Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytogenetics of three species of scorpions of the genus Brachistosternus from Argentina (Scorpiones: Bothriuridae)

Abstract Meiotic studies on three phylogenetically distant species of the genus Brachistosternus Pocock from Argentina were conducted. One species is from the subgenus Ministernus Francke 1985, B. ferrugineus Thorell 1876, and two species are from the subgenus Brachistosternus Pocock 1893, B. montanus Roig-Alsina 1977 (Andean species group), and morphologically different populations of B. pentheri Mello-Leitão 1931 (plains species group). All species showed achiasmatic meiosis, absence of heteromorphic bivalents, and bibrachial and monobrachial chromosomes of different sizes. Males of Brachistosternus ferrugineus, B. montanus, and one population of B. pentheri have 2n = 46. Males of the typical populations of B. pentheri have 2n = 42. These results suggest that B. pentheri may comprise two species.
The Effect of Blanching, Freezing and Freeze-Storage on Changes of Some Chemical Compounds Content in New Zealand Spinach

The Effect of Blanching, Freezing and Freeze-Storage on Changes of Some Chemical Compounds Content in New Zealand Spinach The aim of the work conducted in 2003-2004 was the estimation of the effect of blanching, freezing and freeze-storage on the content of chosen chemical compounds in plants of New Zealand spinach grown from seedlings. The determinations included dry matter, total protein, L-ascorbic acid, titrable acidity, total sugars, crude fibre, total ash, pH, nitrates, nitrites and chlorophyll content in the experimental material (fresh, blanched, frozen and stored shoots with leaves of New Zealand spinach). Used in the experiment procedures had a significant effect on changes of dry matter, total protein, L-ascorbic acid, titrable acidity, total sugars, crude fibre, total ash content and pH. After blanching their losses reached respectively: 34.9, 6.7, 70.2, 45.0, 56.3, 19.3, 52.9%, in relation to the raw material. However, the value of pH increased to 6.75. After freezing the losses, in relation to the blanched material, were: 21.7% for total protein, 21.4% - L-ascorbic acid, 27.3% - titrable acidity, 42.9% - total sugars, 4.5% - crude fibre, 2.5% - total ash, and pH decreased to 6.45. Frozen material was stored for 3, 6 and 9 months in a freezing chamber at -25 ÷ -27°C. The period of storage did not have statistically significant effect on the preservation of determined chemical components. Wpływ Blanszowania, Zamrażania Oraz Zamrażalniczego Przechowywania Na Zmiany W Zawartości Wybranych Składników Chemicznych W Szpinaku Nowozelandzkim W latach 2003-2004 oceniano wpływ blanszowania, zamrażania oraz zamrażalniczego przechowywania na zawartość wybranych składników chemicznych w roślinach szpinaku nowozelandzkiego, uprawianego z rozsady. W materiale doświadczalnym (świeże, blanszowane, mrożone i zamrażalniczo przechowywane ulistnione pędy szpinaku nowozelandzkiego) oznaczono zawartość suchej substancji, białka ogółem, kwasu L-askorbinowego, kwasowości ogólnej, cukrów ogółem, błonnika surowego, popiołu ogólnego, pH, azotanów, azotynów i chlorofili. Przyjęte w doświadczeniu czynniki miały istotny wpływ na zmiany zawartości suchej substancji, białka ogółem, kwasu L-askorbinowego, kwasowości ogólnej, cukrów ogółem, błonnika surowego, popiołu ogólnego oraz pH. Po blanszowaniu ich straty wyniosły odpowiednio: 34,9, 6,7, 70,2, 45,0, 56,3, 19,3 i 52,9%, w porównaniu do materiału świeżego. Po zamrożeniu surowca odnotowano straty: białka ogółem - 21,7%, kwasu L-askorbinowego - 21,4%, kwasowości ogólnej - 27,3%, cukrów ogółem - 42,9%, błonnika surowego - 4,5% oraz popiołu ogólnego - 2,5%, w porównaniu z materiałem blanszowanym. Wartość pH obniżyła się do 6,45. Zamrożony materiał był przechowywany przez 3, 6 i 9 miesięcy w komorze zamrażalniczej, w temperaturze -25 ÷ -27°C. Okres przechowywania nie miał istotnego wpływu na zachowanie oznaczonych w doświadczeniu składników chemicznych.
The spatial effect of intra-metropolitan agglomeration economies

This study deals with the role of spatial accessibility to agglomeration economies in the change in spatial structure of industrial employment for the case of the Barcelona Metropolitan Region of Barcelona (BMR). Using the growth in gross density of municipal employment between 1986 and 1996 for seven manufacturing industries as an indicator of changes in the spatial structure of employment, an exploration is made of the spatial impact of agglomeration economies operating on a local scale – the municipality and three areas 5, 8 and 12 kilometres away surrounding the municipality itself - , agglomeration economies emerging from CBD and the main specialised subcentres in the region, and the network economies associated with the total jobs in the region, access to which depends on the distance from the main transport infrastructures
On-sky operations and performance of LMIRcam at the Large Binocular Telescope

The L/M-band (3−5 μm) InfraRed Camera (LMIRcam) sits at the combined focal plane of the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer (LBTI), ultimately imaging the coherently combined focus of the LBT’s two 8.4-meter mirrors. LMIRcam achieved first light at the LBT in May 2011 using a single AO-enabled 8.4-meter aperture. With the delivery of LBT’s final adaptive secondary mirror in Fall of 2011, dual-aperture AO-corrected interferometric fringes were realized in April 2012. We report on the performance of these configurations and characterize the noise performance of LMIRcam’s HAWAII-2RG 5.3-μm cutoff array paired with Cornell FORCAST readout electronics. In addition, we describe recent science highlights and discuss future improvements to the LMIRcam hardware.
A novel cell-based 384-well, label-free assay for discovery of inhibitors of influenza A virus

Resonance wave-guide (RWG) biosensor technology allows label-free measurements of global cellular responses of the dynamic mass redistribution (DMR). We hypothesized that the DMR signals to extracellular stimulations occurring upon entry of a virus, could provide a new approach for the development of physiologically relevant cell-based assays for screening of small molecules. We explored this technology with influenza virus (A/Udorn/72, H3N2) using MDCK and Vero E6 cell lines in a 384-well format. The MDCK cell line assay was optimized with a fibronectin-coated surface microplate with 6000 cells per well that were infected at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 1. Under this set of optimized conditions, for the vero E6 cells, an assay window of 1130 pm shift were obtained at 24 hours. The Vero E6 cell line assay was optimized using a poly-D-lysine-coated surface with seeding density of 6000 cells per well that were infected at a MOI of 5. Under this set of optimized conditions for the MDCK cells, an assay window of . 600 units and Z values of 0.6-0.7 were obtained at 24 h. A small library of 1120 compounds was screened using the MDCK, which demonstrates the feasibility of the approach for high-throughput screening.
NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF SOME FOODS FROM A NIGERIAN EATERY

This study investigated the nutrient composition of some foods prepared from an eatery in Nigerian. The samples were analyzed for moisture, ash, fibre, protein, fat and carbohydrate using AOAC methods, amino acid profile was determined using amino acid analyzer and available lysine by FDNB spectrophotometric method. The percentages for moisture, ash, fiber, protein, fat and energy ranged from 14 to 40, 1.3 to 3.8, 0.1to 1.6, 6.2 to 23, 12 to 20 % and 1328 to 2048 kJ, correspondingly. On the other hand, iron, zinc and copper ranged from 3.0 to 11.0, 5.7 to 35 and 0.2 to 1.6 mg / 100 g, while lysine, isoleucine, leucine, threonine and valine ranged from 1.9 to 6.5, 2.2 to 4.2, 3.3 to 6 9, 1.0 to 3.5 and 2.2 to 5.6 g / 100 g protein, respectively. Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Scores (PDCAAS) is above 50 % for all meals. Conventional fast foods are high in fat and sodium; low in calcium and fibre but adequate in iron, zinc, copper. In contrast, ethnic diets are adequate in fibre, magnesium, calcium and potassium but low in protein. The study concluded that fast foods, though deficient in some nutrients could not be totally regarded as unwholesome.
Study of a decentralized entrained-flow gasification plant in combination with biomass from hydrothermal carbonization for chp

In this paper a new approach, consisting of hydrothermal carbonization in combination with gasification in an entrained-flow process for combined heat and power in a gas engine is investigated. Main advantage of such a system are the low consumption costs resulting from the type of applicable feeding materials that are not usable with state of the art technologies. In the first part a highly integrated plant for the production of biocoal with hydrothermal carbonization is investigated with a plant size of 16 MW of biocoal production. The process is modeled in Aspen Plus® in order to determine energy and material flows as well as to optimize the heat integration of the system. The decentralized utilization of biocoal from hydrothermal carbonization in an entrained-flow gasifier is simulated for a plant size of 1.6 MW biocoal input. Efficiencies of the heat and power generation are calculated for individual components and the whole process chain. Power can be produced with an overall electric efficiency of 26 %.
Preliminary results from sediment cores from lake Bosumtwi, Ghana

, Results are presented from the analysis of three sediment cores from Lake Bosumtwi, Ghana, using mineralogy, sedimentology, palynology and grass cuticle content. The longest core is 16.9 m long and spans approximately the last 27 500 years of the lake's history. Apart from minerals ofxlastic origin, the sediments contain a variety of endogenetic and diagenetic minerals, particularly carbonates, with phosphates and zeolites also prominent in some sections. Mineral content and sedimentology are used to reconstruct the history of the lake. The oldest part of the sequence, from c.27 500 to 24 500 BP, is poorly understood, but seems to contain evidenc,e of both high and low water levels. Between 23 O00 and 19 500 BP the lake water was relatively dilute, but became more saline and alkaline between 19 O00 and 16 O00 BP when the lake level must have been low. Regressions of the lake are registered just before 13 500 BP, at c.3 750 BP and after 2 O00 BP. Maximum lake level seems to have occurred between 9 O00 and 4 O00 BP, when the lake waters were dilute. Grass pollen dominates the pollen assemblage before c.9 O00 BP indicating the existence of grassland around Bosumtwi. A dramatic rise in the abundance of arboreal pollen suggests that forest rapidly replaced grassland after 9 O00 BP. Patches of montane-like forest within the grassland are suggested by the 1. Geologisk Institutt, Avd. A, Universitet i Bergen, All~gt.41,5014 Bergen, Norway. 2. Department of Zoology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27706, USA. 3. Department of Biology, Louisburg College, Louisburg, North Carolina 27549, USA. 4. ORSTOM, Laboratoire de Palynologie du CNRS, Universitd des Sciences et Tcch5. Depurtment of Biological Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Cali6. Centre deu Faibles Radiouctivites, Labo. Mixtc CNRSCEA, Cif sur Yvette 91190, nique du Languedoc, Montpellier 34060, Frunce. fornia 93106, USA. , Figure 1. Map of southern Ghana, showing Lake Bosumtwi and position of major vegetation zones. WE Wet Evergreen; UE Upland Evergreen; MS Moist Semi-deciduous; DS = Dry Semi-deciduous; SM Southern Marginal (after Hall & Swaine 1976). presence of Olea hochstetteri pollen in late Pleistocene-early Holocene sections of the cores. Grass cuticle fragments are prominent in sediments deposited before c . 9 O00 BP, confirming the pollen evidence that grassland formerly existed around the Bosumtwi crater. Of particular interest is the occurrence of pooid grass cuticle in the Pleistocene-early Holocene sediments. Pooid grasses, and the pollen of O.hochstetteri, imply palaeotemperatures several degrees centigrade lower than today's in southern Ghana. -
Incidence and etiology of postharvest fungal diseases of pomegranate ( Punica granatum cv. Mollar de Elche) in Spain

Spain is the largest European Union producer and exporter of pomegranates. More than 85% of Spanish commercial plantings are located in the Elche area (Alicante Province, SE Spain), where cv. Mollar de Elche is the most important cultivar. The incidence and etiology of postharvest pomegranate diseases were determined in local environmental conditions. Commercially-grown pomegranates cv. Mollar de Elche from two orchards were assessed, during two consecutive seasons, for latent and wound pathogens causing postharvest diseases. Healthy pomegranates were either artificially wounded in the rind or surface disinfected and placed in humid chambers at 20oC for up to 15 weeks. Additionally, decay was periodically assessed on commercially-handled pomegranates stored at 5oC for up to 27 weeks. The main causal agents of wound and latent infections were Penicillium spp. and Botrytis cinerea, respectively. The same pathogens were also the most frequently isolated from cold-stored fruit, but decay at 5oC was only significant after 19 weeks. Another relatively frequent pathogen on fruit incubated at 20oC was Aspergillus niger. Among the fungi isolated, Penicillium expansum, P. sclerotiorum, P. glabrum and Pilidiella granati were pathogenic on inoculated pomegranates, whereas P. minioluteum and Cytospora annulata were not. No decay caused by Alternaria spp. or Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was observed.
Determination of dissolved nitric oxide in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea off Qingdao

Abstract. We developed a new method for the determination of dissolved nitric oxide (NO) in discrete seawater samples based on the combination of a purge-and-trap setup and a fluorometric detection of NO. 2,3-diaminonaphthalene (DAN) reacts with NO in seawater to form the highly fluorescent 2,3-naphthotriazole (NAT). The fluorescence intensity was linear for NO concentrations in the range from 0.14 to 19 nmol L−1. We determined a detection limit of 0.068 nmol L−1, an average recovery coefficient of 83.8 % (80.2–90.0 %), and a relative standard deviation of ±7.2 %. With our method we determined for the first time the temporal and spatial distributions of NO surface concentrations in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea off Qingdao and in Jiaozhou Bay during a cruise in November 2009. The concentrations of NO varied from below the detection limit to 0.50 nmol L−1 with an average of 0.26 ± 0.14 nmol L−1. NO surface concentrations were generally enhanced significantly during daytime, implying that NO formation processes such as NO2− photolysis are much higher during daytime than chemical NO consumption, which, in turn, lead to a significant decrease in NO concentrations during nighttime. In general, NO surface concentrations and measured NO production rates were higher compared to previously reported measurements. This might be caused by the high NO2− surface concentrations encountered during the cruise. Moreover, additional measurements of NO production rates implied that the occurrence of particles and a temperature increase can enhance NO production rates. With the method introduced here, we have a reliable and comparably easy to use method at hand to measure oceanic NO surface concentrations, which can be used to decipher both its temporal and spatial distributions as well as its biogeochemical pathways in the oceans.
DETECTING SLUMS FROM QUICK BIRD DATA IN PUNE USING AN OBJECT ORIENTED APPROACH

We have been witnessing a gradual and steady transformation from a pre dominantly rural society to an urban society in India and by 2030, it will have more people living in urban than rural areas. Slums formed an integral part of Indian urbanisation as most of the Indian cities lack in basic needs of an acceptable life. Many efforts are being taken to improve their conditions. To carry out slum renewal programs and monitor its implementation, slum settlements should be recorded to obtain an adequate spatial data base. This can be only achieved through the analysis of remote sensing data with very high spatial resolution. Regarding the occurrences of settlement areas in the remote sensing data pixel-based approach on a high resolution image is unable to represent the heterogeneity of complex urban environments. Hence there is a need for sophisticated method and data for slum analysis. An attempt has been made to detect and discriminate the slums of Pune city by describing typical characteristics of these settlements, by using eCognition software from quick bird data on the basis of object oriented approach. Based on multi resolution segmentation, initial objects were created and further depend on texture, geometry and contextual characteristics of the image objects, they were classified into slums and non-slums. The developed rule base allowed the description of knowledge about phenomena clearly and easily using fuzzy membership functions and the described knowledge stored in the classification rule base led to the best classification with more than 80% accuracy.
Analysis of the Impact of Economic Growth on Income Inequality and Poverty in South Africa: The Case of Mpumalanga Province

The aim of this article is to estimate the impact of economic growth on income inequality and poverty using data from the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. Theoretically, it can be argued that there is a negative relationship between the Gini coefficient and economic growth, but evidence shows that it is not always the case. The same argument can be reasoned for economic growth and poverty. The purpose of this paper is to establish whether there is empirical evidence of such relationships. Furthermore, the paper examines the extent to which such nexuses are evident in South Africa with particular reference to Mpumalanga Province. The Gini coefficient is used as a proxy for income inequality. The method of analysis used is the fixed effect and pool regression models with secondary data from all 18 local municipalities in Mpumalanga. The results have demonstrated that economic growth reduces poverty but not income inequality. The findings of this study have implication for policy makers to design strategies of reducing income inequality in South Africa. The study concludes by proposing socio-economic measures that could enhance economic growth and improve human development in a knowledge-based economy.
Assessing luminosity correlations via cluster analysis: evidence for dual tracks in the radio/X-ray domain of black hole X-ray binaries

The radio/X-ray correlation for hard and quiescent state black hole X-ray binaries is critically investigated in this paper. New observations of known sources, along with newly discovered ones (since 2003), have resulted in an increasingly large number of outliers lying well outside the scatter about the quoted best-fitting relation. Most of these outliers tend to cluster below the best-fitting line, possibly indicative of two distinct tracks which might reflect different accretion regimes within the hard state. Here, we employ and compare state of the art data clustering techniques in order to identify and characterize different data groupings within the radio/X-ray luminosity plane for 18 hard and quiescent state black hole X-ray binaries with nearly simultaneous multiwavelength coverage. Linear regression is then carried out on the
The red dwarf pair GJ65AB: inflated, spinning twins of Proxima

The nearby red dwarf binary GJ65AB (UB+BL Ceti, M5.5Ve+M6Ve) is a cornerstone system to probe the physics of very low mass stars. We present new interferometric measurements of the angular diameters of the two components of GJ65AB with the PIONIER instrument in the H band: thetaUD (A) = 0.558 +/- 0.008 +/- 0.020 mas and thetaUD (B) = 0.539 +/- 0.009 +/- 0.020 mas. They translate into limb-darkened angular diameters of LD (A) = 0.573 +/- 0.021 mas and LD (B) = 0.554 +/- 0.022 mas. From the known parallax, the radii are R(A) = 0.165 +/- 0.006 Rsun and R(B) = 0.159 +/- 0.006 Rsun (sigma(R)/R = 4%). We also observed GJ65AB with the VLT/NACO adaptive optics and refine the orbital parameters and infrared magnitudes of the system. We derive masses for the two components of m(A) = 0.1225 +/- 0.0043 Msun and m(B) = 0.1195 +/- 0.0043 Msun (sigma(m)/m = 4%). To derive the radial and rotational velocities of the two stars, as well as their relative metallicity with respect to Proxima, we also present new individual UVES high resolution spectra. Placing GJ65 A&B in the mass-radius diagram shows that their radii are larger respectively by 14 +/- 4% and 12 +/- 4% compared to expectations from the models by Baraffe et al. (2015). Following Chabrier et al. (2007), we propose that this discrepancy is caused by the inhibition of convective energy transport by a strong internal magnetic field generated by dynamo effect in these two fast rotating stars. A comparison with the almost identical twin but slowly-rotating Proxima strengthens this hypothesis, as the radius of Proxima does not appear inflated compared to models.
Scaling of the photon index vs mass accretion rate correlation and estimate of black hole mass in M101 ULX-1

We report the results of Swift and Chandra observations of an ultra-luminous X-ray source, ULX-1 in M101. We show strong observational evidence that M101 ULX-1 undergoes spectral transitions from the low/hard state to the high/soft state during these observations. The spectra of M101 ULX-1 are well fitted by the so-called bulk motion Comptonization (BMC) model for all spectral states. We have established the photon index (\Gamma) saturation level, \Gamma_{sat}=2.8 +/- 0.1, in the \Gamma vs. mass accretion rate (\dot M) correlation. This \Gamma-\dot M correlation allows us to evaluate black hole (BH) mass in M101 ULX-1 to be M_{BH}~(3.2 - 4.3)x10^4 solar masses assuming the spread in distance to M101 (from 6.4+/- 0.5 Mpc to 7.4+/-0.6 Mpc). For this BH mass estimate we use the scaling method taking Galactic BHs XTE~J1550-564, H~1743-322 and 4U~1630-472 as reference sources. The Gamma vs. \dot M correlation revealed in M101~ULX-1 is similar to that in a number of Galactic BHs and exhibits clearly the correlation along with the strong \Gamma saturation at ~2.8. This is robust observational evidence for the presence of a BH in M101 ULX-1. We also find that the seed (disk) photon temperatures are quite low, of order of 40-100 eV which is consistent with high BH mass in M101~ULX-1. Thus, we suggest that the central object in M101 ULX-1 has intermediate BH mass of order 10^{4} solar masses
Designing, implementing and updating performance measurement systems

This paper addresses issues met when designing, implementing, using and continuously updating performance measurement systems in manufacturing companies. The paper develops, from theory, a framework for analysing the implementation of a performance measurement system and uses this framework to interpret three longitudinal case studies. The paper concludes that specific processes are required to continuously align the performance measurement system with strategy. When these processes are combined with a well defined model of strategic success, the measurement system can enhance the strategic management process by challenging the assumptions and the strategy itself.