Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EVALUATION OF SEVERAL CHEMICAL AGENTS FOR PROLONGING VASE LIFE IN CUT ASPARAGUS GREENS

The aim of this study was to determine whether the selected chemical agents can be used to preserve post-harvest quality in asparagus greens. The agents evaluated were Chrysal RVB®, Chrysal SVB®, gibberellic acid, benzyladenine, and a preservative solution containing hydroxyquinoline and sucrose. The agents were tested on three asparagus taxa: A. densiflorus 'Meyerii', A. densiflorus 'Myriocladus', and A. setaceus. Chrysal RVB® and Chrysal SVB® were applied by pulsing for 24 hours. Gibberellic acid and benzyladenine were applied both by pulsing for 24 hours, and by dipping for a few seconds. With the 8-HQC and sucrose solution, the shoots were placed directly in the preservative solution. After pulsing or dipping, the shoots were placed in distilled water. The shoots placed in the preservative solution were not transferred to distilled water, but kept in the solution for the duration of the experiment. The shoots were transferred to a climate control storage room under a 12 hour photoperiod. Vase life was recorded, and chlorophyll content was monitored throughout the storage period. Chrysal RVB® doubled vase life in 'Meyerii', had no effect in 'Myriocladus', and actually shortened vase life in A. setaceus. Chrysal SVB® tripled vase life in 'Meyerii', and doubled vase life in 'Myriocladus'. However, it shortened vase life in A. setaceus. Chlorophyll content also remained high in 'Meyerii' and 'Myriocladus' shoots treated with Chrysal SVB®. Gibberellic acid prolonged vase life in 'Meyerii' and 'Myriocladus', but had no effect in A. setaceus. Chlorophyll content also remained high in 'Meyerii' and 'Myriocladus' shoots treated with GA 3 . Benzyladenine prolonged vase life in all three taxa tested, even in A. setaceus. Chlorophyll content also remained high in shoots A. setaceus treated with BA. The 8-HQC and sucrose solution doubled vase life in 'Meyerii', had no effect in 'Myriocladus', and shortened vase life in A. setaceus. All of the agents tested prolonged vase life in at least one of the asparagus taxa tested. Most of them, however, had no effect or even shortened vase life in other taxa. The effects differed widely depending on the taxon in question.
Evaluating Vigilance in Fibromyalgia through Objective Measures

Objective Fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) involves chronic pain accompanied by alteration of cognitive functions, mainly memory and attention. Despite vigilance is a pre-requisite for appropriate performance in most cognitive tasks, it has not been assessed directly in fibromyalgia. The current research aimed to study vigilance in this illness and to explore the potential role of other common symptoms of the syndrome such as pain, sleep quality, anxiety and depression in vigilance performance. Methods The Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) was used to assess the vigilance level in a group of fibromyalgia female patients (n=28) compared to a group of healthy women (n=18) matched in age and education level. Results The fibromyalgia group reported higher levels of anxiety, depression, negative mood and pain, poorer sleep quality, and lower levels of alertness than the control group. In the PVT, the fibromyalgia group showed slower responses in the PVT as compared to the control group. Fibromyalgia patients further showed high individual differences in vigilance, with a subgroup of them having similar performance in the PVT than the control group. Performance in the PVT showed no relationship with subjective measures. Conclusion These findings provided direct support to a vigilance deficit in fibromyalgia as a group. However, there are individual differences suggesting that not all the patients with fibromyalgia necessarily experience vigilance detriment. Since the vigilance state can determine basic functions such as memory and attention, these individual differences should be considered when assessing other cognitive domains in fibromyalgia.
Complications and Associated Conditions among Omani Type 2 Diabetes Patients at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) complications and associated conditions among Omani patients at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH). Methods: A total of 986 T2D Omani patients was included in this study. Data were collected from June 2010 to February 2012. Data include demographic, anthropometric and biochemical investigations. Complications among patients were recorded. Results: Thirty-six percent of the patients were overweight and 51% were obese. Thirty-five percent of the patients had high serum total cholesterol, 63% had high LDL cholesterol, 38% had high serum triglycerides, while 50% and 48% of the males and females, respectively, had low HDL cholesterol. Half of the patients had at least one T2D complication, while 86% had a complication or associated condition. Twenty percent had coronary artery disease, 5% had a stroke, 66% had hypertension, 10% had documented retinopathy, 15% had microalbuminuria, 31% had nephropathy, 9% had neuropathy and 2% had peripheral vascular disease. Conclusion: The prevalence of diabetes complications and associated conditions among Omani T2D patients was not different from other populations. However, prevalence of retinopathy and neuropathy was lower and this indicates the need for a proper assessment and documentation.
Slower Consumption Reflections on Product Life Spans and the “Throwaway Society”

Sustainable consumption is unlikely to be achieved as long as the quantity of household waste generated in industrial nations continues to rise. One factor underlying this trend is the life span of household goods. This article contributes to recent advances in life‐cycle thinking by highlighting the significance of product life spans for sustainable consumption and exploring the current state of research. A theoretical model is developed to demonstrate how, by contributing to efficiency and sufficiency, longer product life spans may secure progress toward sustainable consumption. Empirical research undertaken in the United Kingdom on consumer attitudes and behavior relating to the life spans of household products is reviewed and factors that influence the market for longer‐lasting products are discussed. A need is identified for further research on product life spans and some themes are proposed.
Mean energy required to produce an electron-hole pair in silicon for photons of energies between 50 and 1500 eV

The photon energy dependence of the mean energy W required to produce an electron-hole pair in silicon for photons with energies between 50 and 1500 eV was determined from the spectral responsivity of selected silicon photodiodes. The spectral responsivity was measured with a relative uncertainty of less than 0.3% using monochromatized synchrotron radiation whose radiant power was measured with a cryogenic electrical substitution radiometer. In order to deduce W from the spectral responsivity of photodiodes with a relative uncertainty of about 1%, a method for the calculation of photon and electron escape losses from silicon photodiodes was developed and the model for the charge carrier recombination losses was improved. In contrast to recent theoretical and experimental results, a constant value W=(3.66±0.03) eV was obtained in the photon energy range from 50 to 1500 eV. The present experimental results are confirmed by calculation of the pair creation energy in silicon from data from the literature for .
Lucerne‐dominated fields recover native grass diversity without intensive management actions

Summary 1. Spontaneous succession is often underappreciated in restoration after the cessation of intensive agricultural management. Spontaneous succession could improve the success of restoration programmes, and offers a cost-effective option with little active intervention. 2. We studied the spontaneous recovery of loess grasslands in extensively managed lucerne Medicago sativa fields mown twice a year using space for time substitutions to highlight the importance of spontaneous processes in grassland restoration. 3. With increasing field age a gradual replacement of lucerne by perennial native grasses and forbs and increase of mean species richness was detected. As the age of fields increased, lucerne decreased from 75% to 2% of total vegetation cover, whereas perennial graminoids increased from 0AE 5t o 50% cover. Mean total cover showed no significant differences between the age groups; weed cover was less than 10%. 4. The phytomass of lucerne was negatively correlated with graminoid phytomass. As the age of the fields increased, lucerne phytomass decreased and grass phytomass increased. We found a negative correlation between litter and forb phytomass but there was no relationship with the age of the field. There was no litter accumulation and no increase of mean total phytomass as the age of fields increased. 5. Synthesis and applications. Native grasses within loess grasslands recovered within 10 years, but characteristic native forbs remained rare. The advantages of spontaneous succession in lucerne fields compared to technical reclamation include: (i) no early stages dominated by weeds, (ii) minimal litter accumulation, (iii) a spontaneous decrease in lucerne over time, and (iv) negligible cost. In addition, the requirement for twice yearly mowing in the early years will guarantee farmer involvement because of the high forage value of lucerne. The complete restoration of species rich grasslands will require more active management such as propagule transfer by hay and ⁄ or moderate grazing to encourage the return of native forbs.
Factors Influencing Customer-Service Quality in the Pre-Cast Concrete Industry: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

Any buoyant market that faces incessant volleys of material and skills shortages, such as the precast concrete industry, is susceptible to international competition. There is a notable rarity of studies focusing on service quality and customer satisfaction in this industry sector. This study investigated factors influencing customer service quality in the precast concrete market. A quantitative methodology was adopted in which a structured questionnaire was administered to 260 customers who purchased precast concrete products from a selected manufacturer in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The factors influencing customer service were identified using factor analysis. The procedure revealed five service quality dimensions which are responsiveness, problem solving, physical aspects, service personnel and physical appearance. The overall mean value of 4.17 indicated a moderate level of service satisfaction. Furthermore, customers perceived the company to be somewhat inconsistent in responding to issues promptly and courteously. The study has value in that it provides information on which factors require managerial attention in efforts to improve customer perceptions of service quality. In this way, managers may be able to allocate resources to improve service in their respective organisations. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014. v5n8p115
Coupled Fire/Evacuation Analysis of the Station Nightclub Fire

In this paper, coupled fire and evacuation simulation tools are used to simulate the Station Nightclub fire. This study differs from the analysis conducted by NIST in three key areas; (1) an enhanced flame spread model and (2) a toxicity generation model are used, (3) the evacuation is coupled to the fire simulation. Predicted early burning locations in the full-scale fire simulation are in line with photographic evidence and the predicted onset of flashover is similar to that produced by NIST. However, it is suggested that both predictions of the flashover time are approximately 15 sec earlier than actually occurred. Three evacuation scenarios are then considered, two of which are coupled with the fire simulation. The coupled fire and evacuation simulation suggests that 180 fatalities result from a building population of 460. With a 15 sec delay in the fire timeline, the evacuation simulation produces 84 fatalities which are in good agreement with actual number of fatalities. An important observation resulting from this work is that traditional fire engineering ASET/RSET calculations which do not couple the fire and evacuation simulations have the potential to be considerably over optimistic in terms of the level of safety achieved by building designs.
Crossing the line: migratory and homing behaviors of Atlantic bluefin tuna

Assessment and management of Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus populations is hindered by our lack of knowledge regarding trans-Atlantic movement and connectivity of east- ern and western populations. Here, we evaluated migratory and homing behaviors of bluefin tuna in several regions of the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea using chemical tags (δ 13 C and δ 18 O) in otoliths. Significant emigration of bluefin tuna from their place of origin was inferred from otolith δ 13 C and δ 18 O, with both eastern and western bluefin tuna commonly 'crossing the line' (45° W management boundary) in the Central North Atlantic Ocean and mixing with the other population. Several western migrants were also detected in Moroccan traps off the coast of Africa, indicating that trans-Atlantic movement occurs for members of the western population; however, the degree of mixing declined with proximity to the eastern spawning area (Mediterran- ean Sea). The origin of bluefin tuna collected at the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar and from several regions within the Mediterranean Sea (Balearic Islands, Malta, and Sardinia) was essen- tially 100% eastern fish, demonstrating that natal homing is well developed by the eastern popu- lation, with western migrants rarely entering the Mediterranean Sea.
Xylella fastidiosa Population Dynamics in Grapevine Genotypes Differing in Susceptibility to Pierce’s Disease

The xylem-limited bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is the causal agent of Pierce's disease (PD) in grapevines, for which breeding resistant cultivars will be a long-term management strategy that involves the identification and characterization of resistant germplasm. A genetically diverse group of grape species and selections was mechanically inoculated with X. fastidiosa, grown in a greenhouse for 113 days after inoculation, and evaluated for the levels of bacterial concentrations in stem and leaf tissues by quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Concentrations of X. fastidiosa were affected by genotype, plant tissue, position on the plant relative to the point of inoculation, and interactions among these factors. Based on estimated concentrations of X. fastidiosa in stem samples at 113 d postinoculation, 9621-67, Muscadinia rotundifolia, Vitis arizonica/candicans, V. arizonica/girdiana, V. candicans, V. girdiana, V. nesbittiana, and V. shuttleworthii were resistant to PD. In contrast, V. vinifera, V. aestivalis, 9621-94, and V. champinii had very high X. fastidiosa concentrations in stem tissues. Sequential sampling of leaf blades at 34, 77, and 113 d postinoculation revealed different temporal patterns in X. fastidiosa concentrations among the grape genotypes. Estimates of X. fastidiosa concentrations decreased after the first sampling in M. rotundifolia, 9621-67, V. girdiana, and V. arizonica/candicans but increased in all other genotypes. The characterization of X. fastidiosa concentrations in a broad range of grape genotypes allows for the selection of promising genetic backgrounds capable of greatly limiting the population size and development of X. fastidiosa in stems, a critical trait in the breeding of PD-resistant grapevines.
Bright is the new black—multi-year performance of high-albedo roofs in an urban climate

High-albedo white and cool roofing membranes are recognized as a fundamental strategy that dense urban areas can deploy on a large scale, at low cost, to mitigate the urban heat island effect. We are monitoring three generic white membranes within New York City that represent a cross section of the dominant white membrane options for US flat roofs: (1) an ethylene–propylene–diene monomer (EPDM) rubber membrane; (2) a thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) membrane; and (3) an asphaltic multi-ply built-up membrane coated with white elastomeric acrylic paint. The paint product is being used by New York City’s government for the first major urban albedo enhancement program in its history. We report on the temperature and related albedo performance of these three membranes at three different sites over a multi-year period. The results indicate that the professionally installed white membranes are maintaining their temperature control effectively and are meeting the Energy Star Cool Roofing performance standards requiring a three-year aged albedo above 0.50. The EPDM membrane shows evidence of low emissivity; however this had the interesting effect of avoiding any ‘winter heat penalty’ for this building. The painted asphaltic surface shows high emissivity but lost about half of its initial albedo within two years of installation. Given that the acrylic approach is such an important ‘do-it-yourself’, low-cost, retrofit technique, and, as such, offers the most rapid technique for increasing urban albedo, further product performance research is recommended to identify conditions that optimize its long-term albedo control. Even so, its current multi-year performance still represents a significant albedo enhancement for urban heat island mitigation.
Drivers and obstacles for global IT in the embedded multinational: A multiple case study

Multinational companies (MNCs) have been actively pursuing globally integrated information technology (IT) as a mechanism for better coordination and control of business processes. This paper presents a multiple case study of five MNCs’ experiences with global IT initiatives and explores the drivers and obstacles they encountered. We conceptualize the MNC as being embedded in internal and external business relationships. The analysis shows that the MNCs’ main motives for global IT can be found in the headquarter-subsidiary relationship where global IT enables the firm to obtain economies of scale and increased control which in turn enables the MNC to become international or global oriented. The external embeddedness, i.e. the subsidiary-partner relationships as well as other connected business relationships in the local business networks, is one of the major obstacles for global IT as it requires a level of adaptability not inherent in the context of global IT standards.
The Annotation Cost of Context Switching: How Topic Models and Active Learning [May Not] Work Together

The Annotation Cost of Context Switching: How Topic Models and Active Learning [May Not] Work Together Nozomu Okuda Department of Computer Science, BYU Master of Science The labeling of language resources is a time consuming task, whether aided by machine learning or not. Much of the prior work in this area has focused on accelerating human annotation in the context of machine learning, yielding a variety of active learning approaches. Most of these attempt to lead an annotator to label the items which are most likely to improve the quality of an automated, machine learning-based model. These active learning approaches seek to understand the effect of item selection on the machine learning model, but give significantly less emphasis to the effect of item selection on the human annotator. In this work, we consider a sentiment labeling task where existing, traditional active learning seems to have little or no value. We focus instead on the human annotator by ordering the items for better annotator efficiency.
Use of a Hydrophobic Particle Film as a Barrier to Extrinsic Ice Nucleation in Tomato Plants

Extrinsic ice nucleating agents (such as ice-nucleation-active bacteria, dew, etc.) significantly limit the ability of herbaceous plants to supercool. It is believed that with an absence of these extrinsic nucleating agents, a plant could supercool to less than -4 °C. Other evidence, however, indicates that intrinsic nucleating agents may limit the extent of supercooling. Infrared video thermography was used to study freezing in young, 'Rutgers' tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) plants and to determine if a hydrophobic barrier on the plant surface could prevent extrinsic nucleating agents such as Ice + bacterial strain (Cit7) of Pseudomonas syringae Van Hall from initiating freezing within a plant. Freezing tests were conducted in a programmable freezing chamber, a radiative frost chamber, and outdoors. Freezing was visualized and recorded on videotape using an infrared radiometer. Freezing of the plants was induced extrinsically by application of droplets (5 to 7 µL) of water containing Cit7. To provide a barrier to the action of extrinsic ice nucleating agents, an emulsion of hydrophobic kaolin (aluminum silicate mineral) was applied to the plant surface before application of an extrinsic nucleating agent. Results indicate that dry, young tomato plants can supercool to as low as -6 °C whereas plants having a single droplet of Cit7 would freeze at -1.5 to -2.5 °C. Application of the hydrophobic barrier blocked the effect of Cit7 and allowed whole plants to also supercool to -6 °C, despite the presence of frozen droplets on the leaf surface. When whole plants were sprayed with water and Cit7 using an aerosol sprayer and exposed to -3 °C, plants coated with the hydrophobic particle film exhibited significantly less foliar injury then nontreated plants. Similar results were obtained using the radiative frost chamber. Experiments conducted under natural frost conditions also resulted in less injury to the coated plants. The hydrophobic kaolin particle film performed better at preventing plants from freezing due to extrinsic ice nucleation than nonaltered, hydrophyllic kaolin alone or an antitranspirant with putative frost protection properties.
Leader-Member Exchange Quality and employee work behaviours: Mediating Role of Interactional Justice

The study aims to examine the mediating role of interactional justice between LMX quality and employee’s in-role behaviour and citizenship behaviour. Adam’s equity theory and social exchange theory are employed o explain the theoretical framework. Proposed mediation model is tested using time lagged data of 308 responses from service sector of Pakistan. To examine validity of the measures, confirmatory factor analysis has been done. The measurement model produced better indices for five factors. Structure equation modelling technique has been used to test mediation model. Results supported the hypothesis of mediation. Finally managerial implications and future research directions have been discussed. Keywords : LMX quality, Interactional Justice, Organization citizenship behaviour (OCB), In-role behavior (IRB)