Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pacman profiling: a simple procedure to identify stratigraphic outliers in high-density deep-sea microfossil data

Abstract The deep-sea microfossil record is characterized by an extraordinarily high density and abundance of fossil specimens, and by a very high degree of spatial and temporal continuity of sedimentation. This record provides a unique opportunity to study evolution at the species level for entire clades of organisms. Compilations of deep-sea microfossil species occurrences are, however, affected by reworking of material, age model errors, and taxonomic uncertainties, all of which combine to displace a small fraction of the recorded occurrence data both forward and backwards in time, extending total stratigraphic ranges for taxa. These data outliers introduce substantial errors into both biostratigraphic and evolutionary analyses of species occurrences over time. We propose a simple method—Pacman—to identify and remove outliers from such data, and to identify problematic samples or sections from which the outlier data have derived. The method consists of, for a large group of species, compiling species occurrences by time and marking as outliers calibrated fractions of the youngest and oldest occurrence data for each species. A subset of biostratigraphic marker species whose ranges have been previously documented is used to calibrate the fraction of occurrences to mark as outliers. These outlier occurrences are compiled for samples, and profiles of outlier frequency are made from the sections used to compile the data; the profiles can then identify samples and sections with problematic data caused, for example, by taxonomic errors, incorrect age models, or reworking of sediment. These samples/sections can then be targeted for re-study.
Bark Thickness in Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (D.Don) Endl.) Varies According to Tree- and Crown Size, Stand Structure, Latitude and Genotype

Research Highlights: Bark thickness (BT) in coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (D.Don) Endl. ) varies in accordance with tree size, crown ratio, position within the canopy, height along the tree stem, genetic identity and latitude. However, current BT predictive equations do not account for such variability, leading to inaccurate BT estimations. We present improved BT models to increase the accuracy of BT estimates for coastal redwood in northern California. Background and Objectives: BT is an important metric that has many practical applications in forest management. However, BT varies substantially across species and environments, as well as across individuals and populations. Our objectives were to investigate BT along various gradients of change, with factors accounting for genetics, tapering of BT along the tree bole, differences in BT according to tree crown position within the stand, and the latitude. Materials and Methods: We collected BT data throughout most of redwood’s natural range along a north–south latitudinal gradient. Subsets of these data were used to examine the influence of particular variables on BT while holding the other variables constant. Results: Regionally, the bark was thicker among more xeric southern redwoods and thinner among more mesic northern redwoods. We found that the BT of codominant, intermediate and suppressed trees was around 8%, 14%, and 18% thicker, respectively, than bark of the same size dominant tree. Redwood trees growing in the partial shade of an overstory had thicker bark than trees growing in even-aged stands and incorporating genetic identity yielded major improvements in the BT model estimates, suggesting that BT is under genetic control. Bark thickness decreased with increasing height along the tree stem, with notable differences in the BT above and below breast height. Conclusions: We recommend utilizing the best available BT equations (over standard ‘bark factors’) in forest science, modeling and management applications. We also recommend the adoption of our drilling method for BT measurement on larger trees due to the potential for error associated with traditional bark gauge measurements.
Examining the role of ageing-in-place organisations in building older adults’ disaster resilience

Abstract Older adults are more susceptible to adverse health outcomes during and after a disaster compared with their younger counterparts. Ageing-in-place organisations such as senior centres and Villages provide social services and programming for older adults and may support older adults’ resilience to disasters. This study examines the role of ageing-in-place organisations in building disaster resilience for older adults. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 14 ageing-in-place organisation leaders in King County, Washington in the United States of America. The sample included representatives of five government-run senior centres, seven non-profit senior centres and two Villages. Interviews were audio-recorded and professionally transcribed. We used a combined inductive and deductive approach to code and thematically analyse the data. Ageing-in-place organisation leadership recognise disasters as a threat to older adults’ health and safety, and they see opportunities to provide disaster-related support for older adults, though the type and extent of participation in resilience-building activities reflected each organisation's unique local context. Organisations participate in a variety of disaster-related activities, though respondents emphasised the importance of collaborative and communication-focused efforts. Findings suggest that ageing-in-place organisations may be best equipped to support older adults’ disaster resilience by serving as a trusted source of disaster-related information and providing input on the appropriateness of disaster plans and messages for the unique needs of older adults ageing-in-place.
Metagenomic analysis of the lung microbiome in pulmonary tuberculosis - a pilot study

ABSTRACT The lung microbiome plays an important role in the pathophysiological processes associated with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). However, only a few studies using 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing have been reported, and the interactions between Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and the lung microbiome remain poorly understood. Patients with respiratory symptoms and imaging abnormalities compatible with tuberculosis (TB) were enrolled. We analyzed the lung microbiome in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples from 30 MTB-positive (MTB+) subjects and 30 MTB negative (MTB-) subjects by shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Alpha diversity tended to be lower in the MTB+ group than in the MTB- group. There was a significant difference in beta diversity between the MTB+ and MTB- subjects. MTB+ lung samples were dominated by MTB, while MTB- samples were enriched with Streptococcus, Prevotella, Nesseria, Selenomonas and Bifidobacterium, which more closely resemble the microbial composition of a healthy lung. Network analysis suggested that MTB could greatly impact the microbial community structure. MTB+ and MTB- communities showed distinct functional signatures. Fungal communities were also found to be associated with the presence or absence of MTB. Furthermore, it was confirmed that 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing underrepresents Mycobacterium. This pilot study is the first to explore the interplay between MTB and the host microbiome by using metagenomic sequencing. MTB dominates the lung microbiome of MTB+ subjects, while MTB- subjects have a Streptococcus-enriched microbiome. The 16S approach underrepresents Mycobacterium and is not the best way to study the TB-associated microbiome.
Influence of stratospheric sudden warming on the tropical intraseasonal convection

Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO), the dominant mode of intraseasonal variability in the tropical troposphere, has recently been shown to have a great impact on Northern Hemisphere (NH) extratropical stratosphere. But the influence of the variability in the extratropical stratosphere on MJO is seldom reported. In this study, the influence of major, mid–winter NH stratospheric sudden warmings (SSWs) on the MJO is investigated using meteorological reanalysis datasets. Our analysis reveals that SSWs also exert considerable influence on tropical intraseasonal convection. The occurrences of MJO phases 6 and 7 significantly increase during around 20 d after the onset of SSWs, corresponding to enhanced convective activity over the equatorial Central and Western Pacific. Then in the following days, the coherent eastward propagation of tropical intraseasonal convection resembles the periodic variation in a typical MJO. These results suggest that the extratropical stratosphere affects the organized tropical intraseasonal convection, and variability of the tropical intraseasonal convection related to MJO can be better grasped by taking extratropical stratospheric variability into account. Considering the complex interaction between MJO and extratropical stratosphere, further work on comprehensive understanding of the relationship between SSWs and MJO is required in future studies.
Phylogeography of an Italian endemic salamander (genus Salamandrina): glacial refugia, postglacial expansions, and secondary contact

The Italian endemic genus Salamandrina has been historically regarded as monotypic but, recently, studies based on both mitochondrial and nuclear markers have indicated the existence of two distinct species of spectacled salamanders: Salamandrina perspicillata, in central and northern Italy, and Salamandrina terdigitata, in southern Italy. We analyzed nucleotide variation at mitochondrial and nuclear genes [cytochrome b, 12S and 16S rRNA, recombination activating gene (RAG 1)] in 223 individuals from 56 locations, aiming to investigate their genetic structure and recent evolutionary histories. Phylogenetic and phylogeographical analyses revealed the existence of three and two genetically distinct groups of populations in northern and southern salamander, respectively. Historical demographic analyses led to the inference of range expansion for both species in the late Pleistocene. During the last glacial stage, each salamander survived in a single refugium, namely the southern in Calabria and the northern in central Italy. At the end of this period, both lineages expanded northward and established secondary contact. Spatial distribution of RAG 1 haplotype variation revealed two differentiated population groups corresponding to the major mitochondrial (mt)DNA clades. Nuclear pattern of introgressive hybridization was more extensive than the highly limited introgression of mtDNA markers. From a conservation standpoint, southern Latium and Calabria proved to be the major genetic diversity reservoirs, thus deserving particular conservation efforts. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 104, 903–922.
Palm date (Phoenix dactylifera) seeds: A rich source of antioxidant and antibacterial activities

Two varieties of palm date seeds (PDS), Sukkari and Khalas, were examined for their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Total phenol content was 2 014.37 ± 212.05 and 2 060.40 ± 176.0 mg GAE 100 g–1 dry weight (DW); and total flavonoid content was 83.98 ± 1.10 and 94.97 ± 1.36 mg QE 100 g–1 DW for Sukkari and Khalas, respectively. PDS extracts showed potential scavenging activity against ABTS, DDPH, and hydroxyl radical; the calculated IC50s were 431.17 ± 12.45, 400 ± 10.87 and 680 ± 18.12 μg for Sukkari, and 476 ± 20.25, 302.24 ± 14.08 and 284.18 ± 11.62 μg for Khalas, respectively. PDS extracts did not show potential activity against superoxide anion. Both extracts showed a high percentage of reducing power as the calculated FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) concentrations were 12.66 ± 1.08 and 16.14 ± 1.94 mmol ascorbic acid equivalent 100 g–1 for Sukkari and Khalas, respectively. Bacillus subtilis showed a remarkable sensitivity to PDS extracts; the inhibition zones were 21 ± 0.82 and 22 ± 0.67 mm for Sukkari and Khalas, respectively. PDS extracts possess good antioxidant and antibacterial activity, and therefore PDS could be effectively used as a natural source of antioxidants and to be detected against gram-positive bacteria.
Fixation in competing populations: Diffusion and strategies for survival

How should dispersal strategies be chosen to increase the likelihood of survival of a species? We obtain the answer for the spatially extended versions of three well-known models of two competing species with unequal diffusivities. Though identical at the mean-field level, the three models exhibit drastically different behaviour leading to different optimal strategies for survival, with or without a selective advantage for one species. With conserved total particle number, dispersal has no effect on survival probability. With a fluctuating number, faster dispersal is advantageous if intra-species competition is present, while moving slower is the optimal strategy for the disadvantaged species if there is no intra-species competition: it is imperative to include fluctuations to properly formulate survival strategies.
Asessing Parenting Education: Parenting Styles Of Adolescents In Rural And Urban Society

The objective of this study is to find out the differences of parenting styles in rural and urban society toward with adolescent’s involvement in family decision making. This research using a cross sectional survey method and embracing the theories of Montessori, Steinberg and Santrock about adolescent development, and Yusuf in parenting styles. The instrument used was adapted from the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire. It was consisted of 13 questions they were independency, responsibility, honesty, self-acceptance, receiving mistakes, trust, protection, freedom, involvement, and discipline. The result of rural society was the highest maximum value on the acceptance question (59%), namely admitting mistakes. For urban society data showed that the highest score of the questionnaire is about the parenting style of acceptance with a value of 62%. This meant that the result of the parenting style the child receives was the permissiveness style of care. The conclusion based on the area the urban society is more democratic in parenting. It makes teenagers more independent, confident and open minded
Joint Space Use in a Parthenogenetic Armenian Rock Lizard (Darevskia armeniaca) Suggests Weak Competition among Monoclonal Females

Abstract According to kin selection theory, competition among monoclonal animals must be lower than between unrelated individuals. Thus, we propose that home range and core area overlap in parthenogenetic lizards will be broader than female range overlap in similar gonochoristic species. To test this hypothesis, we examined home range locations and space use of parthenogenetic Armenian Rock Lizards (Darevskia armeniaca) and compared them with home range locations and space use of gonochoristic species. We demonstrated that parthenogenetic Rock Lizards have a total range structure typical of insectivorous lizards, consisting of a sally zone, a home range, and one or more core areas. Some core areas contained activity centers, associated strongly with key basking sites and shelters. Provisional residents were found within the same range for 1 or 2 years, whereas wanderers visited study sites for 1 or 2 weeks per season. Settlement structure varied greatly among years. Home ranges, core areas, and even activity centers and basking sites of parthenogenetic females overlapped extensively, unlike in females of nonparthenogenic species. Monoclonal origins and high level of relatedness within unisexual species are possible explanations of the extended range overlap among parthenogenetic females.
A QTL Analysis of Aluminium Tolerance in Barley, Using Gene-Based Markers

Barley is more sensitive than the other major cereal crops to aluminium (Al) toxicity. Here, a doubled haploid mapping population was exploited to study the inheritance of Al tolerance in barley. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping was based on a genetic map constructed with genic markers. Al tolerance QTL were identified on chromosomes 2H, 3H and 4H. A sequence homology search was used to derive the putative function of the genes linked to the QTL, in order to identify potential candidate genes for Al tolerance. Some of these candidates are implicated in stress/defence responses, in particular, stress signal transduction, transcription regulation factors and cell metabolism.
Emerging Applications of Additive Manufacturing in Biosensors and Bioanalytical Devices

The progress of additive manufacturing (AM), known as 3D‐printing, has initiated a revolution in the new generation of biosensors and bioanalytical devices in recent years. The advancement in the resolution of AM has enabled the microfabrication of the architectures of electrodes and sensing layers for high‐performance sensing. Diversiform printable materials, including biocompatible materials, polymers, various gels and metals, have enormously broadened the horizon in sensors and analytical devices for both research and commercial purposes. The considerable shortening of time and cost in sensor prototyping and fabrication has been reported and various highly customizable biosensing platforms and devices are under development. Herein, the most recent studies on the applications of AM in biosensors and bioanalytical devices are summarized with the aim to provide a panorama of emerging 3D‐printing strategies for sensor design and bioanalytical device fabrication.
Towards the cognitive and psychological perspectives of crowd behaviour: a vision-based analysis

ABSTRACT Smart and proactive surveillance of crowds has turned up into greater importance in recent years due to the increase in urban population and immutable crowd disasters. Although the behaviours that emerged in a crowd are often unpredictable, researches in computer vision try to figure out this emergent behaviour based on the psychological and cognitive aspects of the crowd. This review is intended to analyse the insights shared from these aspects for analysing crowd behaviour. We also try to uncover the crowd psychological theories present in the literature that largely helps in determining the non-adaptive crowd behaviours. Further, this paper discusses an outlook of state-of-the-art psychological, cognitive computing and cognitive psychological approaches of crowd behaviour analysis. This paper also provides a discussion on the benchmark datasets available for vision-based crowd analysis. The comprehensive discussion and insights based on crowd psychology and cognition will provide a deep understanding of the fundamental prospects of smart crowd behaviour analysis.
Entrepreneurs and cluster evolution: the transformation of Toronto’s ICT cluster

ABSTRACT Interest in information and communication technology (ICT) clusters has long been sustained by the power of emerging technologies to reinvent regional or local economies. Prior research has identified the structural conditions under which clusters form, decline or evolve, but much less is known about the agents responsible for cluster change. This paper examines the evolution of the Toronto ICT cluster from a location for foreign multinational firms in hardware and telecommunications into a more dynamic ecosystem for service-based domestic start-ups and emerging scale-ups. It contributes to the literature on clusters by showing how entrepreneurs have driven cluster evolution in Toronto.
COMPARISION OF WOOD, GAINES, PARABOLIC, HAYASHI, DHANNO AND POLYNOMIAL MODELS FOR LACTATION SEASON CURVE OF SIMMENTAL COWS

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to determine a suitable nonlinear model explaining the lactation season curve of Simmentalcows. Monthly milk yield records representing the test days milk yield of 777 Simmental cows were used to estimatelactation curve parameters by using Wood, Gaines, Parabolic, Hayashi, Dhanno and (second degree) polynomial modelsand to compare the shape of lactation season curves resulted from fitting all of these models. These models were given inexplanation of the parameters and according to the lactation season, the parameters a, b and c for these models at all theperiods were estimated. Secondly, the formula of some criteria, such as time to peak, peak production, turning point timeand turning point production, are presented in mathematical procedure and then t the criteria values are calculated for allof the examined models. Furthermore, partial derivatives of the models according to the parameters were given inmathematical procedure. For the season, winter, spring, summer, fall and without season the lactation curve graphs forall the nonlinear models were drawn, respectively. Moreover, the best nonlinear model was used to determine theadjusted coefficient determination
Performance measurement in SMEs: systematic literature review and research directions

The purpose of this paper is double. First, the research about performance measurement (PM) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be analysed in order to know its evolution. Next, the research gaps in the business context of these companies will be identified. This paper presents a systematic literature review of 131 articles of PM in SMEs between 2006 and 2019. A conceptual framework is proposed to characterize the studies according to three factors: (1) purpose of the approach; (2) scope of PM; and (3) business context in which the studies are articulated. The reviewed papers were selected from Scopus and Web of Science databases. For this study, we considered the works conducted in the manufacturing sector, and excluded those that focused on the services sector. The results show that most of the studies are concentrated in the context of individual company, on the other hand networks, clusters, and supply chains have received less attention. The information collected herein identifies research gaps that have not been dealt with in detail and are transformed into guidelines to be dealt with by new future specific works in the domain of PM in SMEs.
Mitigating human agency in regional development: the behavioural side of policy processes

ABSTRACT In recent decades, regional development has seen a wave of collective policy-making processes such as the European smart specialization approach or participatory approaches to tourism strategy formulation. These processes are confronted by several challenges based on behavioural patterns related to human agency. This paper conceptualizes collective regional policy-making processes in a behavioural perspective. It argues that concepts known from behavioural economics can contribute to our understanding of the agency-related challenges in collective regional policy-making processes, and that mitigating the role of human agency can help overcome these behavioural challenges. Case studies from three Austrian provinces show how major challenges to collective policy-making processes can be explained behaviourally, and how these challenges can be countered by mitigating strategies that employ expertise, moderation, indirect participation, delegation of prioritization and evidence.