Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Additional Essential Oils with High Activity against Stationary Phase Borrelia burgdorferi

Lyme disease is the most common vector borne-disease in the US. While the majority of the Lyme disease patients can be cured with 2-4 week antibiotic treatment, about 10-20% of patients continue to suffer from persisting symptoms. While the cause of this condition is unclear, persistent infection was proposed as one possibility. It has recently been shown that B. burgdorferi develops dormant persisters in stationary phase cultures that are not killed by the current Lyme antibiotics, and there is interest to identify novel drug candidates that more effectively kill such forms. We previously evaluated 34 essential oils and identified some highly active candidates with excellent activity against biofilm and stationary phase B. burgdorferi. Here we screened another 35 essential oils and found 10 essential oils (garlic, allspice, cumin, palmarosa, myrrh, hedycheim, amyris, thyme white, litsea cubeba, lemon eucalyptus) and the active component of cinnamon bark cinnamaldehyde (CA) at a low concentration of 0.1% to have high activity against stationary phase B. burgdorferi. At a very low 0.05% concentration, garlic, allspice, palmarosa and CA still exhibited strong activity against the stationary phase B. burgdorferi. CA also showed strong activity against replicating B. burgdorferi, with a MIC of 0.02% (or 0.2 μg/mL). In subculture studies, the top 5 hits garlic, allspice, myrrh, hedycheim, and litsea cubeba completely eradicated all B. burgdorferi stationary phase cells at 0.1%, while palmarosa, lemon eucalyptus, amyris, cumin, and thyme white failed to do so as shown by visible spirochetal growth after 21-day subculture. At 0.05% concentration, only garlic essential oil and CA sterilized the B. burgdorferi stationary phase culture as shown by no regrowth during subculture, while allspice, myrrh, hedycheim and litsea cubeba all had visible growth during subculture. Future studies are needed to determine if these highly active essential oils could eradicate persistent B. burgdorferi infection in vivo.
Islamic index, independent commissioner and firm performance

Abstract The prime objective of this study is to examine the effect of Sharia firms and their performance in Indonesia. Sharia is the set of personal and societal behaviour derived from Islam. A firm is included in a sharia firm if it complies with Islamic values. The sample used in this study are firms that are consistently listed on the Sharia-compliant Stock Index (ISSI) in the 2012–2018 period. The result shows that Sharia firms have better performance compared to non-Sharia firms. Additionally, Sharia firms with a smaller size of independent commissioners are associated with higher performance. These positive results indicate that Sharia positioning can improve performance and this is empirical evidence that the ethical firm has a significant influence on the performance.
News “Media Capture”, Relations of Patronage and Clientelist Practices in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Interpretive Qualitative Analysis

ABSTRACT This essay is an interpretive qualitative analysis of secondary data that explores and/or highlights the intricacies of “media capture”, relations of patronage and clientelist media practices in sub-Saharan Africa. It adopts an exploratory approach that delineates the contours and patterns of debates around these intricately connected phenomena by identifying salient examples in the region, and their implications to the role of the media in struggles for democratisation. Our analysis points to a typology of interconnected driving forces of media capture which coalesce around legal and administrative regulation; financial and economic enticements, and lastly, the dynamics of media ownership. These driving forces collectively broaden our understanding of the social practice as well as the role of the media in processes of democratisation in sub-Saharan Africa. The study further establishes that while there are marked differences and nuances which have significant implications on the operations of the news media in the region, there are several shared professional practices, values, and attitudes, that are qualitatively generalisable across sub-Saharan Africa.
Intentions for praising: Differences between pre-primary educational facility and elementary school teachers

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate teachers’ intentions when praising students, and to compare these intentions between teachers in pre-primary educational facilities and in elementary schools. It is important to understand intentions of teachers for praising students because it will help them reflect on and improve their behaviors. A total of 166 teachers in pre-primary educational facilities and 77 teachers in elementary schools answered a questionnaire about intentions for praising students. Factor analysis indicated four factors: modifying students’ attitudes toward activities involves changing students’ cognitions about activities, caring for students’ emotions involves considering their emotions to keep them as positive as possible, delivering information refers to providing students information, and low awareness of intentions for providing praise refers to teachers not recognizing their reasons for giving praise. Cluster analysis using the standard four factor scores identified three groups. Cluster 1 was characterized by unawareness of intentions to praise students. Cluster 2 indicated awareness of intentions for praise was related to delivering information, not caring about students’ emotions. Cluster 3 indicated well-balanced awareness of intentions for praise. A chi-squared test indicated a relationship between clusters and facilities; in Cluster 2, there were more elementary school teachers than pre-primary educational facility teachers.
Impact of Container Nursery Production Practices on Weed Growth and Herbicide Performance

Due to the lack of postemergence herbi- cide options, heavy reliance on hand weeding, and high crop species diversity, weed control continues to be one of the most challenging elements of producing ornamen- tal plants in container culture. In contrast to other production systems, container-grown ornamentals are produced almost entirely in organic substrates (pine bark, peat, etc.), are overhead irrigated one or multiple times per day, and are fertilized almost exclusively with the use of controlled-release fertilizers (CRF). Multiple aspects of weed control in and around ornamental production have been addressed with prior research. Much of this work has focused on various chemical and/or nonchemical approaches to weed manage- ment and crop response to these approaches. An area that has been subject to less investi- gation is what impacts various production inputs have on weed control and herbicide performance. The primary objective of this article is to provide an overview of the various methods of weed control that are currently being used and to summarize the literature that has focused on the effects of container culture production practices, such as fertilization methods, irrigation sched-ules, and substrate composition, have on weed growth and the performance of control measures that are employed. The secondary objective is to highlight key knowledge gaps and suggest possible avenues for future re- search that could lead to more robust control in
Partial and total replacement of fishmeal by a vegetable and animal proteins blend and inclusion of Isochrysis galbana in diets for gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.): effects on growth and feed efficiency

A trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of partial and total replacement of fishmeal (FM) by a vegetable and animal proteins blend as well as the inclusion of a microalgae in diets for gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.). The control diet (FM100) contained FM as the main protein source, while in diets FM25, FM10, FM0 and FM0+ the FM was replaced at 75%, 90% and 100%, respectively, by a protein blend consisting of Iberian pig meal (IPM), soybean, pea and sunflower meal. Diet FM0+ also contained a 5% of the microalgae Isochrysis galbana. Gilthead seabream juveniles (mean initial weight 64 g) were fed these diets to satiety for 114 days. Results obtained at the end of the experiment indicate that fish fed with the FM0 diet reached a final body weight and Specific Growth Rate (SGR) lower than the other treatments. Likewise, an improvement in growth was also observed in the gilthead seabream fed with the diet with total substitution due to the addition of the microalga. Regarding nutritional parameters, no differences were found in Feed Intake ratio (FI), but differences were found in the Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR), which was lower in fish with higher growth, fed the FM25 and FM100 diets. In whole-body composition, differences were found between fish fed FM100 and FM0 diets, in which observed a lower moisture contents and accordingly, a higher lipid content. No significant differences (p>0.05) were observed in the wholebody amino acid content. Retention efficiencies of protein, energy and essential amino acids were highest in fish with that were higher growth, that is, those fed the FM100 and FM25 diets. Overall, we can say that up to 75% of fishmeal can be replaced by a vegetable and animal proteins blend in diets for gilthead seabream, without compromising growth performance, feed utilization, and nutrient retention, in addition, the inclusion of microalgae I. galbana improves the growth and retention efficiencies in the gilthead seabream fed with a diet whitout fishmeal (FM0).
Insecurity and Historical Legacies in Welfare Regime Change in Southeast Asia – Insights from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand

Anchored on the global welfare regime literature, this article discusses three key themes: welfare regime change, the drivers of change and the implication of the regime change toward insecurity in Southeast Asia. This article focuses on welfare regimes in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand mainly because these countries experienced high economic growth and were correspondingly affected by the 1997-Asian financial crisis. However, their response to the crisis differed due to their distinctive historical-colonial legacies. The article argues that the regimes shifted from productivist to a more inclusive regime partly as public health programmes reached citizens previously uncovered. However, the timing, pace and direction of welfare reform met social unrest, and fundamentally brought into the fore questions of ‘ontological security’. The article concludes that the three regimes cannot substantiate a shift towards ‘secure’ welfare regimes as they continue to rely heavily on family and community for welfare provision to overcome social risk.
Roselle (Hibiscus sabdiriffa) polyphenol-rich extract prevents testicular damage of diabetic rats

© 2018 Siti Balkis Budin et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License -NonCommercialShareAlikeUnported License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/). *Corresponding Author Siti Balkis Budin, Biomedical Science Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. E-mail: balkis @ ukm.edu. my Roselle (Hibiscus sabdiriffa) Polyphenol-Rich Extract Prevents Testicular Damage of Diabetic Rats
d'un exercice aigu et chronique sur le stress oxydant d'adolescentes en surpoids

Notre premiere etude epidemiologique s'est interessee aux causes et facteurs de l'obesite juvenile au Liban. Elle montre que 17.1 % des adolescents Libanais sont en surpoids et 4.5% sont obeses. Les garcons sont plus en surpoids et obeses compares aux filles (23% et 8.1% vs 12.7 et 1.8%). L'obesite, surtout chez les garcons, est associee a des habitudes sedentaires, a une destructuration alimentaire et a un statut socioeconomique eleve. L'exces de masse grasse et les desordres metaboliques et hormonaux associes a l'obesite, surtout chez les adolescentes, aggravent le stress oxydant (SO). Ainsi, dans notre deuxieme etude nous avons examine l'effet de l'insulino‐resistance (IR) et de l'inflammation dans la survenue du SO au repos et en reponse a un exercice exhaustif chez les adolescentes en surpoids. Ces dernieres presentent un SO plus eleve au repos (diminution du rapport GSH/GSSG, α‐tocopherol et GPx) et en reponse a un exercice exhaustif (augmentation F2‐Isop, ROOH, MPO) en comparaison aux adolescentes non obeses. Ce SO est correle a la composition corporelle et a l'IR et a l'inflammation basales. Toutefois, le parametre determinant du SO post‐exercice dans le groupe en surpoids etait la surconsommation d'oxygene. L'entrainement aerobie est connu pour augmenter la resistance de l'organisme contre le SO induit par l'exercice chez le sujet sain. Notre dernier objectif, a ete d'examiner l'effet de 3 mois d'entrainement aerobie multivarie sur le SO post‐exercice chez des adolescentes en surpoids. L'entrainement, en ameliorant la composition corporelle chez les adolescentes en surpoids, a attenue la peroxidation lipidique et l'inflammation post‐exercice (F2‐IsoP, ROOH, LDLox, MPO) renforcant ainsi la tolerance de l'organisme vis‐a‐vis du SO induit par l'exercice
Mathematical Approach to Differentiate Spontaneous and Induced Evolution to Drug Resistance During Cancer Treatment

Purpose Drug resistance is a major impediment to the success of cancer treatment. Resistance is typically thought to arise from random genetic mutations, after which mutated cells expand via Darwinian selection. However, recent experimental evidence suggests that progression to drug resistance need not occur randomly, but instead may be induced by the treatment itself via either genetic changes or epigenetic alterations. This relatively novel notion of resistance complicates the already challenging task of designing effective treatment protocols. Materials and Methods To better understand resistance, we have developed a mathematical modeling framework that incorporates both spontaneous and drug-induced resistance. Results Our model demonstrates that the ability of a drug to induce resistance can result in qualitatively different responses to the same drug dose and delivery schedule. We have also proven that the induction parameter in our model is theoretically identifiable and propose an in vitro protocol that could be used to determine a treatment’s propensity to induce resistance.
Analysing the State of Sector-Specific CSR Reporting

This chapter aims to deepen understanding of trends in corporate social responsibility reporting (CSRR) practices in Pakistan since the introduction of voluntary reporting guidelines in 2009 by the Securities and Exchange Commission Pakistan (SECP) and their updating in 2013. Quantitative content analysis was applied to CSRR for the chemicals, oil and gas, banking, cement, and manufacturing industries in Pakistan. The results were benchmarked to the guidelines issued on social and environmental aspects by the SECP. It was found that the reports issued by the highly polluting industries such as oil and gas, cement, and chemical industries reported significantly higher levels of information than the other sectors. The results indicate the appropriateness of industry-specific reporting and suggest, in line with local guidelines, that further standardisation is required to level the playing field of CSRR in Pakistan.
Wood Ants in the Białowieża Forest and Factors Affecting their Distribution

Wood ants are common in coniferous, mixed and deciduous forests of the Palaearctic ecozone. We conducted a survey of wood-ant mounds in an area of 1400 ha in the Białowieża Forest (NE Poland) and related physical mound characteristics to the surrounding forest properties. The overall density of inhabited wood-ant mounds was 0.13 per ha. Formica polyctena and F. rufa were the most abundant species, and the highest densities of their mounds were found in fresh mixed deciduous and fresh mixed coniferous forests. The physical mound properties, such as direction of the longest mound slope and the distance to the closest tree did not differ significantly between these two ant species. Amount of light significantly affected mound size and the distance to the closest tree distance: mound diameter, height and volume increased with increasing shade; and the distance to the closest tree with increasing amount of light. The results of our study suggest that coniferous forests with an admixture of deciduous trees are best for maintaining wood-ant populations.
Southern African Wave Model Sensitivities and Accuracies

Numerous studies have identified the complexities of the wave climatology around the South African coast, but limited studies have investigated these complex dynamics in the available literature. Several freely available parameterized wave boundary conditions are produced around southern Africa. However, none of these are fully spectral outputs from global or larger regional spectral wave models. This constraint results in local engineering and scientific organizations, reconstructing their own spectral boundary conditions. For coastal models, this is a reasonable assumption, assuming that the single parameterization is accurate and a representation of a non-multimodal sea state. The South African Weather Service (SAWS) Marine unit recently launched their coupled, operational wave and storm surge forecasting model. The aim of the SAWS Wave and Storm Surge (SWaSS) platform was to provide accurate, high-resolution coastal forecasts for the entire South African coastline. The present investigation thus presents the validation of the spectral wave component of the coupled system, developed in Delft3D. Various wave boundary reconstructions are investigated together with the two most used and well-known whitecapping formulations. Validation is performed with both in situ wave-rider buoy data (at nine locations along the coastline) and regional remotely sensed, along track, altimetry data. Full model performance statistics are provided, and the accuracy of the model is discussed.
ALL-MALE MONOSEX NILE TILAPIA ( OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS ), PROS AND CONS

To throw light onto pros and cons of using testosterone (for sex reversal of newly hatched fry of Nile tilapia); whether concerning fish safety (at the marketable size), i.e. fish growth and hormone residues; or concerning water and waste water pollution with the hormone residues, the present study was undertaken. The results showed that the hormone treated (HT, T1) fish were superior in body weight and total body length comparing with the normal [hormone not treated (NT,T 2)] fish. Atrophy was happened in gonads of HT group; since there were decreases in values of gonads’ diameter, volume, weight, specific gravity, and gonado-somatic index comparing with NT group. The histological examination of testis of (HT) showed abnormal structure and degeneration of seminiferous tubules. Generally, these histological findings were confirmable with those of the anatomical findings which showed slight atrophy in testes compared with testis in NT group. The HT fish group reflected significant increases of plasma values of cholesterol, total protein, and globulin, also there were non significant increases in plasma total lipids and albumin in comparison with NT fish group. Water analysis for testosterone reflected low levels. Yet, the highest levels were neither in the treatment pond nor in the branchial drain from the treatment pond but were in the fattening pond of HT fish and the main drain. Blood plasma of the HT fish group contained lower level of total testosterone hormone and higher level of progesterone hormone comparing with the NT fish group. The HT fish gave lower testosterone concentration and higher progesterone level in the gonads comparing with the control fish gonads. Testosterone level in the whole fish body was lower in HT fish than in NT fish. Thus, it is recommended to use 17-α-methyltestosterone in producing all male monosex (sex reversal) Nile tilapia to obtain more fish production with quick capital cycle and economic as well as environmental friendly product which is safe for human consumption.
Shaking table experiment of a recycled concrete block masonry building structure with a ‘self-contained’ structural system

This paper proposed a ‘self-contained’ structural system for structural columns and ring beams and used recycled concrete blocks (RCBs) as wall materials. Based on this design concept, a full-scale model of a new masonry building structure was established. The Castaic wave, the Taft wave, and an artificial wave were sequentially input to the shaking table, and the effects of different ground motions on the structural model were simulated. The changes in the natural frequency and damping ratio of the test model and the acceleration, displacement, and strain responses of the structure were studied under different seismic wave excitations. Finally, the overall seismic resistance of the model was determined. The results showed that the ‘self-contained’ structure system exhibited excellent cooperative performance. Moreover, the test model can fully meet the degree-7 seismic fortification requirements, in which the damage sustained from small earthquakes is not substantial, the damage sustained from moderate earthquakes can be repaired, and the damage sustained from large earthquakes does not cause structural failure. The results showed that RCBs can replace ordinary concrete blocks in practical engineering projects. However, the construction measures for the door and window openings should be strengthened in actual projects.
The Economic Resilience of the Austrian Agriculture since the EU Accession

Ensuring sustainable and economically viable agriculture requires economic resilience before, throughout, and after a shock. This paper studies the economic resilience of Austrian agriculture within the period of 1995 to 2019. However, methods for tracking changes in economic resilience have so far seen only limited application in agriculture. The index for the analysis and measurement of economic resilience is based on four areas: financial flexibility, stability in following the development path, diversification of activities, and diversification of export markets. As results show, Austrian agriculture is of interest because of the very high level of economic resilience, ranging from 0.83 to 0.92 in the period researched, thereby displaying a high capacity to absorb shocks. Generally, these results indicate that Austrian agriculture is forgiving of shocks and thus very economically resilient. These results provide context for developing generalizations on economic resilience in agriculture and its fundamental function for producing effective food security within a sustainable transition path. Some concluding suggestions propose possible future areas of research.