Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Shell Nigeria’s Global Memorandum of Understanding and corporate-community accountability relations: A critical appraisal

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine whether Shell Nigeria’s Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) promotes corporate-community accountability as a basis for fostering sustainable community development in the Niger Delta. Design/methodology/approach - Shell Nigeria’s GMoU stand-alone reports were analysed through the lenses of accountability and transparency theoretical frameworks to explore the extent to which GMoU, as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, is dialogically embedded and practised. Meaning-oriented content analysis was deductively used to isolate pertinent themes and generate findings from the background theoretical literature. Findings - The authors find that Shell discursively appropriates the meaning of accountability and transparency in a manner that allows it to maintain its social legitimacy and the asymmetric power relations between itself and host communities whilst restricting communities’ agency to hold it accountable. Shell does this by interpreting the notion of participation restrictively, selectively deploying the concept of transparency and accountability and subtly exerting excessive control over the GMoU. Thus, the GMoU’s potential to contribute to sustainable community development and positive corporate-community relation is unlikely tenable. Originality/value - Accountability and transparency are core and critical to corporate-community relations and for achieving community development CSR objectives, but are often taken for granted or ignored in the CSR literature on the Niger Delta of Nigeria. This paper addresses this gap in the literature by using accountability and transparency lenses to unpick GMoU model and contribute to studies on CSR practices by oil multinational corporations (MNCs) in developing countries. Indeed, the use of these lenses to explore CSR process offers new insights as to why CSR practices have failed to contribute to sustainable community development despite increased community spending by oil MNCs.
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Motilität in geschlossenen Geometrien Modeling of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii motility in confinement

Microswimmers, such as bacteria or motile algae, which typically live in water and soil encounter boundaries very frequently. A wide range of different microswimmers seem to spend a significant amount of time close to such boundaries as opposed to staying in the bulk. Different physical mechanisms have been proposed to explain these observations, such as hydrodynamic interactions or steric forces. While hydrodynamics are able to give a good explanation for pusher-type swimmers, its predictions for puller-type swimmers do not explain the trapping at walls. Here the “wall-hugging” effect of puller-type swimmers will be explained. A simple dumbbell model for the cell’s shape will be introduced to model the steric wall interactions of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in a quasi 2d environment. Simulations of this model will be performed and compared with experimental results.
Immigrant Adolescents in Sweden: Acculturation and Mental Health

This study examined the acculturation strategies of immigrant adolescents in Sweden and their relation to the mental health symptoms. The participants were 101 immigrant adolescents and 52 Swedish adolescents 15 to 19 years old. ‘Immigration paradox’ was examined comparing the mental health of first and second generation of immigrants and the native Swedes. Youth Self Report was used to assess mental health symptoms and Life Orientation Test Revised to measure optimism as a positive aspect of mental health. The acculturation strategies were assessed with Acculturation Index. The results partially supported ‘Immigration paradox’ indicating that Swedish adolescents have more mental health issues (anxiety/depression and social problems) compared to their immigrant peers from second generation and report more somatic complaints compared to both generations of immigrant peers. Moreover, the results indicated that the first generation of immigrant adolescents has more mental health issues (social problems and withdrawal/depression) than the second generation. Also, assimilation as acculturation strategy is proved to be the most used by participants and the most beneficial to mental health. Unexpectedly, separated immigrant adolescents reported being most optimistic. The given findings are expected to expand knowledge on the acculturation process of current immigrant adolescents and its related outcomes with the aim to improve social policies and mental health interventions for this vulnerable population.
Application of response surface methodology for the optimization of laccase production from Pleurotus ostreatus by solid state fermentation on pineapple leaf substrate

Laccases are glycosylated polyphenol oxidases belonging to a group of enzymes called blue copper oxidases. In the present study laccase was produced by solid state fermentation of pineapple leaves by Pleurotus ostreatus NCIM1200. For optimization of laccase production the effect of various nutritional and physical parameters on production was initially examined using ‘one-factor-at-a-time’ method. Variables with statistically significant effects on enzyme production were identified by the Plackett-Burman experimental design. From the design, five factors viz., inoculum concentration, pineapple leaf length, pineapple leaf quantity used per flask, maltose concentration and pH significantly influenced the laccase production. Hence these variables were further optimized using Box-Behnken experimental design. The optimal combinations of parameters obtained were inoculum concentration 4 mycelial plugs per flask, pineapple leaf of length 2.01 cm and weight 12.72 g, 4.98 % (w/v) maltose and pH of 6. Finally experimental verification under optimized conditions showed an increase (approximately 8 fold) in laccase activity from an initial value of 261.63 IU/mL to1632.63 IU/mL.
Nematodes as indicators of shrimp farm impact on an amazonian estuary (Curuçá, Pará, Brazil)

A carcinocultura reduz a demanda de estoques pesqueiros naturais e evita o dano ambiental resultante da pesca. Entretanto, tem o potencial de afetar a qualidade da agua quando nao manejada apropriadamente. Nesse trabalho, os impactos de uma fazenda de carcinocultura foram avaliados em um estuario amazonico focando nas mudancas de composicao taxonomica, riqueza, densidade e diversidade de Nematoda. A amostragem ocorreu em agosto de 2004 (periodo seco) e janeiro de 2005 (periodo chuvoso) a montante e jusante em locais situados a diferentes distâncias do principal local de descarga de efluentes da fazenda. Trinta e oito generos foram encontrados, com dominância de Terschellingia na estacao seca e Terschellingia, Daptonema, Ptycholaimellus e Gomphionema na estacao chuvosa. As abundâncias foram similares as encontradas em outros estuarios e, juntamente com a riqueza e diversidade, apresentaram um forte padrao sazonal com valores significativamente maiores na estacao chuvosa. Nas estacoes de coleta nao foram encontrados padroes claros de mudancas. O estuario de Curuca mostrou alguns sinais de enriquecimento orgânico ainda nao intensos, provavelmente devido a forte hidrodinâmica local e a idade da fazenda, que recentemente comecou suas atividades. Recomenda-se que no futuro os trabalhos sobre impactos de cultivo, alem dos parâmetros fisico-quimicos da agua e sedimento ou refinamento taxonomico dos organismos estudados, considerem tambem outros fatores, tais como tempo de estabelecimento do cultivo, area ocupada pelos tanques e sua taxa de producao. Alem disso, os dados apontam que a nematofauna pode ser uma ferramenta util na avaliacao de impactos da aquicultura devido sua facil coleta e por serem organismos na base da cadeia alimentar marinha.
A new species of Ophrella Middlekauff, 1985 (Hymenoptera, Orussidae) from French Guiana

Ophrella seagi sp. n. is described and illustrated from a female and a male collected in French Guiana. Additional Orussidae from this country are listed in an Appendix. The new species differs from other members of Ophrella in a number of features, and the diagnosis of the genus is revised accordingly. A key to Ophrella species is included. The new species is included in a continuously updated morphological data set assembled for the Orussidae and its phylogenetic position discussed.
Client-Centred Music Imagery Classification Based on Hidden Markov Models of Baseline Prefrontal Hemodynamic Response

A prevalent avenue in rehabilitation engineering is the development of new access technologies which enable individuals with severe and/or multiple disabilities to access or interact with their environment. Despite continued efforts to develop such technologies, many individuals still possess no means to communicate or control external devices [1]. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have surfaced as promising access solutions for those with severe motor disabilities such as late-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), brainstem stroke, or severe cerebral palsy [2]. Electroencephalography (EEG), a noninvasive method used in traditional BCI technologies, is safe and inexpensive, but long-term electrode fixation is difficult and the signal is inherently noisy [1, 3]. Other common noninvasive BCI technologies such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and positron emission topography (PET) are theoretically feasible, but are expensive and technically demanding for online applications [3]. More recently, the possibility of using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a tool in this field has been investigated due to its affordability, portability, high temporal resolution (similar to that of fMRI), and higher signal-to-noise ratio than that of EEG due to the absence of artifacts [3–9].
Comparison of methane production from individual feeds and total diets – an in vitro evaluation [2016]

Link: http://agrt.emu. ee/pdf/ 2016_1_ramin. pdf ABSTRACT. The objective of the current study was to compare methane (CH4) production from the in vitro gas production system by incubating feeds either individually or as mixed total diet. Eleven diets varying in the forage to concentrate ratio were tested. The forages were tropical grass or corn silages and the concentrate mixtures consisted of soybean grain, soybean meal, corn grain, wheat bran, urea and minerals in different proportions. There were three replicates for each diet. Methane production was reported as weighted mean for individual feeds and total diet separately. The mean of CH4 production from total diet was 30.1 mL g dry matter (DM) and 30.8 mL g DM from the weighted mean of individual feeds. There was a weak correlation between weighted CH4 production from individual feeds and complete diet (r = 0.15). It can be concluded that individual feeds cannot be used as a proxy to estimate CH4 production from total mixed diets.
Learning Indicators of a Foreign Language in Spanish Public University. Case Study.

This article investigates 292 postgraduate students of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain), through a questionnaire designed with Likert scale. This inquiry was about certain indicators (private, educational actions and learning valuation of a foreign language) and its relation with the learning of one or several foreign languages. The analysis of the obtained information from the coefficient of Pearson's correlation shows us that 60% of the students has certificates in a foreign language, although the international mobility does not overcome 19%. This research must be extended in other Spanish universities in order to be able to evaluate the communicative competence according to the Europe 2020 strategy.
Appendix: Examples of Forest Structures That May Provide Wildlife Habitat

The photos in this appendix may help identify some of the unique branching formations or bole characteristics in trees that can make a tree particularly valuable for wildlife, either for nesting, roosting, and use as hunting perches, or other uses. We have organized these following Bull et al.'s (1997)3 focus on five conditions: live trees with decay, hollows or brooms, snags, and logs. We’ve also included in these photos examples of understory areas with vertical diversity and hiding cover created by the retention of understory saplings, intermediate-sized trees, hardwoods, and brush.
LDL enhances pro-inflammatory responses of alternatively activated 2 macrophages : A crucial role for Krüppel-like factor 2

Objective: Macrophages are key players in atherogenesis because of their properties to form foam cells that produce a large variety of pro-inflammatory mediators. We addressed the potency of phenotypic different macrophages to accumulate oxidized LDL. Methods and results: Surprisingly, anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages but not pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages rapidly accumulated oxidized LDL. Simultaneously, expression of Krüppel-like factor 2, a nuclear transcription factor known to suppress inflammation in endothelial cells and monocytes, decreased and the functional phenotype of M2 macrophages shifted towards a pro-inflammatory profile, characterized by higher production of IL-6, IL-8 and MCP-1 and lower expression of IL-10 upon stimulation with LPS. In contrast, Krüppel-like factor 2 expression and the phenotype of M1 macrophages remained largely unchanged upon oxidized LDL exposure. Downregulation of Krüppel-like factor 2 expression of
The Past and Present of Paraoxonase Enzyme: Its Role in the Cardiovascular System and Some Diseases

The Past and Present of Paraoxonase Enzyme: Its Role in the Cardiovascular System and Some Diseases Although paraoxonase is synthesized in many tissues including the heart, colon, kidneys, lungs, small intestines and brain, its major locus of synthesis is the liver. PON1 is in close association with apolipoproteins and protects LDL against oxidation. It was reported that PON1 quantities dropped to 40 times lower than normal in cardiovascular diseases and diseases like diabetes, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, chronic renal failure, SLE, Behcet's disease, cancer, hepatitis B, obesity, metabolic syndrome, Alzheimer's and dementia. It is speculated that the concerning decline in serum PON1 amount results from single nucleotide polymorphism in the coding (Q192R, L55M) and promoter (T-108C) sites of the PON1 gene. Additionally, circulating amounts of PON1 are affected by vitamins, antioxidants, fatty acids, dietary factors, drugs, age and lifestyle. This collection attempts to review and examine the past and present studies of paraoxonase and its relation with the cardiovascular system and some relevant diseases. Prošlost i Sadašnjost Enzima Paraoksonaze: Njena Uloga u Kardiovaskularnom Sistemu i Nekim Bolestima Iako se paraoksonaza sintetiše u mnogim tkivima, uključujući srce, debelo crevo, bubrege, pluća, tanko crevo i mozak, glavno mesto njene sinteze je jetra. PON1 je blisko povezana sa apolipoproteinima i štiti LDL od oksidacije. Količine PON1 čak 40 puta niže od normalnog nivoa zabeležene su u kardiovaskularnim bolestima i oboljenjima kao što su dijabetes, ulcerozni kolitis, Kronova bolest, hronična bubrežna insuficijencija, sistemski eritemski lupus, Behčetov sindrom, kancer, hepatitis B, gojaznost, metabolički sindrom, Alchajmerova bolest i demencija. Spekuliše se da pomenuti pad nivoa PON1 u serumu potiče od polimorfizma pojedinačnih nukleotida na kodnim (Q192R, L55M) i promoterskim (T-108C) područjima gena PON1. Pored toga, na količinu PON1 u cirkulaciji utiču vitamini, antioksidansi, masne kiseline, faktori ishrane, lekovi, godine i način života. Ovaj pregled predstavlja pokušaj da se izlože i razmotre prošle i sadašnje studije o paraoksonazi i njenom odnosu sa kardiovaskularnim sistemom i nekim relevantnim bolestima.
The centrality of social capital: concepts of communityin the era of the Big Society

Current political agendas are focussed on empowering communities through localism and devolution, as well as encouraging civic activism, suggesting that strong communities are central to the solution for mending ‘broken Britain’. However, little has been made of the theoretical concepts which are used to underpin this approach. This paper stems from a small scoping study exploring a number of theoretical concepts related to community, noting the historical context of the development of concepts and changes in their popularity. The paper delineates several of the concepts which are currently popular, exploring their connections to one another. The review highlights the continuing centrality of social capital to discussions of healthy, connected communities.
MEASURING RESPIRATION

The measurement of respiration is very important because it provides a window through which we can determine the metabolic activity of plant tissues. During aerobic respiration, stored food (e.g., carbohydrates, fats, proteins) are combined with oxygen from the atmosphere to produce carbon dioxide, water and the energy needed to maintain the plant cell, tissue and quality of the commodity. The balanced equation for aerobic respiration is shown below.
Next-generation tobacco and nicotine products

A framework for the assessment of novel next-generation tobacco and nicotine products with the potential to reduce health risks compared with cigarettes should integrate scientific studies incorporating nonclinical, clinical, and population studies approaches. These products should have lower emissions and exhibit reduced biological effects compared with those of cigarettes, ideally approaching those of smoking cessation. The products should also be acceptable cigarette alternatives for current smokers, while not appealing to nonsmokers or former smokers. Validating harm reduction and promoting regulatory acceptance of the assessment methods require a collaborative approach by industry, independent reviewers, the public health community, and regulatory agencies. This article summarizes the science and approaches applied and considered to substantiate tobacco harm reduction in the light of regulatory requirements, presented at the 53rd Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology, 2017.
Public Confidence in the Police: The Impact of Verbal Encounters

The main part of ordinary police work consists of patrolling and answering calls, which means that most police officers are in a daily and direct contact with members of the public. During such encounters, especially if they take place by means of a telephone, language not only provides an important means to solve problems and exert social control, but it also helps to build relations, as well as to inspire confidence and trust. In this way, the communication process between police and the public provides the basis for police legitimacy and consequently, for successful police work. This article examines the impact of verbal communication between police officers and members of the public during day-to-day encounters, and shows how the linguistic and interactional choices of the police, e.g. when formulating a rejection or an-swering a request, may affect their relationship with the public in general, in positive as well as negative ways.
Effects of inter‐fire intervals on the reproductive output of resprouters and obligate seeders in the Proteaceae

Fire is often used as a management tool in fire-prone communities to reduce fuel loads with the intention of reducing the severity and extent of unplanned fires, often resulting in the increased occurrence of fire in the dry sclerophyll vegetation of Australia. This study examined the effects of fire frequency (length of the inter- fire interval) on the reproductive output of seven plant species in the Proteaceae, including obligate seeding shrubs (Hakea teretifolia, Petrophile pulchella), resprouting shrubs (Banksia spinulosa, Isopogon anemonifolius, Lambertia formosa) and resprouting trees (Banksia serrata, Xylomelum pyriforme). Reproductive output (measured as either number of confructescences or follicles) and relative size were estimated for 100 individuals at each of five sample sites, covering a range of past fire frequencies over 26 years including repeated short inter-fire intervals. Patterns in reproductive output (after standardizing for size) were related to the life-history attributes of the species. In areas that had experienced short inter-fire intervals, obligate seeders had greater reproductive output compared with longer intervals, and the reproductive output of resprouting shrubs was less. Fire frequency did not affect reproductive output of the resprouting trees. The decreased reproductive output of the resprouting shrubs could be due to the allocation of resources to regrowth following fire rather than to reproduction. It is less clear what process resulted in the increased reproductive output of obligate seeders in high fire frequency areas, but it could be due to the most recent fires being more patchy in the areas experiencing shorter inter-fire intervals, or it may have resulted from the selection for early reproduction in the high fire frequency areas. These results highlight the need to take into account past fire frequency at a site, in addition to time since the last fire, when planning prescribed fires.
Development and characterization of a single particle laser ablation mass spectrometer (SPLAM) for organic aerosol studies

Abstract. A single particle instrument was developed for real-time analysis of organic aerosol. This instrument, named Single Particle Laser Ablation Mass Spectrometry (SPLAM), samples particles using an aerodynamic lens system for which the theoretical performances were calculated. At the outlet of this system, particle detection and sizing are realized by using two continuous diode lasers operating at λ = 403 nm. Polystyrene Latex (PSL), sodium chloride (NaCl) and dioctylphtalate (DOP) particles were used to characterize and calibrate optical detection of SPLAM. The optical detection limit (DL) and detection efficiency (DE) were determined using size-selected DOP particles. The DE ranges from 0.1 to 90% for 100 and 350 nm DOP particles respectively and the SPLAM instrument is able to detect and size-resolve particles as small as 110–120 nm. During optical detection, particle scattered light from the two diode lasers, is detected by two photomultipliers and the detected signals are used to trigger UV excimer laser (λ = 248 nm) used for one-step laser desorption ionization (LDI) of individual aerosol particles. The formed ions are analyzed by a 1 m linear time-of-flight mass spectrometer in order to access to the chemical composition of individual particles. The TOF-MS detection limit for gaseous aromatic compounds was determined to be 0.85 × 10−15 kg (∼4 × 103 molecules). DOP particles were also used to test the overall operation of the instrument. The analysis of a secondary organic aerosol, formed in a smog chamber by the ozonolysis of indene, is presented as a first application of the instrument. Single particle mass spectra were obtained with an effective hit rate of 8%. Some of these mass spectra were found to be very different from one particle to another possibly reflecting chemical differences within the investigated indene SOA particles. Our study shows that an exhaustive statistical analysis, over hundreds of particles, and adapted reference mass spectra are further needed to understand the chemical meaning of single particle mass spectra of chemically complex submicrometer-sized organic aerosols.