Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of spray drying process conditions on bacteria survival and acetaldehyde retention in sweetened yoghurt powder: an optimization study

The objective of this study was to optimize the spray drying conditions in developing a sweetened yoghurt powder using response surface methodology. Results indicated that the corresponding response surface model was sufficient to describe and predict powder characteristics in terms of moisture content (% db), bacteria survival ratio (N/No), acetaldehyde retention (%), and overall sensory score with R2 of 98.24, 98.44, 98.57, and 97.85%, respectively. Under optimal conditions (inlet air temperature 148 °C, feed rate 0.54 L/h, and atomization pressure 898 kPa), the response variables including the moisture content, bacteria survival ratio, acetaldehyde retention, and overall sensory score were predicted and validated as 3.69% (db), 2.37 × 10−3, 76.39%, and 8.0, respectively. Furthermore, physicochemical properties and morphology of the optimally developed sweetened yoghurt powder were studied. It was concluded that a reasonably good-quality shelf-stable powder can be developed from sweetened yoghurt having adequate bacteria count and acetaldehyde content by spray drying. Practical applications This article reports the successful application of spray drying in developing a shelf-stable dried misti dahi which is the sweet delicacy of India. The quality of reconstituted sweetened yoghurt in terms of starter culture survival and acetaldehyde retention could be achieved by optimizing the spray drying process parameters. In this “ready to eat” era, sweetened yoghurt powder drying process has the potential to be scaled-up and manufactured in large scale.
University Students’ Perspectives on Open and Distance Learning (ODL) Implementation Amidst COVID-19

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) has been implemented in universities around the world since decades ago. With COVID-19 pandemic, its implementation has been accelerated globally at an unprecedented speed and haste. Thus, the aim of this paper is to investigate the university students’ perspectives on ODL amidst COVID-19. By using the convenient sampling method, a total of 608 diploma and degree students throughout Malaysia have participated and shared their feedback on ODL implementation. The collected data covered their general feedback and what they enjoyed the most about ODL. Moreover, their recommendations on ODL implementation were analyzed by categorising the responses into different themes. The demographic data was summarized using descriptive analysis. A comparison between the diploma and the degree students’ perspectives is also discussed in the paper. The findings show that most students have positive perceptions on ODL implementation, where positive feedback and fun factors are highlighted by the respondents. Some students indicated that ODL should not be continued in the future semester, due to problems such as poor internet connection, budget constraints and time management issues. Recommendations on improvements for better ODL implementations in the near future are also provided. This study contributes to more effective ODL management by presenting the learners’ perspectives Keywords: Open and Distance Learning (ODL), Online Learning Platforms, Technology, Teaching and Learning, University Students
Seismicity and Pn Velocity Structure of Central West Antarctica

We have located 117 previously undetected seismic events mainly occurring between 2015 and 2017 that originated from glacial, tectonic, and volcanic processes in central West Antarctica using data recorded on Polar Earth Observing Network (POLENET/ANET) and UK Antarctic Network (UKANET) seismic stations. The seismic events, with local magnitudes (ML) ranging from 1.1 to 3.5, are predominantly clustered in four geographic regions; the Ellsworth Mountains, Thwaites Glacier, Pine Island Glacier, and Mount Takahe. Eighteen of the events are in the Ellsworth Mountains and can be attributed to a mixture of glacial and tectonic processes. The largest event noted in this study was a mid‐crustal (∼19 km focal depth; ML 3.5) normal mechanism earthquake beneath Thwaites Glacier. We also located 91 glacial events near the grounding zones of Thwaites Glacier and Pine Island Glacier that are predominantly associated with time periods of significant calving activity. Eight events, likely arising from volcano‐tectonic processes, occurred beneath Mount Takahe. Using Pn travel times from the seismic events, we find laterally variable uppermost mantle structure in central West Antarctica. On average, the Ellsworth Mountains are underlain by a faster mantle lid (VPn = ∼8.4 km/s) compared to the Amundsen Sea Embayment region (VPn = ∼8.1 km/s). Within the Amundsen Sea Embayment itself, we find mantle lid velocities ranging from ∼8.05 to 8.18 km/s. Laterally heterogeneous uppermost mantle structure, indicative of variable thermal and rheological structure, likely influences both geothermal heat flux and glacial isostatic adjustment spatial patterns and rates within central West Antarctica.
Trustworthiness in Higher Education: The Role of Professor Benevolence and Competence

Trust is a fundamental element of educational success. However, compared to what we know about teachers’ perceptions of trust, relatively less is known about students’ perceptions of trust. This paper describes two experimental investigations that tested the effects of authority competence and benevolence on students’ perceptions of trust and their engagement. The investigations also explored whether university identification moderated the influence of authority competence and benevolence on assessments of authority trustworthiness and university engagement. As part of an online experiment administered in the Fall 2010 and the Spring 2011 academic terms, Italian (n = 211; Study 1) and U.S. (n = 226; Study 2) undergraduates were primed to identity or not identify with their university before they read one of four scenarios describing a professor’s behavior (i.e., competent and benevolent; competent but uncaring; incompetent but benevolent; incompetent and uncaring). Results showed that students from both Italy and the United States viewed a competent and caring professor as most trustworthy and an incompetent and uncaring professor as least trustworthy. Furthermore, in both countries, students trusted an incompetent and caring professor more compared to a competent and uncaring professor. University identification did not influence trustworthiness.
Genetic and biochemical characterization of YrkF, a novel two-domain sulfurtransferase in Bacillus subtilis

Sulfur-containing compounds such as thiamin, biotin, molybdopterin, lipoic acid, and [Fe-S] clusters are essential for life. Sulfurtransferases are present in eukaryotes, eubacteria, and archaea and are believed to play important roles in mobilizing sulfur necessary for biosynthesis of these compounds and for normal cellular functions. The rhodanese homology domain is a ubiquitous structural module containing a characteristic active site cysteine residue. Some proteins containing a rhodanese domain display thiosulfate:cyanide sulfurtransferase activity in vitro. However, the physiological functions of rhodaneses remain largely unknown. YrkF, the first rhodanese to be characterized from Bacillus subtilis, is a unique protein containing two domains, an N-terminal Ccd1 domain and a C-terminal rhodanese domain. Ccd1 (conserved cysteine domain 1) is a ubiquitous structural module characterized by a Cys-Pro-X-Pro sequence motif. Thus, YrkF contains two cysteine residues (Cys and Cys), one in each domain.
A Real-Time Multi-Antenna SAR-Based Method for 3D Localization of RFID Tags by a Moving Robot

In this paper, we present a prototype method for 3D localization of UHF RFID tags by a moving robot. The proposed method represents an extension of Phase ReLock, in 3D space. Phase measurements are collected by at least two antennas, thus a multi-antenna synthetic aperture is created. We propose a new optimization problem, which involves measurements from all different antennas. Thanks to phase-unwrapping, the new multi-antenna optimization problem preserves its convex-like properties. Consequently, it is solved rapidly by standard optimization techniques. Furthermore, we introduce a confidence metric that can identify measured data, which deteriorate the accuracy of the estimations. These can be removed from the measurements’ dataset. We have conducted extensive measurements, employing four antennas on top of a SLAM-enabled robot; i.e., the robot is able to create a map of the unknown environment and continuously estimate its pose inside the map. The proposed method outperforms prior art with respect to accuracy and computation time. It achieves mean 3D error less than 20cm with an estimation-time of only 0.17s per tag on an average laptop.
Mechanistic pathways of the high temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

• A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website. • The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review. • The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers.
Numerical Modeling of the Motion and Interaction of a Droplet of an Inkjet Printing Process with a Flat Surface

The numerical simulation and analysis of the ejection of an ink droplet through a nozzle as well its motion through air until its contact with a surface and taking up of a stable form is performed. The fluid flow is modeled by the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations with added surface tension. The presented model can be solved using either a level set or a phase field method to track the fluid interface. Here, the level set method is used to determinate the interface between ink and air. The presented work concentrates on the demonstration how to check the suitability of ink for inkjet printhead nozzles, for instance, for the use in printers. The results such as velocity, change of size, and volume dependence on time of an ink droplet are presented. Recommendations for the use of specific inks are also given.
Mudança estrutural e serviços intermediários: algumas evidências para o limiar do século XXI

Resumo Abordagens setoriais demonstram que as novas tecnologias de comunicação contribuem para a mudança no modo como as firmas organizam os seus processos produtivos, favorecendo a terceirização e o crescimento na participação de atividades de serviços intermediários. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar o fenômeno da mudança estrutural, mediante o emprego da abordagem do subsistema (Momigliano; Siniscalco, 1982, 1986) para uma amostra composta por 43 países discriminada para o período 2000-2014. Essa abordagem integra verticalmente as atividades intermediárias que compõem cada subsistema, se mostra robusta à terceirização de atividades e possibilita a obtenção de indicadores de mudança estrutural mais confiáveis do que a abordagem setorial. Os resultados encontrados demonstram a ocorrência de um processo de reorganização produtivo caracterizado pela elevação na participação dos serviços intermediários. O estudo inova ao evidenciar a existência de tendência consistente de retração na participação dos subsistemas industriais no total de horas trabalhadas. Esse processo de desindustrialização não é explicado apenas pelo avanço do subsistema de serviços finais, mas principalmente pela crescente integração vertical observada para o subsistema de serviços intermediários. Esse subsistema registra retração na utilização de insumos oriundos dos subsistemas industriais, o que contraria alguns argumentos presentes na literatura de serviços intermediários.
A Pre-TACE Radiomics Model to Predict HCC Progression and Recurrence in Liver Transplantation: A Pilot Study on a Novel Biomarker

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Background. Despite transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a significant number of patients will develop progression on the liver transplant (LT) waiting list or disease recurrence post-LT. We sought to evaluate the feasibility of a pre-TACE radiomics model, an imaging-based tool to predict these adverse outcomes. Methods. We analyzed the pre-TACE computed tomography images of patients waiting for a LT. The primary endpoint was a combined event that included waitlist dropout for tumor progression or tumor recurrence post-LT. The radiomic features were extracted from the largest HCC volume from the arterial and portal venous phase. A third set of features was created, combining the features from these 2 contrast phases. We applied a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator feature selection method and a support vector machine classifier. Three prognostic models were built using each feature set. The models’ performance was compared using 5-fold cross-validated area under the receiver operating characteristic curves. Results . Eighty-eight patients were included, of whom 33 experienced the combined event (37.5%). The median time to dropout was 5.6 mo (interquartile range: 3.6–9.3), and the median time for post-LT recurrence was 19.2 mo (interquartile range: 6.1–34.0). Twenty-four patients (27.3%) dropped out and 64 (72.7%) patients were transplanted. Of these, 14 (21.9%) had recurrence post-LT. Model performance yielded a mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.70 (±0.07), 0.87 (±0.06), and 0.81 (±0.06) for the arterial, venous, and the combined models, respectively. Conclusions. A pre-TACE radiomics model for HCC patients undergoing LT may be a useful tool for outcome prediction. Further external model validation with a larger sample size is required.
A Proof-of-Concept Pilot for an Intervention with Pregnant Mothers Who Have Had Children Removed by the State: The ‘Early Family Drug and Alcohol Court Model’

This paper describes a ‘proof-of-concept’ pilot of the ‘Early FDAC model’. The evaluated Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) model, on which Early FDAC is based, is summarised and the rationale for introducing the pilot variation is set out. This short paper describes the learning from the pilot that set out to work with 30 families across three FDAC teams between 2015 and 2019. At the time of the pilot, there were, and remain, few other interventions in England for pregnant mothers who have already had children removed. An adaptation of the evaluated FDAC model suggested itself because of the overlap with families in public law care proceedings and emerging evidence that FDAC delivers a better experience of justice for families and professionals, better outcomes for children and families and better use of public money. Pilot families were engaged as soon as possible in the pregnancy (hence ‘Early’), and continued to receive support for up to two years. The process started in pre-proceedings with the aim of avoiding court. Where proceedings were necessary, cases were heard in an FDAC court, with provision for a post-proceedings phase. There were problems with recruitment and engagement and families had fewer ‘solvable problems’. Nevertheless, outcomes were promising, with 18 families keeping their children. This represents one-third of the referred families and almost two-thirds of the families who undertook a ‘Trial for Change’.
Effects of digital economy involvement on book-tax differences in Malaysia

Abstract Malaysian government provides tax incentives to firms that involve in digital economy to increase digital economy activities in the country. This, however, can enlarge the country’s tax gap. This study, therefore, attempts to investigate the effects of firms’ digital economy involvement on book-tax differences (BTD), and its components, comprising permanent, temporary and statutory tax rates differences. A total of 846 firm-year data of Malaysian-listed firms from 2013 to 2018 were analysed. The relationships between digital economy involvement and temporary differences, and statutory tax rates differences were found positive and significant. This suggests that firms, through temporary differences, are leveraging on the usage of ICT to enjoy the incentives provided by the Government. The firms are also benefiting from cross-border businesses to secure tax benefits from differences of tax rules between jurisdictions. This study contributes to literature by providing further empirical evidence to support theory of tax incentives within the context of technology acceptance model. This study also contributes to the authority by providing insights on the extent the digital economy-related incentives can affect the country’s tax gap. Firms can also be benefited from this study in their attempts to gauge the effects of digital economy activities on their tax position.
From the researched to co-researchers: including excluded participants in community-led research on urban agriculture in Cape Town

ABSTRACT Purpose Traditionally, marginalised community members have been perceived by academics as providers of information and end users of research results. Co-research (community research) reverses this paradigm and uplifts ‘the researched’ to co-creators of knowledge and advocates for their own solutions to problems. Design/methodology/approach A co-research approach was developed, employed, and scaled by urban farmers in Cape Town, South Africa. Data was collectively gathered using mixed methods: primarily, focus group discussions, farming diaries, a vulnerability assessment, a structured survey, and a validation discussion. Findings The participants perceived the research process itself to be much more important than results, as they learned to challenge their own preconceptions, dismantled the cultural scaffolding which impeded their understanding of their world, and developed agency over processes for change. Practical implications The mutually developed results were used by the co-researchers to establish a representative body which advocates for policy action to address small-scale farmers’ needs. Theoretical implications Co-research goes beyond participatory action research by addressing its bottlenecks, such as actors’ limited involvement in data collection. Originality/Value This long-term study was led by actors who have been historically excluded from access to education. This study actively encouraged the inclusion of excluded voices and calls for a paradigm change in knowledge creation and democratisation of research processes.
LSTM Based Hybrid Method for Basin Water Level Prediction by Using Precipitation Data

Water level prediction is becoming increasingly important. However, physical models tend to become difficult to apply when it comes to some small rivers which have insufficient hydrological data. To address it, nowadays, deep learning methods are increasingly being applied to climate prediction analysis as an alternative to computationally expensive physical models for its features of flexible data-driven learning and universality. In our paper, we focus on the precipitation-only water level forecasting problem by using long-short-term memory (LSTM) based hybrid model, and try predicting the future water level of all the rivers in Japan by using simulated precipitation data from the database for Policy Decision making for Future climate change (d4PDF).
Evaluation of the Additives’ Behaviour to Determine the Best Modifier for Improving Asphalt Performance at High Temperature

The current study aims to examine the physical and rheological properties at the high-temperature range of 52, 58, 64, 70, 76, and 82°C, utilizing adjusted asphalt binders. Three kinds of asphalt modifiers were selected such as styrene-butadiene-styrene, ethylene vinyl acetate, and end of life tires. The selected additives were implemented with different contents ranging from 4% to 7% by the weight of neat asphalt. Various test methods have been established, such as ductility, viscosity, microscopic inspection, and dynamic shear rheometer experiments. Results proved that the percentage decrease in ductility was 93%, 91%, and 88% with regard to the adding of the end of life tires (ELTs), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), and styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) additives, respectively. Outcomes also confirmed that viscosity was boosted from 0.411 Pa.s to 1.249, 1.0986, and 0.9785 Pa.s after adding 7% of ELTs, 7% of EVA, and 7% of SBS, respectively. The rutting parameter and complex shear modulus increased after modification, indicating the excellent performance of asphalt. The conclusions confirmed that the ELTs have fewer agglomerates and have good compatibility before ageing and excellent compatibility after the ageing process. Thus, the ELTs are deemed as efficient dispersion additive for avoiding separation during the storage and handling of the asphalt binder. Lastly, ELTs were accepted as the best enhancer for their positive influence on physical and rheological characteristics, which means higher quality amended bitumen would give higher resistance to permanent deformation.
The effect of density thresholding on the EEG network construction

The procedure of thresholding for graph construction is one of the common steps in calculating networks of brain connections. However, this procedure can lead to incomparable results from different studies. In the present study we aim to test the effect of thresholding or algorithmic reduction of the number of connected nodes on the construction of a set of widely used connectivity graph metrics derived from EEG data. 164 people took part in our study. Participants were recruited via social networks. EEG was recorded during resting state. At the beginning of the procedure each participant was asked to relax and not to think about anything. Source reconstruction was performed using standard source localization pipeline from MNE-package. Desikan-Killiany Atlas was used for cortical parcellation with 34 ROI per hemisphere. Synchronization was estimated with weighted phase lag index in 4–30 Hz frequency range for eyes closed and eyes open separately. We have found that All metrics except average participation coefficient vary monotonously as a function of density level (moreover, we have found, that for Cluster Coefficient, more than 95% and for the Characteristic Path Length ∼50% of the variance is related to thresholding cut-off). The different data-driven approaches to the network construction leads to significant changes in the group-level graph metrics and can eliminate the variance in the data that can be crucial for individual differences studies.