Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytomorphological study in genus Cenchrus L.: an important medicinal plant from North India (family: Poaceae).

The present study deals with the four species of genus Cenchrus L. based on population analysis from different localities in Haryana and adjoining hills of Shiwalik area. These species i.e., C. biflorus, C. ciliaris, C. pennisetiformis and C. setigerus differ from each other morphologically as well as cytologically. In C. biflorus, cytological studies have been made on 23 populations from the study area and three cytotypes (n=16, 17 and 18) are detected. In C. ciliaris, most commonly found species of the genus, 48 populations were studied and four cytotypes with chromosome numbers n=16, 17, 18 and 36 are found. The population analysis revealed that the tetraploid cytotype (n=18) based on x=9 is better adapted as compared to the other three cytotypes. The tetraploid and aneuploid cytotypes are almost morphologically similar, whereas octaploid shows lot of gigantism. All the studied cytotypes of C. ciliaris show meiotic abnormalities. In C. pennisetiformis, two cytotypes with n=17 and 18 are observed, which were found to be morphologically similar with abnormal meiotic course. In this species, 2n=34 is a new chromosome report. The fourth species C. setigerus, also shows similar cytotypes with n=17 and 18, based on the study of 49 populations. These cytotypes are morphologically indistinct and show overlapping morphometric characters.
Frequência alimentar e densidade de estocagem para juvenis de robalo-peva em tanques-rede

In order to evaluate the effect of feeding frequency and stocking density on the zootechnical parameters, juvenile fat snook (3.0 ± 0.96 g and 6.8 ± 0.67 cm) were distributed in 12 groups of fish in four treatments: (T1A) 100 fishes m-³ and 2 meals day-1; (T1B) 100 fish m-³ and 4 meals day-1; (T2A) 200 fish m-³ and 2 meals day-1 and (T2B) 200 fish m-³ and 4 meals day-1. Food was offered to apparent satiation during the experimental period of 90 days. Fish weight and length were determined every 30 days. At the end of the experiment, survival rates ranged from 85 to 89%, with no difference among the treatments ( p >0.05). Total length and condition factor values were similar among the treatments ( p >0.05), being 12.6 ± 0.27 cm and 0.98 ± 0.05, respectively . Weight gain varied between T2A and T2B treatments ( p <0.05). Apparent feed conversion started to differ from 60-days of cultivation between the juveniles stocked at 100 and 200 fish m-³ ( p <0.05), being better at the lowest density (2.2). It is recommended to use the feeding frequency of 4 times daily and the stocking density of 200 fish m-3 during the nursery phase, as at this density, although the worst conversion rate was observed (3.1), final biomass value was 2 times higher (3.5 kg) compared to the lower stocking density (1.75 kg).
Effects of Credit Appraisal Methods on Non-Performing Loans in Government Owned Financial Institutions, A Case of Kenya Commercial Bank Limited

Financial institutions have in the recent past become a major player in the Kenyan economy. Consequently, for the institutions to sustain viable credit programmes, the criteria for assessing credit risk are essential so as to minimize the loan default. There are various known methods and tools which can be employed by credit offices to ensure that they lend quality loan. These methods try to establish the creditworthiness of the potential borrower. Quality loans means good returns to the business since there is less provisions for bad debt in the books of the lending institution. One of the criteria for establishing the creditworthiness of a borrower is the C’s of credit model. These are initials for;-character, capacity , capital, collateral , common sense, contribution and conditions The C’s of credit refers to the borrower’s specific attributes which, if well used can help the lender arrive at a better decision of whether to lend or not to lend, the amount to lend and possibly the period to allow. Lending institutions, however, have continued to record nonperforming loans, despite there being elaborate known methods to aid in credit appraisal. The objectives of this study were to establish the factors that have contributed to non performing loans in financial institutions, whether the appraising persons are well versed on C’s of credit and challenges affecting appraising persons during the appraising process. To arrive at reliable findings, the researcher engaged respondents from selected financial institutions who were supplied with questionnaires in order to collect the sought data. The researcher employed descriptive research design which entails distributing questionnaires to respondents. The respondents were sampled from twenty financial institutions where respondents were chosen randomly. The target population in this case was credit officers irrespective of their cadres. For ease of collection of data, the study was located in Nairobi County where most financial institutions are based. The data so collected was coded to facilitate analysis. The researcher employed both descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze the data. The researcher further employed the credit scoring model which uses data on observed borrower characteristics, either to calculate the probability of default or to sort out borrowers into different default risk classes.
Mineral constraints on arctic caribou (Rangifer tarandus): a spatial and phenological perspective

Arctic caribou (Rangifer tarandus) have the longest terrestrial migration of any ungulate but little is known about the spatial and seasonal variation of minerals in summer forages and the potential impacts of mineral nutrition on the foraging behavior and nutritional condition of arctic caribou. We investigated the phenology, availability, and mechanistic relationships of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, manganese, copper, and zinc in three species of woody browse, three species of graminoids, and one forb preferred by caribou over two transects bisecting the ranges of the Central Arctic (CAH) and Western Arctic (WAH) caribou herds in Alaska. Transects traversed three ecoregions (Coastal Plain, Arctic Foothills and Brooks Range) along known migration paths in the summer ranges of both herds. Concentrations of mineral in forages were compared to estimated dietary requirements of lactating female caribou. Spatial distribution of the abundance of minerals in caribou forage was associated with interactions of soil pH and mineral content, while temporal variation was related to plant maturity, and thus nitrogen and fiber content of forages. Concentrations of sodium were below caribou requirements in all forage species for most of the summer and adequate only on the Coastal Plain during the second half of summer. Phosphorus declined in plants from emergence to senescence and was below requirements in all forages by mid-summer, while concentrations of copper declined to marginal concentrations at plant senescence. Interactions of sodium with potassium, calcium with phosphorus, and copper with zinc in forages likely exacerbate the constraints of low concentrations sodium, phosphorus, and copper. Forages on the WAH contained significantly more phosphorus and copper than forages collected on the CAH transect. We suspect that migrations of caribou to the Arctic Coastal Plain may allow parturient females to replenish sodium stores depleted by foraging inland through the long arctic winters, while also extending the availability of adequate phosphorus, if animals are able to selectively track emerging waves of forage.
Effects of boundary layer suction control on flow through an axisymmetric diverging channel

ABSTRACT The conical diffuser is one of the oldest and most versatile hydraulic devices, however its performance is often less than optimal. This is because boundary layer separation and instabilities in the flow lead to energy losses through internal friction. Boundary layer suction offers a method for controlling and improving this flow, and some experimental studies have shown this to be effective – though they leave questions as to its net efficiency. This study takes a more comprehensive approach to suction control of the conical diffuser through the use of numerical studies coupled with optimisation. The flow through a conical diffuser with semi-divergence angle was simulated by solving the full steady-state incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in the fully laminar Reynolds Number range . Uniform suction control was then applied in the divergent region, and optimisation methods used to determine the most effective suction strength for two objectives: (a) maximising the diffuser efficiency, and (b) minimising the separation length. It was found that suction control could increase the performance of the diffuser and was efficient even when considering the power to run the control. The results suggest that fluidic control of the diffuser should be reconsidered as it shows significant promise, particularly for applications where the constraints on the geometry of the diffuser are tight, for example in aircraft turbine engines.
Checklist of Tachinidae (Insecta, Diptera) in Mexico

ABSTRACT We list 918 species in 250 genera of Tachinidae from Mexico based on 2,073 specimens studied from entomological collections in Mexico and a literature review on the group. We recorded 159 new state distribution records and 20 new country records, with detailed locality information included in an appendix. Records of all examined specimens have been incorporated into the database TACHIN, which will be published online subsequently.
A thorough investigation of the uranium concentration in phosphate mines: a case study of Minjingu phosphate mine, Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania

Using high resolution gamma ray spectrometry, the terrestrial radionuclides from all phosphate rock samples were measured and results are presented. From the measured gamma ray spectra, activity concentrations were determined for 226Ra/238U (range from 122.5±6.9 to 8060±806 Bq kg−1), 232Th (range from 13.2±0.8 to 1201.3±77.3 Bq kg−1), 40K (range from 12.9±1.3 to 1827.6±93.9 Bq kg−1) and 137Cs (range from 0.5±0.017 to 70.58±1.25 Bq kg−1) with mean of 1832.32±00, 447.62±00, 399.46±00 and 22.98±0.43 Bq kg−1 respectively. Radium equivalent activity ranges from 219.27±00 to 9127.07±00 Bq kg−1 with mean of 2433.56±00 Bq kg−1. The total absorbed dose estimated at 1 metre above the ground varies from 102.1 to 3967.8 nGyh−1 with an average of 1055.9 nGy h−1. Investigation of uranium recorded a peak of 650±65ppm, this suggests the existing U concentration is over three times greater than economically viable and production of a cleaner fertiliser is favourable.
Diversity and Distribution of Mites (Acari: Ixodida, Mesostigmata, Trombidiformes, Sarcoptiformes) in the Svalbard Archipelago

Svalbard is a singular region to study biodiversity. Located at a high latitude and geographically isolated, the archipelago possesses widely varying environmental conditions and unique flora and fauna communities. It is also here where particularly rapid environmental changes are occurring, having amongst the fastest increases in mean air temperature in the Arctic. One of the most common and species-rich invertebrate groups in Svalbard is the mites (Acari). We here describe the characteristics of the Svalbard acarofauna, and, as a baseline, an updated inventory of 178 species (one Ixodida, 36 Mesostigmata, 43 Trombidiformes, and 98 Sarcoptiformes) along with their occurrences. In contrast to the Trombidiformes and Sarcoptiformes, which are dominated in Svalbard by species with wide geographical distributions, the Mesostigmata include many Arctic species (39%); it would thus be an interesting future study to determine if mesostigmatid communities are more affected by global warming then other mite groups. A large number of new species (42 spp.) have been described from Svalbard, including 15 that have so far been found exclusively there. It is yet uncertain if any of these latter species are endemic: six are recent findings, the others are old records and, in most cases, impossible to verify. That the Arctic is still insufficiently sampled also limits conclusions concerning endemicity.
Anti-Candida Effect of Allium Sativum

Introduction: Allium Sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a bulbous plant with hermaphrodite flowers, a species in the onion genus, Allium , native to central Asia.The objective of this study was to review Anti-Candida specie effect of Allium Sativum. Methods: This review article was carried out by searching studies in PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, and IranMedex databases. The initial search strategy identified about 98 references. In this study, 49 studies was accepted for further screening and met all our inclusion criteria [in English, full text, therapeutic effects of Allium Sativum and dated mainly from the year 1992 to 2016.The search terms were “Allium Sativum”, “therapeutic properties”, “pharmacological effects". Result: the antimicrobial efficacy of AGE to be dose and time dependent, producing five distinct time-kill profiles among the isolates tested. Conclusion: the results from this review showed that garlic is an Anti-Candida herb. It showed that Fresh garlic extract possess a greater influence than garlic powder extract. The results of this study support the use of garlic in health products and herbal remedies. Meanwhile, more clinical trials should be conducted to support its anti-candidia effects.
Examining empathy and advocacy in K-12 educational leaders

ABSTRACT In this quantitative study, the relationship between levels of empathy and advocacy competencies among a sample of K-12 educational leaders are examined. The researchers determined higher levels of empathy to be a positive, statistically significant predictor of advocacy for students at the individual as well as community levels. Researchers discovered educators possessing high levels of empathy would be better able to advocate effectively. Professional implications as well as implications for training future school leaders are explored.
The effect of graphene flake size on the properties of graphene‐based polymer composite films

In this work, the role of graphene flake size on the properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) composites was studied. Graphene flakes were added to PVDF-HFP using a solution mixing and molding process. By increasing graphene particle size and its concentration in the composites, higher electrical conductivity, in-plane thermal conductivity, and elastic modulus were achieved. Maximum tensile strength was obtained for the composites with average graphene flake size of 2, 5, and 7 μm at graphene concentrations of 10 wt%, 5 wt%, and 20 wt%, respectively. Thick flexible composite films (0.2-0.4 mm) with ultra-high in-plane electrical conductivity (~4500 S/m), in-plane thermal conductivity (~26 W/m/K), and tensile strength (~50 MPa) were obtained for the samples containing the graphene flakes with a larger average particle size of 7 μm. To our knowledge, the first two values are larger than any other values reported in the literature for PVDF-based composites.
The inefficiency of Vietnamese prawn-rice rotational crops: a slacks-based data envelopment analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the input- and output-specific technical inefficiency of Vietnamese prawn-rice rotational crops (PRRC) and to identify the impacts of the socio-economic characteristics of farmers and farms on these technical inefficiencies.Design/methodology/approachThis study first used a Russell-type (input-output) directional distance function to estimate the input- and output-specific technical inefficiency. Second, it applied a bootstrap truncated regression to analyze the factors influencing these technical inefficiencies. Data were gathered through a survey among 94 farmers, from Ben Tre and Kien Giang provinces, the two popular PRRC areas in the Mekong Delta.FindingsResults show that Vietnamese PRRC farmers could reduce the water surface area by 3%, the use of seedlings by 15%, labor by 16%, fertilizers by 26%, and the use of others by 24%, while simultaneously increasing the revenue of farming system by 57% relative to the variable returns to scale (VRS) frontier. Farmers with more years of experience are generally better in managing the use of seedlings and in improvement of revenue. Farmers in Kien Giang province are more efficient in achieving revenue of the PRRC farming system than farmers in Ben Tre province.Research limitations/implicationsOutcomes of this study are useful to identify strategies in minimizing the use of inputs while simultaneously maximizing PRRC production.Originality/valueThis paper relates to the comparison of two mostly different ecological zones, being the dominant production areas of PRRC, in which, Kien Giang represents the western part, while Ben Tre is in the eastern part of the Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. The findings not only expand the current understanding but also suggest various meaningful research questions regarding the development of Vietnamese PRRC under the impacts of climate change. The study also contributes to the literature on examining the input- and output-specific technical inefficiencies and influencing factors.
A STUDY ON THE NABIDAE AND REDUVIIDAE (HEMIPTERA: HETEROPTERA) OF THE KELKIT VALLEY AND AMASYA, TURKEY

In this study, the research material consists of samples collected from Amasya and the Kelkit Valley between 2006 and 2007. In and around Amasya, and the Kelkit Valley, 11 species belonging to 3 genera of Nabidae and 9 species belonging to 6 genera of Reduviidae from 48 different localities were determined. Of those, all species of Nabidae and 7 species of Reduviidae are new records for the particular research areas. Prostemma aeneicolle Stein, 1857, Prostemma guttula asiaticum Kerzhner, 1968, Nabis sareptanus Dohrn, 1862 and Nabis brevis Scholtz, 1847 are less known and rare species from Turkey.
Elucidating the host-pathogen interactions between in vitro human cells and enterovirus 71 in Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD)

This study has provided further understanding of the pathogenesis of EV71, one of the major etiological agents associated with significant mortality in Hand, Foot and Mouth disease. Elucidating the host-pathogen interaction and the mechanism that the virus uses to bypass host defence systems to establish infection will aid in the development of potential antiviral therapeutics against EV71.
Breast cancer knowledge, attitude and self-examination practices of physiotherapy students in India: a cross-sectional study

There is an increased prevalence of breast carcinoma all over the world. Adoption of western lifestyles, urbanization, increase in life expectancy, interaction patterns of individuals with the environment, and chemical causes, can be attributed to the increased incidence of these non-communicable diseases in developing countries. As per Globocan 2018 report of India, the amount of latest breast cancer cases accounted for 15.62% of the total number of cancer cases whereas, the number of deaths due to breast cancer contributed to 12.19% of the total deaths due to cancer. A notable reason for such a high mortality rate in India is a late-stage presentation. In India merely 30% of the breast cancer cases are arrested at early stages, whereas within the developed world 60-70% of cases seek medical intervention at early stages. This variation might not be solely due to socioeconomic differences, but also attributable to the shortage of breast cancer awareness and poor attitude towards breast self-examination (BSE). The 5-year survival rate could be boosted to 85% with early detection or could decline to 56% with late detection. American cancer society guidelines suggest some measure for early detection of breast cancer like BSE for girls starting their twenties, clinical breast examination every three years for the women in their twenties and thirties, early mammography every year for women age 40 and above. BSE is a simple, low-cost, effortless, and efficient procedure that can be disbursed by the women with no complex technical training or any particular equipment ABSTRACT
Effect of intercropping and soil amendment on the population dynamics of major pests and natural enemies of white cabbage

Cabbage is an important exotic vegetable widely grown in Ghana. Despite its importance, cabbage production is constrained by insect pests attack, with the diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella L. and the Indian mustard aphid, Lipaphis erysimi pseudobrassicae (Davis) as the most important. A field trial was conducted at the Soil and Irrigation Research Centre, Kpong, in Ghana, during the major and minor rainy seasons of 2013 to study the effect of intercropping and soil amendment on the incidence of these key pests, their natural enemies and the yield of crop. The field was laid out as a split-plot design with soil amendment (biochar from rice husk, poultry manure and their combination) as the main plot and cropping system (sole cabbage, sole onion and cabbage-onion intercrop) as sub-plots. Multiple head formation was higher in sole cabbage plots than cabbage intercropped with onion. Similarly, sole cabbage plots supported a higher number of DBM larvae than cabbage intercropped with onion. Cabbage planted on soils without amendment, generally supported a fewer number of DBM larvae and natural enemies than the amended soils. The effect of the different treatments on the aphids population was not significant. The intercrop had the highest number of beneficial insects. The effect of soil amendment on the yield of cabbage and onion was significant with poultry manure plots recording the highest yield. The effect of cropping system was also significant on the yield of onion, with sole onion obtaining higher yields than onion intercropped with cabbage. The use of soil amendment also significantly improved the soil chemical and physical properties. Intercropping and soil amendment, therefore, have a lot of potential in sustainable vegetable production.
Effect of Novel Penicillium verruculosum Enzyme Preparations on the Saccharification of Acid- and Alkali-Pretreated Agro-Industrial Residues

This study aimed at evaluating different enzyme combinations in the saccharification of sugarcane bagasse (SCB), soybean husks (SBH) and oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) submitted to mild acid and alkaline pretreatments. Enzyme pools were represented by B1 host (crude cellulase/xylanase complexes of Penicillium verruculosum); B1-XylA (Penicillium canescens xylanase A expressed in P. verruculosum B1 host strain); and F10 (Aspergillus niger β-glucosidase expressed in B1 host strain). Enzyme loading was 10 mg protein/g dry substrate and 40 U/g of β-glucosidase (F10) activity. SCB was efficiently hydrolyzed by B1 host after alkaline pretreatment, yielding glucose and reducing sugars at 71 g/L or 65 g/100 g of dry pretreated substrate and 91 g/L or 83 g/100 g, respectively. B1 host performed better also for EFB, regardless of the pretreatment method, but yields were lower (glucose 27–30 g/L, 25–27 g/100 g; reducing sugars 37–42 g/L, 34–38 g/100 g). SBH was efficiently saccharified by the combination of B1 host and B1-XylA, yielding similar concentrations of reducing sugars for both pretreatments (92–96 g/L, 84–87 g/100 g); glucose recovery, however, was higher with alkaline pretreatment (81 g/L, 74 g/100 g). Glucose and reducing sugar yields from initial substrate mass were 42% and 54% for SCB, 36% and 42–47% for SBH and 16–18% and 21–26% for EFB, respectively.