Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Variations in Concentration and Distribution of Health-Related Elements Affected by Environmental and Genotypic Differences in Rice Grains

A research work was conducted to investigate the variations in concentration and distribution of health-related elements affected by environmental and genotypic differences in rice grains. The grain of Xieqingzao B (indica rice variety) and Xiushui 110 (japonica rice variety) were divided into: hull, bran and milled rice, based on the conventional rice consumption and process. Xieqingzao B was grown at four different locations, and at one location, it was planted in the same field and season as Xiushui 110. In addition, another four indica and four japonica varieties were cultivated in the same field and time to analyze the elements in milled rice. The average concentrations of total P and phytic acid P were the highest in the bran, followed by milled rice and hull; Zn, K, Mg, and As concentrations were the highest in bran, followed by hull and milled rice, while Fe, Ca, and Cu concentrations were the highest in the hull, but similar in bran and milled rice. The result indicated that genotype and environment significantly affected the concentrations of all the tested elements, while the distribution of the above elements in grains was not in the same order as concentration. Moreover, all the elements except 97.7% of Cu and 93.2% of Fe was deposited in the hull on average, were mostly distributed either in the bran (37.3% and 57.7% for K and phytic acid P) or in milled rice (41.7%, 42.6%, 40.3%, 49.8% for Zn, Mg, As, total P, respectively).
Diet formulation techniques and lysine requirements of 1- to 22-day-old broilers

Two experiments were carried out to compare two techniques (amino acid supplementation and dilution) for formulating experimental diets for pre-starter (1 to 8 days) and starter (8 to 22 days) broiler chicks and to estimate digestible lysine requirements using the dose-response method. In each experiment, 1,200 male Cobb 500 chickens were randomly distributed according to a 5x2 factorial arrangement (lysine level x formulation technique) with six replicates of 20 birds each. For the supplemented diet, a basal diet was formulated to meet the nutritional requirements, then L-lysine HCl was added to achieve digestible lysine levels of 0.975, 1.082, 1.189, 1.296 and 1.403% in the pre-starter diets and 0.840, 0.932, 1.024, 1.116 and 1.208% in the starter diets. For the diluted diet, a diet high in crude protein (CP) and relatively low in lysine was formulated and to which was added a protein-free diet until lysine levels were similar to those described above for the supplemented diet. The results suggest that the dilution technique favored the performance potential and better met lysine requirements compared with the supplementation technique. Lysine levels required for optimal feed conversion ratio of broilers during the pre-starter and starter phases were estimated at 1.361 and 1.187%, which are equivalent to lysine intake of 0.340 and 0.797 g/day, respectively.
Measuring Well-being of Simulation Participants Using the World Health Organization-5 Well-being Index

Background: Simulated disaster is increasingly popular as an educational tool. Real-world response to disaster is known to cause psychological trauma, but little is known about the psychological effects of simulated disaster response. The World Health Organization-5 (WHO-5) well-being index is a brief, validated screening tool for wellbeing and depression risk. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of simulated disaster on well-being using the WHO-5. Methods: As part of an annual series of community-based disaster response simulation events, volunteers including community members, healthcare professionals and medical students were screened using the WHO-5 well-being index. Rates of well-being and depression risk were compared to national averages. Poor well-being was defined as a total score of ≤ 13 or 0 or 1 on any question. Results: A total of 29 (21 medical students) and 114 (19 medical students) individuals completed the survey after two separate events. Poor well-being was found in 24.1% (N=7) and 24.6% (N=28) of all responders and 23.8% (N=5) and 10.5% (N=2) of the medical student cohort after the preload and event, respectively. Majority age for total cohort (N=139) was between19-60 (93%) and 63% (N=88) were female. Conclusion: A minority of participants reported poor well-being in realistic disaster-simulation. However, community-based simulation exercises should increasingly consider well-being to ensure safety of training environments.
Effect of Calcium and Boron on the Ion Status, Carbohydrate and Proline Content, Gas Exchange Parameters and Growth Performance of Pomegranate cv. Wonderful Plants Grown Under NaCl Stress

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effects of sodium chloride (NaCl) on growth, nutrient status, carbohydrate and proline content and gas exchange parameters of pomegranate plants (Punica granatum L.) cv. Wonderful. One-year-old own-rooted pomegranate plants were grown for 58 days in a 1:1 sand–perlite medium. They were irrigated with nutrient solutions containing two concentrations of B (25 or 100 μΜ) in combination with 0, 40 or 80 mM NaCl and 1.0 or 10 mM CaCl2, respectively. At the end of the experiment, the greatest height was observed in plants treated with 1.0 or 10 mM CaCl or 100 μM B, whereas it was significantly reduced by the inclusion of NaCl into the nutrient solution. Similarly, a decline of fresh and dry matter weight was recorded in the treatment with 80 mM NaCl. The concentration of chlorophyll and carbohydrates in leaves was unaffected by the inclusion of NaCl into the nutrient solution, whereas in roots, the respective concentrations of carbohydrates were reduced by 50% compared to control. Moreover, as a result of salinity (mainly 80 mM NaCl), a decrease of photosynthetic parameters (photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance) was recorded, while proline concentration of leaves increased and that of roots was reduced. Finally, the inclusion of NaCl in the nutrient solution led to increased Na and Cl, reduced P and Mg in leaves, and P, K and Zn in roots. However, B, Fe and Mn concentrations were not affected by NaCl treatments
Does Evidence Challenge the Dsge Model?

ABSTRACT DSGE are for a time the favorite models in the simulation of monetary policies at the central banks. Two of its basic assumptions are discussed in this paper: (a) the absence of endogenous nonlinearities and the exogenous nature of shocks and (b) the persistence of or the return to equilibrium after a shock, or the absence of dynamics. Our analysis of complex financial markets, using historical data of S&P500, suggests otherwise that financial regimes endogenously change and that equilibrium is an artifact.
Capacitance Extraction for Microstrip Lines Using Conformal TechniqueBased on Finite-Difference Method

─ In this paper, a novel method using conformal technique of finite-difference method (FDM) is proposed to capacitance extraction of microstrip lines. Instead of deriving the average dielectric constant ε, this method uses electric field numerical weights to process the inhomogeneous cells, and takes the discontinuous effects of both inhomogeneous Ampere cell and Faraday cell into account. Besides, a new boundary condition is proposed, where the cells obeying exponential distribution are added at boundary. The new method shows good agreement with the measurement and traditional methods. Index Terms ─ Capacitance extraction, conformal technique, finite-difference method (FDM).
Semi-convection in the ocean and in stars: A multi-scale analysis

Fluid stratified by gravitation can be subject to a number of instabilities which eventually lead to a flow that causes enhanced mixing and transport of heat. The special case where a destabilizing temperature gradient counteracts the action of a stabilizing gradient in molecular weight is of interest to astrophysics (inside stars and giant planets) and geophysics (lakes, oceans) as well as to some engineering applications. The detailed dynamics of such a system depend on the molecular diffusivities of heat, momentum, and solute as well as system parameters including the ratio of the two gradients to each other. Further important properties are the formation and merging of well-defined layers in the fluid which cannot be derived from linear stability analysis. Moreover, the physical processes operate on a vast range of length and time scales. This has made the case of semi-convection, where a mean temperature gradient destabilizes the stratification while at the same time the mean molecular gradient tends to stabilize it, a challenge to physical modelling and to numerical hydrodynamical simulation. During the MetStrom project the simulation codes ANTARES and MITgcm have been extended such that they can be used for the simulations of such flows. We present a comparison of effective diffusivities derived from direct numerical simulations. For both stars and the oceanic regimes, the Nusselt numbers (scaled diffusivities) follow similar relationships. Semi-convection quickly becomes inefficient, because the formation of layers limits vertical mixing. In contrast to the complementary saltfingering, these layers tend to damp instabilities so that effective diffusivities of salinity (concentration) are up to two orders of magnitudes smaller than in the former case.
Antioxidative Activity and Phenols Content in Five Tropical Lamiaceae Plants

The total antioxidants content in five Lamiaceae plants were examined. Fresh Plecranthus amboinicus Lour. Indonesia leaves were collected from Jakarta, Indonesia and leaves of Plecranthus amboinicus Lour. Malaysia, Pogostemon cablin Benth. , Solenostemon scutellariodes Red and Solenostemon scutellariodes Mix Colour were collected from Kuantan, Malaysia. Leaves were freeze-dried, ground and extracted using methanol. The extracted leaves were determined the scavenging activity of the stable 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. Results showed that the P. cablin Benth. leaves exhibited the significant (p<0.05) highest degree of antioxidant activity (63.18%). It was followed by S. scutellariodes Red (54.81%) and S. scutellariodes Mix Colour (50.44%) which both showed significant differences (p<0.05). Both of the P. amboinicus Lour. Malaysia and P. amboinicus Lour. Indonesia displayed the lowest degree of antioxidant activity (p>0.05), i.e 47.07% and 45.38%, respectively. The P. cablin Benth. showed the total phenols (7.64 mg/g fw) but insignificant with the P. amboinicus Lour. Indonesia (7.42 mg/g fw), S. scutellariodes Red (7.32 mg/g fw) and P. amboinicus Lour. Malaysia (7.23 mg/g fw). Only the S. scutellariodes Mix Colour showed significantly (p0.05) compared total phenols (5.64 mg/g fw). This research provided a chemical basis for some of the health benefits claimed for in folk medicine and warrant further studies to develop it as a natural functional food.
From nanoclusters to climate forcers: global modeling of aerosol climate effects

Atmospheric aerosol particles influence everyday life through their adverse health effects. Aerosols also affect the Earth’s climate, directly by scattering and absorbing radiation and indirectly by acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and modifying cloud properties. The net effect of aerosols on climate is cooling. Although only a small fraction of atmospheric aerosol mass is of direct human origin, the anthropogenic aerosol climate forcing can be of same magnitude, but opposite in sign, as the anthropogenic forcing via CO2. As aerosols are short-lived and respond rapidly to changes in emissions, they are an important factor in determining the future climate change. Aerosols are either emitted as primary particles or they are formed from gas-phase precursors. Atmospheric new particle formation is observed around the world. In this thesis, new particle formation is studied with a global aerosol-climate model. Several thermodynamic and semiempirical parameterizations of nucleation are investigated. It is shown that in addition to the thermodynamic models, semi-empirical parameterizations are needed to explain the observed aerosol number concentrations. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can contribute to particle number, particle growth, and total aerosol mass. It was shown that biogenic VOCs have an important role in growing the freshly-nucleated particles to sizes capable of acting as CCN. It was also shown that the current atmospheric concentrations of nitric acid can greatly affect cloud droplet activation and increase the number of cloud droplets, making a large contribution to the indirect aerosols effect. With current scenarios for anthropogenic SO2 emissions, the formation of new particles will diminish significantly by the year 2100. Together with the predicted reductions in primary particles, the future cloud droplet number concentrations were shown to decrease close to pre-industrial levels. As a result, the anthropogenic aerosol forcing decreased close to zero. Several possible counteracting processes were studied. It was shown that an increase in either oceanic dimethyl sulfide (DMS) or biogenic VOC emission could provide more CCN and cooling in the future. Also, the differences in the predicted future trend of NOx and SO2 emissions indicate an increasingly important role for the indirect effects via nitric acid.
Early vegetation dynamics of Pinus tropicalis Morelet forests after experimental fire (W Cuba)

Pour la premiere fois, on etudie les effets du feu sur des forets de Pinus tropicalis (un arbre endemique a Cuba). En janvier 2002, on a effectue un brulage experimental dans une foret adulte de P. tropicalis dans le massif de Guaniguanico (Ouest de Cuba). Trois placettes permanentes ont ete installees dans la zone a etudier et on a analyse la composition et la structure de la vegetation une annee apres le feu. Les parametres ecologiques consideres ont ete : la richesse floristique, la diversite, l'abondance, les formes de vie et la strategie reproductive de la vegetation. Les resultats indiquent une augmentation de la richesse floristique et de l'abondance d'especes differentes. Trois especes endemiques sont apparues apres le feu et un changement significatif s'est produit dans les pourcentages des formes de vie, meme si la regeneration de la foret a ete tres pauvre. Le nombre d'especes se reproduisant par graines a diminue significativement tandis que le nombre d'especes egalement drageonnantes a augmente. Les resultats indiquent qu'on pourrait considerer le feu comme un outil sylvicole pour prevenir la propagation d'incendies forestiers si on considere l'etat de la vegetation des alentours.
Gestalt Grouping on Façade Textures from IR Image Sequences: Comparing Different Production Systems

The facades of buildings are almost always organized according to Gestalt principles such as good continuation, repetition in similarity, or symmetry etc. Coding such principles in production systems yields a very flexible frame to explore the usefulness of such principles in automatic facade understanding. Capturing images and image sequences of facades in the thermal domain and understanding such data is of importance e.g. for energy saving. In this contribution two different production systems are compared using the same data and interpreter.
From flatfish to sticklebacks: assemblage structure of epibenthic fauna in relation to macroalgal blooms

On the Swedish west coast, blooms of green macroalgae have become a common feature over recent decades. Assemblage structure of epibenthic fauna was studied in randomly selected shallow soft substratum bays, with and without macroalgae, using quantitative sampling techniques. The study was performed biannually (June and August) over 4 yr in 4 regions along the coast. Mat-forming macroalgae on average covered 35% of the surface area in vegetated bays, with an overall mean biomass of 100 g DW m–2. The assemblage structure of epibenthic fauna was different in the presence of macroalgae, a pattern which was consistent over years and regions. Within the subset of bays containing vegetation, there were no bay-scale relationships between the biomass of algae and the abundance, biomass or number of species of epibenthic fauna. However, a detailed analysis revealed that the species had different responses to an increase in algal biomass at the scale of individual samples (0.5 m2). The flatfish Pleuronectes platessa occurred predominantly in samples completely free of vegetation. The shrimp Crangon crangon and the gobies Pomatoschistus spp. were found most commonly in the open sand habitat, and rapidly decreased in abundance with increasing biomass of algae. Gobius niger, Mysidacea, Anguilla anguilla, Sygnathus typhle and Palaemon spp. were most prevalent at a low to moderate biomass of algae. Sticklebacks (Pungitius pungitius and Gasterosteus aculeatus) increased in abundance with increasing algal biomass, and remained dominant at the highest level of algal biomass recorded. Thus, macroalgal blooms have the potential to change the structure and function of shallow soft substratum habitats, lowering their value as nursery and feeding grounds for commercial fish species.
The Impact of Prices and Control Policies on Cigarette Smoking among College Students

Smoking among youths and young adults has been rising throughout the 1990â€™s. Numerous policies have been enacted to try to reverse this trend. However, little is known about the impact that these policies have on the smoking behavior of young adults. This study uses a dichotomous indicator of daily smoking participation in the past thirty days, an ordered measure representing the frequency of cigarette consumption and a quasi-continuous measure of the number of cigarettes smoked per day on average to examine the impact of cigarette prices, clean indoor air laws and campus level smoking policies on the smoking behaviors of a 1997 cross section of college students. The results of the analysis indicate that higher cigarette prices are associated with lower smoking participation and lower levels of use among college student smokers. Local and state level clean indoor air restrictions have a cumulative impact on the level of smoking by current smokers. Complete smoking bans on college campuses are associated with lower levels of smoking among current smokers but have no significant impact on smoking participation. Bans on cigarette advertising on campus as well as bans on the sale of cigarettes on campus have no significant effect on the smoking behavior of college student smoking behavior.
Effect of Suppressing Thoughts of Desire to Smoke on Ratings of Desire to Smoke and Tobacco Withdrawal Symptoms

Studies indicate that while suppressing smoking thoughts increases subsequent smoking, it may have no impact on desire to smoke. However, previous research has examined suppression of general smoking thoughts rather than thoughts specifically related to desire to smoke. The present study investigated whether suppression of thoughts of desire to smoke results in subsequently elevated ratings of desire to smoke. An experimental study examined the effects of suppressing thoughts of desire to smoke, versus expressing thoughts of desire to smoke, versus a control group thinking about anything, on ratings of desire to smoke and tobacco withdrawal symptoms at four time points (before manipulations, just after manipulations, 5 min after, 10 min after). In addition, effects of suppressing thoughts of desire to smoke on subsequent reports of thoughts of desire to smoke were examined. Suppressing the thoughts of desire to smoke caused thought rebound (i.e., greater subsequent reports of thoughts of desire to smoke). However, compared with control groups, this suppression did not elevate subsequent ratings of desire to smoke. Suppressing the thoughts of desire to smoke does not elevate subsequent ratings of this desire. Increased cigarette consumption following suppression of smoking thoughts may be mediated by mechanisms other than increased desire to smoke.
Capital Flows and the Current Account: Taking Financing (More) Seriously

This paper questions the appropriateness of popular analytical frameworks that focus on current accounts or net capital flows as a basis for assessing the pattern of cross-border capital flows, the degree of financial integration and the vulnerability of countries to financial crises. In the process, it revisits the Lucas paradox, the Feldstein-Horioka puzzle and the notion of sudden stops. It argues that, in a world of huge and free capital flows, the centrality of current accounts in international finance, and hence in academic and policy debates, should be reconsidered.
Susceptibility to Chilling Injury of Peach, Nectarine, and Plum Cultivars Grown in California

The susceptibility to chilling injury (CI) or internal breakdown (IB) was evaluated in the most currently planted yellow- and white-flesh peach (Prunuspersica (L.) Batsch) and nectarine (Prunus persica var. nectarine (L.) Batsch) and plum (Prunus salicina Lindel) cultivars from different breeding sources and fruit types. Cultivars were segregated into three categories (Cat. A, B, and C) according to their susceptibility to CI or IB symptoms (mealiness and flesh browning) when exposed to 0 OC or 5 OC storage temperatures. Cultivars in Cat. A did not develop any symptoms of CI after 5 weeks of storage at either temperature. Cultivars in Cat. B developed symptoms only when stored at 5 "C within 5 weeks of storage. Cultivars were classified in Cat. C when fruit developed CI symptoms at both storage temperatures within 5 weeks of storage. Most of the yellow- and white-flesh peach cultivars developed IB symptoms when stored at both storage temperatures (Cat. C). Most of the new nectarine cultivar introductions did not develop CI symptoms when stored at 0 OC or 5 OC after 5 weeks (Cat. A). Three out of six plum cultivars tested had CI symptoms within 5 weeks storage at 0 OC. However, all of the plum cultivars tested developed CI symptoms when stored at 5 OC (Cat. B). The importance of proper temperature management during postharvest handling was demonstrated.
Home safely after a night out

Objective: Besides knowledge this study examined the effectiveness of an educational intervention ‘Going out safely = Home safely’ on actual drinking behaviour, behavioural intention, attitude, and the relationship between self-esteem and assertiveness when dealing with peer pressure. Method: A zero measurement and posttest consisting of a questionnaire is conducted among three secondary schools in Overijssel, the Netherlands. The zero measurement is completed by 588 students, the posttest by 633 students, 445 students completed both tests and were included in the analysis. Results: Of the participants 48% indicated they have never drank alcohol. Paired Sample T-test indicate that knowledge is improved from M 11.28 to M 12.12 <. 01. Behavioural intention for alcohol use during live decreased from M 4.14 to M 3.92 p<. 01. Attitude about own drinking behaviour decreased significantly over all time spans p<. 01. Multiple regression analysis show that self-esteem and assertiveness are predictors for the level of difficulties adolescents experience when approaching peers about their behaviour. Conclusions: This is the first study which examined the effectiveness of the clinic ‘Going out safely = Home safely’. Results suggest the clinic improves knowledge and provides students a rational view on their own drinking behaviour. The clinic reduced the chance of drinking in the future and the chance of drinking driving. Last, the clinic ‘Going out Safely = Home safely’ shows students how to cope with peer pressure, which is one of the biggest influences among adolescents when starting drinking.