Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Medicate to Graduate: Academic Strain and Nonmedical Prescription Stimulant Use Among Graduate and Undergraduate Students

The nonmedical use of prescription stimulants has been prevalent on college campuses in recent years. Previously, nonmedical prescription stimulant use (NMPSU) has been associated with increased use of other illicit substances, drug abuse, school dropout, and arrest. It is, therefore, imperative to understand the etiology of NMPSU for prevention, intervention, and harm reduction purposes. This study builds upon previous research on the role of academic strain in NMPSU by (a) considering a measure of strain that is more consistent with strain theory and (b) extending the examination to include graduate students. By utilizing an original data set of 1,121 undergraduate and graduate students at a Southern urban university, our overall results are consistent with general strain theory but mixed with respect to the role of academic strain in particular. The implications of our study for academic strain are discussed.
The Absolute Consistency Problem for Relational Schema Mappings with Functional Dependencies

SUMMARY This paper discusses a static analysis problem, called absolute consistency problem, for relational schema mappings. A given schema mapping is said to be absolutely consistent if every source instance has a corresponding target instance. Absolute consistency is an important property because it guarantees that data exchange never fails for any source instance. Originally, for XML schema mappings, the absolute consistency problem was deﬁned and its complexity was investigated by Amano et al. However, as far as the authors know, there are no known results for relational schema mappings. In this paper, we focus on relational schema mappings such that both the source and the target schemas have functional dependencies, under the assumption that mapping rules are deﬁned by constant-free tuple-generating dependencies. In this setting, we show that the absolute consistency problem is in coNP. We also show that it is solvable in polynomial time if the tuple-generating dependencies are full and the size of the left-hand side of each functional dependency is bounded by some constant. Finally, we show that the absolute consistency problem is coNP-hard even if the source schema has no functional dependency and the target schema has only one; or each of the source and the target schemas has only one functional dependency such that the size of the left-hand side of the functional dependency is at most two.
SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF METAL COMPLEXES OF 2-PYRIDINECARBALDEHYDE THIOSEMICARBAZONE

ABSTRACT The synthesis, characterization, physico-chemical and electrical properties of complexes of pyridine-2-carbaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (PTSC) with transition element cations are reported. The complexes [Fe(PTSC)2Cl2]Cl and [Ni(PTSC)2-(H2O)2]Cl2 were prepared. Molecular structures of these complexes were identified by using elemental analyses, FT-IR, UV-VIS, thermogravimetric and molar conductivity techniques. The structure, along with other physico-chemical studies, established that the complexes of PTSC were low-spin. The spectroscopic study of the compounds showed that the transition metal complexes had octahedral geometry. A spectrophotometric determination of nickel(II) with pyridine-2-carbaldehde thiosemicarbazone in methyl alcohol solution is proposed and the stability constants of the nickel(II) complex were determined by the Job method. The electrical conductivity of the compounds increases with elevated temperature. Their conductivities follows the order Ni>Fe. The calculated values of the activation energy of mobility, Eμ, suggests that conduction in the studied complexes takes place by a hopping mechanism, where one electron hops from one molecule to another.
Seedling survival declines with increasing conspecific density in a common temperate tree

Feedbacks between plants and their soil microbial communities often drive negative density dependence in rare, tropical tree species, but their importance to common, temperate trees remains unclear. Additionally, whether negative density dependence is driven by natural enemies (e.g., soil pathogens) or by high densities of seedlings has rarely been assessed. Density dependence may also depend on seedling size, as smaller and/or younger seedlings may be more susceptible to mortality agents. We monitored seedlings of Quercus rubra, a common, canopy-dominant temperate tree, to investigate how the density of neighboring adults and seedlings influenced their survival over two years. We assessed how the soil microbial community influenced seedling survival by growing seedlings in a glasshouse inoculated with soil collected from beneath conspecific and heterospecific mature trees. In the field, seedling survival was lower in areas with high densities of mature conspecifics but was unrelated to either conspecific or heterospecific seedling density. Smaller seedlings were also more sensitive than larger seedlings to neighboring adult conspecifics. In the glasshouse, seedlings grown with soil from beneath a conspecific adult had a higher mortality rate than seedlings grown with soil from beneath heterospecific adults or sterilized soil, suggesting that soil microbial communities drive the patterns of mortality in the field. These results illustrate the importance of negative density-dependent feedbacks resulting from the soil microbial community in a common and ecologically important temperate tree species.
Association of the rectovestibular fistula with MRKH Syndrome and the paradigm shift in the management in view of the future uterine transplant

Uterine transplantation in Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) patients with absolute uterine function infertility have added a new dimension and paradigm shift in the management of females born with rectovestibular fistula coexisting with vaginal agenesis. The author reviewed the relevant literature of this rare association, the popular and practical classifications of genital malformations that the gynecologists use, the different vaginal reconstruction techniques, and try to know what shall serve best in this small cohort of these patients lest they wish to go for uterine transplantation in future.
Yanshanian Orogeny During North China's Drifting Away From the Trench: Implications of Numerical Models

Tectonics in North China and adjacent areas were dominated by the Pacific Plate subduction since the Jurassic. Although the extension‐dominated tectonics in North China since the Early Cretaceous can be well explained by the Pacific Plate subduction, it is still not well understood why North China and adjacent areas underwent intense compression (Yanshanian orogeny) during the Late Jurassic and why these regions rapidly switched to extension‐dominated tectonics during the Early Cretaceous. Plate reconstructions suggest that East Asia was moving rapidly in the direction opposite the trench during the Jurassic when North China was undergoing strong compressional deformation. This relationship between back‐arc deformation and overriding plate's motion seems to contradict previous compilations and geodynamic models. We suggest that large‐scale mantle convection and exotic terrane accretions along the East Asian margin have jointly contributed to the Yanshanian orogeny across North China during the Jurassic. We verify this hypothesis with numerical geodynamic models. Our numerical experiments also suggest that large‐scale downwelling mantle flow beneath Asia has promoted continued subduction beneath the Asian margin despite the subduction was often punctuated by collisional and accretionary events.
Emigrant Inclusion in Home Country Elections: Theory and Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa

Since 1990, nearly 100 countries extended voting rights to citizens living abroad, including 32 in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the actual ability for emigrants to vote in subsequent elections varies widely. Whereas others view diaspora enfranchisement as a signal to emigrant and international audiences, I argue that incumbent parties expand or restrict emigrant voter access depending on party perceptions of political support abroad. I first leverage the multiple reversals over emigrant inclusion in South African elections since 1994 to illuminate how changing dynamics between an incumbent party and citizens abroad shape emigrant voter access. I further test my argument with an original dataset covering multiple dimensions of external voting in every African election where emigrants had voting rights from 1990 to 2015. I find a robust relationship between emigrant voter access and diaspora support for the incumbent party.
Establishing the allosteric mechanism in CRISPR‐Cas9

Allostery is a fundamental property of proteins, which regulates biochemical information transfer between spatially distant sites. Here, we report on the critical role of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in discovering the mechanism of allosteric communication within CRISPR‐Cas9, a leading genome editing machinery with enormous promises for medicine and biotechnology. MD revealed how allostery intervenes during at least three steps of the CRISPR‐Cas9 function: affecting DNA recognition, mediating the cleavage and interfering with the off‐target activity. An allosteric communication that activates concerted DNA cleavages was found to led through the L1/L2 loops, which connect the HNH and RuvC catalytic domains. The identification of these “allosteric transducers” inspired the development of novel variants of the Cas9 protein with improved specificity, opening a new avenue for controlling the CRISPR‐Cas9 activity. Discussed studies also highlight the critical role of the recognition lobe in the conformational activation of the catalytic HNH domain. Specifically, the REC3 region was found to modulate the dynamics of HNH by sensing the formation of the RNA:DNA hybrid. The role of REC3 was revealed to be particularly relevant in the presence of DNA mismatches. Indeed, interference of REC3 with the RNA:DNA hybrid containing mismatched pairs at specific positions resulted in locking HNH in an inactive “conformational checkpoint” conformation, thereby hampering off‐target cleavages. Overall, MD simulations established the fundamental mechanisms underlying the allosterism of CRISPR‐Cas9, aiding engineering strategies to develop new CRISPR‐Cas9 variants for improved genome editing.
MODELING THE KINETICS OF THE SOLUTION PHOSPHATE CONCENTRATION DURING SORPTION AND DESORPTION EXPERIMENTS

The concentration (Ct) of phosphate ions (Pi) in soil solution is the primary variable on which plant nutrition with phosphorus and eutrophication depend. The description of soil mobile Pi (Pm) is a necessary step in the modeling of Ct kinetics. The description of the change in the content of soil mobile Pi (ΔPm) must take into account the initial amount of mobile Pi (Pm,0). The change in the content of soil mobile Pi has been described by ΔPm =a (Cbt −x) tc, where a, b, x, and c are fitted parameters. We tested the suitability of a derived simplified equation where the native sorbed Pi, i.e., x, is calculated from the measured initial Pi concentration in solution (C0): ΔPm =a (Cbt −Cb0) tc. Both equations were compared for their suitability for describing the kinetics of Ct. Two sorption and one sorption-desorption experiments were performed on soil samples taken from plots having different P fertilizer histories in two long-term field trials located on Luvisols. The differences in conditions between experiments included (i) number of Pi addition rates (up to 120 mg P kg−1), (ii) soil-to-solution ratio, and (iii) period of contact between soil and solution (up to 7 days). In the adsorption domain, both equations fitted experimental Ct values (r2>0.99) closely. In the desorption domain, however, some slight discrepancies were observed between measured Ct values and those calculated by the simplified equation. They were probably the result of overestimation of C0. Thus, the proposed simplified equation accounts for the participation in the soil solution Pi dynamics of the initial mobile Pi content of the soil that determines the initial Pi concentration in solution (C0).
Influence of biochar on growth, yield and quality of summer organic sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and soil properties

A field experiment was conducted on organically managed medium black calcareous clayey soil at Junagadh (Gujarat) during summer season of 2019-20 to study the effect of biochar on growth, yield and quality of summer sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and soil properties. The experimental results revealed that significantly higher values of growth parameters viz., plant height and number of branches per plant and yield attributes viz., number of capsules per plant, length of capsule, seed weight per plant and test weight along with higher seed yield (1741 kg/ha) and stover yield (2123 kg/ha) were recorded with application of enriched biochar 0.25 t/ha + vermicompost 1 t/ha. However, significantly higher nutrient uptake by plant, organic carbon, available N, P, K in soil after harvest along with higher net return (₹ 99142/ha) and B:C ratio (2.69) were also realized with the application of enriched biochar 0.25 t/ha + vermicompost 1 t/ha. Based on the results, it could be concluded that higher production and net returns from sesame along with improved soil fertility can be obtained by the application of microbial consortium enriched biochar 0.25 t/ha + vermicompost 1 t/ha.
DOES FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY ENHANCE FIRM VALUE? A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN DEVELOPED AND EMERGING COUNTRIES

This paper investigates the effect of financial flexibility on firm value, on a comparative basis between developed and emerging countries in Europe. Our dataset covers 4,334 companies from 15 developed and 1,436 companies from 6 emerging countries in Europe for the period between 2000 and 2016. First, depending on companies’ maintenance of leverage that is below-predicted levels for a successive number of years, I identify the financially flexible companies in the sample. Second, I examine whether financial flexibility affects firm value. Our results demonstrate that firms’ financial flexibility positively contributes to firm value in all estimations. Furthermore, this study presents unprecedented evidence that the effect of financial flexibility on firm value is more significant for emerging countries when compared to developed countries in Europe. Moreover, I demonstrate for the first time that firm characteristics, including firm size and age, which proxy for asymmetric information within a company, negatively moderate the relationship between flexibility and firm value. Managers, both in developed and in emerging countries, who aim to surge their firm value up, should give importance to the maintenance of financial flexibility in their capital structure decisions. Last, managers of relatively smaller and younger companies should put more emphasis on becoming financially flexible if they want to improve their firms’ value.
Dicationic imidazolium-based ionic liquids: a new strategy for non-toxic and antimicrobial materials

New dicationic imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) were synthesized, characterized and tested in regards to cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity. Insertion of a new cationic head and use of organic anions increased the biocompatibility of the ILs developed. IC50 (concentration necessary to inhibit 50% of enzymatic activity) values obtained were considerably higher than those described for monocationic ILs, which indicates an improvement in cytocompatibility. Antimicrobial activity against bacterial species of clinical relevance in wounds and the oral environment was tested. The results showed that ILs were effective in inhibiting bacterial growth even below the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). It was observed that structural features that confer higher hydrophobicity to ILs decreased both the IC50 and MIC simultaneously. However, it was possible to establish an equilibrium between those two effects, which gives the safe range of concentrations that ILs can be employed. The results demonstrated that the dicationic-imidazolium-based ILs synthesized may constitute a potent strategy for applications requiring non-toxic materials exhibiting antimicrobial activity.
An alternative health crop for South Africa: Purple potato mini tuber production as affected by water and nutrient stress

Food security in South Africa ranks as one of the top ten priorities in the country. Potato is a fundamental staple food crop in South Africa, providing essential nutrition. While there are several cultivars currently in production for the potato market, there is a need to explore cultivars that are available, but not utilised within the country. Pigmented potatoes are not regarded as high value on the South African market;however,yield prospects as well as health-promoting benefits could have a positive contribution on the South African Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and on the population’s health. Potato cultivar (cv.) Salad blue(SB)seems to be a drought-tolerant crop with the ability to produce reasonable yields under severe environmental conditions. In order to promote cv. SB as a possible food security option for South Africa, there is a critical need for empirical information, describing some basic horticultural as well as biochemical information and vitamin C presence. This study investigated the potential of pigmented potato SB tubers as an alternative to high yielding white potato for the South African market.Tubers of Solanum tuberosum cv. BP1 and SB, were used for this research.The high amounts in phenolic compounds in SB can be considered to be health-promoting phytochemicals. Anticarcinogenic, antibacterial, antiviral properties have been reported. A greenhouse, bag trial with virus-free plantlets of BP1 and SB cultivars was conducted using three water and nutrient levels and favourable root zone temperature(100% without heat, 100% heated, 50% heated, 25% heated) all grown in coco peat. Cultivar SB showed nearly two-fold yield compared to the control BP1. Methanol extracts of the tubers were assessed for their total polyphenolic, flavanol, and flavonol contents as well as 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging ability, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), Trolox equivalence antioxidant capacity (TEAC),anthocyanin and L-ascorbic acid assays.The aqueous extract of the SB tubers was found to contain higher level of total polyphenols (320 mg GAE/g), and flavonol (85 mg QE/g) than the extract of the BP1 tubers with values of173 mg GAE/g (total polyphenol), and67 mg QE/g (flavonol). Similarly, the methanol extract of the tuber skins also exhibited higher DPPH (818,86 IC50mg/mL), FRAP (18,19μmol AAE/g), and TEAC (911,12μmol TE/g)than the extract of the BP1with DPPH (595,99 IC50mg/mL), FRAP (10,86 μmol AAE/g) and TEAC (435,44 μmol TE/g). The present study provides useful information for farmers and health professionals in respect to increased yield and health-promoting benefits of an underutilized potato variety.
Effect of different level of fertilizers and foliar nutrition on yield attributes and yield of Pearl millet under rainfed condition

A field experiment was laid out in randomised block design with three replications during rabi season of 2019 at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam (Tamil Nadu) to study the effect of different level of fertilizers and foliar nutrition on yield attributes and yield of pearl millet under rainfed condition. The investigation was comprised of 13 treatments with different levels and foliar application of fertilizers. The study revealed that yield attributes and yield of pearl millet were significantly differed with treatments imposed. Among the various treatments, application of 125% RDF + 1% Urea + 1% KCl + 0.5% ZnSO4 + 0.5% FeSO4 had significantly recorded higher number of productive tillers plant-1 (2.68), earhead length (27.3 cm), earhead girth (8.2 cm), number of grains earhead-1 (2136), test weight (15.46 g), grain yield (2692 kg ha-1) and straw yield (4134 kg ha-1).
Family Caregivers’ Perspectives of the Economic Burden Imposed through Caring for Family Members with Cancer in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

This study explored the perspectives of family caregivers of the economic burden imposed by caring for their family members who are living with cancer in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This study employed qualitative methods to explore the subjective experiences of the family caregivers caring for family members living with cancer, drawing from the interpretivist paradigm. Data saturation was reached after conducting 20 in-depth interviews among family caregivers. The participating family caregivers were actively involved in caring or previously had the experience of caring for a family member with cancer. The interview questions focused on the caregivers’ perspectives of the economic burden of caring for a family member with cancer. Three key themes emerged from the analysis of the research findings, namely, the loss of income, financial coping before the cancer diagnosis, and financial challenges due to the cancer diagnosis. Cancer caregiving can be financially taxing on families, and impose more strain especially on families with low-household incomes. There is a need for health policymakers to consider exploring financial relief mechanisms for families who care for members living with cancer.
Ab Initio Study Of Hydrogen-Bonded Complexes Of Small Organic Molecules With Water

Hydrogen bonding between water and a series of small organic molecules was examined via electronic structure calculations. Several computational methods were examined, including both a hybrid density functional procedure (Becke3LYP) and second-order Moller−Plesset theory (MP2) coupled with a double-ζ basis set augmented by diffuse polarization functions on heteroatoms. The agreement between Becke3LYP and MP2 energies was generally good, as was the agreement with energies obtained using more sophisticated and costly methods. The energies and structures of 53 hydrogen-bonded complexes of water with various small organic molecules, including alcohols, thiols, ethers, thioethers, carboxylic acids, esters, amines, amides, nitriles, and nitro compounds, were then examined systematically using the Becke3LYP and MP2 procedures. The hydrogen bond geometries were generally linear, and acceptor sites corresponded closely to the positions of lone pairs as predicted by simple hybridization arguments. Structures with s.