Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Turing patterns on a plasma-liquid interface

Radially symmetric patterns are observed in pin-to-plane DC plasma systems where a liquid solution is used as a planar resistive anode. The size and structure of these patterns depends on the plasma current and salt concentration of the liquid anode. We propose that these patterns initiate due to the reaction and diffusion of electrons in the anode sheath, where electron impact ionization serves as an autocatalytic reaction. The resulting system of reaction-diffusion equations is amenable to Turing stability analysis, which we use to theoretically predict the transition from a uniform plasma to a ring-shaped pattern state. Expressing the stability criteria in terms of plasma current and solution salt concentration, we derive a theoretical phase boundary for the onset of pattern formation, which is in excellent agreement with experimental results.
Seaweed Extracts Effectiveness against Selected Gram-negative Bacterial Isolates

Aqueous and six solvent extracts of four seaweeds Codium tomentosum (Chlorophyceae); Corallina mediterranea, Hypnea musciformis (Rhodophyceae), and Sargassum vulgare (Phaeophyceae) were screened for their antibacterial activity against 10 gram-negative bacterial isolates. Seaweeds crude extracts potent antibacterial activity have been evaluated based on zone of inhibition (ZI), minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values as reported in manyresearches. Overall, aqueous algal extracts were non active against all tested isolates regardless examined seaweed species. It was noticed that ZIs were in the following order: S. vulgare (17 mm) against Acinetobacter baumannii and C. mediteranea (17 mm) against Salmonella typhimurium > H. musciformis (13 mm) against Escherichia coli O:157 > C. tomentosum (11 mm) against S. typhimurium. Data revealed that the S. vulgare extracts showed the most inhibitory activity by showing the lowest MIC50 value of 0.08 mg/mL (methanolic extract against Shigella flexneri and hexane extract against E. coli O:157 isolate) and also the lowest MBC value of 1.00 mg/mL (methanolic extract against S. typhimurium, Serratia marcescens, E. coli O:157 and Brucella melitensis isolates; and also with ethanolic extract against S. marcescens and E. coli O:157 isolates). Future studies on the S. vulgare extracts are required due to their importance as a potent, promising and cheap source of bioactive compounds for antibacterial pretreatment.
The distorted hand metric representation serves both perception and action

ABSTRACT The representation of our body location is achieved by integrating sensorimotor inputs with information about our body size. Previous studies have shown that the metric representation of our hand, also called the body model, is distorted, namely overestimated in width and underestimated in length, although we are able to perform accurate fine movements. Considering the known dissociation between action-oriented and perception-oriented body representations, we asked whether the body model mainly serves body perception or whether it is also involved in movements. Twenty-one healthy adults were administered with the Localization Task (LT) which required the participants to localise the perceived position of their unseen hand by means of a stick held by their other hand, and the Proprioceptive Matching Task (PMT) which required the participants to match their perceived hand position with a visual target. LT and PMT maps were compared with the actual hand sizes. We found that the PMT map exhibited similar body model distortions, confirming that the body model is involved in motor programming. Furthermore, we observed that a partial adjustment of the distortions occurs in a motor condition.
Characteristics of soil micro-and macro-arthropods and soil properties in Songnen Grassland of China during different periods of freeze–thaw season

ABSTRACT Soil properties have an important influence on soil fauna in the grassland ecosystem. However, the relationship between the structural characteristics of soil fauna and properties in the grassland ecosystem in freeze–thaw season remains unclear. Hence, the feature of soil arthropods and properties in Songnen Grassland of China were investigated in fall–winter alternating (T1), completely frozen (T2) and winter–spring alternating periods (T3) during freeze–thaw season in three years. Results showed slight differences in the community composition of soil animals with Oribatida, Prostigmata and Mesostigmata as co-dominant groups in all sampling periods. The total number of individuals of soil arthropod at low temperature was low. The pH value, electrical conductivity (EC), and moisture content had the same order of T3 > T2 > T1. The activities of invertase and urease increased with increasing soil temperature, whereas protease activity had no relationship with soil temperature, soil moisture, EC and soil organic matter (SOM), activities of protease and urease were principal factors affecting individual abundance of soil animals. The sequence of their effect degrees was moisture content > EC > SOM > protease activity > urease activity. The changes in the quantitative characteristics of soil animals were related to soil properties. Therefore, soil properties can affect the structural characteristics of soil arthropod in the Songnen Grassland of China in the freeze–thaw season.
Long-Term Changes in Mehlich-3-Extractable Sulfur and Magnesium under Intensive Agriculture in Eastern Canada

ABSTRACT Leachable nutrients such as sulfur (S) and magnesium (Mg) may become limiting under temperate regions with sandy soils. This long-term georeferenced study assessed changes in Mehlich-3-extractable S and Mg in the province of Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada. The Island was sampled over 3 years (one cycle, over 500 sampling points) from 1998 to 2015 for a total of six cycles. Regression kriging was used as a method of interpolation. Sulfur in the high category (>25 mg kg−1) dominated during the first two cycles (69%–98% of the total area) and then decreased below 1% of the total area during the last two cycles. The area in the low to medium category (7–18.50 mg kg−1) represented less than 1% of the total area in the first three cycles and increased to 84% in the last cycle. Magnesium distribution was dominated by soils within the low to medium range (36–116 mg kg−1), representing 74% to 97% of the total area from cycle 1 to cycle 6, respectively. Areas within the Mg range of 116 to 196 mg kg−1 changed from 24% of the total area in cycle 1 to 3% of the total area by the end of cycle 6. The S and Mg contents were positively correlated to soil organic carbon and negatively correlated to phosphorus. In a temperate climate and sandy loam soils, S and Mg decline over time under intensive cultivation, and the soil supply alone may not meet the crop S and Mg requirements. Abbreviations: Al: aluminum; C: carbon; CEC: cation-exchange capacity; CV: coefficient of variation; DEM: digital elevation model; Fe: iron; GIS: geographic information system; GPS: Global Positioning System; K: potassium; Mg: magnesium (extracted by Mehlich-3 solution); N: nitrogen; OK: ordinary kriging; P: phosphorus; PEI: Prince Edward Island; RK: regression kriging; RMSE: root mean square error; S: sulfur (extracted by Mehlich-3 solution); SOC: soil organic carbon; SOM: Soil Organic Matter.
In vivo Evaluation of Antimicrobial Effect of Propolis, Miswak, Green Tea Compared to Sodium Hypochlorite and Chlorhexidine as Root Canal Irrigants in Necrotic Infected Single Rooted Teeth

Aim: To assess clinically, radiographically and laboratory the antimicrobial effect of propolis, miswak, green tea, sodium hypochlorite and chlorhexidine on necrotic teeth with apical peridontitis. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 patients with chronic apical periodontitis in a permanent mature single–rooted tooth with a necrotic pulp were included. Root canals were instrumented using Revo S NiTi files and different irrigants: Sodium hypochlorite 3% (NaOCl), 2% chlorhexidine (CHX), 20% ethanolic extract of Egyptian propolis, 20% ethanolic extract of Miswak and 20% ethanolic extract of Green tea. Root canals were sampled before (S1) and immediately after the chemomechanical preparation (S2). The samples (S1&S2) were transferred for culturing and incubation (both aerobically and anaerobically). The patients were re-evaluated both clinically and radiographically after 1, 3 and 6 months). Results: CHX group showed the highest mean % reduction in Log10 of anaerobic bacterial counts (95.5±8.0). CHX group showed non-statistically significant difference from NaOCl (86.2±16.7) and Propolis (84.4±9.7). Miswak group showed statistically significantly lower mean % reduction (75.6±19.1) than CHX group and NaOCl group, but non-statistically significant difference from Propolis group. Green tea group showed the lowest statistically significant mean % reduction in Log10 of anaerobic bacterial counts (50.10±10.35). Conclusion: Propolis, Salvadora Perisca and green tea alcoholic extracts at 20% concentration showed considerable antimicrobial effect against chronic apical periodontitis microbes generally and E. faecalis definitely.
Effect of Potassium Sulfate and Calcium Borate on Improving Quality and Production of Dahlia Flowers

The experiment was carried out at the Baramoon Experimental Research Farm, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt, during 2015 and 2016 seasons. The aim of this research was to study the effect of potassium sulfate and calcium borate as soil and foliar fertilization on improving the quality and flower production of Dahlia pinnata, L. plants. Different levels of potassium sulfate at 10 and 20 g/plant as soil fertilizer and calcium borate at 5 and 10 cm/L as foliar fertilizer and companions between them were used. The soil and foliar fertilizers were applied 3 times during the growing period. The results indicated that the combined treatment of 20 g/plant potassium sulfate + 10 cm/L calcium borate significantly increased vegetative growth parameters i.e plant height, number of leaves, number of shoots, stem diameter and dry weight % of plants. It also induced an increment in flowers and tubers parameters (No. of flowers, flower diameter, flower stem length and diameter and flower adherence strength, vase life, No. of tubers/plant and tuber diameter compared with the other treatments used. Total carbohydrates and lignin (%) in flower stem were significantly increased as a result of different fertilization treatments compared to the control treatment. Application of potassium sulfate at 20 g/plant + calcium borate at 10 cm/L was superior to other treatments under this study.
Neuroprotective Effect, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Potentials of Sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) Fruit Extracts

I ntroduction: Rhus coriaria L. (sumac) is a traditional edible-plant in the Anatolia. The leaves and fruits of sumac have been extensively used in folk medicine and alternative therapeutic approaches, because of the presence of many bioactive phytochemicals. Material and Methods: In this study, we aimed to investigate in vitro neuroprotective, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of sumac extracts that were extracted with water, methanol, n-hexane, and dichloromethane. Results and Discussion: According to research results, almost all the tested extracts of sumac remarkable biological activities in a time and dose-dependent manner. Among the extracts, aqueous and methanolic extracts were demonstrated the highest cholinesterase inhibitory activity on both AChE and BChE enzymes, values ranging from 16.16±0.18 to 41.08±0.02% at 200µg/mL concentration. Regarding of MIC assay, all the extracts exhibited more growth-inhibitory effects against gramnegative bacteria strains than gram-positive bacteria strain, and MIC values in range of 3.9-62.5 µg/mL. In terms of DPPH radical scavenging activity, all the tested extracts demonstrated significant antioxidant capacity, methanol extract of sumac seemed to possess stronger scavenging activity (56.11±1.08% at 100 µg/mL concentration) than the other extracts. Conclusion: These findings provide contributions to medicinal uses of sumac in nervous system disorders and microbial diseases as alternative therapeutic agents, along with traditional uses of sumac.
PQQ ameliorates skeletal muscle atrophy, mitophagy and fiber type transition induced by denervation via inhibition of the inflammatory signaling pathways.

Background Skeletal muscle atrophy involves and requires widespread changes in skeletal muscle gene expression and signaling pathway, resulting in excessive loss of muscle mass and strength, which is associated with poor prognosis and the decline of life quality in several diseases. However, the treatment of skeletal muscle atrophy remains an unresolved challenge to this day. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), a redox-active o-quinone found in various foods and mammalian tissues, on skeletal muscle atrophy, and to explore the underlying molecular mechanism. Methods After denervation, mice were injected intraperitoneally with saline plus PQQ (5 mg/kg/d) or saline only for 14 days. The level of inflammatory cytokines in tibialis anterior (TA) muscles was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the level of signaling proteins of Janus kinase 2/signal transduction and activator of transcription 3 (Jak2/STAT3), TGF-β1/Smad3, JNK/p38 MAPK, and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway were detected by Western blot. The skeletal muscle atrophy was evaluated by muscle wet weight ratio and cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of myofibers. The mitophagy was observed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, and muscle fiber type transition was analyzed through fast myosin skeletal heavy chain antibody staining. Results The proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α were largely induced in TA muscles after sciatic nerve transection. PQQ can significantly reverse this phenomenon, as evidenced by the decreased levels of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α. Moreover, PQQ could significantly attenuate the signal activation of Jak2/STAT3, TGF-β1/Smad3, JNK/p38 MAPK, and NF-κB in skeletal muscles after sciatic nerve transection. Furthermore, PQQ alleviated skeletal muscle atrophy, mitigated mitophagy and inhibited slow-to-fast muscle fiber type transition. Conclusions These results suggested that PQQ could attenuate denervation-induced skeletal muscle atrophy, mitophagy and fiber type transition through suppressing the Jak2/STAT3, TGF-β1/Smad3, JNK/p38 MAPK, and NF-κB signaling pathways.
Effects of Different Pond Aquaculture Systems
on Water Environments, and Suggestions
for Structural Adjustments

The water quality of six different aquaculture systems in freshwater ponds was investigated in Jiangsu Province of China in order to elucidate the influence of different aquaculture systems on water quality. The six aquaculture systems involved in this study were: monoculture of shrimps and crabs, polyculture of shrimps and crabs, polyculture of fish and crabs, polyculture of crabs and various types of fish, and polyculture of different types of fish. The results showed that the water temperature of those six aquaculture ponds decreased from south to north and that all DO values were higher than standard value of Grade I water for Surface Water Quality Standards in China (GB 3838-2002) (DO≥7.5 mg /L). For all systems, the pH values ranged between 7.36 and 8.54, and nitrite concentrations were below China’s aquaculture water standard value (0.12 mg/L); however, all ammonia concentrations were higher than the national standard (0.20 mg/L). In comparison, water quality from the monoculture of shrimp and crabs was much better than that from other aquaculture combinations. Polyculture of different types of fish showed the highest nitrite (0.030 mg/L) and ammonia (0.86 mg/L) concentrations among the six aquaculture systems. In general, the pond aquaculture in china is in a rough management state, and strict and reasonable control of the aquaculture is urgently needed. So it is highly recommended that we establish an ecological and healthy aquaculture mode suitable for sustainable development of the aquaculture industry in China.
Effect of Milk Fat Level on Salt, Some Mineral Content and Sensory Characteristic of Sudanese White Cheese During Storage

Effect of Milk Fat Level on Salt, Some Mineral Content and Sensory Characteristic of Sudanese White Cheese During Storage. J Res Tech 2: 008. Abstract Sudanese white cheese is a traditional pickled cheese to which 6-20% salt is added. Sudanese white cheese was made using three levels of milk fat: low fat (1%), partial skimmed (2%) and full fat (4%) milk. The produced cheese was packed into both glass and plastic containers and each were stored at room (38±2˚C) and refrigerator (5±3˚C) temperature. Salt, some minerals content and sensory eval uation were carried out every 2 weeks for a period of three months. The results revealed that Sudanese white cheese with the different fat levels were significantly (P<0.05) different in salt, sodium, calci um and phosphorous. Also the different types of packaging materials (glass and plastic) and storage duration showed significant (P<0.05) differences for salt content of the cheeses. The sensory evaluation was assayed for flavour, texture, appearance and the overall acceptability and showed significant (P<0.05) differences between the different types of cheeses. The cheese made using 2% milk fat kept in the glass containers and stored in refrigerator temperature gained the highest scores of organoleptic properties compared to other cheeses. The present study concluded that the cheese made with partially skimmed milk (2%) is better in its overall acceptability. This will suggest its introduction to the market and to convert the re-moved fat into other valuable dairy products (such as cream, butter and ghee). This will increase revenue for the producers and will give healthy images for the consumers who utilize such cheeses. The present study recommended further work in order to improve the acceptability of low fat cheese in Sudan.
Access and use of medicines by elderly individuals with dementia

The objective is to reveal the difficulties concerning the access and use of medicines by elderly individuals with dementia, reported by their caregivers. This qualitative study applied the participant observation method during pharmaceutical appointments performed in a specialized geriatrics service of the University Hospital of Brasília. Caregivers reported facing difficulties regarding the itinerary for medicines access in public pharmacies, as well as the high cost of these technologies in private establishments. Psychiatric symptoms, cognitive deficits, behavioral changes, apraxia, dysphagia, among other clinical manifestations of dementia syndromes, incapacitates the elderly for self-responsibility concerningthe use of drugs, which accentuates the complexity of medicines administration within the care process. In conclusion, it is fundamental to recognize caregivers’ role in promoting the rational use of medicines, and so this theme should be highlighted within the pharmaceutical services context.
Comparative Assessment of the Proximate, Mineral Composition and Mineral Safety Index of Peel, Pulp and Seeds of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a creeping vine that bears cylindrical fruits. It belongs to the gourd family cucurbitacea. It is popularly consumed in all parts of Nigeria. The comparative assessment of proximate, mineral composition and mineral safety index (MSI) of cucumber (peel, pulp and seeds) was determined using standard analytical methods (Association of Official Analytical Chemists) for proximate, minerals composition and mineral safety index. Results showed protein content of (15.9 - 26.5) g/100 g, Carbohydrates (33.7 - 52.7) g/100 g, crude fat (0.13 - 1.44) g/100 g, moisture (12.3 - 21.7) g/100 g and ash (7.85 - 11.6) g/100 g respectively. The calorific values were 1077, 1171 and 1296 kJ/100 g for peel, pulp and seed respectively. Considerable levels of essential and trace elements were observed in the samples. The Na/K ratio (0.25 - 0.36) was close to 0.6, which does not promote high blood pressure in man. The Ca/Mg values obtained were less than the recommended value of 1.0. The milliequivalent ratios of [K/(Ca + Mg)] (3.91 - 4.48) were comparably higher than the recommended value of 2.2 which means the sample would promote hypomagnesaemia in man. The mineral safety indexes of Fe, Na, Ca, Zn, Cu and Mg of the samples (peel, pulp and seeds) indicate no overloading in the body if consumed. The results showed that all the parts of Cucumis sativus are good potentials of nutrients for human consumption.
Coupling of Contact Nucleation Kinetics with Breakage Model for Crystallization of Sodium Chloride Crystal in Fluidized Bed Crystallizer

There are many nucleation theory-based different mechanisms. These theories mainly focused on production parameters in the crystallization and less on physical properties of crystals. In this research, a new model of contact nucleation theory coupled with the breakage mechanism of crystals is applied to describe the collision process in sodium chloride crystallization. This coupling nucleation model is presented here which relates the number of contact-collision site in nucleation owing to collision rate and the interfacial energy. F2 in the expression of the classic contact nucleation rate is redefined as a power function with the physical properties of crystals and breakage propensity. The experiment results indicate that crystal breakage propensity has a significant influence on the nucleation rate. Finally, analysis of the contact nucleation kinetic model and comparison with experiments reveal that the new nucleation model results are in better agreement with experiments. This new nucleation model is confirmed to represent the time-dependent collision behavior. The parameters of model are strongly related to the physical properties of crystal and fluidization conditions.
A Consumption-based Evaluation of the Cat Bond Market

I build an equilibrium model trying to reconcile investor preferences with several features of the cat bond market. The driving force behind the model is a habit process, in that catastrophes are rare economic shocks that could bring investors closer to their subsistence level. The calibration requires shocks with an impact between −1% and −3% to explain a reasonable level of cat bond spreads. Such investor preferences are not only able to generate realistic cat bond returns and price comovement among different perils, but may also able to explain why cat bonds offer higher rewards compared to equally rated corporate bonds.