Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Morphological and Genetic Divergence within the Phymaturus payuniae Clade (Iguania: Liolaemidae), with the Description of Two New Species

Abstract. The Phymaturus payuniae clade is an endemic group of lizards inhabiting rocky outcrops of central western Argentina. All recognized species are found in an area of endemism called “Payunia. ” Recent studies using morphological data and DNA markers found that the payuniae clade comprises at least 10 terminal taxa. In the present study, we revisited the morphology of all previously considered terminals and analyzed two new populations discovered in Neuquén province in 2005 and 2016. The revised character list allowed us to score morphological characters for several taxa whose morphologies were unknown prior to this study. In the present study, we sequenced ND4 for three terminals (completing other sequences available for these taxa), and Cytb, COI, 12S, and C-mos for one terminal (for which no DNA data had been reported). We then added these sequences to the pre-existing DNA databases for the genus. We estimated genetic distances for three mitochondrial markers among all members of the clade and calculated the evolutionary lability of morphological characters for the whole patagonicus group. Variation of 26 continuous characters was analyzed with Principal Component Analysis for all members of the payuniae clade and species of other clades of the patagonicus and palluma group. Additionally, we revised genital characters for all members of the group and included a description of the new taxa's hemipenial morphology. Considering the distribution of morphological characters among species, their genetic distances, different genital morphology, and the phylogenetic structure inferred, we are able to support the taxonomic status of all species of the group and add the formal description of two new species.
Effect of Spraying Algae Extract and Potassium Nitrate on the Yield and Fruit Quality of Barhee Date Palms

The effect of foliar spray with algae extract and/or potassium nitrate on the quantity and quality of Barhee date palm yields was investigated during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Inflorescences of Barhee date palms were sprayed twice, after pollination (1st April of each season) and one month later, with algae extract at concentrations of 0.5% and 1.0% and with potassium nitrate at concentrations of 1% and 2% applied individually or in combinations. The obtained results showed that all of the sprayed treatments enhanced the yield and fruit properties when compared to the controls. Spraying inflorescences of Barhee date palms with algae extract and/or potassium nitrate had a significant effect on the yield and on the physical and chemical properties of the fruit when compared with the untreated palms. The increase in yield and qualitative properties was associated with increasing concentrations of both materials (algae extract and potassium nitrate). The best results were detected with spray containing high rates of combined treatment (1% algae extract + 2% potassium nitrate) applied twice in both seasons studied because this treatment resulted in the highest value of fruit and bunch weight, increased the yield per palm compared to the control by about 60.2%, and improved the fruit physical properties (fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit shape index, flesh weight, and seed weight) and fruit chemical properties (total soluble solids (TSS); acidity; TSS/acid ratio; tannins; and reducing, nonreducing, and total sugars) of the Barhee date palm given the experimental conditions.
A scalable parallel unstructured finite volume lattice Boltzmann method for three‐dimensional incompressible flow simulations

The standard lattice Boltzmann method, which employs certain regular lattices coupled with discrete velocities as the computational grid, is limited in its flexibility to simulate flows in irregular geometries. To simulate large‐scale complex flows, we present a cell‐centered finite volume lattice Boltzmann method for incompressible flows on three‐dimensional (3D) unstructured grids and its corresponding parallel algorithm. The advective fluxes are calculated by the low‐diffusion Roe scheme, and the gradients of the particle distribution functions are computed with a least squares method. The presented scheme is validated by three benchmark flows: (a) a 3D Poiseuille flow, (b) cubic cavity flows with Reynolds numbers Re = 100 and 400, and (c) flows past a sphere with Re = 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250. Some parallel performance results are presented to show the scalability of the method, which reveal that the proposed parallel algorithm has considerable scalability and that the parallel efficiency is higher than 87% on 3840 processor cores. It can be seen that the presented parallel solver has significant potential for the accurate simulation of flows in complex 3D geometries.
Preparation, Physicochemical Properties, Invitro And In Vivo Release Evaluation of Chitosan Decorated Curcumin Loaded Niosome

Purpose: Based on several pharmacological activities of curcumin (Cn), it has been introduced as an ideal candidate for different neurological disorders. But poor solubility, rapid clearance and low stability have limited its clinical application. Development of curcumin loaded smart niosome for crossing blood brain barrier could be and interesting option to overcome these limitations.Object: The aim of this study is preparation and characterization of chitosan decorated curcumin loaded niosome(CH-CLN) and evaluation of invitro release and in vivo bioavailability and bio stability of curcumin in the brain tissue.Methods: Niosomal formulations were prepared by modified heating method by using 3-factor and 3 level mixture design. The formulations were characterized using DLS, zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). The entrapment efficiency and invitro release were also evaluated. Wistar rats were subjected to intraperitoneal injection (i. p.) of formulations, and curcumin 15 minutes before perfusion. Cn concentration in different parts of the central nervous system, liver, and plasma was analyzed for in vivo analysis.Results: Encapsulation efficiency was obtained 75% for optimized formulation and presented sustain release, followed by the Hixon-Crowell model. The particle size was about 100nm with polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.2. Chitosan decorated niosomal formulation increased Cn concentration in central nervous system.Conclusion: We can conclude the chitosan decorated curcumin loaded niosome improved bioavailability of curcumin in brain tissue and cold be a promising tool for crossing blood-brain barrier
Multi‐angle head pose classification with masks based on color texture analysis and stack generalization

Head pose classification is an important part of the preprocessing process of face recognition, which can independently solve application problems related to multi‐angle. But, due to the impact of the COVID‐19 coronavirus pandemic, more and more people wear masks to protect themselves, which covering most areas of the face. This greatly affects the performance of head pose classification. Therefore, this article proposes a method to classify the head pose with wearing a mask. This method focuses on the information that is helpful for head pose classification. First, the H‐channel image of the HSV color space is extracted through the conversion of the color space. Then use the line portrait to extract the contour lines of the face, and train the convolutional neural networks to extract features in combination with the grayscale image. Finally, stacked generalization technology is used to fuse the output of the three classifiers to obtain the final classification result. The results on the MAFA dataset show that compared with the current advanced algorithm, the accuracy of our method is 94.14% on the front, 86.58% on the more side, and 90.93% on the side, which has better performance.
Public Speaking Anxiety Reviewed from Self-Efficacy and Audience Response on Students: Systematic Review

Students are required to be able to speak publicly. The ability to speak in public will make it easier for students to convey ideas, or suggestions and become a value-added skill for them. Based on literature studies there are several factors that influence public speaking anxiety, including self-efficacy and audience. The study aims to systematically review the relationship between self-efficacy and audience response with public speaking anxiety. The study is expected to enrich previous studies to prevent and address the anxiety of public speaking. Literature searches based on the topic of public speaking anxiety were associated with self-efficacy and audience response, conducted in four electronic databases, Google Scholar, Garuda Portal, ScienceDirect, and SSCI. The search year was from 2009 to 2019; obtained 4,870 articles. Furthermore, selection is carried out using criteria, the time range of publication of articles up to 10 years, quantitative methods, and student subjects. The results obtained 12 quantitative articles that meet the criteria. There were 9 articles stating there was a significant negative correlation between self-efficacy and public speaking anxiety and 3 articles stating there was a significant negative correlation between audience response and public speaking anxiety. This study concluded that to overcome the anxiety of public speaking a person needs high self-efficacy, because the higher a person's selfefficacy, the lower the anxiety. As for the audience response factor, it can be concluded that if the audience response is friendly, pleasant and does not respond negatively, then a speaker will not experience the anxiety of speaking in public, and vice versa.
Effect of egg yolk-based extender and seminal plasma removal on sperm viability of cooled donkey semen

Developing effective cooled semen protocols is essential to increase pregnancy rates and reproductive efficiency in donkeys. This study aimed to evaluate the effect on sperm kinetic parameters and membrane integrity in cooled donkey semen diluted with defined milk proteins extender with 1% or 2% of egg yolk and the removal of seminal plasma. Twenty-four ejaculates from six jackasses were collected. Each ejaculate was divided into four aliquots that were diluted in extender with 1% (EY1) or 2% (EY2) egg yolk. One sample from each group was centrifuged, seminal plasma was removed (CEY1, CEY2 groups, respectively), and the samples were then refrigerated at 5 °C for 24 h. Fresh and cooled semen samples were assessed for sperm motility, morphology, and plasma membrane integrity. Total motility, progressive motility, sperm kinetic parameters, or live sperm cells were not statistically different when semen was cooled with an extender supplemented with 1% or 2% of egg yolk. Seminal plasma removal does not affect total motility or sperm kinetic parameters. However, progressive motility decreased (P<0.05) when semen was extended with 2% of egg yolk and seminal plasma was removed. Membrane integrity was affected (P<0.05) in centrifuged samples. In conclusion, the obtained results suggest that there is no difference in sperm kinetics and membrane integrity when 1% or 2% of egg yolk was added to the Equiplus extender. Also, the removal of seminal plasma by centrifugation did not have any beneficial effect on cooled donkey semen. Further studies are needed to relate these results with in vivo fertility tests with cooled donkey semen.
The demographic and ecological factors shaping diversification among rare Astragalus species

Evolutionary radiations are central to the origin and maintenance of biodiversity, yet we rarely understand how they are jointly shaped by demography and ecological opportunity. Astragalus is the largest plant genus in the world and is disproportionately comprised of rare species restricted to narrow geographic and ecological regions. Here, we explored the demographic and ecological mechanisms underlying patterns of diversification in a threatened Astragalus species complex endemic to a small desert region in the western United States.
The influence of selected ionic liquids on activity of chitin deacetylase

Chitin deacetylase is the only known enzyme which is able to deacetylate N-acetyl-D-glucosamine units in chitin or chitosan chains. As chitin can hardly be dissolved in organic/inorganic solvents, new solvents are still searched. Ionic liquids are promising for that application and for homophase enzymatic deacetylation. The aim of the work was to investigate the influence of selected ionic liquids on activity of chitin deacetylase. It has been shown that [Amim] ionic liquids increase the activity of chitin deacetylase. The highest activity was observed for [Amim][Cl]. Ionic liquids with shorter (ethyl (C2)) and longer side chain (buthyl (C4)) only insignificantly influenced the activity of the enzyme. All tested ionic liquids with [Br] anion increased the activity of chitin deacetylase while the [Emim] and [Bmim] cation in combination with [Cl] anion inhibited the activity of the enzyme.
Design and Analysis of a Low-Power Ternary SRAM

This paper proposes the design of a ternary inverter that uses low current as input voltage is VDD/2. When the supply voltage is set to 1 V, current supplied by a voltage source as an input voltage VDD/2 is reduced by 22.75% from 1. 89μΑ to 1. 46μΑ. By connecting ternary inverters back-to-back, a trit-storage element is implemented as a ternary SRAM cell. This paper also presents the first verification of read/write schemes that consider noise margins.
CORRUPTION AND PERCEIVED FAIRNESS: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES

Abstract Corruption can erode political trust and a well-functioning democratic system, but it is unclear whether perceptions of corruption are significantly associated with citizens’ perceptions about the fairness of income distribution. This study thus examines the role of political trust in shaping the relationship between perceptions of corruption and perceived fairness of income distribution for East Asian countries. The findings show that perceived corruption has strong detrimental effects on political trust, and that those who have lower levels of political trust are more likely to perceive the income distribution as unfair in their countries. Causal mediation analysis results indicate that political trust plays an important role in mediating the negative effect of perceived corruption on perceived fairness of income distribution. Moreover, the results from examining the mutual causality linking corruption, political trust, and perceived fairness suggest that the reciprocal causal effects are also significant and robust.
Small‐scale macrobenthic community structure along asymmetrical sand waves in an underwater seascape

In many coastal regions worldwide, the sandy seabed is seldom static or flat, but oftentimes, many types of bedforms can be found, as is the case in the Dutch sector of the North Sea (Borsje, de Vries, et al., 2009). While many of these bedforms are rhythmic in nature, they can be differentiated based on their spatial dimensions. These include the largest sand banks of up to 10 km in length and 30 m in height, down to small sand ripples that are on the order of tens of cms in length and several cms in height; in between this range are several intermediaries such as megaripples (up to 10 m long, tens of cm in height) and sand waves (100– 1,000 m long, up to 10 m high; Morelissen et al., 2003). Though development of these bedforms are largely driven by hydrodynamic and physical (e.g., sedimentary) processes, other factors such as benthic organisms are believed to also play an important role in shaping the sedimentary and hydrodynamic conditions of these environments (Borsje et al., 2009; Damveld et al., 2019). This is particularly the case for the mesoscale sand waves, which are the focus of this study here. Received: 13 July 2020 | Revised: 13 March 2021 | Accepted: 24 March 2021 DOI: 10.1111/maec.12657
The Digitalization of Agriculture and Rural Areas: Towards a Taxonomy of the Impacts

The literature about digitalization in agriculture and rural areas is vast and sectorial at the same time. Both international political institutions and practitioners are interested in promoting digital technology, indicating and describing potential benefits and risks. Meanwhile, academics analyze the actual and possible impacts of digital technologies by using case studies. However, the extensive literature makes it challenging to derive a comprehensive synthesis of the possible impacts that digital technologies are and might generate in the rural domains. In the given context, the present work aims at contributing to the construction of a framework providing a first classification of the digital technologies’ impacts to use in both research and a political agenda.
Protective effects of health insurance against disasters: an insight from the Great East Japan Earthquake

Abstract The Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011 and it's massive tidal waves wreaked devastating damage on residences and communities along 400 km of the Pacific coast in Japan. Using the panel data from the Japanese Study of Aging and Retirement, we estimate the effects of this disaster on individual health, finding a significant negative impact on the health of those in the area. In addition, we exploit a discontinuous decrease in copayments for medical care at the age of 70 years and find that the reduction in copayment increased medical and long-term care utilization and significantly reduced health deterioration after the earthquake.
Development of a Computer Application Used by Visiting Nurses, Physicians, and Patients/Caregivers to Prevent Indwelling Urinary Catheter Occlusion in the Community

This study aimed to develop a computer application (software) for use by visiting nurses, physicians, and patients/caregivers, to support their care of long-term indwelling urinary catheters in the community. Development of this application involved: (1) confirmation of the intended purpose, users, and application construction; (2) establishment of the functional requirements for data sharing and communication among visiting nurses, physicians, and patients/caregivers; (3) design of three constituent “versions” of the application to be used by visiting nurses, physicians, and patients/caregivers, respectively; and (4) testing of the data sharing and communication functions. The application was designed to facilitate the prevention, assessment, and response to occlusion of indwelling urinary catheters during long-term use at home. This application is characterized by: (1) a unique design of three application “versions” that each reflect the specific care roles of its respective user group; (2) data sharing among the three groups according to their respective roles; and (3) the inclusion of caregivers as users. This article proposes a model that can inform the design of future applications for nursing professionals and patients and caregivers and provide a basis for future research on the development of healthcare applications supporting improvements in care.
Revisiting the environmental Kuznets curve: Evidence from West Africa

This paper analyzes the revenue-pollution relationship by revisiting the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis for West African countries over the period of 1980–2014. The study approximates the income measurement by GDP per capita and uses carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxide (NO2), and methane emissions as various environmental quality measures. The paper uses parametric and non-parametric estimation techniques to test the EKC hypothesis. The results support the existence of the U-inverted relationship between income and methane emission, on one hand, and between income and nitrogen dioxide emission on the other. The estimates also show a mixed result for the U-inverted hypothesis between income and carbon dioxide emissions. Thus, the verification of the curve depends on the estimation techniques and the measurement of the pollutant used. The obtained results led to the conclusion that the EKC hypothesis is validated for West African countries.
Dosimetria tridimensional usando gel MAGIC com formaldeído

Este trabalho apresenta a aplicacao do dosimetro gel MAGIC com formaldeido (MAGIC-f) na medida tridimensional da distribuicao de dose em um planejamento de IMRT. Grande semelhanca foi encontrada na distribuicao de dose obtida pelo dosimetro gel e a distribuicao de dose esperada pelo sistema de planejamento (TPS) em todo o volume irradiado, o que se comprovou pela sobreposicao direta dessas isodoses. Dos resultados, pode-se concluir que o gel MAGIC-f pode ser aplicado satisfatoriamente para medidas tridimensionais de distribuicao de dose.
Occupational therapy and psychosis: POINTER feasibility study for a pragmatic clinical trial

Introduction The dearth of clinical trials of individualised occupational therapy with people with a diagnosis of psychosis limits the evidence base globally for occupational therapy practice. This study evaluated the feasibility of conducting a pragmatic clinical trial. Method Mixed methods design using a pragmatic perspective; two-centre, one-group pretest-posttest study, at six months. POINTER Occupational Intervention Specification captured routine individualised occupational therapy. Process evaluation included recruitment, retention, intervention delivery, fidelity, adherence and outcome measurement. The primary outcome was participation in activities of everyday life, measured by Time Use Survey, Participation Scale and Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-Participation. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure measured self-reported experience of and satisfaction with occupational performance. The Short Form-36v2 Health Survey measured health-related quality of life, a secondary outcome. Participants’ experiences were explored using a questionnaire. Intervention providers’ perspectives were investigated via the POINTER occupational intervention log and focus groups. Results Recruitment was (20/36) and drop-out 20% (4/20). Fidelity was 77%, and adherence was good; POINTER had validity and utility. Outcome measurement was acceptable to participants, indicating increased participation in activities of everyday life. Conclusion A larger clinical trial is merited; recruitment processes need further exploration, and outcome measurement needs refining.
Race, Glass Ceilings, and Lower Pay for Equal Work

Using detailed administrative data that allow us to hold gender, education, productivity, timeliness, and work quality constant, we document that minority patent examiners at the U.S. patent office face substantial glass ceilings and pay gaps. The promotion gap relative to White examiners averages 24.3% for Blacks, 10.5% for Hispanics, and 4.5% for Asians, with Black examiners 41.7% less likely than Whites to be promoted to the highest rank. Consistent with statistical discrimination, we find that the promotion gap for senior Black examiners halves around Obama’s 2008 election win and that greater exposure to successful minority examiners affects managers’ promotion decisions positively. We show that promotion gaps have adverse effects on the services the patent office provides to inventors and society.
Stability of a chemically reacting double‐diffusive fluid layer in a porous medium

In the present study, double‐diffusive convection with chemical reaction in a Darcy–Brinkman porous layer, heated and salted below, has been investigated. Linear analysis is performed with the help of the normal mode technique, and nonlinear analysis is performed with the help of the energy method. The effect of the thermal contribution of the chemical reaction is found to be more effective on the convective instability in comparison with the solutal contribution of the chemical reaction. The reaction parameters k 1 , k 2 enhance the onset of convection in the stationary mode, however, in oscillatory mode, the onset of convection is seen to be delayed. The effect of solute Rayleigh number R s , Darcy number D a , is depicted graphically.