Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using Visible and Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry to Study Starch, Protein, and Temperature Effects on Bread Staling

ABSTRACT Starch, protein, and temperature effects on bread staling were investigated using visible and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Bread staling was mainly due to amylopectin retrogradation. NIRS measured amylopectin retrogradation accurately in different batches. Three important wavelengths, 970 nm, 1,155 nm, and 1,395 nm, were associated with amylopectin retrogradation. NIRS followed moisture and starch structure changes when amylopectin retrograded. The amylose-lipid complex changed little from one day after baking. The capability of NIRS to measure changes in the retrograded amylose-lipid complex was limited. Two important wavelengths, 550 nm and 1,465 nm, were key for NIRS to successfully classify the starch-starch (SS) and starch-protein (SP) bread based on different colors and protein contents in SS and SP. Low temperature dramatically accelerated the amylopectin retrogradation process. Protein retarded bread staling, but not as much as temperature.
Inheritance in Germany 1911 to 2009 : A mortality multiplier approach

We estimate the size of inheritance and gift flows in Germany for selected years over the last century. Applying the methodology used by Piketty (2011) for France, we combine national accounts, tax statistics and survey data (mainly the German Socio-Economic Panel, SOEP). The data supports the finding of a U-shaped evolution. The annual flow of inheritance and gifts was almost 15% of national income in 1911 and declined to less then 2% by the middle of the last century. Over the last five decades, it has risen steadily to over 10% of national income in recent years, amounting to e220 billion in 2009. The pattern is close to the evolution in France, but at a slightly lower level. Evidence on transfers based on pure household survey data or inheritance tax statistics yields much lower values. We can decompose the gap between the taxed and the aggregate inheritance flow: controlling for valuation and tax evasion effects, the taxed flow would be at least twice as high; tax exemption effects account for the rest. JEL Codes: D31, H24, N34. Contact of the author: schinke@ifo.de.
Title : Sacred activism through seva and khidmat : Contextualising management and organisations in South Asia Running head : Sacred activism through seva and khidmat

What if our actions were imbued with the sacred? What if activism in organisations evokes better local society and responsible global community? What if sacred activism signals the performance of a deeper understanding and mindful actions for contextualising management and organisations in South Asia? These are some of the questions we pose to scholars and practitioners as we seek to present the multiplexities and singularities that epitomise South Asia. We address the braided realities and opportunities presented by religion, culture, ethnicity, gender and governance to contextualise organisations and management among the 1.67 billion people who constitute South Asia. We calligraph our interpretations and future possibilities based on historical traditions and extant data, mindful that some parts of this vast region are grappling with religious radicalisation, East-West tensions, underdevelopment, low literacy rates, violence against women, and international debts and handouts. This heterogeneous region also has a major BRICS country (i.e., India), provides CEOs to the world, scientists to NASA, outsourcing facilities to global corporations, has a young population, a huge middle class, and is actively participating in mergers and acquisitions in the global corridors of commerce. Our poignant hope is to inform and suggest possibilities for constructing enriching engagements and research in this region.
Smart and Strategic Procurement, Use and Maintenance Partnerships in Engineering Equipment for Sustainable Development and Training in Sub-Saharan Africa using a Systems Thinking Approach

Most engineering institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa generally suffer from the persistent shortage and lack of accessibility to modern engineering equipment for the training of engineers. The old and obsolete equipment available, invariably pose challenges on the caliber of engineers being churned out to run industries in these developing countries. Based on research carried out at four engineering institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa through data collection and analysis, a smart procurement, use and maintenance strategy in the form of strategic partnerships with industry was formulated using a systems thinking approach. This paper looks at the development of this strategy and how the proposed partnerships can help in sustainable development, capacity building and ultimately bridging the gap between industry and academia. The implementation of this novel approach at the University of Zimbabwe has brought immense benefits such as students and staff access to modern equipment and technology.
A tracer study of the Arctic Ocean's liquid freshwater export variability

[1] We present an analysis of the variability of the liquid Arctic freshwater (FW) export, using a simulation from the Community Climate System Model Version 3 (CCSM3) that includes passive tracers for FW from different sources. It is shown that the FW exported through the western Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) comes mainly from the Pacific and from North American runoff. The variability of the FW export from both of these sources is generally in phase, due to the strong influence of variations of the velocity anomaly on the CAA FW export variability. The velocity anomaly in the CAA is in turn mainly governed by variations in the large-scale atmospheric circulation (i.e., the Arctic Oscillation). In Fram Strait, the FW export is mainly composed of Eurasian runoff and FW of Pacific origin. The variability of the Fram Strait FW export is governed both by changes in the velocity and in the FW concentration, and the variability of the FW concentration from the two largest sources is not in phase. The Eurasian runoff export through Fram Strait depends strongly on the release of FW from the Eurasian shelf, which occurs during years with an anticyclonic circulation anomaly (negative Vorticity index) and takes 3 years to reach Fram Strait after leaving the shelf. In contrast, the variability of the Pacific FW export through Fram Strait is mainly controlled by changes in the Pacific FW storage in the Beaufort Gyre, with an increased export during years with a cyclonic circulation anomaly (positive Vorticity index).
Population biology and grazing processes of the sea urchin Centrostephanus tenuispinus (Clark, 1914) inhabiting coral and macroalgal dominated reefs

Sea urchins play a key role as herbivores and bio-eroders, impacting the organization and structure in many marine benthic habitats. Hall Bank reef (32°2.002´S and 115°42.957´E) off Western Australia is unique having high coral cover, which is unusual for high latitude reefs. Although the high density of Centrostephanus tenuispinus is believed to be the reason for the absence of macroalgae, lack of knowledge on the biology and ecology of this species hampers our understanding of the functioning these reefs. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the role of C. tenuispinus in structuring and functioning of Hall Bank reef with respect to macroalgae-dominated Minden Reef. Benthic surveys and monthly sample collections were carried out at two sites, to assess temporal variation of substrate cover, urchin density, reproductive patterns, feeding habits and bio-erosion. Higher density (2.94 ± 0.14 m-2) of C. tenuispinus with small tests at Hall Bank reef indicated low food availability, while lower densities (0.14 ± 0.01 m-2) of larger urchins at Minden Reef indicated high productivity in the habitat. A clear synchronised annual reproductive cycle was recorded. The gametogenic cycle was initiated by decreasing seawater temperature and day length in March, leading to spawning in winter. Minden Reef urchins had a higher Gonadosomatic Index, coinciding with high food availability. Less seasonal variability in substrate composition influenced the reduced variability in diet at Hall Bank reef while pronounced seasonal variation in the diet of Minden Reef urchins coincided with seasonal changes of substrate cover. Bio-erosion rates were positively correlated with sea water temperature. The annual bio-erosion rate in Hall Bank reef was 1017.69 g CaCO3 m-2 y-1. Changes in the population of Centrostephanus tenuispinus, being the dominant grazer and bio-eroder in Hall Bank reef, can greatly influence the structure and species composition of the reef, and could lead to ecological phase shifts in this reef system at extremes. The comprehensive knowledge acquired through this study on Centrostephanus tenuispinus provides baseline data for the region on this particular species which could be used in monitoring and managing reefs with current trends in climate change.
Product Market Competition and Dividend Payouts of Listed Non-Financial Firms in Nigeria

This study sought to examine the impact of product market competition on the dividend payout of non-financial firms listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Data were collected on 76 non-financial firms for 11 years covering 1997–2007 and were analyzed using pooled OLS regression method with robust standard errors. Product market competition was measured by the reciprocal of market power. Our results showed that market power had a positive and significant impact on dividend payment suggesting that product market competition impact negatively on dividend payout of firms in Nigeria. Other factors that significantly and positively influenced dividend payment include profitability and size of firms while firms classified in the manufacturing sub-sector of the exchange paid significantly higher dividends than firms in the commercials and services’ sub-sectors. Finally firms that were financially constrained were found to pay significantly lower dividends compared with firms without financial constraints suggesting that Cash flow had a significant impact on dividend payout of firms in Nigeria.
Weak and Proper Efficiency in Set-Valued Optimization on Real Linear Spaces

In this paper, we extend the notion of cone-subconvexlikeness of set-valued maps on topological linear spaces to set-valued maps on linear spaces, (that is, general linear spaces without any particular topology), and we provide several characterizations. An alternative theorem is also established for this kind of maps. Using the notion of vector closure introduced recently by Adán and Novo, we also provide, in this framework, an adaptation of the proper efficiency in the sense of Benson for set-valued maps. The previous notion and results are then applied to obtain optimality conditions of weak efficiency and a characterization of Benson proper efficiency by means of scalarization and multipliers rules.
How to iNNvestigate neural networks' predictions!

In recent years, deep neural networks have revolutionized many application domains of machine learning and are key components of many critical decision or predictive processes such as autonomous driving or medical image analysis. In these and many other domains it is crucial that specialists can understand and analyze actions and predictions, even of the most complex neural network architectures. Despite these arguments neural networks are often treated as black boxes and their complex internal workings as well as the basis for their predictions are not fully understood. In the attempt to alleviate this shortcoming many analysis methods were proposed, yet the lack of reference implementations often makes a systematic comparison between the methods a major effort. In this tutorial we present the library iNNvestigate which addresses the mentioned issue by providing a common interface and out-of-the-box implementation for many analysis methods. In the first part we will show how iNNvestigate enables users to easily compare such methods for neural networks. The second part will demonstrate how the underlying API abstracts common operations in neural network analysis and show how users can use them for the development of (future) methods. iNNvestigate and the tutorial resources are available at: https://github.com/albermax/innvestigate
The Impact of English-only and Bilingual Approaches to EFL Instruction on Low-achieving Bilinguals in Cameroon: An Empirical Study

The aim of this paper is to investigate whether low-achieving bilingual EFL learners perform better in grammar and speaking when French, their first language of literacy, is used in the EFL classroom. A two-phase experiment involving teaching two grammar lessons and two speaking lessons to a control group in English only and to an experimental group with the use of French where appropriate was carried out for the purpose. Each group’s mean percentage improvement after each phase of the experiment was compared to their respective scores in the baseline. The analyses of data revealed that the experimental group obtained the higher mean improvement in the two experiments, both in grammar and speaking tests. This led to the conclusion that the use of French in the EFL classroom does not hinder learning. Rather, French is an effective scaffolding tool in the EFL classroom in Cameroon.
Impact of Physicochemical Characteristics of Colluvial and Alluvial Soils on Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn Content (East Poland)

The physical and chemical parameters of soils play an important role in the binding and migration of trace elements in the environment. The study attempts to assess the correlation between the basic characteristics of colluvial and alluvial soils and the concentration of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn. This will make it possible to indicate the key factors determining the binding of metals in soils. The studied soils were located in an agricultural region in Eastern Poland and subjected to generally low anthropogenic pollution. Sixteen profiles (160 samples) were analysed for total heavy metals content and selected soil properties: grain size distribution, soil organic matter (SOM) content, pH, Fe and Mn content. We used three statistical methods: principal component analysis, cluster analyses and Pearson`s correlations coefficient. Relations for colluvial and alluvial soils were different. SOM content was characteristic for the highest positive correlations with the heavy metals. The most distinct correlations with this parameter occur in the case of lead. No correlations with pH were found, the correlations with the particular fraction content were weak. Strong but diversified correlations occurred in the case of Fe and Mn. In general stronger correlations with soil characteristics were found for samples with the low heavy metals content; anthropogenic impact causing the disruption of natural correlations.
Capital Asset Pricing Model: Should We Stop Using It?

The Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) predicts that expected returns on securities are a positive linear function of their market ß s (betas) and market ß is adequate to describe the cross-section of expected returns. There is a controversy regarding the empirical validity of CAPM. This article reviews the content and scope of the model, examines the issues in the controversy, and provides an empirical assessment of the model in India. It notes that the evidence is not sufficient to drop the use of CAPM; one must, however, recognize and understand its limitations.
Lavandula stoechas subsp. luisieri and L. pedunculata - phytochemical study, micromorphology and histochemistry Lavandula stoechas subsp. luisieri e L. pedunculata - estudo fitoquímico, micromorfologia e histoquímica

Extracts of different polarities were obtained from plants of Lavandula stoechas subsp. luisieri and Lavandula pedunculata collected in the Center and Southwest Portugal. In order to have an idea on the possible classes of compounds present in each extract, they were subjected to a preliminary phytochemical screening through thin layer chromatography on silica gel plates, developed in appropriated mixtures of eluents and revealed with the specific reagents. Both taxa showed a hydrophilic and lipophilic chemical composition, being more diverse in L. stoechas subsp. luisieri. The micromorphology and histochemistry of secretory structures were also investigated by light and scanning electron microscopy. The common types of glandular trichomes, found in the Lamiaceae, peltate and capitate type I and II, were identified in each species as well as non-glandular stellate trichomes. In addition to these, L. pedunculata also presented capitate type III trichomes and still more two types of secretory trichomes: i) stellate type with both glandular and non glandular arms and ii) another type of capitate trichome, with a long and broad stalk formed by 2 cells, the basal is conical and much larger than the second, this similar to a ring, which supports a pluricelular head. These types of trichomes appear in the leaves but predominate in the flowers. The histochemical tests confirmed the existence of hydrophilic and lipophilic metabolites in glandular trichomes, except in the peltate hairs of the leaves of L. stoechas subsp. luisieri where only lipophilic secretions prevail.
Intentions to use mobile services: Antecedents and cross-service comparisons

This article develops and tests a model to explain consumers’ intention to use mobile services. Through triangulating theories from the diverse fields of information systems research, uses and gratification research, and domestication research, the authors put forth an integrated model that explains intention to use mobile services. The model proposes four overall influences on usage intention: motivational influences, attitudinal influences, normative pressure, and perceived control. The authors study the type of interactivity and process characteristics associated with the service that moderate the effects on the relationship between the proposed antecedents and usage intention. The results from empirical studies of four mobile services show strong support for the effects of motivational influences, attitudinal influences, normative pressure, and perceived control on consumers’ intentions to use mobile services. Some of the effects are moderated by process characteristics (goal-directed vs. experiential services) that are associated with the service.
Sorting Search Results of Literature Digital Libraries: Recent Developments and Future Research Directions

An OLDL (Online Literature Digital Library) is a library in which collections, i.e., publications from one or more domains of study, are stored in digital formats (as opposed to print, microform, or other media) and accessible by users through the Internet. Examples of wellknown OLDLs are IEEE Xplore (IEEE Xplore, 2008), ACM Portal (ACM Digital Library, 2008), CiteSeer (CiteSeer, 2008), Google Scholar (Google Scholar, 2008), and PubMed (PubMed, 2008). Digital libraries are rapidly growing in popularity. For instance, ScienceDirect (ScienceDirect, 2008), the world’s leading scientific, technical and medical information resource celebrated its billionth article download in November’06 since launched in 1999. Besides usage, digital libraries are also rapidly growing in terms of size and diversity of topics. For instance, (i) in Computer Science, ACM Digital Library (ACM Digital Library, 2008) has close to one million full-text publications collected over 50 years, to search and download; (ii) in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, IEEE Xplore (IEEE Xplore, 2008), another OLDL, provides users with on-line access to more than 1,700 selected conferences proceedings. These high growth rates introduced several challenges facing the information access capability of OLDLs. Next we list few challenges that probably guides future research related to LDLs. Challenge 1: Large Sizes and Topic Diversity of Search Output Results. Search outputs of OLDLs tend to suffer from the “topic diffusion” problem, where commonly, keyword-based searches produce a large number of publications over a large number of topics, where not all topics are of interest to the user. One way to solve this problem is to assign scores to search results ( i.e., publications). Assigning scores to publications helps OLDLs to present the most important relevant publications to the user first, Citation-based publication score measures (e.g., citation count) are commonly used for ranking publications. At the present time, OLDLs lack effective and accurate publication ranking. Challenge 2: Lack of Effective Scoring Functions for Publications. At the present time, OLDLs lack effective and accurate publication rankings (Ratprasartporn et al., 2007). Providing accurate publication scores can help users in reducing the time spent in searching OLDLs, and thus enhances the scalability of OLDL usage as users can quickly identify important relevant publications to their topic of interest.
Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration increases rice blast severity

The predicted atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration's increases are likely to alter plant-pathogen interactions. To assess the effects on rice blast, during three years (2007, 2008 and 2009), three rice cultivars (Agulha Precoce, Shao Tiao Tsao and Caloro) were exposed to elevated CO2 air concentration (approximately 100 - 300 µmol mol-1 higher than ambient) in open-top chamber facility. The disease was more severe under high CO2 concentration. Area under disease progress curve was 35.43 under high CO2 concentration and 17.48 for the current concentration. Leaves of treated plants tended to contain less silicon. In 2009, plant height of two cultivars was greater in high CO2. Understanding and predicting the climate-driven changes in the agroecosystem may allow the development of adaptation strategies in order to minimize crop losses.
The number of niches in intestinal helminth communities of Anguilla anguilla: are there enough spaces for parasites?

SUMMARY The suggestion that there may be a limit to the number of niches available to helminth species in the intestine of Anguilla anguilla was investigated by examining the frequency distributions of the number of helminth species per eel and the relationships between maximum and mean infracommunity richness and component community richness in 1 locality over 17 years and in 64 localities throughout Ireland and England. The maximum number of species per eel did not exceed 4 in the 1 locality, or 3 in the 64 localities. In both the single and the several localities, the relationship between maximum and mean infracommunity richness and component community richness was curvilinear and best described by a power or polynomial function. This was interpreted to mean that infracommunity richness became increasingly independent of component community richness, and that infracommunities were saturated at values well below the higher level of helminth richness immediately available for colonization i.e. component community richness. It is argued that these findings cannot be explained by supply-side ecology, pool exhaustion or transmission rates, but only by infracommunity processes acting to impose a fixed limit to the number of species in an infracommunity. Most infracommunities are species poor, and the limiting factors will only operate as species richness rises to determine a maximum. Acceptance of a limit to the number of niches available also resolves the apparent inconsistency between the occurrence and importance of interspecific competition and the nature of isolationist communities.