Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Construction of an RNase P Ribozyme Library System for Functional Genomics Applications

An RNase P ribozyme library has been developed as a tool for functional genomics studies. Each clone of this library contains a random 18-mer and the sequence of M1 RNA, the catalytic subunit of RNase P. Repression of target gene expression is thus achieved by the complementary binding of mRNA to the random guide sequence and the successive target cleavage via M1 RNA. Cellular expression of the ribozyme expression was confirmed, and EGFP mRNA was used as a model to demonstrate that the RNase P ribozyme expression system can inhibit the target gene expression. The constructed RNase P ribozyme library has a complexity of . This novel library system should become a useful in functional genomics, to identify novel gene functions in mammalian cells.
Ethnic Fermented Food Products of Nagaland, India

Ethnic food fermentation process forms one of the oldest methods of food preparation and preservation which not only increases the shelf life of the food but have benefits of improving the physiochemical characteristics and nutritional quality. The major objective of this study was to document indigenous knowledge of ethnic people of Nagaland on production of some of the popularly consumed fermented food products, analyse the nutritional value and to isolate, characterise and identify the dominant microorganisms of five fermented food products viz, axone/akhuni, anishi, hungrii, rhujuk/bastanga and tsutuocie. A total of 25 samples of axone/akhuni, anishi, hungrii, rhujuk/bastanga and tsutuocie were analyzed for the microbial population. On the basis of a combination of phenotypic and genotypic characterization, Bacillus species was found to be the most dominant microorganism in most of the foods. Axone/akhuni and tsutuocie were found to be alkaline in nature with a pH of 8.0 and 8.2. Anishi and hungrii had lower pH of 5.8 and 5.2, whereas Rhujuk/bastanga was acidic (4.7). The protein content in axone, anishi, hungrii and rhujuk were in the range of 42-38.9g/100g, whereas the protein content in tsutuocie was found to be as low as 3.2g/100g. The crude fibre content in anishi was found to be higher compared to the other fermented products. Of the five fermented food products it was observed that rhujuk had the highest level of phenolic content, followed by hungrii, anishi and axone, while lowest was in tsutuocie.The total flavonoid content in anishi was highest, followed by hungrii, axone and rhujuk whereas lowest was in tsutuocie. Maximum antioxidant activity was recorded in anishi, followed by hungrii, rhujuk and axone. Lowest antioxidant activity was recorded in tsutuocie.
Parent perceptions of routine growth monitoring: A scoping review.

Background Despite being a well-accepted part of paediatric care, little is known about the benefits or potential harms of routine growth monitoring (RGM) from a parent's perspective. Objective To explore parental experiences with RGM. Methods Literature searches were performed on Google Scholar, psycINFO, CINAHL, and PubMed. Included studies were published after 2000 and described parental comprehension, preferences, attitudes toward, and/or behaviour change related to RGM. Results Of 24 reviewed studies, four themes were identified: reliance on growth monitoring, understanding, influence on feeding and behaviour, and response to obesity-related classification. RGM was familiar but not strongly preferred to identify a child's weight status. Parental understanding of RGM was poor, particularly among parents with low socioeconomic status. A common belief was that heavier babies were healthier, while smaller babies should prompt concern. Parents may be anxious and change behaviour in response to RGM, such as by halting breastfeeding, supplementing, or restricting their child's diet. Parents frequently discounted RGM information when their child was identified as overweight, and expressed concerns about self-esteem and eating disorders. Conclusion This scoping review identifies that although RGM is familiar and sometimes reassuring to parents, increased consideration should be given to potential harms from parental perspectives when conducting growth monitoring.
The Virus of Fear: The Political Impact of Ebola in the U.S

We study how fear can affect the behavior of voters and politicians by looking at the Ebola scare that hit the U.S. a month before the 2014 midterm elections. Exploiting the timing and location of the four cases diagnosed in the U.S., we show that heightened concern about Ebola, as measured by online activity, led to a lower vote share for the Democrats in congressional and gubernatorial elections, as well as lower turnout, despite no evidence of a general anti-incumbent effect (including on President Obama's approval ratings). We then show that politicians responded to the Ebola scare by mentioning the disease in connection with immigration and terrorism in newsletters and campaign ads. This response came only from Republicans, especially those facing competitive races, suggesting a strategic use of the issue in conjunction with topics perceived as favorable to them. Survey evidence suggests that voters responded with increasingly conservative attitudes on immigration but not on other ideologically-charged issues. Taken together, our findings indicate that emotional reactions associated with fear can have a strong electoral impact, that politicians perceive and act strategically in response to this, and that the process is mediated by issues that can be plausibly associated with the specific fear-triggering factor.
Research observation : Hydrolyzable and condensed tannins in plants of northwest Spain forests

Tannins are secondary metabolites that may influence feeding by mammals on plants. We analyzed hydrolyzable and condensed tannins in 30 plant species consumed by livestock and deer, as a preliminary attempt to study their possible implications on browsing and grazing in forest ecosystems. Heathers (Ericaceae) and plants of the Rose (Rosaceae) family had tannins, while forbs, grasses and shrubs other than the heathers did not show astringency properties. We found the highest tannin content of all the species in Rubus sp. , with the highest value around 180 mg TAE/g dry weight in spring. Potentilla erecta, Alnus glutinosa and Quercus robur were next with 57 to 44 mg TAE/g dw. Total tannins in heathers ranged from 22 to 36 mg TAE/g dw. Levels of condensed tannins were higher than hydrolyzable for most of the species. Only Betula alba, Calluna vulgaris, Pteridium aquilinum and Vaccinium myrtillus had 100% hydrolyzable tannins. Tannin content of the species changed seasonally with highest values during the growing season, corresponding to late winter or early spring, depending on the species.
Impact of accountability on voluntary tax compliance through influencing taxpayers’ public trust: a case study

Nowadays, being accountable or having effective accountability mechanisms is essential for success of any organization. This study aims at investigating the impact of tax system’s accountability on improving taxpayers’ voluntary tax compliance in tax offices in Mazandaran province of Iran. In the present study, a mixed research method is employed and as accountability is here taken as ‘responsiveness’, the Delphi technique is first used to identify the legitimate expectations and demands of the taxpayers. In the second step, 4 types of accountability mechanisms are identified as the components of overall accountability. In the third step, using partial least squares path modeling via Smart PLS software, the impact of tax system's accountability on public trust as well as the impact of public trust on voluntary tax compliance is tested. The variables of the research are also analyzed employing one-sample t - test . The obtained results indicate that tax system's accountability affects voluntary tax compliance through affecting taxpayers’ public trust. Furthermore, in the case that the political accountability is not at the optimal level, the optimality of managerial and legal accountability does not have a significant impact on voluntary tax compliance. Finally, it is suggested that in order to achieve an overall accountability, more attention should be paid to the mechanisms of political accountability in the political sector and social accountability in both the political and administrative sectors of the tax system.
The polymorphisms and the activity of paraoxonase 1 and the risk of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Paraoxonases (PON) are proteins which are coded by the three paraoxonase genes located on the chromosome 7. The main role of paraoxonases is protection against oxidative stress. PON1 can also hydrolyze toxic organophosphates. The PON1 paraoxonase and arylesteraze activities, which represent their ability to hydrolyze organophosphate toxins, are modified by different environmental and toxic factors as well as by the PON1 gene polymorphisms. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of the selected polymorphisms of the PON1 and PON2 genes and PON1 enzymatic activity on the risk of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is a neurodegenerative disease. The genotyping was investigated in 261 patients with ALS and in 715 healthy controls. The PON1 activity due to paraoxon was investigated in 63 ALS patients and 57 controls, and due to phenyl acetate in 62 ALS patients and 57 controls. Genotyping were performed by the PCR and restrictive enzymes digestions and by the real time-PCR method. The PON1 activity due to paraoxon and phenyl acetate was studied spectrofotometrically. The study revealed that the RR genotype of the Q192R polymorphism of the PON1 gene and the genotype with the allele C (CC+CS) of the C311S polymorphism of the PON2 gene were independent risk factors of ALS. The study did not show any difference in PON1 activities due to paraoxon and phenyl acetate between the ALS cases and controls. It was showed that the PON1 activities were not due to disease duration. However, it was shown that the PON1 activities due to both substrates was determined by the L55M and Q192R polymorphisms.
MacClade 4: analysis of phy-logeny and character evolution

MacClade is a computer program, with accompanying manual, that provides theory and tools for the graphic and interactive analysis of molecular and morphological data, phylogeny, and character evolution. Systematists and other evolutionary biologists can use its flexible tools to analyse phylogeny and character evolution, yet its ease of use allows beginning students to grasp phylogenetic principles in an interactive environment.
Introduction to Agronomy: Food, Crops, and Environment

Chapter 1 - History of Agriculture Chapter 2 - Agriculture Today Chapter 3 - Classifying and Naming Crops Chapter 4 - Food from Plants Chapter 5 - Chemistry of Food and Plants Chapter 6 - Plant Anatomy and Morphology Chapter 7 - Plant Physiology and Growth Chapter 8 - Improving Plants Chapter 9 - Environment Chapter 10 - Agroecosystems Chapter 11 - Soils Chapter 12 - Cropping Systems Chapter 13 - Tillage and Crop Establishment Chapter 14 - Weeds Chapter 15 - Plant Disease and Insects Chapter 16 - Harvesting Chapter 17 - Crop Profiles: Grasses Chapter 18 - Crop Profiles: Legumes Chapter 19 - Crop Profiles: Other Crops Chapter 20 - Feeding the World Appendix I - Scientific and Common Names Appendix II - Metric Conversion Chart Appendix III - Bushel Weights
LaCO3OH Nanoprisms and Their Luminescence and NO Reduction Properties

In this work, single-crystalline large-scale LaCO3OH nanoprism morphologies were synthesized by controlling La and Ca molar ratio and the hydrothermal reaction conditions. The nanoprism morphologies of LaCO3OH were unique in nature with a sharp corner and smooth surfaces. The hydrothermal reaction was carried out in the absence of organic additives or templates and (NH4)2CO3 was used as a precipitation agent. The molar ratio of La:Ca was varied over the following values (the sample shorthand is given in parentheses): 75:25 mol% (LC-1), 50:50 mol% (LC-2), and 25:75 mol% (LC-3). Phase-pure LaCO3OH nanoprisms formed at a La:Ca molar ratio of 75:25 mol% without any assistance of catalysts or template. The photoluminescence (PL) properties of the as-synthesized powders showed one broad emission band centered at 394 nm after excitation of the pure LC-3 LaCO3OH nanoprisms at λ = 280 nm. The PL intensities were decreased in the order of LC-1 < LC-2< LC-3. The LC-1 and LC-2 samples had almost the same PL intensities probably due to their unique and smooth particle morphology. The calcination result of three samples treated for two hours at 800 °C, shows a reduction in NO activities over highly distributed CaO comprising La2O3. Further, under the presence of H2O and O2 vapor, CaO comprising La2O3 catalysts shows higher stability for the reduction of NO with CH4.
Transcriptome-based validation of proper reference genes for reverse trascription quantitative PCR analysis of Sinocalycanthus chinensis

Reverse transcription quantitative PCR is a widely used method to detect gene expressions. To obtain accurate expression results, the selection of proper reference genes is important and necessary. However, related works concerning reference gene selection have not been carried on many plant species, especially endangered ones. The aim of the present study was to select dependable reference genes for expression normalization of an endangered plant species with medicinal and ornamental value: Sinocalycanthus chinensis (Calycanthaceae). Nine reference genes with stable expressions were chosen for further analysis according to transcriptomic sequencing data from S. chinensis. The expression stability of these candidate genes in inner and outer petals at different floral developmental stages and in many different tissues was then analyzed with the geNorm and NormFinder software. The reference genes were evaluated by normalizing the expression of the anthocyanidin synthase gene in the outer and inner petals at different floral developmental stages to further verify the expression stability of these genes. Elongation factor 1-alpha (ScEF) and 50S ribosomal protein L27 were found to be the two most stable genes in the overall ranking of all the samples and different tissues. Furthermore, ScEF and protein phosphatase 2A were stably expressed in all petal samples. Moreover, among the nine candidate reference genes, phosphoglycerate kinase performed poorly in all sample sets. Our results will help to obtain reliable expression data in molecular studies of S. chinensis.
Urban Electric Vehicle Fast-Charging Demand Forecasting Model Based on Data-Driven Approach and Human Decision-Making Behavior

Electric vehicles (EVs) have attracted growing attention in recent years. However, most existing research has not utilized actual traffic data and has not considered real psychological decision-making of owners in analyzing the charging demand. On this basis, an urban EV fast-charging demand forecasting model based on a data-driven approach and human decision-making behavior is presented in this paper. In this methodology, Didi ride-hailing order trajectory data are firstly taken as the original dataset. Through data mining and fusion technology, the regenerated data and rules of traffic operation are obtained. Then, the single EV model with driving and charging behavior parameters is established. Furthermore, a human behavior decision-making model based on Regret Theory is introduced, which comprises the utility of time consumption and charging cost to plan driving paths and recommend fast-charging stations for vehicles. The rules obtained from data mining together with established models are combined to construct the ‘Electric Vehicles–Power Grid–Traffic Network’ fusion architecture. At last, the actual urban traffic network in Nanjing is selected as an example to design the fast-charging demand load experiments in different scenarios. The results demonstrate that this proposed model is able to effectively predict the spatio-temporal distribution characteristics of urban fast-charging demands, and it more realistically simulates the decision-making psychology of owners’ charging behavior.
Comparison and Analysis of Measurement Methods of Total Factor Productivity

The traditional method of measuring TFP is mainly to use provincial or industrial data from the macro level. However, when estimating the total factor productivity of an enterprise, the traditional methods will produce endogenous problems, which will lead to inconsistencies in the estimation results. Through sorting out and comparing the advantages and disadvantages of the latest estimation methods of micro production function, the results show that: OP model and LP model of semi parametric method can solve the problems of simultaneous bias and sample selection bias; ACF model setting is more general than OP model; De Loecker model can solve the estimation of TFP in incomplete competitive market. Therefore, it is very important to choose a suitable TFP estimation method.
Prey utilisation and trophic overlap between the non native mosquitofish and a native fish in two Mediterranean rivers

Non native freshwater fish species have been long implicated in the decline of native Mediterranean ichthyofauna, through hybridization, disease transmission, competition for food and habitat, predation and/or ecosystem alteration; our knowledge, however, on the underlying mechanisms of these ecological impacts remains very limited. To explore the potential for trophic competition between the widespread Eastern mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki and its co-occurring native toothcarp Valencia letourneuxi we compared resource use, feeding strategies, trophic selectivities and diet niche overlap. For this purpose, we studied two populations of the two species from a freshwater and a brackish habitat respectively, characterized by different food resource availabilities. In both habitats, the mosquitofish consumed a greater diversity of invertebrates and preyed on terrestrial invertebrates more frequently than the native toothcarp. Furthermore, in the less diverse and less rich brackish habitat, the non native relied heavily on plant material to balance a decrease in animal prey consumption and modified its individual feeding strategy, whereas these adaptive changes were not apparent in the native species. Their diet overlapped, indicating trophic competition, but this overlap was affected by resource availability variation; in the freshwater habitat, there was limited overlap in their diet, whereas in the brackish habitat, their diets and prey selectivities converged and there was high overlap in resource use, indicative of intense interspecific trophic competition. Overall, it appears that the underlying mechanism of the putative negative impacts of the mosquitofish on the declining Corfu toothcarp is mainly trophic competition, regulated by resource variability, though there is also evidence of larvae predation by the mosquitofish.
Organizational Stress Indicators and Influence on Academic Performance in Private Universities among Academic Personnel

In the last several years, the Private universities in Malaysia have undergone a wide range of reconstruction and developed programme that has been increasing organizational stress experienced by academics. This study investigates to recognize and test the influence of organizational indicators of stress on the academic performance. The current research collected questionnaire via many cluster sampling techniques from 32 Malaysian private universities academic staff. Also, 190 completed questionnaires were analysed through SmartPLS software that has delivered the results based on measurement and structural model. Then outcomes show that workload is the first stress organizational indictors that has adverse effect on academic staff work performance. Likewise, ambiguity and conflict in roles are the secondary and thirdly stress indictors that negatively influence the academics’ performance in private universities respectively. This study suggests remarkable implications both theoretically and practically to complement the available literature toward the organizational stress indicators in academia context that contribute to academic staff performance. In addition, it enriches current administrators and policy makers of private universities in reducing the negative effects of stress predictors in organization and manage to increase academic staff performance.
Predicted distributions of avian specialists: A framework for conservation of endangered forests under future climates

Forested regions are of global importance for a multitude of ecosystem functions and services and are critical for biodiversity. Anthropogenic climate‐change compounds negative effects of land‐use change on forest persistence and forest‐dependent biodiversity. Habitat loss and climate change have an additive effect and drive species’ extinctions in similar ways, resulting in a homogenization of biodiversity. Connectivity is key in conservation planning for mitigating climate change effects and facilitating species’ abilities to disperse throughout remnant habitat and track their climate niches. We used three forest‐specialized and habitat‐specific bird species as focal species to understand avian connectivity and conservation of each of South Africa's three threatened forest classes, as each species is range‐restricted to its respective forest type.
The Possibilities and Limits of Participatory Theatre: Exploring Belonging and Resistance with Second-Generation Black and Muslim Dutch Youth in the Netherlands

Grounded in a collaborative theatre project with Black and Muslim second-generation Dutch youth in the Netherlands, this paper critically examines the use of participatory theatre as a method of knowledge production. Drawing on vignettes from the theatre project, I investigate the possibilities and limits of theatre as an embodied research method for practicing resistance to, and fostering public dialogue about, Islamophobia and racism. I argue that theatre can be a citizenship practice by prefiguring alternate futures, rehearsing resistance to oppression, and facilitating cross-racial and public dialogue.
Study on cosmogenic activation above ground for the DarkSide-20k project

The activation of materials due to the exposure to cosmic rays may become an important background source for experiments investigating rare event phenomena. DarkSide-20k is a direct detection experiment for galactic dark matter particles, using a two-phase liquid argon time projection chamber ﬁlled with 49.7 tonnes (active mass) of Underground Argon (UAr) depleted in 39 Ar. Here, the cosmogenic activity of relevant long-lived radioisotopes induced in the argon and other massive components of the set-up has been estimated; production of 120 t of radiopure UAr is foreseen. The expected exposure above ground and production rates, either measured or calculated, have been considered. From the simulated counting rates in the detector due to cosmogenic isotopes, it is concluded that activation in copper and stainless steel is not problematic. Activation of titanium, considered in early designs but not used in the ﬁnal design, is discussed. The activity of 39 Ar induced during extraction, puriﬁcation and transport on surface, in baseline conditions, is evaluated to be 2.8% of the activity measured in UAr from the same source, and thus considered acceptable. Other products in the UAr such as 37 Ar and 3 H are shown to not be relevant due to short half-life and assumed puriﬁcation methods.