Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of a selected rice bran extract and a chitin synthesis inhibitor on viability of eggs of the house fly Musca domestica Linnaeus.

The efficiency of chitin synthesis inhibitor (Lufenuron), ethanolic and acetonic extracts of rice bran (Oryza sativa) were evaluated against Musca domestica eggs by direct application using topical, dipping technique and by treating vitellogenic females by both compounds. Treatment of females with different concentrations of both compounds significantly reduce egg hatchability and the effect is dose dependent. The inhibition of egg hatching increased with increase in concentration of the compound. Direct application of both compounds to newly laid eggs (0-15 min) of Musca domestica proved to be more effective in reducing egg hatchability especially when using dipping technique. Percentage total inhibition reached 93.04±0.57 at 3 ppm for Lufenuron and 100% total inhibition at 200 ppm of acetonic extract of rice bran (Oryza sativa). This data confirm the efficiency of growth regulator derived from Oryza sativa straw and chitin synthesis inhibitor (Lufenuron). The results indicated that the acetonic extract of rice bran is significantly effective in preventing hatching than that of ethanolic extract. This is explained that the less polar the extract (acetonic) of rice bran, the more its effectiveness against eggs.
Heat Transfer in Semitransparent Medium Caused by Laser Pulse

In this paper, the combination of conduction with radiation into a semitransparent medium which includes absorption, emission and scattering has been investigated. In order to Study the conduction in medium, the Non-Fourier heat conduction has been applied. In this model there is a time delay between heat flux and temperature gradient. Also, in contrast with Fourier heat conduction, the speed of heat propagation is finite. The radiation transfer equation has been solved via 1 P approximate method. Also to solve the energy conservation equation and Non-Fourier heat conduction simultaneously, flux-splitting method has been applied. The results show that the transient temperature responses are oscillatory for Non-Fourier heat conduction. Also the Non-Fourier effect can be important when the thermal relaxation time of heat conduction is large. In the initial times, the difference of transient temperature responses between the Fourier and the NonFourier heat conduction is large under this condition. For the laser-flash measurement of thermal diffusivity in semitransparent materials, omitting the NonFourier effect can result in significant errors.
Effects of Bank-Specific Factors on the Net Interest Margin of Working Banks in Palestine

Aim/purpose – The main purpose of the study is to investigate the bank-specific factors that influence the net interest margin of banks in Palestine. Design/methodology/approach – An econometric model using random effect panel regression was used to estimate data for all 17 working banks from 2006 to 2016. Findings – Result indicates that several factors, including credit risk, risk aversion, bank orientation, and foreign banks, have statistically significant effects on the net interest margin. However, results also show that such factors as operating expenses, management efficiency, Islamic bank, and time trend are not statistically significant. Research implications/limitations – The main policy lesson drawn from this study is that the net interest margin of working banks in Palestine could be further enhanced by formulating regulatory policies regarding bank-specific factors, such as credit risk, risk aversion, bank orientation, and foreign banks. The most significant limitation of the study was the availability of data. Despite the fact that several bank-specific factors were identified in the literature as a determinant of the net interest margin, only the factors that have an available data were used in the study. Originality/value/contribution – The results of research introduced in the study make theoretical and practical contributions to the body of knowledge. It fills the gap related to the bank-specific factors that influence the net interest margin of banks in Palestine, which have specific conditions and atypical situation.
Class-based Lottery Play Why the Poor Play the Lottery : Sociological Approaches to Explaining

Why do the poor spend more on lottery tickets than their wealthier and better educated peers? While social scientists generally agree that there is an inverse relationship between socioeconomic position and patterns of lottery play, there is debate on what factors cause lottery gambling. Using survey data from a nationwide probability sample, we test three sociological approaches – socio-structural, cultural and social network accounts – to explain why the poor play the lottery. While controlling for cognitive bias theory, we find that peer play, educational attainment and self-perceived social deprivation have strong effects on lottery play. Culture, the study finds, plays a much lesser role. Although lottery players demonstrate fatalistic value orientations, it is not a lack of a ‘Protestant’ work ethic that makes the poor spend proportionally more on lottery tickets. The findings of this study generally point to the importance of social structures in explaining lottery gambling.
Comparative changes in metabolism of Vigna radiata by foliar and root application of brassinolide at different concentrations

The present study shows the effect of the foliar and root application of brassinolide on growth and metabolism of Vigna radiata. For this purpose, three concentrations of brassinolide (1, 0.01 and 0.0001 ppm) were applied on the plant. Brassinolide (BL) solutions were applied as foliar and root treatments for 21 days after sowing (DAS). Samples were collected after two and four weeks of treatments. Content of total sugars, reducing sugars, chlorophyll and proteins, activity of peroxidase (EC 1.11.1x), leaf area and height of plants were estimated. All these parameters increased significantly by 1 ppm foliar spray of BL as compared to the other concentrations. It was concluded that BL enhanced growth of V. radiata. L. under both root and foliar applications, but foliar treatment was more effective. Key words: Vigna radiata, foliar spray, root irrigation, brassinolide, concentrations.
Modeling and Detection of Hydrodynamic Trends for Advancing Early-Tsunami Warnings

The automated detection of tsunamigenic signals at oceanic observation stations is highly desirable for the advancement of current tsunami early warning systems. These are supported with matching methods using large numbers of tsunami wave propagation modeling scenarios. New techniques using real-time scanning of hydrodynamic signals around a network of stations in an open ocean have been developed for the detection of tsunamis. Spectral ratios with respect to background signals and their levels of similarity across stations were investigated. The new developed algorithms will be wrapped as a reporting web service for the TRIDEC tsunami early warning system in the future.
Potential impact of Nootka lupine invasion on pollinator communities in Iceland

Declines in abundance and diversity of pollinating insects are widely documented throughout Europe. Invasive alien plant establishment is one of the numerous factors threatening pollinator communities. Throughout much of Iceland, the alien plant Nootka lupine (Lupinus nootkatensis) has established competitive colonies that have replaced native flowering plants. The reduction of flowering plant diversity associated with the spread of Nootka lupine could severely impact pollinators that are well-adapted to foraging on native flowering plants. The present study aimed to investigate how pollinator communities may be affected by the spread of Nootka lupine. It was expected that pollinator communities observed foraging on native flowering plants would be more diverse than those foraging on Nootka lupine. From June to August 2015, insects were collected from the flowers of Nootka lupine and native flowering plants in the heath adjacent to Lake Vifilsstaðavatn, in Heiðmörk, a conservation area in southwest Iceland. Specimens were later identified, and pollinator communities of Nootka lupine and native heath wildflowers were analyzed. Data gathered in this study suggests that Nootka lupine cannot sufficiently serve as a supplementaland alternative food resource for Iceland’s insect pollinators. A number of Iceland’s pollinating taxa, including Iceland’s only native bee species, the heath bumblebee (Bombus jonellus), are at risk of severe population declines if Nootka lupine continues to replace native flowering plants throughout Iceland. Conservation of floral resources for insect pollinators should include both restoration and preservation of native wildflower communities, and eradication and control efforts to replace invasive plant communities with native species.
The determinants of private sector and multilateral development agencies' participation in infrastructure projects

Much more investment will be needed in developing countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, specifically, the goal of reducing poverty. In this respect, private-sector investment is critical, bringing more funds, expertise, and efficiency to the development of projects in several essential areas, like energy, transport, water, and telecommunications. Complementarily, the involvement of Multilateral Development Agencies (MDA) plays an important "enabling" function, acting like a mechanism of risk reduction and enhancing credit. To address these unexplored topics, I perform an empirical analysis of the cross-country determinants of private sector and MDA participation in infrastructure Public Private Partnerships; for this analysis, I use data from developing countries, which was acquired from the World Bank's Private Participation in Infrastructure database. The results suggest the following: the participation of MDA is higher for less populous and poorer countries. Yet neither level of political risk of a country nor respect for human rights seems to play any role in explaining multilateral participation in projects. Concerning private-sector participation, proxies for the country's economic risk are more relevant. The private sector seems to prefer investing in projects located in richer and less populous countries. Also statistically relevant is the country's legal origin and whether the project has MDA participation.
Comparative effect of local and foreign commercial feeds on the growth and survival of Clarias gariepinus juveniles

Growth and survival of Clarias gariepinus juveniles fed with a local feed and coppens commercial feed were observed for 16 weeks at the laboratory of the Department of Zoology, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. The proximate compositions and economics of the feeds and water quality of the cultured tanks were assessed. Fish fed with coppens showed significant (P<0.05) higher weight increase, specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio and low food conversion ratio than fish fed with local feed. Significant (P<0.05) higher mortality were recorded in fish fed with the local feed. The growth performance was a reflection of the proximate composition of the feeds with local feed having low crude protein (10.95%), lipid (3.95%) and ash (4.92%) when compared to coppens which had 42% crude protein, 12% lipid and 9.5% ash with protein being most significant. Carbohydrate (69.90%) and crude fiber (2.88%) were higher in the local feed than in coppens with an imbalance in carbohydrate and lipid ratio. Mortality was attributed to stress resulting from the poor quality of the feed. Cost of feeding with local feed to a weight gain of 31.67g was ₦80, while the cost of feeding with coppens to a weight gain of 148.58g was ₦16.
Predictions of Actions and Their Justifications in False-Belief Tasks: The Role of Executive Function

The main objective of this study was to examine whether children’s ability to justify their action predictions in terms of mental states is related, in a similar way as the ability to predict actions, to such aspects of executive function (EF) as executive control and working memory. An additional objective was to check whether the frequency of different types of justifications made by children in false-belief tasks is associated with aforementioned aspects of EF, as well as language. The study included 59 children aged 3–4 years. The ability to predict actions and to justify these predictions was measured with false-belief tasks. Luria’s hand-game was used to assess executive control, and the Counting and Labelling dual-task was used to assess working memory capacity. Language development was controlled using an embedded syntax test. It was found that executive control was a significant predictor of the children’s ability to justify their action predictions in terms of mental states, even when age and language were taken into account. Results also indicated a relationship between the type of justification in the false-belief task and language development. With the development of language children gradually cease to justify their action predictions in terms of current location, and they tend to construct irrelevant justifications before they begin to refer to beliefs. Data suggest that executive control, in contrast to language, is a factor which affects the development of the children’s ability to justify their action predictions only in its later phase, during a shift from irrelevant to correct justifications.
Increased sampling blurs morphological and molecular species limits: revision of the Hispaniolan endemic spider genus Tainonia (Araneae : Pholcidae)

The genus Tainonia comprises unusually large pholcids endemic to Hispaniola. Previously, only the type species had been formally described, represented in collections by no more than 12 adult specimens. However, the existence of more species has been hypothesised based on a few further individuals. The present paper is based on a sample of 205 mostly newly collected adult specimens from 18 localities in the Dominican Republic and four localities in Haiti. The increased sampling reveals a wide range of variation, including intermediate levels of divergence that often blur rather than clarify species limits. Therefore, although not all taxonomic questions can be settled here, morphological (including morphometric) and molecular (mitochondrial 16S, CO1) data strongly support two new species: one in La Visite National Park, Haiti (T. visite, sp. nov.) and another on Samana Peninsula and parts of the eastern Dominican Republic (T. samana, sp. nov.). Species limits among the other populations are more difficult to support or reject. Specimens from Bayahibe (eastern Dominican Republic) and from La Cienaga (Cordillera Central) are each assigned species status on the basis of consistent morphological differences (T. bayahibe, sp. nov., T. cienaga, sp. nov.), but no molecular data are available due to lack of specimens. All other specimens are provisionally assigned to a possibly paraphyletic T. serripes (Simon). There is considerable morphological variation within this widely distributed group of populations but this variation is rather continuous and molecular distances fill most of the range between morphologically unambiguous conspecifics and unambiguous heterospecifics.
Excess Co-Movement in Asset Prices: The Case of South Africa

Abstract The paper investigates excess co-movement in asset prices in South Africa between 1995 and 2005 using the definition of excess co-movement as correlation between two asset prices beyond what could be explained by key economic fundamentals. The results of the study suggest that there is excess co-movement between returns on equities and bonds in South Africa. The findings suggest that there are considerable noise traders on the financial market in South Africa. The result of this behaviour would be the tendency for the equity and bond prices to move together more than would be predicted by their shared fundamentals. These results are consistent with the possibility that a fad or crowd psychology plays a role in the volatility on the market for the two asset classes.
Effects of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza Glomus intraradices on photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation, and chromium accumulation in maize plants treated with chromium

Contamination of soil and ground water by chromium (Cr), due to its wide industrial use, has become a serious source of concern over the past decade. In this study a glasshouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of the mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices on Cr toxicity in maize plants. Half of the plants were inoculated with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF). Cr was supplied in the form of potassium dichromate at 0.00, 0.10, 0.25, and 0.50 mM through irrigation water in a sand culture. At the end of the experiment, it was observed that Cr had significantly decreased the chlorophyll content in the maize leaves. The mycorrhizal plants had greater chlorophyll content than the non-mycorrhizal plants. Moreover, increasing the chromium concentration caused an increase in the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the shoots and roots of the whole plant; however, the AM plants showed a lower MDA content than the non-AM plants. Cr caused an induction in guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity in the roots of the non-mycorrhizal plants but no significant induction was observed in APX activity in Cr-treated AM roots. The activity of GPX in the roots of AM plants was lower than in those of non-AM plants under chromium treatment. Measurements of chromium concentration indicated that Cr mainly accumulated in the roots of the maize plants. The Cr concentration significantly decreased in the shoots through AM symbiosis.
Inventory, Factor-Hoarding and the Dynamic Response to Monetary Shock

This paper proposes a new model accounting for the delayed effect of monetary shocks on output. The key feature of the model is to distinguish a variety of margins (i.e., inventory adjustments, hours per worker, efforts and employments) on which firms adjust output in response to macroeconomic shock. When these multiple margins are properly introduced to an otherwise standard modern monetary business cycles model, the interplay between inventory adjustments and the one-period lag in adjusting employment can produce the hump-shaped response of output to monetary shock. More importantly, this can be done even without relying upon the habit persistence model that has been decisively rejected in recent papers by Dynan (2000) and Flavin and Nakagawa (2004).
Prevalence of Snakebites and Use of Antivenom Plants in Southern Sierra Leone

In a retrospective study conducted to determine the prevalence of snakebites in villages neighboring a university hospital in southern Sierra Leone, a total of 66 (4.71±2.52) victims reported having been bitten by snakes in 11 out of 14 villages surveyed. More female (2.57±1.38) than male (2.14±1.14) victims were reported, but the difference between the mean number of female and male victims bitten by snakes was not statistically significant (t-test; P>0.05). No fatality was reported during the period studied. Only 3 cases of snakebites were recorded by the hospital during the same period, and nearly all victims reported having sought treatment from herbalists despite the close proximity to the hospital. Herbalists indicated utilizing 18 species of plants as anti-venoms, of which Alchornea cordifolia (Schum & Thonn) Muell. Arg. , Gouania longipetala Hemsl. , Cnestis ferruginea DC, Rauvolfia vomitoria Afz, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. , Microdesmis keayana J. Leonard and Sterculia tragacantha Lindl, have also been recorded as anti-venom plants in other countries. Future studies should examine the extent of snakebite in other parts of the country and assess the socio-economic implications on victims and their families.
Constitutions and Social Networks

The objective of the paper is to analyze the formation of social networks where individuals are allowed to engage in several groups at the same time. These group structures are interpreted here as social networks. Each group is supposed to have specific rules or constitutions governing which members may join or leave it. Given these constitutions, we consider a social network to be stable if no group is modified any more. We provide requirements on constitutions and players’ preferences under which stable social networks are induced for sure. Furthermore, by embedding many-to-many matchings into our setting, we apply our model to job markets with labor unions. To some extent the unions may provide job guarantees and, therefore, have influence on the stability of the job market.
Geometrical Processing of 3D Body Scanner Data for Anthropometric Applications

In this paper we describe a pipeline for the geometric processing of 3D meshes obtained by whole body scanners, aimed at providing support for anthropometric measurements. The output of whole body scanners is a cloud of points, usually transformed in a triangulated mesh through the use of specific algorithms in order to support the 3D visualization of the surface and the extraction of meaningful anthropometric landmarks and measurements. Anthropometric analysis is usually performed by using device specific and closed software solutions provided by scanner manufacturers, and requires often a careful acquisition, with strong constraints on subject pose. This may create problems in comparing data acquired in different places and performing large-scale multi-centric studies as well as in applying advanced shape analysis tools on the captured models. The aim of our work is to overcome these problems by selecting and customizing geometrical processing tools able to create an open and device-independent pipeline for the analysis of body scanner data. We also aim at developing and validating methods to extract automatically feature points, body segments and relevant measurements that can be used in anthropometric and metabolic research. The paper presents a general description of the proposed processing pipeline and the currently developed modules (hole filling, skeleton-based segmentation, heat kernel based landmark location), showing their usefulness in the automatic and computer assisted evaluation of anthropometric data.
Assessment of Tigecycline Prescription and Patients' Outcomes at Three Different Hospitals in Saudi Arabia

Purpose : To investigate tigecycline prescription and patient outcomes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods : A retrospective observational study was conducted in three KSA government hospitals, between January, 2013 and May, 2014. The patients were identified from electronic prescription records; data were retrieved by trained researchers. Results : Thirty-seven patients who received tigecycline were included (mean age, 52.5 years; range, 17 92); 51.4 % were female. Tigecycline was prescribed for sepsis (59.5 %), pneumonia (21.6 %), and/or intra-abdominal infections (13.5 %). The majority of the patients (86.5 %) were prescribed tigecycline in intensive care unit (ICU) and the remaining patients were in the general medical ward. APCHE II score at the beginning of treatment was 16.8 ± 4.3, indicating severe disease. Susceptibility testing revealed 22 different bacterial pathogens, most commonly Acinetobacter baumannii (20 patients) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (14 patients). A significant proportion (56.7 %) was polymicrobial and 16.2 % involved suspected resistant pathogens. Sixteen patients recovered (5 on tigecycline alone, 5 with additional antimicrobials, and six switched to alternatives) while 21 patients died (nine on tigecycline alone, 12 with additional antimicrobials). Conclusions : The study revealed that tigecycline prescription was conducted according to marketing authorizations and national guidelines. Infection severity/stage and comorbidities may influence patients’ response, and explain some of the poor outcomes. Keywords : Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Prescription patterns, Mortality, Tigecycline, Antimicrobial