Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Study on Variation of Phytochemical Constituents with Altitude and In vitro antimicrobial potential of two species of Ajuga L.

The present study was aimed to assess the variation in the phytochemical constituents with altitude and the antibacterial potency of two medicinally important species, Ajuga bracteosa and Ajuga parviflora, growing in Kashmir valley. The methanolic extracts of both the species from different populations with varying altitudes were subjected to quantitative estimation of various phytochemicals by using various spectrophotometric techniques. It was observed that mean values of the analyzed phytochemical constituents varied significantly (p≤0.05) across the populations. Phytochemicals such as phenols, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids and alkaloids were present in all the sampled populations but their quantity varied significantly across the populations. With the decrease in altitude the content of various phytochemicals gets reduced. The high altitude plants exposed to the extreme environmental conditions possess a good content of secondary metabolites altering their stress tolerance and thus enhancing their medicinal activity. The present study further revealed that the methanolic and ethyl acetate extracts of the two medicinal plant species under study; A. bracteosa and A. parviflora plant extracts possess potent antibacterial activity against two gram positive bacterial strains (B. subtilis, S. aureus) and two gram negative bacterial strains (E. coli, P. vulgaris). Therefore, these plants may prove as source of certain potent antibacterial molecules.
Translation and validation of Brunel Mood Scale for Serbian athlete population

Ivica Rajkovic, 2014. Translation and validation of Brunel Mood Scale for Serbian athlete population. Master Thesis in Sport and Exercise Psychology. Department of Sport Sciences, University of Jyvaskyla. 40p. Present study developed and validated the Serbian version (SERMS) of Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS). BRUMS is 24 item questionnaire used to asses mood profile on six subscales (anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, tension and vigour). BRUMS was translated in to the Serbian using translation-back translation method, and administered to 354 athletes in Serbia and Montenegro. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Cronbach’s alpha were used to determine factor validity and internal consistency respectively of SERMS, and t-test and ANOVA were used to explore significant mean differences between different groups of athletes. Results showed that SERMS has good internal consistency with acceptable alpha values for each subscale. EFA results supported 24-item 6-factor model should be retained as the adequate, which is consistent with the theoretical model. Some statistically significant mean differences were found among the six mood subscales and different grouping variables (gender, age, a level of professionalism, data collection method, different testing time and type of sport). It is concluded that the SERMS is reliable instrument with acceptable psychometric characteristics and that it can be used with Serbian speaking population for future research and practical purposes. However further analysis and refinement of the instrument is recommended.
Aerial parts of Enicostemma littorale Blume serve as antipyretic and antacid: in vivo and in vitro evaluations

Enicostemma littorale Blume (family Gentianaceae) is a perennial herb and found throughout India, most commonly in coastal areas. Ancient literature suggests the aqueous extract of the plant was used in the treatment of diabetes, fever, rheumatism, stomachache, dyspepsia, hernia, itching, insect poisoning and malaria. [1-3] Several studies also suggested the role of the plant with antitumor,[3,4] antiarthritic,[3,5] hypoglycemic[3,6] and antimalarial[3,7] properties.
Determination of rate parameters based on both direct and indirect measurements

The determination of rate parameters of gas-phase elementary reactions is usually based on direct measurements. The rate parameters obtained in many independent direct measurements are then used in reaction mechanisms, which are tested against the results of indirectexperiments,liketime-to-ignitionorlaminarflamevelocitymeasurements.Wesuggest a new approach that takes into account both direct and indirect measurements and optimizes all influential rate parameters. First, the domain of feasibility of the Arrhenius parameters is determined from all of the available direct measurements. Thereafter, the optimal Arrhe- nius parameters are sought within this domain to reproduce the selected direct and indirect measurements. Other parameters of a complex mechanism (third-body efficiencies, enthalpies of formation, parameters of pressure dependence, etc.) can also be taken into account in a similar way. A new fitting algorithm and a new method for error calculation were developed to determine the optimal mean values and the covariance matrix of all parameters. The ap- proach is demonstrated on the calculation of Arrhenius parameters of reactions (R1): H + O2 = OH + O and (R2): H + O2 + M = HO2 + M (low-pressure limit, M = N2 or Ar). In total, 9 direct measurements for reaction (R1) (745 data points), 10 direct measurements for reaction (R2) (258 data points), and 11 ignition time measurements (79 data points) were taken into account. The application of the method resulted in the following rate parameters for the investigated reactions—(R1): A = 3.003 × 10 10 cm 3 mol −1 s −1 , n = 0.965, E/R = 6158 K (T = 950-3550 K)
THERMOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF ERGOTHIONEINE: A DFT STUDY USING M06, WB97XD AND TPSSTPSS METHODS

Antioxidant properties of ergothioneine (ESH) have been investigated via hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), single electron transfer-proton transfer (SET-PT) and sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET) mechanisms. Three new DFT methods including M06, WB97XD and TPSSTPSS at the 6-311++G(2df,2p) basis set were used to compute the thermochemical parameters of ESH in the gas phase. Based on these methods, bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE), ionization energy (IE), proton dissociation enthalpy (PDE), proton affinity (PA) and electron transfer enthalpy (ETE) were calculated. The results were also compared with the values obtained by B3LYP method. The calculated results show that ergothioneine plays a role as a potential antioxidant via HAT mechanism.
Structural Characteristics of Eleusine Corocana (Finger Millet) Using Scanning Electron and Fluorescence Microscopy

The objective of th is study was to document the microstructure of finger millet wlth scanning electron and fluorescence microscopies. Finger millet is an utricle which is spheri ca 1 and about 1 . 5 ITlT1 in diameter. The membranous peri carp of finger millet was loosely associated with the seed at maturity. Beneath the loose pericarp wa s a five-layered testa that varied from red to purple in color. The outer layer was the only testa layer that autofl uoresced, suggesting the presence of phenolic acids, i . e. , ferulic acid. The aleurone layer was beneath the testa , and was one cell layer thick. The starchy endosperm had distinct peripheral, corneous and floury areas. The ce 11 wa 11 s of the endosperm strongly fl uoresced indicat ing phenolic compounds . Starch granules were primarily compound, with some simple granules in the corneous area . Starch granu 1 e s ize inc rea sed toward the center of the endosperm, wh ile the protein content decreased. The small germ was inset into a shallow depression; a s hort ridge protruded from the utricle ar ound the perimeter of t he germ. Finger mi 1let was higher in phenol and tannin content than pearl millet . Moderate levels of gentisic , cinnamic and coumaric acids , and high levels of ferulic acid wer e extracted from fin ger mi 11 et. Initial paper received February 17, 1986 Manuscript received November 12 , 1986 Direct inquiries to C.M. Mc Donough Telephone number: 409 845 2925
External Factors Affecting the Growth of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in Ethiopia: A Case Study in Shire Indasselassie Town, Tigray

The role of MSEs are not only income and employment generating but also breeding ground for entrepreneurs, has higher employment capacity and not capital intensive, and highly competitive, flexible and innovative. However, MSE growth is affected by a number of factors. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to investigate external factors affecting the growth of MSEs by using semi-structured questionnaire covering 160 randomly selected MSEs from five Kebeles of Shire Indasselassie Town. Binary logistic regression model was employed to test the hypotheses and to analyze the factors affecting the growth of MSEs. The result of the study revealed that access to credit from formal financial sources, access to infrastructure and access to working premise are significant factors for MSEs growth. MSEs having access to sufficient infrastructure and access to own working premise are growing rapidly than of those MSEs that are operating with limited access to infrastructure and operating at rented and family working premise. In addition, MSEs that have no access to credit are rapidly growing than those of MSEs having access to credit. Considering the well recognized importance of MSEs in job creation, income generation and poverty alleviation, all stakeholders (government and non governmental institutions) have the responsibilities to make intensive effort to remove the factors that stand on the growth of the MSE. Keywords: Employment, External, Factor, Growth, Survival.
Western cattle prices vary across video markets and value-adding programs

We analyzed video auction sales in the western United States from 1997 to 2003, in an attempt to answer two long-standing questions about the economics of cattle ranching in California. First, as expected, ranchers received lower prices for cattle sold here compared to prices received by ranchers in the Midwest; this is due to the cost of transporting cattle to Midwestern feedlots. Second, some (but not all) “value-adding” production and marketing practices — such as preconditioning, Quality Assurance Programs and natural beef production — did raise prices received by ranchers. We report on the average location discounts and quality premiums for several market regions.
Reliability and Validity of PIRLS and TIMSS: Does the Response Format Matter?

Academic achievements are often assessed in written exams and tests using selection-type (e.g., multiple-choice, MC) and supply-type (e.g., constructed-response, CR) item response formats. The present article examines how MC items and CR items differ with regard to reliability and criterion validity in two educational large-scale assessments with 4th-graders. The reading items of PIRLS 2006 were compiled into MC scales, CR scales, and mixed scales. Scale reliabilities were estimated according to item response theory (international PIRLS sample; n = 119,413). MC showed smaller standard errors than CR around the reading proficiency mean, whereas CR was more reliable for low and high proficiency levels. In the German sample (n = 7,581), there was no format-specific differential validity (criterion: German grades, r ≈ .5; &Dgr;r = 0.01). The mathematics items of TIMSS 2007 (n = 160,922) showed similar reliability patterns. MC validity was slightly larger than CR validity (criterion: mathematics grades; n = 5,111; r ≈ .5, &Dgr;r = −0.02). Effects of format-specific test extensions were very small in both studies. It seems that in PIRLS and TIMSS, reliability and validity do not depend substantially on response formats. Consequently, other response format characteristics (like the cost of development, administration, and scoring) should be considered when choosing between MC and CR.
The Nutraceutical Effects OF Dairy Products Fortification With Plant Components: A Review

Nutrition scientists have mentioned that fortification of dairy products using plant resources (vegetables ,fruits, cereal, seeds , etc.) is one of the best ways to improve the overall nutrient intake of dairy products with minimal side effects. However, growing interest in the nutraceutical properties of dairy products has directed the attention of researchers to improve the quality of dairy products. Plant for example , soybean seed contains an array of nutritionally important constituents, many of them were previously dismissed as antinutrients, but more recent investigaions proved that they have prevented many diseases. Therefore ,incorporation of plant ingredients(dietary fiber, phenolic compounds .phytosterols, Isoflavones, and extra)in dairy products might have conferred several nutritional advantages . I. INTRODUCTION
Everyday happiness: Gifting and eating as everyday activities that influence general positive affect and discrete positive emotions

Positive psychology interventions have tended to be intentional cognitive and / or behavioural activities, specifically designed by researchers to increase happiness and wellbeing. In everyday life, however, people naturally undertake activities to increase their happiness and wellbeing. In this study, we examine and compare gifting and eating as two types of everyday activity that influence Positive Affect and so also happiness and wellbeing. Two hundred participants were allocated to four groups to examine the impact of gifting and eating, both individually and combined, relative to a control group, on happiness and wellbeing. Results show that giving a desirable food (ice cream) to another person as a gift increases Positive Affect but not discrete positive emotions, whereas both eating and giving an ice cream as a gift increase both Positive Affect and discrete positive emotions. The discussion focuses on the role of everyday activities in enhancing Positive Affect with the accumulative potential to increase everyday happiness.
User Typologies and Research Approaches for Successful Product and Service Innovations

The front-end of innovation has been long portrayed as the most important area of some very successful innovations where companies have tried to identify, obtain, and maximize the benefit of internal and external ideas at the early stages of the innovation process. Recently, the concept of user innovation, one of the most practiced open innovation approaches, has played a crucial role in new product and service development especially during the opportunity identification phase at the front-end. However, traditional user innovation approaches are not able to reasonably empower users for engaging in the market of open innovation. Since there are distinct characteristics in the nature of product and service development, the question remains unclear as to which user typologies and research approaches are able to provide the most valuable insights for product and service innovations. The objective of this study was, therefore, to investigate the relationship patterns of the most useful user typologies and research approaches for each form of innovation. Mixed methodology was employed to gather patterns of 27 self-evaluated successful cases from 10 leading innovation consulting firms in the U.S.A. The empirical findings reveal that ‘less’ users can provide the most interesting insights for product innovation while early adopters are recommended for recruitment if companies want to search for service innovation. The inquiry approach can be very efficient when conducting front-end user research of product innovation while participatory and trend-tracking approaches should be considered when searching for service innovation. The new matching schemes can guide researchers and business practitioners to effectively and efficiently manage their opportunity identification phase at the front-end of this new era.
Heterogeneous Optical Flow-Based Tracking for Traffic Control

This paper introduces a new approach of heterogeneous optical flow based tracking for traffic control that manages traffic efficiently by the adaptive of optical flow tracking. As we know, existing traffic light system is controlled by a time relay and it is configured by priority and probability of traffic occurrence. However, this system incapable to manage traffic in real-time condition that cause unnecessary waiting time and inefficient traffic control that leads to heavy congestion as well as causing bad air pollution. Common time relay unintentionally allows traffic light to remain green on empty road. This awareness leads to this approach that will remarkably clear traffic and fully operated by the optical flow congestion detection and disregard of gaussian noise and luminance and chrominance differences (e.g night and daylight). This approach consist fallback plan which will switch to time relay whenever technical failures occur without affecting the ongoing traffic flows. Technical failure is triggered by certain threshold of error detection. The contribution of this approach is the adaptability of optical flow tracking over luminosity changes and poor contrast.
Analyzing E-Commerce Websites: A Quali-Quantitive Approach for the User Perceived Web Quality (UPWQ)

The electronic commerce (e-commerce) is an increasingly important phenomenon and this research deals with perceived quality from the users-customers point of view. The aim of this paper is to shed light on the critical factors determining the User Perceived Web Quality (UPWQ) for e-commerce. We use the Pareto Chart as qualitative methodology able to identify the UPWQ considering not only technical features (ease of use, design, smart phone and tablet responsivity, information), but also emotional features such as trust, empathy, free shipping and discount. The Pareto chart main has the advantage to classify the selected features by their relevance. We found that emotional features are more relevant than technical ones. Among the features we took into account, three alone (discount, free shipping and ease of use) determine about 70% of the user perceived web quality for e-commerce. Our results have significant practical implication for managers involved in online business in order to better allocate resources to the most critical factors.
Testing CGR against High Redshift Observations

Several key relations are derived for Cosmological General Relativity which are used in standard observational cosmology. These include the luminosity distance, angular size, surface brightness and matter density. Luminosity distance and matter density relations are used to fit type Ia supernova (SNe Ia) data, giving consistent, well behaved fits over a broad range of redshifts 0.1 < z < 2. The best fit to the data for the local matter density parameter is Ωm = 0.0401±0.0199. Because Ωm is within the baryonic budget there is no need for any dark matter to account for the SNe Ia redshift luminosity data. From this local density it is determined that the redshift where the Universe expansion transitions from deceleration to acceleration is zt = 1.095 +0.264 −0.155. Because the fitted data covers the range of the predicted transition redshift zt, there is no need for any dark energy to account for the expansion rate transition. We conclude that the expansion is now accelerating and that the transition from a closed to an open Universe occurred about 8.54Gyr ago. The following is based on Hartnett and Oliveira 2007b.
Does Permissiveness Mediate the Relationship between Sexual Identity Exploration and Sexual Behavior

Sexual identity exploration has been shown to increase adolescents' and emerging adults' sexual behaviors. Holding highly permissive attitudes about sex is another factor that increases sexual behavior. This study surveyed (N= 301) 18-29 year olds’ sexual attitudes to investigate whether permissiveness mediates the relationship between sexual identity exploration and sex acts. Anal and vaginal sex acts were measured with the 30-Day Timeline Followback. Results indicated a negative relationship between sexual identity exploration and sex acts. Results also indicated positive relationships between sexual identity exploration and permissiveness; as well as, permissiveness and sex acts. Findings support that permissiveness accounts for some of the relationship between sexual identity exploration and sex acts but did not significantly show a mediation effect. Therefore, there are other factors that influence the sexual behaviors of those who experiment outside of same-gender sexual relationships. IDENTITY, PERMISSIVENESS, & SEX 3
Synthesis and Characterization of Reduced Graphene Oxide/ Polyaniline/Au Nanoparticles Hybrid Material for Energy Applications

In this work, synthesis and characterization of reduced graphene oxide/polyaniline/Au nanoparticles (GO/PANI/NpAu) as a hybrid capacitor are presented. Graphite oxide (GO) was synthesized by a modified Hummer’s method. Polyaniline was synthesized by chemical polymerization, and Au nanoparticles (NpAu) were added afterward. Fabrication of the electrodes consisted on the hybrid materials being deposited on carbon cloth electrodes. The chemical and structural properties of the electrode were characterized by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (X-R), and Raman spectroscopy; the results confirm the graphene reduction, the covalent functionalization, and formation of nanocomposites and also show the polyaniline grafted graphene. The performance and evaluation of the electrodes based on grapheme oxide (GO), polyaniline (PANI), GO-PANI, and GO/PANI/NpAu nanocomposites over carbon cloth, stainless steel, and copper have been obtained in 1 M H 2 SO 4 solution, using electrochemical techniques namely: cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). They showed that GO/PANI/NpAu gave higher specific capacitance (SC) and energy values than PANI, and GO/PANI, in the order of 160 F/g. The present study introduces new hybrid material for energy applications, from the evaluation of their electrical contributions.
Shear and Flexural Strengthening of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Titanium Alloy Bars

Many older reinforced concrete (RC) structures are identified as deficient in flexure and/or shear when applying modern design standards for their evaluation. The deficiencies most often are due to inadequate amounts of reinforcing steel and/or poor reinforcing details. To prevent the need for expensive replacements it is desirable to extend their service life by strengthening them. Strengthening approaches must be both structurally efficient and cost-effective. Titanium alloy bars (TiABs) offer a new opportunity to strengthen such existing structures that has not previously been investigated, due primarily to the perception of high cost. However, titanium’s combination of strength, ductility, durability, and ability to form mechanical anchorages are essential characteristics for effective repair and retrofit applications and are advantageous over competing materials such as steel and fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) products. Round TiABs with unique deformation patterns were specially developed for strengthening RC griders. Research using the TiABs to strengthen RC bridge girders in both flexure and shear was undertaken in the laboratory through full-scale tests. Realistic girder specimens were constructed, instrumented, and tested to failure. The specimens mimicked the in situ materials, loading interactions, and geometry of typical mid-20th century reinforced concrete deck girder bridges that were widely used in the US. The details and proportions of these structures are similar to others around the world. Using the findings, the flexural strengthening techniques were applied to a bridge overcrossing of a major interstate highway in the US. This first ever application of titanium alloy bars to a reinforced concrete bridge was completed at a 30% cost savings compared to alternative designs.