Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Compensatory dynamics maintain bird phylogenetic diversity in fragmented tropical landscapes

Summary 1.Tropical forest loss can drive the extinction of forest-dependent species. Yet, non-forest species can proliferate in deforested landscapes, thus enabling community-level attributes (e.g., total abundance and richness) to be maintained in the remaining forest patches. Such compensatory dynamics have been, however, poorly investigated regarding the phylogenetic dimension of species diversity. Here, we assessed whether compensatory dynamics can stabilize the phylogenetic richness, divergence and structure of bird communities in response to forest loss in two regions in the Brazilian Atlantic forest, each under with different levels of land use intensification. 2.We surveyed birds in 40 forest sites, and assessed the response of five phylogenetic metrics to forest cover measured in local (600-m radius) landscapes. We separately assessed the entire community, forest-dependent and non-forest-dependent species and used information-theoretic criteria to assess the effect of forest cover on each response variable. In particular, we evaluated the plausibility of four models: a null model (no effect of forest cover), a linear model, a power law model (nonlinear effect), and an analysis of covariance model (to assess whether the effect of forest cover differed between regions). 3.Forest cover varied from 7% to 98%, and was positively related to the phylogenetic richness of forest-dependent species, but negatively related to the phylogenetic richness and divergence of non-forest birds, particularly in the more disturbed region. As consequence, the phylogenetic richness and divergence of the entire community were weakly related to forest cover. 4.Forest birds were less phylogenetically clustered in sites surrounded by lower forest cover, but the phylogenetic structure of non-forest birds was independent of forest cover. 5.Synthesis and applications. The phylogenetic impoverishment of forest-dependent birds is offset by the phylogenetic enrichment and divergence of non-forest-dependent birds in severely tropical deforested landscapes. These compensatory dynamics suggest that both bird groups are important for safeguarding bird evolutionary diversity in human-modified landscapes. Although deforested landscapes are reservoirs of bird phylogenetic diversity, suggesting that ecosystem functioning may be maintained in these sites, preventing further deforestation is urgently needed to preserve forest birds and their key ecological roles in the ecosystem. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Identificación de especies del género Colletotrichum asociadas a la antracnosis en papaya (Carica papaya L.) en Costa Rica

Identification of Colletotrichum species associated with anthracnose in papaya ( Carica papaya L.) in Costa Rica. Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum spp. , is one of the most important postharvest diseases in papaya. In this study, papaya fruits, Pococi hybrid, collected from orchards located in Guacimo, Limon province, showed 7 distinct anthracnose symptoms after a storage period. Colletotrichum isolates were obtained from each symptom on PDA (potato-desxtrosa-agar) medium. Isolates were classified in 3 groups based on symptoms similarities and colony morphology. Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region revealed that isolates belonged to three Colletotrichum species: C. gloeosporioides sensu lato, C. magnum and C. capsici ( C. truncatum ). Species identification was confirmed using taxonspecific primer for C. gloeosporioides sensu truncatum (sinonimo C. capsici ) (Tapia-Tussell et al . 2008, Nascimento et al . 2010, Tarnowski y Ploetz 2010, Rampersad 2011, Vieira et al . 2013, Torres-Calzada et al . 2013).
Do Spanish Students Become More Sustainable after the Implementation of Sustainable Practices by Universities?

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are a critical component to develop and promote sustainable solutions for both society and the planet. A challenge to HEIs is to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to achieve Sustainable Development (SD), as they are important stakeholders. In order for a person to take responsibility for a sustainable future, it is not only important to implement SDs in higher education, but to follow the progress of the individuals’ awareness of the sustainable world and lifestyle. This study aimed to analyze students of Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), focusing on their attitudes, behaviors, and level of knowledge concerning education for sustainable development (ESD), to better understand the situation of students in terms of learning and applying sustainability. The students’ perception of the University practices and initiatives, as well as pedagogical methodologies for promoting and learning SD, were also examined. An online survey was applied to undergraduate students from several faculties at UAM, and a sample of 504 students returned from a total population of 30,000 students. Descriptive and inferential analyses were carried out and included Chi-square tests, correlation analyses, and ANOVA analyses for independent and repeated measures. The results reveal good levels for the three dimensions (global Index > 3.5), with consistency demonstrating the highest correlation between attitudes and behaviors, although differences between faculties were identified. Knowledge has the highest score among all faculties. In addition, the results point to a need to better communicate the initiatives promoted, as well as to realign some learning methodologies with students’ preferences. The most important contributions of the paper are as follows: Shedding fresh light on the knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral dispositions of university students and improving strategies concerning education in higher education institutions. Furthermore, it is relevant to say that UAM has pushed sustainability in environmental management and education, so it is also important to assess the impact of these initiatives. Our research aimed to help understand how students incorporate sustainability into their attitudes and behaviors, and whether this incorporation depends on the type of faculty. It also makes it possible to verify whether the sustainability measures implemented by universities are identified and applied by their students.
SEROPREVALENCE OF SCRUB TYPHUS AMONG PATIENTS OF ACUTE FEBRILE ILLNESS IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE

Introduction: Malaria, dengue, typhoid, scrub typhus and several viral infections have been classically responsible for outbreaks of acute febrile illness. In recent years, scrub typhus has rapidly remerged to become the major cause of AFI in many parts of India, especially during the monsoon and postmonsoon seasons. Scrub typhus, caused by Orientia (formerly Rickettsia ) tsutsugamushi , is an acute infectious disease that is transmitted to humans by an arthropod vector of the Trombiculidae family. This study was carried out to know the epidemiology and seroprevalence of scrub typhus in patients of acute febrile illness as early diagnosis and institution of specific treatment will reduce morbidity and mortality. Material and method: This prospective, observational study was carried out at a tertiary care hospital in the Hadoti region of Rajasthan from August 2018 to December 2018. All demographic data and detailed history were recorded. Scrub typhus serology was tested for IgM antibodies against O. tsutsugamushi using IgM ELISA kits( INBIOS). Result: Total 609 samples were tested for scrub typhus out of which 120 samples were found positive. Out of 120 sample 62 and 58 were males and females respectively. Highest seropositivity was found in 21-40 year age group and among rural population. The clinical manifestations varied from minimal to severe illness with 3 case fatalities. Conclusion: Scrub typhus should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute febrile illness along with malaria and dengue fever which are other endemic diseases in this region, which will help in proper diagnosis, timely and adequate treatment.
LLC resonant converter topologies and industrial applications — A review

Owing to the advantages of high efficiency, high energy density, electrical isolation, low electromagnetic interference (EMI) and harmonic pollution, magnetic integration, wide output ranges, low voltage stress, and high operation frequency, the LLC resonant converters are widely used in various sectors of the electronics-based industries. The history and development of the LLC resonant converters are presented, their advantages are analyzed, three of the most popular LLC resonant converter topologies with detailed assessments of their strengths and drawbacks are elaborated. Furthermore, an important piece of research on the industrial applications of the LLC resonant converters is conducted, mainly including electric vehicle (EV) charging, photovoltaic systems, and light emitting diode (LED) lighting drivers and liquid crystal display (LCD) TV power supplies. Finally, the future evolution of the LLC resonant converter technology is discussed.
Dynamics of on-farm management of potato (Solanum tuberosum) cultivars in Central Kenya

Studies to understand the dynamic nature of farmers’ management of potato and assess the extent of genetic erosion and farmers’ perceptions of genetic erosion in potato were conducted in Kiambu West district in 2006. A stratified random sampling procedure was used to draw a sample of 302 farmers for the study. Majority of the farmers interviewed obtained seeds from informal sources. Farmers identified 29 varieties which were once widely grown in the study area. Of these, only 9 are still grown while another 11 have been introduced. The most commonly grown varieties were Zangi (69.4%), Tigoni(41.4%), Thima Thuti (30.8%) and Karuse (20.9%). Twenty cultivars including Amin, Anett, Cardinal, Feldeslohn, Gituru, Kiraya, Kibururu, Kenya Baraka, Kenya Dhamana, Karora Iguru, Maritta, Mirka, Njae,Njine, Patrones, Romano, Roslin Bvumbwe, Roslin Gucha, Suzanna and Furaha were the most affectedby genetic erosion. The most important causes for abandonment of varieties were low yields, rapid greening, susceptibility to late blight, strong dormancy, sensitivity to drought, and susceptibility to bacterial wilt, susceptibility to potato tuber moth, poor storability and poor cooking quality. The emergence of new and better varieties, lack of markets and lack of seed were the three most cited non varietal reasons for abandoning varieties. Farmers were not bothered by the loss of varieties. When comparing varieties currently cultivated to formerly available varieties, a genetic erosion of 31.0% was computed suggesting that genetic loss has occurred in the study area. Results of this study suggested that it is necessary to initiate collection, characterization and conservation studies of potato varieties across the country. There is also the need for awareness creation on the importance of potato genetic resources and their conservation.
Skimming the Surface or Digging Deeper: The Role of Emotion in Students’ Reflective Journals During an Experiential Criminal Justice Course

Background: In successful experiential learning, cycling between experience and reflection promotes higher-order thinking skills. Emotions can either help or hinder productive reflection. The role of emotion as it applies to reflection cycles within experiential learning is not well understood, especially in the criminal justice area. Purpose: The research presented in this article examined how students’ emotional reactions shaped their reflection via journal entries and identified key points where these reactions are able to be routed into more developed phases of reflection. Methodology/Approach: Content analysis was used to study five sets of 10 students’ reflective journals during a college course entitled “The Role of Canines in Inmate Rehabilitation. ” Findings/Conclusions: The exploratory study yields the themes of “Unpacking Emotions,” which examines emotions that emerged in students’ reflective journals, “Pivot Points” designating critical shifts in thinking, “Failure to Launch” when students were stymied in their reflective process, and “Potential for Action,” which addresses how successful reflection leads to future action. Implications: The ability to incorporate emotions into a more reasoned, critical analysis is essential to successful reflection and transformational learning, which has implications for students’ future in the field as well as their investment in community and society.
γ-Ray Irradiation Effect on MCF Rubber Solar Cells with both Photovoltaics and Sensing Involving Semiconductors Fabricated under Magnetic and Electric Fields

For cases in which a robot with installed solar cells and a sensor operates in a nuclear reactor building or in space for extravehicular activity, we require elastic and extensible solar cells. More than two different types of sensing are also required, minimally with photovoltaics and built-in electricity. Magnetic compound fluid (MCF) rubber solar cells are made of rubber, so they are elastic and extensible as well as sensitive. To achieve flexibility and an effective photovoltaic effect, MCF rubber solar cells must include both soluble and insoluble rubbers, Fe3O4, TiO2, Na2WO4∙2H2O, etc. On the basis of this constitution, we propose a consummate fabrication process for MCF rubber solar cells. The characteristics of these cells result from the semiconductor-like role of the molecules of TiO2, Fe3O4, Ni, Na2WO4∙2H2O, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), natural rubber (NR), oleic acid, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), water and magnetic cluster involved in the MCF rubber. Their tendencies can be deduced by synthesizing knowledge about the enhancement of the reverse-bias saturation current IS and the diode ideality factor N, with conventional knowledge about the semiconductor affected by γ-irradiation and the attenuation of the photon energy of γ-rays.
Plasma IL-10 Concentration and Its Role in the Pathogenesis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia: a Prospective Study

Many suggestions support that cytokines have pathogenesis role of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and that may be related with disease progression and patient survival. But their prognostic significance in this disease is unknown. The study aimed to estimate the plasma level of IL-10 before and after treatment in patients with AML. Plasma concentrations of IL-10 were estimated in 26 newly diagnosed patients with AML and follow up 19 of them after treatments, 7 patients were died after induction, matched 16 individuals' healthy donors. IL-10 levels were estimated using the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Patients were divided into two groups: 26 before treatment and 19 after treatment. The results showed that plasma concentrations of IL-10 were significantly higher in AML patients compared to control group. Moreover, plasma concentrations of IL-10 were significantly associated with non-responding (NR) AML patient after treatment compare to complete remission (CR). While it observed non-significantly before treatment. The study demonstrated that AML NR patients have increased plasma concentrations of IL‐10 after induction, suggesting that this cytokine is involved in the pathophysiological process of the disease and may be associated with poor prognosis of clinical
Effectiveness of mindfulness based stress reduction program (MBSR) on stress among nursing students- a mixed method study

Background: Stress is not always avoidable but learning techniques to manage stress can develop overall wellbeing by decreasing the physical, psychological, spiritual, and social effects of stress. Learning to manage stress through holistic self-care with MBSR techniques could help to decrease the negative effects of stress.Methods: Mixed method research approach and concurrent dominant (QUAN+qual) design was selected. Total 120 nursing students was included in the study with identical sampling approach. Data was collected by using sample characteristics proforma, DASS-42 (14 items of stress) and structured open-ended questionnaire. Total 7 sessions of MBSR was administrated in the experimental group for 40 minutes.Results: Finding of the study showed that the mean score in the experimental group was lower than the comparison group (12.02 versus 21.82: t=10.12, p=0.001). The major themes emerged were stress and quality of life, body and mind.Conclusions: The study concluded quantitatively that MBSR was effective in reducing stress among nursing students and improved their daily living as well as mental health. Qualitatively the study revealed that stress influence their academic performance and personal life negatively and some student able to fight in stressful situation where as some prefer to flight by using negative defence mechanism.
Phylogenomic relationships of bioluminescent elateroids define the ‘lampyroid’ clade with clicking Sinopyrophoridae as its earliest member

Bioluminescence has been hypothesized as aposematic signalling, intersexual communication and a predatory strategy, but origins and relationships among bioluminescent beetles have been contentious. We reconstruct the phylogeny of the bioluminescent elateroid beetles (i.e. Elateridae, Lampyridae, Phengodidae and Rhagophthalmidae), analysing genomic data of Sinopyrophorus Bi & Li, and in light of our phylogenetic results, we erect Sinopyrophoridae Bi & Li, stat.n. as a clicking elaterid‐like sister group of the soft‐bodied bioluminescent elateroid beetles, that is, Lampyridae, Phengodidae and Rhagophthalmidae. We suggest a single origin of bioluminescence for these four families, designated as the ‘lampyroid clade’, and examine the origins of bioluminescence in the terminal lineages of click beetles (Elateridae). The soft‐bodied bioluminescent lineages originated from the fully sclerotized elateroids as a derived clade with clicking Sinopyrophorus and Elateridae as their serial sister groups. This relationship indicates that the bioluminescent soft‐bodied elateroids are modified click beetles. We assume that bioluminescence was not present in the most recent common ancestor of Elateridae and the lampyroid clade and it evolved among this group with some delay, at the latest in the mid‐Cretaceous period, presumably in eastern Laurasia. The delimitation and internal structure of the elaterid‐lampyroid clade provides a phylogenetic framework for further studies on the genomic variation underlying the evolution of bioluminescence.
Implementing Government Elementary Math Exercises Online: Positive Effects Found in RCT under Social Turmoil in Chile

The impact of online math programs depends on its implementation, especially in vulnerable populations from developing countries. An existing online platform was adapted, at the request of the Chilean Ministry of Education, to exclusively include exercises previously designed and tested by a paper-based government program for elementary school. We carried out a cluster-randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 50 fourth grade classrooms. Treatment classrooms used the platform in a weekly 90-min math session. Due to a social instability outbreak in the country, a large unexpected disruption with huge absenteeism occurred in the second half of the semester, which turned this study into a unique opportunity to explore the robustness of the platform’s effects on students’ learning. Using multiple imputation and multilevel models, we found a statistically significant effect size of 0.13, which corresponds to two extra months of learning. This effect is meaningful for four reasons. First, it has double the effect of the paper-based version. Second, it was achieved during one semester only. Third, is half that obtained with the platform for a complete year with its own set of exercises and with two sessions per week instead of one. Fourth, it was attained in a semester with a lot of absenteeism.
Influence of inter-annual environmental variability on chrysophyte cyst assemblages: insight from a 2-years sediment trap study in lakes from northern Poland

Quantitative paleonvironmental studies using transfer functions are developed from training sets. However, changes in some variables ( e.g ., climatic) can be difficult to identify from short-term monitoring ( e.g., less than one year). Here, we present the study of the chrysophyte cyst assemblages from sediment traps deployed during two consecutive years (November 2011-November 2013) in 14 lakes from Northern Poland. The studied lakes are distributed along a W-E climatological gradient, with very different physical, chemical and morphological characteristics, and land-uses. Field surveys were carried out to recover the sediment trap material during autumn, along with the measurement of several environmental variables (nutrients, major water ions, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll -a ). During the study, one year experienced mild seasonal changes in air temperature (November 2011-November 2012; TS1), typical of oceanic climate, while the other year was characterized by colder winter and spring (November 2012-November 2013; TS2), and higher summer temperatures, more characteristic of continental climate. Other environmental variables ( e.g ., nutrients) did not show great changes between both years. Multivariate statistical analyses (RDA and DCA) were performed on individual TS1 and TS2 datasets. Water chemistry and nutrients (pH, TN and TP) explained the largest portion of the variance of the chrysophyte data for the individual years. However, analyses of the combined TS1 and TS2 datasets show that strong changes between summer and autumn (warm period, ice-free period with thermal stratification) and winter and spring (cold period, ice-cover period) play the most important role in the inter-annual variability in the chrysophyte assemblages. We show how inter-annual sampling maximizes ecological gradients of interest, particularly in regions with large environmental diversity, and low climatic variability. This methodology could help to identify distinct seasonal and inter-annual changes of biological communities to improve its application in paleoclimate studies.
Generation of FX −/− and Gmds −/− CHOZN host cell lines for the production of afucosylated therapeutic antibodies

Antibody‐dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) is the primary mechanism of actions for several marketed therapeutic antibodies (mAbs) and for many more in clinical trials. The ADCC efficacy is highly dependent on the ability of therapeutic mAbs to recruit effector cells such as natural killer cells, which induce the apoptosis of targeted cells. The recruitment of effector cells by mAbs is negatively affected by fucose modification of N‐Glycans on the Fc; thus, utilization of afucosylated mAbs has been a trend for enhanced ADCC therapeutics. Most of afucosylated mAbs in clinical or commercial manufacturing were produced from Fut8−/− Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) host cells, generally generating low yields compared to wildtype CHO host. This study details the generation and characterization of two engineered CHOZN® cell lines, in which the enzyme involved in guanosine diphosphate (GDP)‐fucose synthesis, GDP mannose‐4,6‐dehydratase (Gmds) and GDP‐L‐fucose synthase (FX), was knocked out. The top host cell lines for each of the knockouts, FX−/− and Gmds−/−, were selected based on growth robustness, bulk MSX selection tolerance, production titer, fucosylation level, and cell stability. We tested the production of two proprietary IgG1 mAbs in the engineered host cells, and found that the titers were comparable to CHOZN® cells. The mAbs generated from either KO cell line exhibited loss of fucose modification, leading to significantly boosted FcγRIIIa binding and ADCC effects. Our data demonstrated that both FX−/− and Gmds−/− host cells could replace Fut8−/− CHO cells for clinical manufacturing of antibody therapeutics.