Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PROPIEDADES QUÍMICAS Y FUNCIONALES DEL ALMIDÓN MODIFICADO DE PLÁTANO Musa paradisiaca L. (VAR. MACHO) CHEMICAL AND FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF MODIFIED STARCH FROM BANANA Musa paradisiaca L. (VAR. MACHO)

Starch from banana (Musa paradisiaca L., var. Macho) was modified by acetylation and an alcoholic-alkaline treatment in order to evaluate its chemical composition and some of its functional properties, using corn starch as a control, to suggest its possible use in food preparation. The results showed that the granular cold-water soluble (GCWS) starches prepared with 40% and 60% of ethanol at 25 o C had the lowest solubility in cold water, suggesting that the temperature has an important role in the modification process. Modified starches had smaller tendency to the retrogradation, measured as percentage of transmittance. Water absorption capacity (swelling) and solubility increased with the modifications; also, the stability to the freeze-thaw process improved with these treatments. Conversely, starch from acetylated corn showed a poorer stability to the freeze-thaw process compared with non modified samples. The apparent viscosity of the modified starches was bigger than that of its native starches. According to these results, the modified starches could be used as additives in frozen desserts and as thickeners in soups.
A perspective on United Arab Emirates small and medium-sized enterprises management utilising the European Foundation for Quality Management concepts of excellence

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has the highest percentage increase in the numbers of new business start-ups of 54 countries who participated in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor [Report on Entrepreneurship in the UAE. (2009). Retrieved January 2012, from http://www.gemconsortium. org/docs/download/741] Report. Both in recognising the growing importance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to the UAE, and in seeking to embed business excellence, this paper explores the management approaches utilised in 50 joint national/expatriate-managed SMEs. The SMEs, are assessed and scored against the eight concepts of excellence which underpin the European Foundation for Quality Management Excellence Model, in order to establish the focus and extent of existing management practices. With the current UAE Government policy on the issue of trade licences effectively enhancing entrepreneurial opportunities for Emirate nationals, this research has found a considerable variability of management approaches. The work has highlighted what appears in several instances as an inconsistency in business planning and direction within the UAE SME.
Effect of atomic under-coordination on the properties of Ag and Cu nanoclusters

Density functional theory calculations have been carried out to investigate the effect of the atomic under-coordination on the bond contraction, lattice strain, and electron configuration of Cuboctahedral and Marks decahedral structures of silver and copper nanoclusters. Our calculated results are consistent in trend with experimental measurements including extended X-ray-absorption fine structure (EXAFS), scanning tunneling microscope/spectroscopy (STM/S), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet photoelectron spectra (UPS). This agreement approved the prognostications made on the bond-order-length-strength (BOLS) correlation and nonbonding electron polarization (NEP), suggesting that atomic under-coordination at the surface of nanoclusters cause bond contraction, which then leads to lattice strain, charge densification, core electron entrapment, as well as polarization of valence charge. The results of this work will contribute to the understanding of the intriguing properties of Ag and Cu nanoclusters.
Bony fish bycatch in the southern Brazil pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis and F. paulensis) fishery

Trawling for pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis and F. paulensis) catches also large quantities of fish, mostly bony fish, which are discarded, as they have no commercial value. Their composition and abundance were studied in an area that corresponded to the southeastern coastline of Brazil. Ninety one species were registered. Incidental fishing affected mainly small individuals and occured throughout the year. The year round rate of bony fish to shrimp catches was 10,5:1,0. Three assemblages of bony fishes could be identified, influenced by the seasonal variation of the water masses, the predominant group being associated with the Coastal Water, another with the penetration of colder waters onto the platform (SACW) and a third group of a more homogenous distribution. The most critical period identified for the bycatch capture was the beginning of the winter, which was due to the overlapping of fish assemblages and the peak of fishing recruitment.
Infants' Detection of Shearing Motion in Random-Dot Displays.

Random-dot kinematograms were used to estimate infants' thresholds for shearing motion in the absence of flicker and position cues. The principal advantage of these stimuli is that changes in dot position are camouflaged by the presence of numerous matching dots, thus necessitating the detection of motion before the extraction of local pattern features. Thirteen- and 20-week-old infants were tested with a forced-choice preferential looking technique. The target stimulus resembled a vertically oriented corrugated pattern that oscillated at 1 Hz, if, and only if, shearing motion was detected. Infants were tested at different velocities, ranging from 0.77s to 5.67s, and the results revealed minimum velocity thresholds of 3.57s and 1.2°/s for 13- and 20-week-old infants, respectively. Possible interpretations for these results based on position- or flicker-sensitive mechanisms are considered and are found inconsistent with the overall pattern of results. It is concluded that infants detect shearing motion in random-dot displays with a motion-sensitive mechanism. Visual perception begins with the projection of 3-D objects and surfaces onto the retina of the observer, where a 2-D image is formed. Yet, unlike a camera image, the resulting retinal image is rarely static; the eyes and head of the observer are almost always moving, and often, so are the objects that are the targets of one's visual regard. Accordingly, much of the visual information available to the observer begins as image motion on the retina. This information is used to specify many variant and invariant properties of the visual world, including surface segregation, self-motion, relative depth, and time to collision. Paradoxically, the status of image motion as a fundamental source of visual information was contested until recently (cf. Nakayama, 1985). In contrast to stereopsis or color vision, motion need not be an immediate experience but rather could be derived from changes in position over time. Consider, for example, the two hands of a clock. Whereas the second hand appears to undergo continuous movement, the minute hand changes position much more slowly, and its movement can be derived only from a comparison of past and current positions. For quite some time, it was considered conceivable that all image motion was processed in a manner analogous to the perception of the moving minute hand on a clock. Although the data accumulated over the past two decades clearly refute this position with regard to adult processing of moving stimuli (Cutting, 1987; Nakayama,
Seedling Production of Pak Choy (Brassica rapa L.) using Organic and Inorganic Nutrients

Pak Choy or Bok Choy (Brassica rapa L. var. chinensis) is one of favorite Chinese leafy vegetable for various dishes in Indonesia. In this study, it was used as a plant model to identify the appropriate organic hydroponic nutrient solution for leafy vegetable seedling production. The seed was sown on rock wool slabs submerged with 200 ml of a nutrient solution containing biofertilizer of Beyonic StarTmik@Lob (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%). commercial hydroponic solution (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) and its combination (25, 50, and 75%). The experiments were arranged in a CRD. Meanwhile, the obtained data was analyzed using ANOVA followed by DMRT. The relationship among growth parameters was observed using Pearson correlation analysis. The result of the study showed that the combination of organic and inorganic nutrient (25% Beyonic StarTmik@Lob and 75% commercial hydroponic solution) resulted in the highest seedling growth parameters and leaf indices as well as the perfectly positive correlations among growth parameters. This result indicated that the use of organic nutrient alone was not appropriate for hydroponic seedling production of Pak Choy. Therefore, further study needs to be done to identify the hydroponic solution without inorganic nutrients towards the organic vegetable production.
Primary School Teachers' beliefs and change of beliefs on Mathematical Infinity

This study is included in the complex problems about the teaching and the learning of the concept of mathematical infinity pointing out the beliefs, the intuitive acceptances and the mental processes of primary school teachers. In particular the teachers’ misconceptions can be considered like the starting of didactical obstacles that, with epistemological ones frequently pointed out in the international literature, create difficulties in the learning of this concept by secondary high school students. Moreover, such difficult didactical obstacles are hard to eliminate, unless one intervenes on primary school teachers’ preparation in this specific field.
Shopping Facilities and Mobility Behaviour in East Germany

After the collapse of the socialist system, far-reaching structural changes took place in East Germany, with particular rapidity in two specific areas: in retailing with the trend towards large-scale outlets in peripheral locations, and in passenger transport with the trend towards longer journeys made by car. As far as attractive local retail facilities are concerned, it is important to establish what potential they have in this specific context with regards to both supply and demand. A closely linked issue is that of the significance of distance as a deter- mining factor in the choice of store for grocery shopping.
Study of the Effective Factors on the University Students’ Underachievement in English Language Learning

The present study investigated the effect of university students’ demotivational status, language learning strategies and learning style preferences on their underachievement in English language learning. To begin, 260 Iranian undergraduate students were selected through the multi-stage cluster sampling method. They were put into two successful and unsuccessful groups using the median of their General English scores. Then, they answered the questionnaires of language learning strategies, styles and demotivation. On the next stage, the data gathered was analyzed via several statistical analyses. The results revealed that the reliability and validity of all three questionnaires calculated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and Cronbach alpha coefficients were satisfactory. Moreover, the results of the logistic regression analysis confirmed that there is a difference between the successful and unsuccessful groups in English language learning regarding their motivational status and learning strategies. However, their learning style preferences were not significant predictors of their achievement in EFL classroom. It was also found that from among all subscales of demotivation and learning styles and strategies, only the Lack of Perceived Individual Competence, the Lack of Intrinsic Motivation, the Inappropriate Characteristics of Teachers’ Teaching Methods and Course Contents and the Metacognitive strategies predicted university students’ group membership significantly.
The First Billion Years project: constraining the dust attenuation law of star-forming galaxies at z ≃ 5

We present the results of a study investigating the dust attenuation law at $z\simeq 5$, based on synthetic spectral energy distributions (SEDs) calculated for a sample of N=498 galaxies drawn from the First Billion Years (FiBY) simulation project. The simulated galaxies at $z\simeq 5$, which have M$_{1500} \leq -18.0$ and $7.5 \leq \rm{log(M/M}_{\odot}\rm{)} \leq 10.2$, display a mass-dependent $\alpha$-enhancement, with a median value of $[\alpha/\rm{Fe}]_{z=5}~\simeq~4~\times~[\alpha/\rm{Fe}]_{Z_{\odot}}$. The median Fe/H ratio of the simulated galaxies is $0.14\pm0.05$ which, even including the effects of nebular continuum, produces steep intrinsic UV continuum slopes; $\langle \beta_{i} \rangle = -2.4 \pm 0.05$. Using a set of simple dust attenuation models, in which the wavelength-dependent attenuation is assumed to be of the form $A(\lambda) \propto \lambda^{n}$, we explore the parameter values which best reproduce the observed $z=5$ luminosity function (LF) and colour-magnitude relation (CMR). We find that a simple model in which the absolute UV attenuation is a linearly increasing function of log stellar mass, and the dust attenuation slope ($n$) is within the range $-0.7 \leq n \leq-0.3$, can successfully reproduce the LF and CMR over a wide range of stellar population synthesis model (SPS) assumptions. This range of attenuation curves is consistent with a power-law fit to the Calzetti attenuation law in the UV ($n=-0.55$), and other similarly `grey' star-forming galaxy attenuation curves recently derived at $z\simeq2$. In contrast, attenuation curves as steep as the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) extinction curve ($n=-1.24$) are formally ruled out. Finally, we show that our models are consistent with recent 1.3mm ALMA observations of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF), and predict the form of the $z\simeq5$ IRX$-\beta$ relation.
Incorporating Economic Objectives into Bayesian Priors: Portfolio Choice under Parameter Uncertainty

Abstract This paper proposes a way to allow Bayesian priors to reflect the objectives of an economic problem. That is, we impose priors on the solution to the problem rather than on the primitive parameters whose implied priors can be backed out from the Euler equation. Using monthly returns on the Fama-French 25 size and book-to-market portfolios and their 3 factors from January 1965 to December 2004, we find that investment performances under the objective-based priors can be significantly different from those under alternative priors, with differences in terms of annual certainty-equivalent returns greater than 10% in many cases. In terms of an out-of-sample loss function measure, portfolio strategies based on the objective-based priors can substantially outperform both strategies under alternative priors and some of the best strategies developed in the classical framework.
The antimicrobial activities of Ethanolic extracts of Basella alba on selected microorganisms

The antimicrobial effects of ethanolic extract of Basella alba against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Candida albican was determined using the agar cup plate method. The phytochemical components of the ethanolic extracts of the leaf and stem of B. alba showed the presence of tannin, terpene, steroid, saponin, anthraquinone, and with carbohydrate only in the stem extracts. The result of this study showed that all the organisms except Candida albican . were susceptible to 60mg/ml and 100mg/ml. of extract. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were also determined. The result obtained showed that the MIC and MBC for the ethanolic extract of the leaf and stem of P. aeruginosa , E. coli was 50mg/ml, while the MIC and MBC of S. aureus was 100mg/ml for the ethanolic extract of the leaf and stem of B. alba . The result of this study suggests that the ethanolic extracts of B. alba could be suitable for the treatment of diseases caused by S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and E. coli.
Serogroup Distribution of Shigella in Tehran

In recent years, the importance of Shigella as an enteric pathogen with global impact has been increasingly recognized. In this study, serogroup distribution of Shigella isolated from clinically diagnosed cases of gastroenteritis and acute diarrhea in Tehran, capital of Iran was investigated between December 2002 and November 2003. Fecal specimens and rectal swabs were cultured for Shigella spp. using standard microbiological techniques. The isolates of Shigella were identified by biochemical assay and serological testing. From a total of 302 Shigella isolates, 178, 110, 10 and 4 strains were identified as S.sonnei (58.9%; 95% CI: 53.2-64.5), S. flexneri (36.4%; 95% CI: 31.0-42.2), S.boydii (3.3%), and S. dysenteriae (1.3%), respectively. The peak of infection occurred during summer. Overall, 167 patients (55.3%) were males and 135 (44.7%) were females.
Sevoflurane, Laryngeal Mask Airway and Single-Dose Dexmedetomidine: A Better Choice for Patients Undergoing Endovascular Coil Embolization

Background: Patients diagnosed with intracranial aneurysms who undergo endovascular coil embolization (ECE), require sufficient dose of anesthesia to prevent rupture of the aneurysms. However, surgeons often prefer "fast-channel" anesthesia techniques in order to evaluate the effects of the treatment. We designed a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled study to determine the effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX) on the recovery characteristics of patients who were scheduled to undergo ECE. Methods: After intravenous anesthesia induction with propofol, fentanyl and cisatracurium, and laryngeal mask airway insertion, patients were randomly assigned to receive saline (Group C, N=33), 0.5 μg/kg DEX (Group DEX1, N=34), or 1 μg/kg DEX (Group DEX2, N=34). Maintenance of anesthesia was performed using 2 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of end-tidal sevoflurane. The length of time for the eyes to open and characteristics of emergence in patients were recorded after the anesthesia was discontinued. Results: The incidence of intraoperative bradycardia in Group DEX2 (26.4%) was significantly higher than that in the other groups (15.1% in Group C and 11.8% in Group DEX1). Four patients (12.1%) in Group C exhibited emergence agitation, but it was not observed in any of the patients in the other groups. The length of time for the eyes to open in Group DEX2 was nearly 10 minutes longer than that in the other two groups. Conclusions: We concluded that a single-dose of 0.5 μg/kg DEX administered after induction of anesthesia reduced post-sevoflurane agitation in patients undergoing ECE with no adverse effects. Citation: Wen-Fei Tan, Yan-Hua Jiang, Hong Ma, Jun-Ke Wang. Sevoflurane, laryngeal mask airway and single-dose dexmedetomidine: a better choice for patients undergoing endovascular coil embolization. J Anesth Perioper Med 2015; 2: 153-7. doi: 10.24015/JAPM.2015. 0021This is an open-access article, published by Evidence Based Communications (EBC). This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format for any lawful purpose. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Turnover Intention, Job Performance and Organizational Citizenship Behavior with Mediating Role of Political Skill

The purpose behind this article is to investigate the relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI), turnover intention, job performance and organizational citizenship behavior with mediator effects of political skill. Data was collected through a quantitative survey methodology from sample of 263 employees; data was analyzed using hierarchical regression model. EI was found a significant positive relationship with political skill, job performance and organizational citizenship behavior. However, the results of turnover intention were found to against the both hypothesis where EI was positively related to TI directly as well as through mediation. Furthermore political skill was found as a mediator between EI, TI, JP and OCB. EI training can be a powerful predictor for organizations and managers to enhance job performance and organizational citizenship behavior. This study extends the scope of EI and political skill through a significant positive relationship which can be viewed at work arena. This research also found political skill to be a mediator in the relationship between EI, turnover intention, job performance and organizational citizenship behavior.
The Amaranth (Amaranthus Hypochondriacus) Genome: Genome, Transcriptome and Physical Map Assembly

The Amaranth (Amaranthus Hypochondriacus) Genome: Genome, Transcriptome and Physical Map Assembly Jared William Clouse Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, BYU Master of Science Amaranthus hypochondriacus is an emerging pseudo-cereal native to the New World which has garnered increased attention in recent years due to its nutritional quality, in particular its seed protein, and more specifically its high levels of the essential amino acid lysine. It belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, is an ancient paleotetraploid that shows amphidiploid inheritance (2n=32), and has an estimated genome size of 466 Mb. Here we present a high-quality draft genome sequence of the grain amaranth A. hypochondriacus. The genome assembly consisted of 377 Mb in 3,518 scaffolds with an N50 of 371 kb. Repetitive element analysis predicted that 48% of the genome is comprised of repeat sequences, of which Copia-like elements were the most common classified retrotransposon. A transcriptome, consisting of 66,370 contigs, was assembled from eight different tissue and abiotic stress libraries. Annotation of the genome identified 23,059 genes that were supported by our de novo transcriptome assembly, the RefBeet 1.1 gene index and the Uniprot_sprot database. To describe the genetic diversity within the grain amaranths (A. hypochondriacus, A. caudatus, and A. cruentus) and their putative progenitor (A. hybridus) we re-sequenced seven accessions in the genus Amaranthus (four A. hypochondriacus, and one of each A. caudatus, A. cruentus, and A. hybridus), which identified 7,184,636 and 1,760,433 interspecific and intraspecific single nucleotide polymorphisms, respectively. A phylogeny analysis of the re-sequenced accessions substantiated the classification of A. hybridus as the progenitor species of the grain amaranths. Lastly, we generated a physical map for A. hypochondriacus using the BioNano optical mapping platform. The physical map spanned 340 Mb and a hybrid assembly using the BioNano optical genome maps nearly doubled the N50 of the assembly to 697 kb. Moreover, we analyzed synteny between amaranth and Beta vulgaris (sugar beet) and estimated, using Ks analysis, the age of the most recent polyploidization event in amaranth.