Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Physico-chemical Properties and their Impact on Enzyme Activities in a Chronosequence Coal Mine Overburden Spoil as Biomarker of Reclamation Process

Mining activities lead to land degradation and alter ecosystem functions. Monitoring land degradation status is essential to take appropriate and timely conservation measures. Soil genesis during early years of mine spoil reclamation is critical and may help to predict reclamation success. The microbial activity is significantly influenced by the physicochemical properties, and hence, the assessment of these changes is essential for soil management practices. In the present investigation, the physico-chemical characterization and the activities of six different enzymes (amylase, invertase, protease, urease, phosphatase and dehydrogenase) were periodically analyzed with respect to different coal mine overburden spoil in chronosequence over a period of 10 yr, and compared with the native forest soil, in order to assess their effectiveness in reclaiming mine overburden spoil. Comparative analysis suggested that there was gradual increase in enzyme activities from a nutrient deficient situation (fresh mine spoil) to an enriched soil (native forest soil). Besides, the variation in enzyme activities was significantly attributable to differences in physico-chemical properties. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed in order to determine the contribution of different physico-chemical properties influencing the variability in enzyme activities. Further, principal component analysis was able to discriminate six coal mine overburden spoils and native forest soil into independent clusters on the basis of their physico-chemical properties and enzyme activities. The study clearly revealed that the change in microbial indices in terms of enzyme activities were more responsive and correlated very well with the extent of land degradation, and therefore, can serve as biomarker for reclamation studies.
Untersuchung der Flagellen von Pyrococcus furiosus

Bei Pyrococcus furiosus, der rasenden Feuerkugel, handelt es sich um ein motiles Archaeum. Die bis zu 50 Flagellen, die pro Zelle vorliegen konnen, wurden mit der Motilitat in Verbindung gebracht. Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Flagellen von P. furiosus als ein multifunktionelles Organell dienen konnen, welche nicht nur die Fahigkeit zum Schwimmen verleihen. Die Flagellen sind fur eine bislang einzigartige Vernetzung einzelner Zellen untereinander, aber auch in groseren Ansammlungen von Zellen verantwortlich. Dies fuhrt letztendlich zur Ausbildung eines Biofilms. Die neuartige Verbindung zwischen den Zellen wird dabei von dem Flagellenbuschel einer Zelle hergestellt, wobei das gesamte Buschel an einer zweiten Zelle inseriert und die Zellen somit verbunden werden. Die Flagellen weisen zudem die Fahigkeit zur Anheftung an verschiedensten Oberflachen auf. Die Anheftung geschieht dabei selektiv, wobei es zur Bevorzugung oder Diskriminierung von Oberflachen kommen kann. Die getesteten Materialien (=Oberflachen) wurden dabei breit gefachert ausgewahlt, auch im Hinblick auf eine mogliche industrielle Nutzung der Flagellinproteine innerhalb der Nano(bio)technologie als neuartigen, hitzestabilen �Biokleber�. Des Weiteren wurde eine systematische und detaillierte Studie zum Verlauf der Transkription des fla-Genclusters von P. furiosus erstellt. Die archaeelle Flagelle wird vermutlich ahnlich dem Mechanismus der bakteriellen Typ IV Pili von der Basis her assembliert, was einen Gegensatz zur Assemblierung der bakteriellen Geisel darstellt. Diese bereits lange bestehende Hypothese wird durch die durchgefuhrten Untersuchungen der (Ko)Transkriptionsmuster der Gene innerhalb dieses fla-Genlcusters unterstutzt. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass es im Verlauf der Wachstumskurve zu unterschiedlichen Transkriptionsmustern kommt. Es findet eine zeitnahe Kotranskription der wohl jeweils benotigten Komponenten zum Aufbau der Flagelle statt. Zunachst kommt es am Beginn der Wachstumskurve vorwiegend zur Expression des Hauptflagellins, welches fur die Assemblierung des Hauptanteils der Flagelle benotigt wird. Weiterhin werden Proteine gefunden, die als membranstandige bzw. membranassoziierte Proteine vermutlich als Assemblierungsbasis des Filaments und fur den Transportmechanismus uber die Membran dienen konnten. Im weiteren Verlauf der Wachstumskurve werden alle weiteren Komponenten transkribiert, die wohl fur die Assemblierung der Nebenflagelline oder moglicherweise des Antriebs benotigt werden. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass es nicht nur zur (Ko)Transkription von fla-Genen kommt. Einen weiteren neuen Aspekt stellt die Kotranskription der fla-Gene mit weiteren stromabwarts gelegenen Genen dar. Diese Proteine dienen vermutlich der Modifizierung einzelner Fla-Proteine bzw. der Regulation der Transkription.
Photospheric activity, rotation, and star-planet interaction of the planet-hosting star CoRoT-6

Context. The CoRoT satellite has recently discovered a hot Jupiter that transits across the disc of a F9 main-sequence star called CoRoT-6 with a period of 8.886 days. Aims. We model the photospheric activity of the star and use the maps of the active regions to study stellar differential rotation and the star-planet interaction. Methods. We apply a maximum entropy spot model to fit the optical modulation as observed by CoRoT during a uninterrupted interval of similar to 140 days. Photospheric active regions are assumed to consist of spots and faculae in a fixed proportion with solar-like contrasts. Results. Individual active regions have lifetimes up to 30-40 days. Most of them form and decay within five active longitudes whose different migration rates are attributed to the stellar differential rotation for which a lower limit of Delta Omega/Omega = 0.12 +/- 0.02 is obtained. Several active regions show a maximum of activity at a longitude lagging the subplanetary point by similar to 200 degrees with the probability of a chance occurrence being smaller than 1 percent. Conclusions. Our spot modelling indicates that the photospheric activity of CoRoT-6 could be partially modulated by some kind of star-planet magnetic interaction, while an interaction related to tides is highly unlikely because of the weakness of the tidal force.
Drug use and risk factors among school adolescents

This study evaluated the association between risk factors and severity of problems related to drug use in secondary school adolescents. This study had the participation of 1192 students from 6th to 9th year of a city in the South of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data collection occurred through a questionnaire containing: socio-demographic data and the Drug Use Screening Inventory. Drug use was prevalent in adolescents aged 14 and 15 years, atheist, with good family relationships, living with friends/institutions, attended parties once a month, one or two times a week and three and four times a week. There was main damage in the areas of psychiatric disorders, family system and social competence among those who made use of drugs (except alcohol and tobacco). The results point to the need for implementation of preventive strategies of drug use and health promotion in the school context, whereas consumption was associated with significant damage.
Pathotype determination of the cereal cyst nematode, Heterodera avenae (Wollenweber, 1924) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region in Turkey

Karlik (Adana-Saricam), Imece (Hatay-Kirikhan) and Besaslan (Hatay-Reyhanli) populations were used to determine the pathotype of the cereal cyst nematode, Heterodera avenae, in the Eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey. The pathotypes of H. avenae were investigated by using “The International Test Assortment of Cereal Cultivars”. The test was conducted on twelve barley, six oat, six wheat and four control lines (milan, seri, silverstar and croc). Test materials were grouped by three the nematode populations’ virulence on resistance (Rha”E”, Rha1, Rha2, Rha3, Cre1)and nonresistance genes, varieties and lines. According to results, Rha1 and Rha3 genes gave a resistance response but Rha2 and Cre1 did not. As a result, all populations demonstrated similar reactions and the three nematode populations were consistent with reactions for the Ha21 pathotype of the Ha1 group. This result is the first report on determination of the H. avenae pathotype in Turkey.
The confused ethics of cognitive enhancers

Nonprescription use of cognitive enhancing drugs is becoming increasingly common in both academic and workplace settings. The two main arguments that ethicists use to oppose cognitive enhancement are that it contradicts the value of authenticity and secondly, that it constitutes a form of cheating. However, both of these arguments incompletely account for individual and social factors that motivate people to use or oppose the use of these drugs. Nevertheless, the intuition that use of cognitive enhancement by healthy people is unfair can be explained both philosophically and psychologically.
12th Grade high school students’ methods of obtaining information on internet technologies and their attitudes towards the internet

The present study aims to find out the Internet use status of high school senior students and their attitudes towards the Internet and how their demographic characteristics affect these statuses and attitudes. To this end, a three-part scale developed by Luan, Fung, Nawawi and Hong (2005) was used. This scale was applied to 544 senior high school students studying in Diyarbakır city center high schools. The analysis of the obtained data indicate that students who are more experienced in Internet use have more positive attitudes towards the Internet. Both female and male students reported using the Internet at “Seldom” level and their Internet attitudes did not indicate a significant gender-based difference.
Default Risk and Debt Recovery Strategies of Microfinance Institutions: A Comparative Study of MFIS in Ghana

The objective of this research is to identify and compare the strategies used by SIL and PCSL [1] to minimise the risk of loan default and to recover debt. It also evaluates the effectiveness of the debt recovery strategies. The data was collected through questionnaire administered to the management and staff of both institutions in addition to information obtained from their financial statements. The percentage of non-performing loans to the total loan portfolio of both institutions from 2008-2010 was compared to the industry figures. The findings were that PCSL’s non-performing loans ratio was below the industry average. There was no difference between the industry’s average and SIL’s non-performing loans ratio. The research concluded that the debt recovery strategies of PCSL are comparatively better than strategies adopted by SIL. Key words : Non-performing loans, Debt recovery, MFIs, Ghana. [1] The decision of the researchers based on the understanding with the MFIs involved in the study is to use their abbreviated names in publications. However, their full names will be made available upon request to the authors through their email addresses.
In Search of Theory: Towards an Integrating Conceptual Framework for Subsidiary Research

Despite the importance of the strategic choices taken by subsidiary managers to the long terms survival of their unit, little is known about the phenomenon. (Dorrenbacher & Geppert, 2009, Scott, Gibbons, & Coughlan, 2010). This paper analyses and synthesises the research streams on subsidiary management to date to provide critical conceptual insights and proposes a new theoretical approach to subsidiary analysis, applied to the critical routine of subsidiary strategy. The adoption of more global business structures by MNEs has led to additional strategic constraints on subsidiary managers (Buckley, 2009, Buckley & Ghauri, 2004, Mudambi, 2008), which we categorise as the dual embeddedness constraint, the domain constraint and the resource constraint. Paradoxically despite these exacerbating constraints, expectations on subsidiary managers to create knowledge and innovation and develop their mandate are escalating, forcing them to evaluate the range of strategic decisions remaining under their control, While the literature implicitly assumes that subsidiary managers can respond to MNC pressures by reconfiguring resources and developing capabilities (Birkinshaw & Hood, 1998), improving performance (Subramaniam & Watson, 2006) and influencing the strategic direction of the MNE as a whole (Andersson, Bjorkman, & Forsgren, 2005, Williams, 2009), there is an absence of guidance on how subsidiary managers develop strategies to achieve these options, and influence strategy from below (Andersson, Forsgren, & Holm, 2007). Our review of the empirical and theoretical research on subsidiary management identifies how the tensions between the headquarters perspective and the subsidiary perspective have resulted in the application of inappropriate conceptual frameworks. Platforming from the four primary theoretical approaches applied to date, and combining critical tenets of both the resourced based and transaction cost approaches, we develop a conceptual framework which overcomes prior theoretical limitations and offers a new perspective of subsidiary to apply to the subsidiary unit of analysis.
The Glycolytic Pathway is the Predominate Path for Glucose Utilization in Human Pancreatic Beta Cells (1.1B4)

The oxidative metabolism of energy substrates has a paramount role in the stimulus secretion pathway of insulin. However, the role of glycolytic pathway in pancreatic beta cells is not very well understood. To address this, we have investigated and compared the functional effects of two mitochondrial substrates (glucose and α-ketoisocaproate) between the human (1.1B4) and murine (MIN6) pancreatic beta cell lines. MTS assay was conducted as an indicator of the metabolic activity of both cell lines. Polarographic detection of (ΔO2) and lactate were used to measure the oxygen consumption rate and anaerobic glycolysis respectively. The mitochondrial redox state was monitored via RH123 distribution and NAD(P)H autofluorescence. The metabolic assays showed glucose stimulated MTS reduction in MIN6 cells in a time and concentration dependent manner and nor in 1.1B4. Both sub strates failed to affect OCR, NADPH and increased lactate production in 1.1B4 cells. However, they stimulated OCR, increased NADPH, increased lactate output but was less extent and hyperpolarized the mitochondria in MIN6 cells. The above results showed that 1.1B4 cells are mainly depending on the glycolytic pathway different from MIN6 cells which rely on mitochondrial respiration. In conclusion, 1.1B4 cell line represents a new model to study the bioenergetics profile because it depends on the anaerobic glycolysis rather than aerobic respiration of the other models such as MIN6 and islets.
Basin-scale heterogeneity in Antarctic precipitation and its impact on surface mass variability

Abstract. Annually averaged precipitation in the form of snow, the dominant term of the Antarctic Ice Sheet surface mass balance, displays large spatial and temporal variability. Here we present an analysis of spatial patterns of regional Antarctic precipitation variability and their impact on integrated Antarctic surface mass balance variability simulated as part of a preindustrial 1800-year global, fully coupled Community Earth System Model simulation. Correlation and composite analyses based on this output allow for a robust exploration of Antarctic precipitation variability. We identify statistically significant relationships between precipitation patterns across Antarctica that are corroborated by climate reanalyses, regional modeling and ice core records. These patterns are driven by variability in large-scale atmospheric moisture transport, which itself is characterized by decadal- to centennial-scale oscillations around the long-term mean. We suggest that this heterogeneity in Antarctic precipitation variability has a dampening effect on overall Antarctic surface mass balance variability, with implications for regulation of Antarctic-sourced sea level variability, detection of an emergent anthropogenic signal in Antarctic mass trends and identification of Antarctic mass loss accelerations.
Genomic and in-situ Transcriptomic Characterization of the Candidate Phylum NPL-UPL2 From Highly Alkaline Highly Reducing Serpentinized Groundwater

Serpentinization is a process whereby water interacts with reduced mantle rock called peridotite to produce a new suite of minerals (e.g., serpentine), a highly alkaline fluid, and hydrogen. In previous reports, we identified abundance of microbes of the candidate phylum NPL-UPA2 in a serpentinization site called The Cedars. Here, we report the first metagenome assembled genome (MAG) of the candidate phylum as well as the in-situ gene expression. The MAG of the phylum NPL-UPA2, named Unc8, is only about 1 Mbp and its biosynthetic properties suggest it should be capable of independent growth. In keeping with the highly reducing niche of Unc8, its genome encodes none of the known oxidative stress response genes including superoxide dismutases. With regard to energy metabolism, the MAG of Unc8 encodes all enzymes for Wood-Ljungdahl acetogenesis pathway, a ferredoxin:NAD+ oxidoreductase (Rnf) and electron carriers for flavin-based electron bifurcation (Etf, Hdr). Furthermore, the transcriptome of Unc8 in the waters of The Cedars showed enhanced levels of gene expression in the key enzymes of the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway [e.g., Carbon monoxide dehydrogenase /Acetyl-CoA synthase complex (CODH/ACS), Rnf, Acetyl-CoA synthetase (Acd)], which indicated that the Unc8 is an acetogen. However, the MAG of Unc8 encoded no well-known hydrogenase genes, suggesting that the energy metabolism of Unc8 might be focused on CO as the carbon and energy sources for the acetate formation. Given that CO could be supplied via abiotic reaction associated with deep subsurface serpentinization, while available CO2 would be at extremely low concentrations in this high pH environment, CO-associated metabolism could provide advantageous approach. The CODH/ACS in Unc8 is a Bacteria/Archaea hybrid type of six-subunit complex and the electron carriers, Etf and Hdr, showed the highest similarity to those in Archaea, suggesting that archaeal methanogenic energy metabolism was incorporated into the bacterial acetogenesis in NPL-UPA2. Given that serpentinization systems are viewed as potential habitats for early life, and that acetogenesis via the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway is proposed as an energy metabolism of Last Universal Common Ancestor, a phylogenetically distinct acetogen from an early earth analog site may provide important insights in primordial lithotrophs and their habitat.
Influence of phytase and xylanase supplementation on growth performance and nutrient utilisation of broilers offered wheat-based diets

Individual and combined supplementation of phosphorus-adequate, wheat-based broiler diets with exogenous phytase and xylanase was evaluated in three experiments. The effects of the enzyme combination in lysine-deficient diets containing wheat and sorghum were more pronounced than those of the individual feed enzymes. The inclusion of phytase plus xylanase improved (p<0.05) weight gains (7.3%) and feed efficiency (7.0%) of broilers (7-28 days post-hatch) and apparent metabolisable energy (AME) by 0.76 MJ/kg DM. Phytase plus xylanase increased (p<0.05) the overall, apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids by 4.5% (0.781 to 0.816); this was greater than the responses to either phytase (3.6%; 0.781 to 0.809) or xylanase (0.7%; 0.781 to 0.784). Absolute increases in amino acid digestibility with the combination exceeded the sum of the individual increases generated by phytase and xylanase for alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, threonine, tyrosine and valine. These synergistic responses may have resulted from phytase and xylanase having complementary modes of action for enhancing amino acid digestibilities and/or facilitating substrate access. The two remaining experiments were almost identical except wheat used in Experiment 2 had a higher phytate concentration and a lower estimated AME content than wheat used in Experiment 3. Individually, phytase and xylanase were generally more effective in Experiment 2, which probably reflects the higher dietary substrate levels present. Phytase plus xylanase increased (p<0.05) gains (15.4%) and feed efficiency (7.0%) of broiler chicks from 4-24 days post-hatch in Experiment 2; whereas, in Experiment 3, the combination increased (p<0.05) growth to a lesser extent (5.6%) and had no effect on feed efficiency. This difference in performance responses appeared to be 'protein driven' as the combination increased (p<0.05) nitrogen retention in Experiment 2 but not in Experiment 3; whereas phytase plus xylanase significantly increased AME in both experiments. In Experiments 2 and 3 the combined inclusion levels of phytase and xylanase were lower that the individual additions, which demonstrates the benefits of simultaneously including phytase and xylanase in wheat-based poultry diets.
Collective action for public goods provision in low-income groups: a model and evidence from Peru

¿Bajo qué circunstancias aparece la acción colectiva? ¿Cuáles son los factores que le dan mayoresposibilidades de éxito? ¿En qué medida las comunidades pobres tienen capacidad para organizarsecon el objetivo de mejorar sus condiciones de vida? Estas preguntas no son nuevas y se hanhecho muchas investigaciones, pero usualmente para el mundo rural. La investigación sobre laacción colectiva en el mundo urbano parece estar más desarrollada en la ciencia política que en laeconomía. La pregunta fundamental se mantiene: ¿cómo se producen y se mantienen los bienespúblicos en comunidades urbanas pobres? Este artículo presenta un conjunto de hipótesis sobre los determinantes de la acción colectiva. La accióncolectiva en barrios urbanos pobres enfrentan tres restricciones básicas: el problema olsoniano,el problema de Maslow y el problema de la exclusión. La parte empírica del artículo utiliza datosrecolectados en barrios marginales de Lima, Perú, en seis tipos de organizaciones comunales. -- Under what circumstances does collective action arise? What contributes to the likelihood that aparticular collective initiative will succeed? To what extent are poor communities capable of organizingthemselves to improve their quality of life? These questions are not new, and economic researchershave studied a number of models in rural settings. Yet the research on collective action in urban areasseems to be more in the political sciences, and an economic model is still lacking. The fundamentalquestion remains: How are public goods produced and maintained by poor urban communities? This paper presents a set of hypotheses on collective action determinants. Collective action in poorneighborhoods faces three key barriers to success: the Olsonian free-rider problem, the Maslowianproblem, and the exclusion problem. The empirical portion of this paper uses data collected inpoor urban and peri-urban areas of Lima, Peru, in six types of community organizations.
Kummer Theory for Drinfeld Modules

Let φ be a Drinfeld A-module of characteristic p0 over a finitely generated field K. Previous articles determined the image of the absolute Galois group of K up to commensurability in its action on all prime-to-p0 torsion points of φ, or equivalently, on the prime-to-p0 adelic Tate module of φ. In this article we consider in addition a finitely generated torsion free A-submodule M of K for the action of A through φ. We determine the image of the absolute Galois group of K up to commensurability in its action on the prime-to-p0 division hull of M , or equivalently, on the extended prime-to-p0 adelic Tate module associated to φ and M .