Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Habitat, Distribution, Biology, and Conservation of the Miami Tiger Beetle, Cicindelidia floridana (Cartwright) (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae)

Abstract The recently rediscovered Miami tiger beetle, Cicindelidia floridana (Cartwright), is one of the rarest USA tiger beetles and recently listed as an endangered species. Herein, we report on its distribution, abundance, habitat, and conservation based on studies from 2008 through 2014. Surveys of 25 scrub and 20 pine rockland sites in south Florida found the species restricted to three contiguous sites in the Richmond Heights area of south Miami. Visual index counts found four to 38 adults at these sites. Seasonal activity of adults ranged from May to October, suggesting two cohorts of adults emerge during this period. Adults and larvae at all sites were restricted to the few open patches of sand scattered among the more densely vegetated areas. Numbers of larvae declined significantly after 2010. The low and apparently declining numbers of adults and larvae were associated with loss and reduction of the open sandy patches of habitat from encroaching vegetation at these sites. In addition to these significant threats to its survival, two major commercial developments have been proposed in and near Zoo Miami and are likely to eliminate some habitat and further constrain the needed prescribed burns. Limited management at the occupied sites has included removal of invasive plant species and prescribed burns, but these activities have been too infrequent to significantly improve habitat for the beetles.
N-cadherin mediated cell-cell adhesion in the arterial wall

During migration, smooth muscle cells (SMC) modulate their interactions with surrounding matrix and cells. The goal of this study was to examine the lateral adhesion Nîadherin cornplex and how it is modulated as SMCs assume a migratory phenotype during proliferative responses to injury. N-cadherin was found localized at the basolateral extensions of contacting SMCs. Inhibition of N-cadherin complexes with blocking antibodies reduced the ability of SMCs to migrate in vitro. Morphologically, cells had shorter, blunted processes into the wound area that translated into significantly reduced wound edge growth at 24 and 48 hours afier wounding. In vivo, western analysis and immunofluoresent staining showed that neointimal SMCs in rat carotid artenes expressed increased levels of N-cadherin, p-catenin and plakoglobin at 1 and 3 weeks and decreased levels at 8 weeks after balloon catheter injury. These results suggest that cell-ce11 contact mediated by N-cadhenn is involved in the migration of SMCs.
Potential feminization of Red Sea turtle hatchlings as indicated by in situ sand temperature profiles

Climate change poses a serious threat to species that demonstrate temperature‐dependent sex determination, including marine turtles. Increased temperatures can result in highly female‐skewed sex ratios and decreased hatching success. The pivotal temperature that delineates hatchling sex ratios is commonly considered to be 29.2°C, but whether this threshold applies to turtles in the Red Sea region has not been tested in situ. For all species of marine turtles, there is a supposed thermal range of 25–33°C in which egg incubation is successful, with prolonged temperatures above 33°C resulting in morphological abnormalities and hatchling mortality. Sand temperature data were collected from May–September 2018 from the average nesting depth of hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) at five study sites. We calculated the expected sex ratio based on a maximum likelihood model. The sand temperature profile at four of the sites exceeded the pivotal temperature (29.2°C) throughout the study duration, which suggests feminization of turtles could be occurring; however, the pivotal temperature in this region still needs to be empirically confirmed. The percentage of days with sand temperature exceeding the maximum thermal threshold between June 3, and September 16, 2018, was site‐specific rather than determined by latitudinal temperature gradients, and ranged between 0 and 100% of days. Maximum temperature recordings were as high as 36.0 and 35.3°C at 30 and 50 cm depth, respectively. Nesting sites in the Red Sea region could already be exceeding the thermal limits and may be particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures. Sites with lower sand temperatures, such as Small Gobal Island, may represent priority areas for conservation efforts. Alternatively, local adaptation may be a reality under extremely warm conditions, thus, further research into the thermal tolerance of hatchlings in the region could provide insight on how they might adapt to future climate change.
Insiders under pressure: Flexibilization at the margins and wage inequality

Abstract The rise of flexible employment in advanced democracies has been predominantly studied in the insider-outsider framework of the dualization literature. However, against the background of rising income inequality, it seems questionable to assume that all labor market insiders are equally affected by flexibilization. This paper explores whether flexibilization increases wage inequality among labor market insiders. I argue that flexibilization exposes insiders to a set of wage risks that are concentrated among low- and middle-income insiders, creating downward wage pressure on those insiders. The empirical analysis, covering 22 democracies between 1985 and 2016, finds that the deregulation of non-standard employment is associated with declining wage shares of low-income and middle-income earners, while top earners benefit. These major distributional shifts imply an important qualification of the dualization literature: rather than pitting insiders against outsiders, flexibilization ‘at the margins’ seems to exacerbate divides among insiders.
Validity of Lampetra pacifica (Petromyzontiformes: Petromyzontidae), a brook lamprey described from the lower Columbia River Basin

The Pacific Brook Lamprey, Lampetra pacifica Vladykov, 1973 was described from the lower Columbia River Basin near Portland, Oregon. Subsequently, L. pacifica has generally been treated as a junior synonym of the Western Brook Lamprey, L. richardsoni Vladykov and Follett, 1965, a species described from the Fraser River Drainage east of Vancouver, British Columbia. We reexamine the available morphological data used by previous authors (trunk myomere counts), report on recent collections from the Columbia Basin, and reinterpret the trunk myomere data in the context of recent genetic sampling from the same populations. Populations of L. pacifica are distinguished from those of L. richardsoni by trunk myomere counts of 53–60 (means 59), respectively, and by genetic sequence divergence (cyt b) of 2.85 to 3.20%. We find no support for placing L. pacifica in the synonymy of L. richardsoni and recognize L. pacifica as a valid species. However, we recognize that there is considerable unresolved diversity in the western North American lampreys and recommend restriction of L. pacifica to the Columbia Basin, suggesting that unresolved populations of Lampetra brook (non-parasitic) lampreys outside the basin with mean trunk myomere counts below 59 be referred to as L. cf. pacifica, until further systematic information is available.
Risk factors of readmission after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: A case-control study

Background & Aim: Reducing readmissions is a major goal of health care systems. This study aimed to identify readmission risk factors following coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Methods & Materials: This case-control study analyzed 540 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery between January 2016 and December 2019 at Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Qom, Iran. The case group contained 270 patients who were readmitted to the hospital during the 30-day after discharge and the control group comprised 270 non-readmitted patients. Results: Readmit patients suffered from higher rates of cardiac failure, myocardial infarction, hypertension, myocardial dysrhythmia, and using antiplatelet coagulant medication (P<0.05). Compared with non-readmitted patients, readmitted patients were more likely to have emergency surgery (OR 1.62; CI 1.11-2.38), cardiac arrest (OR 2.52; CI 2.39-2.85), and massive intraoperative hemorrhage during surgery (OR 2.36; CI 2.13-2.67). Postoperative disorders such as surgical site infection, pleural effusion, dysrhythmias, and myocardial infarction were independent risk factors for readmission (P<0.05). Conclusion: Patients at risk for readmission should be closely monitored. Furthermore, careful decision-making about surgical criteria by a multidisciplinary team can help improve outcomes as well as reduce readmissions.
A Machine Vision System Based on Driving Recorder for Automatic Inspection of Rail Curvature

Because of long distance of railway lines, it is difficult to find an appropriate method to inspect the rail track condition efficiently and accurately. In this article, a machine vision system based on driving recorder and image signal processing is proposed to evaluate the rail curvature automatically. The proposed machine vision system consists of four modules including the video acquisition module, the image extraction module, the image processing module, and the track condition assessment module. Three classic edge detection methods are adopted and compared for rail edge detection. In line with the videos of driving recorder, coordinate systems for train and rail are defined in the Lagrangian space, and the track curvature is estimated using the proposed chord offset method and double measurement method. For evaluating the track condition, an index describing the concordance between the train and track is defined. In the case study, a set of videos from the driving recorders of trains during their in-service operations are analyzed by the proposed technique, and the obtained results are verified by comparison with those obtained by a track geometry inspection vehicle. It is shown that the proposed technique can evaluate the track curvature accurately. Moreover, the influence of the position of deployed driving recorder, the focal length and anti-shake of camera on the accuracy of evaluation results is discussed. It is testified that the proposed technique provides a simple and reliable way to inspect the track curvature.
Iterative method to the coupled operator matrix equations with sub-matrix constraint and its application in control

A finite iterative algorithm is presented for solving the numerical solutions to the coupled operator matrix equations in Zhang (2017b). In this paper, a new finite iterative algorithm is presented for solving the constraint solutions to the coupled operator matrix equations [ ∑ i = 1 p A 1 i ( X i ) , ∑ i = 1 p A 2 i ( X i ) , ⋯ , ∑ i = 1 p A pi ( X i ) ] = [ M 1 , M 2 , ⋯ , M p ] , where the constraint solutions include symmetric solutions, bisymmetric solutions and reflexive solutions as special cases. If this system is consistent, for any initial constraint matrices, the exact constraint solutions can be obtained by the introduced algorithm within finite iterative steps in the absence of the roundoff errors. Also, if this system is not consistent, the least-norm constraint solutions can be obtained within the finite iteration steps in the absence of the roundoff errors. Furthermore, if a group of suitable matrices are given, the optimal approximation solutions can be derived. Finally, several numerical examples are given to show the effectiveness of the presented iterative algorithm.
Pattern of Preoperative Astigmatism in Patients in South East Nigeria as Determined by Biometry

Background: Astigmatism is an error of refraction that can affect visual outcome after cataract surgery. The degree of astigmatism is usually estimated pre-operatively by keratometry readings. These readings can help in the plan of surgical technique and choice of intraocular lenses during cataract surgery in order to improve visual outcome. This study was done to provide data on the pattern of preoperative astigmatism in cataract patients in South East Nigeria. It is hoped that this knowledge will increase the awareness on pre-operative astigmatism among ophthalmologist so that they can improve their surgical skills on ways of reducing this astigmatism or avoid worsening it. Methods: A retrospective review of keratometry readings of 533 patients were taken from June 2018 to December 2019, with emphasis on the cylinders. Results: The most common degree of astigmatism was -0.75DC. The proportion of patients with preoperative astigmatism ≤ -1.00DC was 60% while 40% had values higher than -1.00DC. Conclusion: There may usually be significant pre-operative astigmatism in patients scheduled for cataract surgery. This calls for an improvement in surgical skills in minimizing astigmatism and avoiding worsening preoperative astigmatism. There should be increase availability and use of toric lenses for correction of preoperative astigmatism. Finally accurate postoperative refraction will have a positive impact in the management of astigmatism, whether preoperative or surgically induced. Original Research Article Kalu et al.; OR, 13(3): 28-31, 2020; Article no.OR. 60557 29
An approach to wide-field imaging of linear rail ground-based SAR in high squint multi-angle mode

Ground-based synthetic aperture radar (GB-SAR) has been successfully applied to the ground deformation monitoring. However, due to the short length of the GB-SAR platform, the scope of observation is largely limited. The practical applications drive us to make improvements on the conventional linear rail GB-SAR system in order to achieve larger field imaging. First, a turntable is utilized to support the rotational movement of the radar. Next, a series of high-squint scanning is performed with multiple squint angles. Further, the high squint modulation phase of the echo data is eliminated. Then, a new multi-angle imaging method is performed in the wave number domain to expand the field of view. Simulation and real experiments verify the effectiveness of this method.
Trafficking of women and girls in the District of Seke: Lessons from the Zimbabwe’s Second Republic

The study explores the phenomenon of human trafficking in Zimbabwe’s second republic under President Emerson Mnangagwa. Using conflict theory, the study argues that the discourse of human trafficking in Zimbabwe is a complex phenomenon that has led to women’s and girls’ vulnerability in the Seke District. Primary data gathered from five female core informants who have been the direct victims of human trafficking and three significant others who were the parents and guardians of human trafficking victims. The snowball sampling technique was employed to obtain the female core informants for the in-depth interviews. The study also benefitted from secondary sources such as journal articles, online newspapers, government, and international UN, ILO, UNESCO, and UNICEF reports. The results of this study show that eco-socio and political ills such as a high rate of unemployment, a shortage of essential goods, cash, corruption, electricity, gender inequality, poverty, power relations and the continuous harassment by the security forces such as the police and the army have escalated the vulnerability of women to human trafficking in Zimbabwe. Since Zimbabwe’s eco-political situation is a powerful determinant of both the continuation and abandonment of the human trafficking social phenomena, this study recommends that the present government solve the grassroots causes of the phenomena. With enforcement at the grassroots level and regional and international initiatives, human trafficking can be combated.
Effects of triangularity on the fusion performance of CFETR

An important task of the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor physics design is to develop operation scenarios with high fusion power (1 GW), high bootstrap current fraction for steady-state and a plasma edge compatible with heat and particle exhaust. To achieve these goals, triangularity (δ) effects on the fusion performance of two candidate scenarios, with or without reversed magnetic shear (RS), namely conventional H-mode and RS H-mode, are evaluated using core-edge coupled integrated modeling in this paper. For fixed pedestal density, it is shown that higher δ is favorable for higher fusion performance in the conventional H-mode scenario while the fusion performance decreases with increasing δ in the RS H-mode scenario. In conventional H-mode, the higher fusion performance at high δ mainly comes from a higher pedestal temperature as predicted by EPED in combination with stiff core kinetic profiles. In the RS H-mode scenario with a local reversed shear region, the profiles are non-stiff and a strong internal transport barrier (ITB) exists at low δ. This results in higher density and temperature inside the ITB for low δ, leading to higher fusion power. If the pedestal temperature is kept fixed, in both scenarios the significant increase in pedestal density, which extends into the core, dominates at high δ and leads to much higher fusion power. For conventional H-mode, destabilization from increasing δ is partially balanced by stabilization due to increasing ν*. Since the normalized heat sources are quite similar, it results in minimal changes in the temperature profiles except for the lowest density case. For RS H-mode, destabilization from increasing δ is approximately balanced by stabilization due to increasing ν* in foot region, but a strong temperature ITB is still evident for low δ. The ability to take advantage of the high pedestal density in conventional H-mode and reversed shear scenario depends on its compatibility with edge density requirements from efficient heat and particle exhaust. Transport analysis is presented to elucidate the roles of δ, collisionality and magnetic shear in altering the profiles and the ITB, which contribute to the different behavior in the two scenarios.
Virtual Single-Core for Multicore Real-Time Computing

— This paper introduces Virtual Single-Core (VSC) technology that allows engineers to use a group of cores in a multicore computer as if the group of cores were a larger single-core computer. Multicore technology has many benefits, such as increased CPU bandwidth per chip. However, when used as is, inter-core interferences can be severe. Because of the potential for large and random delay spikes, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and Transport Canada specify that only one core can be used, unless inter-core interference is specifically defined and handled. In addition, DO-178C: Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification is for single-core chips only. Single-core Equivalence (SCE) technology partitions the resources shared by cores in such a way that each core can be used as if it were a single-core computer. SCE is an effective solution that address certification authorities' concerns of intercore interference. However, a core in a multicore chip is often slower than a fast single-core chip. Therefore, a large multi-thread (task) application may not be scheduled within a core. Virtual Single-Core (VSC) technology extends the SCE technology so that a group of cores can be used to schedule a large application as if the VSC were a larger single-core computer. VSC greatly facilities the migration of certified avionics software from single-core computers to multicore computers.
UPAYA PENURUNAN LEMAK TUBUH AYAM BROILER MELALUI PENAMBAHAN METIONIN DAN LISIN SEBAGAI PREKURSOR KARNITIN DALAM RANSUM

Pertambahan berat badan yang cepat pada ayam broiler diikuti perlemakan yang tinggi, hal ini bisa mengganggu kesehatan manusia. Pemakaian karnitin 150 mg/kg dalam ransum mampu menurunkan lemak dan kolesterol daging ayam broiler. Bahan baku biosintesis karnitin dalam tubuh adalah metionin dan lisin yang ditunjang adanya kofaktor untuk aktivasi enzim : niasin, FeSO 4 , piridoksin (vitamin B 6 ) dan asam askorbat (vitamin C). Tujuan penelitian untuk mendapatkan komposisi metionin dan lisin yang tepat sebagai prekursor karnitin, menggunakan 64 ekor ayam broiler jantan strain CP 707 umur 3-6 minggu, ditempatkan dalam 32 unit boks percobaan. Metode eksperimen dengan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL), 8 perlakuan dan 4 kali ulangan. Data diolah dengan analisis keragaman (Steel and Torrie 1991), jika hasil signifikan dilakukan uji lanjut kontras ortogonal. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pemberian karnitin dosis 150 mg/kg ransum dan prekursor karnitin mempunyai pengaruh yang berbeda sangat nyata terhadap perlakuan. Prekursor karnitin dapat menggantikan kerja karnitin dalam upaya menurunkan kandungan lemak tubuh ayam broiler, bahkan bisa bekerja lebih baik daripada karnitin terhadap pertambahan bobot badan dan konversi ransum tanpa mengganggu pertumbuhan organ lainnya. Komposisi prekursor karnitin yang paling baik adalah 0,55 % L-HCl Lisin; 0,44 % DL-Metionin; 0,33 mg/kg niasin; 80 mg/kg FeSO 4 ; 250 mg/kg asam askorbat/vitamin C dan 3,5 mg/kg piridoksin/vitamin B 6 . Menurunkan kandungan lemak daging dada dari 4,99 % menjadi 1,75 %, kandungan lemak daging paha dari 21,55 % menjadi 16,76 % dan lemak abdominal dari 2,50 % menjadi 1,61 %. Penulis adalah mahasiswa Jurusan Nutrisi dan Makanan Ternak, Universitas Andalas Padang
Faecal indicator bacteria

Aims: Fecal indicator bacteria concentrations were evaluated in Havana Bay. Methods: Concentrations of traditional fecal indicator bacteria were calculated between April 2010 and February 2011, by MPN methods. Concentrations of thermotolerant coliform (CTT), Escherichia coli, faecal streptococci (EF), intestinal enterococci (ENT) in seawater, and Clostridium perfringens in sediment surface, were determined. Results: CTT and E. coli levels were far above Cuban water quality standard for indirect contact with water, showing the negative infl uence of sewage and rivers on the bay. The EF and ENT were measured during sewage spills at the discharge site and they were suitable indicators of fecal contamination, but these indicators didn’t show the same behavior in other selected sites. This result comes from its well-known inactivation by solar light in tropical zones and the presumable presence of humic acids in the waters of the bay. Conclusion: Fecal indicator bacteria and its statistical relationships refl ect recent and chronical fecal contamination at the bay and near shores.
Reversible insertion of Mg-Cl superhalides in graphite as a cathode for aqueous dual-ion battery.

Oxidative anion insertion into graphite in an aqueous environment represents a significant challenge to construct aqueous dual-ion batteries. In dilute aqueous electrolytes, oxygen evolution reaction dominates the anodic current before anions can be inserted into the graphite gallery. Here, we report that the reversible insertion of Mg-Cl superhalides in graphite delivers a record-high reversible capacity of 150 mAh g -1 from an aqueous deep eutectic solvent comprising magnesium chloride and choline chloride. Interestingly, the insertion of Mg-Cl superhalides in graphite does not form staged graphite intercalation compounds; instead, the insertion of Mg-Cl superhalides turns graphite partially turbostratic.
Design and Testing of a Fluid-Cable Transmission

—This paper describes the principles, design, and testing of a novel transmission that combines the advantages of ﬂuid and cable elements. The cable and ﬂuid run concentrically inside a single ﬂexible hose to connect a master piston to a remote slave piston. Together, the ﬂuid and cable transmit bidirectional forces and motions. Since ﬂuid acts on only one side of each piston, low-friction, leak-proof rolling diaphragms may be used instead of o-rings. The ﬂuid-cable transmission eliminates the need for antagonistic cables and overcomes the friction and force limitations of conventional push-pull cables. It may be used as a low-friction remote actuation system in medical devices, assistive technology, and robotic manipulators. We analyze its transmission stiffness, describe its design and manufacture, and report on progress towards comparative testing.