Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The influence of self-regulation processes on metacognition in a virtual learning environment

ABSTRACT A virtual learning environment (VLE) is a web-based platform that allows students to learn at a personally defined place, time and pace. However, most students are lacking in the self-regulation skills and metacognitive abilities to take advantage of the flexibility and high learners’ control available in VLEs. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of self-regulation processes on secondary school students’ metacognition within a partial least square (PLS) framework. The sample consisted of 506 secondary school students. The data analysis was run using Smart PLS Version 3.0. The results revealed that self-efficacy and procrastination were significantly related to strategy use, which in turn influenced students’ metacognition. Self-efficacy was found to be the primary motivational belief that drives students’ help-seeking behaviour as well as the application of task strategies and time management. The findings may help to design more effective pedagogical practices to increase metacognitive abilities among secondary school students in technologically enhanced learning environments.
Heat treatment of plant propagation material for the control of fire blight

The thermal sensitivity of Erwinia amylovora was determined at 45° C and 50°C. In vitro assays with eight differetit strains showed that thermal death times did not exceed 70min at 45° C and 50min at 50° C (95% confidence interval). Heat treatments of naturally infected apple and pear shoots were performed using a moist and a dry heat procedure. When shoots were wrapped in wet cotton cloths (wet heat) and maintained in an incubator, no bacterial growth could be detected after an incubation of 5 h at 45° C. When shoots were sealed in polyethylene bags and immersed in water (dry heat), no Erwinia amytovora could be isolated after an immersion of 3 h at 45° C. Incubation at 50°C for 1 –2h in either condition did not eradicate the pathogen entirely. The failure rate of grafts using budwoods treated at the effective time-temperature combinations did not exceed 25%. The present investigations showed that the use of thermotherapy techniques for controlling Erwinia amylovora in propagation material of apple and pear might be possible.
Sensory evaluation of breast fillets from argon‐stunned and electrically‐stimulated broiler carcases processed under commercial conditions

Abstract 1. A comparison of eating quality of breast meat (pectoralis major) filleted at 2 h post‐mortem was made between broilers stunned with argon‐induced anoxia (less than 2% residual oxygen) and broilers which were electrically‐stunned and their carcases electrically‐stimulated under commercial conditions. 2. Fifty breast muscles were filleted from the carcases of argon stunned broilers at 2 h post‐mortem. Fifty breast muscles were also removed at the same time from the carcases of broilers which were electrically‐stunned and electrically‐stimulated. A ‘control’ group of broilers which were electrically‐stunned and electrically‐stimulated and processed under as similar conditions as possible were also filleted after overnight ageing in the air chiller. 3. Sensory analysis was performed using 10 trained panelists, who were asked to rate the fillets on a 1 to 8 hedonic scale for taste, texture, juiciness and overall liking. 4. The mean ranks for texture and overall liking differed between the groups. T.
The effect of host instar on the size and sex ratio of the endoparasitoid Dacnusa sibirica

Older instars of the leafminer host Chromatomyia syngenesiae Hardy (Diptera: Agromyzidae) at parasitization resulted in larger female adults of the larval‐pupal endoparasitoid Dacnusa sibirica Telenga (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). The sex ratio in the parasitoid offspring became increasingly female biased and development period decreased with increasing age of the host at parasitization. Older host instars were therefore considered to produce a fitter parasitoid.
FORMATIVE REFLECTIONS ON SERVICE-LEARNING IN A COURSE ON THE PSYCHOLOGY OF AGING

Service-learning is an ideal teaching approach to use in courses on the psychology of aging because it allows experiential education to be actively integrated with classroom instruction. This article describes the results of adding a service-learning option to a lecture course on the psychology of aging. For this course, service-learning took place at local nursing homes, area retirement communities, and the local community center, which houses an activity program for older adults. Each student was required to complete 30 hr community service-learning during the semester, maintain a journal, write a summary paper, join a reflection group, and participate in a group presentation. Students were involved in a wide range of activities, from assisting with a hot lunch program to spending time talking with nursing home residents. Evaluation of the effectiveness of this approach was established by using open-ended student evaluations that were completed at the end of the semester. Data were gathered over 2 years from the portion of the class (approximately one third) each semester) who chose to complete a one-credit service-learning experience. The service-learning component significantly enhanced the course experience for the students, instructor, graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants, and facilities involved. Overall, the majority of students affirmed that their participation in the service-learning project related well to the course, and facility responses to student service-learning participants were overwhelmingly positive.
Constraints on recovery: using molecular methods to study connectivity of aquatic biota in rivers and streams

Summary 1. The ‘Field of Dreams Hypothesis’ states ‘if we build it, they will come’, referring to the assumption that if habitats are restored, species will recolonise them. However, the ability of a species to recolonise a restored site will depend not only on the appropriate habitat being present, but also on the ability to get there. This is likely to depend on both the species’ dispersal behaviour and the position of a site in the landscape. 2. Animals with good potential for dispersal are more likely to be able to disperse to newly restored sites. Similarly, sites in lowland streams with limited altitudinal differences between sites may be easier to reach than upstream sites. This is because upstream sites are connected to one another via lowland streams that have different characteristics and therefore may be difficult for animals to traverse. 3. In this paper, genetic data from a range of freshwater species that have been analysed in my laboratory are used to assess the importance of life cycle and position in the landscape (i.e. upland versus lowland streams) on connectivity patterns (and thus recolonisation potential) among populations. 4. In general, contemporary dispersal across catchment boundaries is negligible, except for aquatic insects with an adult flight stage. Dispersal among streams within catchments appears to be more limited than was predicted from knowledge on life histories, except for fish in lowland rivers and streams. 5. As predicted, dispersal of fish, crustaceans and molluscs among streams within catchments is significantly greater in lowland rivers than in upland streams. 6. Overall, these analyses suggest that, with the exception of most insects, and fishes in lowland rivers, natural recolonisation of restored sites is only likely from sites within the same stream. If a species has disappeared from the whole stream, then restoration of habitat alone may not be sufficient for its re-establishment.
Patterns of Mutualistic Interactions in Pollination and Seed Dispersal: Connectance, Dependence Asymmetries, and Coevolution

Patterns of connectance and strength of mutual dependence in mutualisms have been examined by comparing the fraction of possible pairwise interactions established in a series of plant-pollinator and plant-seed disperser systems. As the number of species in the mutualistic system increases, the absolute number of interactions established increases, but connectance decreases exponentially. A given increase in diversity adds twice the number of interactions to dispersal systems as to pollination systems, suggesting a higher global specificity of the latter. Connectance patterns in mutualisms are analogous to some of those observed in complex food webs, suggesting a somewhat invariant structure in the relations between sets of interacting species. For seed-dispersal systems involving frugivorous birds, mutual dependence values are strongly skewed toward the low end and illustrate generally strong asymmetries in mutualistic interactions. These patterns may be expected by considering simple multiplicative effects within multispecies assemblages as a result of variations in the number of species and in the underlying abundance distributions of the species involved. Coadaptation may originate from a process of species sorting without the necessity of genetic (coevolved) changes. Asymmetrical interactions and the prevalence of weak relations can provide pathways for rare species to persist and alternative routes for system responses to perturbations. These findings emphasize the diffuse nature of coevolution in mutualistic webs and suggest a mode by which diffuse coevolution can proceed.
Long-Horizon Predictability: A Cautionary Tale

Long-horizon return regressions effectively have small sample sizes. Using overlapping long-horizon returns provides only marginal benefit. Adjustments for overlapping observations have greatly overstated t-statistics. The evidence from regressions at multiple horizons is often misinterpreted. As a result, much less statistical evidence of long-horizon return predictability exists than is implied by research, which casts doubt on claims about forecasts based on stock market valuations and factor timing. Disclosure: AQR Capital Management is a global investment management firm that may or may not apply investment techniques or methods of analysis similar to those described herein. The views expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily those of AQR. Editor’s Note Submitted 2 April 2018 Accepted 1 August 2018 by Stephen J. Brown
Cellular distribution of the mRNA for the α7 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in the human cerebral cortex

Central nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ligand‐gated cationic channels characterized by a wide pharmacological and molecular diversity depending on the subunits involved. Recently a new type of a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor channel, highly permeable to calcium, consisting of α7 subunits which bear a binding site for the snake venom α‐bungarotoxin has been described. α‐bungarotoxin binding sites have previously been localized in the human and rat brain. Immunohistochemistry has revealed the presence of α7 subunits in the rodent CNS. Presently we have applied digoxigenin‐labeled RNA probes to localize α7 mRNA in human brain using autopsy samples of prefrontal (Area 10) and motor cortex (Area 4). α7 transcripts are expressed in numerous neurons throughout both cortical regions. Mainly pyramidal‐like neurons of layers II/III, V, and VI were labeled. In contrast to our previous studies on the localization of α3 and α4 transcripts, only a few giant pyramidal neurons in A4 but a rather high number of layer I neurons in A4 and A10 expressed α7 mRNA. The study shows that nicotinic receptor subunit mRNAs are distributed in a subunit‐ and area‐specific manner in the human cerebral cortex. These findings will be of importance as to the selective, ligand‐mediated stimulation of nicotinic receptor subtypes as a possible tool to improve cholinergic transmission in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Comparative breeding ecology of cooper's hawks in urban and exurban areas of southeastern Arizona

One step in assessing the quality of an urban environment as habitat for a species is to compare its breeding ecology and productivity in urban and exurban (i.e., undeveloped, natural) areas, We studied Cooper's hawks (Accipiter cooperii) in Tucson, Arizona, and in exurban areas in southeastern Arizona, 1994-96. Urban pairs nested earlier (P < 0.001 and had larger clutches (P = 0.085) that exurban pairs. Nestling mortality was greater among urban nests (50.3%) than exurban nests (4.9%). The primary cause of death among urban nestlings was trichomoniasis (79.9%), which was a consistent mortality factor among vears (P = 0.402). An overall failure rate among urban nests (52.6%) was greater than at exurban nests (20.5%; P < 0.001). Although the role of bird feeding in the spread of trichomonias is remains unclear, promoting dove-proof feeders or abstinence from bird feeding may minimize the spread of the disease among prey species, thereby reducing mortality of nestlin g Cooper's hawks. The greatest cause of mortality among free-ranging Cooper's hawks in the urban area was collisions (69.8%), primarily with windows. Techniques to decrease window collisions should be promoted to reduce window-strike mortalities among both Cooper's hawks and their prey. Cooper's hawks also are occasionally aggressive when defending their nests from preceived threats hich may lead to fear and persecution by city residents. Hence, environmental education may be an important component of managing this species in urbat settings.
Sources of Intraspecific Variation in Sperm Precedence in Red Flour Beetles

Sperm precedence, or differential fertilization success among mating males, is likely to be important in mediating male reproductive success in many species. Numerous studies have provided measures of sperm precedence for diverse taxonomic groups, but previous discussions have focused on species-specific mean P2 values. In this study, which systematically examined sources of variation in sperm precedence in Tribolium castaneum, consistent differences among male pairs represent a significant percentage (17.8%) of the total variation in sperm precedence. These results in T. castaneum and a reexamination of published studies reveal a high degree of intraspecific variation in sperm precedence, suggesting that mean values are insufficient to adequately characterize sperm-precedence patterns. Such individual variation in sperm precedence may profoundly influence differential reproductive success among males.
Dietary fats and torpor patterns in hibernating ground squirrels

The effect of a sunflower oil diet (rodent chow with 10% addition by weight of sunflower seed oil, rich in linoleic acid), a sheep fat diet (rodent chow with 10% addition by weight of sheep fat, rich in saturated fatty acids and oleic acid), and a control diet (rodent chow without added fat or oil) on the pattern of torpor was investigated in the ground squirrel Spermophilus saturatus, a relatively large (250 g) hibernator. Torpid S. saturatus on the sunflower oil diet showed a lower minimum body temperature (2.1 vs. 3.5 °C), a lower metabolic rate (0.029 vs. 0.043 mL O2/g∙h)), and longer bouts of torpor (252 vs. 193 h at an air temperature of − 1.0 °C) than animals on the sheep fat diet. These physiological variables showed intermediate values in controls. It appears, therefore, that the composition of dietary fatty acids, rather than the fat content of the diet, affected torpor patterns. It is likely that the observed physiological differences may be explained by diet-induced compositional differences i.
OLDER WORKERS' ADAPTATION TO A CHANGING WORKPLACE: EMPLOYMENT ISSUES FOR THE 21st CENTURY

The extent to which older workers leave their jobs rather than adapt to workplace changes has a significant effect on the organizations they work for, on government programs, especially Social Security, and on the workers themselves. Conceptualizing the work adaptation process begins by recognizing that older employees have needs, values, and interests that must be met by their jobs for them to choose to remain employed and adapt to workplace changes. Simultaneously, a job has knowledge, skill, and ability requirements that must be met by an older employee for the employer to choose to retain him or her. As a job changes, the individual job fit is also likely to change, often with the result that the employee is required to adapt. A review of the literature shows that there are a variety of factors at the individual, organizational, and environmental levels that affect an older worker's ability and choice to adjust to workplace changes. These factors include, for example, training throughout an individual's career, personnel policies affecting older workers, and age discrimination. This article reviews the literature describing the conceptual framework and major individual and organizational factors found to affect an older worker's ability and choice to adapt to workplace changes.
Lake Level Changes Recorded by Tree Rings of Lakeshore Shrubs： A Case Study at the Lake West-Juyan, Inner Mongolia, China

: Variation in water resources is a main factor influencing ecohydrological processes and sustainable development in arid regions. Lake level changes are a useful indicator of the variability in water resources. However, observational records of changes in lake levels are usually too short to give an understanding of the long-term variability. In the present study, we investigated the tree rings of shrubs growing on the lakeshore of Lake West-Juyan, the terminus of the Heihe River in western China, and found that Lake West-Juyan had undergone degradation three times over the past 200 years. The lake level decreased from 904.3 to 896.8 m above sea level (a.s.1.) during the period 1800–1900, to 892.0 m a.s. 1. from around 1900 to the late 1950s, and the lake dried out in 1963. The trend for changes in lake levels, which was represented by the composite chronology of three beach bars, showed that the phases of increasing lake levels over the past 150 years were during the periods 1852–1871, 1932–1952, 1973–1982, and 1995–1999. Comparison with the history of regional economic development showed that human activity has played an important role in regulating the water resources of the lower reaches of the Heihe watershed over the past 200 years. (Managing editor: Ya-Qin HAN)
New insight from old bones: stable isotope analysis of fossil mammals

Abstract Stable isotope analysis of fossil materials has become an increasingly important method for gathering dietary and environmental information from extinct species in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The benefits of these analyses stem from the geochemical fingerprint that an animal's environment leaves in its bones, teeth, and tissues. Ongoing study of living mammals has found the stable isotopic composition of several light (hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur) and even a few heavy (calcium and strontium) elements to be useful tracers of ecological and physiological information; many of these can be similarly applied to the study of fossil mammals. For instance, the carbon isotopic composition of an animal's tissues tracks that of the food it eats, whereas the oxygen isotopic compositions of the carbonate and phosphate in an animal's bones and teeth are primarily controlled by that of the surface water it drinks or the water in the food it ingests. These stable isotope proxies for diet and habitat information are independent of inferences based on morphological characters and thus provide a means of testing ecological interpretations drawn from the fossil record. As such, when well-preserved specimens are available, any dietary study of fossil species should seriously consider including this approach. To illustrate the potential benefits associated with applying these methods to paleontological research, a review of current work on the ecological and evolutionary history of fossil mammals through geochemical analysis is presented. After a brief introduction to issues associated with the preservation of stable isotopic information in soft and mineralized tissues, a series of case studies involving the application of stable isotope analysis to fossil mammal research is discussed. These studies were selected to highlight the versatility of this analytical method to paleontological research and are complemented by a discussion of new techniques and instrumentation in stable isotope analysis (e.g., laser ablation and compound-specific isotope ratio mass spectrometry, and calcium and clumped isotopes), which represent the latest advances in the extension of these geochemical tools to the paleontology of fossil mammals.
Screening Sanitizing Agents and Methods of Application for Hatching Eggs III. Effect of Concentration and Exposure Time on Embryo Viability

Abstract This is the third of a four part screening procedure to find a safe, economical and effective replacement for formaldehyde for sanitizing of hatching eggs. A total of 23 sanitizers were applied at different concentrations and/or exposure times to broiler breeder hatching eggs prior to incubation. In replicate trials, eight groups of 90 hatching eggs per concentration level or per exposure time for each sanitizing procedure were tested. For all treatments except formaldehyde, Virkon, glutaraldehyde (Cidex), and ozone gas, there were three concentrations of sanitizer used: 1) low (half the recommended level); 2) recommended level; or 3) high (twice the recommended level). Eggs were dipped in the solutions for 10 minutes. Virkon was handled similarly, except an additional four-fold application of the recommended level was tested for 10 minutes. Formaldehyde treatments were made using a 1% formalin solution; eggs were dipped for 1, 5, or 10 minutes. Glutaraldehyde was used undiluted for 1 and 10 minutes. Ozone gas (3 levels of concentration) was applied for 3 hours. For all sanitizers tested at recommended levels, there were no gross toxic effects on embryo viability. However, sanitizers that contained components which lowered egg shell porosity (low moisture or weight loss), particularly at the highest concentrations tested, also increased early and late embryo mortality. Active ingredients of sanitizers tested in this study which influenced shell porosity were quaternary ammonia and surfactants (e.g., EDTA). In some cases, a definite “waxy” texture was evident on the eggs. Monitoring moisture loss as a method of assessing a sanitation program has proved to be important.
Expression of Integrin avß3 in Small Blood Vessels of Glioblastoma Tumors

Angiogenesis, which promotes tumor proliferation and invasiveness, is mediated by integrin-dependent cell adhesion mechanisms and requires expression of integrin avß3. To determine whether integrin avß3 is expressed in the small blood vessel hyperplasia characteristic of glioblastoma tumors, we explored the mRNA and protein expression of integrin av, ß3, ß5, and ß1 subunits in small blood vessels in gliomas of various grades and nontumorous brain biopsies. Antisense ß3 and ß5 riboprobes hybridized to small blood vessels (endothelial and adjacent mesenchymal cells) in 11 of 11 glioblastomas and 2 of 4 anaplastic astrocytomas, but failed to hybridize to small blood vessels in 12 non-neoplastic specimens and 4 low-grade astrocytomas. In contrast, antisense av and ß1 riboprobes hybridized to small blood vessels in all of the biopsies. The expression of integrin avß3 protein in these vessels was determined by immunohistochemical analysis using anti-integrin subunit-specific antibodies. The findings were similar to those obtained using in situ hybridization: ß3 subunit protein was detected on small blood vessels in 9 of 12 glioblastoma and 2 of 4 anaplastic astrocytomas, whereas it was not detected in small blood vessels of 10 non-neoplastic brains and 4 low-grade astrocytomas. In contrast, the av and ß1 subunit proteins were detected in small blood vessels in all of the brain biopsies, whereas the ß5 subunit protein could not be detected. These data suggest that integrin avß3 is expressed in small blood vessels of glioblastoma tumors.