Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anti-obesity Effects of Ethanolic Extract of Polygonatum sibiricum Rhizome in High-fat Diet-fed Mice

We investigated the anti-obesity effects of ethanolic extract (ID1216) of Polygonatum sibiricum rhizome and its potential underlying mechanism in an animal model. ID1216 treatment decreased body weight gain and white adipose tissue weight in the prevention study. The mRNA levels of sirtuin-1 (SIRT1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator1α (PGC1α), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) significantly increased in the epididymal white adipose tissue of ID1216-administered mice. The stimulation effects of ID1216 on these gene expressions were also observed in a cellbased assay using differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In addition, similar to orlistat, ID1216 treatment improved weight gain and reduced epididymal fat in the treatment model. These results suggest that ID1216 has potential as an anti-obesity agent by modulating the expression of genes related to thermogenesis, lipid metabolism and fatty acid oxidation.
Nested SIS algorithm for a stochastic geolithologic characterization of heterogeneous aquifer

-Generally, in classical studies that concern the hydrogeological modeling of aquifers, soil properties are represented through a single homogeneous or heterogeneous domain with equivalent parameters that are not representative to the hydrogeological reality but that fit the observed data by means of a calibration process. A more accurate modeling of the lithologic, geological and structural characters of an aquifer is of extreme importance when simulating fluid flow and solute transport, in order to improve the reliability of the numerical simulations. On the other hand the information available for the setting up of an hydrogeological model is subjected to uncertainties and ambiguities due to not univocal interpretations or to uncertainties linked to the methodologies of measurement of the variables of interest. This implies the impossibility to represent the hydrogeological reality with an unambiguous solution even if optimal. The present paper is aimed at characterizing hydrogeologically a coastal aquifer. The presented methodology is finalized at identifying not a univocal model but a set of “equifinal” solutions. Key-Words: geolithological characterization, lithofacies, aquifer, Sequential Indicator Simulation, nested simulation, transition probability
Frequency-comb spectroscopy of the D1 line in laser-cooled rubidium

We have used an optical frequency comb referenced to coordinated universal time (UTC) to perform spectroscopic measurements of the ${D}_{1}$ transition in laser-cooled $^{85}\text{R}\text{b}$ and $^{87}\text{R}\text{b}$. Our measurements of the optical frequencies have uncertainties of 28 kHz for $^{85}\text{R}\text{b}$ and 79 kHz for $^{87}\text{R}\text{b}$. These measurements were used to calculate the magnetic dipole constant $A({^{2}P}_{1/2})$ for $^{85}\text{R}\text{b}$ and $^{87}\text{R}\text{b}$ with similar ranges of uncertainty. Previously, $A({^{2}P}_{1/2})$ for these isotopes was determined with a stated 7\char21{}15 kHz uncertainty level; however, there is a large discrepancy, 140 kHz for $^{85}\text{R}\text{b}$ and 2.2 MHz for $^{87}\text{R}\text{b}$, between the two apparently most precise measurements. Our transition frequency measurements, which avoid saturated absorption spectroscopy and transfer resonator systematics, help resolve this disagreement.
Dietary Toxicity Evaluation of Brown Rice Starter Red Kojic Rice Wine

The present study aims to discuss the reference safety of the Brown Rice Starter Red Kojic Rice Wine (BRSRKRW) and provide scientific basis for rational development and utilization of the wine. In order to evaluate the toxicity of BRSRKRW in vivo, acute and subchronic toxicity of BRSRKRW in SD rats by intraperitoneal injections were evaluated. In this acute study, doses of BRSRKRW at 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, or 31.5, 3 and 6 g/kg·bw, were administered. No adverse effects were observed during a 14-day period and at gross histopathological examination. In the subchronic study, BRSRKRW at 1.5, 3 and 6 g/kg·bw were administered for 30 days. The results showed that BRSRKRW did not affect weight gain in growing rats, in the level of hematological parameters, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, uric acid in blood and histopathological damages of the liver. Overall, the study suggests that the risk of drinking BRSRKRW toxicity to mammals is not negligible.
Territorial Governance. A Comparative Research of Local Agro-Food Systems in Mexico

The article attempts to provide a theoretical discussion on territorial governance by presenting both the neo-institutionalist position and the De Sousa Santos’ alternative models, with a view of highlighting the dimensions that can be relevant to understanding the territorial dynamics of Local Agro-food Systems (LAFS). The paper aims to build up a system of indicators, structured in four dimensions, concerning the territorial governance of LAFS: (i) multi-level coordination; (ii) democratic participation and accountability; (iii) cooperation among producers and other stakeholders and (iv) relationships with the environment. We verify, as a hypothesis, that the typology of markets to which the identity-based products are directed plays a decisive role in the way that processes of territorial governance of LAFS are constructed. The results of an empirical research, developed in four LAFS in Mexico, are presented: prickly pear cactus in Morelos, blackberry in Michoacan, cuitlacoche (corn smut) in Tlaxcala and coffee in Veracruz. Two types of territorial governance of LAFS may be distinguished: those that can be strengthened by the geographical and organisational proximity of the markets and the action of local stakeholders and governments—prickly pear cactus and cuitlacoche—versus those which are devoted to export and are conducted by large companies in which marketing networks involve certification mechanisms and a large number of institutions—coffee and blackberry.
Critical Fiber Length of Mendong Fiber in Epoxy Matrix Composite

the disposal of synthetic fiber is very difficult to be degraded and cause problems in the environment. The renewable materials have potency as an alternative material for replacing the synthetic material in the composite product. This study was to determine the critical fiber length of mendong fiber embedded in the epoxy composite. The methods were the extraction of mendong fiber from straw, pull out test methods, and morphology analysis of pull out a test using scanning electron microscope. Results show that mendong fiber had a shear strength of 11 MPa and indicated a critical fiber length of 630 μm. The low critical fiber length of mendong embedded in epoxy matrix indicate good adhesion properties of mendong in an epoxy matrix. It recommends that mendong fibers can apply as reinforcement in the epoxy composite in the form of short fiber.
Implementation Process of Project Control Systems and Performance of Rural Roads Construction Projects in Kenya: Role of Project Team Experience Diversity

Project managers have always endeavoured to effectively implement project controls systems during execution of projects to enhance rates of projects successes. However lack of understanding of the role of diversity of experiences among the workforce has hindered the ultimate performance of the project control systems in influencing the performance of construction projects. This paper sought to establish the extent to which project team experience diversity influence on the relationship between implementation process of project control systems and performance of rural roads construction projects in Kenya. The study adopted the pragmatism paradigm and the correlational survey research design. Descriptive statistics were analysed using frequencies, percentages, arithmetic mean and standard deviation while inferential statistics were analysed using Pearson’s Product Moment correlation (r), simple regression and stepwise regression (R2). Ftest was used to test the hypotheses. Tests of statistical assumptions were carried out before analysis. The results indicated that with r= 0.533, R2 = 0.284 F (1,195) = 77.208 at p=0.0000. 05, the null hypothesis was failed to be rejected and therefore concluded that the significant relationship between implementation process of project control systems and performance of rural roads project does not depend on the interaction between implementation process of project control systems and project team experience diversity. It was therefore recommended that project team experience diversity among the professionals should be encouraged, communicated and shared for the common purpose of achieving high performance in projects.
Study of factors affecting direct shoot regeneration of pear (Pyrus communis L.)

Conventional methods of pear breeding, largely based on intra- and inter-specific hybridization, are difficult because pear is highly heterozygous, polygenic and has a long juvenile period. Genetic improvements of pear cultivars are possible through induction of mutations and gene transfer by genetic engineering. A general prerequisite for these approaches is to establish an efficient plant regeneration system. In the present study, the effect of two basal media (MS and NN) and different concentrations of TDZ (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 µM) or BAP (0, 4, 8, 16 µM) in combination with NAA (1 µM) on direct shoot regeneration of two pear (Pyrus communis L.) genotypes 'Bartlett' and 'Dargazi' was investigated. The obtained results showed that 'Dargazi' had higher rates of shoot regeneration than 'Bartlett' and in both cultivars the highest percent of shoot regeneration was observed from lower sections of the leaves. Although the highest percent of shoot regeneration in 'Bartlett' (38%) was attained in the NN medium containing 2.5 µM TDZ and 1 µM NAA, the differences in shoot regeneration between this medium and the NN media containing 5 or 7.5 µM TDZ and 1 µM NAA were not significant. The highest percent of shoot regeneration in 'Dargazi' (56%) was obtained in NN medium containing 7.5 µm TDZ and 1 µm NAA. It can be concluded that genotypes, explant types and culture media composition could effect on direct shoot regeneration of pear.
ОN NON-STATIONARY HEAT TRANSFER IN ANISOTROPIC BODIES WITH GENERAL ANISOTROPY AND GIVEN DISTRIBUTED HEAT SOURCES

A new analytical solution is obtained for the first initial-boundary problem of heat transfer in an anisotropic plate with general anisotropy (non-zero off-diagonal components of thermal conductivity tensor) and given heat sources distributed over space and time. The tensorial character of heat transfer results in presence of mixed derivatives in the differential equation of thermal conductivity. The solution is obtained by constructing a source function and further use of the basic integral Green’s function. Convergence of the functional series of improper integrals is investigated. We analyze numerical results on the effect of principal components and orientation angles of principal axes of thermal conductivity tensor on nonstationary temperature fields. AMS Subject Classification: 80A20, 74E10, 74F05
FEM SIMULATION OF BELOW GROUND PROCESSES ON A 3-DIMENSIONAL ROOT SYSTEM GEOMETRY USING DISTMESH AND COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS

Understanding the underlying below-ground processes and the dynamics of plant- soil interactions is of major importance in areas such as agriculture or phytoremediation. The contribution of individual plant roots to the overall effect of a whole plant root system on the soil and vice-versa is however difficultto assess and mathematical models using different upscaling methods are currently developed. This paper presents a numerical approach for plant and soil interaction models on a 3-dimensional root system geometry. It is based on L-system representations of root systems, the Matlab algorithm DistMesh for meshing the geometry and the finite element solver COMSOL Multiphysics for solving the diffusion equation with both linear and nonlinear flux boundary conditions at the root surfaces. Although computational limits are to be expected with regard to the complexity of the root branching structure, we propose that this approach is useful for evaluating different homogenisation and averaging methods by comparing effective solutions to the results of the explicit 3-dimensional solution.
Gender Difference in Consumer Attitude towards Purchasing Made in Malaysia Products

Country of Origin (COO) which considered as the “Made –In” product statement has a major effect on consumer buying decision, thus it becomes one of area of interest in consumer behavior studies. The objectives of current study are to investigate the effect of consumer knowledge about products, companies’ reputation on the attitude towards purchase of Made in Malaysia Products (MMP); to evaluate the moderating influence of gender on the determining factors of made in Malaysia products among Malaysia University’s local students. Participants for this study contained of Malaysian universities’ students in Klang Valley area. The multi-stage random sampling method was employed for selecting the participants, whereas selfadministered questionnaire was applied for collecting data. Furthermore, using AMOS, a multi-group analysis was applied in investigating the gender influence on the hypothesized model. The current research findings present that knowledge about products is a strongest predictor of the college students’ attitude toward MMP and gender has a considerable moderating influence on the company’s image and attitude towards purchasing MMP.
The Valuation of Reset Options When Underlying Assets are Autocorrelated

This paper introduces the autocorrelation effect of assets’ returns into the valuation model of reset options. The MA(q) process, which is an extension of MA(1) process noted by Liao and Chen (2006), is applied to the valuation of reset options in this paper. Due to the impact of autocorrelation on the volatility of assets’ returns, the probability of reset and the value of reset option are affected. Positive autocorrelation increases the value of a reset option by increasing the probability of reset. On the contrary, negative autocorrelation decreases the probability of a reset and reset premium. Moreover, the reset timing is affected by the autocorrelation characteristics. In the case of positive autocorrelation, the investors tend to reset earlier to prevent a possible loss. Positive autocorrelation is also significant for the hedging of reset options. This paper demonstrates that positive autocorrelation characteristics lessens the delta jump and gamma jump problem.
On the general solution of first-kind hypersingular integral equations

A new algorithm is presented to provide a general solution for a first type Hyper singular Integral Equation (HSIE). The singular integral has been converted into a regular form by cancelling the singularity and then transforming it into a system of algebraic equation based orthogonal poly- nomials. We applied the convergence method presented by (Obaiys, 2013) to conform the numerical solution of the regularized Hadamard equation, which has shown an absolute agreement with the exact solution within small values of n. The proposed method has been examined by various HSIEs where the displacement function satisfies the Holder-continuous first derivative. Such equations are particularly important inmany physics and engineering problems, such as fracture mechanics, acoustics and elasticity.
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACTS OF STORM INDUCED FLOODING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL THROUGH FLOOD MODELLING WITH SAR DEM, LIDAR DTM & DSM, HEC HMS AND HEC RAS

Flooding has long been considered to be one of the deadliest natural disasters. In large river basins, flooding can submerge a whole city and cause irreparable damage to human lives and properties. The same can be said at the local level where a small creek can submerge a whole barangay, especially if the creek receives large volume of water from the upstream that are beyond its capacity. In this paper, we analyzed the physical impacts of flooding caused by the overflowing of Lemon Creek to the surrounding local community in Butuan City, Philippines. The physical impacts were analyzed in terms of flood depth and inundation extent during heavy rainfall caused by tropical storms/typhoons. In this study, we focused on the flooding impacts of Tropical Storm Agaton (January2014) and Seniang (December 2014). First, we developed a HEC HMS based hydrological model of the Lemon Creek watershed to determine the volume of water flowing into the creek during the storm durations. The HEC HMS model was developed using a 10m SAR DEM for watershed and stream delineation and a Landsat 8 OLI image for land cover parameter derivation. Discharge measurements were used to calibrate and validate the model. Then, we developed a HEC RAS model to simulate the overflowing of the creek during the storm events, with the HEC HMS simulated discharge hydrographs as inputs. A 1m resolution LiDAR Digital Terrain Model (DTM) acquired before the storms was used in generating the geometrical parameters of the HEC RAS model, and as input in the flood depth and inundation mapping. Results of the integrated HEC HMS HEC RAS flood modeling showed the extent of flooding during Agaton and Seniang. Using location of structures digitized from a LiDAR Digital Surface Model (DSM), the severity of the impacts of flooding to the local community was determined by counting the number of structures inundated during the onslaught of the tropical storms.
Dynamics in nutritional characteristics of natural pasture hay as affected by harvesting stage, storage method and storage duration in the cooler tropical highlands

This study was conducted to generate information on the dynamics in nutritional qualities of natural pasture hay as affected by harvesting stage, storage method and storage duration at Holetta representing cool tropical environment in the central highlands of Ethiopia. The study was designed with a factorial combinations of four harvesting stages/times (mid-October, late-October, midNovember, late-November), two storage methods (open-air, shelter shade) and five storage durations (zero, two, four, six and eight months). Crude protein (CP), in vitro OM digestibility (IVOMD), metabolizable energy (ME), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and lignin contents in the hay were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by harvesting stages, storage methods and storage durations. The mean CP content was reduced by 30.2%, while both IVOMD and ME contents were reduced by 17.8% each with the delay in harvesting time from mid-October (full heading stage of the pasture) to late-November (one and half months past the full heading stage). On the other hand, the mean of NDF, ADF and lignin contents were increased by 13.8, 21.6 and 36.0%, respectively with the delay in harvesting time within the specified periods. Harvesting during late-October resulted in higher yields of DM (6.83 t/ha), CP (0.48 t/ha) and digestible OM yield (3.77 t/ha) than the other harvests suggesting that late-October is the ideal harvesting time for producing large quantity of better quality hay from natural pasture in the area. The nutritional qualities of the hay also showed considerable dynamism during the eight months storage period both under shade and in open air storage methods. However, the regression analysis indicated that daily rates of changes in nutritional qualities (the rates of decline in CP content and IVOMD, and the rates of increase in the fiber fractions) during storage were higher when the hay was stored in open air than under shade. The result generally showed that in terms of contents of the important nutritional parameters (CP, IVOMD, ME, NDF, ADF and lignin), hay-based feeding could be detrimental to the nutrition of dairy cattle with the delay in harvesting beyond the lateOctober. Substantial reductions in nutritional qualities were also observed during storage with higher rates of nutrient losses when the hay was stored in open-air than under shade. Therefore, current findings should be supported by further animal performance studies in order to establish proper supplementation schemes considering harvesting stage, storage method and storage duration in haybased feeding system of dairy cattle in the highlands of Ethiopia.
La mise en scène du point de vente : une démarche pour renforcer l'appropriation de l'enseigne par la cible visée

Un magasin peut etre vu comme une scene ou des acteurs (vendeurs, clients) evoluent dans un decor de theâtre. Alors que l’on acquiert d’abord aujourd’hui des symboles avec l’achat de produits, il faut les integrer dans une histoire ou la clientele visee se reconnaisse et utiliser l’espace de vente pour mettre en scene cette histoire. L’objectif est de creer un lien avec la cible visee en vue de renforcer son appropriation de l’enseigne. A partir d’une analyse de la litterature theâtrale, d’immersions dans l’univers du theâtre et dans les magasins, d’entretiens aupres de professionnels et de consommateurs, cette recherche propose – avec l’exemple des magasins de vetements – une grille de lecture pour transposer a la distribution les outils traditionnels utilises au theâtre lors d’une mise en scene.
Third-generation mexican american workers in the south-west: a case of wage discrimination

This paper studies the wage gap between third-generation Mexican American and non-Hispanic white workers in the South-West. I develop a generalized version of Oaxaca wage gap decompositions that can be applied to nomparametric and semiparametric tree structures. The best model in terms of the test sample mean square error is the nomparametric one. This model assigns most of the observed wage gap to three equally important effects: selection bias in the sample, ethnic segregation, and workers' characteristics.
The complex evolution of strain during nanoscale patterning of 60 nm thick strained silicon layer directly on insulator

The strain behavior in nanoscale patterned biaxial tensile strained Si layer on insulator is investigated in 60-nm-thick nanostructures with dimensions in the 80–400 nm range. The in-plane strain is evaluated by using UV micro-Raman. We found that less than 30% of the biaxial strain is maintained in the 200×200 nm2 nanostructures. This relaxation, due to the formation of free surfaces, becomes more important in smaller nanostructures. The strain is completely relieved at 80 nm. This phenomenon is described based on detailed three-dimensional finite element simulations. The anisotropic relaxation in rectangular nanostructures is also discussed.
Suggestibility, Dissociation and Positive Schizotypy Sugestionabilidad, Disociación y Esquizotipia Positiva

participants, drawn from a parent sample of 1206 individuals who had previ- ously taken part in an assessment of the factor structure of the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences (O-LIFE), were designated into groups differentiated in terms of low, moderate or high levels of positive schizotypy. All also completed the dissociative experiences scale (DES) and the Inventory of Suggestibility (IS). Our findings suggest that higher reported levels of dissociative experiences and higher suggestibility both independ- ently predict higher scores of positive schizotypy, although suggestibility appears to be a stronger predictor than dissociation.
Phases of a holographic QCD with gluon condensation at finite Temperature and Density

We study the phase diagram of a holographic QCD using the probe D7 brane in black D3 geometry with finite D-instanton charge. Due to quasi-confining nature of the geometry, baryon vertex can exist outside the horizon so that we can find D7 brane embeddings with finite baryon density and finite chiral condensation as well as an embedding where only quarks are possible but chiral condensation can be zero or non-zero. We study the phase transition and phase diagram between these phases. We also calculated constituent quark mass and binding energy of baryons as fucntion of the density.