Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlates of life satisfaction and acculturation among university students

The present study compared correlations between life satisfaction, acculturation, socioeconomic status, and social support for students born in the United States and for students not born in the United States. Acculturation scores differed significantly between American-born and foreignborn participants, while life satisfaction scores did not, indicating that living in a new country is not necessarily a negative experience for college-age students. Furthermore, acculturation to the host culture, that is, American culture, was found to correlate with life satisfaction among American-born students, and socioeconomic status correlated with acculturation for both groups. We recommend that future acculturation research control for socioeconomic status and include non-immigrant populations as comparison groups.
The genetics of warning colour in Peruvian hybrid zones of Heliconius erato and H. melpomene

Heliconius warning colour is a good example of a genetic system shaped by strong selection. The genetics of colour patterns in interracial hybrid zones within both H. erato and H. melpomene was investigated. Within each species, the loci controlling these pattern differences are mostly homologous to those known from other races, but have somewhat different phenotypic effects. The precise genetic control varies geographically, even for nearly identical colour patterns. Independent evolution of the same pattern is unlikely; instead evolution of the genetic system is hypothesized to have occurred while stabilizing selection preserved the pattern itself. Single genes often control more than one pattern element. This apparent pleiotropy is in part due to tightly linked loci within 'supergenes': rare recombinants (possibly mutants) in genes controlling 'dennis' and 'ray' patterns were found in both species. However, supergenes, which are likely in polymorphic Batesian mimicry, are not expected to accumulate in Müllerian mimics because polymorphisms, which would favour their evolution, are too transient. The existence of supergenes in Heliconius suggests that major switch genes are gradually built up within a locus rather than evolving wholly by macromutation or by selection for tighter linkage of mimetic genes. This gradual evolution at a single locus might be necessitated by a lack of other sites that can control warning patterns. These genes are strongly epistatic, and heterozygotes and hybrid homozygotes have 'fuzzier' (less sharply defined) and more variable patterns than the pure races. The genetic system controlling colour pattern in Heliconius is clearly canalized and coadapted to produce efficient warning signals.
Toxicogenomics of Bisphenol A and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Bisphenol A (BPA) has been widely used in many industrial and consumer products and is known as an endocrine‐disrupting chemical. To find the underlying genetic basis and molecular mechanisms of BPA‐associated neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs), this chapter addressed the toxicogenomics of BPA with publicly accessed Comparative Toxicogenomics Database. The present results indicated that the key cellular components (CC) of the nervous system such as neuron, synapse, dendrite and axon are common in CC annotation; the commonly found molecular functions are neurotransmitter receptor or transducer binding or activity; and the main common biological processes include syn‐ aptic signalling, cognition, learning or memory, behaviour, the development of nervous system and brain. Neuroactive ligand‐receptor interaction, dopaminergic, glutamatergic and serotonergic synapses, monoamine transport and synaptic vesicle pathway were the common pathways. Simultaneously, the BPA‐disease may share the common pathways with drug addictions such as cocaine addiction. Unique pathways might also contribute to the BPA action in different NDs such as one carbon metabolism and detoxification of oxidative stress in Down syndrome. Although GO and pathway results indicate some common annotations, the predicted PPI molecular function clusters are quite different for each ND. In addition, some of the NDs share the same transcription factors (TFs) and miRNAs, which indicate these disorders have the similar expression profiles. Finally, chemicals having comparable interacting genes to BPA should be considered.
Investigating the Oral Performance of Demotivated and Motivated Iranian Seminary EFL Learners

The concept of demotivation and removing possible barriers of learning has been researched and advocated throughout the ESL/EFL literature but it seems that it has not been well studied at least on Iranian seminary EFL learners. As such, this study aimed at investigating the effect of demotivation on oral performance of Iranian EFL seminary learners and finding possible demotivating factors which may affect it. The participants were 50 male intermediate EFL learners studying at Islamic Propagation Office, Isfahan, Iran, selected based on their performance on the Oxford Placement test. A pretest-posttest design oral performance exam was used. The participants were divided into two groups of motivated and demotivated group based on the motivational questionnaire (Celce-Murcia, Brinton, & Goodwin, (1996). The collected data included: (1) the results of the motivational questionnaire, (2) the results of the oral tasks (used as pre and post tests) and (3) responses to a semi-structured interview regarding the possible demotivating factors which may influence participants' oral performance. The independent sample t-test and paired samples t-test were used to determine whether there were significant inter and intra-group differences. The results provide evidence that motivation helps enhance EFL seminary learners’ oral performance and demotivation significantly hinders improving it.
A novel approach towards antimalarials: design and synthesis of inhibitors of the kinase IspE

IX Abstract The enzymes of the non-mevalonate pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis are therapeutic targets for the treatment of important infectious diseases. Whereas this pathway is absent in humans, it is used by plants, many eubacteria and apicomplexan protozoa, including major human pathogens such as Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria. The development of drugs with a novel mode of action for the treatment of malaria is of urgent necessity in light of the rapid emergence of multi-drug-resistant parasites. Malaria still poses a major health concern, being responsible for an estimated 300–500 million new infections and 1−3 million deaths annually. The kinase IspE (4-diphosphocytidyl-2C-methyl-D-erythritol kinase, EC 2.7.1.148), at the centre of the non-mevalonate pathway, was chosen as target for structure-based ligand design. Using molecular modelling software and the X-ray crystal structure of Escherichia coli IspE as a ternary complex with its substrate and a non-hydrolysable adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP) analogue, the first inhibitors of this enzyme were developed. The series of synthesised target molecules represent the first example of drug-like molecules that inhibit enzymes of the non-mevalonate pathway without the need for a phosphate or phosphonate moiety. In the first stage, the bisubstrate approach was adopted, resulting in a small library of compounds targeted to both the substrateand ATP-binding pockets. However, because of solubility problems the series of compounds could not be assayed. Only one derivative containing a cytidine moiety, (+)-92, proved to be soluble under the enzyme-assay conditions but displayed only weak inhibition. Thus, a second generation of inhibitors were designed by taking into consideration a number of features. This time they were made to occupy exclusively the substrate-binding pocket and an adjacent, newly discovered, small, hydrophobic pocket that is not occupied by either substrate or cofactor. Cytosine was used as a central scaffold, the ribose moiety was replaced by a suitable analogue, and a vector was included to be directed into the small subpocket. According to modelling, the inhibitors should be stabilised by the same hydrogen-bonding pattern that the substrate forms with the protein. In addition the ligands take advantage of a perfectly set up double π-sandwich that holds the nucleobase scaffold and ribose analogue in the desired position. The ribose analogue could also feature a sulfur atom as there is potential for additional stabilisation by a sulfur–aromatic interaction. Furthermore, the vector should
The semantically based computer lexicon HaGenLex. Structure and technological environment

Cet article decrit les principes de conception et l'environnement technique de HaGenLex, un dictionnaire electronique general de l'allemand. Comme HaGenLex a ete developpe dans le but d'assister la conversion de formes linguistiques en representations semantiques, sa conception met l'accent sur les aspects semantiques. Leur representation se fonde sur le formalisme de reseau semantique MultiNet. HaGenLex utilise une architecture de traits types classique. Celle-ci est completee par un formalisme d'heritage de classes permettant la specification de valeurs par defaut. Le developpement et la maintenance d'HaGenLex sont supportes par une serie d'outils (dont un fouineur et un editeur) integres dans un atelier convivial et puissant destine aux lexicographes. Par ailleurs, HaGenLex fournit plusieurs interfaces permettant l'acces aux informations contenues dans des corpus ou d'autres bases de donnees lexicales, qui sont aussi utilises pour la validation et la verification des donnees.
Ethical Dimensions in Responsible Professionalism and Accounting Procedures in Kenya: A Critical Analysis of Theory and Practice

This paper presents the concepts of transparency, rights and responsibleness in management accounting through an examination of ethical theories and their application to managerial challenges which typically confront management accountants in Kenya and in other countries. The main research drivers were focused on the transparency, clear reporting standards, accountability and responsible professionalism. The literature review employed various theories such as: Virtue Theory, Utilitarian Theory, and Kantian Theory. Of course, these approaches are considered in relation to the accounting implications. Purpose: The main purpose of the paper was to investigate the role of ethical dimensions in Kenyan management accounting trends. Methodology and Research design: The paper employed a case research design. A survey of the selected study population from Central and Nairobi Provinces of Kenya was carried out by the use of questionnaires through focus group discussions. The sample size of this research was estimated at 150 participants. Findings: The findings suggest that the current management accounting is weak and should therefore employ ethical consideration to reengineer itself. Conclusion: This study is focused on the ethical considerations in management accounting in Kenya. Taken as a whole, our findings suggest that, there are some impediments associated with the current management accounting and thus ethical consideration could help revamp the whole system. Keywords : Ethical dimensions, management accounting, Theories and principles, Kantian theory, virtue ethics, Utilitarian Principle, Professionalism
Student Identification Across School Levels

Failure to identify with school has been suggested as one explanation for why some studentspersistently fail to meet academic expectations. Identification with school has been conceptualized asinvolving a sense of belonging and a valuing of school and school related outcomes (Voelkl 1997). Students who fail to identify with school often experience a host of problems ranging from behavioralproblems, social and emotional withdrawal, and academic failure. These students are also at-risk fordelinquency and dropping out of school (Finn 1989, Finn & Voelkl 1993, Voelkl 1997). Empiricalresearch thus far has attempted to explain this failure to identify with school as being the result ofcultural expectations, prior experience with success in school, the structural environment of the school,the regulatory environment of the school, stereotype threat, poverty, and peer-pressure (Finn 1989, Finn& Voelkl 1993, Fordham 1996, Steele 1992, Voelkl 1997).
The applicability of the major social science paradigms to the study of the agricultural knowledge and information systems of small-scale farmers.

The social sciences offer a rich array of paradigms within which to locate agricultural knowledge and information systems (AKIS) research. This article provides an overview of the major paradigms in the social sciences, identifying those which offer a lens through which the AKISs of small-scale farmers can be viewed. It is based on a review and analysis of the paradigms, perspectives and approaches that are appropriate for studying different facets of an AKIS. These systems are complex by nature but Social constructivism, Phenomenology, Interpretive and Participatory paradigms make possible a pluralistic and compatibilist approach that provides the necessary logic and harmony for such a study. A systems approach, mixed methods methodology and multiple data collection methods can be used to improve understanding of AKISs of this type. A pragmatic paradigmatic stance is recommended to guide the design for a comprehensive study of the AKISs of small-scale farmers in developing countries. Innovation No.44, June 2012
Forest fragmentation changes macroinvertebrate community composition in neotropical treeholes

ii Preface . iii Table of Contents . iv List of Tables . v List of Figures . vi Acknowledgements . vii Dedication . viii Chapter I. General Introduction . 1 Chapter II. Community composition and ecosystem function changes in treeholes in forest fragments . 4 Introduction . 4 Methods . 7 Results . 13 1. Community responses to reduction in forest habitat . 13 2. Environmental differences between fragments and forest . 16 3. Leaf litter decomposition in artificial treeholes . 17 Discussion . 26 Species pool and dispersal limitation effects . 26 Treehole detritivores do not yet benefit from relaxed top pressure in fragments . 28 Treehole detritivores benefit from higher detrital quality in fragments . 28 Microclimate but not edge effects partially explain food web changes . 30 Predictors of change between fragments . 30 Resilience to fragmentation . 32 Temporal dynamics . 33 Caveats . 33 Implications . 35 Chapter III. General Conclusions . 36 Bibliography . 38 Appendices . 49 A1. Natural tree hole communities . 49 A2. Temporal species turnover in treehole colonization . 50 A3. Leaf litter nutrient content analysis . 51 A4. Increased leaf litter fall in forest patches than intact forest. 51 A5. Landscape and patch scale model simplification . 52 A6. Abiotic conditions in fragmented and non fragmented forest . 53 A7. Effect of experimental variables on detritivore abundance . 55
DNA barcoding against poaching of Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), two confirmed cases from Greece

Poaching has been reported as a major threat to the survival of many species including the Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra). We report two recent cases from Greece where COI and Cytb sequences were used for species identification from evidence samples. Not only we confirm the poaching events, but through the description of the laboratory procedures we highlight two limitations of the barcoding method, COI-like sequences and the universality of COI primers.
Web Resources on TB: Information, Research, and Data Analysis

Since its creation in the middle of the 20th century, the Internet has become the universal language of the digital world. All the capabilities it offers, such as electronic mail systems, information distribution, file sharing, multimedia streaming services and online social networking, have already been of service to billions of people around the world. In fact, if the Internet were to disappear tomorrow, most people would struggle to manage their lives without it.
Design, Synthesis and Calcium Channel Blocking Activity of Diltiazem-Verapamil Hybrid Molecules

The current manuscript describes the design, synthesis, and in vitro testing of four thioacetanilides with diltiazemverapamil hybrid structural features as potential calcium channel blockers. The current hybrid strategy of drug design aimed to generate compounds that could span, with a single compound, the trans-membrane locales where the two drugs bind, with the ultimate goal of increasing the blocking activity. The latter, was assessed by measuring the inhibitory effects, expressed as IC50, on calcium-induced contractions of potassium depolarized isolated rat aorta strips. The assessment of the binding locales was determined by incubating the test compound with aortic strips for two different periods, 10-minutes and 2-hours, before adding the contractile calcium ions to the assay medium. Diltiazem IC50 values were 0.26 and 0.14 μM, after 10-minutes and 2-hours, respectively, reflecting less than two fold increase in activity and confirming previous reports that its locale of binding in mostly on the exterior side of the membrane. On the other hand, verapamil IC50 values were 0.47 and 0.14 μM after 10-minutes and 2-hour incubation respectively, reflecting approximately a 3-4 fold increase in activity and confirming previous reports that it binds mainly to the interior domains of the membrane. The four designed hybrid compounds showed, after 10-minute incubation, an IC50 value range of 3.7-12.0 μM, and after 2-hour incubation an IC50 range of 0.78-2.12 μM, reflecting approximately a 5-fold increase in activity suggesting more similarity to the verapamil binding profile. The data indicate that the designed compounds are with moderate activities, but generally less active as calcium channel blockers than either of the two parent drugs.
Wind and wave dataset for Matara, Sri Lanka

Abstract. We present a continuous in situ hydro-meteorology observational dataset from a set of instruments first deployed in December 2012 in the south of Sri Lanka, facing toward the north Indian Ocean. In these waters, simultaneous records of wind and wave data are sparse due to difficulties in deploying measurement instruments, although the area hosts one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. This study describes the survey, deployment, and measurements of wind and waves, with the aim of offering future users of the dataset the most comprehensive and as much information as possible. This dataset advances our understanding of the nearshore hydrodynamic processes and wave climate, including sea waves and swells, in the north Indian Ocean. Moreover, it is a valuable resource for ocean model parameterization and validation. The archived dataset (Table 1) is examined in detail, including wave data at two locations with water depths of 20 and 10 m comprising synchronous time series of wind, ocean astronomical tide, air pressure, etc. In addition, we use these wave observations to evaluate the ERA-Interim reanalysis product. Based on Buoy 2 data, the swells are the main component of waves year-round, although monsoons can markedly alter the proportion between swell and wind sea. The dataset (Luo et al., 2017) is publicly available from Science Data Bank ( https://doi.org/10.11922/sciencedb.447 ).
Thermostat Interface and Usability: A Survey

This report investigates the history of thermostats to better understand the context and legacy regarding the development of this important tool, as well as thermostats' relationships to heating, cooling, and other environmental controls. We analyze the architecture, interfaces, and modes of interaction used by different types of thermostats. For over sixty years, home thermostats have translated occupants' temperature preferences into heating and cooling system operations. In this position of an intermediary, the millions of residential thermostats control almost half of household energy use, which corresponds to about 10percent of the nation's total energy use. Thermostats are currently undergoing rapid development in response to emerging technologies, new consumer and utility demands, and declining manufacturing costs. Energy-efficient homes require more careful balancing of comfort, energy consumption, and health. At the same time, new capabilities will be added to thermostats, including scheduling, control of humidity and ventilation, responsiveness to dynamic electricity prices, and the ability to join communication networks inside homes. Recent studies have found that as many as 50percent of residential programmable thermostats are in permanent hold status. Other evaluations found that homes with programmable thermostats consumed more energy than those relying on manual thermostats. Occupants find thermostats cryptic and baffling to operate because manufacturers often rely on obscure, and sometimes even contradictory, terms, symbols, procedures, and icons. It appears that many people are unable to fully exploit even the basic features in today's programmable thermostats, such as setting heating and cooling schedules. It is important that people can easily, reliably, and confidently operate thermostats in their homes so as to remain comfortable while minimizing energy use.
GENETIC AND PHENOTYPIC PARAMETERS FOR GROWTH TRAITS OF NILI-RAVI BUFFALO HEIFERS IN PAKISTAN

Data on body weights at different ages of 624 Nili Ravi buffalo heifers from 243 dams and sired by 48 sires kept at LES, Bahadurnagar, Okara, Pakistan were collected from 1989 to 2002 and analyzed by using DFREML (Derivative Free Restricted Maximum Likelihood) in this study. Average weights at birth, weaning, yearling, Pre-weaning average daily gain were 35.86±4.30 kg with CV of 11.99%, 66.12±9.16 with CV 13.85%, 145.82±19.50 with CV of 13.37%, 316.47±88.33 g for Nili-Ravi female calves, while average post-weaning daily gain was 297.66±31.03 g. Average weight at 2 years of age in heifers was 240.05±25.10 kg and average 3 years weight was 329.73±23.17 kg. ANOVA indicated significant effect of birth year, season of birth, age and weight of dam on the growth traits. Maximum weight was observed in spring season, while minimum weight was obtained in winter season. The maximum heritability was 0.25±0.14 for birth weight while the minimum heritability was 0.16±0.75 for yearling weight. The heritability estimates for all growth traits were moderate to high suggesting that selection might be a good criterion for improvement. The phenotypic correlations ranged from 0.29±0.19 between birth weight and weight at 36 month’s age and 0.76±0.16 between weaning weight and weight at 12 month’s age. The maximum environmental correlation was 0.83±0.20 between 12 months weight and weight at 24 months of age while it was minimum as 0.23±0.11 between weaning weight and weight at 36 months of age. The highest genetic correlation was 0.62±0.09 between birth weight and weight at 24 months of age whereas minimum genetic correlation was 0.25±0.12 between 12 months weight and weight at 36 months of age. In general correlations were fairly large and positive indicating that selecting one trait will positively affect the