Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differentiation strategy of phamaceutical companies manufacturing human medicine in Kenya

Pharmaceutical industry in Kenya consists of manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Strategy is the direction and scope of the organization over the long term, which achieves advantage for the organization through its configuration of resources within a changing environment to meet the needs of markets and to fulfill stakeholder expectations. Differentiation is a strategy whereby firms attempt to gain a competitive advantage by increasing the perceived value of their products and services. The objective of the study was to determine the differentiation strategies adopted by the Pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in Kenya. The research design was a descriptive survey. The population of the study was the 26 licensed Pharmaceutical Companies Manufacturing Human Medicine in Kenya. Data was collected using a standardized questionnaire with drop and pick method. The study found out that that majority of the companies use selling and promoting standardize products, provide to all with customer made products, go direct to the end user and select advertising media as promotion strategies. Introducing multiple brands to meet unique needs of a given market, introducing a product to people as well as introducing a brand to meet specific needs of a given market; are the marketing strategies used by majority of the Pharmaceutical manufacturing Companies in Kenya. From the findings, providing packages that are easier to handle was used as a production strategy. The study further found out that majority of the companies provides delivery services to customers as a service strategy; while strong sales team to sell products to customers; employing a highly qualified sales team is used as a personnel strategy. In recommendation, there is a need for the companies to strengthen other marketing strategies -like introducing a brand to meet specific needs of a given market and introducing a product to people, to have a proper and reliable market as well as adopting the strategy of producing original drugs for competitiveness in the market.
Assessment of the influence of the temperature in the microwave-assisted alkaline delignification of vine shoots

The limitation of the fossil-resources has led the research to focus on the production of biomass-based fuels from lignocellulosic agricultural residues, as it is the case of the bio-ethanol. Due to the complex and heterogeneous structure of these residues, a delignification stage is usually necessary prior to a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation treatment (SSF) for the production of bio-ethanol. In a previous work, an alkaline delignification of hydrothermally pretreated vine shoots using conventional heating was carried out in order to obtain a solid residue with low lignin and hemicellulosic content, which could be further subjected to a SSF treatment. However, when this biorefinery scheme was evaluated by a Life Cycle Assessment it was observed that the energy and chemical requirements of the delignification stage needed to be reduced. Therefore, in this work the assistance of the alkaline delignification stage by microwave was studied. The treatments were carried out at different temperatures, in order to study its influence on the lignin removal. It was observed that the microwave assistance could permit the improvement of the delignification treatments not only by increasing the delignification yield but also by reducing the temperature, time and NaOH concentration used in the treatments. The strong influence of the temperature on the chemical composition, structure and crystallinity of the delignified solids was also appreciated during this study. The solid residues obtained under the most severe conditions of the microwave-assisted alkaline delignification treatment (125 °C) could be a promising solid for the employment in a SSF treatment due to its low lignin and hemicellulosic content (16.68 % and 0.01 % respectively) and its high glucan content (50.75 %), although it presented a higher crystallinity index than the hydrothermally pretreated vine shoots.
Biochemical changes in Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): A study in Nepalese Population

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the most common liver problem in the western world and is a clinicopathologic entity increasingly recognized as a major health burden in developed countries. Different laboratory tests are extremely useful in achieving a better understanding of diseases, and thereby, allow making decision for better management. The examination of different biochemical parameters usually provides excellent clues to the cause of the disease. The present study was conducted with the aim to assess the biochemical markers in Non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients in Nepalese population. Methods: The biochemical parameters were investigated in 75 NAFLD patients, and 70 normal participants. The diagnosis of hepatic steatosis was established by abdominal ultrasound examination. All patients diagnosed as NAFLD were investigated for biochemical parameters and see the relationship between NAFLD and control was studied. Results: The findings of all biochemical parameters were raised in NAFLD patients in comparison with non-fatty liver control group and the differences were found to be statistically (P value less than 0.005) significant. Conclusions: NAFLD is associated with changes in biochemical parameters in cases of NAFLD. Its early detection will help in modifying the disease course, delaying complications and will also play a major role in preventive cardiology. Ann. Clin. Chem. Lab. Med. 2016:2(2);15-20
Analysis of genetic diversity of Centella asiatica using SSR markers

Genetic diversity represents the heritable variation within and between populations of organisms. A better understanding of genetic diversity and its distribution is essential for its conservation and use. In this study the genetic diversity analysis was performed in 30 accessions of Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. using 10 SSR markers. C. asiatica is a tropical medicinal plant from Apiaceae family native to Southeast Asian countries. It is among the top herbs in the category of anti-aging and CNS drugs used worldwide. The whole plant and aerial parts are used widely in traditional and alternative medicines due to its ample pharmacological activities. The molecular screening through microsatellite markers showed low polymorphism (0.019) between the samples analyzed. Further studies, including the effect of environmental factors, genetic composition or possibility of inbreeding, are required to analyze the probable reason for the low variability exists in the species.Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 6(2): 103-109
Parametrizing the horizontal inhomogeneity of ice water content using CloudSat data products

In order to calculate unbiased microphysical and radiative quantities in the presence of a cloud, it is necessary to know not only the mean water content but also the distribution of this water content. This article describes a study of the in‐cloud horizontal inhomogeneity of ice water content, based on CloudSat data. In particular, by focusing on the relations with variables that are already available in general circulation models (GCMs), a parametrization of inhomogeneity that is suitable for inclusion in GCM simulations is developed. Inhomogeneity is defined in terms of the fractional standard deviation (FSD), which is given by the standard deviation divided by the mean. The FSD of ice water content is found to increase with the horizontal scale over which it is calculated and also with the thickness of the layer. The connection to cloud fraction is more complicated; for small cloud fractions FSD increases as cloud fraction increases while FSD decreases sharply for overcast scenes. The relations to horizontal scale, layer thickness and cloud fraction are parametrized in a relatively simple equation. The performance of this parametrization is tested on an independent set of CloudSat data. The parametrization is shown to be a significant improvement on the assumption of a single‐valued global FSD. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society and British Crown Copyright, the Met Office
Estimation of Low-Level Wind Structures in a Tornado-like Vortex

The last few decades have seen major breakthroughs in the understanding of severe storms, resulting both from improved modeling capabilities and observational field work. One remaining frontier is the tornadic vortex, especially a quantitative understanding of the lowest few hundred meters above the ground. Researchers have published many articles (e.g. Bluestein et al (2004), Bluestein et al (2007)) detailing observations of storm and tornado scale features using moderate and fine scale resolution mobile radars. However, mobile radar platforms have failed to observe features near ground level that theoretical considerations imply should exist, such as the corner flow and inflow regions of the tornado. This work outlines a method of estimating wind structures in the absence of data at low levels that assumes a regular structure in the tangential component of the tornado’s wind velocity field and simplified dynamics for the wind fields, and shows the results of tests in an observing system simulation experiment (OSSE).
Minutiae Distances and Orientation Fields Based Thumbprint Identification of Identical Twins

The twins are classified into two categories namely fraternal and identical twins. Fraternal twins differ in face structures and DNA sequences but, identical twins have the same face structure and share same DNA sequence. Therefore, it is difficult to identify identical twins on the basis of their faces and DNA sequences. In this research paper, we have introduced a new approach for identifying identical twins on the basis of minutiae coordinates, orientation angles, and minutiae distances of their thumbprint images. We tested the proposed method on thumbprint images of an identical twin pair generated by using Incept H3 T&A Terminal and fifty pairs of identical twins of FVC04, and FVC06 datasets. We have found that the proposed approach is superior, and robust in comparison to existing techniques in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and storage space.
Art for art’s Sake in the old Stone Age

Is there a sensible version of the slogan “Art for art’s sake”? If there is, does it apply to anything? I believe that the answers to these questions are Yes and Yes. A positive answer to the first question alone would not be of interest; an intelligible claim without application does not do us much good. It’s the positive answer to the second question which is, I think, more important and perhaps surprising, since I claim to find art for art’s sake at a time well before most authorities would allow that there was any art at all.
Nutrients in the aboveground biomass of substitute tree species stand with respect to thinning - blue spruce (Picea pungens Engelm.)

The present paper is the first contribution from the biomass quantification series which is realized by Forestry and Game Management Research Institute in the Krusne hory Mts. (Northern Bohemia). This study is aimed at blue spruce substitute stands. Research was done within the blue spruce experiment Flaje II in the Krusne hory Mts. (800 m above sea level in the spruce forest vegetation zone, acidic category). Results showed that the aboveground biomass of the investigated substitute blue spruce stand without thin - ning amounted to approximately 56 thousand kg of dry matter per ha at the age of 22 years. Wood and bark of branches are the most important parts of the aboveground biomass (ca 40%). Needles and stem wood accounted for approximately 26 and 28% and stem bark only for 6%. At the age of 22 years, the investigated substitute blue spruce stand accumulated: N - 336 kg, P - 28 kg, K - 138 kg, Ca - 159 Mg - 28 kg per hectare. Thinning with the consequent removal of aboveground biomass (54% of trees, 40% of basal area at the age of 16 years) represented a loss of ca 8.7 thousand kg/ha of total biomass, which contained 53 kg of N, 5 kg of P, 22 kg of K, 26 kg of Ca and 4 kg of Mg. The removal of biomass in areas previously degraded by acid deposition may result in the deficiency of Ca and Mg because of their low content in forest soil. On the other hand, thinning supported the faster growth of trees left after thinning and consequently faster biomass and nutrient accumulation.
SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS OF STEEL FIBRE REINFORCED CONCRETE SLABS

Fibre reinforced concrete has been used in concrete structures without any additional reinforcement when the design is determined by transient load stages (e.g. precast segments for tunnels), in elements with favourable boundary conditions or structures subjected to low load levels (e.g. pavements or pipes). The material has been more recently applied as the primary reinforcement in elements subjected to higher load levels such as slabs. As a result of the experience gained in this type of application the American Concrete Institute (ACI) has published a report on the design and construction of steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) elevated slabs. Despite these advances, in some cases fibres have not been used as primary reinforcement in concrete slabs due to economic reasons. However, in most cases the comparison of this solution with other alternatives such as traditional reinforcement has been made considering only direct material costs disregarding indirect costs, social and environmental factors. Considering the above, the aim of this study is to present a method to evaluate the sustainability of concrete slabs by means of the multi-criteria decision making approach for assessing sustainability MIVES.
Overexpression of BrSAC1 encoding a phosphoinositide phosphatase isolated from Chinese cabbage ( Brassica rapa L) improved tolerance to cold, dehydration, and salt stresses in transgenic tobacco

This study demonstrates the isolation and characterization of cDNA encoding a phosphoinositide phosphatase (PIP) from a stem cell cDNA library of Chinese cabbage ( Brassica rapa ) seedling. The full length gene ( BrSAC1 ; GenBank accession no., GU434275) contained 1999 base pairs (bp), with an open reading frame of 1785 bp, encoding a polypeptide of 594 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 65 kDa, including a putative N-terminal signal peptide (the signal peptide counted within the 594 residues). Other regions found within the sequence include a conserved KXKXX COPI-binding motif and a consensus Cx5R (T/S) catalytic motif. BrSAC1 protein shares 92% identity with AtSac1B, and 86% identity with AtRHD4 at the amino acid level. Gene expression analyses revealed that BrsSAC1 was constitutively expressed at high levels in the pistil, stamen and flower bud, whereas it was expressed at low levels in the leaf and stem. In addition to injury, BrSAC1 expression was also induced in response to different types of stress condition, namely cold, desiccation, salt, submergence, abscisic acid and heavy metals. Overexpression of BrSAC1 in transgenic tobacco conferred tolerance to cold, dehydration, and salt stress at the seed germination/seedling stage as reflected by the percentage of germination/green seedlings, the fresh weight of seedlings and their development pattern. Our data suggest that BrSAC1 is an important stress response determinant in plants. Keywords: Abiotic stress, Brassica rapa , phosphoinositide phosphatase, transgenic plant African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(15), pp. 1782-1792
Natural disturbance dynamics in the boreal forests of European Russia : a review

In the European part of the Russian boreal zone the dynamics of pristine forests (taiga) has been studied by several generations of researchers. Many studies have examined the patterns and role of fi re, windthrow, insect outbreaks and other natural disturbances. An attempt is made to provide a brief review of these studies. The reviewed studies show that lightning strikes were the only natural source of fi res in taiga. The frequency of fi res varied in various types of pristine landscape from 1–2 per century to 1–2 per millennium. Fires maintained a dynamic equilibrium between compositionally different forest communities or their certain ratio and areal occurrence. Fires favored the regeneration and recovery of pine forests and prevented the replacement of shade-intolerant species (e.g. pine) by shade-tolerant ones (e.g. spruce). Taiga forests generally displayed a mosaic pattern that varied from pioneer plant communities, growing in open burns, to climax communities that were extremely seldom affected by fi re. The reviewed studies suggest that fi res were a powerful ecological factor in pristine taiga, being largely responsible for the structure and spontaneous dynamics of forest communities. Windfalls were also common in pristine taiga landscapes and they regulated spontaneous dynamics in a gap-mosaic regime, which is most characteristic of spruce forests.
The Effect of the Global Financial Crisis on the Level of Accounting Conservatism in Commercial Banks: Evidence from Jordan

This paper intends to investigate whether the financial crisis (2008) exerted an impact on the level of accounting conservatism in the case of Jordanian commercial banks before and during the financial crisis. The sample of this study includes 78 observations; these observations are based on the financial statements of all commercial banks in Jordan and may be referred to as cross-sectional data, whereas the period from 2005 to 2011 represents a range of years characterized by time series data. The appropriate regression model to measure the relationship between cross-sectional data and time series data is in this case the pooled data regression (PDR) using the ordinary least squares (OLS) method. The results indicate that the level of accounting conservatism had been steadily increasing over a period of three years from 2005 to 2007. The results also indicate that the level of accounting conservatism was subjected to an increase during crisis period between 2009 and 2011 compared with the level of accounting conservatism for the period 2005-2007 preceding the global financial crisis. The F-test was used in order to test the significant differences between the regression coefficients for the period before and during the global financial crisis. The results indicate a positive impact on the accounting conservatism during the global financial crisis compared with the period before the global financial crisis. The p-value is 0.040 which indicates that there are statistically significant differences between the two periods; these results are consistent with the results in Sampaio (2015).
Comportement mécanique et caractérisation par implant piézoélectrique ultrasonore intégré d'un matériau composite

Ce travail de these porte sur le controle de sante integre par emission acoustique desmateriaux composites stratifies et sandwichs. Le capteur d’EA est d’une part implante dans lamasse du materiau et d’autre part colle a la surface de ce dernier. Une premiere etude estconsacree a l’etude de l’influence de l’implant piezoelectrique dans le volume du materiau surle comportement et les caracteristiques mecaniques en statiques, en fatigue cyclique et enfluage sous sollicitations en traction et en flexion. Les signaux d’emission acoustique sontcollectes au cours des essais sur les differents materiaux. Les mecanismes d’endommagementde chaque materiau sont identifies et caracterises en utilisant une analyse multiparametrique(k-moyennes) des signaux collectes. La dynamique de chaque mecanisme est suivie jusqu’a larupture permettant de discriminer les mecanismes les plus critiques conduisant a la rupture dumateriau. Une etude comparative des signaux d’EA entre materiau instrumente en surface etcelui instrumente en volume avec insertion d’element piezoelectrique est egalement menee.Elle a montre que les materiaux avec capteurs integres sont plus sensibles a l’emissionacoustique, ameliorant ainsi l’identification des mecanismes d’endommagement et le controlede sante integre des materiaux composites etudies. Enfin, la derniere partie du travail a eteconsacree a l’etude de l’influence de l’integration de plusieurs capteurs dans des structures encomposites stratifies et sandwichs. L’analyse des resultats experimentaux et l’observation dessignaux d’EA obtenus dans ces structures soumises a differentes sollicitations ont permis dedefinir les principaux signatures acoustiques des differents modes d’endommagementpreponderants dans chaque type de structure. La localisation des sources d’endommagement amis en evidence que les evenements acoustiques sont apparus loin des positions des capteursintegres. De point de vue comparaison entre materiau instrumente et materiau noninstrumente, l’activite acoustique montre clairement l’avantage de l’integration del’instrumentation au sein du composite. Cet avantage reside dans le fait de la detectionexperimentale des modes d’endommagement precoces et leur chronologie d’apparition,faisant ainsi reveler les performances du composite instrumente vis-a-vis a sa reponse enversl’initiation, la propagation et l’accumulation des defauts microscopiques.
VARIABILITY AMONG ISOLATES OF RHIZOCTONIA SOLANI INFECTING MUNGBEAN

A total of 108 isolates of R. solani from diseased Vigna radiata samples collected from various locations in Madhya Pradesh, India, were classified into 9 groups designated as I1-I9 based on morphological characteristics. They showed variation in their rate and type of growth, colony colour and time taken for sclerotial production in vitro. Sclerotia were not formed in I3, I6 and I9. Isolate I1 was binucleate while isolates I2-I9 were multinucleate. No anastomosis was observed among the I2-I9 isolates. All isolates were pathogenic. Isolate I3 was the most virulent and caused seed and collar rot as well as leaf blight in V. radiata cv. Pusa Baisakhi.
Calorimetric Studies of Powder Additions to Mitigate Excessive Retardation in High Volume Fly Ash Mixtures | NIST

While high volume fly ash (HVFA) concrete mixtures are attractive from a sustainability viewpoint, they are sometimes plagued by long delays in finishing, producing a performance that is unacceptable to contractors. In this paper, isothermal calorimetry studies are conducted to examine excessive retardation in HVFA mixtures based on both class C and class F fly ashes. In addition to quantifying the retardation, the calorimetric curves are also used to evaluate the performance of mitigation strategies based on various powder additions. Powder additions examined in the present study include an aluminum hydrate, calcium hydroxide, cement kiln dust, condensed silica fume, limestone, and a rapid set cement. The additions of either 5 % calcium hydroxide or 10 % of the rapid set cement by mass of total solids are observed to provide significant reductions in the retardation measured in mixtures based on either class of fly ash. These two materials may provide viable solutions, extending the utilization of HVFA mixtures in practice.