Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Effect of Gender and Personality Characteristics on Educational Performance

This study was an update on gender differences, personality characteristics and academic performance carried out among students at a private University in Ogun State, Nigeria. The present study intends to validate the findings of the previous study with further review of literature on the subject matter. The result of the study showed that male and female students are different with regards to academic performance but not in personality traits. Also, conscientiousness (r=.272, p .05), agreeableness (r= .057, p>.05) and openness to experience (r= -.018, p>.05). These personality factors jointly influenced changes in academic performance [F (5,195) = 3.897, p<. 01]. The present study found a consensus in gender differences in academic performance with females outperforming the males. Also, studies agree that females are higher in agreeableness and neuroticism but not significantly different in conscientiousness when compared with males. This study concluded that conscientiousness trait had a significant effect on students’ academic performance; and that female students academically performed better than their male counterparts. Consequently, it was recommended that further studies be conducted to ascertain gender differences in personality characteristics using a very large sample size.
Cross-Diffusion Waves as a trigger for multiscale, multiphysics Instabilities: Application to earthquakes

Abstract. Theoretical approaches to earthquake instabilities propose shear-dominated instabilities as a source mechanism. Here we take a fresh look at the role of possible volumetric instabilities preceding a shear instability. We investigate the phenomena that may prepare earthquake instabilities using the coupling of Thermo-Hydro-Mechano-Chemical reaction-diffusion equations in a THMC diffusion matrix. We show that the off-diagonal cross-diffusivities can give rise to a new class of waves known as cross-diffusion waves. Their unique property is that for critical conditions cross-diffusion waves can funnel wave energy into a quasi-stationary wave focus from large to small-scale. The equivalent extreme event in ocean waves and optical fibres leads to the appearance of rogue waves and high energy pulses of light in lasers. In the context of hydromechanical coupling, a rogue wave would appear as a sudden fluid pressure spike on the future fault plane. This is here interpreted as a trigger for the ultimate (shear) seismic moment release.
Life-history data for the funnel weavers Eratigena agrestis and Eratigena atrica (Araneae: Agelenidae) in the Pacific Northwest of North America

Abstract The life history of the funnel weaver Eratigena agrestis (Walckenaer) (Araneae: Agelenidae) is not well studied despite its widespread occurrence in Europe and its establishment and spread in the Pacific Northwest of North America since its introduction in the early 20th century. We report phenology and life-history data for E. agrestis and another co-occurring funnel weaver, Eratigena atrica (Koch), in two study sites in British Columbia, Canada. The most notable difference in phenology between the two Eratigena species was the timing of emergence: E. atrica spiderlings emerge in the fall whereas E. agrestis spiderlings emerge in the spring. Surprisingly, the contrasting densities of E. atrica in the two study sites and the presence of the western black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus Chamberlin and Ivie (Araneae: Theridiidae), in one study site had little effect on the life history of E. agrestis. This unexpected finding may be explained by (i) low overall competition pressure in the study habitats, (ii) conspecifics and heterospecifics exerting equivalent competition or predation pressures; and/or (iii) aggregations of heterospecifics providing benefits that offset costs associated with any competition.
Demand Forecasting in Supply Chain Management Using Different Deep Learning Methods

Supply chain management (SCM) is a fast growing and largely studied field of research. Forecasting of the required materials and parts is an important task in companies and can have a significant impact on the total cost. To have a reliable forecast, some advanced methods such as deep learning techniques are helpful. The main goal of this chapter is to forecast the unit sales of thousands of items sold at different chain stores located in Ecuador with holistic techniques. Three deep learning approaches including artificial neural network (ANN), convolutional neural network (CNN), and long short-term memory (LSTM) are adopted here for predictions from the Corporación Favorita grocery sales forecasting dataset collected from Kaggle website. Finally, the performances of the applied models are evaluated and compared. The results show that LSTM network tends to outperform the other two approaches in terms of performance. All experiments are conducted using Python's deep learning library and Keras and Tensorflow packages.
A new genus of Neotropical rheophilic catfishes, with four new species (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Pseudopimelodidae)

Rhyacoglanis, a new genus of the South American freshwater catfish family Pseudopimelodidae is described from cis-Andean portions of the continent. Rhyacoglanis is distinguished from other genera of the family by three synapomorphies: presence of a light blotch on the cheek; a connection between the middle of the dark caudal-fin stripe and the dark caudal-peduncle pigmentation; and 30-35 total vertebrae. Species of Rhyacoglanis are rheophilic and strongly associated with rapids and other swift-flowing waters. A phylogenetic analysis based on 41 morphological characters yields a hypothesis of monophyly of the Pseudopimelodidae and Rhyacoglanis. Pimelodus pulcher Boulenger, 1887, from the western Amazon basin is designated as type-species of the new genus and redescribed. Four new species are described: Rhyacoglanis annulatus, from the río Orinoco basin, with a nearly ringed dark band on the caudal peduncle, and a larger distance between anus and anal-fin origin; R. epiblepsis, from the rio Madeira basin, with numerous dark spots scattered on the body, and rounded caudal-fin lobes; R. paranensis, from the upper rio Paraná basin, with three distinct dark bands on the body, and 31-33 total vertebrae; and R. seminiger, from the rio Juruena basin, with subdorsal and subadipose dark bands fused anteroposteriorly, and a separate dark band on the caudal peduncle.
Single-cell analysis identifies EpCAM+/CDH6+/TROP-2− cells as human liver progenitors

The liver is largely composed of hepatocytes and bile duct epithelial cells (BECs). Controversy exists as to whether a liver stem/progenitor cell capable of renewing both hepatocytes and BECs exists. Single cell RNA sequencing of freshly isolated human foetal and healthy adult liver identified hepatocyte, hepatoblast and liver progenitor cell (hLPC) populations. hLPCs, found at the interface between hepatocytes and bile ducts in both foetal and adult tissue, were distinguishable from BECs by their negative expression of TROP-2. Prospective isolation followed by in vitro culture demonstrated their potential for expansion and bi-lineage differentiation. The hLPC expression signature was also conserved within expanded cell populations specific to certain cases of liver injury and cancer. These data support the idea of a true progenitor existing within healthy adult liver that can be activated upon injury. Further work to define the mechanisms regulating hLPC behaviour could advance understanding of human development and disease.
Effects of whey protein isolate based coating enriched with Zingiber officinale and Matricaria recutita essential oils on the quality of refrigerated rainbow trout

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of whey protein isolate (WPI) coating enriched with essential oils (ginger and chamomile) on rainbow trout fillets during storage at 4°C. Samples were analyzed at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 days for microbiological (total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, psychrotrophic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, Pseudomonas), chemical analyses (pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances-TBARS, total volatile base nitrogen-TVB-N, peroxide value [PV]) and sensory quality (odor, taste, tissue, appearance). Bacterial growth was inhibited in samples with high concentrations of essential oils due to its antimicrobial activity. During the storage period, TVB-N, TBARS, and PVs content gradually increased in all groups, and significant differences were found between the groups (p < .05). In conclusion, the addition of of ginger and chamomile essential oils to WPI coatings showed a positive effect on the rainbow trout shelf-life. Practical applications Whey protein is a by-product of the cheese-making industry and is already known as an excellent barrier to oxygen, aroma, and oil and can be used as a coating material for improving the oxygen barrier property of food packaging. The use of an essential oil in fresh fish preservation may be considered an alternative “natural” additive, extending the shelf life of the product. Our study has clearly shown that addition of ginger and camolime essential oil and whey protein isolate coating in fish resulted in longer shelf life, and this method could be commercially used.
Poria cocos ethanol extract and its active constituent, pachymic acid, modulate sleep architectures via activation of GABAA-ergic transmission in rats

Poria cocos is a well-known traditional Chinese traditional medicine (TCM) that grows around roots of pine trees in China, Korea, Japan, and North America. Poria cocos has been used in Asian countries to treat insomnia as either a single herb or part of an herbal formula. In a previous experiment, pachymic acid (PA), an active constituent of Poria cocos ethanol extract (PCE), increased pentobarbital-induced sleeping behaviors. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate whether or not PCE and PA modulate sleep architectures in rats as well as whether or not their effects are mediated through GABAA-ergic transmission. PCE and PA were orally administered to individual rats 7 days after surgical implantation of a transmitter, and sleep architectures were recorded by Telemetric Cortical encephalogram (EEG) upon oral administration of test drugs. PCE and PA increased total sleep time and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep as well as reduced numbers of sleep/wake cycles recorded by EEG. Furthermore, PCE increased intracellular chloride levels, GAD65/67 protein levels, and α-, β-, and γ-subunits of GABAA receptors in primary cultured hypothalamic neuronal cells. These data suggest that PCE modulates sleep architectures via activation of GABAA-ergic systems. Further, as PA is an active component of PCE, they may have the same pharmacological effects.
Farm to Fish: Lessons from a Multi-Year Study on Agricultural Floodplain Habitat

Large areas of California’s historic floodplain have been separated from adjacent river channels by levee construction, allowing the development of an extensive agricultural industry. Based on successful partnerships between agriculture and conservation groups to support migrating waterfowl, we examined whether seasonally flooded rice fields could be modified to provide off-channel rearing habitat for juvenile Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. During winter and spring of 2012-2017, we conducted a series of experiments in Yolo Bypass and other regions of California’s Central Valley using hatchery Chinook Salmon as a surrogate for wild Chinook Salmon, the management target for our project. Overall, we found that seasonally flooded fields are highly productive, resulting in significantly higher levels of zooplankton and high Chinook Salmon growth rates as compared to the adjacent Sacramento River. We found similar results for multiple geographical areas in the Central Valley, and in different cover types, such as non-rice crops and fallow areas. Although field substrate type did not detectably affect fish growth and survival, connectivity with upstream and downstream areas appeared to drive fish occupancy, because rearing young salmon were generally attracted to inflow in the fields, and not all of the fish successfully emigrated off the fields without efficient drainage. In general, we faced numerous logistic and environmental challenges to complete our research. For example, periodic unmanaged floods in the Yolo Bypass made it difficult to schedule and complete experiments. During severe drought conditions, we found that managed agricultural habitats produced low and variable salmon survival results, likely because of periodically high temperatures and concentrated avian predation. In addition, our project required substantial landowner time and effort to install and maintain experimental fields. Recent and future infrastructure improvements in Yolo Bypass could substantially improve options for experimental work and broaden efforts to enhance salmon habitat.
Blockchain Paths in Rebooting the Global Response to the Sustainable Development Goals after COVID-19

As we embrace the new normal in the aftermath of Covid-19, the year 2020 also marks the decade of action as we start the 10-year countdown to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. In this paper, we attempt to explore the extent to which the hardly won development gains over the last years could be reversed due to the unfolding COVID-19 global pandemic, how do we reboot the global response to accelerate the SDGs in times of uncertainties, and most importantly how to turn the recovery into an opportunity to build back better and more resilient economies. To do so, we examine the case of blockchain as one of the emerging innovative work-streams in development practices that could lead the way forward and pave the path for new developmental narratives as we all navigate the uncharted territories of the new digital age.
Encoding of calcium signals in innate immunity and development

Calcium (Ca2+) is a widely used second messenger in eukaryotes. Spatially-restricted and temporary variations in the concentration of Ca2+ in the cytosol or the nucleus mediate various physiological responses. This is the case of the pathways that control innate immunity or symbiosis in plants. In the first case, a cytosolic Ca2+ burst occurs upon pathogen perception and is required for the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). A plasma membrane-localised channel is predicted to mediate this signal, but so far has not been identified. In the second, the Ca2+ oscillations required for establishment of rhizobial and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses occur in the nucleus. In Medicago truncatula, these are mediated by the potassium-permeable channel DOES NOT MAKE INFECTIONS 1 (DMI1) and the cyclic nucleotide-gated channels (CNGC) 15a/b/c. These genes are conserved in non-symbiotic species, which suggests additional roles for nuclear Ca2+ signalling. In this work, I screened a collection of Ca2+ channel mutants for ROS production upon perception of flg22, the immunogenic peptide of bacterial flagellin and an activator of innate immunity. This led to the identification of a triple mutant in the glutamate receptor-like family, glr3.1glr3. 3aglr3.6a, which had a decreased ROS production and reduced induction of the defence gene NHL10, upon treatment with flg22. Furthermore, using a Ca2+ sensor that allows distinction between nuclear and cytosolic Ca2+, I showed that nuclear Ca2+ oscillations, dependent on AtDMI1 and AtCNGC15, occur during normal root growth in Arabidopsis. dmi1 and cngc15 mutants had defects in root development, due to perturbations in endogenous auxin levels. For the first time, nuclear Ca2+ oscillations were linked to auxin-mediated signalling and a key developmental process in a non-symbiotic species. This thesis highlights the dynamic complexity of Ca2+ signalling and the impact that understanding the mechanisms of Ca2+ influx can have in defence and development. Keywords: Calcium, influx, CNGC, GLR, DMI1, defence, root development, auxin.
Bacteriological and Histopathological Studies on Vibrio Species Isolated from Naturally Infected Freshwater Fish in Delta Region, Egypt

| The study was aimed to elucidate the most predominant vibrio serovars isolated from naturally infected freshwater fish in the delta region, Egypt. The contamination of water with Cupper and Iron was evaluated. Fishes (n=200) were examined clinically and upon post-mortem. Bacteriological identification was confirmed based on the cultural characteristics and biochemical activities of isolates. A total of 5 isolates of Vibrio harveyi and Vibrio alginolyticus were further examined for the presence of hemolysins (vhh) and collagenase encoding genes using PCR, respectively. The data revealed that Vibrio species were recovered from 39% (78/200) of the examined fishes, and the highest prevalence rate was observed for Angillaangilla (55%) while the lowest was observed for Chrysichthys auratus and Oreochromsniloticus (35%). The V. harveyi was the predominant isolate (29.48%, 23/78), followed by V. anguillarum (28.20%, 22/78), V.vulnificus (16.67%, 13/78), V. alginolyticus (15.38%, 12/78), and V. fluvialis (10.25%, 8/78). Among five examined Vibrio harveyi and Vibrio alginolyticusisolate, a total of 4 (80%) were found to harbor hemolysins (vhh) and collagenase, respectively. Areas where vibrio was recovered in a high percentage, water contamination with Cupper and Iron was higher than the permissible limit. Taken together, the obtained information established the emergence of V. harveyi as a widespread Vibrio serovar warrants further studies to elucidate its public health impact.
ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT AS A TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND ITS IMPLICATION TO COMMUNITY LIVELIHOOD: THE CASE OF THE SHEKA BIOSPHERE RESERVE, SOUTH WEST ETHIOPIA

Purpose of the study: The majority of Ethiopian are engaged in agricultural activities that contributed to natural resource degradations. Ecotourism is an alternative option while achieving the conservation goals of protected areas. This study was conducted with the objective of identifying ecotourism development opportunities as a tool for future environmental conservation and its implication to community livelihoods in Sheka Biosphere Reserve. Methodology: using survey questionnaires, document analysis, and field observation. To that end, information was collected and analyzed from 120 household heads living around the Biosphere reserve using a structured questionnaire. In addition, focus group discussions and key informant interviews were used. Field observations were held for recording ecotourism potentials using digital camera and GPS. The data collected by the above methods were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Main Findings: The findings revealed that Sheka Biosphere reserve is endowed with attractive landscape scenery, fauna and flora and indigenous culture of the local community, which are the existing potentials for ecotourism development in the area, whereas, the current status of ecotourism development is at the lower stage as compared to its potentials. Soil fertility reduction, market problems, and the absence of ecotourism activities were the major socio-economic problems of the local community. Social Implications/Applications: Ecotourism development as a tool for sustainable environmental conservation and its implication can be useful for community livelihood. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study has shown that introducing ecotourism and development of infrastructures are central strategic directions for sustainable management of the Biosphere Reserve.
Carbon Black Effect on Electrical Performance of Semi-Conducting Layers for Power Cables

The purpose of semiconducting layer is to smooth out the electromagnetic field, eliminate excessive voltage stress attributed to irregularities and voids between conductor and insulation, reduce vented trees at the interface between the insulation and the semi-conducting shield and avoid partial discharge . The semiconducting layer is typically formed from polymers(Poly vinyl chloride or Ethylene propylene rubber or Polyethylene or Cross-linked polyethylene). The polymer is blended on conducting carbon black to enhance the semiconducting layer which can reflect on increasing the performance of the power cable life by which saving both energy and money can be obtained. The aim of this paper is to improve the electrical performance of the Poly vinyl chloride as a semiconducting layer in power cables to increase the life expectancy of the power cable. Blends of PVC with CB were prepared with 0%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45% and 50% by weight percentages concentration. Dielectric strength of the blends was tested with and without silicon rubber (SiR) layer in normal conditions. Also dielectric strength of blends was tested after being exposed to thermal aging for 24, 96 and 168 hrs, in high temperatures (70°C and 90°C). The mechanical characterization showed that the composite polymer enhanced by using carbon black in the tensile strength and the percentage elongation at break. Keywords—Carbon Black (CB); Blends; Silicon Rubber (SiR); Dielectric strength; Tensile strength.
Elevated and sustained reactive oxygen species levels facilitate mesoderm formation during early Xenopus development

Fertilisation triggers embryonic development culminating with the activation of a number of highly co-ordinated and evolutionarily conserved signalling pathways, which induce and pattern the mesoderm of the developing embryo. Previous studies in invertebrates have shown that hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a reactive oxygen species (ROS), can act as a signalling molecule for axis specification during early development. Using a HyPer transgenic Xenopus laevis line that expresses a H2O2-sensitive fluorescent protein sensor maternally, we recently found that fertilisation triggers a rapid increase in ROS production. Here we show that this increase in ROS levels is sustained throughout early embryogenesis, lasting until the tailbud stages. In addition we show that lowering ROS levels from the blastula stage through the gastrula stages via antioxidant treatments disrupts mesoderm formation. Furthermore, we show that attenuating ROS levels during the blastula / gastrula stages affects some, but not all, growth factor signalling pathways involved in mesoderm induction and patterning, including the PI3K/Akt, TGF-β/Nodal, and Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathways. These data suggest that sustained elevated ROS levels during the blastula and gastrula stages are essential for early vertebrate embryonic development, at least partly, through their roles in promoting growth factor signalling.
Hunting Ideology and Ritual Treatment of Animal Remains in Hunter-Gatherer Societies: An Enactive Anthropological Approach

Ritual treatment of animal remains after hunt and consumption as an act of reciprocity with animal persons is a widespread practice among ethnographically documented northern hunter-gatherer societies. Often these practices and their associated set of beliefs are discussed as part of a broader complex of circumpolar cosmology and religion which is assumed to have arisen from historical continuities within the region and is assigned considerable time depth on that basis. However, the aforementioned practices and beliefs are by no means unique and can also be attested among various tropical hunter-gatherer groups. By way of a critical discussion of the “ontological turn” and enactivist theory, this paper suggests that, rather than through historical connections, the hunting rituals and beliefs may be better explained within the context of developmental histories of structural coupling between hunter and prey affected by bodily and empathic resonance and the complexity of the relation between epistemology and ontology.