Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antioxidant and enzyme-inhibitory properties of sesame seed protein fractions and their isolate and hydrolyzate

ABSTRACT Sesame seed was defatted and subsequently fractionated into albumin, globulin, glutelin and prolamin. The defatted flour was also subjected to alkaline solubilization and acid precipitation to obtain protein isolate. The sesame seed protein isolate was hydrolyzed using a combination of pepsin and pancreatin to produce the protein hydrolyzate. The defatted flour, protein fractions, isolate and hydrolyzate were evaluated for their amino acid profiles as well as in vitro antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities. The results showed that the glutelin fraction had higher amounts of essential amino acid (38.1%) when compared with albumin (35.6%), globulin (31.3%), prolamin (37.1%), protein isolate (37.1%) and protein hydrolyzate (36.7%). The defatted flour exhibited the strongest DPPH radical scavenging activity while only the globulin, isolate and hydrolyzate exhibited superoxide radical scavenging activity. The defatted flour also had the strongest hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of 91.79%, although lower than the 95.93% for the control peptide (glutathione). The hydrolyzate had the strongest metal chelating activity (75.53%), while the isolate had the highest ferric antioxidant reducing power. The albumin was the most effective inhibitor of angiotensin converting enzyme and α-amylase with values of 30.04% and 29.44%, respectively. In contrast, renin activity was strongly inhibited (89.87%) by the isolate but acetylcholinesterase was weakly inhibited by the hydrolyzate (16.89%) and prolamin (16.29%). We conclude that the defatted flour and protein products are potential ingredients that could be incorporated into foods to extend shelf-life but also with potential bioactive properties.
Distance Education Service Quality in Turkey

Universities occupy an important place in the training of qualified manpower needed by a country, in the production of knowledge and in service to the society with the educational services they provide. Due to the limited capacity and increasing demand in higher education, distance education (DE) programs in universities are spreading rapidly. In this study, the components affecting the service quality perception of the DE service offered and the score of the students, who are the most important customers of the DE program, were determined. Service quality was measured by DE-SERVQUAL, which has a 4-factor structure: "e-learning environment", "trust", "accessibility" and "enthusiasm". In the study where 457 valid answers were evaluated, students indicated that accessibility is the most important dimension that determines the DE service quality. It is followed by e-learning environment, reliability and enthusiasm in the descending order. In addition, students gave the lowest score to the e-learning environment dimension in the program they were enrolled in.
Polyphenols Content and Antioxidant Activity of Bilberry Juice Obtained from Different Altitude Samples

There are about 30 different types of blueberries. In Bulgaria, there are 4 species of genus Vaccinium red (vitis-idaea), black (myrtillus), blue (uliginosum) and Caucasian (arctostaphylos). Bilberries are a source of carotene, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin D, manganese, soluble and insoluble fibres like pectin. Blueberries contain significant amounts of anthocyanidins, antioxidants and ellagic acid. The main wealth of blueberries are the antioxidants that bind free radicals and thus prevent malignant tumors. This is why blueberry is an excellent remedy for oncology. Objective of study was to investigate the content of total polyphenols, antioxidant activity and total anthocyanins of bilberry depending on altitude. Systematic approach and critical analysis of the available scientific periodicals and DPPH method for determining the antioxidant activity (radical trapping activity). Original Research Article Papanov et al.; JPRI, 33(29A): 218-223, 2021; Article no.JPRI. 67855 219 It has been established a direct relationship between altitude and antioxidant activity. In the range of 900 to 1450 m the relationship between altitude and total anthocyanins is inversely proportional. After 1500 m, the dependency becomes proportional. There is no correlation between pH, total polyphenols and titratable acidity.
Seismic Strengthening Effects of Full-Size Reinforced Concrete Frame Retrofitted with Novel Concrete-Filled Tube Modular Frame by Pseudo-Dynamic Testing

The present study proposes a new seismic retrofitting method using a concrete-filled tube modular frame (CFT-MF) system, a novel technique to overcome and improve the limitations of existing seismic strengthening methods. This CFT-MF seismic retrofitting method makes the most of the advantages of both concrete and steel pipes, thereby significantly improving constructability and increasing integration between the existing structure and the reinforcement joints. This method falls into the category of typical seismic retrofitting methods that focus on increasing strength, in which the required amount of seismic reinforcement can be easily estimated. Therefore, the method provides an easy solution to improving the strength of existing reinforced concrete (RC) structures with non-seismic details that are prone to shear failure. In the present study, a full-size two-story test frame modeled from existing domestic RC structures with non-seismic details was subjected to pseudo-dynamic testing. As a result, the effect of the CFT-MF system, when applied to existing RC structures, was examined and verified, especially as to its seismic retrofitting performance, i.e., restoring force characteristics, stiffness reinforcement, and seismic response control. In addition, based on the pseudo-dynamic testing results, a restoring force characteristics model was proposed to implement non-linear dynamic analysis of a structure retrofitted with the CFT-MF system (i.e., the test frame). Finally, based on the proposed restoring force characteristics, non-linear dynamic analysis was conducted, and the results were compared with those obtained by the pseudo-dynamic tests. The results showed that the RC frame (building) with no retrofitting measures applied underwent shear failure at a seismic intensity of 200 cm/s2, the threshold applied in seismic design in Korea. In contrast, in the frame (building) retrofitted with the CFT-MF system, only minor earthquake damage was observed, and even when the maximum seismic intensity (300 cm/s2) that may occur in Korean was applied, small-scale damage was observed. These results confirmed the validity of the seismic retrofitting method based on the CFT-MF system developed in the present study. The non-linear dynamic analysis and the pseudo-dynamic test showed similar results, with an average deviation of 10% or less in seismic response load and displacement.
THE 2020 NFL DRAFT: DUAL-CAREER (DC) MESSAGING ON EDUCATION, FAMILIES, GENDER, AND RACE UNDER AMERICAN CAPITALISM

This paper is an examination of the 2020 National Football League (NFL) Draft and how the virtual prism created due to the COVID-19 pandemic provides insight on the dual career identities of collegiate football players that are drafted into the NFL. The virtual prism created by the COVID-19 pandemic is a moment for cultural studies to take up seriously, namely because of the clear tensions and synergies between academic and athletic prowess, racial inequality in higher education, racial socialization, the continued racialization of the vocational realm, and media biases. Our method involved an analysis of secondary compiled data from the NFL. In our data analyses, we focused on the idea of credited season, player eligibility, team graduation rate. We also used athlete triangulation information to advance our understanding of the dual career, family, masculinity, and race. Ultimately, we conclude that NFL players possess a comparable set of academic/professional skills that effectively help them transition from sports activities to the world of labor. Following our theoretical advancement(s), we discuss the practical application of our work and provide recommendations for scholars and practitioners on dual-career identities and player development dynamics.
Enhanced fuzzy state estimation of discrete‐time nonlinear systems via a multi‐instant united switch‐type observer

The performance of state estimation of discrete‐time Takagi–Sugeno systems is enhanced by proposing a featured multiinstant united switch‐type observer. The novelty of the proposed observer lies in both the definition and application of a set of switching modes. Since different time‐variant free matrices can be for the first time introduced in accordance with each switching mode, both the current time and the past time normalized fuzzy weighting functions are together considered for designing the corresponding observer gain matrices with much less conservatism than those recent methods reported in the literature. Furthermore, there are only two tuning parameters which are both located in a limited candidate set and thus this fact does benefit for giving the optimal solution of our developed multiinstant united switch‐type candidates. Finally, numerical comparisons are provided in order to verify the technical superiority of the results developed in this article.
Reconstructing the Informal and Invisible: Interactions Between Journalists and Political Sources in Two Countries

ABSTRACT A significant part of the interaction between journalists and their sources in political journalism is informal or not mentioned in the media content. Visibility/invisibility and formality/informality are tactical choices applied by journalists and sources. They influence agenda building in the short term and shared interpretations that dominate the public sphere in the long term. However, the extent to which informal and/or invisible sources participate, what their role is, and why have not been consistently measured. This paper offers a matrix model to map and compare the usage of formal/informal and visible/invisible interactions between journalists and their sources. The data consists of 475 journalist-source interactions in Lithuania and Sweden reconstructed by 33 political journalists. The results demonstrate how different interactions presuppose different source roles in the news process. Formal invisible sources act as gatekeepers, and informal invisible sources act as agenda setters.
Production of Biofuel Additives from Esterification and Acetalization of Bioglycerol over SnO2-Based Solid Acids

Owing to significant environmental and economical concerns of fossil fuels, the search for alternative renewable fuels has received a explicit research interest in recent times. In this work, we prepared efficient solid acid catalysts, namely, SnO2, WO3/SnO2, MoO3/SnO2, and SO42–/SnO2 for the production of bioadditive fuels from bioglycerol under ecofriendly conditions. The synthesized samples were meticulously analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area, Barrett–Joyner–Halenda pore size distribution, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, FT-IR analysis of adsorbed pyridine, NH3-temperature programmed desorption, and other techniques. The catalytic efficiency of these solid acids was investigated for esterification and acetalization of glycerol with acetic acid and benzaldehyde, respectively. Characterization studies revealed that the textural properties (crystallite size and BET surface area) of pristine SnO2 were outstand.
Current workplace issues and behaviours in tourism and hospitality: moderating role of empowering leadership

ABSTRACT This study investigated the antecedents and consequences of social intergroup behaviours–relationships in the tourism workplace and job satisfaction. Social exchange theory (SET) was adopted as a framework. Primary data were collected from a valid 980 full-time employees of Egyptian tourism firms (travel agents and hotels). Conceptual model analysis was carried out by PLS-SEM. The findings showed that on the contrary to workplace emotional intelligence behaviour, deviant behaviours (bullying, incivility, stress and gossiping) influenced negatively employee's satisfaction. Empowering leadership moderates the relationships between workplace deviant behaviours, emotional behaviour, job satisfaction and firm performance. This study provides a significant SET contribution to the human resource management literature in managing tourism and hospitality workplace behaviours through exploring the positive effects of empowering leadership on both firm performance and employee's job satisfaction. The SET contribution from the validated results is useful for academics, tourism managers and industry leaders, society and public psych-policy makers, and the tourism firm's economy. Additional contributions of managerial and theoretical implications and limitations are discussed.
Gender Revolution in Kazakhstan? Implications for Fertility Intentions

The gender revolution perspective on the association between gender equality and fertility has been widely applied to the contexts of the developed countries both in Europe and East Asia. This study explores the applicability of the perspective to the context of Kazakhstan, which has relatively good progress in the first half of the gender revolution but is not necessarily developing the second half as in other contexts that have been studied previously. The study explored whether fertility intentions are positively associated with gender egalitarian attitudes or division of labour in the home for women who are in the labour force. In addition, whether alignment between attitudes and division of labour in the home was associated positively with fertility intentions was also explored. More egalitarian gender ideology and more equal sharing of domestic work were negatively or not at all related to fertility intentions in Kazakhstan. These results can be interpreted to mean that an unequal division of labour in the household may be taken for granted in the culture of Kazakhstan and may correlate somewhat with values that promote family expansion, regardless of whether women are in paid employment.
Voting in referendums increases internal political efficacy of men but not women: evidence from Ireland's 2018 abortion referendum

ABSTRACT Will experience with direct democracy influence men's and women's political beliefs differently? Despite the closed gender gap in voter turnout, women remain less interested in politics and participate less frequently in non-voting activities than men. Scholars find women's lower sense of internal political efficacy as the origins of these gender gaps. In this paper, I examine whether the experience of direct participation in political decision-making alters women's feelings of internal political efficacy differently from it does men's. Building on the insights from the literature on the gendered psychological traits, I theorize that voting in referendums will promote men's internal political efficacy but not women's, because of women's greater susceptibility to the psychological costs of participation in referendums. Using an original panel survey conducted shortly before and after the 2018 abortion referendum in Ireland, I demonstrate the presence of the gendered effect in voting in referendums: While men reported increased internal political efficacy after voting in the referendum, women did not experience any meaningful change, even though the issue magnified women's psychological engagement with the vote. My findings suggest that differences in psychological dispositions between men and women create gendered reactions to citizen experience in the political arena.
Effects of Withania coagulans extract and morphine on spermatogenesis in rats

Purpose: To investigate the comparative effects of Withania coagolans extract and morphine on spermatogenesis in rats Methods: W. coagolans was collected from Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran and 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight doses of methanol extract and 5, 10 and 15 mg/kg body weight doses of morphine were administered parenterally to the rats which were divided into groups. Blood samples were collected and the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone were assayed. The testicular tissue was isolated for histopathological examination. Results: No significant changes were observed in levels of LH, FSH and testosterone in treated groups (p < 0.05). However, there was significant difference between the treated groups for extract plus morphine groups, in terms of the number of spermatogonium, spermatocytes and spermatide variation. Moreover, the results indicate tissue disorders in all groups relative to control. The extract caused more disturbances in spermatogenesis compared to morphine, and appears to improve parameters related to spermatogenesis. Conclusion: The results show that the higher dose of Withania coagolans extract (100 mg/kg) exerts varying effects on reproductive parameters. Moreover, the lower dose of Withania coagolans extract (50 mg/kg) enhanced spermatogenesis while also protecting against the damaging effects of morphine.
Social embeddedness and innovation behavior of innovation platform actors

Agricultural innovation platforms are increasingly being used as a means of mitigating agricultural value chain challenges through enabling the co-evolution of different elements in the innovation process. Given a number of actors and their different interests, governance dynamics and institutions are likely to play a fundamental role in the attainment of this objective. This study employed network governance theory to establish the influence of structures and relations in innovation platforms influence on actors’ innovation behavior. Using a sample of 319 randomly selected farmers and key informant interviews, it was established that the direct effect of embeddedness on innovation behavior was positive but insignificant (β=0.005, p= 0.953). The effect embeddedness on adaptation, coordination and safeguard of exchanges was positive and significant at (β=0.339, p0.01), (β=0.239, p0.01) and (β=0.262, p0.01) respectively. The role of adaptation in influencing innovation behavior was positive and significant with (β=0.264, p0.05). The study also finds that the indirect role of adaptation and safeguard of exchanges enhances the relationship between embeddedness and actor innovation behavior. The study recommends that to increase agricultural innovations, members of the networks should have adaptive measures through continuous search for new processes, new markets, reliable inputs and take advantage of new opportunities in their operating environment so as to be adaptive to this new work arrangement.
A Machine Learning-Based Seismic Data Compression and Interpretation Using a Novel Shifted-Matrix Decomposition Algorithm

Seismic data provides integral information in geophysical exploration, for locating hydrocarbon rich areas as well as for fracture monitoring during well stimulation. Because of its high frequency acquisition rate and dense spatial sampling, distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) has seen increasing application in microseimic monitoring. Given large volumes of data to be analyzed in real-time and impractical memory and storage requirements, fast compression and accurate interpretation methods are necessary for real-time monitoring campaigns using DAS. In response to the developments in data acquisition, we have created shifted-matrix decomposition (SMD) to compress seismic data by storing it into pairs of singular vectors coupled with shift vectors. This is achieved by shifting the columns of a matrix of seismic data before applying singular value decomposition (SVD) to it to extract a pair of singular vectors. The purpose of SMD is data denoising as well as compression, as reconstructing seismic data from its compressed form creates a denoised version of the original data. By analyzing the data in its compressed form, we can also run signal detection and velocity estimation analysis. Therefore, the developed algorithm can simultaneously compress and denoise seismic data while also analyzing compressed data to estimate signal presence and wave velocities. To show its efficiency, we compare SMD to local SVD and structure-oriented SVD, which are similar SVD-based methods used only for denoising seismic data. While the development of SMD is motivated by the increasing use of DAS, SMD can be applied to any seismic data obtained from a large number of receivers. For example, here we present initial applications of SMD to readily available marine seismic data.
On Modeling Influence Maximization in Social Activity Networks under General Settings

Finding the set of most influential users in online social networks (OSNs) to trigger the largest influence cascade is meaningful, e.g., companies may leverage the “word-of-mouth” effect to trigger a large cascade of purchases by offering free samples/discounts to those most influential users. This task is usually modeled as an influence maximization problem, and it has been widely studied in the past decade. However, considering that users in OSNs may participate in various online activities, e.g., joining discussion groups and commenting on same pages or products, influence diffusion through online activities becomes even more significant. In this article, we study the impact of online activities by formulating social-activity networks which contain both users and online activities, and thus induce two types of weighted edges, i.e., edges between users and edges between users and activities. To address the computation challenge, we define an influence centrality via random walks, and use the Monte Carlo framework to efficiently estimate the centrality. Furthermore, we develop a greedy-based algorithm with novel optimizations to find the most influential users for node recommendation. Experiments on real-world datasets show that our approach is very computationally efficient under different influence models, and also achieves larger influence spread by considering online activities.
Technical aspects in freeze-drying of foods

ABSTRACT Drying is a widespread concept in the food industry, typically used to convert a surplus crop into a shelf-stable commodity. With advancement of technology, however, there is interest in moving forward from the traditional convective air drying that is most widely used today for foods, to maintain at a very high level the nutritional and organoleptical properties of the initial fresh product. Freeze-drying (FD) produces the highest quality food product obtainable by any drying method, but it is considered the most expensive operation for manufacturing a dehydrated product owing to high energy consumption and high costs of both operation and maintenance. Microwave freeze-drying (MFD) and atmospheric freeze-drying (AFD) have been developed to reduce the FD energy consumption. The product quality of these two drying methods is similar to FD, due to removal of water content in materials by sublimation in both MFD and AFD. Although a significant amount of scientific research has been carried out in the field of sublimation drying, there are only a few comprehensive summarizations about the various sublimation drying methods. As a result, this review aims to highlight some of the latest and most notable advancements in sublimation-drying of foods, with main emphasis given to recent developments of reducing energy consumption of FD process and suggests future research areas on sublimation-related drying.