Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mindfulness in Schools: Exploring the impact on internalising difficulties, the role of home practice and the mechanisms of psychological change

Anxiety is the most common form of psychopathology in childhood and adolescence. There is growing evidence that mindfulness-based approaches may be effective in reducing anxiety among children. This study used a mixed methods design to explore the possible benefits of the Mindful Attention Programme (MAP), which is yet to be evaluated. One hundred and sixty-two children aged 9-10 years completed measures of anxiety, negative automatic thoughts and mindfulness before and after the programme. The results showed that the MAP had a non-significant effect on anxiety (p = 0.052) and negative thoughts (p = 0.055). The MAP had a significant effect on mindfulness scores, which increased over time (p = 0.02). There was no relationship between home practice (i.e. reported completion of meditations at home) and outcomes which contradicts previous findings. The second phase of the research included two parts: an open-ended questionnaire and focus groups. The questionnaire revealed that there were a number of barriers to practising at home but also enabled the children to make recommendations about how to make home practice easier. Three focus groups were facilitated and analysed using thematic analysis. Three main themes were identified (reported change, mechanisms of change and home practice). The implications for the knowledge base, practice and future research are discussed.
Assessing Reproducibility of Data Obtained With Instruments Based on Continuous Measurements

Data obtained with any research tool must be reproducible, a concept referred to as reliability. Three techniques are often used to evaluate reliability of tools using continuous data in aging research: intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), Pearson correlations, and paired t tests. These are often construed as equivalent when applied to reliability. This is not correct, and may lead researchers to select instruments based on statistics that may not reflect actual reliability. The purpose of this paper is to compare the reliability estimates produced by these three techniques and determine the preferable technique. A hypothetical dataset was produced to evaluate the reliability estimates obtained with ICC, Pearson correlations, and paired t tests in three different situations. For each situation two sets of 20 observations were created to simulate an intrarater or inter-rater paradigm, based on 20 participants with two observations per participant. Situations were designed to demonstrate good agreement, systematic bias, or substantial random measurement error. In the situation demonstrating good agreement, all three techniques supported the conclusionthat the data were reliable. In the situation demonstrating systematic bias, the ICC and t test suggested the data were not reliable, whereas the Pearson correlation suggested high reliability despite the systematic discrepancy. In the situation representing substantial randommeasurement error where low reliability was expected, the ICC and Pearson coefficient accurately illustrated this. The t test suggested the data were reliable. The ICC is the preferred technique to measure reliability. Although there are some limitations associated with the use of this technique, they can be overcome.
A new species of Eriophyidae (Acari, Prostigmata) described from all motile stages using non-flattened and flattened specimens

Abstract Tetra indiciva sp. nov., from Murraya paniculata (L.) Jack. (Rutaceae), orange jasmine, from Brazil is described and figured, from females, males, nymphs and larvae. Considerations on morphological characters in relation to the confection of microscopic preparations and their strength in keys and descriptions are presented.
Voltammetry In Vivo for Chemical Analysis of the Nervous System

Since their introduction in the early 1970s, in vivo voltammetric methods have provided researchers with a means of studying the dynamics of neurotransmitter release mechanisms in whole animals and brain slices, and more recently in single cells in culture. Using microelectrodes (5–30 µm OD, outside diameter), generally made of carbon, investigators have studied the signaling dynamics of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators such as dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT), and more recently nitric oxide (NO) and glutamate. Unlike the complimentary technique known as microdialysis, in vivo voltammetric methods allow for the very rapid (1–200 Hz) and spatially resolved (5–30 by 30–150 µm as compared to 200–300 µm by 1–4 mm) measurement of the dynamic properties of neurochemicals. However, the routine detection limits of such methods are in the 25–50-nM range for analytes such as DA, 5-HT and NO, and these do not rival the picomolar detection limits of methods used to analyze microdialysis samples. These seemingly straightforward methods have been plagued by methodological problems, primarily dealing with the selective and sensitive measurements of neurotransmitters. Microelectrodes and associated recording techniques must be able to measure and identify selectively the analytes of interest without the use of powerful separation and quantitation methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrochemical detection (HPLC/EC). Improvements in microelectrode technologies and recording methods have greatly enhanced the utility of such methods for a variety of studies. The purpose of this chapter is to give readers a general introduction to in vivo voltammetric methods that can be applied to studies of neurotransmitter and neuromodulator signaling dynamics in brain tissues and in cells in culture. We discuss the types of microelectrodes that are now used to record neurochemicals as well as surface modifications that are carried out on these microelectrodes to make them more sensitive and selective for different neurochemicals. The different recording methods and some of their inherent strengths and weaknesses are reviewed as well as the instrumentation currently used to record from microelectrodes for such measures. Finally, we discuss some of the applications of these methods and how they compare with other in vivo recording methods such as microdialysis and fiber optic sensors. This review does not focus on the biological systems that have been studied with these methods and the results of such studies. The major purpose is to give the reader an overview of in vivo voltammetry methods and how they can be used to study neurotransmitter and neuromodulator signaling dynamics in biological systems. Future developments in this field hold great promise for developing a large number of new microelectrodes for detecting a variety of neurochemicals in order to gain an understanding of chemical signaling, which is an integral part of central nervous system (CNS) biology and all biological systems.
Roles of Neurotransmitters in the Regulation of Neuronal Electrical Properties and Growth Cone Motility

In addition to acting in synaptic transmission, neurotransmitters have been shown to play roles in the development of nervous system. Developing neurons extend neurites to connect to their target cells, and growth cones at the tip of growing neurites are critical for pathfinding. Although evidence for the regulation of axonal growth and growth cone guidance by neurotransmitters and neuromodulators is emerging, less is known about the mechanisms by which neurotransmitters affect developing neurons. Here, I focus on three neurotransmitters/ neuromodulators and describe their actions (a) at the level of growth cone, especially on filopodia, which serve as sensors that allow growth cones to probe the environment they are traversing, and (b) on how neurotransmitters modulate neuronal electrical properties, which, in itself, have been shown to affect neurite extension. The goals of this dissertation are to investigate 1) the cholinergic modulation of neuronal activity and its effects on growth cone motility; 2) the excitatory modulation of neuronal excitability by nitric oxide (NO); and 3) the inhibitory modulation of neuronal activity by dopamine (DA). The work uses a well-established model system to investigate growth cone motility and neuronal activity: identified neurons from the pond snail Helisoma trivolvis studied in cell culture or in the intact ganglion in situ. The study of B5 neurons demonstrates that acetylcholine (ACh) induces filopodial elongation, which is mediated by opening of nicotinic ACh receptors, membrane depolarization, and elevation of intracellular Ca level in growth cones. This dissertation also shows that NO inhibits two types of Ca-activated K channels to depolarize the membrane potential of B19 neurons. Additionally, the study reveals that DA serves as an inhibitory neurotransmitter to hyperpolarize and silence the electrical activity of firing B5 neurons via a D2-like receptor/PLC/K channel pathway. Taken together, this dissertation elucidates novel cellular mechanisms through which neurotransmitters can regulate growth cone motility and neuronal electrical properties, further supporting evidence for potential roles of neurotransmitters in axon pathfinding and synaptic transmission in vivo. INDEX WORDS: Acetylcholine, Calcium, Cell excitability, Dopamine, Electrical activity, Filopodia, Growth cone, Helisoma trivolvis, Membrane potential, Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, Nitric oxide, Potassium channel ROLES OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS IN THE REGULATION OF NEURONAL ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES AND GROWTH CONE MOTILITY
Inf luence of Within‐Plantation Heterogeneity and Surrounding Landscape Composition on Avian Communities in Hybrid Poplar Plantations

We conducted breeding bird surveys in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota in 12 hybrid poplar plantations and surrounding landscapes from 1992 to 1994. Plantations varied in age, shape, composition of surrounding landscape, and internal vegetative heterogeneity. Numbers of breeding bird individuals and species in plantations were lower than in surrounding forest/shrub habitat, but higher than in row crops. Numbers of individuals observed within several bird groups based on migratory status and habitat preference also differed among plantations and surrounding land‐use types. Most differences were between numbers in plantations and row crops. Year‐to‐year changes in bird species composition in plantations were more likely in plantations between ages 2 and 4 years than in younger or older plantations. Correlative evidence from canonical correspondence analysis illustrated that plantation bird communities were related to habitat in surrounding landscapes, plantation age, size, latitude, and longitude. Additionally, more heterogeneous plantations had more species, individuals, and numbers of long‐distance migrants. Plantations will likely not support bird communities that are comparable to natural forests in either species composition or species diversity. A goal would be to position them in the landscape to minimize impacts on regional biodiversity. This could be accomplished by maintaining structural diversity of plantations by creating a broad range of successional stages (ages) throughout plantations within a region. Size and connectivity of existing forest fragments may be increased by plantations, but fragmentation of natural open areas should be avoided.
Functional properties of sweet lupin protein isolated and tested at various pH levels.

Lupin has the potential to be a new source of vegetable protein due to its similar protein content to soy, the common source of vegetable protein used in the food industry. Investigation of its functional properties is essential to validate the potential application in the food industry. Lupin protein isolates were prepared by alkaline extraction at pH 9.0 followed by acidic precipitation at eight different pH levels i.e. 4.0, 4.2, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.8, 5.0 and 5.5. The range of pH employed here covered the isoelectric points of major legume proteins. The emulsifying and foaming properties of lupin protein isolate (LPI) samples were evaluated and compared with those of soy protein isolate (SPI). Lupin protein isolates prepared by precipitating at a pH range of 4.4 to 5.0 had no significant difference in their emulsifying and foaming properties. Emulsifying activity and emulsion stability of LPI samples were comparable to those of SPI. All LPI samples exhibited greater emulsifying activity and emulsion stability than SPI at pH 4.0. Foaming capacity and foam stability of LPI tested at a range of pH levels was also higher than that of SPI. The study provides a base for more flexible and economical process for making LPI at commercial level.
An Examination of the Textual Qualities “Agency” and “Power” in EFL Writing

The teaching and learning of English as a foreign language (EFL) writing in Thailand is mostly concentrated on the body of the language and on objectivity and reliability. What we teach so little, therefore, is matters about the function of language. “Agency” and “power” are two textual qualities out of many others on this side. While these two qualities are hard to grasp in text, they are highly valued by composition teachers and are the sources of other high-order textual qualities such as being interpretative and analytical. This small-scaled, but insightful study, adopting a qualitative method, attempted to decipher them in Thai students’ writing. The researcher looked for these two qualities in thirty-six paragraphs from thirty-six Thai university students and learners with two different proficiency levels. Using Corbin and Strauss (1998)’s methodology for grounded theory, the researcher categorized words, phrases, ideas, and expressions into the two textual qualities. The results showed that 1) opinions exhibit more agency than the pronoun I, and opinions or reasons, well-formed sentences with details, writer’s strategies, word choice, and argument are crucial in achieving power, 2) writer’s involvement in the topic and opinions or reasons are two features shared by both qualities, and 3) linguistic inability and informative writing hinder the construction of agency and power. การเรยนการสอนการเขยนภาษาองกฤษในฐานะภาษาตางประเทศนนเนนทการสอนตวภาษาเนนรปธรรมและความเชอมนในการวดผล ดงนนสงทนอยหรอขาดไปคอการใหความสำคญดานหนาทของภาษา สำหรบการศกษาเรอง ตวตน (agency) และ พลง (power) ในการเขยนนนเปนสวนหนงของความพยายามทจะขามขอจำกดดงกลาว แมวาการศกษาของสองลกษณะ (ตวตนและพลง) นในงานเขยนจะทำไดยากในงานเขยน ทงสองลกษณะนไดรบการตคาอยางสงโดยนกทฤษฎทางการเขยน อกทงยงเปนแหลงทมาของคณลกษณะงานเขยนระดบสงหลายลกษณะ เชน การตความและการวเคราะห งานวจยชนนเปนงานวจยเชงคณภาพแบบสมบรณ ผวจยวเคราะหคณลกษณะของพลงและตวตนในงานเขยนยอหนา 36 ชนจากนกศกษาและผเรยนชาวไทย 2 กลมทมความสามารถทางภาษาองกฤษตางกน กลมๆละ 18 ชนโดยวธของการสรางทฤษฎใหมของ คอรบน (Corbin) และสเตราส (Strauss) พบวา 1) การออกคำคดเหนชวยสรางตวตนมากกวาการใชสรรพนามบรษท 1 ขณะทความคดหรอเหตผล ประโยคโครงสรางดทมรายละเอยด การเลอกใชคำ และการโตแยง จะทำใหเกดพลงในการเขยน 2) ความรสกวาผเขยนมสวนรวมในสงทเขยนและการแสดงความคดหรอเหตผลเปนสองลกษณะทแสดงทงตวตนและพลงของผเขยน และ 3)การขาดทกษะทางภาษาและการเขยนแบบใหขอมลเทานนเปนอปสรรคตอการสรางตวตนและพลงในการเขยน
Comparative genomic analyses of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis

This study set out to sequence the genome of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (Cp) 3/99-5, an ovine strain isolated from a naturally-occurring case of caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) in Scotland. The isolate was sequenced and assembled by 454 Life Sciences, and then gap closure performed by ‘PCR bridging’. The resulting sequence consisted of three contigs with a length of 2,319,079 bp and a G+C content of 52.18%. The genome was then annotated and predicted to contain 2,153 coding sequences. Analysis of the coding sequences revealed the presence of several putative virulence factors, including four sortases with multiple sortase target proteins containing LPXTG motifs. A further two Cp strains, an Australian ovine and a North American equine isolate, as well as C. ulcerans NCTC 12077 were sequenced for comparison. Comparative genomics, both intra- and inter-species showed all the genomes to be highly homologous. However, the C. ulcerans genome is larger than the Cp genomes and is more distinct; it was found to be more similar to the equine Cp 1/06-A isolate which is the most diverged of the Cp isolates. Phylogenetic analyses of the Corynebacterium genus were performed using house-keeping loci but also secreted protein loci from Cp 3/99-5. Bayesian analysis of house-keeping loci distinguished the bacteria to a species level. Inclusion of secreted protein loci did not distinguish the isolates any further. The main objective of this work was to utilise the Cp genome sequence to identify potential diagnostic targets which could be used to augment the available ELITEST CLA or replace it. The ELITEST CLA is the only diagnostic test for CLA that exists on the commercial market in the UK. However, due to low specificity and sensitivity, it is only operated on a flock/group basis. Analyses of the Cp 3/99-5 genome identified several potential diagnostic candidates and seven protein targets were investigated further. Attempts were made to express these candidates as recombinant proteins, however, only two recombinants were successfully expressed and purified, Cp3995_0570 and CP40. The seroreactivity of these were then assessed by IgG ELISA using a panel of ten positive and ten negative CLA ovine sera. The sera were previously defined as positive or negative by PLD and whole cell ELISAs; both of which showed a significant difference between sera types. However, neither Cp3995_0570 nor CP40 distinguished between sera originating from Cp-infected and Cp-naive animals.
Population Systems: A General Introduction

Contents. Preface to the first edition. Preface to the second edition. Acknowledgements. Part I. Population Systems. Introduction to Part I. 1. A Brief Look at General Systems. 1.1. What is a System? 1.2. The State of a System. 1.3. Dynamic Systems. 1.4. System Diagrams. 1.5. Feedback Control. 1.6. The Stability of Systems. 1.7. Anticipatory Feedforward. 1.8. Systems Analysis in Biology. 1.9. Chapter Summary. Exercises. Notes. 2. Population Dynamics and an Elementary Model. 2.1. What is a Population? 2.2. Dynamics in Populations. 2.3. An Elementary Population Model. 2.4. Analysis of the Model. 2.5. Environmental and Genetic Effects. 2.6. Chapter Summary. Exercises. Notes. 3. Population Regulation and a General Model. 3.1. Density-Dependant Mechanisms. 3.1.1. Competitive Processes. 3.1.2. Cooperative Processes. 3.2. Feedback Integration. 3.3. A General Population Model. 3.4. Analysis of the Model. 3.4.1. Environmental and Genetic Effects. 3.5. Populations in Changing Environments. 3.5.1. Environmental Feedback. 3.6. Complex Density-Dependant Relationships. 3.7. Chapter Summary. Exercises. Notes. Part II. Systems of Interacting Populations. Introduction to Part II. 4. Interactions between Two Species. 4.1. Population Interactions. 4.2. Cooperative Interactions. 4.3. Competitive Interactions. 4.3.1. Nonlinear Competitive Interactions. 4.3.2. Competition in Variable Environments. 4.3.3. Strategies of the Competitor. 4.4. Predator-Prey Interactions. 4.4.1. Nonlinear Predator-Prey Interactions. 4.4.2. Predator Functional Responses. 4.4.3. Predation in Variable Environments. 4.4.4. Predator and Prey Strategies. 4.5. Chapter Summary. Exercises. Notes. 5. Interactions in Space. 5.1. Introduction. 5.2. Movements in Space. 5.3. Dynamics in Space. 5.4. The Spread and Collapse of Pest Epidemics. 5.5. Stability in Space. 5.6. Population Quality in Space. 5.7. Environmental Stratification. 5.8. Chapter Summary. Notes. 6. Interactions between many Species (Ecological Communities). 6.1. Community Structure. 6.2. Community Stability. 6.2.1. Predation as a Stabilizing Influence. 6.3. Community Dynamics. 6.4. Chapter Summary. Exercises. Notes. Epilogue: The Human Dilemma. Answers to Exercises. Author Index. Subject Index.
Respuesta de los conejos a la inclusión en la dieta de subproductos de cereales como fuentes de energía

Se determino el valor nutritivo de los subproductos de cereales como fuentes de energia en las raciones para conejos. Se formularon cuatro raciones isoproteicas (170 g de proteina bruta / kg). El grano de maiz (dieta 1) se uso como control que fue reemplazado por subproductos de maiz, mijo y sorgo en las dietas 2, 3 y 4 respectivamente. Cada dieta se suministro a un lote de 10 conejos en crecimiento de ambos sexos de raza New Zealand White x Chinchilla que al comienzo del estudio pesaban 915±6 g. El subproducto, de mijo, contenia mayor cantidad de proteina bruta y ceniza que los de maiz o sorgo, pero el subproducto de maiz contenia mayor cantidad de grasa que los otros dos. La concentracion de energia bruta del subproducto de sorgo fue cercana a la del grano de maiz y superior a los subproductos de maiz y sorgo. Las ingestiones medias diarias de energia digestible (DE), proteina bruta y agua fueron mas altas (p<0,01) y determinaron mayores ganancias diarias de peso (p<0,05) en las dietas 2 y 3 que en las dietas 1 y 4. La eficacia de utilizacion del alimento y de la proteina fueron similares en los conejos alimentados con todas las dietas, aunque en la 4, la que la proteina fue utilizada mas eficazmente (p<0,05) que en la 1 . La digestibilidad de los nutrientes fue significativamente (p<0,01) mas alta en la dieta 1, similar en las dietas 2 y 3 y menor (p<0,01) en la dieta 4. Los rendimientos a la canal y peso de los organos no fueron afectados por las raciones empleadas, sin embargo, los contenidos cecales fueron menores en las dietas 1 y 4 (p<0,05).
Rox1 function in dosage compensation: structural / functional analysis of a non-coding rna

Integration of roX1R1-3 at a landing site within the X-linked Tao-1 gene (18D3) was lethal. To obtain additional X-linked insertions of roX1R1, the lethal roX1R1 integrant, as well as roX1R3 (as a control), was mobilized and surviving males carrying an X-linked w+ marker were identified. Unexpectedly, most of these products of mobilization had strikingly reduced viability of homozygous females. Genetic and molecular analysis revealed that partial inserted sequences remaining in the original integration site cause the female-specific lethality. X chromosomes retaining different portions of the original inserted sequences complement each other and rescue female survival. The insertion of different sequences within this site may disturb Tao-1 transcript splicing. I postulated that females are more sensitive to disruption in Tao-1 levels or splicing. To investigate the function of 5’ roX1 sequence, three transgenes, roX1, roX1 and roX1, were created in the pUASTB vector and inserted at 68A4 on the third chromosome and at four sites on X chromosome (2A3, 16C1, 18D3 and 19C4) using the site-specific C31 integrase system. In this system, recombination occurs between an attB site on the plasmid (pUASTB) containing