Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regional Organizations in China’s Security Strategy for Africa: The Sense of Supporting “African Solutions to African Problems”

African regional organizations play a significant role in maintaining peace and security on their continent. This article looks at how China, as an emerging power in Africa, has incorporated these organizations into its policies on African security crises. It asserts that China has explicitly endorsed regional conflict resolution mechanisms, which it perceives as having a less intrusive impact on third world countries’ sovereignty than have initiatives taken under the global collective security system led by the UN Security Council. Moreover, China strengthening cooperation with African regional organizations and aligning its stance with the views emerging from these regional bodies is an important way in which China has tried to respond to the rising security challenges and political demands it is faced with in Africa. The article briefly considers what influence China’s increased attention to African regional bodies is having on efforts by Africa’s traditional donors to help build – but also shape – Africa’s emerging peace and security architecture.
EFFECT OF SHOE MASS ON SOCCER KICKING VELOCITY

The aims of this study were to establish whether soccer boots mass has an effect on ball velocity in maximal instep soccer kicks. Ten male semi-professional soccer players participated in the study, performing several maximal instep kicks in three different boot weight conditions. Kinematic variables such as joint angles, joint angular and linear velocities and ball-to-foot linear velocity ratio were collected at 200 Hz in Peak Motus and processed in Visual 3D. The increase in boot mass mainly affected the knee and hip joints. Slower speeds of the centre of gravity of the kicking foot were recorded with heavier boots, however no significant differences in ball speed were found. It was concluded that the increase in mass must has acted as a compensating mechanism, transferring energy more effectively during impact, despite the slower speed of the foot.
Isosteric Heats of Water Vapor Sorption in Two Castor Varieties

Equilibrium moisture content-water activity data for two varieties of castor (GSS and WBS) at temperatures 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70°C and water activity range of 0.07-0.98 were determined using the static gravimetric method. A nonlinear regression programme was used to fit four sorption isotherm models (modified Halsey, modified Henderson, modified Oswin and modified Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB)) to the experimental data. These models were then compared using standard error of estimate and randomness of residuals. The sorption isosteric heats were determined by the application of Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The modified Oswin and modified Halsey proved the best for predicting equilibrium moisture content of castor with standard error of estimate of 0.238 and 0.242 for GSS and WBS respectively. The isosteric heats decreased exponentially with increase in moisture content and approached the latent heat of pure water at a free water point of between 13 and 16% moisture content (d.b). The difference in isosteric heats of both varieties was not significant.
Evidence for olfactory learning in procellariiform seabird chicks

Burrow nesting procellariiform seabirds use olfactory cues for both foraging and nest recognition. As chicks, burrow nesters develop in the dark, but are exposed to both prey-related and individual-specific scents through contact with their parents. This exposure suggests that chicks may have the opportunity to learn odours while still in the nest. In this study, we examined whether exposure to odourants during development might influence olfactory search behaviour expressed later in life. To test this idea, we exposed eggs of thin-billed prions Pachyptila belcheri to a rosy-scented novel odour (phenyl ethyl alcohol, PEA) or a control (water) just before hatching; chicks were then tested with these odours in a simple wind tunnel. Prior to fledging, subjects who had received pre-exposure to PEA displayed head sweeps nearly twice as frequently as control birds did when presented with PEA. This study demonstrates that under natural rearing conditions, procellariiforms learn odour characteristics of their rearing environment in the nest.
Implementation of Last Planner in a Medium-Sized Construction Site

The paper address a pilot project in implementation of Last Planner initiated by the general contractor, Skanska, in a construction project of 6800 square metre made up of a kindergarten, junior high school and a sports and cultural centre. Excavation work started late autumn 2008 and the utility buildings are scheduled to be delivered to the owner in June 2010. The owner is the Municipality of Kristiansand. Action research is applied as research method, where academics take part in the change processes, together with professionals from the construction project and the general contractor’s head office. This paper concerns reflections from the ongoing construction process and is based on preliminary data. The first run is broadly in accordance with the Last Planner concept as outlined by Ballard. It is, however, identified a need to improve the system to link the output from the collective phase scheduling to production planning via the lookahead schedule and constraint analysis, which has been mis-conceptualised in the early phase of the project. The most successful part of the implementation study so far is several phase planning processes, in which the technical sub-contractors have been taking active part in the collective organised planning process. It is too early in the project to see if this also leads to improved PPC in production, but it is expected that it will. However, the same quality of coordination is missing for the architect and the subcontractor for site work. It is identified a number of empirical difficulties in the implementation the process. The largest challenge seems to be the relationship between the architect, the general contractor and the owner, as the pattern in the relationship appears to be dysfunctional in order to create best possible condition for cooperation, and which need to be further studied. Moreover is it identified proposals for further improvements in the Last Planner concept.
CHARACTERIZING DESCRIPTIONS OF PRODUCT SOUNDS

Listeners use different types of descriptions for domestic product sounds depending on the level of identification. By conducting labeling and identification tasks, we classified these descriptions into 11 semantically different groups. These groups are organized within a perceptual framework that describes the identification process of product sounds. The results of this investigation indicate that product sounds have associated meanings. This study not only provides an insight into how people perceive and identify product sounds but also supplies preliminary structured information in order to create an exclusive lexicon for product sounds.
Comparison of Different Medium and Establishment of an Efficient Micropropagation Technique of Clerodendrum Serratum L. An Endangered Medicinal Plant

Clerodendrum serratum L. is an important medicinal plant, used in many ayurvedic preparations. Medicinal importance of this plant caused it's as much as exploitation become endangered species. In the present study we have developed an efficient protocol for in vitro micropropagation of Clerodendrum serratum to conserve its natural resources. Four plant growth media were used in the study viz. MS, SH, WPM & B5. In all these media MS medium gave best shoot bud induction and shoot multiplication. All the media were supplemented with different concentration of three different cytokinin viz. BAP (6-Benzylaminopurine), KIN (Kinetin), TDZ (Thidiazuron). BAP at lower concentration of 0.5 mg/L gave best shoot bud induction and multiplication. Effects of all cytokinin was similar at higher concentration, where they show declining effect in shoot bud induction and multiplication. For root development three auxin viz. NAA (α-Naphthalene acetic acid), IBA (Indole- 3- butyric acid) & IAA (Indole- 3 acetic acid) alone and in combination with BAP were used. At higher concentration root development declines in all hormones whereas at lower concentration of 0.5 mg/L, NAA gave best root development. After formation of complete plantlets, they were acclimatized in the green house. Their survival rate was 73%.
Model theory of Steiner triple systems

A Steiner triple system (STS) is a set [Formula: see text] together with a collection [Formula: see text] of subsets of [Formula: see text] of size 3 such that any two elements of [Formula: see text] belong to exactly one element of [Formula: see text]. It is well known that the class of finite STS has a Fraïssé limit [Formula: see text]. Here, we show that the theory [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] is the model completion of the theory of STSs. We also prove that [Formula: see text] is not small and it has quantifier elimination, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], elimination of hyperimaginaries and weak elimination of imaginaries.
Predicting Student Satisfaction with an Emphasis on Campus Recreational Sports and Cultural Facilities in a Turkish University

The main purpose of this paper was to determine the predictors of student satisfaction focusing on campus recreational sports and cultural facilities. The present study utilized data from a written-questionnaire administered to one thousand adult undergraduate students. The dependent variable used in predicting student satisfaction was satisfaction levels of the respondents. Due to the ordinal nature of the dependent variable, an ordered logit model was performed to determine demographic and socio-economic determinants of campus sports and cultural facility satisfaction. Ordered logit estimation results revealed that younger aged, higher income, tuition loan holder, classical or folk music listener students studying in social sciences were less likely to have higher satisfaction than their counterparts. In addition, for many selected services, most of the students declared their dissatisfaction. Although there is an increasing number of studies conducted on student satisfaction in the existing literature, studies focusing on campus sports and cultural facility satisfaction are limited. This study is probably the first attempt to examine the predictors of campus sports and cultural facility satisfaction in northeastern Turkey using one of the categorical data estimation method.
Did Pension Plan Accounting Contribute to a Stock Market Bubble?

During the 1990s the assets of corporate defined-benefit pension plans ballooned with the booming stock market. Under current accounting guidelines, the result was a substantial but stealthy boost to sponsoring firms' profits. This study assesses the extent to which investors were fooled by pension accounting. It finds that stock prices reflected not the fair market value of sponsoring firms' net pension assets, as reported in the footnotes to their financial statements, but rather some capitalization rate on pension cost accruals in the income statement. Additional tests indicate that the market values a firm's pension earnings no differently from its core earnings, suggesting that pension earnings are often overvalued. This failure to differentiate induces large valuation errors for many firms, although this does not seem to translate into aggregate overvaluation, at least not before 2001, when falling stock prices and interest rates slashed pension net asset values but not pension earnings.
Enzymatic Electrosynthesis: An Overview on the Progress in Enzyme- Electrodes for the Production of Electricity, Fuels and Chemicals

Recent interest in the field of biocommodities production through bioelectrochemical systems has generated interest in the enzyme catalyzed redox reactions. Enzyme catalyzed electrodes are well established as sensors and power generators. However, a paradigm shift in recent science towards the production of useful chemicals has changed the face of biofuel cells, keeping the fuels or chemicals production in the upfront. This review article comprehensively presents the progress in the field of enzyme-electrodes for the production of electricity, fuels and chemicals with an aim to represent a practical outline for understanding the use of single or multiple redox enzymes as electrocatalysts for their electron transfer onto electrodes. It also provides the state-of-the-art information regarding the different existing processes to fabricate enzyme electrodes. Successfully-achieved electroenzymatic anodic and cathodic reactions are further discussed, together with their potential applications. Particular focus was made on the novel single/multiple enzyme systems towards product synthesis and other applications. Finally, techno-economic and environmental elements for industrial processing with enzyme catalyzed bioelectrochemical system (e-BES) are anticipated, in order to provide useful strategies for further development of this technology.
Genetic diversity and gene flow among stable fly populations, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) in Thailand.

Isozymes from five wild-caught Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) were compared using starch gel electrophoresis to estimate the rates of gene flow between and among S. calcitrans populations from five different geographic regions of Thailand. Among ten enzyme systems, 13 putative loci and 10 polymorphisms were detected. Limited genetic differentiation among the five populations was observed as indicated by the low FST (0.078). The highest percentage of polymorphic loci was observed in eastern Trat province and northern Chiang Mai province (69.2%), whereas the lowest percent polymorphism was seen in south-central Saraburi province (23.1%). Gene flow between populations varied from 6.16 to 15.38 reproductive migrants per generation with no fixed genetic differences detected. Among the five population samples, no correlation was seen between genetic and geographical distances showing that sampled S. calcitrans fit closely in the same cluster taxa. The genetic and epidemiological ramifications of these findings are discussed.
Population Dynamics of Marsilea villosa (Marsileaceae) on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i

ABSTRACT Marsilea villosa Kaulfuss is an endemic Hawaiian fern with a very small, fragmented natural range and an ephemeral habit that makes it difficult to assess population health. Its sporocarps are presumed to remain viable for many years, allowing it to survive periods of drought and then sexually reproduce when there is sufficient precipitation to cause them to be submerged in standing water. Surveys of plant cover at ‘Ihi‘ihilauākea Crater, where the largest and best-protected stand was located, have shown that vigorous growth of the species occurs after the crater floor is flooded. This study documents dramatic decline over the last 8 yr, during which growth has been largely vegetative. Analyses of rainfall records suggest that events producing long-duration floods occur on average every 6.5 yr, yet 13 yr have elapsed since the last one. Although this may in part explain the poor condition of the population, other ecological changes have occurred including decline of the dominant trees and invasion of alien grasses that may influence flooding frequency. Marsilea villosa may be able to avoid extinction because flooding caused by rare climatic events will kill off the competitors that have encroached on its former ecological space. However, it is predicted to be a less-conspicuous part of the ecosystem most of the time unless management can effectively suppress invaders.
Cloning, Expression and Polymorphisms of the 3' UTR of Ovine NOBOX Gene

The oocyte-specific transcription factor newborn ovary homeobox (NOBOX) plays essential roles in regulating various stages of oogenesis, folliculogenesis and early embryonic development. The nucleotide sequence of 3'-untranslated region (3’UTR) of the ovine NOBOX gene (Accession No. KM090856) is detailed in the present report. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the ovine NOBOX transcript was mainly expressed in ovary. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected in 3’UTR of NOBOX gene and two restriction site for endonuclease NOBOX-AfaI and NOBOX-BalI had also been found. Moreover, for the first time an association was reported between NOBOX gene polymorphism and prolificacy traits in Small Tailed Han sheep. Marker-trait association analyses showed that the NOBOX-AfaI and NOBOX-BalI genotypes had significant effect on the litter size traits in small tailed han ewes (p less than 0.05). In conclusion, these preliminary results indicated that NOBOX-AfaI and NOBOX-BalI loci in NOBOX gene may be a potential marker for improving prolificacy traits in sheep.
Abiotic CO2 uptake from the atmosphere by semiarid desert soil and its partitioning into soil phases

Deserts may show strong downward CO2 fluxes and thus could be a significant carbon sink. However, this hypothesis has been strongly challenged because of the failure to determine both the reliability of flux measurements and the exact location of fixed carbon. In this study, we added 13CO2 to natural (unsterilized) soil in the Mu Us Desert in northern China and quantified the partitioning of added 13CO2 into soil solid and vapor phases. Results show that natural desert soil absorbed 13CO2 at a mean rate of 0.28 g m−2 d−1. Of the absorbed 13CO2, 7.1% was released over a 48 h period after 13CO2 feeding, 72.8% was stored in the soil solid phase, 0.0007% was found in the vapor phase, while 20.0% of the absorbed 13CO2 was undetected. These results indicate that undisturbed desert soils can absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, with the majority of fixed carbon conserved in the soil solid phase.
Supplementation of olive mill wastes in broiler chicken feeding

This work was conducted in order to study the value of olive mill wastes as diet on the growth performance, abdominal and muscle fat deposition, adipose and muscle tissues fatty acid composition in broilers. 200 male chickens that were 2 weeks old, 50 for each diet, were assigned to one of the three diets containing 5, 10 or 15% olive mill wastes (OMW) compared to control diet (CD). There were no significant differences in body and weight gain, final body carcass, thighs and pectoral muscle weight between birds. The same observation was seen for abdominal tissue fat (% of body weight) of which no differences were detected in birds fed OMW diet compared to those fed on the control diet. Linoleic acid proportion increases significantly in the pectoral muscle (p unchanged in abdominal fat. Oleic acid proportion increases in thigh muscle (p significantly in pectoral muscle (p identical growth performances and affect abdominal and muscle fat deposition and fatty acid composition.
Free vibration of simply supported rectangular plates on Pasternak foundation: An exact and three-dimensional solution

This paper deals with exact solution for free vibration analysis of simply supported rectangular plates on elastic foundation. The solution is on the basis of three dimensional elasticity theory. The foundation is described by the Pasternak (two-parameter) model. First, the Navier equations of motion are replaced by three decoupled equations in terms of displacement components. Then, these equations are solved in a semi-inverse method. The obtained displacement field satisfies all the boundary conditions of the problem in a point wise manner. The solution is in the form of a double Fourier sine series. Then free-vibration characteristics of rectangular plates resting on elastic foundations for different thickness/span ratios and foundation parameters are studied. The numerical results are compared with the available results in the literature. Important parameters on the accuracy of plate theories and freevibration characteristics of rectangular plates resting on elastic foundations are discussed.
Towards a Transfer Model of Scientific and Technological Knowledge: the Case of Mexico

This paper shows the development of a science-technological knowledge transfer model in Mexico, as a means to boost the limited relations between the scientific and industrial environments. The proposal is based on the analysis of eight organizations (research centers and firms) with varying degrees of skill in the practice of science-technological knowledge transfer, and carried out by the case study approach. The analysis highlights the synergistic use of the organizational and technological capabilities of each organization, as a means to identification of the knowledge transfer mechanisms best suited to enabling the establishment of cooperative processes, and achieve the R&D and innovation activities results.
Personality Traits and Deception Detection Ability Among College Students with Primary Psychopathic Traits

PERSONALITY TRAITS AND DECEPTION DETECTION ABILITY AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH PRIMARY PSYCHOPATHIC TRAITS by Megan O. Malmstrom Because psychopaths are exceptionally good at deceiving others, researchers have proposed that this population of individuals may be more likely than the average person to detect deception. However, previous research has provided mixed results on the ability of individuals with psychopathic traits to detect deception at a greater level than chance. The inconclusive results on this topic have warranted future research on examining sex differences and personality traits that are attributed to individuals with psychopathy that may aid their ability to detect deception at a higher level than others. The current study tested 133 San Jose State University undergraduates by having them indicate whether individuals in 10 different video clips were lying or telling the truth. Participants’ psychopathic tendencies were measured using the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy scale (LSRP) and their personality traits were measured using the Big Five Inventory (BFI). A Fisher’s r to z transformation was conducted to test Hypothesis 1, that sex would moderate the relationship between deception detection accuracy and primary psychopathic traits. However, our analyses revealed no moderating effect by sex. A one-tailed bivariate correlation was also performed to test Hypothesis 2, which stated that low scores on the BFI for Agreeableness and Conscientiousness would be correlated with higher deception detection accuracy. No significant relationships were found. However, non-significant results displayed non-linear relationships between Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and detection accuracy.
Configuration of a Pilot Station in a Technological Investigation of Groundwater Treatment

The purpose of pre-design technological investigations is to define the water treatment technology for a new or existing water treatment plant. The investigation is performed on model-scale equipment, making sure that the results can be extrapolated to the technological scale. The investigation should allow for the determination of unit process parameters and ensure the desired outcome i.e. treated water meeting the applicable quality standards. Indirectly, the investigation results can also be used as a basis for defining the estimated scope of the investment, the costs of its execution and the future equipment operating costs. Technological investigations are carried out on the grounds of existing or future treatment plants in order to take into account the variable composition and quality indicators of the raw water to be treated. The pilot station, being the main element of the technological investigation, should be designed, built and operated with a view to the possibility of formulating further design guidelines after the study is completed. In this article, the authors share their experience related to the configuration of a pilot station used in an investigation of a groundwater treatment technology.