Digital Commons Network^™

The Possibility Of Achieving Sustainable Agricultural Development In Iraq, Omar Hameed Majeed

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Purpose – The research aims to introduce sustainable agricultural development and the possibility of its application in the Iraqi agricultural sector by setting a proposed plan by which to overcome obstacles and then advance the reality of the agricultural sector in Iraq and the fact that the process of achieving agricultural development in the Iraqi agricultural sector today has become more sophisticated and more distant than before. The study adopted the descriptive analytical approach based on the principles of economic theory to clarify the shortcomings in the process of harmony between the three main elements of sustainable agricultural development, which …

Influence Of Determinants Of Investor Behavior In Making Investment Decision “Research Applied In The Market Iraq Stock Exchange”, Basema Hazem Mohamed, Walaa Ismael Alnassar

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

The investment decision, a critical decision for each investor as it involves risks and uncertain returns, so investors should avoid cases of uncertainty associated with the final decisions they are involved, and the problem of research in individual differences and differences in the behavior of individual investors and reflect the impact of this investment decision in the Iraqi market for securities. Therefore, the research aims to understand and analyze the impact of determinants of investor behavior as an independent variable in investment decision-making as a dependent variable in the Iraqi market for securities, and the research started from two main …

The Transcript Profile Changes With Developmental Maturation Of Fetal Lung Type 2 Cells: An Analysis Of Rnaseq Data, Heber C. Nielsen, Volodymyr Orlov, Rebecca Holsapple, Monnie Mcgee

SMU Data Science Review

In this paper, we utilize next-generation sequencing (NGS) data from the LungMap project to identify and characterize the developmental RNA transcriptome in alveolar epithelial type II cells of embryonic mouse lungs of gestational ages embryonic days 16 (E16) and 18 (E18). Late gestation lung cellular maturation is necessary for survival at birth. Using R and the BioConductor packages for RNAseq analysis, we analyze changes in the mouse lung RNA transcriptome as this maturation process takes place. We particularly identify the cluster of genes whose expression changes markedly between immature (E16) and mature (E18) lungs which can be used to define …

Forecasting Power Consumption In Pennsylvania During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Sarimax Model With External Covid-19 And Unemployment Variables, Jackson Au, Javier Saldaña Jr., Ben Spanswick, John Santerre

SMU Data Science Review

In this paper, we present how electrical consumption can reveal insight into the novel COVID-19 pandemic spread. We analyze electrical power consumption provided by PPL Electric Utilities, Department of Labor’s unemployment claims, and the COVID-19 cases/deaths for the State of Pennsylvania to study the impact of the pandemic on the infrastructure. Using a SARIMA model as our benchmark and we analyzed the use of a SARIMAX model to forecast the power consumption in Pennsylvania 14 days ahead. Our work quantifies and illuminates the effect that the strict legislation passed to minimize the spread of COVID19 had a on power consumption. …

Compressed Dna Representation For Efficient Amr Classification, John Partee, Robert Hazell, Anjli Solsi, John Santerre

SMU Data Science Review

In this paper, we explore a representation methodology for the compression of DNA isolates. Using lossless string compression via tokenization of frequently repeated segments of DNA, we reduce the length of the isolates to be counted as k-mers for classification. With this new representation, we apply a previously established feature sampling method to dramatically reduce the feature space. In understanding the genetic diversity, we also look at conserving biological function across these spaces. Using a random forest model we were able to predict the resistance or susceptibility of bacteria with 85-90\% accuracy, with a 30-50\% reduction in overall isolate length, …

Differences Between Males And Females In Determining Exercise Intensity, Jozelyn Rascon, Elizabeth Trujillo, Francisco J. Morales-Acuna, Alvaro N. Gurovich

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(4): 1305-1316, 2020. Even though there are physiological differences between males and females, heart rate (HR), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), power output (PO), oxygen consumption (VO₂), and blood lactate (BL) levels have been used as measures of exercise intensity independently of sex. The purpose of this study was to determine differences between sexes in different exercise intensity models. Thirty (15 females) young, healthy individuals were scheduled for two testing visits 48-72 hours apart. During the first testing visit, a graded exercise test (GXT), with BL obtained at the end of each exercise …

Bibliometric Analysis Of Yam Production Literature On Sub-Saharan Africa Listed In Agora And Teeal Databases Between 2003 And 2017, Blessed Oluwadamilola Agbaje, Wole Michael Olatokun Prof.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

ABSTRACT

Objective - This paper reports the findings from a study designed to investigate the following traits on white guinea yam publications for fifteen years: information outlets, trend of scientific productivity, degree of author’s collaboration, prolific authors and their institutional affiliations, journal bibliographic coupling and co-citation analysis. The main aim of the paper is to examine patterns in yam research literature with a view to enhancing the development of yam production research by collating indexed information.

Methods - Scholarly citation data of yam production literature on Sub-Saharan Africa from AGORA and TEEAL databases between 2003 and 2017 were collected. Network …

Evaluating Medical Students' Satisfaction Towards Library Resources And Services Offered At Saudi Universities Using Six Sigma Approach, Ahmed Al Kuwaiti Phd

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are utilizing a user satisfaction survey to assess user satisfaction and reveal the strengths and weaknesses of their libraries. This feedback aids their policymakers to improve the quality of library resources and services offered. However, no studies have been conducted using a Six Sigma approach to assess the medical students’ satisfaction towards the library resources and services offered in the Saudi Arabian context. As an attempt, this study evaluated the medical students’ satisfaction towards the library resources and services offered at the selected Saudi universities using a Six Sigma approach. A total of 1000 medical students …

Effects Of Fertilizer And Plant Density On The Fresh Biomass Of Sudan Grass, Zhongsheng Zhi, Guiping Yao, Jianguang Wang, Meihua Gao, Meihua Li

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Response Of Lanyin Iii Zoysiagrass To Watering And Fertilization, X. J. Zhong, Jim M. Zhang, J. Zhang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Microbiological Quantitive Assessment On Soil Health In A Degraded Grassland, Ji Zhao, Jie Yang, Yuqing Shao

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Effects Of K+ On Na+ Uptake And Accumulation In A Wild Halophyte Grass Suaeda Maritime, Jinlin Zhang, Suomin Wang, Timothy J. Flowers, Jianyi Cai

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Epoxidized Cardanol Functionality And Reactivity On Network Formation And Properties., Emre Kinaci, Erde Can, John J La Scala, Giuseppe R Palmese

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

Cardanol is a renewable resource based on cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), which consists of a phenol ring with a C15 long aliphatic side chain in the meta position with varying degrees of unsaturation. Cardanol glycidyl ether was chemically modified to form side-chain epoxidized cardanol glycidyl ether (SCECGE) with an average epoxy functionality of 2.45 per molecule and was cured with petroleum-based epoxy hardeners, 4-4'-methylenebis(cyclohexanamine) and diethylenetriamine, and a cardanol-based amine hardener. For comparison, cardanol-based diphenol diepoxy resin, NC514 (Cardolite), and a petroleum-based epoxy resin, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) were also evaluated. Chemical and thermomechanical analyses showed that for …

Optimal Ratio Of Primary And Secondary Clarifier Characteristics In Wastewater Treatment Plants, Makhsud Idrisovich Makhmudov, Zafarbek Esanovich Kuziev, Siroj Sobirovich Nurov, Sanjar Siroj Ugli Sidikov

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

The issues of optimization of aerobic biological wastewater treatment processes are considered. Optimal ratios of characteristics and sizes of primary and secondary sedimentation tanks, as well as their relationship with the concentration of activated sludge by volume, are revealed. Graphical representations of the dependence of the volumes of primary, secondary and total volumes of structures on the concentration of activated sludge in cleaning processes with low and high loads are obtained. Experimental studies have shown that the concentration of activated sludge in the aeration tank and the silt index directly affect the deposition characteristics of activated sludge, in particular the …

Exploring Inclusion In A Therapeutic Theater Production, Angelle Cook

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the lived experiences of participants in an inclusive therapeutic theater production. This study was approached through a post-intentional phenomenological lens, informed by critical dis/ability theory. Ten participants with various dis/abilities took part in semi-structured interviews and eight of the ten participated in a focus group. The researcher followed a post-reflexion plan during the data collection and analysis process to bridle her biases and assumptions. Data were analyzed using the phenomenological method of thematic analysis. An art-based research process was undertaken, and a script, using direct quotes from the participant’s interviews and the …

Peripubertal Serum Concentrations Of Organochlorine Pesticides And Semen Parameters In Russian Young Men., Ramy Abou Ghayda, Oleg Sergeyev, Jane S Burns, Paige L Williams, Mary M Lee, Susan A Korrick, Luidmila Smigulina, Yury Dikov, Russ Hauser, Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic literature on the relation of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) with semen quality among adult men has been inconclusive, and no studies have prospectively explored the association between peripubertal serum OCPs and semen parameters in young men.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate prospective associations of peripubertal serum concentrations of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), β-hexachlorocylohexane (β-HCH), and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) with semen parameters among young Russian men.

METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 152 young men who enrolled in the Russian Children's Study (2003-2005) at age 8-9 years and were followed annually until young adulthood. HCB, β-HCH, and p,p'-DDE concentrations were measured at the CDC by …

Diversification Of Functionalized [13]-Macrodilactones, Chengsheng Chen

Doctoral Dissertations

Macrocycles are currently an important area of investigation in drug design and development. Macrocycles can bind target biomolecules and affect various cellular processes due to their ability to modulate their conformations and their occupation of a unique region of chemical space. Our group has worked on the synthesis, structural properties, and biological activity of a class of [13]-macrodilactones in previous studies. Their key structural components include two ester groups, an alkene, and a hinge atom.

This dissertation takes advantage of the modular approach to the synthesis of [13]-macrodilactones and parlays it for the ability to prepare numerous analogs from a …

Whole Genome Sequencing Reveals Virulence Potentials Of Helicobacter Pylori Strain Ke21 Isolated From A Kenyan Patient With Gastric Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma, Catherine Mwangi, Stephen Njoroge, Evariste Tshibangu-Kabamba, Zahir Moloo, Allan Rajula, Smita Devani, Takashi Matsumoto, Kimang’A Nyerere, Samuel Kariuki, Gunturu Revathi, Yoshio Yamaoka

Pathology, East Africa

Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) infection is etiologically associated with severe diseases including gastric cancer; but its pathogenicity is deeply shaped by the exceptional genomic diversification and geographic variation of the species. The clinical relevance of strains colonizing Africa is still debated. This study aimed to explore genomic features and virulence potentials of H. pylori KE21, a typical African strain isolated from a native Kenyan patient diagnosed with a gastric cancer. A high-quality circular genome assembly of 1,648,327 bp (1590 genes) obtained as a hybrid of Illumina Miseq short reads and Oxford Nanopore MinION long reads, clustered within hpAfrica1 population. This genome …

A Novel Methodology To Identify The Primary Topics Contained Within The Covid-19 Research Corpus, Allen Crane, Brock Freidrich, William Fehlman, Igor Frolow, Daniel W. Engels

SMU Data Science Review

In this paper, we present a novel framework and system for the identification of primary research topics from within a corpus of related publications, the classification of individual publications according to these topics, and the results of the application of our framework and system to the COVID-19 Open Research Dataset (CORD-19). CORD-19 is a corpus of published peer reviewed and pre-peer reviewed articles related to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Using machine learning techniques, such as Non-negative Matrix Factorization for Natural Language Processing and a Bayesian classifier, we developed a novel framework and system that automatically extracts sparse and meaningful …

A Comparative Analysis Of Army Body Composition Standards For Women, Adam G. Tedford, Veronika Pribyslavska, Lance G. Bryant, Eric M. Scudamore

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(7): 1275-1282, 2020. The aim of this study was to compare body fat percentage (BF%) of women measured using the U.S. Army standard body composition assessment (ABC) and two common laboratory measures of body composition to evaluate the efficacy of ABC within this population. The BF% of 27 women (21.5 ± 1.8 years) was assessed using the 7-site skinfold, air plethysmography, and ABC measurements. The initial physical fitness test (IPFT) was used to determine if participants met the criteria required for admittance into basic combat training. A repeated measures ANOVA identified differences in BF% between …

Effect Of Chronotype On Sleep Quality In A Laboratory Setting, Brianna D. Harfmann, Natashia Swalve, John Mitrzyk, Alex Montoye

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(3): 1283-1294, 2020. Sleep is undoubtedly important for human health as insufficient sleep has been associated with a plethora of diseases. Adequate sleep assessment is critical in clinical and research settings, however current sleep assessment protocols fail to account for circadian rhythms, despite the fact that sleep is a well-recognized circadian process. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if circadian parameters, such as chronotype, influence sleep quality in a sleep laboratory setting. Methods: In order to investigate this, twenty participants (10 men and 10 women) aged 18-31 years old had their sleep …

Corrigendum To “The Time-Dependent Effects Of St John's Wort On Cytochrome P450, Uridine Diphosphate-Glucuronosyltransferase, Glutathione S-Transferase, And Nad(P)H-Quinone Oxidoreductase In Mice”, Yune- Fang Ueng

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

No abstract provided.

Corrigendum To “Effects Of Aqueous Extract Of Ruta Graveolens And Its Ingredients On Cytochrome P450, Uridine Diphosphate (Udp)-Glucuronosyltransferase, And Reduced Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (Phosphate) (Nad(P)H)-Quinone Oxidoreductase In Mice”, Yune- Fang Ueng

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

No abstract provided.

Detection Of Melamine Based On The Suppressed Anodic Response Of Uric Acid By A Au-Ag Nanoparticles Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode, Yu-Hui Peng, Tsunghsueh Wu, Yang-Wei Lin

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

We demonstrated a sensitive electrochemical method for the determination of non-electroactive melamine (Mel) using a modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE), with uric acid (UA) as the signal reporter. To increase the anodic response of UA, GCE was coated with Au–Ag nanoparticles and a Nafion thin film (Au–Ag/Nafion/GCE). The sensing mechanism was based on the competitive adsorption behavior of Mel on the Au–Ag/Nafion/GCE, which reduces the electroactive surface area of nanoparticles and thus hinders anodic response of UA. Under optimal conditions and the use of an analytical method of differential pulse voltammetry, this modified electrode detected Mel concentrations ranging from 2.5 …

Acarbose Attenuates Migration/Proliferation Via Targeting Microrna-143 In Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Under Diabetic Conditions, Wei-Yuan Chuang, Meng-Hsun Yu, Tsung-Yuan Yang, Kuei-Chuan Chan, Chau-Jong Wang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Acarbose (an a-glucosidase inhibitor) has been demonstrated to reduce the progression of atherosclerosis without affecting serum levels of glucose in rabbits fed a high cholesterol diet. The main focus of recent atherosclerosis studies has been microRNA targets. However, the mechanism by which acarbose targets miRNA-mediated atherosclerosis remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of acarbose on microRNA-related regulation of rat aortic vascular smooth cell line (A7r5 cell) migration and proliferation induced by diabetic conditions. We reported that acabose exhibit significantly inhibits proliferative and cell migration abilities in A7r5 cells. The expression of protein and levels of mRNA were …

Effect Of 6,7-Dimethoxy-2,2-Dimethyl-2h-Chromene (Agerarin) On The Recovery Of Filaggrin Expression Through Targeting Of Janus Kinases In The Inflammatory Skin, Sung Shin Ahn, Young Han Lee, Hyunjin Yeo, Youngshim Lee, Do Sik Min, Yoongho Lim, Soon Young Shin

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Filaggrin (FLG) is a structural component of the stratum corneum that is essential for maintaining the barrier function of the skin and for the formation of natural moisturizing factors. 6,7-Dimethoxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-chromene (Agerarin) is a bioactive compound derived from Ageratum houstonianum, a plant that is used as a traditional medicine to treat skin diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of agerarin on skin inflammation in a dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis mouse model. We found that the topical administration of agerarin ameliorates atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions. We also showed that agerarin restores the reduced filaggrin (FLG) expression in …

Biologically-Guided Isolation Of Natural Lead Antithyroid Drug From Medicago Sativa L. Sprouts And Its Toxic Profile In Comparison With Propylthiouracil, Reham S. Ibrahim, Nesrine S. El-Mezayen, Asmaa Khairy, Hala H. Zaatout, Hala M. Hammoda, Aly M. Metwally

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Hyperthyroidism is a common endocrine disorder associated with increased risk of cardiovascular complications and mortality. Although antithyroid drugs (ATDs) are approved as first line option for many hyperthyroidism cases, including pregnancy and childhood, they exert significant toxic profile. Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa) also called “The father of all food” was among the diet consumed by mares that gave birth to foals with congenital hypothyroidism. Since, greenfeed was accused for the development of such condition, alfalfa may possess constituents with promising antithyroid potential that could be a valuable substitute for the conventional ATDs. The current work was designed to identify the …

Establishment Of Indirect Competitive Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay For The Detection Of Platycodin D In Radix Platycodonis, Shuai Luo, Yanfei He, Hongxiang Sun

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Platycodin D (PD) has been used as the quality control marker of Radix Platycodonis for its high content and various pharmacological properties. In this study, a specific polyclonal antibody against PD (PD–pAb) was developed, and PD–pAb-based indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA) was established for the detection of PD in Radix Platycodonis. The 50% inhibition concentration (IC₅₀) of PD was 2.70 μg/mL and the linearity range for PD was from 0.064 μg/mL to 100 μg/mL. No cross reactivity with PD–pAb was found in five PD analogs except for PD2 (0.93%). The average recovery of PD by icELISA was …

Quantification Of Adenosine Mono-, Di- And Triphosphate From Royal Jelly Using Liquid Chromatography - Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Wan-Rou Liao, Jen-Pang Huang, Sung-Fang Chen

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Nucleotides are composed of nitrogen bases, ribose units and phosphate groups. Adenine (Ade), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) all play important roles in physiological metabolism. Royal jelly, a secretion produced by worker bees, contains a variety of natural ingredients and several studies have shown that royal jelly can serve as a source of nutrition for humans. In this study, a rapid and effective LC/MS method coupled with pre-processing methods was developed and validated for the accurate quantification of Ade, AMP, ADP and ATP in royal jelly. To achieve the best extraction efficiency, two pretreatment methods, …

Lipophilized Epigallocatechin (Egc) And Its Derivatives: Inhibition Of Oxidation Of Β-Carotene–Linoleate Oil-In-Water Emulsion And Dna Strand Scission, Priyatharini Ambigaipalan, Won Young Oh, Fereidoon Shahidi

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Tea epigallocatechin (EGC) was acylated with selected fatty acids, namely propionic acid [C3:0], caprylic acid [C8:0], lauric acid [C12:0], stearic acid [C18:0] and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22:6 n-3). Antioxidant activity of EGC and its lipophilized derivatives were examined in various food (β-carotene–linoleate oil-in-water emulsion and bulk oil) and biological (supercoiled DNA and LDL) systems in vitro in order to evaluate the effect of increased lipophilicity on their antioxidant capacity. Lipophilized EGC derivatives were more effective in β-carotene–linoleate oil-in-water emulsion and bulk oil than their parent EGC molecule. Meanwhile, EGC and its derivatives showed more than 60 …