Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the modulatory and antibacterial activity of the ethanolic extract and fractions of Duguetia furfuracea A. St.-Hil.

Medicinal plants have been the subject of research in several countries such as Brazil. The Duguetia furfuracea A. St.-Hil. , popularly known as araticum-bravo, ata-brava and ata de lobo, has been used in folk medicine as anti-rheumatic drugs, for the treatment of renal dysfunction, spinal pain and stomach, and against pediculosis. This work aimed to analyze the antibacterial effect of the crude extract and fractions obtained from the leaves of D. furfuracea. The characterization of secondary metabolites was carried out through phytochemical prospection, being checked for the presence of tannins, flavonoids and alkaloids. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by using broth microdilution method and its modulating activity of antibiotic activity in sub-inhibitory (MIC/8) concentration. When standard bacterial strain is used for the MIC and multidrug-resistant strains of modulation, all samples had a MIC ≥ 1024 µg/ml. The samples when combined with aminoglycosides demonstrated synergistic activity against the Escherichia coli 27 and Staphylococcus aureus 358. The results of this study indicate the species D. furfuracea as a promising source in combating bacterial multidrug resistance, increasing the potential of antibiotics. Key words: Duguetia furfuracea A. St.-Hil. , modulation, antibacterial activity, aminoglycosides.
Investigating Total Quality Management: The Case of Small and MediumSize Enterprises in Northern Cyprus

Quality perceptions of the customers play a vital role in not only determining the satisfaction obtained thus creating a repurchase intention but also confirming the initial purchase decision. For this reasons companies in various locations and industries strive to improve their quality levels. In this sense, total quality management (TQM) is found to be a very useful tool suggesting a continuous improvement in its core. Keeping these in mind, this study aims first to investigate the acceptance level of TQM in Northern Cyprus. Second aim is to measure the five components of TQM (leadership, strategic planning, human resource management, customer satisfaction, management of process quality, and benchmarking) to find out the perceptions of small and medium size organizations’ managers. To achieve this, all Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) in Northern Cyprus have been targeted for the data collection. Analysis of the results depicts an accurate picture of the current situation in Northern Cyprus as well as they revealed important managerial implications for managers in similar locations.
Factors affecting the radii of close-in transiting exoplanets

Context. The radius of an exoplanet may be affected by various factors, including irradiation received from the host star, the mass of the planet and its heavy element content. A significant number of transiting exoplanets have now been discovered for which the mass, radius, semi-major axis, host star metallicity and stellar effective temperature are known. Aims. We use multivariate regression models to determine the power-law dependence of planetary radius on planetary equilibrium temperature Teq, planetary mass Mp, stellar metallicity [Fe/H], orbital semi-major axis a, and tidal heating rate Htidal, for 119 transiting planets in three distinct mass regimes. Methods. We fit models initially to all 119 planets, resulting in fairly high scatter between fitted and observed radii, and subsequently to three subsets of these planets: Saturn-mass planets, Jupiter-mass planets, and high-mass planets. Results. We find models for each subset that fit the observed planetary radii well and show the importance of the various environmental parameters on each subset. Conclusions. We determine that heating leads to larger planet radii, as expected, increasing mass leads to increased or decreased radii of low-mass ( 2.0 RJ) planets, respectively (with no mass effect on Jupiter-mass planets), and increased host-star metallicity leads to smaller planetary radii, indicating a relationship between host-star metallicity and planet heavy element content. For Saturn-mass planets, a good fit to the radii may be obtained from log(Rp/RJ) = ‐0.077 + 0.450 log(Mp/MJ )‐ 0.314 [Fe/H] + 0.671 log(a/AU) + 0.398 log(Teq/K). The radii of Jupiter-mass planets may be fit by log(Rp/RJ) = −2.217 + 0.856 log(Teq/K) +0.291 log(a/AU). High-mass planets’ radii are best fit by log(Rp/RJ) = ‐1.067 + 0.380 log(Teq/K) ‐ 0.093 log(Mp/MJ) ‐ 0.057 [Fe/H] +0.019 log(Htidal/1 ×10 20 ). These equations produce a very good fit to the observed radii, with a mean absolute difference between fitted and observed radius of 0.11 RJ, compared to the mean reported uncertainty in observed radius of 0.07 RJ. A clear distinction is seen between the core-dominated Saturn-mass (0.1‐0.5 MJ) planets, whose radii are determined almost exclusively by their mass and heavy element content, and the gaseous envelope-dominated Jupiter-mass (0.5‐2.0 MJ) planets, whose radii increase strongly with irradiating flux, partially offset by a power-law dependence on orbital separation.
Synthesis and Characterization of Ag Nanoparticles Addition on BPSCCO Superconducting Thin Films

The growth of epitaxial Ag nanoparticles doped (Bi, Pb)-2223 thin films on Si (111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and post-deposition oxygen annealing have been achieved. The phase identification and gross structural characteristics of synthesized films explored through X-ray diffractometer reveal that all the samples crystallize in orthorhombic structure. DC electrical resistivity measurements were done by the standard four-probe method and the results showed improvement in Tc by increasing Ag nanoparticles to 1.0 wt% which had a maximum enhancement in Tc for all investigated films. The surface morphology investigated through scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) results showed that an increase in Tc with the appropriate Ag nanoparticles addition in the samples is associated with the enhancement of Bi (Pb)-2223 phase formation.
Antioxidant properties of methanolic extracts of mistletoes ( Viscum album ) from cocoa and cashew trees in Nigeria

Methanolic extracts of Viscum album leaves from two hosts (cocoa and cashew trees) were subjected to antioxidant assay. V. album from cocoa tree had higher total phenol content (182 mg/100 g) as against that of cashew tree (160 mg/100 g). The result of the study also revealed that the ferric reducing ability, free radical scavenging ability as well as the Fe2+ chelation of the extracts were all dosedependent (0 – 1.0 mg/ml). V. album from cocoa tree had significantly higher ferric reducing and free radical scavenging ability than that from cashew tree, while V. album from cashew tree had significant higher Fe2+ chelating ability than V. album from cocoa tree. Although both methanolic extracts showed promise as a good antioxidant source, the total phenol content and the antioxidant capacity pattern of the two extracts suggest host dependency while the possible antioxidant mechanism of action is by reducing ability, free radical scavenging ability and chelation of Fe2+, a major catalyst in lipid peroxidation.
DIFFERENTIAL SENSITIVITY OF FOUR HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY (VACCINIUM CORYMBOSUM L.) CULTIVARS TO HEAT STRESS

Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) has recently been introduced into Southeast China, a typical subtropical area with a high temperature climate in summer. Understanding of the thermal tolerance among different genotypes of highbush blueberry is needed to select appropriate cultivars. Four highbush blueberry cultivars (‘Duck’, ‘Brigitta’, ‘Sharpblue’ and ‘Misty’) were exposed for 6 h to different temperatures (25, 30, 35, 40 and 45°C), and then various physiological parameters and ultrastructure of chloroplast were assessed. Exposure to high temperature significantly increased the level of relative electrolyte leakage (REL), contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), proline content, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide radical (O2. ) rate, and the initial chlorophyll fluorescence yield (Fo). Whereas the maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) and the quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry (ФPS II) decreased under high temperature conditions. The most pronounced effect by high temperature stress was obtained in ‘Brigitta’, while the least effect existed in ‘Sharpblue’. Furthermore, the chloroplast ultrastructure in ‘Brigitta’ was severely damaged under heat temperature stress, whereas that of ‘Sharpblue’ was almost intact. The results indicated that the ‘Sharpblue’ was the most heat-tolerant blueberry cultivar while ‘Brigitta’ was the most sensitive to heat temperature stress, followed by ‘Duck’ and ‘Misty’. These were consistent with results observed from the field trial. This study proved that photosynthetic parameters stressed by short-term heat stress were fairly reliable to evaluate the thermal endurance in highbush blueberry.
Water quality and cottage prices in Ontario

We use hedonic analysis to show that water clarity has a significant effect on lakefront property values in the Near North Ontario, Canada. In this study, water clarity is measured by Secchi disc reading. Based on two different dependent variables; sales price and sales price per square foot, and the estimation of linear, log–linear and log–log models, we find that water clarity does matter to lakefront property buyers in the Near North, Ontario. In particular, our results indicate that buyers are willing to pay about 2% more for each 1-foot increase in water clarity or Secchi depth. This finding is consistent across all of our specifications.
Tracers confirm downward mixing of Tyrrhenian Sea upper waters associated with the Eastern Mediterranean Transient

Abstract. Observations of tritium and 3He in the Tyrrhenian Sea, 1987–2009, confirm the enhanced vertical mixing of intermediate waters into the deep waters that has been noted and associated with the Eastern Mediterranean Transient in previous studies. Our evidence for the mixing rests on increasing tracer concentrations in the Tyrrhenian deep waters, accompanied by decreases in the upper waters, which are supplied from the Eastern Mediterranean. The downward transfer is particularly evident between 1987 and 1997. Later on, information partly rests on increasing tritium-3He ages; here we correct the observed 3He for contributions released from the ocean floor. The Tyrrhenian tracer distributions are fully compatible with data upstream of the Sicily Strait and in the Western Mediterranean. The tracer data show that mixing reached to the bottom and confirm a cyclonic nature of the deep water circulation in the Tyrrhenian. They furthermore indicate that horizontal homogenization of the deep waters occurs on a time scale of roughly 5 years. Various features point to a reduced impact of Western Mediterranean Deep Water (WMDW) in the Tyrrhenian during the enhanced-mixing period. This is an important finding because it implies less upward mixing of WMDW, which has been named a major process to enable the WMDW to leave the Mediterranean via the Gibraltar Strait. On the other hand, the TDW outflow for several years represented a major influx of enhanced salinity and density waters into the deep-water range of the Western Mediterranean.
A New Approach to the Process of Identifying Lead Users in Open Source Software Communities

This paper presents a methodology that is designed to improve upon established approaches to the identification of lead users amongst communities of end users. While it is clear that organisations can benefit by applying the lead user method – an approach that recognises that certain end users of products are a valuable source and in some industries the only source of new product innovations, the process has been criticised for it's resource intensive nature. The individuals who author Open Source Software (OSS) – complex and high-quality computer software that is typically distributed free of charge and without restrictions on use – appear to share many common characteristics with Eric von Hippel's (2005) lead users. These skilled computer programmers develop their software collaboratively, and often form large communities that congregate in Internet 'chat rooms' to discuss and manage their software development projects. In response to a call for further research to improve the performance of the lead user method, this paper integrates concepts from the fields of innovation management, data visualisation and open source software to construct a process designed to improve the process of identifying lead users in OSS communities. those communities proposed. A review of the practice of combinatoric 'graph' analysis and it's application to Internet Relay Chat (IRC) conversations is made in support of the proposed new method. A methodology is proposed to test the new method by directly comparing its results to the established lead user method and, finally, implications for the research is discussed.
Psychometric properties of Portuguese version of Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS24)

It was intended to evaluate de psychometric properties of Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS24), Portuguese version of Queiroz et al. (2005) in 170 athletes, male gender sample. Statistical analysis was performed through the software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 for Windows. We proceeded to the analysis of the reliability of the 24 items of the instrument in order to see if the items were to measure the construct and obtain a high internal consistency (α = 0.890), almost unchanged with the elimination of any item. The inter-item correlation was not as strong, confirming the analysis of alpha. However, the items in each category tend to have a stronger relation/ correlation with each other, between categories. We conducted factor analysis, and variability between the variables, so as to reduce them to a particular number of dimensions. Initially we observed a six-dimensional division, but we forced the analysis to only three resulting in a division of the items according to the original scale, Thus, we concluded that the TMMS24 has a high internal consistency, good reliability and validity, offering us a suitable and reliable tool which we can conduct investigations in different areas such as the sports universe.
Information Management in Smart Grids - the need for decentralized governance approaches

Information management secures the efficient exchange of data (e.g. from smart metering) in smart grids. Currently, national as well as regional information management systems are being developed. We discuss how the size of an information management system, i.e. the region covered by and the number of users connected to it, has an influence on the level of innovation in the process of the data exchange. Based on insights from the theory of fiscal federalism we argue that neither of the extremes of national (central) and decentralized governance approaches for information management will be optimal. We discuss how the market can determine the optimal degree of decentralization. If information management shall enable smart grids, then we show that the network operator needs to be able to incentivize network users to join and participate in an information management system to internalize externalities. Then, the size of the governance of information management systems will be linked to the network areas on the distribution grid level.
Assessment of the wall shear stress measurement with arrayed micro hot-film sensors in a turbulent channel flow

Arrayed micro hot-film sensors for the measurement of the streamwise and spanwise wall shear stresses were developed and evaluated in a turbulent channel flow. The bandwidth of the sensor is found to be much narrower than previous estimates in the literature. A numerical analysis of the unsteady thermal field around the sensor chip is made in order to obtain a clue to design a hot-film shear stress sensor having higher frequency response. It is found that the phase lag of the thermal boundary layer above the hot-film and the indirect convective heat transfer through the diaphragm are responsible for the deteriorated sensor response.
Detection and identification of Apple stem pitting virus and Apple stem grooving virus affecting apple and pear trees in Egypt

Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV) and Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) are economically important and infect either individually or in mixed infection commercial apple and pear cultivars causing yield loses. Young green bud and/or base of petiole were collected from naturally infected apple and pear trees from different locations in Egypt. Both viruses were detected frequently in apple and pear samples. A total of 420 trees from 9 different orchards were tested using one-step RT-PCR; 13% and 17% of these samples were infected with ASPV and ASGV, respectively. Mixed infection with both viruses occurred in 4% of the tested trees. ELISA was reliable for detection of ASGV but not ASPV. Total RNA for one-step RT-PCR was isolated from 100 mg fresh affected apple and pear leaf tissue using Qiagen RNeasy plant mini-kit (Qiagen, Crawley, UK), according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The one step-RTPCR method was performed using ASPV and ASGV-specific primers for each virus. A 316 bp fragment for ASPV and 524bp fragment for ASGV were amplified and detected by gel electrophoresis analysis which indicated the presence of ASPV and ASGV in affected apple and pear cultivars. Southern blot hybridization of the amplified products to digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled cDNA probe for ASPV or ASGV confirmed the results obtained by electrophoresis analysis. No product was detected in amplified extracts of uninfected apple and pear samples. The detection of ASPV and ASGV by one step-RT-PCR assay was successful and appears useful for testing pome fruit germplasm in quarantine and budwood in certification programs. Keywords : Apple and pear, ASPV, ASGV, virus detection, One step RT-PCR, Southern blot hybridization
Meeting Dividend Thresholds through Earnings Management: A Cross-cultural Comparison

Culture affects accounting rules and practices. Dividend distribution influences corporate operating decisions, and a previous yeari¯s dividends represent an earnings threshold. This study collected various countriesi¯ data from 2004 to 2014 from the COMPUSTAT database and analyzed how cultural factors influence the management of income to achieve a dividend threshold (i.e., desired earnings goal). Prospect theory reported that managers making decisions focus on the value from gains or losses with a certain reference point rather than the levels of wealth. The empirical results show that managers of listed firms in societies that exhibit uncertainty-avoidance, individualistic, power-distance, and masculinity meet or exceed dividend thresholds, whereas those in long term orientation societies do not. These findings emphasize the strong and direct effect of cultural values on meeting or exceeding dividend thresholds through earnings management over multiple years. In addition, our empirical results suggest that investors evaluate firm performance (i.e., earnings) before dividends are paid, which should be considered by financial market participants and regulators when assessing financial statements and the reliability of financial reporting among multiple countries. We only used a modified Jones model to measure earnings management. Therefore, tradeoff tools (i.e., real activities or other DA models) should be used to examine earnings management among managers to ensure the robustness of future studies.
Isolation and Identification by PCR and Analysis for Probiotic Properties of Lactobacillus spp from Dairy Products.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are very significant to human health and due to their ability to produce some antibacterial substances and ability to inhibit pathogenic bacteria, they are commonly used as a natural food preservative to improve food safety and stability,. The present study was focused on isolation and characterization of Lactobacillus spp from dairy products at local markets of Babylon province of Iraq, by conventional and molecular methods using PCR. Additionally, the study and to demonstrate some of probiotic properties of these isolates. All isolates were phenotypically characterized including studying the microbiological, biochemical, effect of sodium chloride and pH during growth, carbohydrates test and characterizing the antimicrobial activity of Lactobacillus spp against pathogens. The present study demonstrates that Lactobacillus spp produced a bacteriocin- like inhibitory substance with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity directed against pathogenic indicator organism suggesting its protective value against enteric pathogens. Keywords : Lactobacillus , identification, PCR, dairy product, antimicrobial activity, probiotic.
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Accurate fundamental parameters and detailed abundance patterns from spectroscopy of 93 solar-type Kepler targets

We present a detailed spectroscopic study of 93 solar-type stars that are targets of the NASA/Kepler mission and provide detailed chemical composition of each target. We find that the overall metallicity is well represented by Fe lines. Relative abundances of light elements (CNO) and α elements are generally higher for low-metallicity stars. Our spectroscopic analysis benefits from the accurately measured surface gravity from the asteroseismic analysis of the Kepler light curves. The accuracy on the log g parameter is better than 0.03 dex and is held fixed in the analysis. We compare our Teff determination with a recent colour calibration of VT − KS [TYCHO V magnitude minus Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) KS magnitude] and find very good agreement and a scatter of only 80 K, showing that for other nearby Kepler targets, this index can be used. The asteroseismic log g values agree very well with the classical determination using Fe I–Fe II balance, although we find a small systematic Based on observations obtained at the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) which is operated by the National Research Council of Canada, the Institut National des Sciences de l’Univers of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique of France and the University of Hawaii. †Based on observations with the 2-m Telescope Bernard Lyot funded by the CNRS Institut National des Sciences de l’Univers. ‡E-mail: bruntt@gmail.com C © 2012 The Authors Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society C © 2012 RAS at U nivrsiteit an A m strdam on N ovem er 2, 2013 hp://m nras.oxjournals. org/ D ow nladed from Parameters of solar-type Kepler targets 123 offset of 0.08 dex (asteroseismic log g values are lower). The abundance patterns of metals, α elements and the light elements (CNO) show that a simple scaling by [Fe/H] is adequate to represent the metallicity of the stars, except for the stars with metallicity below −0.3, where α-enhancement becomes important. However, this is only important for a very small fraction of the Kepler sample. We therefore recommend that a simple scaling with [Fe/H] be employed in the asteroseismic analyses of large ensembles of solar-type stars.