Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Utility of AFLP markers for the assessment of genetic diversity within Brassica nigra germplasm

Genetic diversity of 18 Brassica nigra accessions was estimated using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) marker technology. Two B. rapa and two B. juncea accessions were selected as outliers in the study. Eight AFLP primer combinations generated a total of 426 bands, of which 79% were polymorphic. The UPGMA method was employed to construct a dendrogram based on the Jaccard's similarity coefficient. The accessions of B. rapa separated from those of B. nigra at a genetic similarity coefficient of 0.27 while those of B. juncea did so at 0.5. The genetic similarity coefficients within the B. nigra accessions ranged from 0.58 to 0.86. Based on these coefficients it was concluded that the B. nigra accessions show high levels of genetic variation. These results have significant implications in the crop improvement programmes for the agronomically important crop B. juncea, an amphidiploid of B. nigra and B. rapa. Two incorrectly labelled B. nigra accessions were also identified. These accessions were found to cluster with those of B. juncea accessions. This result demonstrates the great value of AFLP markers in the management of genebanks.
Placement training and learning outcomes in social work education

ABSTRACT Field placement has traditionally been an important component of professional and vocational education programmes, and there is a growing interest in workplace experience in higher education programmes in general. In this article, we examine the direct and the indirect links between classroom preparation for placement, placement quality and programme coherence, and the development of student learning outcomes (general competence, knowledge and skills). Using a longitudinal survey of social work students, combined with data from national registers, we find that programme coherence has a direct positive impact on all three types of learning outcomes, classroom preparation for placement has a positive direct impact on knowledge and general competence, while placement quality only indirectly relates to student learning outcomes and is mediated by programme coherence. Placement quality is therefore important, but its positive impact on learning outcomes depends on whether it has a spillover effect on students’ experience of programme coherence.
Cold-water corals landed by bottom longline fisheries in the Azores (north-eastern Atlantic)

The impact of bottom trawling on cold-water corals (CWC) has been thoroughly studied and shown to be long-lasting; however the effects of bottom longlining on CWC ecosystems have received little attention. The present paper identifies the principal CWC species landed by bottom longlining in Faial (Azores) from 150 to 600 m depth. Data were obtained from a survey of 297 landings during four months coupled with 16 interviews with fishermen. A distinction was made among corals brought on deck directly entangled in the fishing gear (primary by-catch) from corals brought up associated with other larger CWC species or rocks (secondary by-catch). Forty-five (15.2%) of 297 fishing trips surveyed landed coral specimens. The survey recorded 39 different CWC taxa in the by-catch, belonging to five different orders (Scleractinia, Alcyonacea, Antipatharia, Zoanthidea and Anthoathecata). Secondary by-catch included a larger number of species but the total number of corals was in the same order of magnitude for both groups. The taxa most frequently encountered were Leiopathes spp. , Errina dabneyi and Dendrophyllia sp. CWC taxa in the by-catch were mostly medium size (10–60 cm), 3-dimensional and branched colonies. Local ecological knowledge of fishermen confirmed that the corals recorded were representative of their past experience and also revealed a general agreement that there has been a decrease of CWC by-catch on traditional fishing grounds. Corals are common by-catch in bottom longline fisheries around the Azores and so conservation measures may be required.
Mobile money usage and continuance intention among micro enterprises in an emerging market - the mediating role of agent credibility

Currently, mobile payments have become pervasive in electronic commerce and are steadily increasing in many regions worldwide. In the literature, however, its continued usage among consumers is deemed equivocal, particularly among small businesses. This study uses the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to examine mobile money continuance intention among micro enterprises in an emerging/less-developed economy. This study aims to explore the mediating role of agent credibility on this relationship, given that these agents are contingent actors between service providers and mobile money users. ,After a preliminary qualitative enquiry, quantitative data collected from 584 micro enterprises were tested from the UTAUT perspective, using structural equation modelling. ,Findings from the study establish the applicability of the UTAUT in explaining the antecedents, motivations and continuance intention of mobile money usage among micro enterprises. Further, beyond their direct effects, the UTAUT conditions have indirect effects on the continuance intention through their effect on perceived agent credibility. ,The findings provide evidence to issues of research and managerial interest, offering insightful implications to the academic and practitioner communities, respectively.
Interactions of Ceftobiprole with β-Lactamases from Molecular Classes A to D

ABSTRACT The interactions of ceftobiprole with purified β-lactamases from molecular classes A, B, C, and D were determined and compared with those of benzylpenicillin, cephaloridine, cefepime, and ceftazidime. Enzymes were selected from functional groups 1, 2a, 2b, 2be, 2d, 2e, and 3 to represent β-lactamases from organisms within the antibacterial spectrum of ceftobiprole. Ceftobiprole was refractory to hydrolysis by the common staphylococcal PC1 β-lactamase, the class A TEM-1 β-lactamase, and the class C AmpC β-lactamase but was labile to hydrolysis by class B, class D, and class A extended-spectrum β-lactamases. Cefepime and ceftazidime followed similar patterns. In most cases, the hydrolytic stability of a substrate correlated with the MIC for the producing organism. Ceftobiprole and cefepime generally had lower MICs than ceftazidime for AmpC-producing organisms, particularly AmpC-overexpressing Enterobacter cloacae organisms. However, all three cephalosporins were hydrolyzed very slowly by AmpC cephalosporinases, suggesting that factors other than β-lactamase stability contribute to lower ceftobiprole and cefepime MICs against many members of the family Enterobacteriaceae.
Influence of sampling method on the chemical composition of water surface film

The composition of the surface microlayer was compared at two sites, having different degrees of water pollution, near the northern Mediterranean coast. Harvey (rotating drum device) and Garrett (screen) samplers were used and their effectiveness compared; the enrichment factor shown was greater with the former. Eutrophication due to river runoff and hydrocarbon pollution from refinery effluents may contribute to an increase in the enrichment factor. Differences in chlorophyll, ATP, and pheophytin content between the two sampling methods suggest stratification of the living and inert planktonic material.
Efficacy of an Inhibitor of Hepatitis B Virus Expression in Combination With Entecavir and Interferon‐α in Woodchucks Chronically Infected With Woodchuck Hepatitis Virus

RG7834 is a small‐molecule inhibitor of hepatitis B virus (HBV) gene expression that significantly reduces the levels of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV DNA in a humanized liver HBV mouse model. In the current study, we evaluated the potency of RG7834 in the woodchuck model of chronic HBV infection, alone and in combination with entecavir (ETV) and/or woodchuck interferon‐α (wIFN‐α). RG7834 reduced woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) surface antigen (WHsAg) by a mean of 2.57 log10 from baseline and WHV DNA by a mean of 1.71 log10. ETV + wIFN‐α reduced WHsAg and WHV DNA by means of 2.40 log10 and 6.70 log10, respectively. The combination of RG7834, ETV, and wIFN‐α profoundly reduced WHsAg and WHV DNA levels by 5.00 log10 and 7.46 log10, respectively. However, both viral parameters rebounded to baseline after treatment was stopped and no antibody response against WHsAg was observed. Effects on viral RNAs were mainly seen with the triple combination treatment, reducing both pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) and WHsAg RNA, whereas RG7834 mainly reduced WHsAg RNA and ETV mainly affected pgRNA. When WHsAg was reduced by the triple combination, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) proliferated significantly in response to viral antigens, but the cellular response was diminished after WHsAg returned to baseline levels during the off‐treatment period. Consistent with this, Pearson correlation revealed a strong negative correlation between WHsAg levels and PBMC proliferation in response to peptides covering the entire WHsAg and WHV nucleocapsid antigen. Conclusion: A fast and robust reduction of WHsAg by combination therapy reduced WHV‐specific immune dysfunction in the periphery. However, the magnitude and/or duration of the induced cellular response were not sufficient to achieve a sustained antiviral response.
Do Anglers and Fishery Professionals Think Alike

Abstract Understanding differences and similarities between anglers and fishery managers can serve to inform and improve communication between the groups. Misperceptions about anglers' desires may lead to inappropriate management responses. Our study compared the views of anglers who bought a license to fish in New York State in 1996 with those of New York Bureau of Fisheries (BOF) staff and included a comparison among BOF staff to identify intra-agency differences. Fishing activities were similar between anglers and BOF staff, although BOF staff interests were more strongly linked to coldwater species and ice fishing. BOF staff and 1996 anglers had similar preferences and opinions on many fisheries management topics and were generally satisfied with the bureau's overall performance. Both BOF staff and 1996 anglers also rated their support for many fishery management actions similarly; however, some differences were noted. Results from these comparisons should be viewed as an opportunity to increase commu.
Harnessing The Biology of Intestinal Organoids To Accelerate Drug Discovery in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A One Health Approach

Canine inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to a group of chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disorders of unknown cause and pathogenesis which mimic the spectrum of chronic enteropathies in human patients with IBD. There is currently no cure for IBD and many therapeutic interventions developed over the past 3 decades have consistently failed to demonstrate evidence of efficacy in clinical trials. There is, therefore, a critical need to develop robust drug screening tools to accelerate the availability of effective and safe therapeutic strategies for management of IBD. With the aim of modeling spontaneous GI disease in dogs and humans, intestinal stem cell (ISC)‐derived organoids are emerging as a promising ex vivo tool in the study of IBD pathogenesis. Our working testable hypothesis is that canine organoids will faithfully reproduce structural and functional changes of the intestinal epithelium in dogs with IBD, which will enable more accurate prediction of therapeutic drug efficacy and safety. Long‐term, this model will provide critical information for the design of canine clinical trials, and ultimately generate preclinical data for similar studies in humans with IBD. Altogether, we therefore expect to contribute to decreased morbidity/mortality, and improved quality of life in dogs and patients with IBD.
Targeting the Mevalonate Pathway Enhances the Efficacy of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor – Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

II DEDICATIONS . IV ACKOWLEDGMENTS . V TABLE OF CONTENTS . VII LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS . IX LIST OF FIGURES . XII LIST OF TABLES . XIV CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . 1 1.1 HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA . 1 1.1.1 Epidemiology, Histology and Etiology . 1 1.1.2 Current HNSCC Treatment and Challenges . 4 1.2 EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR . 6 1.2.1 Structure and Function of EGFR . 6 1.2.2 Dimerization and Activation of EGFR . 10 1.2.3 Signal Transduction via EGFR . 14 1.2.4 Role of EGFR in HNSCC . 18 1.3 EGFR TARGETED THERAPIES . 19 1.3. 1 Monoclonal Antibodies . 19 1.3. 2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors . 20 1.4 MEVALONATE PATHWAY . 24 1.4. 1 Biochemistry of the Mevalonate pathway . 25 1.4. 2 The Statin family . 29 1.4. 3 Statins and EGFR-TKIs Combination . 30 1.5 DOWNSTREAM TARGET OF MEVALONATE PATHWAY . 37 1.5. 1 Protein Prenylation . 37 1.5. 2 Prenylated Small-GTPases . 38 1.5. 3 Inhibitors of Prenylated Proteins . 38 1.6 METABOLIC STRESS PATHWAYS . 41 1.6. 1 The LKB1/AMPK Pathway . 41 1.6. 2 The Integrated Stress Response Pathway . 45 1.6. 3 Activating Transcription Factor 3 . 49 1.6. 4 Statins and the Metabolic Stress Pathways . 50 1.7 RATIONALE . 53 1.8 HYPOTHESIS . 54 1.9 OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY . 54 1.10 SPECIFIC AIMS . 54 CHAPTER 2: MATERIALS AND METHODS . 55 2.1 TISSUE CULTURE . 55 2.2 DRUG COMPOUNDS . 57 2.3 (4,5-DIMETHYLTHIAZOL-2-YL)-2,5-DIPHENYLTETRAZOLIUM BROMIDE (MTT) ASSAY . 57 2.4 TRYPAN BLUE EXCLUSION CELL VIABILITY ASSAY . 59
Gender and Asset Ownership in the Old and New Lands of Egypt

ABSTRACT The Middle East and North Africa region has the lowest level of women’s land ownership in the world, yet little research has explored the barriers and opportunities women face in land ownership in the region. This paper identifies patterns, opportunities, and constraints of ownership of land and other assets (houses, livestock, poultry, and gold) by women and men in the Old and New Lands of Egypt. Based on a survey complemented with qualitative interviews, the study finds that both women and men viewed land and houses as the most economically and socially important assets, but they differed in what assets they considered to be valuable for women. The findings highlight the importance of implementing policies that optimize women’s property ownership, even if they own non-land assets. The study concludes that while legal and economic interventions aid in accomplishing gender-equity goals, consciousness-raising initiatives are as crucial as pro-women policy reforms. HIGHLIGHTS Women are disadvantaged in land ownership in the New and Old Lands in Egypt, though not to the extent the literature has assumed for the MENA region. Patterns of asset ownership and control are similar to other regions: men own and control more land and housing; women own and sometimes control (liquefiable) livestock and gold Men underestimate women’s preferences for owning immovable property (land and housing) even in the New Lands, where 20 percent of land titles are distributed to women. Women who acquire land remained hesitant or unwilling to enable their daughters to inherit land at par with their sons. While pro-women policy reforms should be implemented, consciousness-raising initiatives are equally crucial.
Autumn Fertilization in the Nursery Affects Growth of Picea abies Container Seedlings After Transplanting

Second-year Norway spruce seedlings [Picea abies (L.) Karst. ] grown in containers were divided into three fertilization levels in August [5, 15 and 25 mg nitrogen (N) seedling−1]. The resulting foliar concentrations of N were 11.0, 13.1 and 15.8 g kg−1, respectively. Seedling height (mean 26.0 cm) did not differ among treatments. The next spring, the seedlings were tested in two experiments. (1) The seedlings were transplanted into pots containing sandy soil in the greenhouse, where they were fertilized with either pure water or nutrient solution (22 mg N l−1). (2) The outplanting performance of the autumn-fertilized seedlings was tested on a sandy field. In the greenhouse experiment, the autumn fertilization level affected height growth and root egress of the seedlings significantly, but less than fertilization with a nutrient solution after planting. In the field experiment, during the first season after transplanting shoot growth of the seedlings increased with the level of autumn fertilization. After the second and third seasons, the seedling stem volume was highest with the highest level of autumn fertilization. These results suggest that, by improving the preplanting nutrient status of seedlings, the growth of shoot, stem diameter and root biomass can be enhanced after planting, especially on nutrient-poor soils. However, heavier autumn fertilization than that used here may yield a greater and more persistent increment in growth.
One Cryptocurrency to Explain Them All? Understanding the Importance of Bitcoin in Cryptocurrency Returns

The cryptocurrency literature has attempted to identifying factors that explain excess returns. We utilise principal component analysis to determine whether a (small) set of factors can explain returns and whether this varies over time. We find that a substantial proportion of cryptocurrency return variation is explained by a single principal component that is highly correlated with bitcoin returns. The explanatory power of this factor is greatest for larger cryptocurrencies and increases markedly in the most recent part of the sample. Our results have implications for investors determining optimal portfolio decisions and for policymakers wary of systemic risk.
Mining Big Data in Education: Affordances and Challenges

The emergence of big data in educational contexts has led to new data-driven approaches to support informed decision making and efforts to improve educational effectiveness. Digital traces of student behavior promise more scalable and finer-grained understanding and support of learning processes, which were previously too costly to obtain with traditional data sources and methodologies. This synthetic review describes the affordances and applications of microlevel (e.g., clickstream data), mesolevel (e.g., text data), and macrolevel (e.g., institutional data) big data. For instance, clickstream data are often used to operationalize and understand knowledge, cognitive strategies, and behavioral processes in order to personalize and enhance instruction and learning. Corpora of student writing are often analyzed with natural language processing techniques to relate linguistic features to cognitive, social, behavioral, and affective processes. Institutional data are often used to improve student and administrational decision making through course guidance systems and early-warning systems. Furthermore, this chapter outlines current challenges of accessing, analyzing, and using big data. Such challenges include balancing data privacy and protection with data sharing and research, training researchers in educational data science methodologies, and navigating the tensions between explanation and prediction. We argue that addressing these challenges is worthwhile given the potential benefits of mining big data in education.
The genera of chalcid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) of citrus leafminer Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae).

The genera of chalcid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) of citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), are reviewed and an illustrated key is presented. Forty-one genera of Chalcidoidea have been recorded as using the citrus leafminer as a host. Members of the families Encyrtidae, Pteromalidae, Eurytomidae, Elasmidae, Eupelmidae, and Eulophidae have been recorded with the majority of the species being eulophids. One new genus, Cryptastichus LaSalle, and one new species, Cryptastichus sabo LaSalle, are described. The species Sympiesis purpurea Waterston 1915 is synonymized with Sympiesis striatipes Ashmead 1904.
Maize–cowpea intercropping as an ecological approach for nitrogen-use rationalization and weed suppression

Small-scale farmers are harshly suffering from high production costs, and so they permanently try to seek and apply the best cheap practices, bearing in mind that no yield losses occur. The objective of this work was to assess the possibility of lowering applied N rate in maize fields associated with less weeds infestation and keeping/boosting productivity. Thus, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the response of maize yield and associated weeds to N levels (0, 144, 216, and 288 kg N ha−1) as well as maize (M)–cowpea (C) intercrops, sole-M, MC same ridge, MC alternating ridges, and sole-C. MC alternating ridges intercrop decreased weed biomass by 49.5% compared with sole-M. Sole-M was similar to MC alternating ridges intercrop in producing the maximum maize grain yield per hectare. In plots fertilized with 216 or 288 kg N ha−1, MC alternating ridges were statistically at par with sole-M for enhancing maize grain yield per hectare. Medium N application level (216 kg N ha−1) with MC alternating ridges showed the highest agronomic efficiency (14.6 kg kg−1). MC alternating ridges intercrop can save 26% of the cultivated land.
Bacteria in shrimp pond sediments: their role in mineralizing nutrients and some suggested sampling strategies

Strategies for sampling sediment bacteria were examined in intensive shrimp, Penaeus monodon (Fabricius), ponds in tropical Australia. Stratified sampling of bacteria at the end of the production season showed that the pond centre, containing flocculated sludge, had significantly higher bacterial counts (15.5 X 10(9) g(-1) dw) than the pond periphery (8.1 X 10(9) g(-1) dw), where the action of aerators had swept the pond floor. The variation in bacterial counts between these two zones within a pond was higher than that between sites within each zone or between ponds. Therefore, sampling effort should be focused within these zones: for example, sampling two ponds at six locations within each of the two zones resulted in a coefficient of variation of approximate to 5%. Bacterial numbers in the sediment were highly correlated with sediment grain size, probably because eroded soil particles and organic waste both accumulated in the centre of the pond. Despite high inputs of organic matter added to the ponds, principally as pelleted feeds, the mean bacterial numbers and nutrient concentrations (i.e. organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) in the sediment were similar to those found in mangrove sediments. This suggests that bacteria are rapidly remineralizing particulates into soluble compounds. Bacterial numbers were highly correlated with organic carbon and total kjeldahl nitrogen in the sediment, suggesting that these were limiting factors to bacterial growth.