, α-tocopherol was a better inhibitor of both the formation and decomposition of hydroperoxides. In emulsified methyl linoleate and corn oil, the partition coefficients of Trolox between lipids and water at high concentrations were not affected by Tween 20, and the antioxidant activity of Trolox decreased because it partitioned into the water phase and Tween 20 micelles. In contrast, in linoleic acid emulsified with Tween 20, the forma.
Resonant Frequency Adjusting of an MSA via Laser Ablation of the Input Coil

A convenient method to permanently adjust the operating frequency of a microstrip superconducting quantum interference device amplifier (MSA) was investigated. An optical laser cutter was used to ablate the input coil of an MSA, bonded to a printed circuit board (PCB), to increase the MSA's operational frequency. During the ablation process, the MSA did not have to be electrically or physically decoupled from the PCB. Using atomic force microscopy imaging, a cutting parameter of a single laser pulse of 1.8 mJ was found to ablate the 50-nm-thick input coil and 10 nm of the SiO$_{\bf 2}$ substrate beneath the input coil. After ablation, the bias current was unchanged and the gain of the MSA was relatively consistent, indicating that the ablation process does not affect the Josephson junctions. The resonant frequency of the input was adjusted from 180 to 270 MHz.
The Effect of Entrepreneurship on the Sustainability of Social Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) - Between the Mediating Effects of Government Support Policy in Korea

Background/Objectives : This study aims to study the impact of the entrepreneurial mentality of social small and medium-sized entrepreneurs on the sustainability of SMEs through the intermediary effect of the Korean government-backed policy for social enterprises in South Korea. Methods/Statistical analysis : The target of the study is the CEO of a social small and medium-sized business company that has been in business for less than seven years, and the survey method was conducted. The questionnaire item was composed of a total of 35 questions, including five demographic questions, the measurement was used for a Likert 5-point scale. Using SPSS 22.0 as an empirical analysis was carried out technical statistical analysis, exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, regression analysis, mediated analysis. Findings : Looking at the results of the study, first, the empathy, social value orientation, and innovation of the entrepreneurial spirit of social start-ups have been shown to affect the sustainability of social SMEs. Social value orientation has the greatest impact (β = .345***). Second, Empathy, Social value orientation, and Innovation have been shown to influence government policy support, but risk-taking has not been affected. Social value orientation has the greatest impact (β= .459***). Third, the Republic of Korea Government Support Policy has been shown to have an impact on sustainability (β= .751***). Fourth, about the impact of Social SMEs Entrepreneurship and sustainability, innovation and Risk-taking is partly mediated by Government Support Policy, while Empathy (p=.158) and Social value orientation (p=.148) was found to be a complete mediating. Improvements/Applications : In this study, which mediated government-funded policies on the impact of the entrepreneurial mentality of the CEO of a Social SMB, empathy and Social value orientation were identified as important factors. Therefore, it is believed that a study will be needed on the optimal configuration scenario of the Government Policy Support System of the Republic of Korea, which takes into account social entrepreneurship.
Air Pollution Forecasting Using Artificial and Wavelet Neural Networks with Meteorological Conditions

ABSTRACT Air quality forecasting is a significant method of protecting public health because it provides early warning of harmful air pollutants. In this study, we used correlation analysis and artificial neural networks (ANNs; including wavelet ANNs [WANNs]) to identify the linear and nonlinear associations, respectively, between the air pollution index (API) and meteorological variables in Xi’an and Lanzhou. Evaluating twelve algorithms and nineteen network topologies for the ANN and WANN models, we discovered that the optimal input variables for an API forecasting model were the APIs from the 3 preceding days and sixteen selected meteorological factors. Additionally, the API could be accurately predicted based solely on the value recorded 3 days earlier. Based on the correlation coefficients between the air pollution index of the targeted day and the tested variables, the API displayed the closest relationship with the API 1 day earlier as well as stronger correlations with the average temperature, average water vapor pressure, minimum temperature, maximum temperature, API 2 days earlier, and API 3 days earlier. When Bayesian regularization was applied as a training algorithm, the WANN and ANN models accurately reproduced the APIs in both Xi’an and Lanzhou, although the WANN model (R = 0.8846 for Xi’an and R = 0.8906 for Lanzhou) performed better than the ANN (R = 0.8037 for Xi’an and R = 0.7742 for Lanzhou) during the forecasting stage. These results demonstrate that WANNs are effective in short-term API forecasting because they can recognize historic patterns and thereby identify nonlinear relationships between the input and output variables. Thus, our study may provide a theoretical basis for environmental management policies.
Flavour compounds of Greek cotton honey

Abstract: Finding marker compounds is a powerful tool in the determination of the botanical originof honey. For this purpose the ﬂavour fraction of Greek cotton honey was investigated. A strikingcharacteristic of this type of honey is the presence of more than 35 phenolic compounds in theextract, accounting for almost 60% of the total amount of compounds positively identiﬁed by gaschromatography/mass spectrometry. In comparison with honeys of nine different origins, a total of15 compounds could serve as potent markers for cotton honey, namely cinnamaldehyde (0.44%),cinnamyl alcohol (1.79%), cinnamic acid (1.13%), neryl and geranyl nitrile (0.16 and 0.41% respectively),benzenepropanol (0.5%), homovanillyl alcohol (0.6%), ( E )- and ( Z )- p -methoxy-cinnamic acid (0.48and 0.14% respectively), 2-methyl- p -phthalaldehyde (0.22%), coniferaldehyde (0.47%), p -coumaric acid(1.77%), ferulic acid (0.51%), scopoletin and scoparone (0.47%).  2005 Society of Chemical Industry Keywords: cotton honey; ﬂavour compounds; phenolic compounds; botanical origin
Risk assessment for prion protein reduction under the conditions of the biodiesel production process

Due to the increased demand for biofuels, all different feedstocks from oils and fats have to be considered for biodiesel production. Animal fats have proved to be excellent sources for biodiesel due to their high cetane number and good stability. Large amounts of fat from so-called high-risk material, possibly contaminated with infectious prions, are available for biodiesel production. In this paper, the grade of destruction of prions during the biodiesel production process, including pre-esterification with conc. sulfuric acid followed by KOH-catalyzed transesterification, was studied. The starting material of the different production steps was spiked with purified and highly infectious prion rods, and the destruction of these prions was determined by gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blot. The pre-esterification step led to a destruction factor of at least 100, the transesterification led to a factor of at least 250, and the distillation of the final biodiesel showed a destruction factor of at least 1000. During all experiments, no traces of prions could be detected after the different reaction steps. Based on these data, a complete and unequivocal risk assessment regarding the industrial process of biodiesel production was carried out, leading to a calculated overall risk of 5.8 x 10 -15 ID 50 units/person and year, which means that a hypothetical BSE contamination from biodiesel is more than 10 9 times lower than the background risk.