Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Channels for Influence or Maps of Behavior? A Field Experiment on Social Networks and Cooperation

Communities in developing countries often must cooperate to self-provide or co-produce local public goods. Many expect that community social networks facilitate this cooperation, but few studies directly observe real-life networks in these settings. We collect detailed social network data in rural Northern Ghana to explore how social positions and proximity to community leaders predict donations to a local public good. We then implement a field experiment manipulating participants’ opportunity to communicate and apply social pressure before donating. We find clear evidence that locations in community social networks predict cooperative behavior, but no evidence that communication improves coordination or cooperation, in contrast to common theoretical expectations and laboratory findings. Our results show that evolved, reallife social networks serve as a mapping of community members’ already-engrained behaviors, not only as an active technology through which social influence propagates to solve collective action problems. ∗We thank Jon Atwell, Alex Coppock, Mai Hassan, Allen Hicken, Walter Mebane, Michael Weaver, the anonymous reviewers, and audience members at MPSA 2019, the University of Michigan, and the 2019 Sociology of Development Conference at Notre Dame for comments and suggestions. We also thank Paul Osei-Kuffour, Mildred Adzraku, and the staff of CDD-Ghana for their generous support, as well as Anthony Bilandam, Sulley Daniel, Mathew Dome, Yahaya Halik, Paul Larri, Mohammed Osman, Rose Sandow, Mohammed Seidu, and Nagob Solomon for their research assistance. Funding was provided by the Center for Political Studies and the International Policy Center at the University of Michigan. This research was declared exempt from human subjects review by the University of Michigan Health and Behavioral Sciences Institutional Review Board (HUM00147575, 4 June 2018). Pre-registered hypotheses and the pre-analysis plan can be found at: http://egap.org/registration/4750. †PhD Candidate, Department of Political Science and Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan. Email: patwell@umich.edu. ‡Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Michigan. Email: nlnathan@umich.edu
The Effect of Light and Temperature on the Growth and Morphogenesis of Caulerpa okamurae in Outdoor Mesocosm

Fragments of Caulerpa okamurae were cultured in outdoor mesocosms in order to determine suitable growth conditions for commercial cultivation. Weight increases were observed above 16.2°C and 20.0 mol ·m2 ·d1 of mean total daily photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD). Length of new rhizomes was also found to be related to water temperature. In contrast, the number and total length of new upright shoots depended on total daily PPFD, rather than water temperature. It was concluded that although light intensity could affect the morphological response of the upright shoots C. okamurae, temperature and total daily PPFD were two major factors affecting growth and morphogenesis of this marine alga.
Three-dimensional model and characterisation of the iron-stress induced CP43'-Photosystem I supercomplex isolated from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC 6803

Although iron is the fourth most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust in most aquatic ecosystems it can be sufficiently low to limit photosynthetic activity. This is mainly due to the low solubility of Fe above neutral pH in oxygenic ecosystems. As a result, cyanobacteria and other microorganisms have evolved a number of responses to cope with frequently occurring conditions of iron deficiency reviewed in (Straus 1994). One such response is to express two ‘iron-stress-induced’ genes, isiA and isiB, which are located on the same operon. The isiB gene encodes for flavodoxin, which can functionally replace the iron containing ferredoxin. The isiA gene encodes for a protein often called CP43' because it has an amino acid sequence homologous to that of the chlorophyll a-binding protein, CP43 of photosystem II (PSII). Like CP43, CP43' is predicted to have six transmembrane helices and, judged on conservation of histidine residues, is likely to bind the same number of chlorophyll a molecules. The major difference is that CP43' lacks the large hydrophilic loop which joins the lumenal ends of helices V and VI of CP43. Although the discovery of the CP43-like iron-stress-induced protein was made some time ago (Guikema & Sherman 1984) its precise function has not been elucidated. There have been at least four postulates: (i) CP43' aids recovery of cells by acting as a chlorophyll store so that PSII and photosystem I (PSI) complexes can be quickly synthesised when iron becomes readily available in the environment. (ii) CP43' protects PSII from photoinduced damage by acting as a dissipater of excitation energy. (iii) CP43' is a functional replacement for CP43 in PSII during iron-starvation. (iv) CP43' acts as a light-harvesting complex under iron-stress conditions, mainly for PSII but perhaps also for PSI. Recently we showed for the first time that a CP43'-PSI trimer supercomplex can be isolated from the cyanobacteria Synechocystis PCC 6803 when grown under iron-stressed conditions (Bibby, Nield, Barber 2001). Here we report a more detailed description of this supercomplex by presenting a preliminary 3D model of its structure.
TDRI Tropical Pest Bulletin 7: A taxonomic and biometric study of the genus Cryptotermes (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae)

The economically important genus Cryptotermes of the family Kalotermitidae is revised. An account is given of the habits, importance of accurate identification, purpose of numerical methods, geographical distribution of the species and a history of the genus. The external morphology of 34 species (excluding those endemic to Australia) are illustrated. The biology and comparisons of the species are outlined in general and keys are provided to imago and soldier castes and for eight species of the alate nymph 2. Five species are new to science while two species are reinstated from synonymy; one species is regarded as a junior synonym. All available types were examined and appropriate lectotypes designated. The relationships of 24 species (based on 268 individuals and 16 characters) of the imago caste, 24 species (354 individuals and 18 characters) of the soldier caste, and 11 species (131 individuals and 21 characters) of the alate nymph 2, were investigated by three numerical methods. These include principal component analysis, canonical variate analysis and cluster analysis. The results of the analyses are in broad agreement, but differ somewhat in detail. Overall, none of the methods produced a convincing classification to suggest that the genus is other than homogeneous. There is no justification for attempting to isolate any"one of them. Heavily weighted morphometric characters derived from ordination were used in the diagnostic keys of the imago, soldier and alate nymph 2.
Reactive oxygen species, health and longevity

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are considered responsible of ageing in animal and humans. Mitochondria are both source and target of ROS. Various strategies to reduce ROS production have been considered to extend lifespan. Caloric restriction, exercise, and antioxidants are thought to be able to protect cells from structural and functional damage. However, there is evidence that ROS production has a detrimental effect on health, but at physiological levels are necessary to stimulate longevity. They play an important effect on secondary signal transduction stimulating innate immunology and mitochondriogenesis. During exercise at moderate intensity, skeletal muscles generate ROS that are necessary for the remodelling of the muscular cells. Physical inactivity determines excessive ROS production and muscle atrophy. Caloric restriction (CR) can reduce ROS generation and improve longevity while antioxidant supplementation has shown a negative effect on longevity reducing the muscle adaptation to exercise and increasing mortality risk in patients with chronic diseases. The role of ROS in chronic diseases in also influenced by sex steroids that decrease in aging. The physiology of longevity is the result of integrated biological mechanisms that influence mitochondrial function and activity. The main objective of this review is to evaluate the effects of ROS on mitochondriogenesis and lifespan extension.
The ecological niche and distribution of Neanderthals during the Last Interglacial

In this paper, we investigate the role of climate and topography in shaping the distribution of Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) at different spatial scales. To this end, we compiled the most comprehensive data set on the distribution of this species during the Last Interglacial optimum (MIS 5e) available to date. This was used to calibrate a palaeo‐species distribution model, and analyse variable importance at continental and local scales.
Investigation of PDX1 and its role in a novel vitamin B6 biosynthesis pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana

Vitamin B6 is an essential metabolite in all organisms. It can act as a coenzyme for numerous metabolic enzymes and has recently been shown to be a potent antioxidant. Plants and microorganisms have a de novo biosynthetic pathway for vitamin B6, but animals must obtain it from dietary sources. In Escherichia coli, it is known that the vitamin is derived from deoxyxylulose 5-phosphate (an intermediate in the nonmevalonate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis) and 4-phosphohydroxy-L-threonine. It has been assumed that vitamin B6 is synthesized in the same way in plants, but this hypothesis has never been experimentally proven. Here, we show that, in plants, synthesis of the vitamin takes an entirely different route, which does not involve deoxyxylulose 5-phosphate but instead utilizes intermediates from the pentose phosphate pathway, i.e., ribose 5-phosphate or ribulose 5-phosphate, and from glycolysis, i.e., dihydroxyacetone phosphate or glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate. The revelation is based on the recent discovery that, in bacteria and fungi, a novel pathway is in place that involves two genes (PDX1 and PDX2), neither of which is homologous to any of those involved in the previously doctrined E. coli pathway. We demonstrate that Arabidopsis thaliana has two functional homologs of PDX1 and a single homolog of PDX2. Furthermore, and contrary to what was inferred previously, we show that the pathway appears to be cytosolic and is not localized to the plastid. Last, we report that the single PDX2 homolog is essential for plant
Growth parameters and growth performance indexes for some populations of marine catfishes (Actinopterygii, Siluriformes, Ariidae)

In order to allow growth comparisons and the indirect estimation of some of the von Bertalanffy growth model’s parameters (specifically K or L∞), growth parameters and growth performance index (Φ′) of 13 populations of 11 Ariidae catfish species are here presented and analysed. Some previously published data were re-analysed with nonlinear regression procedures to ensure comparison. In general, these species attain large sizes slowly. Growth performance index (Φ′) for these 13 populations had values ranging from 2.487 to 3.254 with a mean value of 2.895. Endereço dos autores: * Depto. Oceanografia, Fundação Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG). C. P. 474, Rio Grande, RS, CEP 96201-900, Brasil. **Curso de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus Rio Claro Av. 24 A, 1515, C.P. 199, Rio Claro, SP, CEP 13506-900, Brasil. Autor correspondente. E-mail: pgobgvc@furg.br Acta Biologica Leopoldensia Vol. 26 No 2 julho/dezembro 2004 p. 307-313
Protein Immunoprecipitation Using Nicotiana benthamiana Transient Expression System

[Abstract] Nicotiana benthamiana (N. benthamiana) is a useful model system to transiently express protein at high level. This protocol describes in detail how to transiently express protein in N. benthamiana and how to carry out protein immunoprecipitation in this expression system. This protocol can be broadly used for investigation on protein-protein interaction, protein purification and other related protein assay.
FACTORS INFLUENCING ONLINE SHOPPING IN SUPER MARKETS

-With the growth of global mobile usage, more consumers shop online than ever and new technologies making online services accessible for companies in several markets, in urban India there is a growing number of supermarkets offering an online service but the adoption process in the online supermarkets is slower compared to the general online shopping adoption. This paper tries to find out what factors influence the likelihood of consumers to engage in online shopping or buying activities at online supermarkets. The technology acceptance model serves a conceptual framework for this study where external variables (demographics and Price) on internal beliefs (influencing the likelihood of consumers to buy online are perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness in an adoption process of new technology) is analyzed. In this study perceived risk of consumers in the online shopping adoption process is integrated in into three categories: perceived quality, perceived service and perceived privacy. To test the conceptual model a survey was conducted among 248 respondents. The internal beliefs were all measured using a 7-point Likert scale, SPSS 20.0 was used to analyze the data that was collected, a factor analysis was performed to convert the survey questions into variables then the relationships between these variables were indicated using regression analyses and to test the hypotheses linear regression analysis and a mediation test were performed. The findings of this study are a positive relationship was found between ‘consumer lifestyle’ and ‘perceived usefulness’ the ‘degree of urbanization of the habitual surrounding’ and ‘perceived usefulness’ of this consumer in the online shopping adoption process, ‘ICT skill’ of a consumer and the ‘perceived ease of use’ of this consumer in the online shopping adoption process. Further the analysis shows the dependent variable ‘likelihood’ of consumers in online shopping is specific, which makes it possible to target appropriate consumers with the right lifestyle for the online shopping service and to focus on the user friendliness of the online shopping service.
CHARACTERIZATION OF EXTRACTION METHODS TO RECOVER PHENOLIC-RICH EXTRACTS FROM BLACK BEANS ( PHASEOLUS VULGARIS ) THAT INHIBIT ALPHA-AMYLASE AND ALPHA-GLUCOSIDASE USING RESPONSE SURFACE APPROACHES

Black beans contain high phenolic contents that are considered potent antioxidants. Relatively little is known about their ability to inhibit the carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes -amylase and -glucosidase from releasing glucose from starch and/or disaccharides. The objective of this project was to determine the optimum procedures for extracting total phenols (TP), total flavonoids (TF) and total condensed tannins (TCT) from black beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), and then to determine the ability of the phenolic rich extracts to inhibit -amylase and -glucosidase. Due to their high phenolic levels, it was hypothesized that black beans would be an effective inhibitor of -amylase and -glucosidase, which would have potent health benefits for diabetics. The rationale for this project is that extracts obtained from black beans have the potential of inhibiting these key carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes due to the high levels and different types of phenols present in black beans. The chemical diversity of the phenols extracts used affected the results, which in turn was affected by the extraction procedures. Therefore, extractions procedures were characterized using three different solvents and adjusting for solvent:water ratio, solid:solvent ratio and mixing time using a face centered cubic response surface design. This experimental design resulted in 17 samples per solvent system, each of which were tested for total phenols (TP), total flavonoids (TF) and total condensed tannins (TCT) followed by their ability to inhibit -amylase and -glucosidase. The optimized factors for TP (3.82 mg/g) consisted of acetone: water ratio of 25:75, a solid:solvent ratio of 18 percent and mixing time of approximately 111 minutes. The optimal factors for TF (3.61 mg/g) were a 25:75 acetone: water, 30 percent solid:solvent ratio and a mixing time of approximately 143 minutes. Optimum levels of TCT (15.58 mg/g) were achieved with an 25:75 acetone: water ratio, a 14 percent solid:solvent and 60 minutes of mixing. The acetone solvent system produced the highest inhibition of α-amylase (36.65 % inhibition /mg of extraction) and α-glucosidase (34.10 % inhibition /mg). It should be noted that although the inhibition occurred from different extracts but but both used acetone as the solvent system. Inhibition of α-amylase decreased by ~3 fold using both ethanol and methanol at 10.29 % 10.84 % inhibition /mg extraction, respectively. However, for α-glucosidase, the inhibition by an ethanol extract was slightly higher (16.68 % inhibition/mg) than that exerted by methanol (6.16 % inhibition /mg). Yet, alpha-glucosidase inhibition for the acetone demonstrated the highest correlations with TP, TF …
Microbial oil production from various carbon sources by newly isolated oleaginous yeasts

Microbial oil production has received significant attention as a potential precursor for the production of biofuels, oleochemicals and food products. In this study, six oleaginous yeasts, isolated from fruits, were selected based on their ability to accumulate high intracellular content of microbial oil (20–48% w/w of total dry weight). The highest content of saturated fatty acids was 68.7% (w/w), whereas the highest content of oleic acid was 62.7% (w/w). Furthermore, nutrient‐rich hydrolysates produced via enzymatic hydrolysis of flour‐rich waste streams generated by a confectionery industry were evaluated as fermentation media for microbial oil production via fed‐batch bioreactor cultures using one of the most promising isolates, namely VV_D4. A total dry weight of 40 g/L with a microbial oil content of 39% (w/w) was produced by isolate VV_D4. Critical biodiesel properties were estimated based on the fatty acid composition and correlated with the international standards. The microbial oil produced by the new isolates could be potentially used for biodiesel production.
Fitness-related selection on floral traits in the distylous plant Primula poissonii (Primulaceae)

Aims Reproductive fitness of different floral phenotypes varies within and/or among populations. These variations are important to understand the process of natural selection and the evolution of floral traits. In this study, we focused on a distylous, self-incompatible species, Primula poissonii, to investigate fitness-related selection on floral traits. Our aim was to determine how traits vary as targets of natural selection and whether morph-specific selection occurs. Methods This study was conducted at two sites (Yushuizhai at 2700 m and Haligu at 3200 m) in the Lijiang Alpine Botanical Garden, northwestern Yunnan, southwestern China. Insects visiting flowers of P. poissonii were observed, captured and identified. Randomly selected plants of longand short-styled morphs were labeled. Five floral/ inflorescence traits were measured including floral display, corolla width (CW), floral tube length (FTL), tube opening width (TOW) and floral scape height. Fruit and seed set were recorded. The total number of seeds per individual plant (plant fitness) and seed production per capsule (flower fitness) were calculated. Multiple regression analyses were used to quantify selection gradients. Important Findings The frequencies of the two morphs did not deviate from the expected 1:1 ratio at both sites. Except for FTL, the four other traits did not differ significantly between the longand short-styled morphs. Floral scape height, floral display and FTL differed between two sites. The selection regimes differed between two morphs and between two sites. At the Yushuizhai site, linear selection for shorter floral tubes was stronger in the short-styled morph. However, nonlinear selection on the floral display was stronger in the long-styled morph than selection on the short-styled morph. At the Haligu site, linear selection for a smaller corolla was stronger in the long-styled morph. A morph-specific nonlinear selection on CW and floral display was also detected. Morph-specific selections were detected through the estimation of flower fitness only in Haligu population. In this site, morph-specific linear selection was also detected for CW and floral display. Morph-specific nonlinear selection on traits was detected only in CW. We found that butterflies and sphingid moths dominated at Yushuizhai, while long-tongued bees dominated at Haligu. The difference in pollinator fauna suggested that selection on floral tubes may be due to differences in pollinator assemblages. Overall, variation of floral and/or inflorescence traits in P. poissonii was probably driven by pollinator selection. Selection regime differences between two morphs, in part, due the inter-morph divergences of sexual functions in distylous plant.
Simulating an Ideal Gas to Verify Statistical Mechanics

I simulate an ideal gas and observe how its macroscopic properties emerge from microscopic time evolution. First, I implement an event-based molecular dynamics engine of hard-sphere particles bouncing around inside a box. With this engine, I demonstrate that (1) particle speeds approach a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, (2) that the system agrees with the ideal gas law PV = NkBT , and (3) that fluctuations in local density decrease with N . These simulations verify that statistical mechanics is indeed a reliable framework for modeling large numbers of particles.
Proteome analysis of organoleptic quality in tomato

Organoleptic quality of tomato fruits involves among others aroma, taste, colour and texture. To study the genetic bases of these traits, QTL analyses of a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population created from an intraspecific cross between a cherry tomato line and a common tomato line were carried out. QTLs with large effects on fruit weight, locule number and sugar content were detected in the distal 50 cM segment of chromosome 2. Near isogenic lines (NILs) were generated to characterise this particular chromosomal region. A proteomic approach was initiated to investigate characteristics involved in fruit quality at the protein level. Total protein extracts of the tomato pericarp were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Two NILs differing in the concerned segment of chromosome 2 as well as the two parental lines of the RIL population were compared during several fruit developmental stages. As expected there are more differences between the parental lines than between the NILs. Several proteins of interest were analysed by MALDI-TOF or ESI-MS/MS and candidate genes for the above mentioned characteristics were obtained. Some of these genes are well known to be linked to fruit development processes but many of them are related to stress and defence response.
Open Source Software – Study of Requirement for its Development

: - This Study is result of searching from study of configuration of technical system, organizational context, study of social process and growing relationship for rising in open source software. Main thing include is understanding the requirements for open software development efforts, and how the development of these requirements differs from those traditional to software engineering and requirements engineering. Open source software now plays vital role in development field of technical areas. Here some development communities are described, examined, and compared to help discover use of OSS in research field. Some kind of software are mentioned here for growth in development of open source in replace of close operating system platform. Subsequently, implementation of this kind of software for better result is the objective of this study.