Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A partial cpDNA trnL sequence from the extinct legume Streblorrhiza speciosa confirms its placement in the tribe Coluteae (Fabaceae)

We report a partial cpDNA trnL sequence of 203 base pairs from the extinct legume Streblorrhiza speciosa that was obtained from herbarium specimens collected from Phillip Island, south-western Pacific Ocean, in 1836. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of the trnL sequence of S. speciosa and those of other Fabaceae species placed S. speciosa as a member of the tribe Coluteae, along with the Australian and New Zealand genera Carmichaelia, Clianthus, Montigena and Swainsona. Smaller genetic distances and shared morphological features indicate stronger links within this group may exist between S. speciosa and Carmichaelia.
Forest fire reduces dawn singing effort in a passerine bird

Fire is common in ecosystems throughout the world, and is known to have profound effects on animal populations. For species living in fire-prone ecosystems, it has the potential to impact both habitat structure and resource availability, which might influence the health of individuals and reproductive effort, directly or indirectly. Previous studies have shown reduced breeding success immediately after fire, but little is known about behavioural responses that might contribute to this, such as song in birds. In a population of Red-backed Fairy-wrens Malurus melanocephalus , we show that dawn singing effort was reduced following a fire. The observed changes might have been driven by reduced physical condition resulting from fire-induced changes in food availability, reduced motivation to perform these behaviours, or both. These results add to our understanding of species’ responses to environmental disturbances, such as fire, and might inform investigators of the mechanisms behind the resulting population-scale effects on breeding success and survivorship.
A review of approaches for topic detection in Twitter

ABSTRACT Online social media such as Twitter are growing so rapidly. Recently, Twitter has become one of the popular microblogging services on the Internet. It lets millions of users to communicate and interact by sending short messages of up to 140 characters. The massive amount of information over the web from Twitter requires an automatic tool that can determine the topics that people are talking about. The Topic Detection task is concentrated on discovering the main topics automatically. In this article at first, we explore different approaches to detect topics of tweets. Then, we will classify these topic detection approaches to four classes of categories, including with word embedding or without word embedding, speciﬁed or unspeciﬁed, offline (RED) or online (NED), and supervised or unsupervised. Finally, we will discuss the studied approaches in detail.
An analysis of human cytomegalovirus gene family function

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a β-herpesvirus that causes complications in immuno-compromised individuals and is the leading infectious cause of birth defects. The HCMV genome contains 15 gene families, which contain between 2 to 14 members. One of these, the US12 gene family, consists of a sequential cluster of 10 genes (US12 to US21) that are highly conserved in clinical isolates. This family has roles in tropism and immune evasion and was recently found to regulate the cell surface expression of a wide array of immune ligands. This included the regulation of ligands for the natural killer (NK) cell activating receptors NKG2D and NKp30 (MICA and B7-H6 respectively), which were targeted by US18 and US20. To complement these mechanistic studies, a C-terminal V5 epitope tag was added to each US12 family gene within the HCMV Merlin genome. A large proportion of the US12 family were shown to be degraded within the cell, possibly within lysosomes, which suggests that they may interact with their targets proteins in order to redirect them for degradation. Expression of US12 family members was detectable by immunoblotting during an infection time-course, with many US12 family members expressed during the Tp3 temporal class of HCMV gene expression. Three members of the family were also demonstrated to be N-glycosylated during HCMV infection. The US12 family appear to have associations with the virion assembly compartment, and correspondingly, 7 US12 family members are found within the virion. Furthermore, the majority of the US12 family also show co-localisation with endoplasmic reticulum-derived membranes. These data build on our previous functional characterisation to give insights into the workings of this important HCMV gene family.
Apoptosis Signaling Pathway Regulates the Gene Expression in the Yeast Retrotransposons Ty1 and Ty2

Objective: Ty elements are retroviral–like entities present in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Apoptosis is a programmed cell death mechanism, conserved in all eukaryotes. In this study, we aimed to analyze how apoptotic signals affect the transcriptions of Ty1 and Ty2 elements in S. cerevisiae. Materials and Methods: To analyze the effects of apoptotic signals on the transcription of Ty element, Ty1-LacZ, and Ty2-LacZ gene fusions were used as reporter genes. These gene fusions were transformed into the wild type and certain yeast mutants that are defective in various signaling pathways. Acetic acid was added to the growth medium of logarithmically growing yeast transformants to induce apoptosis. Transcription levels of the Ty-lacZ gene fusions were analyzed by s-Galactosidase assays. Results: The results of this study show that transcription of Ty1 and Ty2 decreases approximately 3-fold in response to apoptosis in S. cerevisiae. It appears that apoptosis acts through the transcription factors Tec1p and Sgc1p that associate with the regulatory region of Ty1 and Ty2. Moreover, AMP-activated protein kinase Snf1p, and to a lesser extent Tor1p, seem to be required for the transcriptional repression of Ty1 and Ty2 in apoptosis-induced yeast cells. Conclusion: Ty1 and Ty2 transcription is regulated in response to apoptosis signaling in a differential manner. It seems that protein kinases Tor1p and Snf1p and transcription factors Tec1p and Sgc1p are involved in the apoptosis dependent regulation of Ty transcription.
The Relationship between Psychological Capital, Job Performance and Job Satisfaction in Higher Education Institutions Offering Sports Education

Psychological capital, which is one of the developing areas of positive organizational behavior, is seen as a psychological resource that can encourage development and performance among employees. In the field of sports education, increasing the psychological capital levels of the employees and increasing the performance and job satisfaction can be effective. The aim of this study is to determine the psychological capital, job performance and job satisfaction levels of academic staff working in higher education institutions offering sports education in terms of various variables and to examine the relationship between them. The study sample consisted of a total of 122 sports science academicians, including 30 female and 92 males, who worked in different regions of Turkey. The Organizational Psychological Capital Scale, Job Performance and Job Satisfaction Scales were used as data collection tools in the study. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Tukey HSD and correlation test. According to the findings obtained in the research, a high level of positive correlation was found between the psychological capital dimensions and job performance. Again, a moderately positive correlation was found between the psychological resilience, hope and self-efficacy dimensions of the psychological capital and job satisfaction.
Synapse-selective control of cortical maturation and plasticity engages an interneuron-autonomous synaptic switch

Highlights The synaptogenic molecule SynCAM 1 is selectively regulated by visual experience SynCAM 1 controls thalamic input onto cortical Parvalbumin (PV+) interneurons PV+-specific knockdown of SynCAM 1 arrests maturation of cortical inhibition Thalamic excitation onto PV+ interneurons is essential for critical period closure eTOC Blurb Ribic et al. show that network plasticity in both young and adult cortex is restricted by the synapse organizing molecule SynCAM 1. On a cellular level, it functions in Parvalbumin-positive interneurons to recruit thalamocortical terminals. This controls the maturation of inhibitory drive and restricts plasticity in the cortex. These results reveal the synaptic locus of cortical plasticity and identify the first cell-autonomous synaptic factor for closure of cortical critical periods. Summary Brain plasticity peaks early in life and tapers in adulthood. This is exemplified in the primary visual cortex, where brief loss of vision to one eye abrogates cortical responses to inputs from that eye during the critical period, but not in adulthood. The synaptic locus of critical period plasticity and the cell-autonomous synaptic factors timing these periods remain unclear. We here demonstrate that the immunoglobulin protein Synaptic Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 (SynCAM 1/Cadm1) is regulated by visual experience and limits visual cortex plasticity. SynCAM 1 selectively controls the number of excitatory thalamocortical (TC) inputs onto Parvalbumin (PV+) interneurons and loss of SynCAM 1 in turn impairs the maturation of TC-driven feed-forward inhibition. SynCAM 1 acts in cortical PV+ interneurons to perform these functions and its PV+-specific knockdown prevents the age-related plasticity decline. These results identify a synapse type-specific, cell-autonomous mechanism that governs circuit maturation and closes the visual critical period.
pNMPC - A Code Generation Software Tool for Implementation of Derivative Free Parameterized NMPC Scheme for Embedded Control Systems

In this paper, we propose a derivative free pa-rameterized Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (pNMPC) code generation software (S/W) tool for embedded control systems. The proposed S/W tool serves two purposes a) Modeling and specification of the optimal control problem (OCP) and b) C code generation of a highly optimized, portable and efficient pNMPC controller suited for real time (RT) control of fast sampled systems. The underlying optimization module for the pNMPC controller is a SQP based black box optimization (BBO) solver which is specifically tailored to handle inequality constraints specified by the OCP. The S/W tool was completely programmed in C++ programming language and provides interface to MATLAB/Simulink environment with the help of MEX and C MEX-S function wrappers. Two benchmark problems were considered namely, Cart-pole stabilization problem and PVTOL probem and tests were conducted using the proposed S/W tool and also, compared against the ACADO toolkit to assess the performance, efficiency and evaluate the computation time and validate the proposed S/W in-spite of black box models. In total, the proposed S/W tool fares well and looks promising for practical RT embedded control.
When sponsorship causes anger: understanding negative fan reactions to postings on sports clubs’ online social media channels

ABSTRACT Research question: Fans’ perception that sponsors are a financial need illustrating the increased commercialisation in sports is not always aligned with their view of a club’s culture. This perceived imbalance represents a challenge in the online marketing strategies of sports clubs. When club managers decide on the content of online social media posts/messages related to sponsors, they should be aware of potential fan reactions. Therefore, this study analyses how sponsor-related and other online social media communication of football clubs affect fan reactions. Research methods: We analyse Facebook postings (N = 4,603) published by German first division football clubs. After classifying postings regarding their content, we regress ‘Reactions’, ‘Shares’, and ‘Angry’ reactions on the content variable and further covariates. Linear regression models, Poisson regression models, and general dominance statistics are used for exploring variance within the data. Results and Findings: Fans react considerably angrier to sponsor-related posts than to other content except for defeat-related postings. Regarding overall reactions and shares, sponsor-related posts perform worst among different contents. In addition, the content of posts is elementary to negative reactions, but of less importance to overall reaction rates. Implications: Sports managers and sponsors should be aware of the potential negative shift in reactions when using clubs’ social media channels to share sponsor-related content. We recommend releasing sponsor-related posts as videos on game days to decrease the fraction of negative responses and simultaneously maximise the overall reactions.
Long-term precipitation in Southwestern Europe reveals no clear trend attributable to anthropogenic forcing

We present a long-term assessment of precipitation trends in Southwestern Europe (1850–2018) using data from multiple sources, including observations, gridded datasets and global climate model experiments. Contrary to previous investigations based on shorter records, we demonstrate, using new long-term, quality controlled precipitation series, the lack of statistically significant long-term decreasing trends in precipitation for the region. Rather, significant trends were mostly found for shorter periods, highlighting the prevalence of interdecadal and interannual variability at these time-scales. Global climate model outputs from three CMIP experiments are evaluated for periods concurrent with observations. Both the CMIP3 and CMIP5 ensembles show precipitation decline, with only CMIP6 showing agreement with long term trends in observations. However, for both CMIP3 and CMIP5 large interannual and internal variability among ensemble members makes it difficult to identify a trend that is statistically different from observations. Across both observations and models, our results make it difficult to associate any declining trends in precipitation in Southwestern Europe to anthropogenic forcing at this stage.
First Report of Nasal Bot Fly (Cephenemyia jellisoni) in White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Inhabiting Tropical Dry Forests in Central Mexico

abstract: This is the first report of nasopharyngeal myiasis by the larvae of Cephenemyia jellisoni infecting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from tropical dry forests in central Mexico. This study was conducted on hunted male deer within 2 wildlife management units located in the states of Puebla and Oaxaca. Bot fly larvae prevalence in both populations was 50% (95% CI: 21–78%, n = 12) with a median intensity of 4 (95% CI: 3–7). We recommend the implementation of a surveillance program at management units and the monitoring of female deer to determine differential gender effects.
Bio-oil-based phenol–formaldehyde resin: comparison of weight- and molar-based substitution of phenol with bio-oil

Abstract The objectives of this study were (i) to synthesize bio-oil-based phenol–formaldehyde resin to be used for the wood products industry, and (ii) to investigate the effect of phenol substitution (molar-based vs. weight-based) with bio-oil on the properties of resulting PF resin. Bio-oil was produced by hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) process using sweetgum hardwood, and utilized as a bio-based phenolic feedstock as an alternative for petroleum-based phenol in the synthesis of PF resin. Phenol was substituted with bio-oil (both as weight- and molar-based). The resulting PF resin was noted as BPF-W and BPF-M when bio-oil was used to replace 50% of phenol in weight- and molar-based, respectively, and then compared with neat PF resin in terms of free formaldehyde content, gel time, pH of the resin, solid content, bond strength and thermal stability. Results showed that BPF-M resin had less free formaldehyde content and longer gel time than BPF-W resin. No significant difference in pH and solid content was observed between bio-oil-based PF resins. Moreover, molar-based substitution resulted in a resin with higher bonding strength than that of weight-based substitution, and both BPF-W and BPF-M showed higher bonding strength then neat PF resin. TGA analysis of the resin revealed that substitution of phenol with bio-oil lowered the thermal stability of bio-oil derived PF resins. However, molar-based substitution of phenol with bio-oil could enhance the thermal stability.
Streaks in Daily Returns

A simple model of return extrapolation suggests that streaks in returns, which we define as n-day consecutive over-/under-performance relative to the market, predict future returns. We test this prediction using daily U.S. data and find strong empirical support. Buying stocks with negative streaks and selling stocks with positive streaks yields annualized Sharpe ratios around 2. We replicate the results in international markets and are able to increase the Sharpe ratio to above 3 by diversifying across regions. We argue that liquidity is unlikely to explain the results as streak portfolio returns based on mid-quote-prices are strongest among stocks with the lowest bid-ask spreads.
Organic acid profile and phenolic and sugar content in Salix purpurea × viminalis L. cultivated with different spent mushroom substrate and copper additions

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to determine the response of Salix purpurea × viminalis L. growing on Pleurotus ostreatus spent mushroom substrate (SMS) with different copper (Cu) addition. The content of Cu in roots, leaves and shoots was reduced by SMS addition. A decrease of biomass was observed with simultaneous Cu concentration increase. SMS induced leaf and root elongation of Cu-treated plants. Variation in the profile of low molecular weight organic acids with the domination of oxalic and acetic acids was observed. The total phenolic content significantly increased for plants cultivated with SMS, while the biosynthesis of salicylic acid was considerably weakened. The content of sugars was generally reduced by SMS. Alteration in the level of the stress-related molecules suggests mitigation of the harmful effect of Cu on Salix hybrid metabolism by SMS addition. This pointed to the possibility of using SMS in contaminated soil to reduce the toxic effect of metals on plants used in phytoextraction.
Patterns of Ocular Trauma Presenting to the Tertiary Eye Care Centre in the Islands of Andaman and Nicobar

Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify the patterns of ocular trauma, determine the groups at risk, types of injuries, visual and post traumatic anatomical outcomes in patients presenting to our hospital – ANIIMS, Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands Method: It is a prospective hospital based observational study done over a period of two years on ocular trauma cases presenting to the emergency or referred to the ophthalmology department from June 2016 to June 2018. A questionnaire was made and data was collected on the patient’s age, gender, affected eye, aetiology, location of trauma, visual acuity, intra-ocular pressure (IOP) and subsequent gonioscopy, hospital admission, maximum stay in the hospital and primary and secondary surgical intervention done. Results: The study included 77 eyes of 70 patients. Males were affected in 84% of cases. The highest incidence of trauma was seen in the age group of 21-30 years (34%). Children below 10 years were found in 14% cases. Blunt ocular trauma was found in 38 patients (25.7%) whereas penetrating injuries were found in six eyes (8.6%). Road traffic accident was found as the most common cause of trauma (25.7%). Hospitalization was done in 30 patients (42.85%) and the maximum stay in the hospital was three days. Primary surgical interventions were required in 25 patients (35.71%). Conclusions: Road traffic accident is one of the major cases related to blunt ocular trauma and early intervention can prevent ocular morbidity. Children are at a higher risk for accidental ocular injuries especially with sharp objects. Safety is the key in preventing ocular injuries and thereby can reduce the burden on the individual as well as on the socioeconomic and health resources of any nation. Delhi J Ophthalmol 2020;30;20-26; Doi http://dx.doi. org/10.7869/djo.540
Leaf litter stoichiometry affects decomposition rates and nutrient dynamics in tropical forests under restoration in Costa Rica

Active restoration strategies increase the production of leaf litter in tropical forests, but little is known about their effect on litter decomposition and subsequent nutrient release. We quantified changes in leaf litter stoichiometry during decomposition in former pasture sites under contrasting restoration strategies (natural regeneration, applied nucleation/islands tree planting and plantation), as well as in nearby primary forest. Litterbags were employed to evaluate decomposition. We used a leaf mixture of either the four planted tree species in the plantation and island treatments or the nearby primary forest and compared them under a factorial design. Decomposition rates were similar between restoration treatments (p > 0.5), but leaves decomposed faster in the forest mixture than in the plantation mixture (p < 0.01). The content of Ca, Mg, K, P, and the C:N ratio were higher in the forest mixture at the beginning and during decomposition (p < 0.05); the N content in the plantation mixture was higher at the beginning but lower during decomposition (p < 0.05), which meant greater mobilization of nitrogen per unit of carbon lost. K and P had a strong initial release, while Mg was released more gradually. N and Ca had an irregular pattern of initial fast release, immobilization, and re‐release in the later stages. We conclude that the differences in rates of decomposition and nutrient release in these systems under restoration were at least partly determined by the floristic heterogeneity and chemical quality of the leaf litter that reaches the soil.
QUALITY OF PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA

Does quality of accommodation matter for academic excellence among undergraduate students in a public university? Does the emerging alternative accommodation provided by private investors maintain quality standards favorable for high academic performance? These questions formed the core of this study which was based on Education Production Function model. Adopting a descriptive survey design, the study targeted 30,339 students living in the private hostels around Kenyatta University. Questionnaires were administered to a total of 395 undergraduate students sampled using stratified and random sampling techniques, and one director of student affairs purposively selected. In addition, 10 Private Accommodation Providers (PAPs) as well as the director of accommodation services, having been purposively selected, were interviewed. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis revealed that 58.3% of hostels had poor quality sanitary facilities and 65.4% of hostels did not have internet connectivity. Further, a statistically significant positive correlation (p=.008) exists between adequacy of the room and academic performance of students. The study recommends that the University engages more private developers in a public private partnership in the development of more hostels, direct more resources through social responsibility towards improving the infrastructure in areas with high student population and offer PAPs training on ideal student accommodation. Article visualizations: