Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Morphological and molecular evaluation of some Egyptian pomegranate cultivars

Six Egyptian pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars were characterized by fruit characteristics (physical and chemical) and two molecular markers; Inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). Genetic diversity of the pomegranate genotypes was evaluated. Physical fruit traits were determined (weight, volume and diameter), calyx [diameter, length (mm) and Carpels number], fruit firmness (Newton), peel as (weight and thickness), arils weight (g), volume of juice (ml), seeds [fresh and dry weight (g)], and color parameter of (fruit skin, internal peel, arils, juice and seeds). The chemical traits such as soluble solids contents (SSC), vitamin C content, anthocyanin content, pH, and titratable acidity (TA) were assessed and wide variations were observed in each of these traits among the studied cultivars. The genetic variability and relationships among six Egyptian pomegranate cultivars were tested using ISSR and AFLP analyses. The level of polymorphism across cultivars was 53 and 90.7% as revealed by ISSR and AFLP, respectively. ISSR and AFLP revealed different genetic similarities among the six pomegranate cultivars. Each analysis differs not only in its underlying principle, but also in their in-formativeness with regard to the type and amount of polymorphism detected. Genetic similarity matrices estimated from ISSR and AFLP data, showed similarity coefficients to range from 0.77 to 0.94 and 0.33 to 0.73, respectively. ISSR and AFLP characterized the six pomegranate cultivars by a large number of unique markers being 23 and 46 unique markers, respectively. The fruit weight ranged between 479.4 to 185 g of ʻNab El Gamalʼ and ʻAssuityʼ, the firmness was 79.98 of ʻNab El Gamalʼ and 71.84 Newton of ʻManfaloutyʼ cv. The fruit peel thickness varied from 0.6 mm ʻArabyʼ, ʻHegazyʼ and ʻWardiʼ to 0.3 mm ʻAssuityʼ. The arils weight ranged from 87.5 to 275 g of ʻAssuityʼ and ʻNab El Gamalʼ cvs. The percentage net of arils weight/ fruit weight was the highest (59.34% of ʻManfaloutyʼ cv). The juice volume ranged from 62.41 to 71.81 ml/100 g arils for ʻ Wardiʼ and ʻNab El Gamalʼ cvs. The SSC content ranged between 16.01 ʻHegazyʼ and 12.55% ʻAssuityʼ. V.C. content ranged from 3.21 to 14 mg. vitamin/100 ml juice of ʻNab El Gamalʼ and ʻAssuityʼ. The anthocyanin content ranged from 1.47 to 10.03 for ʻArabyʼ and ʻHegazyʼ. The pH values varied from 3.3 (Wardi) to 2.9 (Araby). The Egyptain cultivars of pomegranate have a wide variation in the morphological and chemical characteristics for many uses of fresh fruit and of industry purpose. Key words: Morphological and chemical fruits characterization, pomegranate, inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR), DNA markers, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP).
The organic and the third phase in the system hno3/tbp/n- dodecane: no reverse micelles

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Technical Efficiency of Large Bank Production in Asia and the Pacific

This study investigates the efficiency of large commercial banks in Asia and the Pacific region. In particular, the overall technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency has been estimated, the factors (including, the environmental factors) that influence efficiency of banks in the region have been explained and the mean efficiency of large banks in different countries of the region has been compared. The study found that when the national frontier was expanded to regional frontier, the efficiency scores declined, the environmental variables had significant influence on efficiency scores and developed countries showed pure technical efficiency score significantly higher than the less developed countries. Hence, going by the global advantage hypothesis a surge in mergers and acquisitions of banks in this region is predicted.
A Study of Personality Subtypes in Obese Patients Seeking Treatment

Previous research has not been able to identify a distinct personality style that refers specifically to obese individuals. The purpose of this investigation was to explore whether different personality-based groups can be identified in obese individuals, as has been shown with eating disorder patients. Data were collected from 149 obese patients (BMI = 37.3, ± 6.4; 83% female) seeking dietary treatment and psychological support for their weight problems. Participants completed the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III (MCMI-III; Millon, 1997) and a battery of eight measures assessing psychological distress, mood states, eating behaviors, obesity-related quality of life, and interpersonal problems. The MCMI-III personality scales were cluster analysed to classify participants into personality subtypes. Three personality clusters were retained (externalizing, internalizing, high-functioning), and several differences in the validating variables emerged across the three personality subtypes. The internalizing group reported the greatest level of personality distress and an increased likelihood of poor psychosocial functioning and high eating behavior symptoms. Findings support the clinical utility of personality subtypes in obesity. Future work is needed to identify causal pathways between personality typologies and eating disorders in obese individuals.
Winter mixed layer development in the central Irminger Sea : the effect of strong, intermittent wind events

Abstract The impact of the Greenland tip jet on the wintertime mixed layer of the southwest Irminger Sea is investigated using in situ moored profiler data and a variety of atmospheric datasets. The mixed layer was observed to reach 400 m in the spring of 2003 and 300 m in the spring of 2004. Both of these winters were mild and characterized by a low North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index. A typical tip jet event is associated with a low pressure system that is advected by upper-level steering currents into the region east of Cape Farewell and interacts with the high topography of southern Greenland. Heat flux time series for the mooring site were constructed that include the enhancing influence of the tip jet events. This was used to force a one-dimensional mixed layer model, which was able to reproduce the observed envelope of mixed layer deepening in both winters. The deeper mixed layer of the first winter was largely due to a higher number of robust tip jet events, which in turn was caused by the stee.
Soil-site suitability evaluation for coconut and oil palm in the soils of north-west Gir Madhuvanti toposequence of south Saurashtra region of Gujarat

Six representative pedons were evaluated for their soil site suitability for coconut and oil palm in the soils of different land slopes of north-west Gir Madhuvanti toposequence of south Saurashtra region of Gujarat. The soils of lower piedmont belong to Vertic Haplusterts (P3), plain area belong to Typic Haplusterts (P4) and depression area belong to Sodic Haplusterts (P5) were marginally suitable (S3) for coconut and oil palm. The soils of hill slopes belong to Lithic Ustorthents (P1) and upper piedmont belong to Lithic Ustorthents (P2) were currently not suitable (N1) for coconut and oil palm. The soils of upper coast belong to Fluventic Calciustepts (P6) were marginally suitable (S3) for coconut and currently not suitable (N1) for oil palm. Topography, drainage, shallow soil depth, low rainfal, texture, poor soil fertility (soil pH) soil salinity and alkalinity are the major limitations for cultivation of coconut and oil palm in soils of north-west Gir Madhuvanti toposequence of south Saurashtra.
IS THE "STAR TREK" CONCEPT OF ALIENS REALLY NAIVE? { A COMMENT ON DURIC AND FIELD

Several assumptions used in the recent review paper on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) by Duric and Field (2003) are critically discussed. New astrobiological results-in particular those on the age distribution of terrestrial planets-enable relaxing of some of these assumptions, which gives further justification to optimism regarding SETI projects.
Nigeria beyond Oil: Information Technology Pointing a Way to New Economy

Nigeria is an oil producing nation which have been relying heavily on oil revenue for its economic well being. Oil depletes and its price can crash making dependence on oil as a mono means for the country's future futile. Information and communication technology (ICT) on the other hand has impacted the economic growth of various nations such as India. ICT seems to be a key factor in stimulating the development of a country's productivity across most sectors of the economy and ensuring global competiveness and a move to a New Economy. This Paper examines if a causal relationship exists between ICT and economic wellbeing (GCI) and if ICT can offer a way forward for Nigeria to move from oil based to service and product based economy. The paper also conducts an empirical analysis to find out if oil producing nations experience better growth against ICT innovative nations using 10 countries. The results of the analysis support the believe that ICT led development and of the existence of a causal link between ICT and economic growth and non-existence of a causal link between oil production alone and economic development.
Access to modern energy: a review of barriers, drivers and impacts

Abstract Universal access to modern energy services, in terms of access to electricity and to modern cooking facilities, has been recognized as a fundamental challenge for development. Despite strong praise for action and the deployment of large-scale electrification programs and improved cookstove (ICS) distribution campaigns, few studies have shed light on the barriers to, the enablers of and the impacts of access to energy on development outcomes, using rigorous methodologies. This paper reviews this recent strand of research, trying to fill these gaps. The authors focus on the demand-side and household perspective. Their main outcomes of interest are electricity connection and ICS adoption for the analysis of barriers, time allocation, labor market outcomes and welfare for the impact analysis. They provide evidence of significant wellbeing impacts of electrification and mixed evidence for cookstoves.
Fiscal Interactions and the Case for Carbon Taxes over Grandfathered Carbon Permits

This paper provides simple formulas for adjusting the costs of carbon taxes and tradable carbon permits to account for interactions with pre-existing tax distortions in the labour market. Both policies reduce labour supply as they increase product prices and reduce real household wages; the resulting efficiency losses in the labour market can be substantial relative to partial equilibrium abatement costs. However, much of this added cost can be offset, and perhaps more than offset when additional distortions from the tax system are considered, if revenues from carbon taxes or auctioned permits are used to reduce distortionary taxes. Consequently, there can be a strong case on efficiency grounds for using carbon taxes or auctioned permits over grandfathered carbon permits. Copyright 2003, Oxford University Press.
Determinants of African Manufacturing Investment: The Microeconomic Evidence

In this survey paper we consider the microeconomic evidence on investment in African manufacturing. We analyse both the determinants of investment behaviour and the return to that investment. In the 1990s market selection — the process by which the capital stock is reallocated in favour of more efficient firms — has been as strong in Africa as elsewhere. While the macroeconomic literature has focused on low returns to investment as an explanation for Africa's poor growth performance, the micro‐data indicate high potential returns. However, investment rates remain quite low, presumably as a result of risk, but the surveys currently available are not suitable for testing this.
Notes on the reproductive ecology of the rough-footed mud turtle (Kinosternon hirtipes) in Texas, USA

Kinosternon hirtipes is among the least-studied North American turtles and little is known concerning reproduction. In the United States, K. hirtipes occurs at < 10 sites within a single creek drainage in Presidio County, Texas where it is considered a threatened species. We investigated the reproductive ecology of one of these populations at Plata Wetland Complex in 2007. We captured nine female K. hirtipes in wire mesh traps and hoop nets baited with fish. Eggs were obtained by injecting females with oxytocin. We recovered 19 eggs from six females captured in May and June. The smallest female that produced eggs was about 7.1 years old. Mean (± 1SD) clutch size, egg length, egg width, egg mass, and clutch mass were 3.1 ± 1.4 eggs, 28.7 ± 1.4 mm, 17.5 ± 0.9, 5.3 ± 0.6 g, and 17.5 ± 0.8 g, respectively. Relative egg mass and relative clutch mass were 0.035 and 0.011, respectively. There was a significant, positive linear relationship between female carapace length (CL) and egg width. The relationship between CL and relative egg mass was negative, and approached statistical significance. Relationships between CL and clutch size, egg length, and egg mass were not significant. Reproductive attributes of K. hirtipes in Texas are similar to those reported from a population in Mexico.
The Antecedents of Mobile Repurchasing Intentions: An Empirical Investigation among Turkish Mobile Shoppers

In today's digital world, consumers have progressively utilized the mobile Internet in their mobile shopping transactions. Mobile retailers are forcing themselves to impact consumers’ mobile shopping attitude and behavior by generating new shopping experiences on the purpose of their business life cycle under the threat of destructive competitive factors between retailers operating both in conventional and online stores. Considering the destructive competitive business conditions, it is crucial for mobile retailers to understand mobile shoppers’ beliefs, attitudes mobile shopping intentions, and behavior related to mobile shopping. Thus, the aim of this research is to examine an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Consumer Perceived Value and Flow theory that will ensure eloquent comprehension of making purchases via mobile devices. Indeed, utilitarian and hedonic value, perceived enjoyment and flow dimensions are added into the research model.In data collection phase, convenience sampling method was used and face-to-face interviews methods were exercised. The 400 valid questionnaires were collected from the mobile shoppers who willingly participate with our research in Adana, Turkey. In order to test the research model, we used Partial Least Squares (PLS-PM) analysis method. The study results enable significant support for the proposed research model. Analysis result reveals that perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, mobile shopping flow experience, mobile shopping attitude, mobile shopping satisfaction, perceived utilitarian value, and hedonic value dimensions positively affect mobile repurchase intentions.
The impact of intranet on managers and their work : an empirical study in the Malaysian port industry / Norzaidi Mohd Daud … [et al.]

This paper examines the impact of Intranet usage on managers' performance in the port industry in Malaysia. Using the task-technology fit model, it investigates how certainfactors (e.g. task requirements, Intranet functionalities, task-technology fit, and Intranet usage) affect the job performance of port managers. The mean test results suggest that the majority of managers believed that Intranet could improve their job performance. The results of structural equation modelling (SEM) indicate that task requirements and Intranet functionalities significantly justified their variance on task-technology fit. Task technology fit, on the other hand, significantly predicts Intranet usage and both significantly explained the variance on manager's job performance. Suggestions are made on how the port industry could improve their Intranet adoption.
Functional Characterization of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia Proteins Spastin and ZFYVE27

Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSP) are a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders characterized by progressive spasticity in the lower limbs caused primarily due to dysfunction of corticospinal tract neurons. All modes of inheritance such as autosomal dominant (AD), autosomal recessive (AR) and X-linked have been reported for HSP. Mutations in the SPG4/SPAST gene are the single most common cause for AD-HSP and accounts for up to 40% of all AD-HSP cases. In the present study, we have characterized the functional and structural properties of SPAST gene product, spastin and its interacting protein ZFYVE27, another HSP related protein.In the first part of this thesis, spastin oligomeric state as hexamer has been evaluated by biochemical and cellular approaches. Furthermore, structural information on hexameric spastin was obtained through modeling of spastin AAA domain and this modeled structure was used as a framework to classify the known mutations of spastin in HSP patients into four different functional groups based on the structural information.In the second part, compound heterozygous sequence variants of SPAST causing early age onset of HSP phenotype has been reported. The modifier effect of spastin known polymorphism (S44L) in association with another mutation has been described. Our findings further strengthen the threshold effect model of spastin, with a direct correlation between functional level of spastin and early age onset of HSP phenotype.In the third part, expansion of spastin mutational spectrum in a large HSP cohort has been reported with identification of 29 novel spastin mutations. Moreover, we attempted to determine any possible deleterious effects of these novel mutations on spastin oligomeric function using spastin structural model.In the last part of this thesis, we showed that ZFYVE27, a spastin interacting protein, functions as dimer/tetramer by means of cellular and biochemical analysis. Further, we show that although the core interaction region, hydrophobic region 3 (HR3) is dispensable for self-association of ZFYVE27, it is essential for neurite formation and co-expression of the truncated ZFYVE27 (∆HR3184-208) hampers the function of wild type ZFYVE27.Moreover, to dissect the role of ZFYVE27 in HSP pathomechanism, we endeavored to generate loss of function as well as gain of function mouse models for ZFYVE27. Conceivably, the phenotype of loss of function mouse model might mimic the clinical features of HSP. By elucidating the role of ZFYVE27 in neuritogenesis/neuropathies by means of generated mouse models, we will be able to gain novel mechanistic insights into the underlying pathomechanism of HSP.
Consumer trust in advertising in different media

Every year companies spend a great amount of money on advertising and promotion. On the other end of the line, consumers are subject to all this advertising and have formed opinions about the different media used to reach their attention and accordingly trust/distrust each media in view of their experience. The aim of the research was to measure consumer trust towards four different types of media; television, radio, newspapers and internet, using the ADTRUST scale, a 20 item, Likert-type measure recently published. Participants were 513 university students. Results showed no significant difference in trust between the different media although marginally significant trends support a previous study. Results did however show different levels of trust within demographic groups such as gender, age and education. Results suggest that consumers neither trust nor distrust advertising but are rather neutral. Homogeneity within the group of participants may affect external validity and future research should apply the ADTRUST scale to a more diverse group of participants in order to get more valid demographical comparisons.
Household Coping Strategies and the Financial Crisis in Korea

In order to examine how Korean households coped with the financial crisis, this paper employs household-level panel data during 1995-98 and estimates a switching regression model of an augmented consumption Euler equation with endogenous credit constraints. Several empirical findings emerge. First, the estimated result confirms our hypothesis that the main reason why Euler equation is found to be not holding is the credit constraints. Second, households coped with the negative shocks by reducing consumption of luxury items, while maintaining food, education, and health related expenditure. Third, for credit-constrained households, private transfers appeared to act as an ex post coping strategy during the crisis. Finally, we find public transfers to be an effective coping device for those who are credit-constrained before and during the crisis.
Prevalence of low back pain and its related factors among pre-hospital emergency personnel in Iran

Objective: Low back pain is one of the most important job injuries among emergency medical personnel. This study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of low back pain as well as its physical, mental and managerial predisposing factors among emergency medical personnel in Iran.Methods: In this analytical cross-sectional study we recruited 298 pre-hospital emergency medical personnel based on census sampling. Data were gathered using Nordic and a research-made questionnaire related to physical, mental and managerial back pain factors. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Descriptive and analytical tests including chi-square test were used appropriately. P value less than 0.05 was considered as the level of significance.Results: Findings showed that 46.3% of pre- hospital emergency technicians had a history of low back pain with different intensities. We observed a significant relationship between age, work experience, occupational-physical factors with low back pain (P > 0.001). However, there was no significant relationship between occupational-managerial factors and mental-occupational factors with low back pain (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Results show that the prevalence of back pain among emergency medical personnel is high. Identifying the factors associated with back pain can help the managers as well as the personnel to control the problem of back pain and increase employees’ productivity.