Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preparation of Chitosan Nanoparticles Loaded by Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate

Biodegradable nanoparticulate carriers, have important potential applications for administration of therapeutic molecules. Chitosan based nanoparticles have attracted a lot of attention upon their biological properties such as biodegradability, biocompatibility and bioadhesivity. The aim of the present investigation was to describe the synthesis and characterization of novel biodegradable nanoparticles based on chitosan for encapsulation of dexamethasone sodium phosphate. To achieve this objective, ionic gelation method were used. Drug containing nanoparticles were prepared with different amounts of drug. The mean size and size distribution of nanoparticles were measured by dynamic laser light scattering. The mean particle size, varied in the range of 250-350 nm. Values of loading capacity and loading efficiency varied between 33.7%-72.2% and 44.5%-76.0% for prepared nanoparticles.
Mortality in Tephritid Fruit Fry Puparia and Adults Caused by Metarhizium Anisopliae, Paecilomyces Fumosoroseus and Beauveria Bassiana

Tephritid fruit flies are recognized as the most economically important group of phytophagous Diptera, and cause large losses to fruits and vegetables throughout the world. In the small developing island state, Mauritius, the key major pest of fruits and vegetables are Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) and B. cucurbitae (Coquillett), respectively. At present, growers have recourse to chemical pesticides which are hazardous to both the environment and human health. The objective of the study was to evaluate entomopathogenic fungi isolated from the soils of Mauritius as biocontrol agents of fruit flies. The pathogenicity of six isolates of M. anisopliae , three isolates of B. bassiana and one isolate of P. fumosoroseus were determined for late third-instar larvae, puparia and emerging adults of B. zonata and B. cucurbitae . A standard concentration of 1 x 10 8 conidia/ml (5 ml) was used to inoculate 50 g lots of sand. Twenty mature third-instar larvae of either B. zonata or B. cucurbitae that were ready to pupate within the next 24 h were then introduced into each Petri dish for pupation. The overall result showed a significant reduction in adult emergence for both fruit fly species. For B. zonata , the percentage adult emergence varied from 60 to 93% in fungal treated sand; while, 1 to 30% of the puparia showed visible signs of mycosis. As regards B. cucurbitae , adult emergence ranged from 52 to 92% in fungal-treated sand and the highest percentage of mycosed puparia recorded with an isolate of M. anisopliae was 48%. Given the fact that there was significant reduction in adult emergence and a corresponding large mortality on puparia, the most virulent isolates could be potential candidates for soil application against fruit flies. Keywords: Bactrocera cucurbitae , Bactrocera zonata , fruit flies, pupae, biocontrol
Genetic Mutation Assessment of NPM1 Gene and Gene Expression of MDR1 in Iraqi Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Since its discovery, mutations in NPM1 have been frequently associated with a large number of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patients. The vast majority of genetic changes were previously detected in exon 12, however little information report mutations in Nuclear Export Signal region (NES) of NPM1. Sequencing analysis included exon 2 and 3 for 75 Iraqi AML patients showed three SNPs, G/A792, G/A794 and G/A797 were detected within intron region of 90% AML and 70% healthy subjects. Other SNPs were only detected in AML subjects in which single nucleotide variant was identified in exon 3 of 70% AML subjects (A/G1275 rs753788683) in addition, two SNPs (G/A635 and G/A660) within intron region of 80% of AML subjects were detected. No genetic variation observed inexon 2 of amplified NPM1 gene. The correlation between MDR1 gene over expression and resistance to chemotherapy treatment showed no significant differences in gene expression between newly diagnosed and first-course induction subjects. Nevertheless, significant decreases in CT value were recorded for both the second induction AML and AML consolidation patients with p value of 0.0258 and 0.0007, respectively, as compared with healthy controls, indicating the induction of higher expression of MDR1 gene by increasing the challenge of AML patients with chemotherapy regimen.
Stress Responses to Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV) Infection of Resistant and Susceptible Tomato Plants are Different

Two genetically close inbred tomato lines, one resistant to Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) infection (R), the other susceptible (S), showed completely different stress response upon TYLCV infection. S plants were stunted and do not yield, while R plants remained symptomless and yielded. Comparison of protein profiles and metabolites patterns in TYLCV infected R and S tomatoes revealed a completely different host stress response. S plants were characterized by higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ROS compounds, the anti-oxidative, pathogenesis-related (PR) and wound-induced proteins were predominant. In contrast, infection of R tomatoes did not drastically activate the same host defense mechanisms as in S plants, while R homeostasis was much more effectively maintained by protein and chemical chaperones. Sources of carbon and nitrogen were less affected by TYLCV in R than in S plants, which could make R plants more balanced and more fit to sustain infection. Even though both tomato types contained comparable amounts of TYLCV at the specified stage of infection, the cellular immune responses were different. Presented results are preliminary and indicate not so much concrete data but the global tender in understanding of the cellular response to virus stress at the background of resistance and susceptibility to TYLCV.
Assessment of Informal Settlement and Associated Factors as a Public Health Issue in Bahir Dar City, North West Ethiopia; a Community Based Case Control Study

Background: Informal settlements are housing units that are constructed without compliance of current planning and building regulations. This kind of settlement has become a common practice in recent years in Bahir Dar. Inhabitants who live in these unplanned housing units are often exposed to health risks associated with environmental problems. The objective of this study was to assess the existence of illnesses by infectious diseases associated to informal settlements and exploring associated risk factors in Bahir Dar city. Methods: unmatched case-control quantitative study complemented with qualitative exploration was conducted in Bahir Dar city, from 1 June-31 September 2011. A total of 555 households (185 informal and 370 formal households) were selected by systematic random sampling technique proportional to the number of households in respective sub cities. Pre tested semi structured questionnaire and observation checklist were used to collect the data. Data were coded, entered and cleaned using epidemiological information version 3.3. 2, and analyzed by SPSS version 15. Results: As a result, existence of illness by infectious diseases among informally established housing units was found to be 39.5% compared to 10.8% among formally established housing units. The likelihood of establishing informal houses is associated with socio-economic and demographic factors such as respondents’ age [AOR= 2.78, 95%CI; 1.34-5.68], education [AOR=9.28, 95%CI: 3.24-26.57], occupation [AOR=2.47, 95%CI: 1.08-5.66], and average monthly income [AOR= 2.58, 95%CI: 1.57-4.23]. Conclusion: The prevalence of illness among informally established housing units were more than formally established housing units. Diarrheal diseases, malaria, typhoid and typhus were the most infectious diseases found to be prevalent in informally established housing units, so that expansions of income generating activities and taking corrective measures to minimize the adverse effects of environmental problems on health status of the people are recommended.
Observations of tropical precipitating clouds ranging from shallow to deep convective systems

Regional and temporal variability in a broad spectrum of tropical precipitation systems is investigated in conjunction with the large‐scale environment. The analysis utilizes four storm categories (Shallow, Cumulus Congestus, Deep Stratiform, and Deep Convective) determined from Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) measurements. Deep Stratiform and Deep Convective systems are found to be clearly correlated with large‐scale circulation deduced from a reanalysis data set, and are modulated by a distinct seasonal cycle over land. The Shallow category is practically the only component of tropical oceanic rainfall for cold sea surfaces, while it gives way to deeper systems as SST exceeds 28–29°C. The cloud horizontal scale of organized rainfall systems tends to be increasingly extensive relative to the raining portion as the system becomes larger. The present results are discussed in light of existing relevant studies.
Random walk tests for the Lisbon stock market

This article reports the results of tests on the weak-form market efficiency applied to the PSI-20 index prices of the Lisbon stock market from January 1993 to December 2006. As an emerging stock market, it is unlikely that it is fully information-efficient, but we show that the level of weak-form efficiency has increased in recent years. We use a serial correlation test, a runs test, an Augmented Dickey–Fuller (ADF) test and the multiple variance ratio test proposed by Lo and MacKinlay (1988) for the hypothesis that the stock market index follows a random walk. Nontrading or infrequent trading is not an issue because the PSI-20 includes only the 20 most traded shares. The tests are performed using daily, weekly and monthly returns for the whole period and for five sub-periods which reflect different trends in the market. We find mixed evidence, but on the whole, our results show that the Portuguese stock market index has been approaching a random walk behaviour since 2000, with a decrease in the serial dependence of returns.
Species composition and community structure of pelagic nekton off Oregon and Washington under variable oceanographic conditions

Dramatic changes in the physical and biological conditions off Washington and Oregon, USA, have occurred since 1998, including extreme El Nino (warm) and La Nina (cool) years, high and low Columbia River flow years, a major intrusion of subarctic water, and a low oxygen event on the shelf. The occurrence of contrasting environmental conditions provided an excellent opportunity to examine pelagic nekton distributions and their abiotic and biotic associations. Pelagic surface trawl surveys conducted during June and September from 1998 to 2002 off northern Washington to central Oregon revealed a nekton community dominated by Pacific herring (33.5% of total catch), Pacific sardines (29.9%), and northern anchovy (12.3%). Between 1998 and 2002, species composition shifted from a community dominated by southern species (mackerels and hake) to one dominated by northern species (squid, smelts, and salmon), but the transition was gradual, and small pelagic spe- cies (sardines, herring, and anchovy) showed no consistent trends in abundance over time. Species diversity/evenness was highest in September 2002. Cluster analysis identified 7 species and 6 station clusters. Subyearling Chinook salmon, market squid, Pacific sardine, yearling coho salmon, and Pacific saury were the strongest indicator species for 5 of these cluster groups. Cluster group distrib- utions differed between both inshore/offshore and north/south. A 3-dimensional ordination ex- plained 55% of the total variance with bottom depth, distance from shore, and sea-surface tempera- ture correlated with the first axis, latitude with the second axis, and surface salinity, surface density and stability with the third axis. Our results suggest that the habitats occupied by pelagic nekton species expand and contract in relation to the dynamic nature of the California Current and are affected by changing ocean conditions at both seasonal and interannual periodicities.
Reviewing and visualizing the interactions of natural hazards

This paper presents a broad overview, characterization, and visualization of the interaction relationships between 21 natural hazards, drawn from six hazard groups (geophysical, hydrological, shallow Earth, atmospheric, biophysical, and space hazards). A synthesis is presented of the identified interaction relationships between these hazards, using an accessible visual format particularly suited to end users. Interactions considered are primarily those where a primary hazard triggers or increases the probability of secondary hazards occurring. In this paper we do the following: (i) identify, through a wide‐ranging review of grey‐ and peer‐review literature, 90 interactions; (ii) subdivide the interactions into three levels, based on how well we can characterize secondary hazards, given information about the primary hazard; (iii) determine the spatial overlap and temporal likelihood of the triggering relationships occurring; and (iv) examine the relationship between primary and secondary hazard intensities for each identified hazard interaction and group these into five possible categories. In this study we have synthesized, using accessible visualization techniques, large amounts of information drawn from many scientific disciplines. We outline the importance of constraining hazard interactions and reinforce the importance of a holistic (or multihazard) approach to natural hazard assessment. This approach allows those undertaking research into single hazards to place their work within the context of other hazards. It also communicates important aspects of hazard interactions, facilitating an effective analysis by those working on reducing and managing disaster risk within both the policy and practitioner communities.
EFFECT OF VALUE, CONSUMER TRUST AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS INTENTION BUY ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY AIR CONDITIONERS PRODUCT IN SOUTH SUMATERA

Global climate warming and the increasing number of waste that is harmful to humans and the environment have attracted the intention of the governments, manufacturers and the public to be more aware of the importance of protecting the environment behavior. Empirical research on environmental awareness tends to be more widely applied in developed countries than in developing countries like Indonesia. Indonesia’s relatively collectivist society should really need trust in their interactions, but the current situation shows the low level of public trust in government, producers or marketers, so get into the low trust society. Past research has shown different results where Bhattacherjee (2002), Gefen (2002) found that there is a direct relationship between trust with the purchase intention, but Tang & Chi (2005) found that trust has no significant effect on purchase intention. This study aimed to assess the effect of the value, trust, and attitude towards purchase intention of consumers for environmentally friendly air conditioning products in South Sumatra in a model of the value-attitude-intention. The number of respondents who participated in this study was 179 people from each district and the city of South Sumatera, was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results found that the variable consumer trust is an important factor and a central point which variables significantly influence attitudes, risk perception, perceived quality and consumer purchase intent.
A safe hydraulic architecture as wood anatomical explanation for the difference in distribution of the mangroves Avicennia and Rhizophora

Summary 1. Wood anatomical characteristics are an important source of information about how trees are coping with the conflicting requirements of optimal hydraulic conductivity and safety. In this study we compared the vessel characteristics of Avicennia marina and Rhizophora mucronata to contribute to a better understanding of the difference in distribution of these two mangrove species. 2. Density, grouping and diameters of vessels together with vessel element length of A. marina trees growing on seven different study sites in Gazi Bay (Kenya) were measured and compared with the vessel characteristics of R. mucronata of the same research area. Furthermore, the relation of environmental factors related to the water relations of mangrove trees to the wood anatomy of both species was tested. 3. Vessel density of both species and vessel grouping of A. marina are higher with higher salinity. In addition, A. marina was shown to have a higher vessel density, a higher vessel grouping, smaller vessel diameters and shorter vessel element lengths as compared to R. mucronata . 4. As the vessel characteristics of A. marina are related to protection against cavitation or the effects of cavitation, we can infer that this species has a water transport system which can be considered safer under water limiting conditions than that of R. mucronata . 5. The contrast in the safety of the water transport system between the two mangrove species studied is reflected in their distribution at local scale, over the land-sea ecotone, and it may also explain the wide latitudinal distribution of A. marina as compared to R mucronata . 6. This conclusion emphasizes the importance of the anatomy of the water transport system for survival under diverse environmental conditions. In general it is shown that dominant species of a single ecosystem can deal with the stressful conditions they live in by contrasting ecological strategies.
Noninvasive Estimation of Water Retention Parameters by Observing the Capillary Fringe with Magnetic Resonance Sounding

The magnetic resonance sounding (MRS) method is usually applied for delineation and characterization of aquifer system stratification. Its unique property, distinct from other hydrogeophysical methods, is the direct sensitivity to water content in the subsurface. The inversion of MRS data yields the subsurface water content distribution without need of a petrophysical model. Recent developments in instrumentation, i.e., decreased instrumental dead times and advanced noise cancellation strategies, enable the use of this method for investigating the vadose zone. A possible way to interpret MRS measurements with focus on water retention (WR) parameters is an inversion approach that directly provides WR parameters by modeling the capillary fringe (CF inversion). We have developed this kind of inversion further to account for different WR models and present a sensitivity study based on both synthetic and real field data. To assess the general applicability of the CF inversion, we analyzed the resolution properties for different measurement layouts and the parameter uncertainties for different realistic scenarios. Under moderate noise conditions and if the water table position is known, all WR parameters except the residual water content can be reliably estimated. The relative accuracy of the estimated pore distribution index estimation is better for larger CF. Small measurement loops of 5‐m diameter achieve the best resolution for shallow investigation depths of <10 m.
Poor’s behaviour and inequality traps: the role of human capital

We evaluate whether and how the persistence of inequality and the presence of inequality traps carry over the persistence of poverty and possible aggregate economic inefficiencies. We propose a microeconomic formalization of one possible definition of poverty and of the behaviour of poor and rich agents. Poverty is defined as lack of or low societal participation, which is source of both a direct private benefit and an indirect gain. Analysing poverty under the individual rational choice, we are able to endogeneize the threshold amount of the participation good needed to join the additional indirect benefit as well as the threshold level of income - the poverty line - needed to buy that amount; further we find the conditions for their existence which in turn determine also their level. In an overlapping generation structure we show that in economies starting largely poor two equilibria exist; one low locally stable equilibrium to which low and middle-income class converge and one upper locally unstable over the which richer classes of income enter an explosive path, with unbounded growth rates of personal income. In the rich regime the whole population enter the explosive path, with unbounded growth rates. We are able to enrich the dynamics a la Galor and Zeira (1993) in an economic environment with perfect capital markets, instead of the assumption of markets imperfections, by introducing a methodological innovation which connects the presence of the externality in the human capital accumulation of the children directly to the preference of parents. By further restricting the functional form of the initial income distribution to be lognormal we find that the mean income and the variance (i.e. inequality) of the richer part of the distribution are always higher than the ones of the lower part; moreover, while within the poor class inequality tends to zero in the very long-run, within the richer class inequality is increasing at an increasing rate. Finally, a negative relation between initial inequality and economic growth is observed. The inequality traps which cause the poor regime to emerge are also sources of aggregate economic inefficiencies, which can be eliminated by reducing income disparities accordingly.
Key factors of project success in family small and medium-sized companies: the theoretical review

The paper proposes a systematization of the key success factors of projects, through the theoretical review of family-owned companies operating in the EU market. It is the small and medium companies that in their own way contribute to the overall success of the national economy in terms of economic activity, increased employment, development activities and defining better business environment. The theoretical review observed numerous studies of family businesses, and the contribution of this work is in the systematization of the results of previous research – over three horizons, i.e., over the role of managers in the creation of successful projects (or owner if it is a family enterprise), institutional support for companies in Serbia and the EU, specific industries and the parent (regional) markets where a family company operates. Project management, as a general representation of the concept of implementation of strategic and operational endeavors, contains many specifics in terms of critical success factors of projects depending on the environment in which they are implemented. The goal of the paper is reflected in the identification and presentation of critical success factors of projects implemented in family companies. The paper concludes with a discussion of the research results in relation to the existing, similar research studies, as well as with the announcement of future research, which will examine the conclusions drawn on a real sample.