Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The relationship between extrinsic motivation, job satisfaction and life satisfaction amongst employees in a public organisation

Orientation: There is much research on extrinsic motivation, job satisfaction and life satisfaction in organisations. However, empirical evidence on how such factors affect employees in public organisations in developing countries is lacking. Research purpose: To examine the relationships between extrinsic motivation, job satisfaction and life satisfaction amongst employees in a public organisation. Motivation for the study: Labour strife is an endemic phenomenon in South Africa’s public sector as evidenced by the high incidences of industrial action and labour turnover. This study contributes to this subject by identifying the extrinsic factors that could be optimised with a view to enhancing job and life satisfaction amongst government employees. Research approach, design and method: The study used the quantitative research survey approach: a questionnaire was administered to 246 employees in a South African public organisation. Extrinsic motivation factors were identified using principal components analysis. Mean score ranking was used to compare the relative importance of all factors. The conceptual framework was tested using Spearman’s rank correlation analysis and linear regression analysis. Main findings: Statistically significant relationships were observed between job satisfaction and four extrinsic motivation factors: remuneration, quality of work life, supervision and teamwork. The relationship with promotion was insignificant, but a statistically significant relationship was established with life satisfaction. Practical/managerial implications: The findings may be used to implement strategies for enhancing employee performance and industrial relations within public organisations. Contribution/value-add: The study provides evidence of the interplay between extrinsic motivation, job satisfaction and life satisfaction for public servants in developing countries.
NIGELLA SATIVA HAS BENEFICIAL EFFECT ON OSTEOPOROSIS AND BONE HEALING. IS IT FACT OR FICTION? A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Osteoporosis is the most common reason for a broken bone among the elderly. Several experimental studies have been reported that Nigella sativa(NS) and/or its major component thymoquinone (TQ) have good effects on osteoporosis and bone healing. We conducted this systematic review toevaluate these relevant studies to prove whether NS and/or TQ has potential effect on osteoporosis and can stop pathogenesis of this disease or thismatter still just a fiction. A search on published studies was done using databases including Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, andCINAHIL. Terms searched included â€œNigella sativa, black seed, TQ, osteoporosis, bone healing. â€ Initially, 213 articles were extracted. After reviewing their titles and abstracts, 124 articles (Medline, 43; Scopus, 67; EBSCO, 14) were retrieved for further evaluation. However, after excluding the clinical trial studies, human reviews, removal of abstracts and unrelated studies, seven studies were considered finally as eligible for our review. Finally, seven studies were considered eligible for our review. The total number of animals used was 220 (150 rats and 70 rabbits) from different experimental study. Based on the results of this systematic review, we conclude that NS or TQ extract therapy for osteoporosis cannot be recommended yet and these data will not suffice to exclude the beneficial effects of NS on bone turnover reliably. Therefore, more studies are required to explore the specific cellular and molecular targets of NS or TQ using animal osteoporosis models. Once the anti-osteoporotic effectiveness of NS or TQ will be established, human studies can be carried out. Â
GENOMIC REACTION NORMS FOR TICK RESISTANCE IN HEREFORD AND BRAFORD BEEF CATTLE

The cattle tick is a parasite that adversely affects livestock performance in tropical areas. Although countries such as Australia and Brazil have provided genetic evaluations for tick resistance, these evaluations have not typically considered genotype by environment interaction (G*E); hence genetic gains could be adversely affected as breedstock comparisons are environmentally-dependent in the presence of G*E, particularly if residual variability is also heterogeneous across environments. The objective of this study was to investigate the existence of G*E based on various models with different assumptions on genetic and residual variability. Data were collected by the Delta G Connection improvement program including 10,673 tick count phenotypes on 4,363 animals. Nine models including two traditional animal models (AM) and seven different hierarchical Bayesian reaction norm models (HBRNM) were investigated. One-step and two-step modeling approaches were used to infer upon G*E. Model choice was based on the deviance information criterion (DIC). The best-fitting model specified heterogeneous residual variances across 10 subclasses as delimited by every decile of the contemporary group estimates of tick count effects. One-step models generally had the highest estimated genetic variances. Estimates of heritabilities were generally higher for HBRNM than AM. Furthermore, one-step models based on heterogeneous residual variances also generally lead to higher heritability estimates, especially in harsh environments. Estimates of repeatability varied along the environmental gradient (range 0.18-0.45) implying that the relative importance of additive and permanent environment effects for tick resistance is environmentally influenced. The posterior means of the genetic correlations across environmental tick infestation surface plot demonstrated a large plateau above 0.80. HBRNM represent powerful tools to infer G*E and account for their effects for genetic evaluations of tick resistance. Additional
Observations of ozone depletion events in a Finnish boreal forest

Abstract. We investigated the concentrations and vertical profiles of ozone over a 20-year period (1996–2016) at the SMEAR II station in southern Finland. Our results showed that the typical daily median ozone concentrations were in the range of 20–50 ppb with clear diurnal and annual patterns. In general, the profile of ozone concentrations illustrated an increase as a function of heights. The main aim of our study was to address the frequency and strength of ozone depletion events at this boreal forest site. We observed more than a thousand of 10 min periods at 4.2 m, with ozone concentrations below 10 ppb, and a few tens of cases with ozone concentrations below 2 ppb. Among these observations, a number of ozone depletion events that lasted for more than 3 h were identified, and they occurred mainly in autumn and winter months. The low ozone concentrations were likely related to the formation of a low mixing layer under the conditions of low temperatures, low wind speeds, high relative humidities and limited intensity of solar radiation.
The 1874–1876 volcano‐tectonic episode at Askja, North Iceland: Lateral flow revisited

The Askja volcanic system, North Iceland, experienced a volcano‐tectonic episode between 1874 and 1876, the climax of which was a rhyolitic, phreatoplinian to Plinian eruption at Askja central volcano on 28–29 March 1875. Fissure eruptions also occurred in 1875, producing the Nýjahraun lava, 45–65 km north of Askja. The Nýjahraun basalt is indistinguishable, in terms of whole‐rock major elements, from the small‐volume basaltic eruptions that took place at Askja in the early 20th century. It has been suggested that all of these basalts originated from a shallow magma chamber beneath Askja, with the Nýjahraun eruptions being fed by northward‐propagating lateral dykes. It has also been conjectured that the Holuhraun lava, located at the southern tip of the Askja volcanic system 15–25 km south of Askja, was connected with the 1874–1876 Askja volcano‐tectonic episode. We re‐examine these interpretations in light of new whole‐rock, glass and melt inclusion analyses from samples collected along the length of the Askja volcanic system. Glasses from Nýjahraun and the Askja 20th century eruptions are geochemically distinct. We suggest that the Askja 20th century basalts mixed with evolved melts in the crust, while the Nýjahraun magma evolved without such interactions. The Holuhraun basalt is more similar to lavas erupted on the Bárðarbunga‐Veiðivötn volcanic system than to postglacial basalts from Askja, indicating that particular geochemical signatures are not necessarily confined to the tectonic or structural surface expression of single volcanic systems. This has important implications for the identification and delineation of individual volcanic systems beneath the northwest sector of Vatnajökull.
Effectiveness of chitosan preparations against Brettanomyces bruxellensis grown in culture media and red wines

Aim : The antimicrobial properties of chitosan from different sources (fungal, crab shell, and lactate-forms) against Brettanomyces bruxellensis in culture media and red wines were investigated. Methods and results : While concentrations of 4 to 8 g/hL were needed for crab shell or lactate-forms of chitosan to reduce yeast viability in liquid media, fungal chitosan did not exhibit antimicrobial activities no matter the concentration. B. bruxellensis E1 and I1a were inoculated into Cabernet Sauvignon wine at 10 6 cfu/mL and treated with 0, 4, 8 and 12 g/hL fungal chitosan. In contrast to previous results with media, addition of fungal chitosan to a red wine resulted in a three-log reduction of culturability. Addition of fungal chitosan also reduced the viability of B. bruxellensis growing in oak barrels containing Merlot wine from 10 5 cfu/mL down to ≈10 2 cfu/mL. Conclusion : Depending on concentration, all preparations of chitosan added to red wines greatly reduced populations of B. bruxellensis . However, wines were not completely stable after treatment as populations eventually increased. Significance and impact of the study : As B. bruxellensis is considered to be a worldwide threat to wine quality, it is crucial to improve knowledge of alternative control methods and strategies such as chitosan that winemakers can apply.
Foreign Words in Jordanian Arabic among Jordanians Living in Irbid City: The Impact of Foreign Languages on Jordanian Arabic

The paper investigates the foreign words used in spoken Jordanian Arabic in Irbid city. It also examines the causes behind using them. The data are collected by means of direct interviews and observations. The sample of the study was chosen from fifty participants living in Irbid city. They were thirty males and twenty females who cover different ages, genders and different educational background. The results show that Jordanians use different borrowed words in their daily conversations. English and Turkish are the main source of borrowing these words.
Monophyletic Polyneoptera recovered by wing base structure

Phylogenetic relationships among the winged orders of Polyneoptera [Blattodea, Dermaptera, Embiodea (=Embioptera), Isoptera, Mantodea, Orthoptera, Phasmatodea, Plecoptera and Zoraptera] were estimated based on morphological data selected from the hindwing base structure. Cladistic analyses were carried out using hindwing base data alone and in combination with other, more general, morphological data. Both datasets resulted in similar trees and recovered the monophyly of Polyneoptera. Deepest phylogenetic relationships among the polyneopteran orders were not confidently estimated, but the monophyly of Mystroptera (= Embiodea + Zoraptera), Orthopterida (= Orthoptera + Phasmatodea) and Dictyoptera (= Blattodea + Mantodea + Isoptera) was supported consistently. In contrast, placements of Plecoptera and Dermaptera were unstable, although independent analysis of the wing base data supported their sister‐group relationship with two nonhomoplasious synapomorphies (unique conditions in the ventral basisubcostale, and in the articulation between the antemedian notal wing process and first axillary sclerite). Results from the combined wing base plus general morphology data were consistent, even if the wingless orders Grylloblattodea and Mantophasmatodea were included in the analysis. Generally, trees obtained from the present analyses were concordant with the results from other morphological and molecular analyses, but Isoptera were placed inappropriately to be the sister of Blattodea + Mantodea by the inclusion of the wing base data, probably as a result of morphological regressions of the order.
Assessing Post-traumatic Time Interval in Human Dry Bone

The post-traumatic status of antemortem fractures in human dry bone remains is currently defined as being either ‘healing’ or ‘healed’. However, detailed ‘dating’ of the related post-traumatic time interval would be desirable, since it would aid in assessing individual medical status and care at the time of death. Within forensic pathology practice, fresh tissue healing phases are routinely used as an intrinsic parameter for the length of the post-traumatic time interval. Unfortunately, the direct application of such a method is hampered when applied to dry bone skeletal material. This study explores the possibility of applying a fracture dating system, drawn forth from the traditional forensic pathology method, on dry bone remains. More specifically, the aim is to establish the extent to which various histomorphological features indicative of specific time intervals of healing are consistently detectable. Human dry bones with fractures and amputations in various phases of healing were studied. Results show that the complementary use of radiological and histological investigation techniques improves the differentiation between various healing phases and thus allow for a more detailed dating of lesions. For future use, healing features that have proven to be consistently detectable and their related post traumatic time intervals are listed. The system aids in demarcating a considerably more ‘narrow’ post-traumatic time interval than usual. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An analysis of the region of the Phocaea dynamical family

In this work, I conduct a preliminary analysis of the Phocaea family region. I obtain families and clumps in the space of proper elements and proper frequencies, study the taxonomy of the asteroids for which this information is available, analyse the albedo and absolute magnitude distribution of objects in the area, obtain a preliminary estimate of the possible family age, study the cumulative size distribution and collision probabilities of asteroids in the region, the rotation rate distribution and obtain dynamical map of averaged elements and Lyapunov times for grids of objects in the area. Among my results, I identified the first clump visible only in the frequency domain, the (6246) Komurotoru clump, obtained a higher limit for the possible age of the Phocaea family of 2.2 Byr, identified a class of Phocaea members on Mars-crossing orbits characterized by high Lyapunov times and showed that an apparently stable region on time-scales of 20 Myr near the ν6 secular resonance is chaotic, possibly because of the overlapping of secular resonances in the region. The Phocaea dynamical group seems to be a real S-type collisional family, formed up to 2.2 Byr ago, whose members with a large semimajor axis have been dynamically eroded by the interaction with the local web of mean-motion and secular resonances. Studying the long-term stability of orbits in the chaotic regions and the stability of family and clumps identified in this work remain challenges for future works.
Vasculogenic Mimicry in Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Aims: Angiogenesis, as measured by degree of micro vessel density, has been associated with tumor progression in many tumor types, but does not always correlate with clinical outcome. Aggressive tumor cells were shown to form blood-conducting tubes not lined by endothelial cells, and this phenomenon was termed vasculogenic mimicry. Merkel cell carcinoma is a very aggressive but rare form of skin cancer, of neuroendocrine origin and with increasing incidence. We investigated the presence of vasculogenic mimicry in Merkel cell carcinoma in the Groene Hart Hospital, The Netherlands between 1990-2012. Methods: Tumor tissues of all patients diagnosed with primary Merkel cell carcinoma in the period 1990-2012 in the Groene Hart Ziekenhuis were assessed on the presence of vasculogenic mimicry. Results: We found vasculogenic mimicry in 11 (100%) out of the eleven patients primary diagnosed with Merkel cell carcinoma. Conclusions: Vasculogenic mimicry is present in all Merkel cell carcinoma we found in our database and appears to be comparable to vasculogenic mimicry described in other tumors. Further investigation to vasculogenic mimicry can probably help us in finding a better understanding of the behaviour of Merkel cell carcinoma consequently a better treatment.
A Silicon Directional Microphone With Second-Order Directivity Inspired by the Ears of the Parasitoi Fly , Ormia Ochracea

A prototype of a miniature microphone that is capable of achieving second-order directional sensitivity to sound was successfully fabricated and tested. A second-order directional microphone detects the difference between the gradients measured at two locations, yielding an estimate of the second spatial derivative of the pressure. The diaphragms we designed were inspired by our earlier studies of directional hearing in the fly Ormia ochracea. They have significant potential for overcoming challenges that compromise the performance of traditional second-order microphones. Measured results are shown for devices that have been fabricated out of polycrystalline silicon [1].
An Overall Assessment of Oral Health Knowledge and Practice on the Periodontal Health of Adults in Beed District of Maharashtra , India

Background: Oral health knowledge is considered to be an essential prerequisite for health-related behavior. Oral health care can sometimes be a forgotten part of a healthy lifestyle. Hence, the aim of this study was to find out an association between knowledge of the patient with oral health awareness to maintain good oral and periodontal health. Materials and Methods: A total of 300 patients who were attending outpatient department were selected. A structured questionnaire which includes socioeconomic status, type of toothbrush, methods of brushing, use of interdental aids, and visits to the dentist was given to the all the participated patients. Then, data were collected from all the patients and were analyzed statistically using ANOVA and Student’s unpaired t-test. Results: The result of this study showed a lack of oral hygiene awareness and limited knowledge of oral health practice. Conclusion: There is a need of comprehensive oral health educational programs to implement proper oral hygiene practices, thereby we can improve good oral as well as periodontal health.
How Nation States 'Hit' Europe: Ambiguity and Representation in the European Union

This article analyses how differences in domestic institutional constellations shape the representational roles of member state officials when attending the EU Council of Ministers. The conceptual framework used draws on theories of political representation, institutional theories and the Europeanisation literature. Our primary argument is that role perceptions are considerably conditioned by actors' domestic institutional embeddedness. Comparing Belgian and Swedish officials attending working groups within the Council of Ministers substantiates this argument. Belgian officials are more supranationally oriented than their Swedish counterparts. This difference is related to varying levels of vertical and horizontal specialisation, federalism, competition among veto-players, the role of the Foreign Ministry, and the level of trust in domestic government compared to the level of trust in the EU.
Health warnings on cigarette packages and interest in quitting: findings from five countries conducted the Global Adult Tobacco Survey in 2011-2012

This study examines findings from the Global Adult Tobacco Surveys in five countries: Argentina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Romania in assessing the effects of health warnings (HWs) on cigarette packages and interest in quitting. This was a household survey using multistage cluster sample design. Data were collected from one respondent per household aged 15 years and above via interviewer-administered questionnaires. The impact of HWs within each gender were analyzed by age group and education level using bivariate analysis. Among current smokers, Romanian (98.0%) and Malaysian (94.1%) men, Romanian (97.6%) and Argentina (89.3%) women had the highest percentages of noticing health warnings on cigarette packages. However, less than 50% of men in all five countries and women in Indonesia, Romania and Argentina thought about quitting smoking. In addition, less than 50% of men and women tried to quit smoking in the past 12 months. These analyses provide great opportunity for countries to assess the effectiveness of their health warnings in communicating the risk of smoking to all current smokers. Countries can use these evidence-based findings to target tobacco control interventions to increase quit rates among current smokers and prevent smoking initiation among non-smokers.
Meet the Lemons : How Cheap Talk Overcomes Adverse Selection in a Decentralized Market Experiment ∗

We experimentally study a market with matching frictions in which information asymmetries are predicted to impede socially desirable trade. When allowing for costless and non-binding communication, there exists an equilibrium with endogenous market segmentation in which different types partially separate into different submarkets. The experimental results follow the theoretical predictions of the partially separating equilibrium remarkably closely. Communication is informative and considerably improves efficiency. We show that the findings cannot be explained by pro-social preferences or costs of lying, but are based on the monetary incentives linked to endogenous segmentation. JEL Classification: C78, C91, D82, D83
Seed priming mitigates the effects of saline-alkali stress in soybean seedlings

8 CHILEAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 77(2) APRIL-JUNE 2017 Soda saline-alkali soil has double adverse effects on growth, morphogenesis and yield of the crops by creating a salinity stress and a high pH value in the rhizosphere surroundings of the plant. Seed priming can be an effective approach to enhance stress adaptation in seedlings growing in salinity stressed conditions. The present study examined the role of hydropriming and comprehensive seed priming with ZnSO4, CaCl2, betaine hydrochloride and GA3 to enhance the soda saline-alkali tolerance in soybeans (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) seedlings. An unprimed control treatment was also maintained for comparison. The results show that two seed priming treatments can effectively mitigate the negative effects of soda salinealkali stress. Nevertheless, compared with hydropriming, soybean seedlings from the comprehensive seed priming treatment had better growth performance through accumulation of soluble sugar and free proline contents, enhancing the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), decreasing the malondialdehyde (MDA) content formed from lipid peroxidation, increasing the photosynthetic pigment contents, maintaining a better membrane integrity of the chloroplasts and mitochondria, and generating more starch grains in the chloroplasts of spongy mesophyll cells under soda saline-alkali stress. In conclusion, our results suggest that soybean seedlings from comprehensive seed priming exhibited a higher tolerance to soda saline-alkali stress than the unprimed control treatment.