Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of pre - soaking treatments on germination and growth of cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) rootstocks

Cashew is one of the major foreign exchange earning horticulture crops of India. Though India exports annually about 1.2 lakh tonnes of cashew kernels worth about ~ 2,500 crores (Bhat et al., 2007), shortage of raw nuts still remains to be the major problem in the cashew industry and export earnings. India with the largest share of land under cashew (24.0%) produces only 19% of the world's total produce. Vietnam on the other hand, has hardly 10% of the world's cashew farming area but contributes 34% of the cashew nut produced worldwide (Islam, 2009). One of the major production constraints in the country is that most of the plantations are senile and unproductive which has to be replaced with clones of high yielding variety (Huballi, 2009). To boost the cashew production and become self sufficient, there is a need to produce quality planting materials since large planting materials is needed for area expansion and replanting of senile and unproductive cashew orchards. As the viability of nuts deteriorated rapidly on storage (Aravindakshan and Gopikumar, 1979), there is a problem for year round production of good planting material. However, applications of growth regulators like gibberellic acid were found to stimulate the germination of cashew seed (Furuta, 1961). Therefore, to utilize the stored nuts and produce healthy planting materials, an attempt was undertaken to study the effect of different plant bioregulators on germination and seedling growth of cashew variety Jhargram-1. The experiment was conducted during March to June 2009 at Horticultural Research Farm (HRF), Mondouri, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, West Bengal. The experimental design adopted was Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with nine treatments. The experiment was conducted with nuts of variety Jhargram-1 stored for four (4) months in jute bags under ordinary conditions. The seeds were selected based on sinker and floater methods (Mandal, 2000) and those seed which sink in water were used only for the experiment. The seeds were sown in polythene packets (50 seeds per treatment) after soaking for 24 hours. Treatment comprised of T 1 = panchagavya 2 % (a product prepared by mixing cow dung (2.5 kg), cow urine (1.5 litre), ghee (500 g), jaggery (500 g), milk (I litre) and curd (1 litre)), T2 = panchagavya 4 %, T3 GA3 20 ppm, T4 = GA3 40 ppm, T5 = IBA20 ppm, T6 IBA40 ppm, T7 = cow
Estimate of Glomerular Filtration Rate among Players of a West African Football Team during a Competition

Introduction: A football match could cause transient adverse effects in the players’ kidney function. The purpose of this study is to determine the development of glomerular filtration rate among football players during a match and a competition in Benin. Methods: It was a cross-sectional and descriptive study conducted from November 2015 to May 2016. Participants included black footballer, aged above 17 years, who has been residing in Benin for at least one year, attending regular training sessions and having given his informed consent to participate in the study. During a series of 4 matches, blood sampling was regularly carried out before, just at the end and 24 hours after each match. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated by CKD-EPI formula from blood creatinine. Results: A total of 14 players were included in each match. The participating players were averagely aged 23 ± 2.21 years and had 2 years of experience in first division football. The estimate of the players’ medium GFR during the 1st match was 129.35 ± 17.39 ml/min/1.73 m2 before the beginning, 90.31 ± 17.39 ml/min/1.73 m2 at the end and 123.96 ± 18.72 ml/min/1.73 m2 24 hours later. During a 4- match competition, the GFR declines at the end of each match and rise up again in the next 24 hours. Conclusion: The glomerular filtration rate declines drastically and transiently during a match of football competition in a hot and humid climate. There is need for players to rehydrate before, during and after each match.
Weldability Study of LM25/ZrO2 Composites by Using Friction Welding

In this paper aluminum (LM25) alloy was chosen as a base matrix metal, and it was reinforced with 0, 3, 6, 9, 12% of Zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) particulates based on weight fraction method. Stir casting method was used to cast LM25/ZrO2 composite material. The cast samples were subjected to physical and mechanical test viz, density, hardness, tensile, compression and impact test. The feasibility trial weld was carried out on the developed composite (similar metals) using Friction welding process (FSW) and then welded sample were prepared for the various test. The welded samples were subjected to various mechanical tests such as tensile, hardness and bend test to evaluate the strength of the friction welded joints. Then welded samples were also subjected to optical microscopy analysis to evaluate microstructures of the base and the weld regions. The tensile, hardness, compression and impact strength increases with increase in the percentage of ZrO2 in LM25 alloy. The tensile, hardness and bending strength were high in the welded zone. The microstructures of the welded tensile tested specimen were analyzed using the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) in a different region of the welded area. From the above results shows weldability of LM25/ZrO2 composites was improved with the increase in weight percentage of ZrO2 reinforcement.
Effect of Cash Conversion Cycle Management on the Profitability of Industrial and Domestic Product Firms in Nigeria

The study examined the effect of cash conversion cycle on the profitability of Industrial and Domestic product firms in Nigeria. Receivable ratio, payable ratio and Inventory ratio, were the variables studied in this study. Data were sourced from the annual reports of the selected Industrial and Domestic companies in Nigeria. Generalized least square multiple regression analytical tool was used to test the Hypotheses. The findings show that, AR and AP had significant positive effect on the industries’ profitability ratio at 1% level of significance. On the other hand, the industries’ INV had significant but negative effect on the profitability ratio at 1% level of significance.
Importance of Ethnomedicinal Flora of Sarai Alamgir (Boundary Side of River Jhelum) District Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan

The present research work based on ethnobotanical surveys was conducted during the March 2015 to November 2015 in the designated areas of Sarai Alamgir, Gujrat, Pakistan. This study has investigated the traditional knowledge of local societies about the uses of native, medicinally important plants as ethnomedicines. Questionnaire method was used for the indigenous knowledge about native medicinal flora. The local community, knowledgeable persons and (Hakeem’s) who are the main users of medicinally valuable plants were collaborated in interviews about native plants. Plant specimens were collected, identified, preserved, mounted and voucher was deposited in the Department of Botany, University of Arid Agriculture Rawalpindi, for future references.
Lysis activity of bacteriophages isolated from sewage against Ralstonia solanacearum and Erwinia chrysanthemi.

Two groups of bacteriophages (phages), one forming a clear plaque, and the other forming turbid plaque with a small holo zone in the middle were isolated from sewage using three different strains of Escherichia coli (TG1, ER2738 and BL21) as a host. All the phages were subjected to lysis study against phytopathogen bacterial wilt Ralstonia solanacearum and heart rot Erwinia chrysanthemi. These phages have very restricted host range and the application as an alternative biocontrol agent has recently gained wide interest. Thus, the present study was aimed to isolate novel phages against R. solanacearum and E. chrysanthemi, and to further evaluate their lytic characteristics. A total of 132 isolates of phages were obtained from sewage samples. Three phages (P45, P71 and P631) showed potential to lyse R. solanacearum with clear zone ratios of 3.34, 3.00 and 3.06 respectively. Only P621 formed a clear zone ratio of 3.26 against E. chrysanthemi. The other phages did not show any significant lysis activity. Even though these phages showed some promising results, more studies are needed to investigate the effectiveness of phage on the crop plants. Keywords: lysis activity; bacteriophage; Ralstonia solanacearum; Erwinia chrysanthemi
Pollen spectrum of stingless bees honey (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Paraná State, Brazil

The objective of this study was to identify the plants that contribute to the honey composition of stingless bees using pollen analysis. We collected 30 stingless bees honey samples. The pollen analysis was performed following the standard method of acetolysis. We identified 55 pollen types belonging to 27 families. The predominant pollen types were Casearia, Eucalyptus, Galactia, Miconia, Morus, Myrcia I, Syagrus and Rubiaceae type. The pollen types most frequent among the samples were Syagrus, Eucalyptus, Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia, Psidium, Miconia, Morus, Leucaena and Inga. The average number pollen types per sample the studies species ranged from 4.25 to 9.00, indicating the participation of several plant species in the honey composition of stingless bees. The occurrence of a predominant pollen type was recorded in 40% of the samples. The pollen spectrum of the honey samples analyzed were diverse, with significant contributions of Fabaceae (subfamily Mimosoideae), Asteraceae and Myrtaceae as the most diverse in species visited by stingless bees in the study area.
A Model of Management Academics' Intentions to Influence Values

Business schools face increased criticism for failing in the teaching of management studies to nurture their students’ values. Assuming that individual academics play an important role in shaping the value-related influence of business schools, I model management academics’ intentions to influence values. The suggested model encompasses academics’ economic and social values as internal variables, as well as perceived support for attempting to influence values and academic tenure as social and structural variables. A test with empirical data from 1,254 management academics worldwide reveals that perceived external support is most relevant for explaining intentions. Moreover, academics’ social values, but not their economic ones, contribute to an explanation of their intentions to influence values. The results reveal how important it is for academics to believe that their colleagues, higher education institutions, and other stakeholders support their value-related behavioral intentions.
EFFECT OF STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN THE KENYAN PUBLIC SECTOR.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was effect of strategic human resource management practices on organizational performance in the Kenyan public sector.Methodology: The research design used a descriptive design. The target population of this study was the large manufacturing firms in Kenya which were members of Kenya Association of Manufacturers. The population was 108 large manufacturing firms. A sample size of 54 firms was taken. The study used both primary data and secondary data. Data was collected by use of questionnaire. Analysis was done by descriptive statistics using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21.0. Data was analyzed mainly by use of descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics included mean and standard deviation. Data was also presented by use of graphs, pie charts and tables. Regression analysis was also used to show the sensitivity of financial performance, ROA to various independent variables.Results: Following the study findings it was possible to conclude that all the Independent variables had an effect on a company’s financial performance. This was supported by majority who concluded that independent directors had a mandate to decision making in financial performance, the Independent directors effectively monitor and control firm activities by reducing opportunistic managerial behaviors and expropriation of firm resources board committees. Enhance effective monitoring in financial performance, the board committees in our firm ensures that executive directors make decisions that are in the best interests of shareholders. Coordination and communication problems impede company performance when the number of directors’ increases, overcrowded boards causes shareholders to lose money in the company, the post of the chairman is part-time and the main responsibility is to ensure that the board works effectively. Regression results indicated that there was a positive and significant relationship between independent directors, board committees, board size and CEO’s dual role as a company’s chairman on a company’s financial performance and financial performance of manufacturing firms.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommended that the firm should have nonexecutive directors who act as “professional referees” to ensure that competition among insiders stimulates actions consistent with shareholder value maximization, A company should have small boards so as to have more favorable performance, the appropriate board size should be 7 to 8 members and the post of the CEO/chairman should be full-time
Seasonal Variation in Brood Size of the Spiny Lobster Panulirus gracilis (Decapoda: Palinuridae) in Mexican Waters of the Gulf of California

ABSTRACT The seasonal brood size of the spiny lobster Panulirus gracilis in Mexican waters (southeastern Gulf of California) was estimated for 259 ovigerous females caught in commercial tangle nets at depths ranging from 8–25 m during spring, summer, fall, and winter between March 1993 and March 1994. The number of eggs per individual ranged from 76,727 eggs for a 60.0-mm carapace length (CL; 250 g total weight (TW)) female to 1,115,060 for a 80-mm CL (510 g TW) female. A brood size (BS) value was estimated from replicate counts and was found to vary with CL and TW according to the relationships BS = 0.6803CL3. 1007 (R2 = 0.5203) and BS = 1236.7TW - 35548.9 (R2 = 0.5781), respectively. The smallest egg-bearing female was 50.3 mm in CL. Significant differences were found in seasonal brood sizes, with lower values during the winter than during the remaining seasons. Egg loss during the incubation period was estimated at 7.9%.
Leaf traits and nutrient resorption of major woody species in the karst limestone area of Chongqing

Nutrient resorption is a key component of nutrient conservation strategies and productivity and element cycling in ecosystems. It influences many, if not most, ecosystem processes, including carbon cycling and resource鄄use efficiency, plant litter decomposition through changes in litter quality, and plant competition. We studied 15 species of evergreen woody plants and 14 species of deciduous woody plants in a limestone area in Chongqing; compared leaf dry matter content (LDMC), specific leaf area ( SLA), and leaf thickness ( LT) of two different types of plants before and after leaf senescence; and analysed leaf nutrients and resorption characteristics before and after senescence by using different calculation methods ( nutrient content per unit mass and leaf nutrient content per unit area) . Finally, we analysed the correlation between nutrient resorption efficiency and other leaf traits. The results showed that LDMC and LT were significantly higher in the mature leaves of evergreen species than in those of deciduous species in the Chongqing karst area.
Practical Design Criteria for Saturated Pseudo Strain Hardening Behavior in ECC

Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECCs) have recently demonstrated their high performance with pseudo strain hardening (PSH) behavior in civil engineering structures and buildings. These materials incorporate low cost fibers such as Polyvinyl Alcohol fibers, which often rupture in composites. Such fiber rupture type ECCs tend to have inferior and unsaturated PSH behavior compared with those incorporating properly designed pull out type fiber. The present study focuses on presenting practical design criteria to achieve saturated PSH behavior in fiber rupture type ECCs. These criteria are proposed based on two performance indices, which are measures of energy exchange during steady state flat crack propagation and stress level to initiate micro-cracks. The latter performance index necessitates a new cracking strength prediction theory, which is proposed in the current study. Finally the cracking strength theory is justified using tensile test data, and the criteria are proposed based on the data in terms of these two indices.
Red sequence determination of the redshift of the cluster of galaxies JKCS 041: z ∼ 2.2

This paper aims at robustly determining the redshift of the cluster of galaxies JKCS 041 and at putting constraints on the formation epoch of the color-magnitude sequence in two very high redshift clusters. New deep z � − J data show a clear narrow red sequence that is co-centered with, and similary concentrated on, the extended X-ray emission of the cluster of galaxies JKCS 041. The JKCS 041 red sequence is 0.32 ± 0.06 mag redder in z � −J than the red sequence of the zspec = 1.62 IRC0218A cluster, putting JKCS 041 at z � 1.62 and ruling out z ≤ 1.49 the latter claimed by a recent paper. The color difference of the two red sequences gives a red-sequence-based redshift of z = 2.20 ± 0.11 for JKCS 041, where the uncertainty accounts for uncertainties in stellar synthesis population models, in photometric calibration, and in the red sequence color of both JKCS 041 and IRC0218A clusters. We do not observe any sign of truncation of the red sequence for both clusters down to J = 23 mag (1 × 10 11 solar masses), which suggests that it is already in place in clusters rich and massive enough to heat and retain hot gas at these high redshifts.
Measurements of particle masses of inorganic salt particles for calibration of cloud condensation nuclei counters

Abstract. We measured the mobility equivalent critical dry diameter for cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation (dc_me) and the particle mass of size-selected (NH4)2SO4 and NaCl particles to calibrate a CCN counter (CCNC) precisely. The CCNC was operated downstream of a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) for the measurement of dc_me. The particle mass was measured using an aerosol particle mass analyzer (APM) operated downstream of the DMA. The measurement of particle mass was conducted for 50–150-nm particles. Effective densities (ρeff) of (NH4)2SO4 particles were 1.67–1.75 g cm−3, which correspond to dynamic shape factors (χ) of 1.01–1.04. This shows that (NH4)2SO4 particles are not completely spherical. In the case of NaCl particles, ρeff was 1.75–1.99 g cm−3 and χ was 1.05–1.14, demonstrating that the particle shape was non-spherical. Using these experimental data, the volume equivalent critical dry diameter (dc_ve) was calculated, and it was used as an input parameter for calculations of critical supersaturation (S). Several thermodynamics models were used for the calculation of water activity. When the Pitzer model was employed for the calculations, the critical S calculated for (NH4)2SO4 and NaCl agreed to well within the uncertainty of 2% (relative). This result demonstrates that the use of the Pitzer model for the calibration of CCNCs gives the most accurate value of S.
The Effect of Video-Based Tasks in Listening Comprehension of

This study aims at finding the effect of video-based tasks in improving the listening comprehension ability of Iranian pre-intermediate EFL (English Foreign Language) learners. After determining the level of learners, an experimental and control group, each of 20 participants, were nominated to contribute to the study. From the time the pre-test was administered to each group, the experimental group was taught by a course of instruction based on video tasks for teaching listening comprehension. The control group was directed by a course of instruction only based on audio materials. Paired Samples T-test computation was utilized by SPSS software to calculate the level of significant difference in pre- and post-tests. Results show that teaching listening on the basis of video-based tasks has a significant effect on learners’ listening comprehension in realizing and understanding the authentic language more effectively.
Poly-γ-glutamic Acid Hydrogels as Electrolyte for Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-Based Supercapacitors

Biosynthetic poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) has been used to produce hydrogels using cystamine as cross-linker and 1-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-3-ethylcarbodiimide methiodide (EDC methiodide) as condensing agent. Eight different hydrogels with different properties were formulated by varying both the molecular weight of γ-PGA and the γ-PGA/EDC/cystamine ratio and subsequently characterized. The most appropriate γ-PGA hydrogel was selected to perform as solid electrolytic medium in organic electrochemical supercapacitors (OESCs) using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) electrodes based on their mechanical behavior (consistency and robustness to hold the PEDOT electrodes), morphology, and influence on the electrochemical response of the organic electrode (i.e., specific capacitance and both maximum energy and power density values). Hence, PEDOT/γ-PGA energy storage devices fabricated using the most adequate hydrogel formulation displayed a supercapacitor response of 168 F/g and a capacitance retention of .
Untangling the concept of entrepreneurship towards a common perspective

There continues to be a lack of a commonly agreed perspective of entrepreneurship despite the concept being studied for a long period of time. Definitions of the concept and constructs of study in the field have depended on the researcher’s conceptualisation of what constitutes entrepreneurship and as a result there are variations in the study focus and measurement of entrepreneurship. An analysis of literature was therefore conducted to untangle the concept of entrepreneurship towards a common perspective despite similar failed attempts by scholars in the past. The analysis showed that researchers and theorists trace entrepreneurship through the same early theorists that include Cantillon, Say, Marshall, Walker, von Thunen, Menger, von Mises, Schumpeter, Knight, Kirzner, Shane and Venkataraman etc. That means the background to the concept is the same but with varying interpretations. The underlying perspective however is that entrepreneurship is a human behaviour with identifiable driving motives and it requires definitive competencies; skills, knowledge and abilities. The behaviour is purposively exerted, involves various activities and judgmental decisions that are undertaken through a process of identifying, evaluating and exploiting opportunities to create socioeconomic value under conditions of uncertainty. Although the socioeconomic value manifests in new products or services, new sources of supplies, new methods of production, new markets and/or new organisations, it is the new organisation that is commonly recognised as the output of the entrepreneurship process. This perspective narrows and limits the understanding of the concept of entrepreneurship to new and small business ventures with implications on measurement of entrepreneurship. Our analysis shows that all variations of entrepreneurship such as sole entrepreneurship, corporate entrepreneurship, necessity motivated entrepreneurship, opportunity motivated entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship etc are connected within the broader view of the same concept, thereby presenting a common perspective of entrepreneurship. Key words: Entrepreneurship, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship behaviour, entrepreneurship process, entrepreneurship outputs, outcomes and impacts.