Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of processing on the proximate composition, functional properties and storage stability of water melon (Citrullus lanatus) seed flour

Water melon (Citrullus lanatus) seeds were subjected to three different processing methods (sun drying, roasting and boiling/oven-drying). The processed seeds were milled into flour. Chemical composition, functional properties and storage characteristics of sun dried, roasted and boiled/oven-dried flours were investigated. The processed flours were stored for five weeks at room temperature (28 ± 1°C) and moisture content, free fatty acid and peroxide values determined weekly. The result shows that roasting significantly reduced (P < 0.05) all the functional properties of the flour, there was a significant difference (P < 0.05) between sun dried samples in terms of water and fat absorption, viscosity and least gelatin concentration except for foam capacity. Roasting and boiling/oven-drying decreased the foam capacity; however boiling for 10 minutes then oven dry at 50°C for 12 hours proved to be more effective than sun drying and roasting in improving the functional properties of the water melon seed. Free fatty acid and peroxide values of the flour samples increased slightly during storage but were within the reported acceptable limits.
Value Relevance of Information in Hi-Tech Industries in Australia: Accounting Information and Intangible Assets Disclosures

The main objective of this study is to test the value relevance of financial and non-financial information in high-tech industries in Australia. It is particularly focussed on voluntary intangible assets disclosers in annual reports in addition to accounting information. This paper was presented at the Eleventh International Business Research Conference held between 2-4 December 2009 at Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel, Sydney, Australia
Benchmarking 2D hydraulic models for urban flooding

This paper describes benchmark testing of six two-dimensional (2D) hydraulic models (DIVAST, DIVASTTVD, TUFLOW, JFLOW, TRENT and LISFLOOD-FP) in terms of their ability to simulate surface flows in a densely urbanised area. The models are applied to a 1·0 km × 0·4 km urban catchment within the city of Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and are used to simulate a flood event that occurred at this site on 30 July 2002. An identical numerical grid describing the underlying topography is constructed for each model, using a combination of airborne laser altimetry (LiDAR) fused with digital map data, and used to run a benchmark simulation. Two numerical experiments were then conducted to test the response of each model to topographic error and uncertainty over friction parameterisation. While all the models tested produce plausible results, subtle differences between particular groups of codes give considerable insight into both the practice and science of urban hydraulic modelling. In particular, the results show that the terrain data available from modern LiDAR systems are sufficiently accurate and resolved for simulating urban flows, but such data need to be fused with digital map data of building topology and land use to gain maximum benefit from the information contained therein. When such terrain data are available, uncertainty in friction parameters becomes a more dominant factor than topographic error for typical problems. The simulations also show that flows in urban environments are characterised by numerous transitions to supercritical flow and numerical shocks. However, the effects of these are localised and they do not appear to affect overall wave propagation. In contrast, inertia terms are shown to be important in this particular case, but the specific characteristics of the test site may mean that this does not hold more generally.
Information gathering strategies in online social networks: a survey of librarians in selected geo-political zones in Nigeria

The purpose of this study was to ascertain librarians’ perception of online social networks and identify their strategies for gathering information. The descriptive survey design was used for the study. The study population was made up of 317 librarians from 29 university libraries in three geo-political zones in Nigeria. Sampling was enumerative. A questionnaire was used for data collection. Data collected were analysed using frequency and percentage counts. Findings from the study revealed that majority of the respondents have positive perception of online social networks. Information gathering strategies where also found to be mostly: looking at profile information to identify whom to follow; visiting social networking sites often and joining professional discussion groups. The least used strategies for gathering information were equally identified as: searching through the posts/comments of other users and viewing members update. Based on the findings, the study concluded that librarians in Nigeria use mainly targeted asking technique for gathering information. Suggestions were also made to improve information gathering on online social networks.
Shariah stocks as an inflation hedge in Malaysia

The purpose of this paper is to study the hedging effectiveness of Shariah (Islamic) stock returns against inflation over the post financial crisis period in Malaysia using wavelet analysis. By using wavelet tools such as wavelet coherence and the wavelet phase angle, the resulting analyses were able to measure cross-correlations and causality between the time series as a function of time-scales. Results tend to indicate that for investment horizons not exceeding 3 years, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia Emas Shariah Index constituent returns can provide hedging against inflation as real returns are largely uncorrelated with inflation.
Intercanine Width – Review of the Literature

Correct diagnosis and a detailed orthodontic treatment plan are responsible for therapeutic success. One of the most important assessed parameters with a strong influence on the orthodontic treatment plan is intercanine width. This parameter is mostly defined as a distance between cusp tip points of the right and left canines. All dental arch dimensions, including intercanine width, are dynamic values and change significantly with the development of individuals. The distance between canines tends to increase with the greatest changes taking place during the eruption of incisors, until complete permanent dentition or, according to some other authors, till the eruption of permanent canines and first premolars. The parameters of dental arch never become stable. These findings suggest that, though age-related changes occur after adolescence at a significantly slower rate and begin inverse, they take place during the entirety of adult life. It is also well proven that the distance between canines depends not only on patient’s age. Its value is also strongly affected by gender, ethnicity, and whether the individual dental arch shape. Shape and dimensions of dental arches achieved during the treatment process are one of the most important aspects of treatment. Every change of the width or the lower dental arch form generates a tendency to return toward its pretreatment conditions and a malocclusion relapse occurring. The maintenance of original, unchanged intercanine and intermolar width is therefore critical to the stability of orthodontic treatment (Dent. Med. Probl. 2015, 52, 3, 336–340).
Avalanche effects in phase transition modulated thermal convection: A model of Earth's mantle

We describe the development and application of an anelastic, multiphase model of the mantle convection process in axisymmetric spherical shell geometry. The radial structure of the anelastic reference state has been determined on the basis of elastic wave propagation data, primarily those used to construct the preliminary reference Earth model (PREM). The multiphase model is employed to examine the extent to which the pressure-induced phase transitions in the planetary mantle may conspire to cause the flow to become radially layered. We find that the endothermic phase transition at 670 km depth profoundly influences the radial mixing process in the high Rayleigh number regime. In the Earth-like region of parameter space the flow exhibits a low-frequency quasi-periodicity characterized by rather long periods of relative quiescence in which the circulation is predominantly layered followed by short periods of intense radial mixing across the endothermic horizon. These "avalanche" events are controlled by the periodic instability of the internal thermal boundary layer that develops on the endothermic horizon when the flow is layered. This hydrodynamic process appears to have important implications for the understanding of a number of characteristics of planetary evolution, especially thermal and chemical history.
Remittances and subjective welfare in a mixed-motives model: Evidence from Fiji

To analyze migrants’ remittance motivations we extend the mixed-motives model of private transfers developed by Cox et al (2004), incorporating subjectively-assessed recipient welfare. We test the model with customized survey data from Fiji, finding evidence supportive of altruism for households below a subjective threshold level, indicating that international migrants’ remittances provide important social protection coverage to households where formal social protection systems are lacking.Unlike previous studies, we also find a positive, exchange-motivated relationship for those above the threshold. The conventional linear model applied to the same sample uncovers neither relationship. We conclude that either crowding-out or crowding-in of remittances can occur when recipients’ welfare improves, depending on the household’s pre-transfer welfare level. The net effects of recipients’ welfare improvements on remittances, and the effects of remittances on poverty alleviation and income distribution, are consequently more complex and ambiguous than previous studies suggest.
A Practical Score Model for Detecting Malignant Thyroid Nodules by Using Ultrasonographic Findings

About 10% of thyroid nodule Fine Needle Aspirations (FNAs) are reported indeterminate, and this number is much higher in Iran. All of these patients undergo thyroid surgery, whereas, only about 20% of them are malignant and they did not need surgery. Therefore, we decided to evaluate the ultrasonographic features of malignant thyroid nodules to find a predictive scoring model for thyroid nodules and consequently reduce the unnecessary thyroid surgeries. This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 114 patients with thyroid nodule who were candidate for thyroid surgery. All the patients were assessed by ultrasonography of thyroid before surgery, and after surgery by the gold standard of permanent pathology, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of each parameter of ultrasonography were determined. Finally, by using the logistic regression analysis, a predictive scoring model was suggested. A total of 114 patients with mean age of 43.13±13 years (90 females (78.9%) were studied. Prevalence of malignancy in final pathology was 75.9%, 39.0%, and 15.9% in FNA biopsies which were malignant, undetermined and benign, respectively. FNA correctly verified 48.9% of the malignant pathologies. In all, smaller nodules, hypoechogenicity, metastatic lymphadenopathy, oval shape, thick or incomplete halo, ill margins, microcalcification, and heterogenicity are associated with malignancy (All, P <0.05). We recommend that complementary tools upon ultrasonographic data along with FNA can be helpful for more accuracy and early diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodules.
Two morphologically distinct forms of Demodex mites found in dogs with canine demodicosis from Vladivostok, Russia

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the morphology of Demodex canis and Demodex sp. cornei found in six dogs with canine demodicosis. A deep skin scraping technique was used for Demodex mite detection. Measurement data of 52 adult D. canis mites (26 females, 25 males and one specimen whose sex could not be determined) and 39 adult Demodex sp. cornei mites (22 females, 14 males and three specimens whose sex could not be determined) were reported. The correlation between body size of both Demodex species were estimated by the Student’s t-test. There was a significant correlation between short-tail and long-tail forms and total body length and length of the podosoma and opisthosoma (p<0.05). A significant difference was not found between the length of the gnathosoma and short-tail and long-tail forms (p>0.05). Demodex sp. cornei and D. canis, found in dogs from Vladivostok, were smaller than species from other countries. However, the present data did not significantly differ from other studies with D. canis and Demodex sp. cornei descriptions.
The blue zones: Areas of exceptional longevity around the world

The aim of this study was to compare the level of population longevity and the characteristics of four geographic areas where unusually high proportions of longlived individuals have been observed. For these areas (Ogliastra in Sardinia, Okinawa in Japan, the Nicoya peninsula in Costa Rica and the island of Ikaria in Greece). The term of ‘blue zone’ (BZ) given to these areas is defined as a limited region where the population shares a common lifestyle and environment and whose exceptional longevity has been accurately verified. This paper discusses the use of different indexes to measure the longevity of a population. As a preliminary result of our investigations we confirm the exceptional level of male longevity in the Sardinian BZ and both male and female longevity in Okinawa. Considering possible explanations, we observed that BZ populations are geographically and/or historically isolated (islands and mountainous regions). These populations succeeded in maintaining a traditional lifestyle implying an intense physical activity that extends beyond the age of 80, a reduced level of stress and intensive family and community support for their oldest olds as well as the consumption of locally produced food. This is likely to have facilitated the accumulation of ideal conditions capable of limiting the factors that negatively impact on health in most Western populations. These people experienced the epidemiological transition—and its implications—in relative recent times, and their remarkably good health status during ageing could be the result of a delicate balance between the benefits of the traditional lifestyle and those of modernity (increased wealth, better medical care). All these factors could have promoted an ideal milieu for the emergence of long-lived phenotypes at the population level.
Comparison of the genome size, endoreduplication, and ISSR marker polymorphism in eight Lotus (Fabaceae) species

Several species within the genus Lotus are important forage crops, and many are endangered or rare. Despite the high genetic diversity of the genus, identification of Lotus species is problematic because of the limited number of reliable morphological markers. In search of a quick, inexpensive, and steady method for species identification, genome size and cell cycle/endoreduplication intensity of 14 accessions belonging to eight Lotus species were estimated by flow cytometry. ISSR-PCR was also applied to find sensitive molecular markers for genetic diversity estimation. Genome size estimation revealed that Lotus species possess very small genomes and this characteristic enables the identification of five out of eight species. However, a flow cytometric study of cell ploidy/endopolyploidy in seeds and seedlings enabled us also to distinguish the remaining species. Thus, it is proposed here that combined flow cytometric analyses (the estimation of genome size and cell cycle/endoreduplication pattern) can be applied for screening of Lotus species. Nonetheless, ISSR markers provided a more precise identification of studied accessions, including detection of genetic diversity within a species. Most of the tested primers revealed polymorphism between species, and three primers, (GACA)4, (CA)7G, and (CTC)4RC, also revealed polymorphism between accessions within a species. The ISSR markers revealed high polymorphism between eight Lotus species and low intraspecific variation between accessions within the same species (L. maritimus and L. uliginosus).
Do South African Consumers have an Appetite for an Origin-based Certification System for Meat Products? A Synthesis of Studies on Perceptions, Preferences and Experiments

The introduction of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) type certification schemes in countries outside Europe is a recent phenomenon as the philosophy of origin based foods obtains global traction. It is therefore interesting to understand whether consumers in these countries have a similar appreciation for these certification schemes and whether they are willing to pay a premium if the origin of the product is guaranteed. The Karoo Lamb case in South Africa provides an ideal opportunity to explore this question. At the same time the paper illustrates that the results and interpretation of consumer studies are sensitive to the methodology applied. We illustrate this argument by benefitting from a range of consumer studies that was undertaken over a period of five years in order to understand the South African consumers’ perceptions about the Karoo region and their preferences and willingness to pay for the meat product from the Karoo. The studies which we compare and synthesise in this paper used different techniques such as perception analysis; stated preference methods (through a conjoint analysis); and a range of revealed preference methods including, an experimental auction and a retail store experiment. In essence the paper synthesises and compares the results from the different studies and illustrates how different techniques bring different results and conclusions. We then try to establish whether there is consistency in the results across methods to help us getting to a conclusive position on the consumer value of this product. From these results we are able – in a more comprehensive way - to tell whether PDO-type products are likely to be of value to South African consumers.
Bridging knowledge divides: the role of the Development Policy Review Network in strengthening research-policy linkages

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Natural fibers for hydrogels production and their applications in agriculture

This paper presents a review on hydrogels applied to agriculture emphasizing on the use of natural fibers. The objectives were to examine, trends in research addressed to identify natural fibers used in hydrogels development and methods for modifying natural fibers, understand factors which determine the water retention capacity of a hydrogel. Consequently, this paper shows some methodologies used to evaluate the hydrogels efficiency and to collect in tables, relevant information in relation to methods of natural fibers modification and hydrogel synthesis. It was found that previous research focused on hydrogels development processed with biodegradable polymers such as starch, chitosan and modified natural fibers, cross-linked with potassium acrylate and acrylamide, respectively. In addition, current researches aimed to obtaining hydrogels with improved properties, which have allowed a resistance to climatic variations and soil physicochemical changes, such as pH, presence of salts, temperature and composition. In fact, natural fibers such as sugarcane, agave fiber and kapok fiber, modified with maleic anhydride, are an alternative to obtain hydrogels due to an increasing of mechanical properties and chemically active sites. However, the use of natural nanofibers in hydrogels, has been a successful proposal to improve hydrogels mechanical and swelling properties, since they give to material an elasticity and rigidity properties. A hydrogel efficiency applied to soil, is measured throughout properties as swellability, mechanical strength, and soil water retention. It was concluded that hydrogels, are an alternative to the current needs for the agricultural sector.
Statistical study of ULF waves in the magnetotail by THEMIS observations

Abstract. Ultra-low-frequency (ULF) waves are ubiquitous in the magnetosphere. Previous studies mostly focused on ULF waves in the dayside or near-Earth region (with radial distance R<12 RE). In this study, using the data of the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) mission during the period from 2008 to 2015, the Pc5–6 ULF waves in the tail region with XGSM∗<0, 8 RE<R<32 RE (mostly on the stretched magnetic field lines) are studied statistically. A total of 1089 azimuthal oscillating events and 566 radial oscillating events were found. The statistical results show that both the azimuthal and radial oscillating events in the magnetotail region (12 RE<R<32 RE) are more frequently observed in the post-midnight region. The frequency decreases with increasing radial distance from Earth for both azimuthal oscillating events (8 RE<R<16 RE) and radial oscillating events (8 RE<R<14 RE), which is consistent with the field line resonances theory. About 52 % of events (including the azimuthal and radial oscillating events) are standing waves in the region of 8–16 RE, while only 2 % are standing waves in the region of 16–32 RE. There is no obvious dawn–dusk asymmetry of ULF wave frequency for events in 8 RE<R<32 RE, which contrasts with the obvious dawn–dusk asymmetry found by previous studies in the inner magnetosphere (4 RE<R<9 RE). An examination for possible statistical relationships between the ULF wave parameters and substorm occurrences is carried out. We find that the wave frequency is higher after the substorm onset than before it, and the frequency differences are more obvious in the midnight region than in the flank region.