Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chemical composition and in vitro fermentation characteristics of legumes using canine fecal inoculum

Abstract Legumes are a popular grain-free alternative carbohydrate source in canine diets, however, information on their fermentative characteristics have not been established. Thus, the objectives of the present study were to 1) quantify the chemical compositions and 2) fermentative profile of select legumes using canine fecal inoculum. Five legume varieties, whole yellow peas (WYP), green lentils (GL), black bean grits (BBG), navy bean powder (NBP), and garbanzo beans, were analyzed and compared to a positive control, beet pulp (BP). Substrates were analyzed for gross energy (GE), dry and organic matter, crude protein (CP), acid hydrolyzed fat, and total dietary fiber (TDF) fractions, beta-glucans, starch-free, and hydrolyzed sugars, as well as fermentative characteristics: pH, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), branched-chain fatty acids (BCFA), total gas, hydrogen, and methane. Substrates then underwent a two-stage in vitro digestion and subsequent fermentation using canine fecal inoculum for 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 h. All test substrates contained approximately 8% to 9% moisture and 4.5 kcal/g GE. The highest CP content was observed in GL (27%). Analyzed TDF content of test substrates was greatest for WYP (32%) and GL (36%). Total starch content was greatest for GL (58%) and WYP (56%). Sucrose and stachyose were the most predominant free sugars and glucose was the most predominant hydrolyzed sugar among test substrates. After 3 and 6 h of fermentation, a net negative change in pH was observed among most substrates with a net negative change in all substrates after 9 and 12 h. Values for SCFA did not differ among substrates after 3 or 6 h of fermentation with BP and WYP among the greatest acetate (1,656 and 1,765 umol/g, respectively) and propionate production values (157.7 and 126.1, respectively) after 9 h. All substrates produced greater total gas volumes than WYP after 3 h, with no differences observed after any other time points. However, BP hydrogen production values were greater after 9 and 12 h (P < 0.0001; 726,042 and 394,675 ng/g, respectively) with greater methane production values after 12 h (P < 0.0001; 54,291 ng/g) than all test substrates. These data suggest that legumes offer a diverse macronutrient profile and appear to be a source of slowly fermentable fiber, which may have beneficial implications on the ratios of saccharolytic to proteolytic fermentation toward the distal colon.
Extrato etanólico de própolis no controle da cercosporiose e no desenvolvimento de mudas de cafeeiro.

Objetivou-se, avaliar os efeitos do extrato etanolico de propolis (EEP) sobre a incidencia de cercosporiose e o desenvolvimento de mudas de cafeeiro cv. ‘Catuai vermelho’. O delineamento utilizado foi em blocos casualizados com cinco repeticoes e dez plantas/parcela. O esquema experimental foi em fatorial 4 x 6. O primeiro fator foram quatro EEPs, confeccionados com diferentes porcentagens de propolis bruta (PB) na composicao (1, 4, 7 e 10% de PB e o restante com etanol a 92%). O segundo fator foi a diluicao dos EEPs em agua: (0; 0,5; 1,0; 1,5; 2,0 e 2,5%). A area abaixo da curva de progresso da cercosporiose foi reduzida de forma quadratica com a aplicacao de EEP, independentemente da proporcao de propolis bruta adicionada ao extrato. Observou-se, com a curva de comportamento da cercosporiose que, as concentracoes 1,0; 1,5 e 2,0% de EEP tiveram menor incidencia, 2,5% intermediaria e a testemunha e 0,5% de EEP tiveram a maior incidencia. Verificou-se ainda que o EEP aumentou a area foliar e o numero de folhas/parcela de forma quadratica. O aumento no desenvolvimento das mudas foi atribuido a presenca de nutrientes na propolis e a reducao na incidencia da cercosporiose com aplicacao de EEP. O controle da cercosporiose pode ser atribuido a presenca de nutrientes, a formacao de uma camada de impedimento sobre as folhas com a cera da propolis e efeito indutor de resistencia da propolis.
Porous SnO2 nanowire bundles for photocatalyst and Li ion battery applications

In this work, we report the synthesis of porous SnO2 nanowire bundles with high yield through a simple solution approach. The bundles are composed of porous SnO2 nanowires with overall diameters in the range of 80–120 nm. Growth control of the sample morphology is demonstrated by adjusting the dose of Sn precursor. Functional tests of the nanowire bundles include photocatalytic effect in the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB), and electrochemical properties as a Li-ion battery anode. The electrochemical test reveals that the as-synthesized product shows a very high reversible capacity and Coulombic efficiency in the initial cycles, as well as reasonably good cycling performance compared with other SnO2 nanostructures. Such porous SnO2 nanostructures synthesized by the simple and cheap method are expected to have application potential in waste water treatment and/or energy storage.
Nanostructured copper oxide semiconductors : a perspective on materials, synthesis methods and applications

The oxides of copper (CuxO) are fascinating materials due to their remarkable optical, electrical, thermal and magnetic properties. Nanostructuring of CuxO can further enhance the performance of this important functional material and provide it with unique properties that do not exist in its bulk form. Three distinctly different phases of CuxO, mainly CuO, Cu2O and Cu4O3, can be prepared by numerous synthesis techniques including, vapour deposition and liquid phase chemical methods. In this article, we present a review of nanostructured CuxO focusing on their material properties, methods of synthesis and an overview of various applications that have been associated with nanostructured CuxO.
Iodothiophenes and Related Compounds as Coupling Partners in Copper-Mediated N-Arylation of Anilines

Abstract N-Arylation of various 2-acylated anilines with different electron-rich heteroaryl iodides (2- and 3-iodothiophenes, 2- and 3-iodobenzothiophenes, 2-iodobenzofuran) was achieved by using activated copper and potassium carbonate in dibutyl ether at reflux. The reactivity of the different heteroaryl iodides and anilines employed was discussed and rationalized on the basis of their electronic features. Subsequent cyclization by aromatic electrophilic substitution easily took place in the case of C2-free (benzo)thienyl or C3-free (benzo)furyl derivatives, affording original tri- and tetracycles. The antiproliferative activity of most of them was evaluated in A2058 melanoma cells and revealed four chlorinated tetracycles as effective growth inhibitors.
Psychosocial profile of women reporting with breast related symptoms and their association with time taken for presentation, a hospital based study

Breast diseases are reported by women very frequently in a hospital set up. Mammary gland undergoes continual physical and physiological changes from puberty till death. Breast lesions are a diverse group of lesions ranging from inflammatory to neoplastic pathologies. The lump usually become palpable when it is more than 1 cm in diameter and it takes approximately 3 years for a tumor to attain this size from a single cell. Incidence of breast lump is different in different parts of the world and vary in the diagnostic spectrum.
Measurement of acid dissociation constants of weak acids by cation exchange and conductometry

A simple strategy is presented for the determination of acid dissociation constants based on the measurement of conductance of a known concentration of the acid and/or the conductance of a solution of its fully or partially neutralized alkali-metal salts. For an n-protic acid, 2n conductance measurements are minimally necessary. In the simplest case of a typical monoprotic acid, the conductance of its alkali salt solution is measured before and after passage through an H{sup +}-form exchanger. From these data both the pK{sub a} of the acid and the equivalent conductance of the anion can be computed. The underlying equations are rigorously solved for monoprotic acids and some diprotic acid systems. For other diprotic and multiprotic acid systems, initial estimates are obtained by making approximations; the complete data set is then subjected to multiparametric fitting. The method does not require pH measurements; conductance can generally be measured accurately at low enough ionic strengths to obviate the need for major activity correction. Several experimental measurements are presented and excellent agreement with literature pK{sub a} values is observed. The reliability of the equivalent conductance values computed in this fashion is limited, however.
A Research on the Relationship between Environmental Sustainability Management and Human Development

The study explores the relationship between environmental performance and human development. A canonical correlation analysis was conducted to discover the maximum correlation between environmental performance and human development with the optimal estimated weights for indicators as constituting the composite indices. The results show that environmental health—being the most decisive—and ecosystem vitality are important indicators for representing the environmental performance. Other important indicators, in declining order, for constituting the human development index are mean years of schooling, expected years of schooling, and life expectancy at birth, with gross national income (GNI) being the last with relatively low weight. The canonical environmental performance index has utmost effect on mean years of schooling, then expected years of schooling, with explanatory power of more than 70% for both. Effect on life expectancy at birth is more than 60%, but only less than 30% on GNI. The canonical human development index has the highest explanatory power with nearly 80% for environmental health, but only 40% for ecosystem vitality. Both canonical composite indices reach a high correlation of 91% and the mutual explanatory power is 83%, confirming that environmental performance and human development are indeed positively and highly correlated.
Do Managers Learn from Institutional Investors Through Direct Interactions?

Prior evidence suggests that managers learn indirectly from stock prices, which contain private information impounded by informed investors’ trades. However, stock price is an indirect aggregate signal, which is likely to be insufficient for managerial learning. I propose that managers seek out direct interactions with institutional investors as a further mechanism to learn relevant information about their firms. Using investor conferences and investor days as the medium for direct learning, I find that managers seek more direct interactions when they have a high demand for information concerning industry trends and supply chain dynamics, and when they expect their current base of institutional investors to be knowledgeable. I also predict that information learned through direct interactions will be reflected in the manager’s subsequent corporate and personal decisions. I find that the frequency and accuracy of management forecasts increase after direct learning. Comparing insider trades in the same firm-month, trades executed by participating insiders within seven days after a conference earn greater positive abnormal returns, consistent with managers’ information set expanding as a result of their direct learning.
Significantly improved piezoelectric thermal stability of cellular polypropylene films by high pressure fluorination and post-treatments

Cellular polypropylene (PP) films were fluorinated under a high pressure of 13 bar of the F2/N2 mixture and were post-treated by nitrous oxide and isothermal crystallization. The fluorinated and post-treated PP films after being expanded and corona charged exhibit a significantly improved piezoelectric thermal stability. After annealing at 70 °C for 151 h or at 90 °C for 224 h, the piezoelectric d33 value of the fluorinated and post-treated piezoelectric sample still retains 58% or 45% of its initial d33 value, while the corresponding value of the virgin piezoelectric sample has decreased to 29% or 15% of the initial value. Chemical composition analysis of the cross section of the fluorinated and post-treated film by energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy indicates that the internal layers have been fluorinated, in spite of a lower degree of fluorination compared with the fluorinated surface layer. Short-circuit and open-circuit TSD current measurements reveal that the fluorinated internal layers, like the .
Bifidobacteriaceae Family Diversity in Gut Microbiota of Patients with Renal Failure.

Bifidobacteriaceae family are gut microbiota that exhibit probiotic or health promoting effects on the host. Several studies have suggested that gut microbiota are quantitatively and qualitatively altered in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The present study aimed to assess the members of Bifidobacteriaceae family in fecal samples of patients with CKD and ESRD and compare them with non-CKD/ESRD patients to find any changes in their counts and diversions in these patients. Twenty fresh fecal samples from patients with CKD/ESRD and twenty from non-CKD/ESRD patients were examined. Whole DNA was extracted from fecal samples and the gut microbiota composition was analyzed by next generation sequencing (NGS). A total of 651 strains were identified from 40 fecal samples, 8 (1.23%) strains of which were identified as family Bifidobacteriaceae. The most abundant species in both control and disease groups were Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum, and the least abundant species in the disease group was Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis. There was no significant difference in the abundance of various species between the disease and control groups (p < 0.05). This study confirms that the members of the Bifidobacteriaceae family are not altered in patients with CKD/ESRD.
Accuracy of digital Radiography in the detection of Root Fractures in Multirooted Teeth

— This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of filters of CliniView TM software on detection of vertical root fractures of multirooted teeth with intracanal metal retainers on periapical digital radiographs. For this, 22 human teeth were randomly divided into fractured group and control group, each one containing 11 teeth. The teeth were endodontically treated and after desobturation of ⅔ from the root, intracanal metallic posts were installed. The fractures were made only in the fractured group, and all teeth were x-rayed using an Express ™ intraoral digital system and the images optimized in Cliniview ™ software. The analysis of radiographs was made for 2 specialists with, at least, five years of experience in the area. The original images were evaluated, with application of filters Sharpen 1, grayscale inversion, emboss, vertical and vertical + horizontal, separately. After analysis, the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of original periapical radiography were calculated and with the use of filters, for each evaluator. The filter “ sharpen 1” had the highest accuracy (0.652) and sensibility (0,543). On the other, the filter “grayscale inversion” had the highest specificity (0.955). The interobserver kappa index was 0,351, considering p<0,001 and interobserver kappa 0,333 and 0,512 for the evaluators 1 and 2 respectively. It is concluded that the contribution of the filters is professional-dependent and, in this study , the filter “ sharpen 1” contributed to all of images evaluated, differently from the filter “grayscale inversion”, that disturbed the radiographic diagnosis of root fracture in multirooted teeth.
Preservation state assessment and post-mortem interval estimation of human skeletal remains using ATR-FTIR spectra

ABSTRACT ATR-FTIR spectroscopy provides detailed information about the physiochemical properties of the analysed material. It is used in archaeology and forensics for various purposes, including characterization of the preservation state of skeletal remains. Building on the previous research, we used an ATR-FTIR spectrometer to analyse samples from the remains at various PMIs (21st century AD – 16th century BC), deposition and storage conditions, and different skeletal elements. We used the spectra to assess the state of preservation of the remains and to test how informative the spectra are for estimating the PMI taking into account the skeletal element and the environmental conditions. The study of the spectra provided information on taphonomically induced physiochemical changes in the organic and inorganic components of the remains, which are related not only to the PMI but also to the conditions under which the remains were discovered or stored and, to a lesser extent, to the skeletal element. A clear separation between 21st and 20th century versus archaeological (≥18th century) samples was possible even in the case of significant taphonomically caused changes. In the older samples some overlaps remained because environmental factors overpowered time, nevertheless 80% of samples were placed in the correct century.
ASSESSMENT OF FREEZING PRE-TREATMENTS FOR THE FREEZE DRIED OF APPLE SLICES

Abstract The effect of freezing rate on the quality of dried Jonagold and Idared was studied. Apple slices underwent various pre-treatments, i.e. freezing in household freezer (freezing rate: 0,5 °C/min), contact plate freezing (2 °C/min) and vacuum-freezing (3 °C/min). The quality of the freeze dried product was then evaluated in terms of water activity, hardness, color and rehydration. The freezing in household freezer (slow freezing rate) significantly reduces the duration of the freeze drying process and consequently the process costs. The slow freezing rate allows the growth of large ice crystals at the beginning of the freeze-drying process, this fact should consequently lead to larger pores and injured cell walls and thus to shorter freeze drying time. Quality of the freezing in household freezer product was assessed as higher than the quality of the other freezing pre-treated material. Slow freezing rate resulted softer texture and higher rehydration capacity, than that of other pre-treated samples. In all cases, slow freezing lead to lower final moisture content, total color difference and water activity.
Emphasizing Task-Specific Hypertrophy to Enhance Sequential Strength and Power Performance

While strength is indeed a skill, most discussions have primarily considered structural adaptations rather than ultrastructural augmentation to improve performance. Altering the structural component of the muscle is often the aim of hypertrophic training, yet not all hypertrophy is equal; such alterations are dependent upon how the muscle adapts to the training stimuli and overall training stress. When comparing bodybuilders to strength and power athletes such as powerlifters, weightlifters, and throwers, while muscle size may be similar, the ability to produce force and power is often inequivalent. Thus, performance differences go beyond structural changes and may be due to the muscle’s ultrastructural constituents and training induced adaptations. Relative to potentiating strength and power performances, eliciting specific ultrastructural changes should be a variable of interest during hypertrophic training phases. By focusing on task-specific hypertrophy, it may be possible to achieve an optimal amount of hypertrophy while deemphasizing metabolic and aerobic components that are often associated with high-volume training. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to briefly address different types of hypertrophy and provide directions for practitioners who are aiming to achieve optimal rather than maximal hypertrophy, as it relates to altering ultrastructural muscular components, to potentiate strength and power performance.
Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) juice residue and its ethanol extract decrease serum lipid levels in high‑fat diet‑fed C57BL/6J mice

Black chokeberry ( Aronia melanocarpa ) yields aronia berries, which are rich in anthocyanins. Although aronia juice and its extract have various potential health bene‑ fits, information regarding the activity of aronia juice residue is currently limited. The present study examined the effects of aronia juice residue and its ethanol extract on glucose and lipid metabolism in high‑fat diet‑fed mice. Following a 26‑day trial, serum triglycerides, free fatty acids and low‑density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly lower in mice fed aronia juice residue or its ethanol extract than in the high‑fat‑fed control mice. Furthermore, mice fed aronia compounds demonstrated a suppressed hepatic mRNA expression of stearoyl‑CoA desaturase 1, which promotes fatty acid synthesis, whereas the expression levels of cholesterol 7 alpha‑hydroxylase, a rate‑limiting enzyme of cholesterol catabolism, were increased. Moreover, the ethanol extract inhibited lipase activity in vitro. On the whole, these results indicate that aronia juice residue and its ethanol extract are potentially useful in suppressing lipid metabolic dysfunction in high‑fat diet‑fed mice.
Surface Tension and Surface Potential of Na n-Dodecyl Sulfate at the Air−Solution Interface: Model and Experiment

Surface potential vs concentration isotherms of Na n-dodecyl sulfate (SDDS) adsorbed at the air−solution interface, measured using the vibrating plate method at various concentrations of added salt, exhibit a pronounced minimum. The results of surface tension measurements indicate that the minimum occurs within the concentration range that corresponds to the transition from the Henry regime of adsorption for low surface coverages to the one typical for adsorption of amphiphiles at high surface coverages. We proposed a simple model of adsorption of ionic surfactants at air−fluid interfaces based on the assumption that surfactant headgroups and counterions can adsorb in the Stern layer at the same Helmholtz plane. The electric potential in the electric double layer was calculated according to the Gouy−Chapman model for the diffuse part of the double layer and a modified Stern model for the inner layer with corrections for the discrete charge effects. The total potential drop across the interface was assumed.
Helianthemum jonium (Cistaceae), a new species in the eastern Adriatic

1University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Botany, Svetošimunska 25, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia 2Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity and Molecular Plant Breeding, Svetošimunska 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia 3Croatian Natural History Museum, Department of Zoology, Demetrova 1, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia (drasko.holcer@hpm.hr) 4Croatian National Institute of Public Health, Rockefellerova 7, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia (natasa.janev@hzjz.hr) 5Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Tirana University, Bld. ZOG I, Tirana, Albania (lulezim.shuka@fshn.edu.al)
Pulse Compression Favorable Thermal Wave Imaging Techniques for Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation of Materials

This article highlights the application of pulse compression favorable Frequency Modulated Thermal Wave Imaging (FMTWI) technique for testing and evaluation of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastics (CFRP). The concept of InfraRed Image Correlation (IRIC) has been introduced to reconstruct the correlation fringes for the pulse compressed data obtained from the matched filter approach to detect the flat bottom hole defects in a CFRP specimen. Further, comparison has been made with the acquired phasegrams using frequency and time domain based data processing approaches. Obtained results clearly demonstrate the strengths of the proposed IRIC based post-processing scheme in providing the spatio-temporal correlation fringes for thermal Non-Destructive Testing & Evaluation (NDT&E) of CFRP materials.