Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Corporate Governance and Earnings Management Nexus: Evidence from the UK and Egypt Using Neural Networks

Using conventional regressions and Generalized Regression Neural Networks (GRNN), we examine the relationship between Corporate Governance (CG) and Earnings Management (EM). We also examine whether governance quality moderates the association between EM and CG for a sample of British and Egyptian companies. Our findings show that: (a) UK firms are likely to have lower levels of EM if they: have smaller boards, are dominated by independent outside directors, and have a low percentage of female directors; (b) Egyptian firms are likely to have lower levels of EM if they: have larger boards, are dominated by independent outside directors, and have a low percentage of female directors; (c) The governance quality (control of corruption) has a significant hidden effect on EM. Since our results provide empirical evidence that the board of directors plays a vital role in mitigating EM, these findings might lead to an improvement in the credibility of financial statements for investors in both the UK and Egypt. As policy implications, our findings inform regulators and policy-makers that corruption has a very strong hidden effect on EM and that they can deter EM by controlling the corruption level in their countries.
A novel method of calculating active earth pressure on laggings between piles considering the soil arching effect

Abstract For the sake of economic design and safety requirement, the prediction of active earth pressure on laggings between stabilising piles is of great significance. However, the nonlinear distribution of active earth pressure on laggings between piles cannot be accurately predicted by using the classical theory. In this study, a novel method of calculating active earth pressure on laggings between piles is proposed based on the differential flat element method. For validation, calculations of the active earth pressure by using the novel method as well as other methods have been compared against the experimental results, indicating that the proposed method considering soil arching effect can well predict the active earth pressure on laggings. Furthermore, parametric analyses are conducted to examine of the most effective means of the piles and lagging system. It is concluded that the decrease rate of total active force flattens out when internal friction angle is larger than a certain degree and the lagging clear span suggests to be 1.5 to 1.7 times of pile diameter to meet economic requirements. This method can provide a reasonable estimation of the active earth pressure on laggings in the design of supporting structures.
Estimating Age-Specific Natural Mortality for Sandfish in the Eastern Coastal Waters of Korea

To estimate age-specific natural mortality, we proposed an age-structured biomass model with an impulsive dynamical system. In the estimation of natural mortality, we considered growth rate and also reproduction rate, growth, and catch of sandfish, Arctoscopus japonicus. Assuming a linear relationship between observed values of the catch per unit effort (CPUE) and total biomass estimated by the age-structured biomass model, we estimated the age-specific natural mortality using the CPUE and catch data, from 1994 to 2009, for varying values of the assumed initial total biomass in 1994, by selecting the largest coefficient of determination (R2). We suggested the following empirical formula: Mi=qKL∞ln(eK(i+1−t0) − 1eK(i−t0) − 1), which estimated natural mortality of sandfish, and the derived age-specific natural mortality was significantly related to fecundity and growth. The parameters of von Bertalanffy growth equation and a logistic equation of maturity with total length were derived from the data of otolith and gonad analysis of female sandfish collected from 2005 to 2008 and from 2005 to 2006, respectively. We also conducted sensitivity analysis by varying the exponent in the inverse function of total length.
Improvements in Supercooled Liquid Water Simulations of Low-Level Mixed-Phase Clouds over the Southern Ocean Using a Single-Column Model

A high-resolution global atmospheric model, the nonhydrostatic icosahedral atmospheric model (NICAM), exhibited underestimation biases in low-level mixed-phase clouds in the midlatitudes and polar regions. The ice-cloud microphysics used in a single-moment bulk cloud microphysics scheme (NSW6) was evaluated and improved using a single-column model by reference to a double-moment bulk cloud microphysics scheme (NDW6). Budget analysis indicated that excessive action of the Bergeron–Findeisen and riming processes crucially reduced supercooled liquid water. In addition, the rapid production of rain directly reduced cloud water and indirectly reduced cloud water through the production of snow and graupel by riming. These biases in growth rates were found to originate from the number concentration diagnosis used in NSW6. The diagnosis based on the midlatitude cloud systems assumption was completely different from the one for low-level mixed-phase clouds. To alleviate underestimation biases, rain production, heterogeneous ice nucleation, vapor deposition by snow and graupel, and riming processes were revised. The sequential revisions of cloud microphysics alleviated the underestimation biases step by step without parameter tuning. The lifetime of cloud layers simulated by NSW6 was reasonably prolonged.
Effect of different level of NPK and biochar on soil physico - chemical properties, yield and attributes of green gram (Vigna radiata L.) Var. – RMG 975 (Keshwanand Mung 1)

An experiment was conducted on “Effect of Different Level of N P K and Biochar on Soil Physico Chemical Properties and Yield Attribute of Green Gram (Vigna radiata L.) Var. RMG 975 (Keshwanand mung 1)” during Kharif season 2019-2020 at the Research Farm Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Naini Agriculture Institute, SHUATS, Prayagraj. The design applied was 3 x 3 Randomized block design having three factors with three level of N P K @ 0, 50, and 100 % ha three level of Biochar @ 0, 50, 100 % ha respectively. The result obtained with treatment T9 [N P K @ 100 % + Biochar @ 100 %] that showed the physico chemical properties of soil, gave the best results with respect to Biochar in combination resulted in a slight increase in soil pH 7.20 and electrical conductivity 0.17 ds m. In post soil of N P K fertilizers observations were resulted in significant increase in organic carbon 0.71 %, particle density 2.48 Mg m, bulk density 1.03 Mg m, porespace 51.00 % and available N 302.25 kg ha, P 32.99 kg ha, K 195.45 kg ha, significant increase in case of nitrogen (kg ha), phosphorus (kg ha), potassium (kg ha) was found to be significant among other treatments in green gram cultivation and soil quality improvement. It was also revealed that the application of N P K with Biochar was excellent source for fertilization than fertilizers.
Mutagenic studies into the catalytic versatility of soluble methane monooxygenase

Soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) is a multicomponent bacterial enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of methane to methanol, as well as oxidizing many other adventitious substrates. A number of mutagenic studies were carried out on the sMMO enzyme of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b in order to gain insight into sMMO and probe how structural aspects relate to function of the enzyme. Leu110 within the hydroxylase a-subunit of sMMO has been proposed as a possible gating residue, controlling access of substrate to the active site (Rosenzweig et al. 1997). A range of site directed mutants were created at the 110 position and screened for activity with a number of aromatic substrates. All mutants showed relaxed regioselectivity with all substrates assayed. However no evidence of a gating residue was found, indicating that Leu110 is more important in determining regioselectivity than substrate access to the active site. Comparison to the highly similar butane monooxygenase led to the creation of three site directed mutants: M184V F282L and C151T. M184V and C151T showed small changes in regioselectivity and reduced activity with most substrates. The M184V mutant showed relaxed regioselectivity and a novel oxidation product with the substrate mesitylene which may have implications for substrate trafficking. The F282L mutant produced a stable enzyme which had no activity with any of the substrates tested, showing Phe282 is important for the enzyme function. A random mutagenesis experiment was devised and a colorimetric screen for the oxidation of triaromatic compounds was used to screen mutant libraries for activity towards anthracene and phenanthrene. However no activity towards triaromatic compounds was detected. In order to improve the cloning strategies and to make creation of mutant libraries easier, a novel expression vector pT2ML was created. The pT2ML vector reduces the number of cloning steps required to make soluble methane monooxygenase mutants. This expression system was used to make a site directed mutants F188Aand N116G in order to complement previous site directed mutant studies, as well as a recombinant wild type mutant in order to asses the activity of the new expression system which is comparible to the wild type enzyme.
Antiproliferative Activity of Olive Oil Phenolics against Human Melan oma Cells

Background: Virgin olive oil, the main source of lipids in a mediterranean diet, is broadly recognised to possess health-beneficial features, namely a protective role against cancer. It comprises several phenolic compounds, the major ones being tyrosol (p-hydroxyphenylethanol), hydroxytyrosol (3,4-dihydroxyphenylethanol), lignans and secoiridoids, namely oleuropein (OP) and the oleuropein aglycones 3,4-(dihydroxyphenyl) ethanol elenolic acid ester and 3,4-(dihydroxyphenyl)ethanol elenolic
Sniff-invariant intensity perception using olfactory bulb coding of inhalation dynamics

For stable perception of odor intensity, there must exist a neural correlate that is invariant across other parameters, such as the highly variable sniff cycle. Previous hypotheses suggest that variance in inhalation dynamics alters odor concentration profiles in the naris despite a constant environmental concentration. Using whole cell recordings in the olfactory bulb of awake mice, we directly demonstrate that rapid sniffing mimics the effect of odor concentration increase at the level of both mitral and tufted cell (MTC) firing rate responses and temporal responses. In contrast, we find that mice are capable of discriminating concentrations within short timescales despite highly variable sniffing behavior. We reason that the only way the olfactory system can differentiate between a change in sniffing and a change in concentration is to receive information about the inhalation parameters in parallel with information about the odor. While conceivably this could be achieved via corollary discharge from respiration control centres, we find that the sniff-driven activity of MTCs without odor input is informative of the kind of inhalation that just occurred, allowing rapid detection of a change in inhalation. Thus, a possible reason for sniff modulation of the early olfactory system may be to inform downstream centres of nasal flow dynamics, so that an inference can be made about environmental concentration independent of sniff variance.
Soil microarthropod communities reduce Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Nematoda: Heterorhabditidae) host infection

Biological control agents applied to soil, such as entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), are exposed to a wide variety of organisms other than the pest that they are utilized against. Interactions with these other organisms may positively or negatively affect EPN performance and may be important for managers to take into account when using EPNs to control pests. The present study assessed the effect of soil microarthropods on the EPN Heterorhabditis bacteriophora with respect to establishment within and infection of wax moth Galleria mellonella larvae in soil arenas. The presence of soil microarthropods at typical field densities significantly reduced the establishment of H. bacteriophora adults within G. mellonella larvae and also reduced the percentage of hosts infected in one of two replicated trials. Specifically, adult EPN establishment was negatively correlated with the abundance of mesostigmatid mites. The results of the present study indicate that soil microarthropods at natural abundances can reduce EPN establishment even within the structurally complex environment of soil, although this does not always lead to reductions in insect infection rates.
Impact of Cultivar, Harvest Date and Threshing Parameter Settings on Floret and Carthamidin Yield of Safflower

The industrial need for safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) increased over the last decade due to its potential use as food colorant. Safflower is mainly cultivated in Asia for its use as floret. In Germany, an economically attractive cultivation for floret use would require a mechanization of harvest. In order to develop a mechanical harvesting system, field experiments were conducted at the experimental station Ihinger Hof of the University Hohenheim in 2017 and 2018. Safflower was harvested with a combine harvester to obtain the florets. Two safflower (i) cultivars were harvested with (ii) three threshing parameter settings on (iii) five harvest dates to evaluate threshed floret yield, dry matter and carthamidin content, and carthamidin yield. Results showed that the maximum threshed floret yield was achieved at the latest harvest date (784.78–1141.76 kg ha−1), while the highest carthamidin contents were observed depending on cultivar on the first two harvest dates (0.53–3.14%). The decisive and resulting amount of carthamidin yield reached its maximum with the Chinese cultivar and the threshing parameter setting P3 between the fourth and fifth harvest date in 2018 (19.05–19.36 kg ha−1). Highest dry matter contents were achieved at the last harvest date (62.67–77.77%). Individual capitula weight and carthamidin content decreased with later harvest dates. Further investigations should clarify whether the individual capitula weight and carthamidin content correlate with each other or are independent of the date of harvest. This could be a decisive criterion for the selection of cultivars for harvesting florets with a combine harvester. Reduced costs of machine harvesting compared to hand harvesting will make the cultivation of safflower for the food coloring industry in Germany more attractive in the future.
Rose, Tulip and Peony: The Image of Paradise and the “Localized” Islam in China

Al-Janna—Paradise—is the most important image of the afterworld in Islam. The Qur’an describes paradise as an oasis. Along with the spread of Islam, the image of paradise has gradually transformed into a garden with blooming flowers, where different Muslim groups chose their favorite flower based on their local knowledge and custom. Thus, the Persian, Turkish, and Hui peoples of China chose the rose, tulip, and peony as their respective flowers symbolizing paradise. We argue from these cases that as a world religion, Islam is locally practiced and understood, with many different variations.
Effect of Geogebra on Pre-Service Teachers' Achievement and Perception of Circle Theorems at E. P. College of Education, Bimbilla-Ghana

The study determined the effects of Geogebra on pre-service teacher's achievement and perception in circle theorems. The study was carried out in Evangelical Presbyterian (E.P.) College of Education, Bimbilla. Three research questions were formulated to guide the study. A sample size of 88 pre-service teachers (PSTs) was used. The control and experimental groups had 45 and 43 pre-service teachers respectively. The study used a quasi-experimental design. Data were collected from the subjects and analyzed quantitatively using SPSS version 18 on the close-ended questionnaire and the achievement pre-test and post-test. The pretest and post-test were analyzed using an independent sample t-test while the perception questionnaire used percentages, mean, and standard deviation in the analysis. Results from the study revealed that students taught circles theorem with Geogebra teaching strategy achieved a higher mean score than those taught through the conventional method with large effect size. The experimental group showed a positive interest in the Geogebra teaching strategy of teaching circles. The paired sample t-test also confirmed that the experimental group gained a mean difference of 9.83 in post-test with a large effect size too. The study recommends the integration of Geogebra into the teaching of circle concepts and theorems at the colleges of education in Ghana.
An integrative polyomics investigation of bovine mastitis

Bovine mastitis, inflammation of the mammary gland, is one of the most costly and prevalent diseases in the dairy industry. It is commonly caused by bacteria, and Streptococcus uberis is one of the most prevalent causative agents. With advancements in omics technologies, the analysis of system-wide changes in the expression of proteins and metabolites in milk has become possible, and such analyses have broadened the knowledge of molecular changes in bovine mastitis. The work presented in this thesis aims to understand the dynamics of molecular changes in bovine mastitis caused by Streptococcus uberis through system-wide profiling and integrated analysis of milk proteins and metabolites. To this end, archived milk samples collected at specific intervals during the course of an experimentally induced model of Streptococcus uberis mastitis were used. Label-free quantitative proteomics and untargeted metabolomics data were generated from the archived milk samples obtained from six cows at six time-points (0, 36, 42, 57, 81 & 312 hours post-challenge). A total of 570 bovine proteins and 690 putative metabolites were quantified. Hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis showed clustering of samples by the stage of infection, with similarities between pre-infection and resolution stages (0 and 312 hours post-challenge), early infection stages (36 and 42 hours post-challenge) and late infection stages (57 and 81 hours post-challenge). The proteomics and metabolomics data were analysed at both individual omics-layer level and combined inter-layer-level. At individual omics layer-level, the temporal changes identified include changes in the expression of proteins in acute-phase response signalling, FXR/RXR activation, complement system, IL-6 and IL-10 pathways, and changes in the expression of metabolites related to amino acid, carbohydrate, lipid and nucleotide metabolisms. The combined inter-layer-level analyses revealed functional relevance of proteins and metabolites enriched in the co-expression modules. For example, possible immunomodulatory role of bile acids via the FXR/RXR activation pathways could be inferred. Similarly, the actin-binding proteins could be linked to endocytic trafficking of signalling receptors. Overall, the work presented in this thesis provides deeper understanding of molecular changes in mastitis. On a secondary note, it also serves as a case study in the use of integrative polyomics analysis methods in the investigation of host-pathogen interactions.
Micro nutrients: Function and their status in India

Micronutrients are most important for many crops. Though these are required in traces yet if the concentration is below the critical limits, the crop production is impaired to great extent. Micronutrients are involved in physiological functions of plant. If the amount available is not adequate, plants will suffer from physiological stress brought about by the dysfunction of several enzyme systems and other metabolic functions in which micronutrients play a part. Micronutrients deficiency in plants not only reduces the yield but also the nutritional quality of grains.
Adverse Effects of Sub-lethal Doses of Chlorpyrifos on Birth Outcome of Female Wistar Rats

Chlorpyrifos is a widely used Organophosphorus pesticide for pest control, leading to increased risk for humans and wildlife exposure. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of chlorpyrifos on birth outcome in pregnant female wistar rats (Rattus novergicus). Animals were randomly assigned into 4 equal groups, group 1 were untreated and served as control. Rats of group 2 to 4 were treated with chlorpyrifos at concentration 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.8% respectively through feed and drinking water ad libitum from gestation day 1 through to weaning. The results on litter size indicates non-significant dose dependent decrease (p>0.05) across treated groups. Total litter birth weight significantly decreased (p<0.05) in a dose dependent manner compared with control. Stillbirth recorded non-significant (p>0.05) among treatment groups when compared with that of control. Also, postnatal survival showed significant (p<0.05) dose dependent lower number of pups survival between parturition and weaning. These results demonstrated that Chlorpyrifos has adverse impact on birth outcome in treated rats.
Epilepsy With Myoclonic Atonic Seizures: Why Is the Yield of Genetic Testing for a “Presumed Genetic” Epilepsy Low?

Phenotypic and Genetic Spectrum of Epilepsy With Myoclonic Atonic Seizures Tang S, Addis L, Smith A, Topp SD, Pendziwiat M, Mei D, Parker A, Agrawal S, Hughes E, Lascelles K, Williams RE, Fallon P, Robinson R, Cross HJ, Hedderly T, Eltze C, Kerr T, Desurkar A, Hussain N, Kinali M, Bagnasco I, Vassallo G, Whitehouse W, Goyal S, Absoud M, EuroEPINOMICS-RES Consortium, Møller RS, Helbig I, Weber, YG, Marini C, Guerrini R, Simpson MA, Pal DK. Epilepsia. 2020;61(5):995-1007. doi: 10.1111/epi.16508 Objective: We aimed to describe the extent of neurodevelopmental impairments and identify the genetic etiologies in a large cohort of patients with epilepsy with myoclonic atonic seizures (MAEs). Methods: We deeply phenotyped patients with MAE for epilepsy features, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder using standardized neuropsychological instruments. We performed exome analysis (whole exome sequencing) filtered on epilepsy and neuropsychiatric gene sets to identify genetic etiologies. Results: We analyzed 101 patients with MAE (70% male). The median age of seizure onset was 34 months (range = 6-72 months). The main seizure types were myoclonic atonic or atonic in 100%, generalized tonic-clonic in 72%, myoclonic in 69%, absence in 60%, and tonic seizures in 19% of patients. We observed intellectual disability in 62% of patients, with extremely low adaptive behavioral scores in 69%. In addition, 24% exhibited symptoms of autism and 37% exhibited attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms. We discovered pathogenic variants in 12 (14%) of 85 patients, including 5 previously published patients. These were pathogenic genetic variants in SYNGAP1 (n = 3), KIAA2022 (n = 2), and SLC6A1 (n = 2), as well as KCNA2, SCN2A, STX1B, KCNB1, and MECP2 (n = 1 each). We also identified 3 new candidate genes, ASH1L, CHD4, and SMARCA2 in 1 patient each. Significance: MAE is associated with significant neurodevelopmental impairment. MAE is genetically heterogeneous, and we identified a pathogenic genetic etiology in 14% of this cohort by exome analysis. These findings suggest that MAE is a manifestation of several etiologies rather than a discrete syndromic entity.