Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Angiotensin Gene Polymorphisms (T174M and M235T) are Significantly Associated with the Hypertensive Patients of Tamil Nadu, South India

Abstract Hypertension is complex multi factorial disease; the development and progression of hypertension varies from population to population. The T174M and M235T polymorphisms of the AGT gene have been reported to be associated with essential hypertension in many populations. The researchers analyzed the possible association of T174M and M235T polymorphisms of AGT gene in essential hypertension patients (n=254) of Tamil Nadu, India along with equal number of age and sex matched control subjects. Results revealed that 235T mutation is an independent risk factor for essential hypertension in this study group (RR = 2.52; χ2 = 39.32; CI = 1.89-3.371). It is a risk factor for both younger (RR = 2.72; χ2 = 16.39; CI = 1.689-4.380) and older age (RR = 2.48; χ2 = 16.53; CI = 1.60-3.839) groups. 174M is a more potent risk allele for younger onset (RR = 1.54; χ2 = 3.97; CI = 1.01-2.34) of hypertensive patients than in the older (RR = 1.09; χ2 = 0.14; CI = 1.42-1.67) essential hypertensive patients. Further both T174M and M235T polymorphisms were observed to be high risk factors in females than in males. Our finding suggested that both polymorphisms (M235T and T174M) are independent risk factors for essential hypertension while homozygous TT235 has greater effect than the MM174 mutation.
PERFORMANCE, PROFICIENCY AND LANGUAGE: EXPLORING FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO SECOND-LANGUAGE STUDENTS’ EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS

Literature suggests that teaching and learning mathematics through a second language (L2) is daunting. In South Africa, learning mathematics through English L2 is identified as the root cause of L2 students’ underperformance in this subject, partly because mathematics requires more specialized jargon that may not be available in L2 students’ home language. Nonetheless, some L2 students excel in mathematics and sometimes even outperform their English first-language counterparts. Yet little research explains this phenomenon. This qualitative case study investigated student teachers’ perceptions of factors contributing to their excellence in mathematics offered in undergraduate Bachelor of Education programmes in a South African university. The research question was: What do African L2 student teachers perceive as factors contributing to their excellence in mathematics? Data were collected through a questionnaire and interviews and triangulated with students’ academic records, followed by thematic data analysis. Participants included eleven African student teachers and three mathematics graduates. Participants’ views differed on the contribution of language to their excellence in mathematics. Some participants perceived human agency as vital to their excellence. These results provide a fresh, positive and different perspective on research in mathematics, as they illustrate that African students have unique within-individual capacities to excel in this subject. Keyword: Language; Performance; Proficiency.
Sustainable tourism certification marketing and its contribution to SME market access.

This chapter considers whether certifying (small- and medium-sized) tourism businesses for sustainability will contribute to greater consumer interest and build the market for ecotourism and sustainable tourism. The chapter reviews the literature on green consumer behaviour and sustainable tourism demand and the limited works available on the market for certified sustainable tourism. It also investigates key marketing challenges (as presented in the literature) in the green and sustainability marketplaces with respect to positioning, branding, business-to-business promotion and distribution. It is concluded that, while certification may be a valid method to involve businesses in quality and sustainability oversight of their businesses, there is insufficient evidence to suggest that certification of sustainable tourism will have market benefits, and that such benefits should not be used to justify government, NGO or donor support of tourism certification.
An investigation of the differences in ethical perceptions among construction managers and their peers

Previous research on ethical perceptions of managers and their peers show a consistent result, managers think they have higher ethical standards than their peers. The aim of this paper is to study the ethical perceptions of construction managers and their peers. The method for conducting the study is through a questionnaire survey among UK construction managers. Three hundred and seven questionnaires were distributed; ninety-three completed questionnaires were completed and returned. The overall results show that the construction mangers believe they have higher ethical standards than their peers. The ethical perceptions which are exceptions to this are cooperation between firms to establish common prices is an unfair act and whistleblowing, the respondents think their peers have higher ethical standards on these two issues. The managers in the current and previous studies think they are more ethical than their peers on dealing with the issue such as having low level of personal honesty. The difference between the current and previous studies is that the construction mangers think they have much higher ethical standards than their peers on the issue providing trade secrets in order to exchange for personal benefits.
Carbon burial on river‐dominated continental shelves: Impact of historical changes in sediment loading adjacent to the Mississippi River

Seabed cores collected on the continental shelf adjacent to the Mississippi River show a direct temporal correlation between decreases in mass accumulation rate (factor of 2–3) and suspended sediment loads in the river. This mid 20th century decline is not apparent shelf‐wide due to sediment focusing and biological seabed mixing. Total organic carbon diagenetic loss rate across this sediment age interval is relatively uninterrupted when corrected for the non‐steady state mass flux. This suggests that organic carbon burial rates in oxic bottom water settings on river‐dominated continental margins are directly proportional to lithogenic flux. Variations in OM remineralization rates due to changes in the composition (marine vs. terrestrial) of the particulate OM flux at the sediment surface are a second‐order effect that cannot be distinguished in the bulk carbon sediment record at these oxic sites; although they may significantly alter the OM degradation‐induced CO2 flux to the overlying water column.
A COMPARISON OF BID-ASK SPREAD PROXIES: EVIDENCE FROM BORSA ISTANBUL FUTURES

We analyze the performance of five different methods appearing in the market microstructure literature in predicting effective and quoted bid-ask spreads (Roll, LOT Mixed, Effective Tick, High-Low and Closing Percent Quoted Spread proxies). With data from index futures, currency futures and gold futures traded in Borsa Istanbul and taking percent effective and percent quoted spreads obtained from intraday trade and quote data as benchmarks, we calculate and compare the correlations and root mean square errors of the spread measures. Results show that none of the proxies is successful enough in estimating effective or quoted spread although under normal market conditions, Effective Tick appears to perform best. Keywords: bid-ask spread, Borsa Istanbul, futures market JEL Classification: G10, G14, G23
Affect-matching music improves cognitive performance in adults and young children for both positive and negative emotions

Three experiments assessed the hypothesis that cognitive benefits associated with exposure to music only occur when the perceived emotion expression of the music and the participant’s affective state match. Experiment 1 revealed an affect-matching pattern modulated by gender when assessing high-arousal states of opposite valence (happy/angry) in an adult sample (n = 94) in which mood classification was based on self-report, and affective valence in music was differentiated by mode and other expressive cues whilst keeping tempo constant (139 BPM). The affect-matching hypothesis was then tested in two experiments with children using a mood-induction procedure: Experiment 2 tested happy/angry emotions with, respectively, 3–5-year-old (n = 40) and 6–9-year-old (n = 40) children, and Experiment 3 compared happy/sad emotions (i.e., states differing both for valence and arousal profiles) with 3–5-year-old children (n = 40), using music pieces differentiated also by fast vs. slow tempo. While young children failed to discriminate systematically between fast tempo music conveying different emotions, they did display cognitive benefits from exposure to affect-matching music when both valence (e.g., mode) and arousal level (e.g. tempo) differentiated the musical excerpts, with no gender effects.
METABOLIC CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN OVARIAN CARCINOMA BY 1H-NMR SPECTROSCOPY.

There is today an increasing interest in studies reporting high levels of choline containing compounds (tCho), notably phosphocholine (PCho) in cancers in vivo and in vitro as compared to the corresponding non tumoral cells and tissues. Only a few studies have focused attention on ovarian cancer, a neoplasia portrayed as an insidious disease or silent killer that causes no symptoms and is hardly detected at first stages, with a 5-year survival still remaining at about 44%. Purpose of the present study is to evaluate the biochemical and functional significance of aberrant tCho content in ovarian cancer. To this end, we used different preclinical models and surgical samples analyzed by a number of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) techniques, i.e. in vitro 1H MRS of cells and tissue extracts, in vivo MRS of EOC xenografts in immuno-deficient mice, ex vivo High Resolution (HR) MRS and magic angle spinning (MAS) analyses of intact tissues samples, complemented with the molecular biological approaches.
On the nature of the chromospheric fine structure - I. Dynamics of dark mottles and grains

We analyze a time series of forty high spatial and temporal resolution two-dimensional intensity and Doppler velocity images at different wavelengths within the Hα line. The observations were obtained with the Multichannel Subtractive Double Pass (MSDP) spectrograph at THEMIS. We study the morphology of dark mottles and grains as seen in different wavelengths and examine their relation to the MDI magnetic field topology. We determine some physical properties of dark mottles with an inversion technique based on an iterative cloud model method with constant source function, giving the optical thickness τ0, the Doppler width ∆λD, the velocity v and the source function S distribution along a structure. The obtained global properties of mottles as well as the spatial and temporal evolution of several physical parameters along the axes of individual mottles are discussed. The derived velocities in mottles as a function of space and time (time slice images) exhibit a quasi-periodic, bi- directional pattern. It is suggested that magnetic reconnection is the mechanism responsible for their formation and dynamics. Furthermore, a similar quasi-periodic behaviour of the Doppler velocity variations in dark grains and their morphological characteristics both suggest the similarity of dark mottles and grains.
Eutrophication and effects of algal bloom in the south–western part of the Curonian Lagoon alongside the Curonian Spit

The Curonian Lagoon is the largest coastal lagoon of the Baltic Sea. The Curonian Lagoon is a hypereutrophic water body beset with two major problems: eutrophication and algal blooms. Biological and chemical data for the study of water eutrophication and algal blooms were collected from 4 sampling points in the coastal and off-shore areas at distances of 1 km and 4–5 km from the Curonian Spit during the period from April 2007 to November 2016. The ratio of mineral nitrogen/phosphorus forms created conditions for regular Cyanobacteria hyperblooms during the summer and early autumn. Such blooms are followed by an increase in the concentration of ammonia nitrogen, pH and BOD5, their values exceeding the threshold limits for fishery water reservoirs. A distinct peak of chlorophyll a concentration was observed in the period of freshwater Cyanobacteria hyperbloom from July to September or October. During the “hyperbloom” of Cyanobacteria, their accumulation and decomposition, which was caused by a constant wind direction, also led to the local oxygen deficit and fish mortality in the coastal zone. Chlorophyll a concentration was always at the level of intensive bloom (10–100 μg/l) and over the period of 6 years (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016) it reached the hyperbloom state (above 100 μg/l). Water temperature appeared to be one of the key factors determining seasonal and long–term variability in phytoplankton abundance and, therefore, the level of eutrophication in the Curonian Lagoon.
Evaluating Satellite-Based Diurnal Cycles of Precipitation in the African Tropics

AbstractPrecipitation plays a major role in the energy and water cycles of the earth. Because of its variable nature, consistent observations of global precipitation are challenging. Satellite-based precipitation datasets present an alternative to in situ–based datasets in areas sparsely covered by ground stations. These datasets are a unique tool for model evaluations, but the value of satellite-based precipitation datasets depends on their application and scale. Numerous validation studies considered monthly or daily time scales, while less attention is given to subdaily scales. In this study subdaily satellite-based rainfall data are analyzed in West Africa, a region with strong diurnal variability. Several satellite-based precipitation datasets are validated, including Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA), TRMM 3G68 products, Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information Using Artificial Neural Networks (PERSIANN), and Climate Prediction C.
SIRE-DP-2013-118 Spatial Takeoff in the First Industrial Revolution

Using the framework of Desmet and Rossi-Hansberg (forthcoming), we present a model of spatial takeoff that is calibrated using spatially-disaggregated occupational data for England in c.1710. The model predicts changes in the spatial distribution of agricultural and manufacturing employment which match data for c.1817 and 1861. The model also matches a number of aggregate changes that characterise the first industrial revolution. Using counterfactual geographical distributions, we show that the initial concentration of productivity can matter for whether and when an industrial takeoff occurs. Subsidies to innovation in either sector can bring forward the date of takeoff while subsidies to the use of land by manufacturing firms can significantly delay a takeoff because it decreases spatial concentration of activity. JEL Classifications: O11; O18; O33; N13; N93; R12.
Association and Genetic Assessment in Brinjal

Brinjal is an important vegetable that directly consumed as cooked form. Fifteen brinjal genotypes were sown under randomized complete block design with three replications to determine the genetic variability existed for six yield contributed traits. Environmental error seemed to be low as minor differences observed genotypic and phenotypic variance. Most of the traits showed significant correlation with the fruit yield. Cluster analysis grouped genotypes in three clusters; selection from the genotypes belong to cluster 1 showed high genetic diversity for leaf length, leaf width and fruit diameter. PC3 showed maximum diversity for fruit yield. In future, breeding for high fruit yield, genotype VRIB-1-2013 could be of better choice.
GENETIC DIVERSITY IN MAIZE INBREDS UNDER EXCESS SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION

Genetic diversity study was done in 64 maize inbreds grown under excess soil moisture condition.The genotypes were grouped into eight clusters. It was observed that all intercluster distances were larger than all intracluster distances. Such results indicated that genotypes included within a cluster had less diversity among themselves but wider genetic diversity among the inbreds of different clusters. The highest inter cluster distance was observed between cluster IV & VII followed by IV & V , IV & VIII, II & VII and I & IV. The highest intra cluster distance was noticed in cluster V and the lowest was in cluster VII. The highest yield/plant, cob girth, number of rows/ear, number of grains/plant, SPAD value and number of nodes with brace roots were observed in cluster IV. The lowest mean value for yield/plant yield components and dwarf statured plant were observed in cluster VII. The plant height, ear height,days to 50% tasseling and silking, cob length, cob girth, 100 grain weight and SPAD value contributed considerably to total divergence. The genetically diverged genotypes in these distinct clusters could be used as parents in hybridization program for getting desirable hybrid(s).
Air Pollution, Allergic Co-morbidity, and Emergency Department Visit for Pediatric Asthma in Taiwan

Background: Alterations in allergic susceptibility are a central feature of several chronic respiratory diseases. This study was conducted to determine whether variation in individual allergic susceptibility alters the air pollution effects on attacks of pediatric asthma. Methods: Daily records of personal asthma emergency department visits among children in school-age and ambient air pollutant concentration were obtained from 2000 to 2008 in Taipei basin, Taiwan. Subjects who had ever had a clinical visit in the departments of otolaryngology and pediatrics or a visit to the emergency department due to allergic rhinitis before their first asthma-related emergency department visit were defined as having allergic rhinitis co-morbidities. A time-stratified approach for the case-crossover technique and a conditional logistic regression were used to examine whether allergic comorbidity modified air pollution-induced asthma attacks. Results: Particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) was found to be associated with asthma-related emergency department visits on the day of exposure among children with allergic rhinitis co-morbidity (2 nd quartile OR = 1.19; 3 rd quartile OR = 1.37; 4 th quartile OR = 1.38). High ozone levels were associated with emergency room visits for asthma on a 1-day lag assumption among children with allergic rhinitis co-morbidity (4 th quartile OR = 1.38). Conclusion: The negative effects of air pollution were observed for subjects who had an allergic co-morbidity. The variation in allergic co-morbidity was associated with differences in susceptibility to the adverse effects of air pollutants on respiratory disease.
Creating Sustainable Businesses by Reducing Food Waste: A Value Chain Framework for Eliminating Inefficiencies

This study proposes a systematic value chain approach to helping businesses identify and eliminate inefficiencies. The authors have developed a robust framework, which food-sector entrepreneurs can use to increase profitability of an existing business or to create new profitable opportunities. The value chain approach provides win-win opportunities for players within the value chain. To test the robustness of the framework, the authors use food waste as an example of a critical inefficiency and apply it to two different food sector business cases, each operating in diverse conditions. Because the suggested framework addresses the core elements and parameters for the existence and competitiveness of a business, the model can be adapted to other sectors.
A CONTRASTIVE STUDY OF TENSE-ASPECT IN THE CATALAN/ENGLISH ORAL PRODUCTION OF A YOUNG BILINGUAL

This paper examines the Aspect Hypothesis based on spontaneous oral production data collected for a longitudinal case study of a child growing up bilingual in Catalan and English in a Catalan environment (see Perez Vidal 1995; Juan Garau 1996). Our main purpose is to focus on the development of the child's tense and aspect morphology, over the period between 2;5 and 3;4, within his overall verbal development. This is done for his two languages at similar stages of development measured in MLU, which correspond to different ages, as the child's bilingual competence is unbalanced. We seek to clarify how developing inflections align with aspect and tense categories, and also whether this association varies for each of the child's two languages and whether it varies with respect to monolingual development. Results indicate that verbal development proceeds on very similar lines for both languages and according to the same pattern as monolingual acquisition. Both progressive and past inflections are initially restricted to verbs of a particular inherent aspect.
Rethinking Banks Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Nigeria

The Nigerian economy is faced with a mult iplicity of challenges ranging fro m h igh unemp loyment rate, poverty, corruption, youth restiveness, security and political crises which threatens investments, economic gro wth and the goal of the Nigerian banks to be the financial hub of Africa in the year 2020 as well as the nation's goal to be one among the top 20 largest economies in the world by the year 2020. Since banks provide linkages to all sectors of the economy, there is need for the Nigerian banks to rethin k Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in all the key sectors (such as education, power, health, agriculture, and small and mediu m-sized enterprises) of the economy. Th is study examines how socially responsible is the Nigerian banks in addressing these challenges and enhancing the economic gro wth of Nigeria through Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) financing, wh ich is one of the key sector that can drive the economic growth of the nation. Using the data on commercial banks loans to SMEs provided by the CBN statistical bulletin for the period of ten years (fro m 2001-2010). The results of the descriptive statistics and sample t-test shows that, bank consolidation in Nigeria has led to a decline in SM Es financing to less than one percent on average in the study period, and there is no significant improvement in SMEs financing in Nigeria before and after bank consolidation. This clearly indicates that Nigerian Banks are not committed to their CSR (economic responsibilities) of financing to SM Es which is critical in mitigating these economic challenges and enhancing economic growth. The study recommends among others that, there should be further diversification in SM Es financing. In order to improve the CSR of Nigerian banks, there is also the need for banks to help in the training of SM Es owners as a matter of necessity on the need to maintain proper accounting records in the country.