Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physico-Chemical and Sensorial Properties of Ketchup Enriched with
Khalas Date Pits Powder

The importance of date pits as agricultural waste rich in dietary fiber content despite its limited application in food processing. On the other hand, enrichment of ketchup with novel fiber sources is considered a research and development objective. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effects of tomato ketchup enrichment with (Khalas) date palm pits ( Phoenix dactylifera ) powder (DPP) as source of dietary fiber on the color, chemical attribute, rheological properties, and sensory evaluation of tomato ketchup. Different concentrations of DPP (0.00; 0.25; 0.50; 1.00; and 1.50%) were used. It was observed that the enrichment of ketchup with DPP slightly increase (L value) and slightly decrease (a/b) value. There was no difference in the total soluble solids content (Brix) between ketchup treatments at storage period (P<0.05) which ranged between 28.14 -29.8%. Acidity and pH of DPP treatments showed similarity without significant difference during storage period. Tomato-date pits ketchup treatments (0.25% and 1.5%) increased viscosity at the beginning of storage, which was decreased later during storage. The highest hardness, adhesiveness, and bostwick values were found in 0.5% DPP treatment compared with control during storage period. The highest sensory evaluation scores were observed in treatments of 0.25 and 0.5 %. The obtained results are promising regarding novel fiber sources in applied processing of tomato ketchup
Medição e mapeamento da condutividade eléctrica aparente do solo em pastagens

The general objective of this study was to test a non contact electromagnetic induction probe to evaluate the soil and pasture variability in a precision agriculture project. Assessment of the variability of soil and vegetation in a permanent pasture are the basis for management of variable rate fertilization, which is the main instrument used by farmers for improvements in permanent pasture in Portugal. The traditional process of sampling and evaluation of the soil and pastures is very demanding in terms of time, labour and reagents, and can derail a project of precision agriculture. This paper describes the major steps followed by the author to simplify the methodology of soil evaluation in a permanent pasture based on measuring the apparent soil electrical conductivity. Tests were carried out in a parcel of approximately 6 hectares, which was subdivided into 28m by 28m squares. The soil and pasture samples and the evaluation of apparent electrical conductivity were georeferenced with a Global Positioning System. The geospatial data were processed by ARCGIS 9.3 software and Geographically Weighted Regression analysis, resulting in significant correlation coefficient values for apparent electrical conductivity and altimetry, soil pH and pasture dry matter yield.
Pentose sugar utilisation in Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 for biobutanol production : genetic and physiological studies

The future of biofuel production hinges on a cheap, readily available feedstock. In terms of resources available, lignocellulose is the most abundant renewable resource on the planet, available from a plethora of sources such as agriculture, forestry, industry and municipals, therefore presenting an attractive resource. Cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin are the three main constituents of lignocellulose. The viability of such a feedstock requires as much of these constituents being converted to product as possible and therefore requires the suitable candidate organism to achieve this. Hemicellulose, an often pentose-rich portion of lignocellulose, can constitute as much as 35%. Traditionally yeasts, namely Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have been employed in biofuel production. However, yeasts are often unable to utilise pentose sugars found in the hemicellulose fraction.In this study the ability of Clostridium beijerinckii to utilise the pentose sugars xylose and arabinose was investigated. The ability of C. beijerinckii to utilise these pentose sugars was established, total solvent yields were 0.34 gram/gram (g.g) of arabinose or xylose consumed, in comparison to 0.41 g.g of glucose consumed. The presence of glucose on low mixed-sugar concentrations (1%), but not on high (6%) hindered the use of both pentoses. The ability of C.beijerinckii to utilise pentose sugars in xylan.C.beijerinckii was capable of fermenting xylan and smaller hydrolysate units of xylan, however the solvent yield was poor. The ability of C.beijerinckii to utilise a pentoserich waste stream, spent dried distillers’ grains (DDGS) was also investigated. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of DDGS produced a total solvent yield of 0.25 g.g in comparison to 0.34 g.g on media containing the equivalent soluble sugars. The ability of C.beijerinckii to utilise both pentose sugars led to in-silico studies to identify gene systems involved and implicated several genes organised in two distinct clusters, one for each pentose sugar, within the genome. Proteomic analyses by liquid chromatography electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry of whole-cell proteins harvested from cultures of C.beijerinckii grown on either xylose or arabinose as the sole carbon source provided further evidence to implicate the gene systems identified by the in silico analyses. Genes were then targeted for characterisation in-vivo using a number of E. coli knock-out mutants, lacking one or more of key genes involved in pentose sugar use. This identified arabinose isomerase, xylose isomerase and xylulokinase genes.
Long-term sub-micrometer aerosol chemical composition in the boreal forest: inter- and intra-annual variability

Abstract. The Station for Measuring Ecosystem–Atmosphere Relations (SMEAR) II is well known among atmospheric scientists due to the immense amount of observational data it provides of the Earth–atmosphere interface. Moreover, SMEAR II plays an important role for the large European research infrastructure, enabling the large scientific community to tackle climate- and air-pollution-related questions, utilizing the high-quality long-term data sets recorded at the site. So far, this well-documented site was missing the description of the seasonal variation in aerosol chemical composition, which helps understanding the complex biogeochemical and physical processes governing the forest ecosystem. Here, we report the sub-micrometer aerosol chemical composition and its variability, employing data measured between 2012 and 2018 using an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM). We observed a bimodal seasonal trend in the sub-micrometer aerosol concentration culminating in February (2.7, 1.6, and 5.1 µg m−3 for the median, 25th, and 75th percentiles, respectively) and July (4.2, 2.2, and 5.7 µg m−3 for the median, 25th, and 75th percentiles, respectively). The wintertime maximum was linked to an enhanced presence of inorganic aerosol species (ca. 50 %), whereas the summertime maximum (ca. 80 % organics) was linked to biogenic secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation. During the exceptionally hot months of July of 2014 and 2018, the organic aerosol concentrations were up to 70 % higher than the 7-year July mean. The projected increase in heat wave frequency over Finland will most likely influence the loading and chemical composition of aerosol particles in the future. Our findings suggest strong influence of meteorological conditions such as radiation, ambient temperature, and wind speed and direction on aerosol chemical composition. To our understanding, this is the longest time series reported describing the aerosol chemical composition measured online in the boreal region, but the continuous monitoring will also be maintained in the future.
Legal Origins and Corporate Social Responsibility

The legal origin literature documents that civil and common law traditions have different impacts on economic outcomes. We contribute to this literature by formulating and testing hypotheses on the effect of legal origins on corporate social responsibility, overall and in different specific dimensions. We find that, net of industry-specific effects, companies in common law countries score higher in corporate governance and community involvement, while those in countries belonging to the French legal tradition of civil law do better in human resources. We also observe no significant differences in terms of environmental protection among companies in civil and common law countries, which we attribute to a progressive convergence towards common industry sustainability standards.
The immunopathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis

The Spondyloarthritides (SpA) are a group of genetically and pathophysiologically related diseases. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), the prototypic SpA family member, is a systemic inflammatory disease primarily affecting the axial skeleton, characterised by sacroiliitis and bone formation, promoting joint inhibition. AS is highly heritable; approximately 90% of AS susceptibility is defined by an individuals’ genetic background, to which the MHC class I molecule HLA-B27 contributes approximately 30%. This association was discovered 40 years ago, yet the pathogenic role of HLA-B27 remains elusive. Dendritic cells (DCs) belong to the myeloid lineage and, the principal antigen presenting cells (APCs) of the immune system, activate naive T cells and contribute to the balance between activation and suppression of the immune response. If affected by HLA-B27, DCs are therefore likely to contribute to the T cell-mediated aspects of AS pathogenesis. Studies in our laboratory, using HLA-B27 transgenic (HLA-B27 TG) rats, have revealed HLA-B27-mediated effects on DC populations. The affected DCs induce abnormally high levels of IL-17 production from T cells; CCR6+ IL-17-secreting cells appear to be important in driving pathology both in the HLA-B27 TG rats and in AS patients. We therefore aimed to perform the first characterisations of the phenotype and functions of DCs and other myeloid populations purified directly from AS patients, to understand their role in AS pathogenesis. Analyses of circulating myeloid populations revealed that AS patients have a reduced proportion of the CD1c-expressing blood DCs, offset by an increase in CD14- CD16+ mononuclear cells. Interactions between CD14- CD16+ mononuclear cells and CD4+ T cells generated high levels of IL-6 secretion, required for the generation of Th17 cells. CD14- CD16+ mononuclear cells also induced T cells to express CCR6, and may therefore contribute to pathology by promoting Th17 responses. Interestingly, our data also indicate that APCs of mucosal origin may make a significant contribution to the systemic inflammation observed in AS patients. These observations give new insights into the pathogenic mechanisms in AS.
DNA Methylation and Transgenerational Stress Memories in Arabidopsis thaliana

The long-standing proposition that plants may pass on a memory of stress events to the following generations is again gaining interest now that a plausible mechanism has been identified. Specifically, changes in DNA methylation, a dynamic epigenetic mark which regulates gene expression, can be inherited. Whilst indirect evidence indicates transgenerational stress memories may involve perturbations to the DNA methylome, we are still some way from identifying specific regions of the epigenome which can carry a memory of stress to the following generations. This research therefore sought to establish to what extent stress-induced changes in DNA methylation are inherited and what regions of the genome are epigenetically regulated in the progeny of stressed plants. A novel stress memory was observed in the progeny of Arabidopsis thaliana plants subjected zinc stress. This stress memory was observed to be stable over an untreated generation and appears to be specific to zinc. RNA-Seq analysis suggests that the progeny of zinc stressed plants display an altered transcriptome relative to control progeny in the absence of stress. Genes involved in iron uptake in the roots, which are upregulated in zinc stress, show a reduced expression in the progeny of zinc stressed plants. Biochemical analysis identified alterations in iron uptake in the zinc stress progeny. The activity of the jasmonate signalling pathways also appears to be altered in the zinc stress progeny. Wide-scale changes in DNA methylation were not observed during zinc stress or in the progeny of zinc stressed plants. Indeed, the DNA methylation profile of Arabidopsis thaliana was observed to be stable in response to a variety of stress conditions. Additionally, none of the other stressors tested resulted in a stress memory in the progeny. The results presented here suggest that transgenerational stress responses, such as the zinc stress memory identified, are rare in A.thaliana.
Development of Learning Materials Through RME Assisted by Geogebra Software to Improve Students Problem Solving ability

The aim of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of learning materials through Realistic Mathematics Education Assisted by Geogebra Software (PBRME-G), as well as improving students’ mathematic problem solving ability. Learning materials developed were lesson plan, student book, student worksheet and mathematic problem solving ability test instrument. This research is a development research using the development model of Thiagarajan 4-D model. Learning materials that have met valid criteria according to experts, were tested in class X of SMK Swasta Harapan Mekar 1 Medan. The results of the analysis of the data obtained indicate that learning materials based on PBRME-G met the criteria of effectiveness and can improve mathematic problem solving ability. Based on the results of the study, it was suggested that mathematics teachers make an effort mathematic learning using learning materials based PBRME-G. Keywords: 4-D model, development of learning materials, PBRME-G, mathematic problem solving ability DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-8-08 Publication date: March 31 st 2020
Evaluating the extent of intrapreneurship in a sugar producing company in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract The sugar industry in South Africa is currently facing immense challenges in the form of the sugar tax, growing negative consumer sentiment, climate change and cheap imported sugar. It is within this context that intrapreneurship can be embraced to inject vitality, flexibility, innovation and sustainability in firms in this sector. The objectives were to measure the intrapreneurial climate, determine its strengths and weaknesses as well as constraints, identify strategies to enhance the intrapreneurial culture and test their influence on intrapreneurial behaviour. This cross-sectional study assessed the extent of intrapreneurship in a major sugar producing company in South Africa using a sample of 110 managers and a self-administered online questionnaire. The findings revealed a low intrapreneurial climate, with the firm’s weaknesses revolving around leadership style, structure, culture, systems and its core activities. Its strength lies in its managers that displayed high levels of entrepreneurial orientation. Capital availability, bureaucracy, resource availability, a poorly understood innovation process, lack of leadership style and management support were perceived as barriers. Recommendations to the firm include enhancing recognition and rewards programmes, fostering team work, cross functional communication, tapping into the talent and vision of the youth, establishing an innovation board, benchmarking through employee exchange programmes and finally, implementing training and development around entrepreneurial leadership.
The Development of Assisted Reproductive Techniques for Managing Maned Wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) Ex situ

The maned wolf, a neotropical canid, is currently threatened due to habitat loss, road mortality and human-wolf conflict. The global captive population serves as an ‘ark’ for retaining genetic diversity in the event of severe stochastic changes to the wild population. However, the captive population is declining in gene diversity due to a small and aging population and poor reproductive output. The development of assisted reproductive techniques, such as sperm cryopreservation and artificial insemination (AI), has the potential to enhance genetic management but a lack of basic knowledge pertaining to the reproductive biology of the maned wolf is delaying this process. Specific objectives of the study were to 1) investigate susceptibility of maned wolf spermatozoa to osmotic stress by examining sperm viability after exposure to hypertonic solutions and dilution back into isotonic medium; 2) determine the effects of cryoprotectants, cooling and warming rates on cryosurvival of maned wolf sperm through evaluating post-thaw survival of samples cooled and warmed at various rates in the presence of different cryoprotectants; and 3) investigate the influence of management conditions on female’s response to hormonal induction of ovarian activity and ovulation by utilizing fecal gonadal steroid monitoring. The results obtained from this study suggest that maned wolf spermatozoa are highly susceptible to dehydration but are tolerant of exposure to cryoprotectants (1 M glycerol and 1 M DMSO). Additionally, optimal cryosurvival of maned wolf spermatozoa can be achieved by using 1 M DMSO as a cryoprotectant along with a rapid warming rate (50 C for 10 s). Furthermore, a field-friendly dry shipper approach achieves similar post-thaw motility to the other cooling methods used in this study (7 cm above LN2 or 3 cm above LN2). Finally, a 2.1 mg deslorelin implant consistently induces ovarian activity and ovulation in paired, but not singleton, female maned wolves. However, exogenous recombinant luteinizing hormone (reLH; 0.0375 mg) induces ovulation in singleton females after the induction of ovarian activity with deslorelin. The findings obtained from this research greatly improve our understanding of maned wolf physiology, specifically sperm cryosensitivity and female reproductive biology, while also providing insights into improved comparative approaches for sperm cryopreservation and induction of ovarian activity for timed AI.
Crop Dispersal and Lucayan Tool Use: Investigating the Creation of Transported Landscapes in the Central Bahamas through Starch Grain, Phytolith, Macrobotanical, and Artifact Studies

ABSTRACT Starch grain, phytolith, and macrobotanical evidence is expanding our understanding of the Lucayan transported landscape, plant food preparation, and cooking practices. Starch grain analyses reveal that the early colonists (a.d. 700/800–1100) of the central Bahamas brought a package of domesticated plants comprised of Calathea latifolia, Capsicum sp. , Cucurbitaceae, Manihot esculenta, and Zea mays from their ancestral homelands, which they processed with artifacts made from local and imported materials. Late Lucayan period (a.d. 1100 to ca. 1530) macrobotanical remains yield evidence for Zea mays. Fruit-bearing trees such as the Sapotaceae and Arecaceae are found throughout the occupational sequence. Similarities in plant taxa and resemblances to tool form and use from other places in the Bahama archipelago and Antilles indicate shared plant-related food preparation and culinary practices.
Septobasidium pseudopedicellatum Burt. Caused Velvet Blight Disease on Black Pepper in Indonesia.

Velvet blight disease on black pepper was considered as a new disease, and great possibility to spread easly to the other district in Indonesia. The research aims was to diagonsis the velvet blight disease on black pepper, and to determine the level of the attack and its association to insects. The samples were taken from two regencies (Bengkayang and Sambas) as a central black pepper plantation in West Kalimantan. Measurement of disease occurance has conducted on 50 orchards randomly selected in these district. Postulat Koch has done at one year seedling. According to morphology of velvet blight fruiting bodies of the samples, the pathogen was identified as Septobasidium pseudopedicellatum Burt. In The pathogenicity test on black pepper seedlings showed that the symptoms of velvet blight formation occur at wounded stems and at node. the fruiting body were common found scale insect, Unaspis sp. The insect function in this case hasn’t been known. Occording to field observation found that the average of disease incidance (I) 83% ± 22.7, and disease severity (S) 37.52% ± 17.05). A linier model of I and S relationship based on asinh-asinh transformation was A(I) = -0.11 + 0.86 (A)S and R 2 = 0.815 with pearson correlation 0.905.
ACCEPTANCE OF HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN NIGERIA.

: This study acknowledge the variables which can influence acceptance of Human Resource technology in Nigeria. Many freelance analysis on the decisive vital factors of implementation of human resource information systems in developing countries like African nation is undertaken. This article, an effort was created parenthetically important factors that should monitored towards adoption of human resources information systems in Nigeria. Many variables were extracted from the review of literatures. Primary information was gathered through standardized questionnaires distributed to the organizations' employees. Some factors such as the organization's technology and environments are found to be most important towards acceptance of the technology mentioned by organizations. Conclusively, this particular study examines the positive effects in terms of human resources technology application in relationship to information systems on the organizational productivity.
Analysis of glucocorticoid action in neural stem cells

Approximately one-eighth of women in the United States go into pre-term labor and are prescribed synthetic glucocorticoids (GCs) to minimize complications of prematurity and increase the likelihood of fetal survival. Despite these beneficial effects, GCs have permanent negative consequences on brain development, which may lead to neuropsychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety later in life. The mechanistic bases for these GC induced neurodevelopmental changes are unknown. Therefore, we used neural progenitor/stem cells isolated from the cerebral cortex (CC-NPSCs) or hypothalamus (HT-NPSCs), to identify novel mechanisms for how GCs could impact the developing brain. In CC-NPSCs, we identified a role for Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) in mediating crosstalk between the rapid and genomic actions of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Using Cav-1 KO mice, we identified approximately 100 genes, that are differentially responsive to GC treatment in the Cav-1 KO CC-NPSCs. Therefore, we established a role for Cav-1 in regulating the genomic action of GR. Phosphorylation of the GR impacts its genomic action, and GC-induced phosphorylation of GR at Serine 211, but not Serine 226 was altered in the Cav-1 KO. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments, we determined that pSer211-GR recruitment to certain target genes was altered in Cav-1 KO CC-NPSCs. Therefore, we propose that Cav-1 dependent GC action impacts hormone regulated transcription through its influence on site-specific phosphorylation of GR. RNA-Seq analysis of male/female HT-NPSCs treated with Dexamethasone (Dex, a synthetic GC) identified sexually dimorphic GR regulated genes. Using candidates from the RNA-Seq analysis, we identified GC mediated programming effects on Fkbp5 and H19. In response to a previous exposure to Dex, female, but not male, HT-NPSCs re-treated with Dex have attenuated induction of the Fkbp-5 gene. H19 was similarly GC-regulated in both male and female, but previous treatment with Dex resulted in GC-mediated repression instead of activation. Since H19 harbors a miRNA implicated in regulation of stem cell proliferation, changes in its regulation may be a contributing factor in the altered proliferative response to Dex seen in pre-treated HT-NPSCs. Therefore, HT-NPSCs exposed to Dex exhibit sexually dimorphic and long lasting changes in gene expression and NPSC function.