Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tongue Strength and Dental Caries in individuals with Down syndrome

Background: The tongue controls the bolus during mastication, keeps the bolus in the oral cavity and generates pressure to direct the bolus through the hypopharynx. A decrease in tongue movement and strength can increase the oral and pharyngeal food residues. Food residues have the potential to increase the risk of dental caries. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between tongue strength and the prevalence of dental caries in individuals with Down syndrome. Methods: Sixteen children with Down syndrome participated in this cross sectional study; none of them had dysphagia and they had normal diet. The tongue strength was measured using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI) and dental caries were assessed by Decayed – Missing –Filled Teeth Index (DMFT). A speech therapist measured and investigated tongue strength and a dentist did the dental examination and filled out the DMFT form. Results: The mean age of participants was 11.06 (SD=2.83). Most of the participants were female (n=14, 87.50%). All of the subjects had mixed dentition. The mean of tongue strength was 10.23KPas (SD= 7.08). There was no correlation between tongue strength and the total number of DMF plus dmf, according to Pearson correlation (p=0.96; r= -0.01). Conclusion: Tongue strength was very low in these children compared with reports in the literature. There was no correlation between the tongue strength and number of DMF and dmf; the main reason is that the development of dental problems such as caries are multi factorial. In other word there are additional factors apart from poor tongue strength that can cause caries.
Factors Affecting the Performance of Commercial Banks (A Case Study on Commercial Banks in Ethiopia): CAMEL Ratings

This study tried to assess factors affecting the efficiency and performance of Ethiopian commercial banks. Nine years audited financial data (i.e.2010-2018) was used to analyze the effect of explanatory variables on the explained variables using explanatory research design with quantitative research approach. Banks play a great role in the development of the countries. They act as financial intermediaries between the parties with lack of capital and parties with surplus capital. In order to perform their functions first their financial healthiness should be improved. In this study performance of the banks was measured by ROA and efficiency of the banks by efficiency ratio. On the other hand, factors that could be affect the performance of the banks were capital adequacy, assets quality, management capacity, earning quality, liquidity position, GDP and age of banks were used using different measurement mechanisms. Random effect GLS regression result indicated that management capability, assets quality and earning quality significantly affect the performance of the banks measured by ROA. On the hand, assets quality, earning quality, liquidity and age of the banks has significant effect on the efficiency of the banks. Capital adequacy, GDP and age of the banks have no impact on the ROA, and capital adequacy, management capacity and GDP do not have significant effect on the performance of the banks measured by efficiency ratio. According to the finding, management capability and earning quality have positive effect on the performance of the banks. Keywords: CAMEL, ROA, Performance of the banks, Efficiency ratio and commercial banks DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/11-5-01 Publication date: March 31 st 2020
Rothamsted Repository Download

The buff-tailed bumblebee, Bombus terrestris audax is an important pollinator within both landscape ecosystems and agricultural crops. During their lifetime bumblebees are regularly challenged by various environmental stressors including insecticides. Historically the honey bee ( Apis mellifera spp.) has been used as an ‘indicator’ species for ‘standard’ ecotoxicological testing, but it has been suggested that it is not always a good proxy for other eusocial or solitary bees. To investigate this, the susceptibility of B. terrestris to selected pesticides within the neonicotinoid, pyrethroid and organophosphate classes was examined using acute insecticide bioassays. Acute oral and topical LD 50 values for B. terrestris against these insecticides were broadly consistent with pub- lished results for A. mellifera . For the neonicotinoids, imidacloprid was highly toxic, but thiacloprid and acetamiprid were practically non-toxic. For pyrethroids, deltamethrin was highly toxic, but tau-fluvalinate only slightly toxic. For the organophosphates, chlorpyrifos was highly toxic, but coumaphos practically non-toxic. Bioassays using insecticides with common synergists enhanced the sensitivity of B. terrestris to several in- secticides, suggesting detoxification enzymes may provide a level of protection against these compounds. The sensitivity of B. terrestris to compounds within three different insecticide classes is similar to that reported for honey bees, with marked variation in sensitivity to different insecticides within the same insecticide class observed in both species. This finding highlights the need to consider each compound within an insecticide class in isolation rather than extrapolating between different insecticides in the same class or sharing the same mode of action.
Comparative study on the catalytic steam reforming of biomass pyrolysis oil and its derivatives for hydrogen production

In order to explore the reforming process of biomass pyrolysis oil in depth, the catalytic steam reforming (SR) of crude bio-oil (BIO) derived from rapid pyrolysis of rice husk and its derivatives for hydrogen production was studied by means of a bench-scale fixed-bed unit combined with the FTIR/TCD technique. The physico-chemical properties and compositions of BIO were determined. Acetic acid (HOAc), ethylene glycol (EG), acetone (ACE) and phenol (PHE) were selected as four representative bio-oil derivatives. Evolution characteristics of H2, CO, CO2 and CH4 during SR of HOAc, EG, ACE, PHE and BIO were revealed and compared. The hydrogen yield increased sharply with reaction time to the peak values of 24.7%, 32.3%, 16.4%, 25.6% and 24.9%, corresponding to HOAc, EG, ACE, PHE and BIO, respectively. After that, the yield of hydrogen exhibited a downward trend, suggesting that the catalyst ability for selective hydrogen production gradually decreased. The H2 yield from EG was the highest, followed by PHE, HOAc, BIO and ACE. The order of CO yields from large to small was EG > HOAc > ACE > BIO ≈ PHE. The percentages of coke deposited on catalyst were arranged in descending order as HOAc > BIO > ACE > PHE > EG. This study could provide more detailed information on the catalytic reforming mechanism of bio-oil on the one hand, and also point out the direction for the improvement of the catalysts, which play a role in ensuring the high yield of H2 while converting CO to H2 through the water gas shift reaction.
Role of ion channels in programmed cell death induced by hyperosmotic stresses in plant cells

The work presented in the present thesis relates to the role of ion channels in response to (ionic and non-ionic) hyperosmotic stresses and their interactions with signaling events leading to PCD in plant. Early cell responses such as cytosolic calcium increase and ROS production classically involved in PCD process, seems not to be involved in hyperosmotic-induced cell death in BY2 tobacco and A. thaliana cultured cells. When BY2 tobacco cells were subjected to hyperosmotic stress, an early influx of sodium through non-selective cation channels participates in the development of PCD through mitochondrial dysfunction and NADPH-oxidase-dependent O2•– generation. On the contrary, non-ionic hyperosmotic stress resulted in an early decrease in anion currents. To further investigate the role of anion channels in non-ionic hyperosmotic stress further experiments were conducted by using A.thaliana cells of the anion channel mutant SLAC1. Results showed that the delayed activation of SLAC1 channels was involved in the non-ionic hyperosmotic stress induced pathway leading to cell death. Interestingly, the early anion channel activity decrease could participate to signalisation or osmotic adjustment allowing cell adaptation and survival, when a second set of events, namely superoxide anion (O2•-) generation by NADPH-oxidase and anion channel activation could participate in PCD development of a part of the cell population. In addition, the potential role of small peptides belonging to the FMRFamide-like peptide (FLP) family described in metazoan in osmoregulation in A. thaliana was investigated. By using synthetic peptides, based on FLPs homolog genes existing in A. thaliana, it was possible to demonstrate that these putative FLPs are involved in hyperosmotic stress response. Overall, the present work shed light on the importance and the complexity of ion channels regulation in the signaling pathways and the processes leading to PCD
SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF POLYMER-POLYMER MIXTURES AS DRAG REDUCING AGENTS ON OIL-WATER FLOWS

The synergistic effect of natural and synthetic polymers as drag reducing agents in water phase during horizontal oil-water flows was studied in 12 mm internal diameter (ID) unplasticised polyvinylchloride (uPVC) pipe. Partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM; trade name as magnafloc 1011 or Separan), polyethylene oxide (PEO; trade name as Polyox WSR 310), Aloe Vera mucilage (AVM; as Aloe barbadensis miller), mixture of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide and Aloe Vera mucilage and polyethylene oxide and Aloe Vera mucilage (HPAM-AVM and PEO-AVM) were used. Mixture Reynolds number of 62923, master solution of 2000 ppm and 20000 ppm, and total concentration (TC) of 30 ppm and 400 ppm were investigated using diesel oil (ρ = 832 kg/m3, µ = 1.66 cP) and water (ρ = 1000 kg/m3, µ = 0.89 cP) as test fluids. The results show that the drag reduction (DR) of 65.39 and 69.23%, and 69.23 and 70.77% were obtained for HPAM-AVM and PEO-AVM mixtures respectively, at mixing ratios of 3:1 and 1:19, for 25% oil input fraction and water phase Reynolds number (Rew) of 47192. These values were found to be higher than the DR obtained by individual polymer alone at the same conditions. Drag reduction decreased with increase in the oil input fraction due to the decrease in the water phase Reynolds number. The result implies drag reduction efficiency can be enhanced by combining natural and synthetic polymers.
Giant dwarfs: discovery of a radiation of large‐bodied ‘stump‐toed frogs’ from karstic cave environments of northern Madagascar

The endemic Malagasy microhylid genus Stumpffia usually comprises small-bodied terrestrial frogs with snout–vent lengths of 16 mm or less, with some miniaturized species as small as 10 mm in their adult stage, and only two described species reaching over 20 mm in snout–vent length. Previous studies have provided evidence for parallel miniaturization in Malagasy microhylids, with several species and candidate species previously assigned to Stumpffia probably belonging to other, still undescribed genera. Here, conversely, we report on the discovery of four new species of microhylids from northern Madagascar, of which two are larger than all previously known Stumpffia, but all clearly belong to this genus based on molecular phylogenetic relationships. All four species have fully developed digits, are closely related and occur in karstic limestone environments, with most specimens collected in caves, a habitat formerly unknown for cophylines. This newly discovered radiation of large-bodied and supposedly cave-dwelling Stumpffia contains one species from Nosy Hara, one from Ankarana, one from Ampombofofo and one from Montagne des Francais, respectively. In the latter species, specimens can reach up to 28 mm snout–vent length. These new species are genetically differentiated from each other by 3.8–8.6% pairwise divergence in the 16S rRNA gene and furthermore by differences in coloration, extension of terminal finger discs, relative eye diameter and relative head width. We discuss the status of Stumpffia madagascariensisMocquard, 1895 and consider it a valid species referable to one of the two small-bodied species identified from Montagne d'Ambre National Park. Furthermore, our results support that cophylines are highly microendemic and we provide support for a miniaturized ancestor of the large-bodied species described here, thus demonstrating that miniaturization is evolutionarily reversible.
Effects of graded levels of dietary vitamin C on the growth, digestive capacity and intestinal microflora of juvenile Jian carp (Cyprinus carpio var. Jian)

A 60-day experiment was carried out to study the effects of vitamin C [ascorbic acid (AA)] on the growth, digestive enzyme activities and intestinal microbial population. Diets with six levels (0.0, 21.4, 45.1, 69.5, 93.6 and 142.1 mg AA kg−1 diet) of supplemental ascorbyl polyphosphate were fed to juvenile Jian carp (Cyprinus carpio var. Jian) (12.63±0.02 g). The specific growth rate (SGR), feed efficiency and productive protein value were significantly improved with increasing AA levels up to 45.1 mg AA kg−1 diet (P<0.05). The hepatopancreas and muscle AA concentrations were increased with increasing dietary AA levels up to 69.5 and 45.1 mg kg−1 diet respectively (P<0.05). The activities of intestinal trypsin, chymotrypsin, lipase, α-amylase, Na+, K+-ATPase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and creatinkinase were all positively affected by the AA supplementation (P<0.05). Intestinal Lactobacillus and Bacillus were increased with increasing AA levels up to 45.1 mg AA kg−1 diet (P<0.05), while intestinal Escherichia coli decreased with increasing AA levels up to 45.1 mg AA kg−1 diet (P<0.05). In conclusion, AA improve the digestive capacity and intestinal microbial population of Jian carp, and the dietary AA requirement for SGR of juvenile Jian carp was 40.9 mg AA kg−1 diet.
A new species of Lensfrom south-east Turkey

A new species of Lens (Leguminosae), L. tomentosus, is described. It resembles L. culinaris except in its tomentose pods. Karyotypically it differs from other Lens species by the satellited chromosome which is much smaller, extremely asymmetrical and bears a minute satellite. Lens tomentosus is reproductively isolated from all other Lens species. Hybrids cannot be obtained because of embryo abortion, and irregular meiosis in hybrids raised via embryo culture. Currently, three populations of L. tomentosus are known in the Mardin area, south-east Turkey.
Application of Embryonic Stem Cells as a Novel Tool in Drug Screening

Toxicological screening using animals are necessary for drug development registration. This approach is time-consuming, costly, labour intensive, stressful for the animals and susceptible to inaccuracies due to individual differences between animals. So, the screening of candidate chemicals in early development is often replaced with in vitro cell culture systems (Pearson, 1986; Liebsch & Spielmann, 2002). In vitro studies using cell lines were capable of providing more rapid, precise, relevant information than some animal studies, and economical approach for the evaluation of the pharmaco-toxicological profiling of target drugs, characterised by a low compound requirement and short duration (Pearson, 1986; Kari et al., 2007). Also, it is possible to include mechanistic studies, and to test for toxicity that is specific to humans: sensitivity differences between humans and rodents can affect animals (Kari et al., 2007). Among the in vitro screening systems, primary cell cultures and/or target organ-specific cell lines can be used to measure the general toxicity of a test compound (Zhou et al., 2006). However, the sensitivity of hepatotoxicity using primary human hepatocytes or the HepG2 cell line cannot predict effects in early development and toxicological differences, which depend on the state of differentiation in hepatocytes (Knasmuller et al., 2004; Xu et al., 2004). In addition to, primary cells such as hepatocytes in particular and many transformed human hepatocyte-derived cell lines (immortalized cultures, i.e Fa2-N4 cells, HepaRG cells) have limitations in their life span and can have donor-dependent variations (Mills et al., 2004). Also, they have disadvantages such as discontinuous phenotypic characteristics, functional properties and genetic instability. Therefore, more promised future is waiting for hepatocyte-like cells as the source of hepatocytes regarding the approach of stem cells use in the high throughput testing (Duret et al., 2007). Stem cells are defined functionally as cells that have the capacity to self-renew as well as the ability to generate differentiated cells that specialized functions in specific tissues and make up the organ (Thomson et al., 1998; Zhang & Wang, 2008; Schnerch et al., 2010). The classification of stem cells divided into embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and adult stem cells (ASCs) according to derivative origins. ESCs, which are derived from the inner cell mass of blastocysts after fertilization, can unlimited self-renewal and have pluripotent could be rise to cells derived from all three germ lineages. Otherwise, ASCs derived from the specialized cell types of the tissue from which are originated have limited self-replicate and mutilpotent could be giving rise to specialized cells into multiple-lineages not all three germ lineages.
Código de Gobierno Societario en la Argentina: análisis del nivel de cumplimiento

Un Código de Gobierno Corporativo es un conjunto de normas, principios y recomendaciones de comportamiento y funcionamiento, considerados como las mejores prácticas para el buen gobierno de las organizaciones para mejorar la transparencia, divulgación y rendición de cuentas. En el presente trabajo se analiza el grado de cumplimiento del Código de Gobierno Societario en la Argentina, que es de presentación obligatoria para las empresas que hacen oferta pública de sus títulos. El trabajo empírico se lleva cabo en una muestra de 20 empresas de capitales nacionales, excluyendo al sector financiero y a las compañías que realizan cross listing de sus valores. Se determina el nivel de cumplimiento del código presentado por cada firma desde dos perspectivas: la autoevaluación realizada por la propia emisora, según el principio de cumplir o explicar, y el análisis efectuado por un evaluador externo, a partir de la información públicamente disponible. Los resultados muestran que el nivel de cumplimiento es mayor desde la óptica de la autoevaluación, y para las empresas de mayor tamaño. Los principios de mayor cumplimiento, independientemente del tamaño de la compañía, son los referidos a partes relacionadas y a la función de auditoría. En las firmas de mayor capitalización también resulta elevada la adhesión al principio de ética empresarial. El principio referido a remunerar de manera justa y responsable presenta el menor cumplimiento en todas las empresas estudiadas.
The Psychobiological Model of Personality and its Association with Student Approaches to Learning: Integrating Temperament and Character

ABSTRACT Personality results from the complex interactions among multiple learning and memory systems. There is a need to examine the personality-learning association using a personality model that captures this complexity: Cloninger’s psychobiological model. The study addresses this need using a person-centered approach. In total, 686 adolescents completed the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI) and a measure of approaches to learning. Students with a “steady” temperament showed a preference for the deep approach. Students with high character coherence also had this preference. A temperament profile-by-character profile interaction was crucial for understanding students’ preferred approach to learning. These findings imply that adaptive learning approaches result from an integration of major systems of learning and memory, as measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory.
How do Partners Benefit from IT Use in Supply-Chain Management: An Empirical Study of Taiwan’s Bicycle Industry

To be sustainable and growing amongst uncertain environments and intensive global competition, supply-chain network leaders have established supply-chain management systems (SCMS) to leverage the resources and knowledge of their partners to achieve greater supply-chain capabilities (SCC) to respond to market changes and complexity. Although several studies have investigated the benefits to network leaders from these systems in various industries, little attention has been paid to the delivery of substantial benefits and advantages to its partners. Based on information technology (IT) applications and SCC literature, this paper proposes a model relating partners use of SCMS to benefits. Data from 168 partners using an SCMS implemented by a leading bicycle supply chain in Taiwan to test the hypotheses that SCC and operational performance has a mediating role linking SCMS use in order to affect a partner’s performance. The results indicate that SCMS implementation has a significant impact on SCC, which in turn create a significant positive effect on operational (sustainable) performance, ultimately leading to improved growth rate and profitability in partners. Another interesting finding of the research is that SCMS cannot directly affect financial performance. In addition, from sustainable performance aspects, it is revealed that IT enables supply chain management (SCM) to achieve environmental value through information sharing (up and down), process integration (vertical and horizontal) and automation (i.e., planning, operation and control). This finding highlights the importance for maximizing benefits and sustainability for the whole supply-chain partners, the IT implementation must be integrated with the sustainable development goals and inserted in the eco-operation supply-chain platform process. The results also contribute to the debate in prior studies by disclosing why so many partners could not find to gain benefit from these IT implementations. Furthermore, this study represents the first attempt to examine how partners benefit from IT use in SCC for traditional industry.
Perception of elementary school teachers on Laro Ng Lahi in Quirino, Isabela

The purpose of this study is to determine the Perception of Selected Elementary School Teachers on Laro ng Lahi in Quirino, Isabela. The participants of this study were ten (10) selected Elementary School Teachers, five (5) from Generation X and five (5) from the Millenials. The researchers utilized qualitative research through face to face interviews. The responses were analyzed through descriptive coding using the thematic analysis. Based on the gathered data's, Laro ng Lahi is still being played by pupils despite their access to advanced technologies and some of these are Tumbang Preso, Sipa, Patintero, Tagu-Taguan, Chinese Garter, Sungka, Luksong Tinik, Luksong Baka, Holen, Tug of War, Agawang Sisiw, Bum-Bum Lata, Agawan ng Panyo, Agawan ng Base, and Siyato. The importance of Laro ng Lahi can be classified according to its benefit in terms of health, culture, social aspiration, and values. Laro ng Lahi can be preserved employing continuous engagement in the respective houses and classroom integration by considering the use of native materials.