Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Induction of mixed function oxidase activity in honey bee as a bioassay for detection of environmental xenobiotics

Induction de l'activite mono-oxygenase chez l'abeille comme test biologique pour detecter les substances toxiques de l'environnement. Le niveau d'activite de la B(a)PMO (= benzo(a)pyrene monooxygenase, enzyme qui se forme dans le corps des insectes sous l'action de substances toxiques) chez des abeilles (Apis mellifera L) mises en contact avec un sirop de sucre additionne de B(a)P est deja plus eleve au bout de 2 j que celui du groupe temoin (nourri uniquement au sirop de sucre). En testant les differentes doses et les niveaux d'activite, on s'apercoit qu'il y a un maximum de declenchement (5-25 fois) le 9 e j
A sense of pride over my size : a qualitative study of women of size who consider themselves body positive

This qualitative exploratory study investigated how women who self identify as a person of size and who have a positive body image developed their positive body identity. Through the process of a semi-structured interview, the study explored the personal experience of the participants from their youth into adulthood regarding the messages they received about their bodies and how they responded and resisted the impact of those messages. The theoretical underpinnings of this study were based on body objectification theory, stigma theory and feminist theory. Sixteen female participants participated in the study and shared what they believed contributed to their body positive identity. Major findings were that all of the participants had significant memories of receiving and internalizing negative messages about their bodies and most of the participants responded to these messages with shame, dieting, anger, and overachievement. Additionally, all of the participants reported utilizing multiple factors of support as a strategy to resist the external and internal messages and to develop a positive body identity. This study revealed the deep impact of familial and societal messages about body size on a woman’s mental well-being. It also identified the incredible resilience and strength of character the participants embodied in order to arrive at and maintain a body positive image. A SENSE OF PRIDE OVER MY SIZE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF WOMEN OF SIZE WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES BODY POSITIVE A project based upon an independent investigation, submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Social Work. Ruth Anne Salen Smith College School for Social Work Northampton, Massachusetts 01063 2014
Investigation of inter-ELM ion heat transport in the H-mode pedestal of ASDEX Upgrade plasmas

The ion heat transport in the pedestal of H-mode plasmas is investigated in various H-mode discharges with different pedestal ion collisionalities. Interpretive modelling suggests that in all analyzed discharges the ion heat diffusivity coefficient, χi, in the pedestal is close to the neoclassical prediction within the experimental uncertainties. The impact of changing the deposition location of the electron cyclotron resonance heating on the ion heat transport has been studied. The effect on the background profiles is small. The pre-ELM (edge localized modes) edge profiles as well as the behaviour of the electron temperature and density, ion temperature and impurity toroidal rotation during the ELM cycle are very similar in discharges with on- and off-axis ECRH heating. No significant deviation of χi from neoclassics is observed when changing the ECRH deposition location to the plasma edge.
Quantifying spatial and temporal variation of North Pacific fin whale (
 Balaenoptera physalus
 ) acoustic behavior

Correspondence Frederick I. Archer, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037. Email: eric.archer@noaa.gov Abstract In order to help develop hypotheses of connectivity among North Pacific fin whales, we examine recordings from 10 regions collected in the spring and fall. We develop a Random Forest model to classify fin whale note types that avoids manual note classification errors. We also present a method that objectively quantifies the note and pattern composition of recordings. We find that fin whale recordings near Hawaii have distinctive patterns, similar to those found in other regions in the central North Pacific, suggesting potential migration pathways. Our results are consistent with previous studies that suggest there may be two different populations utilizing the Chukchi Sea and central Aleutians in the fall and mix to some degree in the southern Bering Sea. Conversely, we found little difference between spring and fall recordings in the eastern Gulf of Alaska, suggesting some residency of whales in this region. This is likely due to fine scale similarities of calls among the inshore regions of British Columbia, while offshore areas are being utilized by whales traveling from various distant areas. This study shows how our novel approach to characterize recordings is an objective and informative way to standardize spatial and temporal comparisons of fin whale recordings.
Thermodynamic effects of phospholamban on Ca-ATPase kinetics

Thermodynamic Effects of Phospholamban on Ca-ATPase Kinetics Patrick L. Apopa The Ca-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum removes cytosolic calcium to promote muscle relaxation. In the heart, the Ca-ATPase is regulated by phospholamban, which inhibits the Ca-ATPase by decreasing Ca-ATPase calcium sensitivity. However, the kinetic and thermodynamic mechanisms of inhibition are not understood. The purpose of this research was to test the hypothesis that phospholamban regulates Ca-ATPase kinetics by increasing Ca-ATPase activation energy. The baculovirus-insect cell expression system was used to produce samples containing Ca-ATPase alone or Ca-ATPase with phospholamban. The temperature-dependence of Ca-ATPase activity and catalytic site density was measured in the absence and presence of phospholamban at sub-saturating calcium and used to calculate the temperature-dependence of Ca-ATPase turnover. Arrhenius analyses showed that phospholamban increased Ca-ATPase activation energy from 31 ± 3 J/mol (Ca-ATPase only) to 52 ± 5 J/mol (Ca-ATPase + phospholamban). The results supported the hypothesis and provided new insight into the mechanism of phospholamban inhibition of Ca-ATPase.
The three phases of galaxy formation

We investigate the origin of the Hubble sequence by analysing the evolution of the kinematic morphologies of central galaxies in the EAGLE cosmological simulation. By separating each galaxy into disc and spheroidal stellar components and tracing their evolution along the merger tree, we find that the morphology of galaxies follows a common evolutionary trend. We distinguish three phases of galaxy formation. These phases are determined primarily by mass, rather than redshift. For M∗≲109.5M⊙ galaxies grow in a disorganized way, resulting in a morphology that is dominated by random stellar motions. This phase is dominated by in situ star formation, partly triggered by mergers. In the mass range 109.5M⊙≲M∗≲1010.5M⊙ , galaxies evolve towards a disc-dominated morphology, driven by in situ star formation. The central spheroid (i.e. the bulge) at z = 0 consists mostly of stars that formed in situ, yet the formation of the bulge is to a large degree associated with mergers. Finally, at M∗≳1010.5M⊙ growth through in situ star formation slows down considerably and galaxies transform towards a more spheroidal morphology. This transformation is driven more by the build-up of spheroids than by the destruction of discs. Spheroid formation in these galaxies happens mostly by accretion at large radii of stars formed ex situ (i.e. the halo rather than the bulge).
A Comparative Study of Teachers’ Knowledge of Common Ict Software, Their Perceptions towards Using Ict and Their Perceived Self-Confidence in Integrating Ict in Their Classes According to Gender in Two International Schools in Thailand

This study aimed to determine teachers’ knowledge of common ICT software, their perceptions towards using ICT and their perceived self-confidence in integrating ICT in their classes according to gender in two international schools in Thailand in 2015. Students in Thailand and globally need to be able to cope well with the demands of the 21st century skills and ICTs are an important element of curricula worldwide. Therefore, the researcher wanted to determine if the male or the female teachers were more skilled in ICT to be able to pass on the knowledge to their students. An online questionnaire was used as a primary data collection instrument. The questionnaire measured the three variables of interest: knowledge of common ICT software, perceptions of ICT use, and perceived self-confidence in integrating ICT in their classes. The study respondents were teachers working in two international schools in Bangkok, Thailand. A total of 145 teachers (84 male and 81 female) were targeted with the online questionnaire. Ninety-seven teachers responded out of which 49 were male and 48 were female. The study found that both male and female teachers had high knowledge of common ICT software. However, the male teachers had more positive perceptions of ICT and higher perceived self-confidence in integrating ICT into their classes as compared to the female teachers. Recommendations For both practice and future research are provided.
Electron transfer of dissolved organic matter and its potential significance for anaerobic respiration in a northern bog

We investigated electron transfer processes of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and their potential importance for anaerobic heterotrophic respiration in a northern peatland. Electron accepting and donating capacities (EAC, EDC) of DOM were quantified using dissolved H2S and ferric iron as reactants. Carbon turnover rates were obtained from porewater profiles (CO2, CH4) and inverse modeling. Carbon dioxide was released at rates of 0.2–5.9 mmol m−2 day−1 below the water table. Methane (CH4) formation contributed <10%, and oxygen consumption 2% to 40%, leaving a major fraction of CO2 production unexplained. DOM oxidized H2S to thiosulfate and was reduced by dissolved ferric iron. Reduction with H2S increased the subsequently determined EDC compared to untreated controls, indicating a reversibility of the electron transfer. In situ redox capacities of DOM ranged from 0.2 to 6.1 mEq g−1 C (EAC) and from 0.0 to 1.4 mEq g−1 C (EDC), respectively. EAC generally decreased with depth and changed after a water table drawdown and rebound by 20 and −45 mEq m−2, respectively. The change in EAC during the water table fluctuation was similar to CH4 formation rates. In peatlands, electron transfer of DOM may thus significantly contribute to the oxidation of reduced organic substrates by anaerobic heterotrophic respiration, or by maintaining the respiratory activity of sulfate reducers via provision of thiosulfate. Part of the anaerobic electron flow in peat soils is thus potentially diverted from methanogenesis, decreasing its contribution to the total carbon emitted to the atmosphere.
Influence of irradiation and moringa leaf powder on the amino acid and fatty acid profiles of chicken meat stored under various packaging materials

This study was carried out to observe the changes causes by irradiation doses (0, 1.5, and 3 kGy) on oxidation stability, amino acids, and fatty acids in chicken meat incorporated with or without moringa leaf powder (MLP) during refrigerator storage of 14 days under aerobic and vacuum packaging. The results revealed that Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (2.10 ± 0.02 MDA/kg) and Peroxide value (1.13 ± 0.01 meq peroxide/kg) were higher in aerobic as compared to vacuum in treatment with 3 kGy + 2% MLP. However, MLP decreased the said values. The negligible reduction in amino acids and fatty acid profile in meat samples were also observed after being irradiated at high dose during storage period but the addition of MLP enhances the content of amino acids and fatty acids in meat samples regardless of the irradiation dose. In nutshell, 1.5 kGy + 3% MLP could be beneficial for the quality of chicken meat during storage. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This research indicates the significance of gamma irradiation and natural antioxidants in meat processing and their influence on meat products during storage in different types of packaging. Gamma Irradiation has strong penetration power and high energy which is helpful in killing microbes in food. High dose of irradiation causes meat oxidation which could be maintained by adding different natural antioxidants and good packaging as it could help in enhancing and maintaining the sensory attributes of the product.
The Dose Makes the Poison: Sugar and Obesity in the United States – a Review

Two-thirds of the US population is either overweight or obese. Obesity is one of the major drivers of preventable diseases and health care costs. In the US, current estimates for these costs range from $147 to $210 billion per year. Obesity is a multifactorial disease: genetics, lifestyle choices, metabolism, and diet. Low-fat diets have been suggested as the key to weight management. However, over the past 30 years, the calories from fat in people’s diets have gone down, but obesity rates keep climbing. Evidence suggests that diets high in added sugar promote the development of obesity. However, the impact of sugar consumption on weight gain and body fat accumulation remains a controversial topic. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide basic framework information about the prevalence of obesity and sugar consumption in the US over the last five decades. We also review the process by which sugar is converted to fat and stored in the human body. The relationship between sugar consumption and obesity was analyzed using United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Sugar and Sweetener Outlook data, and obesity prevalence was analyzed using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The analysis revealed a reduction in sugar consumption concurrent with a slowing down of the annual rate of increase of obesity. However, although the data show that the sugar consumption trend is going in the right direction (declining), the US population still consumes more than 300% of the recommended daily amount of added sugar.
Covariation of Sea ice and methanesulphonic acid in Wilhelm II Land, East Antarctica

Abstract Sea ice plays an important role in ocean–atmosphere heat exchange, global albedo and the marine ecosystem. Knowledge of variation in Sea-ice extent is essential in order to understand past climates, and to model possible future climate Scenarios. This paper presents results from a Short firn core Spanning 15 years collected from near Mount Brown, Wilhelm II Land, East Antarctica. Variations of methanesulphonic acid (MSA) at Mount Brown were positively correlated with Sea-ice extent from the coastal region Surrounding Mount Brown (60–120˚ E) and from around the entire Antarctic coast (0–360˚ E). Previous results from Law Dome identified this MSA–sea-ice relationship and proposed it as an Antarctic Sea-ice proxy (Curran and others, 2003), with the Strongest results found for the local Law Dome region. Our data provide Supporting evidence for the Law Dome proxy (at another Site in East Antarctica), but a deeper Mount Brown ice core is required to confirm the Sea-ice decline Suggested by Curran and others (2003). Results also indicate that this deeper record may also provide a more circum-Antarctic Sea-ice proxy.
Working Paper 6479 Partial Consumption Insurance and Financial Openness Across the World Constantino Hevia

This paper examines the extent of international consumption risk sharing for a group of 50 industrial and developing countries. The analysis is based on the empirical implementation of a model of partial consumption insurance whose parameters have the natural interpretation of coe¢ cients of partial risk sharing even when the null hypothesis of perfect risk sharing is rejected. Estimation results show that rich countries exhibit higher degrees of risk sharing than developing countries, and that the gap between both country groups appears to have widened over the period of nancial globalization. Moreover, the pattern of consumption risk sharing is related to the degree of nancial openness: countries with larger stocks of foreign assets or liabilities exhibit larger degrees of risk sharing. Furthermore, countries whose foreign asset stocks are more tilted towards foreign direct investment assets also show higher degrees of consumption risk sharing. Keywords: Risk sharing, Financial globalization, Permanent Income. JEL classi cation: E21; F36; F41 We thank Aart Kraay for useful discussions, and Vivian Norambuena for excellent research assistance. This work was supported by the World Banks Knowledge Change Program. The views expressed here are only ours and do not necessarily reect those of the World Bank, its Executive Directors, or the countries they represent.
A NEW METHOD TO IDENTIFY NEARBY, YOUNG, LOW-MASS STARS

We describe a new method to identify young, late-type stars within ∼150 pc of the Earth that employs visual or near-infrared (NIR) data and the GALEX GR4/5 database. For spectral types later than K5, we demonstrate that the ratio of GALEX near-ultraviolet to visual and NIR emission is larger for stars with ages between 10 and 100 Myr than for older, main-sequence stars. A search in regions of the sky encompassing the TW Hya and Scorpius–Centaurus Associations has returned 54 high-quality candidates for follow up. Spectroscopic observations of 24 of these M1–M5 objects reveal Li 6708 Å absorption in at least 17 systems. Because GALEX surveys have covered a significant fraction of the sky, this methodology should prove valuable for future young star studies.
Determination of LC 50 of Copper Sulfate and Lead ( II ) Nitrate and Behavioral Responses of Grass Carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella )

In the present study, grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) were exposed to copper and lead for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. Experimental fishes which measured an average length of 8.2 ± 0.44 cm and weighed 4.3 ± 0.5 g. Seven groups (with three replicates) of experimental fish were exposed to seven concentrations of each metal. The grass carps were kept in 21 tanks each stocked with 30 fishes were used in our experiments for each metal. The median lethal concentration (LC50) of copper to grass carp for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h were 2.422 mg/L, 2.222 mg/L, 2.006 mg/L, and 1.717 mg/L respectively. The median lethal concentration (LC50) of lead to grass carp for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h were 293.747 mg/L, 278.019 mg/L, 260.324 mg/L, and 246.455 mg/L, respectively. In addition, the behavioral changes of grass carp at different metal concentrations were determined. LC50 increased as mean exposure times decreased for both metals. Physiological responses like rapid opercular movement and frequent gulping of air was observed during the initial stages of exposure after which it became occasional. All these observations can be considered to monitor the quality of aquatic ecosystem and severity of pollution. In conclusion, copper is more toxic than lead for grass carp.
Responses of Single Cropping Rice Yields to Climate Change in Sichuan Province, China

Sichuan province is one of the 13 major grain-producing provinces in China and also an obvious region of climate change. In this study, the responses of single cropping rice yields to climate variables under climate change at each development stage were investigated by using the linear regression method based on yield and climate data at 84 counties in Sichuan province of China from 1981 to 2012. The results indicated that change of all climate variables (increase of average temperature and diurnal temperature range, and decrease of precipitation and solar radiation) during different development stages in recent 30 years caused significant change of yield in less than 10% of the rice planting area. However, climate change from 1981 to 2012 had caused significant impacts on rice yield in roughly 47.6% of the rice area, with yields fluctuating by -11.77% to 24.55%. Moreover, average temperature was the most key contributor for the impact on rice yields in all climate variables and solar radiation was the most key contributor for the negative impact on rice yields. The empirical findings presented here provide a foundation for anticipating climate change impacts on rice production.
Cognitive absorption and the behavioral intention to use business intelligence: Determinants and influence of cognitive absorption

Introduction: In the last decade Business intelligence became increasingly important for organizations to adopt in order to compete in highly changing industries. The main purpose of the business intelligence system is to enable users to make and execute decisions better and faster. However, the success of business intelligence is not guaranteed. Users are defined as one of the main sources of the potential issues, since they are the ones who should incorporate the new system into their work environment. Users interact with the system via business intelligence application, and for that reason, it is important to investigate users' behavioral intentions towards the application. In order to investigate users intentions, several theoretical constructs have been developed, mostly from the technology acceptance research. The main one being explored in this study is cognitive absorption. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to test the theory presented in Agarwal and Karahanna (2000) in the new setting. The authors’ theory proved the influence of the cognitive absorption in the context of the World Wide Web. We will use their theory in order to investigate the determinants and the influence of the cognitive absorption in the business intelligence context. Method: This study is explanatory in nature. We used survey methodology - questionnaire for the hypotheses testing. We tested seven hypotheses based on the theoretical model adapted from the literature. Several statistical analyses have been conducted for measurement and hypotheses testing, and they have been performed in SPSS and SmartPLS software packages. Conclusion: The results of the analysis identified playfulness as the significant determinant of the cognitive absorption with the business intelligence application. Furthermore, cognitive absorption proved to have the significant direct as well as indirect influence on the behavioral intention to use the business intelligence application.
Structural and optical characterization on solution grown methyl p-hydroxybenzoate single crystals

The optical quality single crystals of methyl p-hydroxybenzoate (p-MHB) have been successfully grown by slow evaporation solution growth technique at 33°C. The grown single crystals have been characterized using different instrumentation methods. The structural perfection has been analysed by using high resolution X-ray diffractometry, which shows that the crystalline perfection is reasonably good except with two low angle internal structural boundaries. That may be due to entrapment of impurities and solvent molecules during growth. The crystal system is monoclinic with calculated lattice parameter values: a = 13.977 Å; b = 15.774 Å; c = 12.684 Å; α = γ = 90°; β = 131.97°. The presence of carbon molecules has been identified from C NMR. The laser damage threshold and second harmonic generation efficiency have been studied. The second harmonic generation conversion efficiency ratio of p-MHB to KDP has been found to be around 1.29:1.