Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Protein purification of Agrobacterium tumefaciens phytochrome Agp1 and UV-vis spectroscopy analysis in comparison to DrBphP from Deinococcus Radiodurans

Phytochromes are bimodal light switchable photosensors exist in plants, bacteria and fungi. Incorporating bilin as their chromophore, most bacteriophytochromes (BphPs) function as two-component histidine kinase affected by red/far-red light and regulate downstream physiological activities in the microorganism. The study aims on the purification of Agrobacterium phytochrome Agp1whose phosphorylation activity in its histidine kinase (HK) domain was recently found to be affected by the temperature. The purified proteins Agp1 were assembled with biliverdin IXα (BV) and monitored by UV-vis spectroscopy with BV incorporated DrBphP from Deinococcus radiodurans. Extinction coefficient spectra of “absolute” Pr and Pfr state of Agp1 together with free BV were drawn. The UV spectra and difference spectra of Agp1 and DrBphP were compared and band assignments were made. According to the evaluation of absorption maximum (λmax) and extinction coefficiency (Ɛ), the near blue region band at 314-320 nm in the difference spectra was assigned to tyrosine absorption. Further analysis of the band assignment and structure of Agp1 and DrBphP reveal that the 314-320 nm band is caused by the interaction of B ring propionate side chain of incorporated chromophore BV with neighboring conserved Tyr216 and/or the D ring carbonyl group with Tyr176 residues. The discovery was evidenced by the literature evaluation of the spectra of tyrosine mutants from BphPs and Synechocystis sp. Cph1. Chromophore and tyrosine interaction as a possible signaling way of BphPs was discussed based on the assignment.
Role of Humic Substances in Formation of Safety and Quality of Poultry Meat

The purpose of this chapter was to study the influence of humic substances on the formation of the safety and quality of poultry meat. The high abilities of the natural and organic complex of humic acids “Reasil®HumicHealth” (produced in Russia, Saratov) to sorb and desorb five mycotoxins of compound feed (aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin, toxin T-2, zearalenone and fuminisin B1) were experimentally established. The hepatoprotective ability of humic acids was observed in experiments on broilers using rapeseed meal containing an increased amount of secondary plant metabolites that could cause liver damage. It was found out that the inclusion of humic acids in the amount of 1 and 1.5 g per 1 kg of feed to the main diet of broiler chickens has a more stable positive effect, both in terms of slaughter indicators (yield of semieviscerated carcasses and carcasses of complete evisceration), and in the production of the most valuable natural semi-finished products (breast, chicken legs) due to the intensive growth of muscle tissue. A clear improvement in the morpho-biochemical and immunological parameters of blood and micromorphometric characteristics of the organs of the immune system of poultry was noted with the use of different concentrations of humic acid salts. The use of the additive at the rate of 1 and 1.5 g per 1 kg of feed does not negatively affect the sensory indicators of finished culinary products.
Civil Service Reform and Organizational Practices: Evidence from the Pendleton Act

Competitive exams are a standard method for selecting civil servants. Yet, evidence on the effectiveness of such approach is mixed, and lack of personnel data limits our understanding of the mechanisms underlying this varying success. We digitize personnel and financial data to study the impacts of the 1883 Pendleton Act, which mandated exams for some employees in the largest US customs-collection districts. The reform improved targeted employees’ professional background and reduced turnover. However, it did not increase cost-effectiveness in revenue collection. An unintended consequence of the reform was to induce hiring in exempted positions, provoking distortions in districts’ personnel structure. Our results illustrate the importance of considering the incentives of all involved parties when designing reforms. ∗dsmoreira@ucdavis.edu, seperez@ucdavis.edu. We thank Luiza Aires and Lisa Pacheco for outstanding research assistance, and Enrique Pérez for help with data collection. We have benefited from the comments of Oriana Bandiera, Brian Beach, Assaf Bernstein, Sandra Black, Nicolás Caramp, Katherine Eriksson, James Feigenbaum, Fred Finan, Robert Gibbons, Michela Giorcelli, Walker Hanlon, Daniel Honig, Rick Hornbeck, Chris Meissner, Andrea Pozas-Loyo, Sarah Quincy, Arman Rezaee, Monica Singhal, Michael Ting, Martin Williams, Chenzi Xu and Noam Yutchmann, as well by seminar participants at Cooperacion Andina de Fomento, CEPR STEG Workshop, Cornell University, University of California Riverside, NEUDC, NBER Organizational Economics Fall 2020 Conference, Columbia University, University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and Stanford CASBS. We also benefited from funding from the UC Davis Small Grant in Aid of Research and from the Michael Dearing Fellowship in support of Economic History Research.
The Application of MBTI to Analyze EFL Teachers’ Teaching Styles

Abstract – The study of EFL teachers’ teaching style has become an essential aspect of investigation in recent years. However, some recent data from previous studies show correlation between EFL teachers’ teaching style and their personality types. The current study was intended to analyze the significance of personality types in English teachers’ style of teaching and their preferences in using teaching media. The personality types used in this study to find out EFL teacher’s teaching style are based on mental functions such as intuition, thinking, feeling and sensing, driven by orientation of energy based on introverted and extroverted traits. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a commonly used instrument to identify personality types. Population of this study was English teachers at senior high school level. Response to a survey regarding teaching style and media preferences in relation to the personality types of 75 English teachers in Lampung were taken as quantitative data while some teachers, from the 75 samples, were interviewed to obtain qualitative data of their point of view regarding personality types and their preference in applying teaching approach and media. The data, collected from EFL teacher participants using questionnaires and interviews, were analyzed through Excel (for the questionnaire responses) and a process of Thematic Content Analysis to see the pattern of different personalities from the responses of each teacher during the interview. The findings reveal that the personality types based on MBTI are significantly correlated with EFL teachers’ teaching style and their decision making in choosing media as each type of teachers appeared to have different preferable approach and media to be applied in English teaching. In conclusion, it can be identified that different personality types have different preferences and beliefs in applying teaching style. Keywords: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), teaching style, personality, mental functions, EFL teachers
A new route to graphene starting from heavily ozonized fullerenes: Part 3 – an electron spin resonance study

ABSTRACT It is shown that graphite oxide (GO) and both heavily ozonized C60 and C70 fullerenes, known as “fullerene ozopolymers,” are paramagnetic materials with a very strong electron spin resonance (ESR) signal at room temperature. When thermally annealed, the paramagnetic centers are gradually lost in large part. This occurs at 350°C in the case of GO, while for fullerene ozopolymers, a higher temperature is required, reaching the same results in the end. The half-width of ESR signal is linked to the distribution of paramagnetic centers. Once again, striking analogies were found in the half-width of the ESR signal measured on GO and fullerene ozopolymers, at least in the temperature range of 25–450°C. Similarly, the same g-factor values, which are diagnostic for understanding the chemical nature of paramagnetic centers, were found on both GO and fullerene ozopolymers in all ranges of temperature considered.
Impact of the religious festivity on the Tunis Stock Exchange

The month of Ramadan is anticipated to influence the behavior of the stock market, where the environment in Ramadan is different from other months. During the Ramadan month, transformations in the social life of people are quite apparent and significant, and the overall economic activity tends to decelerate as the number of working hours decreases. This paper aims to explore the impact of the Ramadan month on the stock market returns, volatility, and trading volume on the Tunis Stock Exchange (TSE) between September 2009 and July 2019. To achieve these objectives, the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) technique and the ordinary least squares regression are used. The results show that the impact of the Ramadan month on the daily returns is positive and statistically significant at a 1% level. It is also found that the impact of the Ramadan month on the volatility and trading volume is negative and statistically significant. The findings can help domestic and foreign investors and regulators to better comprehend the Tunisian stock exchange and investor behavior. Moreover, this research can help investors to develop their trading strategies.
Development of a Simulated Three-Dimensional Truck Model to Predict Excess Fuel Consumption Resulting from Pavement Roughness

Excess vehicle fuel consumption, the percentage change in fuel consumption caused by road roughness, is an important part of the environmental and cost assessment of a pavement’s life cycle. Flexible and efficient computational methods make it possible to use mechanistic models to estimate excess fuel consumption. A stochastic pavement–vehicle interaction model was developed recently based on a half-truck model and stationary road roughness profiles. Although the introduced method was a step forward, it does not allow roll vibration. In addition, the error caused by stationary assumption on roughness profiles has not been quantified. This study proposes a numerical approach to assess the roughness-induced fuel consumption of a semi-trailer truck on non-deformable rough pavements. A three-dimensional (3D) semi-trailer truck model is formulated with a nonstationary parallel road roughness model. The simulation results of the integrated truck–pavement model are validated against empirical formulas. Tire stiffness is identified as the most important truck property, followed by suspension damping, suspension stiffness, and cargo loading. For road roughness characteristics, local roughness variance—overlooked by the stationary assumption—can underestimate excess fuel consumption by 42%. Using the 3D truck model and corresponding roughness profiles as excitation inputs would reduce the computation error by more than 10%. This study also proposes an extended roughness–speed–impact model, considering a second-order International Roughness Index term and effect of local roughness variance. The new regression model increases the prediction explanation R2 from 88.7% to 99.2%.
Efficacy of Single Level Versus Double Levels Surgery of Percutaneous Disc Nucleoplasty (PDN) Approach in Treating Lumbar Disc Herniation

Background Although percutaneous disc nucleoplasty (PDN) has been widely applied in treating lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in recent years, the efficacy of surgical levels for PDN on LDH has been reported in limited studies. This study aimed to explore and compare the efficacy of surgical levels (single level vs double level) of PDN in treating LDH. Material/Methods All patients diagnosed with LDH from January 2012 to December 2014 in our hospital who underwent PDN were included in this study. Patients were divided into a single-level group and double-level group based on the number of discs/surgical treatment levels. The improvement of visual analog scale (VAS) score, patient satisfaction, and reoperation occurrence were compared between the 2 groups. Results Of 105 total patients, 75 patients were treated with single-level treatment and 30 patients with double-level treatment. VAS for leg pain and patient satisfaction scores in the double-level group were worse than those in the single-level group at 6 months after surgery (P<0.05). Among all 105 patients, the incidence of reoperation was 11.4%. Also, there was a marked difference in reoperation occurrence at 6 months after surgery between the single-level (6.7%) and double-level (23.3%) groups; however, the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.05). Conclusions PDN is a safe and minimal-invasive approach, which could effectively treat LDH. The number of surgical levels might be an important factor influencing the efficacy of PND. Caution should be exercised to strictly follow the clinical indications for nucleoplasty.
8:Alkyl Derivatives of Antimony in the Environment

The presence of methylated antimony species has been reported in surface waters, sediments, soils, and biota, mainly detected using hydride generation techniques. Compared to other elements, relatively few studies have been published. Monomethyl-, dimethyl-, and trimethylantimony species have been found, always at very low concentrations. It is important to point out that (i) it has been proved that the identity of some of the published species might be uncertain due to possible artefacts during the analytical process; (ii) existing analytical methods do not reveal the oxidation state of the antimony in the detected species. Volatile methylated species have also been detected in landfill and sewage fermentation gases. Laboratory culture experiments have indicated that biomethylation can result from bacterial, yeast, and fungal activity, in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Antimony is methylated much less rapidly and less extensively than arsenic and it has been suggested that antimony biomethylation could be a fortuitous rather than a detoxification process.
Analysis of X‐inactivation status in a Rett syndrome natural history study cohort

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder associated with pathogenic MECP2 variants. Because the MECP2 gene is subject to X‐chromosome inactivation (XCI), factors including MECP2 genotypic variation, tissue differences in XCI, and skewing of XCI all likely contribute to the clinical severity of individuals with RTT.
Phase equilibria of the Na2O–SiO2 system between 1173 and 1873 K

Knowledge of phase equilibria in the Na2O–SiO2 system at elevated temperatures is important for mastering the metallurgical process and for the glass and ceramic industries. The phase diagram at metasilicate and silica saturations in the Na2O–SiO2 system between 1173 and 1873 K has been investigated by quenching and phase analyses. The experimental technique involved equilibration of high purity oxide mixtures at sub-liquidus temperatures, rapid quenching in cold water and followed by compositional measurement of the phases using electron probe X-ray microanalyser. The phases stable in the equilibrium assemblages have been characterised over a wide range of compositions and temperatures. The results were compared with previous experimental data and an optimised phase diagram.
Primary children’s views about appreciating, supporting, and learning about nature

ABSTRACT Biology education aims to inspire interest, curiosity, and understanding about the natural world, foster children’s interests and orientations towards supporting and protecting nature, and support children towards biology-related careers (including those involving nature and animals). However, it remains less clear how these views might associate with different aspects of education and life. In order to gain new insights, 679 children in England (between 7 and 10 years old) were surveyed. The questionnaire included established measures for views about nature and learning, alongside new areas. The analysis applied predictive modelling to reveal independent associations between the children’s views. The children’s appreciation of nature and affinities towards animals were two of the strongest positive predictors of their interest in learning about nature, which was the strongest positive predictor of their aspirations towards careers involving nature or animals. Other findings highlighted the importance of nature-related activities and also children’s wider educational contexts and views. Watching nature-related media positively predicted children’s interest in learning about nature, while reading books about nature or wildlife positively predicted children’s aspirations towards careers involving nature or animals. Children’s confidence and enjoyment in their schoolwork positively predicted their appreciation of nature and also their interest in learning about nature.
Expression of VWF and Interferon γ in renal allograft biopsies and correlation with inflammatory cells; Single center experience

Objective: Gene expression profiling by microarrays or RT PCR had been studied in certain western centers to enhance the diagnostic accuracy of allograft biopsy, however, such sophisticated tests are difficult to apply in developing countries. This study was conducted to evaluate the expression of von Willebrand factor (VWF) and Interferon-gamma (IFNγ) as an end PCR product in renal allograft biopsy with different pathological categories. Methods: Forty-nine indicated renal allograft biopsies were analyzed histologically by the Banff 2017 classification, inflammatory cell infiltration was analyzed by immunohistochemistry study for CD4, CD8, CD16, and CD68 markers, and a fresh tissue used for molecular study. Results: The biopsy findings were acute T-cell mediated rejection (A- TCMR) 30.6%, interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IF/TA) 22.4%, C4d-Transplant glomerulopathy (TG) 12.2%, calcineurin inhibitor toxicity (CNI) 10.2%, C4d+antibody mediated rejection (AMR) 10.2% and normal histology 14.3%. The only significant difference in VWF expression was between acute TCMR and normal, P=0.01, Spearman's correlation also showed a significant relationship between VWF and acute TCMR (r=0.53, P=0.01), and VWF was found to correlate with the numbers of interstitial CD4+ (r=0.29, P=0.03) and CD68+ (r=0.37, P=0.007) cells. IFNγ expression was significant in acute TCMR versus normal, P=0.009. Spearman's pair-wise testing showed that INFγ correlated with CD8 in both the glomerular (r=0.38, P=0.006) and interstitial (r=0.30, P=0.04) compartments and with CD16+ interstitial cells (r=0.36, P=0.01). Conclusion: our molecular and IHC data distinguish acute TCMR from other forms of transplant pathology and mildly dysfunctional kidneys with normal histology.
More Than Just Shouting? Distinguishing Interpersonal-Directed and Elite-Directed Incivility in Online Political Talk

Online political talk is often deemed toxic to democracy due to the pervasiveness of incivility. This study challenges this perspective by examining the discursive and contextual conditions related to interpersonal incivility in contrast with incivility targeted at political elites on Facebook comments and news websites. Findings suggest that much of the vitriol online is targeted at politicians and characterized by justified opinions. Interpersonal incivility is associated with disagreement, but less likely to be associated with replies—suggesting that users refrain from uncivil direct confrontation. Taken together, these findings indicate that interpersonal-directed and elite-directed incivility are characterized by distinct discursive features and happen in opposite directions. Incivility is more than just shouting, and it is frequently used to criticize political elites and justify opinions than to attack others in a discussion. As such, it should not be inherently associated with toxic behaviors or be considered a problematic feature of online discussions.
Comparative evaluation of Skeletal, Dental, and Soft Tissue Changes in Class II Division 1 Malocclusion Cases Treated with Twin Block and innovative Clear Block Appliance - A Prospective Interventional Study

The present study was undertaken to evaluate and compare the skeletal, dental, and soft tissue changes in skeletal Class II division 1 cases treated with Twin Block and Clear Block appliances using a cephalogram. A total of 40 patients of age between 12-14 years were randomly divided into two equal groups. Group 1: treated with Twin Block appliance and Group 2: treated with Clear Block appliance. The pre-treatment lateral cephalogram was taken and skeletal, dental, and soft tissue parameters were evaluated and the appliance was delivered. After 8 months, another lateral cephalogram of all the cases was taken and analyzed. The pre and post-treatment values were compared between the two groups. The pre-treatment cases were almost comparable in skeletal, dental, and soft tissue features in both groups. There was a significant change in mandibular growth by SNB angle. The retrusion and extrusion of maxillary incisors as well as a proclination and extrusion of mandibular incisors were seen in group 1 while no change was observed in group 2. Treatment with Clear Block appliances has shown significant and favorable Skeletal, Dental and Soft tissue changes which are similar to already proven by the Twin Block appliance. Clear Block provides an esthetic and less bulky option for growth modification with similar results as compared to conventional Twin Block with the additional benefit of preventing lower incisor proclination.
Youth Political Participation, Good Governance and Social Inclusion in Nigeria: Evidence from Nairaland

As the Nigerian population continues to increase, so does the number of youth. The population of youth (18-35 years) in Nigeria is 52.2 million (i.e. about 28% of total population) and more than the entire population of Ghana, London and Benin Republic put together. In spite of the prospects that this number holds, young people in Nigeria are largely marginalized from governance, leaving them helpless to counter their continued exclusion. This is evidenced by the lower percentage of youth that hold political and leadership positions in the country. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between youth political participation, good governance, and social inclusion in Nigeria. Using a quantitative approach, 1,208 youth aged 18-35, selected from Nairaland, participated in the study. Data gathered was analyzed with Spearman Correlation Coefficient and the result indicates that there is significant positive relationship between youth political participation and good governance in Nigeria (r s, (1206) = . 615, p < . 001) and that there is significant positive association between youth political participation and social inclusion in Nigeria (r s, (1206) = . 875, p < . 001). It was recommended that the government should create Leadership and Democratic Institutes [LDI] across the states of the Federation and establish an Online Leadership Orientation Agency [OLOA] to utilize various social networking sites to provide free leadership courses, webinars, and orientation on the art of governance and the promotion of social inclusion among youth.