Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sustainable Environmental Practices and Financial Performance Relationships. Are they moderated by Cash Resources? Evidence from Alternative Investment Market in the UK

This paper examines how cash resources affect the sustainable environmental practices and financial performance of firms listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in the United Kingdom (UK). The study adopts Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression model on 201 quoted Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on the UK Alternative Investment Market (AIM) from 2011 to 2016. Consistent with our predictions and confirms with the assertions of the resource-based view, the study documents that cash resources have a positive impact on sustainable environmental practices and financial performance relationships. However, the direction of the regression coefficient was not the same for accounting (ROA) and market-based (Tobin’s q) measures of financial performance. Whereas the moderating impact between cash resources and sustainable environmental practices for ROA was negative, the relationship was positive in the case of Tobin’s q. The study, therefore, concluded that where excessive cash are employed in the management and implementation of environmental sustainability, the financial returns may not be favourable. However, efficient utilisation of cash resources may positively impact on sustainable environmental practices and financial performance relationships. The study also documented that unconstraint firms have a higher probability of benefiting financially from environmental sustainability measures than cash constraint firms. Citation: Danquah Jeff Boakye1, Gabriel Sam Ahinful2 and Randolph Nsor-Ambala3. Sustainable Environmental Practices and Financial Performance Relationships. Are they moderated by Cash Resources? Evidence from Alternative Investment Market in the United Kingdom. , 2020; 5(1): 14－29. Received: (February 15, 2020) Accepted: (March 31, 2020)
THE INFLUENCE OF INTEGRITY AND WORK EXPERIENCE ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCEC

The demands of an organization to develop should be supported by its human resources. One of the organizations that has qualified human resources were shown through the results of employee performance. In this study, employee performance was considered to be influenced by employee integrity and work experience. Thus this study aimed to analyze and determine the effect of integrity and work experience on employee performance partially. Besides, this study would also analyze and determine the effect of integrity and work experience simultaneously on employee performance. This study uses a quantitative approach. This study was conducted in the Bungo District Regional Secretariat Office, Jambi Province. The study population was all employees at the Bungo District Regional Secretariat Office. The sample in this study was determined through the Slovin formula. Data in this study were analyzed with regression test formula. The results showed that integrity and work experience had a significant and partial influence on employee performance. Integrity and work experience were proven to have a significant simultaneously influence on employee performance. Keywords— Bungo District; Employee Performance; Human Resources; Integrity; Work Experience
Development and evaluation of freeze-dried milk powder with low-lactose content

This work aims to develop a freeze-dried milk powder with low lactose content and evaluate the percentage composition, microbiological analysis, and the soy lecithin and temperature effect on the solubility, dispersibility, and wettability of the final product. According to the results, treatments with and without hydrolysis showed significant differences in moisture (3.96% and 2.63%), ash (8.92% and 10.0%), lactose (1.57% and 61.46%), and glucose (33.79% and 0.81%) contents. In both treatments, no microbiological contaminant was observed. For high values of solubility, the most appropriate combination was lecithin 0.6% at 80 oC, for dispersibility was lecithin 0.6% at 94 oC, and for wettability was lecithin 0.65% at 90 oC. Based on the results, freeze-dried milk powder with low lactose content can represent a new technologically and nutritionally viable product. This can be an alternative production process representing potential for marketing as a final product or used as base for the food preparation c.
Curvularia leaf spot of pointed gourd in India

Abstract ‘Pointed gourd’ or ‘parwal’ (Trichosanthes dioica) is a member of the cucurbit family and an important vegetable crop in India which is also widely grown in West Bengal. Fungal diseases are a major constraint to cultivation of pointed gourd. Yellow to dark brown spots were observed on leaves of pointed gourd in different fields in West Bengal during June–August 2015. In extreme cases, plants showed necrosis during early stages of growth and did not bear any fruit. Symptomatic leaves were collected for fungal isolation and colonies that produced an olive-grey mycelial mat on potato dextrose agar were obtained. Ascendant or erect conidiophores with dark brown pigmentation and light brown, oblong to cylindrical conidia with 2–3 transverse septa were visible using a light microscope. The fungus was identified as Curvularia spicifera (anamorph: Bipolaris spicifera) on the basis of morphological characteristics. Pathogenicity tests on detached leaves and whole plants confirmed that the isolates were pathogenic. The ITS and 28S rRNA large subunit regions of ribosomal DNA were amplified with two different primer sets for molecular identification of the fungus. The amplicons were cloned and the sequences submitted to GenBank (accession nos. KX910098 and KY411823). Sequence similarities confirmed the organism as C. spicifera. This is the first report of C. spicifera as a pathogen of pointed gourd.
Optimized cultivation of Ettlia sp. YC001 in eutrophic pond water for nutrient removal and biomass production

Ettlia sp. YC001, a highly settleable and productive microalga, was shown to be effective in removing nutrients and capturing suspended solids from eutrophic pond water. The optimum conditions for the Ettlia sp. YC001 cultivation were investigated using water from a landscape pond. The pond water was supplemented with different N : P ratios by weight, and the biomass production and nutrient removal compared in batch cultures. The maximum removal rate of N and P was with an N : P ratio of 16 : 1. Plus, the turbidity dropped to near zero within 4 days. Meanwhile, chemostat cultivation showed that the biomass productivity and nutrient removal rate increased when increasing the dilution rate, where a dilution rate of 0.9 d showed the highest N and P removal rate at 32.4 mg L d and 1.83 mg L d, respectively, and highest biomass and lipid productivity at 0.432 g L d and 67.8 mg L d, respectively. The turbidity was also reduced by 98% in the chemostat cultivation. Moreover, auto-flocculation and pH were closely connected to the turbidity removal. As a result, this study identified the optimal N : P ratio for small pond water treatment using an Ettlia sp. YC001, while also establishing the optimal conditions for nutrient removal, turbidity reduction, and biomass production.
ANALISIS KEBIJAKAN PENDIDIKAN TERKAIT IMPLEMENTASI PEMBELAJARAN JARAK JAUH PADA MASA DARURAT COVID 19

Learning is a core activity in an educational process. Learning can be carried out in class or distance if necessary if there are obstacles to meet in a class due to situations and conditions that do not allow. This study aims to determine (1) the distance learning system that is applied, (2) the impact of the distance learning system on student achievement, (3) the constraints in implementing the distance learning system. The research method used in this study is a qualitative method with a type of descriptive qualitative research approach. The results of this study indicate that the implementation of distance learning still has many obstacles such as inadequate equipment and poor internet connections, besides that the increase in learning success is still small and ineffective.
Developing an Agile Management Framework For Project Risk Management

Risk management becomes one of the most crucial processes in project and operation management nowadays. However, the accelerating rate of changes in project and business environment raises questions about the capability of traditional risk management processes to provide efficient performance. This paper aims to study the feasibility of using Scrum management methodology to run risk management and to evaluate the effect of utilizing agile management tools and techniques on the performance of risk management. This can be achieved through proposing a Scrum framework to run risk management application and assessing the professionals and academic perception about the proposed framework as well as the influence of using agile management tools and techniques in risk management by conducting an online survey. The survey showed a general acceptance from respondents to the proposed framework. Also, it presented a positive perception of the influence of employing agile tools and techniques in risk management processes. This paper showed theoretical support to the principle of using a Scrum framework for risk management. However, pilot projects are needed to confirm the feasibility of this proposal in real work. Also, this paper encourages further studies of the use of agile methodologies general and Scrum specifically for none software development applications.
Analysis of methodological and physical bias on borehole temperature reconstructions from a pseudo-proxy approach.

<p>The analysis of subsurface temperature measurements from boreholes is a well established approach for reconstructing last millennium (LM) surface air temperature (SAT). It is based on the assumption that SAT variations are strongly coupled to ground surface temperature (GST) variations and transferred to the subsurface by thermal conduction. We have evaluated the long-term SAT-GST coupling over the LM using an ensemble of both full- and single-forcing simulations form the Community Earth System Model-Last Millennium Ensemble (CESM-LME). Such a premise is explored by investigating the evolution of the long-term SAT&#8211;GST relationship. The results indicate that SAT&#8211;GST coupling is strong at global and above multi-decadal timescales in CESM-LME. However, at local to regional scales this relationship experiences considerable long-term changes mostly after the end of the 19th century. Land use land cover (LULC) changes stand as the main driver for locally and regionally decoupling SAT and GST, due to the changes in the energy fluxes at the surface. Snow cover feedbacks due to the influence of GHG forcing are also important for corrupting the long-term SAT&#8211;GST coupling. These processes may represent a source of bias for SAT reconstructions from GST borehole profiles. In light of these findings, we subsequently assessed the potential effects on SAT reconstructions from the borehole method in pseudo-proxy experiments that make use of the same set of simulations from the CESM-LME. First, a heat-conduction forward model has been used to estimate subsurface temperature-anomaly profiles using simulated GST as boundary conditions. Subsequently, singular value decomposition inversion (SVD) has been applied to reconstruct LM GST variations from the simulated profiles. We implemented and ideal scenario in which it is assumed the existence of borehole logs at every model grid point. Further, this scenario considers that all boreholes are logged homogenously at the same time. In addition, we implemented a more realistic approach in which the real-world spatio-temporal distribution of the global borehole network is considered. Results show that the SVD inversion is able to retrieve the long-term GST variations over the LM when an appropriated coverture of borehole logs is available. However, due to the limited spatio-temporal distribution of the actual borehole network, there is a lost in the accuracy to retrieve the simulated GST 20th century trends, with the temporal logging of the BTPs as the main sampling issue. Furthermore, in the surrogate reality of the CESM-LME the SAT-GST decoupling, due to the influence of LULC and GHG forcings, leads to a slightly underestimation of SAT warming during the industrial period across the CESM-LME. The level of impact is, however, highly depended on the realization of internal variability. </p>
Examining Changes in Bat Swing Kinematics in Different Areas of the Strike Zone in Collegiate Baseball Players

Background: According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) there are over 34,000 athletes who compete in baseball at the collegiate level. These individuals spend countless hours training to improve their ability at bat performance by use of a batting tee and their position preference. However, during a game situation an athlete may swing a bat through their strike zone depending on the pitch thrown by an opposing pitcher. Objective: The aim of this investigation was to examine changes in swing kinematics throughout an individual’s strike zone in collegiate baseball players. Variables of interest included resultant velocity at ball contact (RVBC) and the angle of the bat at ball contact (BABC). Methodology: A series of markers were placed on the tee and bat to record swing kinematic variables of interest. Participants completed a brief two-minute on-deck warm-up protocol before being counterbalanced into completing 15 swing trials in various regions of their respective strike zone. A ten-minute washout period was completed followed by another 15 swing trials throughout their strike zone until there was a total of 45 swing trials, having 5 swing trials completed in each of the nine regions of the strike zone. Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance were used to examine swing kinematic variables of interest. Significant differences were found in RVBC along with significant differences in BABC (p<.05). Conclusions: Knowledge of this information can allow both athlete and sport coach to identify areas of weakness when addressing their hitting performance in preparation for an at bat situation during a game.
Physicochemical and microbiological changes in fresh-cut green bell peppers as affected by packaging and storage.

The effect of passive modified atmosphere packaging on colour, firmness, vitamin C, microbial quality and sensory characteristics of fresh-cut green bell peppers stored at 8°± 1°C up to 11 days was studied. The respiration rate and ethylene production of fresh-cut green bell peppers increased after processing, resulting in anaerobic conditions by day 11. The physical attributes (colour and firmness), vitamin C content and the organoleptic characteristics (odour, colour and texture) were acceptable until the end of the storage time, but the microbial analysis showed that after 7 days the total count was > 10 7 -10 8 cfu/g. This study confirmed that green bell peppers are suitable for processing into fresh-cut ready-to-eat products. If the peppers were stored at 8°± 1°C, they could have a shelf-life of 7 days. Beyond this time the microbial proliferation was over the limit suggested as being safe for human consumption.
Omnivory does not preclude strong trophic cascades

Omnivory has been cited as an explanation for why trophic cascades are weak in many food webs, but empirical support for this prediction has been equivocal — compared to carnivores, documented indirect effects of top omnivore populations on primary producer biomass have ranged from beneficial, to non-existent, and negative. To gain intuition about the effects of omnivory on the strength of cascades, we analyzed models of fixed and flexible top omnivores, two foraging strategies that are supported by empirical observations. We identified regions of parameter space in which omnivores following a fixed foraging strategy non-intuitively generate larger cascades than predators that do not consume producers at all, but that are otherwise demographically identical: (i) high productivity relative to consumer mortality rates, and (ii) smaller discrepancies in producer versus consumer reward create conditions in which cascades are stronger with moderate omnivory. In contrast, flexible omnivores that attempt to optimize per capita growth rates during search never induce cascades that are stronger than the case of carnivores. Although we focus on simple models, the consistency of these general patterns together with prior empirical evidence suggests that omnivores should not be ruled out as agents of strong trophic cascades.
HPF1-dependent PARP activation promotes LIG3-XRCC1-mediated backup pathway of Okazaki fragment ligation

DNA Ligase 1 (LIG1) is known as the major DNA ligase responsible for Okazaki fragment joining. Recent studies have implicated LIG3 complexed with XRCC1 as an alternative player in Okazaki fragment joining in cases where LIG1 is not functional, although the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, using a cell-free system derived from Xenopus egg extracts, we demonstrated the essential role of PARP1-HPF1 in LIG3-dependent Okazaki fragment joining. We found that Okazaki fragments were eventually ligated even in the absence of LIG1, employing in its place LIG3-XRCC1 which was recruited onto chromatins. Concomitantly, LIG1 deficiency induces ADP-ribosylation of histone H3 in a PARP1-HPF1-dependent manner. The depletion of PARP1 or HPF1 resulted in a failure to recruit LIG3 onto chromatin and a subsequent failure in Okazaki fragment joining in LIG1-depleted extracts. Importantly, Okazaki fragments were not ligated at all when LIG1 and XRCC1 were co-depleted. Our results suggest that a unique form of ADP-ribosylation signalling promotes the recruitment of LIG3 on chromatins and its mediation of Okazaki fragment joining as a backup system for LIG1 perturbation.
Your Gender Identity Is Who You Are: Female CEOs and Corporate Debt Structure

We examine the implications of CEO gender for corporate debt structure. After controlling for endogeneity, firms with female CEOs issue less debt than firms with male CEOs. Although both risk aversion and overconfidence may serve as the channel of our main finding, we show that female CEOs being more risk averse is the underlying mechanism. Further, we find that the CEO gender effect is more pronounced for firms with younger CEOs, higher litigation risk, and more market competition. We also find that firms with female CEOs are more likely to keep positive debt capacity and have longer debt maturities.
Heterochromatin Replication: Direct Interaction of DNA replication machinery with heterochromatin code writer Clr4/Suv39 and reader Swi6/HP1 in S. pombe

The establishment of heterochromatin in fission yeast involves methyltransferase Clr4-mediated H3-Lys9 methylation, which is bound specifically by Swi6/HP1. However, the mechanism of propagation of heterochromatin through multiple cell divisions is not known. A role of DNA replication in propagating the heterochromatin is envisaged. Studies in S. pombe have indicated a direct interaction between DNA Polα and Swi6/HP1 and between DNA Polε and Rik1-Dos2 complex, suggesting a coupling between DNA replication and heterochromatin assembly. Here, we show that like DNA Polα, Polδ, which plays a role in both leading and lagging strand replication, also plays a role in silencing at mating type and centromere. We show that both the polymerases α and δ interact directly with both Clr4 and Swi6/HP1. Mutations in both the polymerases lead to decrease in H3-Lys9 methylation and Swi6 at the mating type and left outer repeats of centromeres I and II, with a reciprocal increase in their level at the central element, cnt, at all the three centromeres. These mutations also cause defects in chromosome segregation, recruitment of Cohesin and chromosome dynamics during mitosis and meiosis. Thus, our results indicate that a tight coordination between DNA replication machinery and propagation of the heterochromatin-specific epigenetic mark.
Effects of the Partial Replacement of Soybean Meal by Insect or Algae Meal in Chicken Diets with Graded Amino Acid Supply on Parameters of Gut Microbiology and Dietary Protein Quality

Insects or algae are considered future solutions to substitute imported feed proteins like soybean meal (SBM) in animal nutrition. The objective of this research, as part of the multidisciplinary project “Sustainability transitions”, focused on replacing 50% SBM by partly defatted larvae meal from black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens) or the blue-green algae Spirulina platensis in meat type chicken diets. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects on body composition, protein quality, apparent precaecal digestibility (apcD) and parameters of intestinal microbiota. In total, 288 one-day-old male growing chickens (Ross 308) from a commercial hatchery were randomly allotted to 48 pens (6 birds per pen) across five diets, which were fed at a free choice level. The control diet utilized SBM, wheat and corn as main ingredients, and experimental diets replaced 50% of SBM by the alternative proteins under study. Amino acid (AA) supplementation of the final diets was conducted both at a basic level (diets HM, SM; Lys and Met added equal to the control diet) and an extended level of AA fortification (diets HM+, SM+; extended supplementation of Lys, Met, Thr, Arg). After finishing the growth study, 4 individual birds per diet were slaughtered for whole body analyses to derive nutrient utilization and dietary protein quality parameters. Additionally, pooled chyme samples from 16 birds per diet (control, HM and SM) were analyzed to assess apcD and microbial parameters. Diets HM and SM with a basic level of AA fortification led to significant depressions in nutrient deposition and dietary protein quality. However, HM+ and SM+ diets with an extended level of AA supplementation led to significantly improved responses; however these were still generally not on par with the control diet. The HM+ diet provided superior CP deposition and dietary protein quality, as compared to the SM+ diet, but equal to the control diet. Results of gut microbiology yielded no significant effects due to feeding the alternative protein sources under study.
Emerging Themes from the ESA Symposium Entitled “Pollinator Nutrition: Lessons from Bees at Individual to Landscape Levels”

Introduction Pollinator populations are declining (Biesmeijer et al., 2006; Brodschneider et al., 2018; Cameron et al., 2011; Goulson, Lye, & Darvill, 2008; Kulhanek et al., 2017; National Research Council, 2007; Oldroyd, 2007), and both anecdotal and experimental evidence suggest that limited access to high quality forage might play a role (Carvell, Meek, Pywell, Goulson, & Nowakowski, 2007; Deepa et al., 2017; Goulson, Nicholls, Botias, & Rotheray, 2015; Potts et al., 2003, 2010; Vanbergen & The Insect Pollinators Initiative, 2013; Vaudo, Tooker, Grozinger, & Patch, 2015; Woodard, 2017). Multiple researchers are earnestly addressing this topic in a diverse array of insect-pollinator systems. As research continues to be published, increased communication among scientists studying the topic of nutrition is essential for improving pollinator health.