Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Consumers' Choice Behavior for Cisgenic Food: Exploring the Role of Time Preferences

This paper aims at extending current knowledge on consumer choice behavior on food produced through the application of NBT. We explore whether consumer time preferences and socio-economic factors may have a role in affecting choice behavior involving cisgenic and conventional products. To this purpose we designed a hypothetical CE and used cisgenic apples as a case study. The results indicate that both time preferences and socio-economic variables contribute to explain heterogeneity in preference for food products obtained through the application of biotechnologies and provide insight that could be relevant for both the agri-biotech industry and for policy makers.
Assessing working capital management efficiency of Indian manufacturing exporters

The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the relationship between working capital management (WCM) efficiency and exogenous variables of the Indian manufacturing sector along with its sub-industries that are involved in export activities. ,Panel regression (fixed effects) was used on a sample of 563 Indian manufacturing firms involved in export activities, covering a time period from 2008 to 2018. ,Industry-wise results showed a significant relation of leverage, net fixed asset ratio, profitability, asset turnover ratio, total asset growth rate and productivity with cash conversion cycle (CCC). ,Firstly, having taken a sample from a developing economy, the results of our study may be generalizable only among developing contexts. Secondly, the time period taken in this study (2008–2018) has witnessed several economic fluctuations such as recession and demonetization which might differ for the firms or countries in normal conditions. ,An improved working capital model could advance the firms' performance by reducing the CCC of the firm, thereby creating efficiency in WCM. In addition, the results of this study could be helpful for many stakeholders such as working capital managers, debt holders, investors, financial consultants and others for monitoring the firms. ,This study contributes to the existing literature in the relation between WCM efficiency and exogenous variables of the Indian manufacturing firms engaged in the export activities. Moreover, this study is one of the few research studies to investigate this relationship among Indian export firms in different industries, thus filling the gap in similar work done in other countries.
Preparation and Characterization of Water-soluble Hemicellulose (Arabinoxylan) from Wheat Bran

Water-soluble hemicellulose (WSH) extracted from wheat bran by homogenizing with dilute (0.2M) NaOH solution was purified by ultrafiltration and ion-exchange resins. The yield of the final product (WSH) was 7.6% of the bran. The molecular weight distribution of WSH, which was determined by gel filtration chromatography on size-exclusion HPLC, showed that the WSH consisted of polysaccharides of wide molecular weight distribution with a peak of around 350000 dalton. The analysis of sugar composition. showed that the WSH was a highly substituted arabinoxylan in which the ratio of arabinose to xylose was 0.91. The viscosity of the aqueous WSH solution was exponentially correlative to the WSH concentration. WSH was unstable on the condition of low pH (pH 3 and 5) and high temperature (80-100°C), but it was stable at higher pH (pH 9), even at high temperature (80-100°C). It was also shown that WSH had a unique characteristic, a sustained release function, which had never been demonstrated in other polysaccharides such as starch and cellulose. By this function, the tablet comprising bromphenol blue with in a matrix of WSH could gradually release this substance into the solution as the tablet was being dissolved in the aqueous phase. The effect was observed even with a tablet of a mixture containing only 20% WSH with 80% cellulose.
Catabolic Division of Labor Enhances Production of D-Lactate and Succinate From Glucose-Xylose Mixtures in Engineered Escherichia coli Co-culture Systems

Although biological upgrading of lignocellulosic sugars represents a promising and sustainable route to bioplastics, diverse and variable feedstock compositions (e.g., glucose from the cellulose fraction and xylose from the hemicellulose fraction) present several complex challenges. Specifically, sugar mixtures are often incompletely metabolized due to carbon catabolite repression while composition variability further complicates the optimization of co-utilization rates. Benefiting from several unique features including division of labor, increased metabolic diversity, and modularity, synthetic microbial communities represent a promising platform with the potential to address persistent bioconversion challenges. In this work, two unique and catabolically orthogonal Escherichia coli co-cultures systems were developed and used to enhance the production of D-lactate and succinate (two bioplastic monomers) from glucose–xylose mixtures (100 g L–1 total sugars, 2:1 by mass). In both cases, glucose specialist strains were engineered by deleting xylR (encoding the xylose-specific transcriptional activator, XylR) to disable xylose catabolism, whereas xylose specialist strains were engineered by deleting several key components involved with glucose transport and phosphorylation systems (i.e., ptsI, ptsG, galP, glk) while also increasing xylose utilization by introducing specific xylR mutations. Optimization of initial population ratios between complementary sugar specialists proved a key design variable for each pair of strains. In both cases, ∼91% utilization of total sugars was achieved in mineral salt media by simple batch fermentation. High product titer (88 g L–1 D-lactate, 84 g L–1 succinate) and maximum productivity (2.5 g L–1 h–1 D-lactate, 1.3 g L–1 h–1 succinate) and product yield (0.97 g g-total sugar–1 for D-lactate, 0.95 g g-total sugar–1 for succinate) were also achieved.
Caring and Uncaring Teacher Practices: Examples From Past Offer Guidance for Present and Hope for Future

This article employs narrative inquiry to illuminate how teachers’ embodied culture of care, or lack thereof, effects African American students. The majority teacher (young, White, female) often struggles to counter the cultural mismatch and connect with her diverse student population. This study highlights narratives of African American students who attended both segregated and newly integrated schools during the 1950s to 1970s, and offers an exemplar of teacher practices and behaviors that lead to a culture of care, which is possible, regardless of race and laws, when educators engage in the act of caring for the overall growth and development of their students.
Influence of some Organic Manure and NPK 15:15:15 on Selected Physical Properties of Sandy Loam Soil in Mokwa Niger State Nigeria

The result of long time farming and poor soil management and conservation practices at Niger state college of Agriculture Mokwa Commercial farm which is the study area has led to serious soil degradation like nutrient depletion and soil erosion. There is the need for local content research and innovation to ameliorate the problem. This research work described the effect of organic manure and inorganic fertilizer (poultry manure, Cow dung and NPK fertilizer) on some soil physical properties i.e. the infiltration, porosity, bulk density and erodibility on a sandy loam soil of Mokwa North Central Nigeria. Four treatments of poultry, cow dung manure, NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer and non – application were applied in RCBD with 25t/ha of poultry manure and cow dung while NPK 15:15:15 was 150kg/ha and non- application as control replicated three times. Soil physical properties were measured and analyses were done to ascertain the soil aggregates. Ring infiltrometers were constructed and used to test the infiltration rate of the soil at each plot before soil treatments. Measurements were taken at time intervals for all the plots. The plots were then treated with manure and NPK and left for two weeks to decompose, after which infiltration measurements were taken again. Minitab 17 and Excel were used for the analysis. The cow Dung manure shows highest infiltration rate as compared to other treatments. The experiment shows that Cow Dung and poultry manure can be used to correct infiltration and soil physical anomalies especially when soil is compacted or clayey.
Detecting heterogeneity of intervention effects using analysis and meta-analysis of differences in variance between arms of a trial

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with continuous outcomes usually only examine mean differences in response between trial arms. If the intervention has heterogeneous effects, then outcome variances will also differ between arms. Power of an individual trial to assess heterogeneity is lower than the power to detect the same size of main effect.Several methods for assessing differences in variance in trial arms were described and applied to a single trial with individual patient data (IPD) and to meta-analyses using summary data. Where IPD were available, regression-based methods were used to examine the effects of covariates on variation. An additional method to meta-analyse differences in variances with summary data was presented.In the single trial there was agreement between methods, and the difference in variance was largely due to differences in depression at baseline. In two meta-analyses, most individual trials did not show strong evidence of a difference in variance between arms, with wide confidence intervals. However, both meta-analyses showed evidence of greater variance in the control arm, and in one example this was perhaps because mean outcome in the control arm was higher.Low power of individual trials to examine differences in variance can be overcome using meta-analysis. Evidence of differences in variance should be followed-up to identify potential effect modifiers and explore other possible causes such as varying compliance.
Robust Music Estimation Under Array Response Uncertainty

This paper addresses the problem of bearing estimation with partial knowledge on the array response. In a real life scenario, it may seem fictitious to assume a closed-form steering vector as a function of the direction of the received signal. Indeed, an antenna array is subject to many perturbations, such as calibration errors, imperfect positioning of array sensors, mutual coupling, and so on. We introduce a MUSIC estimator, hereby referred to as Robust-MUSIC, that is capable of estimating AoAs of multiple signals, when the antenna array’s response is subject to uncertainties, due to the aforementioned reasons. Simulation results are also presented to demonstrate the robustness of the proposed MUSIC estimator.
Solving the Problem of Large-Scale Optimal Scheduling of Distributed Energy Resources in Smart Grids Using an Improved Variable Neighborhood Search

Since the last decade, power systems have been evolving dynamically due to smart grid technologies. In this context, energy management and optimal scheduling of different resources are very important. The main objective of this paper is to study the optimal scheduling of distributed energy resources (OSDER) problem. This problem is a challenging, complex and very large-scale mixed-integer non-linear programming (MINLP) problem. Its complexity escalates with incorporation of uncertain and intermittent renewable sources, electric vehicles, variable loads and markets which makes it hard to be solved using traditional optimization algorithms and solvers. However, it can be handled efficiently and without approximation or modification of the original formulation using modern optimization algorithms such as metaheuristics. In this paper, an improved version of the variable neighborhood search (IVNS) algorithm is proposed to solve the OSDER problem. The proposed algorithm was tested on two large-scale centralized day-ahead energy resource scenarios. In the first scenario, the 12.66 kV, 33-bus test system with a total of 49,920 design variables is used whilst in the second scenario, the 30 kV, 180-bus test system is used with a total of 154,800 design variables. The optimization results using the proposed algorithm were compared with five existing optimization algorithms, i.e., chaotic biogeography-based optimization (CBBO), cross-entropy method and evolutionary PSO (CEEPSO), chaotic differential evolution with PSO (Chaotic-DEEPSO), Levy differential evolution with PSO (Levy-DEEPSO), and the variable neighborhood search (VNS). For the first test system, the IVNS has achieved a score of −5598.89 while for the second test system it has achieved a score of −3180.15. A comparative study of the results has shown that the proposed IVNS algorithm performs better than the remaining algorithms for both cases.
Genomic assessment of suitability of pigs for inclusion in the Pied Danish Pig conservation program – A case study

ABSTRACT Breed assignment was performed for pigs putatively belonging to Pied Danish Pigs, an endangered Danish conservation breed. DNA array data were available for the candidates who had insufficient pedigree information. So were data for a reference population of animals from Danish conservation breeds as well as data from a range of Northern European pig breeds, and wild boar. Breed proportions were estimated using the program ADMIXTURE. Half the candidates were found to have at least 95% of their ancestry from Pied Danish Pigs. Several candidates showed varying degrees of admixture with other breeds, most notably Gloucester Old Spot. The same was observed for several of the Pied Danish Pig reference animals. The analyzes identified suitable breeding candidates and prevented unwanted recent admixture from spreading in the breeding population.
Production Networks in Europe: A Natural Experiment of the EU Enlargement to the East

This paper focuses on the 2004 enlargement of the European Union to the East and treats it as a natural experiment to investigate two issues: first, whether there has been a trade creation effect in final and intermediate goods and second, to what extent this effect has been more pronounced for final or for intermediate goods. Using difference-in-differences analysis, we find that the effect of the 2004 EU enlargement has been positive for both intermediate and final goods trade, and it is in general greater for final goods. Using a generalized gravity model of trade that controls for the multilateral resistance and bilateral time-invariant factors, we estimate an increase in bilateral trade of 28% for final goods and 24% for intermediates. However, the effects are heterogeneous by sub-sector and indicate that the main trade gains were for non-durable consumer goods and food and beverages primary and processed products.
Scalable Algorithms for High-Order Approximations on Three-Dimensional Compact Stencils

This paper presents an efficient parallel direct algorithm with near-optimal complexity for the compact fourth and sixth-order approximation of the three-dimensional Helmholtz equations [1] with the problem coefficient depending on only one of the coordinate directions. The developed method is based on a combination of the separation of variables technique and a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) type method. Similar direct solvers for the lower-order approximations of the two and three-dimensional Helmholtz equation were considered in several previous publications by the authors and other researchers (see e.g. [2,3,4,5]). The authors also consider a generalization of the presented algorithm to the solution of a wide class of linear systems obtained from approximation on the compact 27-point three-dimensional stencils on the rectangular grids with similar requirements on the stencil coefficients. The general restrictions on the coefficients in the considered class of compact schemes are developed and presented. This class includes the second, fourth and sixth-order compact approximation schemes for the three-dimensional Helmholtz equation considered in this paper and our previous publications [2,3,6]. As an example of the diversity of applications of the developed general method, the direct parallel implementation of a compact fourth-order approximation scheme for a convection-diffusion equation is considered. The results of the implementation of this method in OpenMP, MPI and hybrid programming environments on the multicore computers and multiple node clusters are presented and discussed. The results demonstrate the high efficiency of the proposed direct solvers for many important applications on the structured grid with the corresponding 27-diagonal matrices.
Food-Based Composts Provide More Soil Fertility Benefits Than Cow Manure-Based Composts in Sandy Soils

Nutrient concentration and availability vary substantially among composts depending on the materials used and the production process. Composts produced from agricultural operations typically utilize animal wastes such as manures, whereas composts produced in urban areas mainly incorporate food and yard waste. Our objective was to assess how different composts affect nutrient availability and cycling, mostly carbon (C) and nitrogen (N). In a laboratory incubation, we compared three composts derived from cow manure (composted dairy manure solids, vermicompost made from those manure solids, and Black KowTM) and two composts derived from food waste (composted food waste from the UF-IFAS Compost Cooperative and EcoscrapsTM). We used two sandy soils from Gainesville, FL: one from an area under perennial grasses and a second heavily-tilled soil lower in organic matter. Incubations were conducted for eight weeks at 24 and 30 °C, i.e., the annual and July mean soil temperature for the area. The composted and vermicomposted cow manure solids had the greatest CO2 emissions relative to the unamended soils. Soil nitrate was highest with composted food waste, whereas all three cow manure-derived composts resulted in lower soil nitrate compared to the unamended soils. This suggests that N was immobilized with cow manure-derived composts, consistent with the high CO2 emissions measured with these amendments. We found similar results for both soils. Our results indicate a greater potential for food-waste compost as a nutrient source than compost derived primarily from cow manure solids, which could be more beneficial to building soil C.
Phytochemistry Research Progress

Preface ss-Amylase in millet seeds germinated under acidic stress Studies on perilla relating to its essential oil and taxonomy Effects of Natural Polyphenols on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Relation to Their Chemical and Physical Properties Biochemical and molecular aspects of sorbitol metabolism in Rosaceae fruit trees and other plants Recent Advances in Brassica Oleracea and Brassica Rapa Varieties Phenolics Photooxidative and autoxidative degradation of lipid components during the senescence of phototrophic organisms The "hystory" of auraptene Synthesis and biological activity of fluorinated brassinosteroids Cytotoxic Anticancer Drugs from Medicinal Plants Index.
Professionalizing the information security of family firms: A family essence perspective

ABSTRACT Family firm leaders are often faced with conflicting pressures and goals. One such situation occurs when deciding whether to pursue professionalized management of a business function as opposed to retaining family control. In this study we examine the decision to professionalize the information security function of the firm while also seeking to maintain the family essence of the business. The results show that traditional institutional pressures encourage professionalism, but the move may be inhibited by family essence.
Predicting the distribution of non‐vagile taxa: a response to McNyset and Blackburn (2006 ) and re‐evaluation of Stockman et al. (2006 )

This paper addresses the issues raised by McNyset and Blackburn (2006 ) in their response to Stockman et al. (2006 ). Re‐evaluation of our published GARP analyses by McNyset and Blackburn showed that a much improved ecological niche model is obtained for predicting the distribution of the trapdoor spider genus Promyrmekiaphila in central/northern California. The improved niche model results in a substantially reduced omission error rate and a predictive model comparable to models obtained using other methods (GLM and BIOCLIM). However, the improved GARP models have a high commission error rate (> 0.75); consequently, the inferences regarding difficulties in modelling non‐vagile taxa drawn by Stockman et al. remain valid. Finally, we discuss other relatively minor criticisms of our study raised by McNyset and Blackburn and issues related to the peer review of our original paper.
Oncogene Function in Pre-Leukemia Stage ofINV(16) Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Dissertation

The CBF-SMMHC fusion protein is expressed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) samples with the chromosome inversion inv(16)(p13;q22). This fusion protein binds the transcription factor RUNX with higher affinity than its physiological partner CBF and disrupts the core binding factor (CBF) activity in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Studies in the Castilla laboratory have shown that CBF-SMMHC expression blocks differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors, creating a pre-leukemic progenitor that progresses to AML in cooperation with other mutations. However, the combined function of cumulative cooperating mutations in the pre-leukemic progenitor cells that enhance their expansion to induce leukemia is not known. The standard treatment for inv(16) AML is based on the use of non-selective cytotoxic chemotherapy, resulting in a good initial response, but with limited long-term survival. Therefore, there is a need for developing targeted therapies with improved efficacy in leukemic cells and minimal toxicity for normal cells. Here, we used conditional Nras; Cbfb; Mx1Cre knock-in mice to show that allelic expression of oncogenic N-Ras expanded the multi-potential progenitor (MPP) compartment by 8 fold. Allelic expression of Cbf-SMMHC increased the MPPs and short-term hematopoietic stem cells (ST-HSCs) by 2 to 4 fold both alone and in combination with N-Ras expression. In addition, allelic expression of oncogenic NRas and Cbf-SMMHC increases survival of pre-leukemic stem and progenitor cells. Differential analysis of bone marrow cells determined that Cbfb and Nras;
Sequence-to-Sequence Labanotation Generation Based on Motion Capture Data

Labanotation is an important notation system for recording dances. Automatically generating Labanotation scores from motion capture data has attracted more interest in recent years. Current methods usually focus on individual movement segments and generate Labanotation symbols one by one. This requires segmenting the captured data sequence in advance. Manual segmentation will consume a lot of time and effort, while automatic segmentation may not be reliable enough. In this paper, we propose a sequence-to-sequence approach that can generate Labanotation scores from unsegmented motion data sequences. First, we extract effective features from motion capture data based on body skeleton analysis. Then, we train a neural network under the encoder-decoder architecture to transform the motion feature sequences to corresponding Labanotation symbols. As such, the dance score is generated. Experiments show that the proposed method performs favorably against state-of-the-art algorithms in the automatic Labanotation generation task.