Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Disease and the Drying Pond: Examining Possible Links among Drought, Immune Function, and Disease Development in Amphibians

Drought can heavily impact aquatic ecosystems. For amphibian species that rely on water availability for larval development, drought can have direct and indirect effects on larval survival and postmetamorphic fitness. Some amphibian species can accelerate the timing of metamorphosis to escape drying habitats through developmental plasticity. However, trade-offs associated with premature metamorphosis, such as reduced body size and altered immune function in the recently metamorphosed individual, may have downstream effects on susceptibility to disease. Here, we review the physiological mechanisms driving patterns in larval amphibian development under low water conditions. Specifically, we discuss drought-induced accelerated metamorphosis and how it may alter immune function, predisposing juvenile amphibians to infectious disease. In addition, we consider how these physiological and immunological adjustments could play out in a lethal disease system, amphibian chytridiomycosis. Last, we propose avenues for future research that adopt an ecoimmunological approach to evaluate the combined threats of drought and disease for amphibian populations.
Using the VERT wearable device to monitor jumping loads in elite volleyball athletes

Sport is becoming increasingly competitive and athletes are being exposed to greater physical demands, leaving them prone to injuries. Monitoring athletes with the use of wearable technology could provide a way to potentially manage training and competition loads and reduce injuries. One such technology is the VERT inertial measurement unit, a commercially available discrete wearable device containing a 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis magnetometer. Some of the main measurement outputs include jump count, jump height and landing impacts. While several studies have examined the accuracy of the VERT’s measures of jump height and jump count, landing impact force has not yet been investigated. The objective of this research study was to explore the validity of the VERT landing impact values. We hypothesized that the absolute peak VERT acceleration values during a jump-land cycle would fall within 10% of the peak acceleration values derived simultaneously from a research-grade accelerometer (Shimmer). Fourteen elite university-level volleyball players each performed 10 jumps while wearing both devices simultaneously. The results showed that VERT peak accelerations were variable (limits of agreement of -84.13% and 52.37%) and had a propensity to be lower (mean bias of -15.88%) when compared to the Shimmer. In conclusion, the validity of the VERT device’s landing impact values are generally poor, when compared to the Shimmer.
Leaf number and plant height of three Canna x generalis cultivars

The aim of this three-year study was to evaluate the effect of three treatments (tiophanate methyl, charcosal dust, and control) on leaf number and plant height on three Canna x generalis cultivars (City of Portland, Richard Wallace and Robert Kemp). Results showed that the 3-year means of leaf number ranged from 13.7 to 22.4 for the three cultivars. The largest leaf numbers were for cultivar Robert Camp (22.4 in 2010) and the lowest for cultivar City of Portland (13.7 in 2011). Tiophanate methyl treatment produced the highest number of leaves and the values were significantly different at P< 0.05 from the control for all years and for all cultivars. Numbers of leaves in charcosal dust treatments were larger than the control treatments but it was not significantly different. Results on plant height ranged from 65.8 to 160.1 cm for the three cultivars. The largest plant height was for cultivar Robert Camp (160.1 cm in 2010) and the lowest for cultivar City of Portland (65.8 cm in 2011). Tiophanate methyl treatment produced the highest plant height and the values were significantly different at P< 0.05 from the control for all years and for all cultivars. Plant heights in charcosal dust treatments were larger than the control treatments but it was not significantly different.
Multimodal Local-Global Attention Network for Affective Video Content Analysis

With the rapid development of video distribution and broadcasting, affective video content analysis has attracted a lot of research and development activities recently. Predicting emotional responses of movie audiences is a challenging task in affective computing, since the induced emotions can be considered relatively subjective. In this article, we propose a multimodal local-global attention network (MMLGAN) for affective video content analysis. Inspired by the multimodal integration effect, we extend the attention mechanism to multi-level fusion and design a multimodal fusion unit to obtain a global representation of affective video. The multimodal fusion unit selects key parts from multimodal local streams in the local attention stage and captures the information distribution across time in the global attention stage. Experiments on the LIRIS-ACCEDE dataset, the MediaEval 2015 and 2016 datasets, the FilmStim dataset, the DEAP dataset and the VideoEmotion dataset demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach when compared with the state-of-the-art methods.
"We Wear the Mask": Self-Definition as an Approach to Healing From Racial Battle Fatigue

Abstract:Bell's (1992) thesis of racial realism, in concert with the work of Wilderson (2007), Hartman (1997), and Sharpe (2016), positions the afterlife of slavery as an irreconciled event that is ongoing and permanent. If the assumption is that racism exists and, subsequently, racial battle fatigue is and will be an enduring embodied experience that results from it, what possibilities exist for Black students, faculty, and practitioners to heal? We trouble the notion of self-care, highlighting the rationality-laced logics (Feagin, 2010) that inform how student affairs educators survive racial battle fatigue and we look more closely at the terrains of healing. We propose that the achievement of such a place requires an alternative theoretical ground that is made possible in and through self-definition.
Enhancing Work Productivity through Organizational Culture and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Evidence from Indonesian State Owned Enterprises

In a dynamic and competitive business environment, employee work productivity is a key factor to support the company's competitiveness and success. Therefore, the efforts to develop work productivity are important to do through improvements in the factors that affect work productivity. This study aims to analyze the effect of organizational culture on work productivity with organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) as an intervening variable. The study was conducted at PT. Perusahaan Gas Negara, Tbk by using quantitative methods and a sample of 127 managers taken with simple random sampling. Data collection using a 5-point Likert Scale questionnaire and analyzed using the path analysis. The results showed that organizational culture and OCB had a positive direct effect on managers' work productivity. Organizational culture are also known to have a direct positive effect on OCB and OCB was proven as an intervening variable for the influence of organizational culture on work productivity. Based on these findings, the factors of organizational culture and OCB must be considered to increase work productivity.
Health and environmental effects of adopting an integrated fruit fly management strategy among mango farmers in Kenya

Integrated pest management (IPM) has been promoted globally as an alternative approach to the widespread broad-spectrum chemical insecticidal application for the control of pests and diseases in agricultural production to minimise the harmful effects of the chemicals on humans and the environment. This study examines the impact of an IPM strategy developed to control mango fruit flies on humans and the environment. Using a random sample of 371 mango farmers from Meru County in Kenya, health and environmental outcomes were measured using the environmental impact quotient (EIQ) field use and causal impacts, which were estimated using the endogenous switching regression (ESR) model. The results indicate that the adoption of the IPM strategy reduced pesticide use and pesticide toxicity. Policy efforts therefore should focus on promoting and disseminating fruit fly IPM to improve the livelihoods of rural mango farmers, but also reduce human health and environmental threats as a result of pesticide use.
Research on Losses of PCB Parasitic Capacitance for GaN-Based Full Bridge Converters

The utilization of wide band-gap semiconductor devices provides the possibility of higher switching frequency and power density for power converters. However, the influence of parasitic parameters becomes more significant. It deteriorates the converter performance and leads to extra loss. In this article, the extra loss caused by the parasitic capacitance of printed circuit boards (PCBs) is studied. The mechanism is explained, and the model of full bridge topology with PCB parasitic capacitance is proposed as an example. Both the capacitance in power loops and control circuits are considered in the proposed model. Besides the capacitive loss in power loops, losses are also introduced by the capacitive coupling between the power and control circuits due to the potential pulsation of the control ground. This potential pulsation is analyzed and the calculation method of corresponding losses is presented. The formation of PCB parasitic capacitance is analyzed in detail and corresponding layout optimization methods are proposed. Theoretical analyses are verified on a gallium nitride based full bridge prototype with calorimetric loss measurement. The comparison of calculated and measured losses is presented, which shows a switching loss deviation of 26% without the consideration of parasitic capacitance and a 40% reduction on the extra losses after the proposed optimization.
Advances in the Management of Spinal Durotomy

Spinal durotomy, whether incidental or intentional, requires a watertight closure to prevent potentially significant complications. As a result of relatively recent technological advancements and research, spine surgeons now have many options for both intra-operative dural repair as well as managing post-operative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the current and historical treatment strategies in the management of spinal durotomy. Intra-operative treatment of intentional and incidental durotomies through a variety of available dural sutures, dural sealants and other patches and grafts as well as post-operative CSF leak management strategies including conservative measures, epidural blood patches, CSF diversion therapies and definitive surgical repair will be presented.
Investigating Factors Affecting the Adoption of Smartphone Technology by Elderly People In Iraq

The smartphone is now essential part of daily life (business and personal) across all age bounds. The usage of it can play a part in helping the elderly in several ways in terms of healthcare information. This paper aims at developing a model for identifying substantial factors that affect elderly people's intention toward adopt smartphones. A questionnaire instrument is developed to define factors that influence smartphones adoption via elderly people. The questionnaires are distributed in terms of paper-based questionnaires individually in Iraq. 225 completed questionnaires are gathered. Using a Cronbach Alpha, the test of reliability is conducted on the obtained data. The result indicates that four factors (socioeconomic influence, facilitating conditions, performance expectancy and effort expectancy) affect older people's intention to embrace smartphones. Contribution/Originality: This study is one of very few studies which have investigated the adoption of new technologies by older adults in Iraq. The study is investigated older adults‟ adoption of smartphones by adapting UTAUT with consideration of socioeconomic influence. Based on literature and obtained data, a research model is proposed and tested.
Possible contamination routes of listeria monocytogenes in leaf lettuce during cultivation

Outbreaks of foodborne illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes in or on fresh produce have been reported. Several contamination routes have been proposed and the cultivation process is one of the suspected routes. Leaf lettuce is one of the most important fresh produce products. In the present paper, we investigated the possible routes of L. monocytogenes contamination in leaf lettuce during cultivation. Leaf lettuce was cultivated in soils inoculated with cocktails of three isolates of L. monocytogenes belonging to different serotypes (1/2a, 1/2b, and 4b). The viability and injury state of L. monocytogenes in soils, and bacteria survival in or on leaf lettuce were investigated during 10 weeks of cultivation. Soils were artificially contaminated with L. monocytogenes at levels of 4, 6 or 8 log CFU/g, followed by cultivation of leaf lettuce in the contaminated soils. Populations of L. monocytogenes in the soil decreased to less than the detection limit (< 2 log CFU/g) at 8 ‒ 10 weeks after the start of cultivation. L. monocytogenes was detected in some harvested leaf lettuce leaves at low levels, almost equivalent to the detection limit. As L. monocytogenes was not detected in the leaves of leaf lettuce plants cultivated in highly-contaminated soils after surface disinfection, the possibility of internalization of L. monocytogenes into leaf lettuce plants was considered low. Spraying of water contaminated with bacteria at greater than 3.2 log CFU/plant led to the survival of bacteria on the leaf lettuce leaves even after seven days. Furthermore, leaf damage prolonged the survival period of bacteria on the leaves.
Impact of Earnings Variability and Regulatory Measures on Income Smoothening in Islamic Banks : Evidence from an Emerging Market

This study focuses on identification of income smoothening practices and the impact of stringent regulations on income smoothening of Islamic banks listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) for the period of 2010 to 2018. The frequency of income smoothing activities is evaluated through loan loss provisions (LLPs). Data has been retrieved through bank financial statements and financial statements analysis (FSA) issued by State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). In order to test income smoothening in Islamic banks, regression model has been employed. The findings of the study reveal that Islamic banks operating in Pakistan use income smoothening practices to achieve their objectives despite presence of Shariah Law. Further, the study also reveals that imposition of capital adequacy ratio through Basel Accords has significant and positive impact on reduction of income smoothing activities. Moreover, increase in the size of bank in terms of asset size has also positive impact through reduction of income smoothening in Islamic banks of Pakistan. Moreover, non-performing loans (NPL) and total loans (TL) also increase income smoothening. Similarly, GDP also increases income smoothening. The study provides sight not only for auditors and regulators but also for investors and general public. The study also highlights that there is a dire need for regulators to adopt strict and close monitoring on the distribution of earnings to avoid smoothening practices. Results also offer inputs to policymakers to customize their policies so that smoothening practices may be curtailed in Islamic banks and true picture be provided to investors about bank performance.
Using high‐throughput sequencing in support of a plant health outbreak reveals novel viruses in Ullucus tuberosus (Basellaceae)

Ullucus tuberosus (ulluco) is a tuber-forming species that has become a novel crop in highland and temperate maritime climates. Eight viruses have been previously reported infecting Ullucus, including Andean potato latent virus (APLV), a quarantine virus within the European Union. No reference sequences have been published for the viruses previously described from U. tuberosus. Plants grown in the UK for the internet trade were tested for the presence of quarantine viruses using ELISA and real-time RT-PCR. ELISA positive results were obtained for APLV and multiple other viruses. A similar suite of viruses was detected at a second outbreak site linked to horticultural trade. Virus identification was by high-throughput sequencing (HTS) using a ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-depleted total RNA approach. Analysis of viral contigs indicated the presence of several novel viruses closely related to, but not consistent with, the viruses indicated by ELISA. Further confirmatory testing by real-time RT-PCR indicated that two tymoviruses, tentatively named Ullucus tymovirus 1 and Ullucus tymovirus 2, were more closely related to each other (85% identity), than to APLV or Andean potato mild mosaic virus (63–66% identity). APLV could not be confirmed from either site by either HTS or PCR. A novel tobamovirus (Ullucus tobamovirus 1) was only detected at the initial outbreak site. A novel polerovirus (Ullucus polerovirus 1) and a distinct genotype of Papaya mosaic virus were detected from both outbreak sites. Deploying HTS during a plant health outbreak demonstrates the potential of this approach to give rapid, accurate diagnosis.
Methods for calculation the spatial distribution of the territory membership to the urbanized based on the hybrid neural network

This paper presents the method for calculation of the spatial distribution of the territory membership to the urbanized (TMU)—the value that puts the degree of suitability for development (tourism development) in accordance with each node of the grid of the study area within (0, 1). The method is based on a hybrid neural network training. It allows us to assess all kinds of territories for tourist infrastructure development capabilities with relation to attractiveness and provide results visualization on the geographical information system (GIS) maps. The developed algorithm of picking and conversion of geospatial data from GIS for knowledge base generation uses attractors coordinates (vectors of roads, a city center, a railway station) and random points of the explored area, makes possible distance calculation between them (on the road to the attractor and Manhattan distance) and following conversion to the ASCII file, that allows unifying input parameters of the set of models for forecasting development of tourist infrastructure objects. The paper studied typical tourist towns of the Ukrainian Carpathians.
Sustainability Driven by Agriculture through Digital Transformation

Economic, environmental and social sustainability is increasingly gaining the attention of academia and commitment in the policies of national economies. Global warming and climate change, weather disasters and disruptions are just some of the challenges that can drastically disrupt stable business models, and thus jeopardize sustainability. Agriculture, as an activity at the center of the value chain, is facing these problems, and, at the same time, contributes to feeding the growing world population and is responsible for conserving resources and ensuring sustainability. Process automation, data analysis and processing, control and management of agricultural operations have transformed the agricultural business and contributed to sustainability, survival and development within supply chains. This article analyzes the literature in the field of sustainability and agriculture led by digital technologies of Industry 4.0. The analysis of the research field showed the high importance of the topic in academic and national circles, given the number of published articles. Secondly, the concepts of sustainable agriculture and sustainability driven agriculture in the context of digital transformation were analyzed and it was shown that transformed agriculture can successfully cope with today’s challenges. Finally, guidelines for sustainable development driven by agriculture through the determinants of digital transformation are defined.
Study on sound pressure level and acoustic damping ratio of one dimensional sound field partitioned by perforated plate with geometric similarity

In heat exchangers like a boiler, as a tube bank is set in a duct the alternative vortices occur behind a tube bank and the vortex shedding frequency increases with the flow velocity when the boiler is operated. High level sound is suddenly generated when the vortex frequency comes close to the acoustic natural frequency of the duct. The high level sound keeps the frequency and the amplitude constant even if the flow velocity increases in the case of small acoustic damping due to the self-excited mechanism. This is generally called the self-sustained tone and the factory is forced to stop the operation due to the complaints of the neighborhood. The effective countermeasure is required in the design stage. In general, the baffle plate is inserted in the tube bank but it is difficult to treat it, especially to the duct with plural tube banks. Then the other effective countermeasures are keenly anticipated. The author has many studies concerned to the clarification of the generation mechanism and the countermeasures and their effects. In recently, it is clarified that the perforated plate suppresses the high level sound. The author has a question what is the relation between the suppression effect of the perforated plate and the dimension ratio. Then in this paper, the acoustic experiments will be conducted by using the three different sizes of the ducts and perforated plates. The acoustic damping obtained by these experiments and analyses is compared. As a result, it was clarified that the acoustic damping ratio becomes smaller with larger of dimensional ratio.
Habitat-Specific Reproductive Potential of Red Snapper: A Comparison of Artificial and Natural Reefs in the Western Gulf of Mexico

Energy exploration in the Gulf of Mexico (hereafter, Gulf) has resulted in the addition of numerous oil and gas production platforms that create structurally complex habitat in an area otherwise dominated by barren mud/sand bottom. How these artificial structures affect fish populations is largely unknown, and there is ongoing debate regarding their value as surrogate habitats for ecologically and economically important reef fish species. Thus, the purpose of this study was to characterize trends in Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus reproductive potential in the western Gulf at oil and gas platform reefs relative to reproductive potential at natural banks. Red Snapper (n = 1,585) were collected during 2013–2015 from standing platforms, decommissioned platform artificial reefs, and natural banks by using standardized vertical line gear. Comparisons of gonadosomatic index, male : female ratios, batch fecundity, annual fecundity, spawning frequency, and number of spawning-capable individuals indicated that Red Snapper reproductive biology was similar among natural bank, standing platform, and artificial reef habitats. These results suggest that in terms of reproductive output, fish inhabiting artificial reefs are functionally similar to similar-aged fish on natural banks. This work can be used to make informed management decisions and suggests that there are benefits to converting decommissioned platforms into designated artificial reefs. Future studies should consider site-specific characteristics, such as depth, vertical relief, and proximity to other structures, to elucidate how habitat characteristics may influence reproduction, ultimately improving future artificial reef deployments for fisheries enhancement in the western Gulf. *Corresponding author: greg.stunz@tamucc.edu Received March 30, 2018; accepted July 12, 2018 Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 147:1030–1041, 2018 © 2018 American Fisheries Society ISSN: 0002-8487 print / 1548-8659 online DOI: 10.1002/tafs.10104