Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enhancing Banana Flour Quality through Physical Modifications and Its Application in Gluten-Free Chips Product

The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of different single or dual physical treatments, including pre-gelatinization (PBF), annealing (ANN), PBF+ANN, and ANN+PBF, on banana flour’s characteristics and its application in gluten-free chip production. The study involved determining the color, swelling capacity, solubility, oil absorption index, and pasting properties of both the native and modified banana flour samples. The results showed a significant change in color, particularly in the pre-gelatinized samples. There was a noticeable decrease in the values of the pasting parameters in the modified samples. PBF samples exhibited a remarkable reduction in the breakdown value compared to the native and ANN treated samples. Furthermore, PBF-treated banana flour displayed higher oil absorption and swelling power than the other samples, along with lower solubility in the PBF-treated sample. These characteristics appear to be responsible for enabling the pre-gelatinized sample to form the dough required for producing banana chips, resulting in distinct texture profiles. Finally, our research emphasizes the useful application of modified banana flour in the food industry and emphasizes how crucial it is to choose the right modification method to achieve the desired effects on the product.
Urologists’ and general practitioners’ knowledge, beliefs and practice relevant for opportunistic prostate cancer screening: a PRISMA-compliant systematic review

Background Recent guidelines on opportunistic prostate cancer screening conclude that the decision to screen with prostate-specific antigen should be made by each patient individually together with the clinician. However, there is evidence of a lack of clinicians’ awareness of prostate cancer screening. This study sought to assess the recent evidence of clinicians’ knowledge, beliefs, and practice regarding opportunistic prostate cancer screening comparing urologists and generals practitioners. Methods A systematic search was conducted in 3 online databases: MEDLINE, Web of Science and EMBASE (from January 1, 2015, to January 9th, 2023). Studies that explored clinicians’ knowledge, beliefs, and practices regarding opportunistic prostate cancer screening were included. Studies were assessed for quality reporting according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Results A total of 14 studies met the inclusion criteria: ten studies included primary care health professionals, three studies included urologists, and one study included both. Studies involving general practitioners showed a generally low level of awareness of the recommended uses of the test, and urologists showed a greater knowledge of clinical practice guidelines. General practitioners’ opinion of prostate-specific antigen was generally unfavourable in contrast to urologists’ who were more likely to be proactive in ordering the test. Less than half of the included studies evaluated shared-decision making in practice and 50% of clinicians surveyed implemented it. Conclusion General practitioners had less knowledge of prostate cancer risk factors and clinical practice guidelines in the use of PSA than urologists, which makes them less likely to follow available recommendations. A need to carry out education interventions with trusted resources based on the available evidence and the current guidelines was identified.
The Establishment and Dissolution of the Subbotnik Communities of Petrovka as a Case Study Reflecting Shifts in Russian Geopolitical Interests toward Raskol’nik Religious Settlements in Southern Caucasus, 1909–1915

Toward the middle of the nineteenth century, a large Subbotnik community established itself in the village of Privol’noe in the Lankaran district of Baku province in Southern Caucasus. By early 1909, however, the names of two small Subbotnik communities—both in the settlement of Petrovka, near Privol’noe—began to appear in the documents of the Baku province administration. While the Privol’noe community has been thoroughly studied, those of Petrovka remain largely unexplored. At their peak, Petrovka’s two Subbotnik communities were divided, belonging to different Jewish streams, and segregated from each other. Based mainly on documents from the National Historical Archives of the Republic of Azerbaijan (NAHARA), this study uncovers these communities and compares their religious life with each other. It does so in the context of the Russo-Ottoman and Irano-Russian geopolitical rivalries in Southern Caucasus. The study explains how and which aspects of this struggle led Russia to originally establish communities like Petrovka at the start of the examined period. It further explores why Russia later lost interest in supporting the Petrovka communities by the end of said period.
Energy and Performance Centric Resource Allocation Framework in
Virtual Machine Consolidation Using Reinforcement Learning Approach

Virtual machines are used to reduce cloud platform application performance, management costs, and access irregularities. Virtual machines are frequently vulnerable to delays, overburdening workloads, and other obstacles while consolidating and migrating servers. To significantly disperse loads among virtual machines, dynamic consolidation techniques are implemented to control energy dissipation, monitor overloading, and address underloading problems. The process of consolidation involves more calculations and resources in order to transfer services between virtual machines, provided that Service Level Agreements are observed. The suggested approach promotes the use of cutting-edge architecture to combine virtual machines, and, therefore, strike a balance between performance and energy requirements. The main design considerations for the suggested Dynamic Weightage algorithm, which includes the clustering approach in relation to reinforcement learning approaches, are overall resource needs and Performance to Power Ratio (PPR). A cluster of ideal virtual machines is created, and resources are distributed according to performance and energy requirements. Virtual machine resource requests are converted into a matching relationship factor, which represents the individual hosts while taking PPR into account. The overall workload associated with virtual machine consolidation is also provided by these estimations. It is noted that there is little energy trade-off and that performance is maintained at a nominal level across the cluster. The architecture is put into practice throughout offline platforms, which are dispersed ecosystems that allow for increased system performance and scaling. The CloudSim simulator is used to validate the system using datasets that are obtained from PlanetLab. According to the data, energy saving has produced yields of up to 47% and promising quality of service attributes. The validation of the system is performed using the CloudSim simulator with datasets from PlanetLab. The results indicate significant energy conservation, up to 47%, along with promising quality of service parameters. The proposed architecture is compared with other state-of-the-art algorithms for distributed architectures and heterogeneous environments, showcasing its efficiency. The conclusion emphasizes the prioritization of VM consolidation and energy efficiency in the proposed architecture, which has been tested on a Proliant G7- based data center using a variety of hosts. Notably, the CloudSim Toolkit is highlighted as outperforming OpenStack-based techniques in simulation results.
Human dog-mediated rabies in the Circle of Kati, Mali: An epidemiological situation analysis and the stakeholder’s knowledge regarding rabies and the One Health approach

Background and Aim: Human dog-transmitted rabies remains a serious public health issue in Mali despite efforts to mitigate it. Indeed, several stakeholders have implemented multiple initiatives for years. However, there is still a lack of cooperation among stakeholders. This study was conducted to capture situational data on rabies and One Health practices among key actors involved in the fight against rabies in Mali. Materials and Methods: Data from veterinary and medical services were collected for analysis. Data collection was based on a review of technical documents (epidemiology of rabies in animals and humans and activities conducted to tackle the disease) and stakeholder interviews (awareness of rabies and the One Health approach). Results: With regard to the epidemiological situation, the findings revealed unsatisfactory vaccination coverage in dogs and low suspected sample collection for laboratory diagnosis. In addition, only half of the exposed individuals received complete post-exposure prophylaxis. A survey carried out by experts in the fields of animal health, human health, and the environment indicated that only 22.47% were well aware of rabies and had never heard of the One Health approach. Overall, there was no significant association between knowledge and participant sector of origin (p > 0.05), highlighting the need for operationalization of the One Health approach in Mali. Conclusion: Therefore, an integrated national action plan for rabies control should be developed with a particular focus on capacity building, particularly in the area of the One Health core competencies. Keywords: epidemiology, multisectoral engagement, One Health, Public Health priority zoonoses, Stakeholders.
Flood preparedness and utilization of early warning systems among households in selected flood-prone areas in Tagum City, Davao Del Norte

Flooding presents a significant threat to infrastructure, property, and lives worldwide, with Barangay San Miguel in Tagum City, Davao Del Norte, standing out as particularly vulnerable. Therefore, assessing household preparedness and early warning system effectiveness is vital. A survey sampled 99 respondents using the Slovin formula. Household preparedness was evaluated based on indicators like first aid kit readiness, evacuation plans, food supplies, and participation in seminars. Early warning systems' effectiveness was assessed through indicators such as localized flood warnings, electronic systems, flyers, and direct communication. Results showed commendable overall preparedness (mean: 3.75), but shortcomings in seminars (2.74) and flyers (2.06). Policymakers should prioritize enhancing knowledge via targeted training and allocate resources to improve warning systems. This approach aims to strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability to flooding in Barangay San Miguel and similar areas.
Influence of Artificial Aging on the Vickers Hardness of Milled and 3D Printed Provisional Materials

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of artificial aging on the Vickers hardness of three resins for provisional dental restorations. Materials and Methods: Three resins were tested: Evolux PMMA (milled resin), Cosmos Temp (3D-printed resin) and Structure 2 SC (bis-acrylic resin, as a control). Specimens were prepared in a disc shape (n = 9) and the Vickers hardness was measured under a load of 20 N for 10 s at two time points: 24h and 60 days after storage in distilled water at 37 °C in an incubator. The data were analysed using the Shapiro-Wilk test followed by the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test (p < 0.05). Results: In periods of artificial aging for 24 h/60 d, there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the Vickers hardness of Structur 2 SC (33.37 VHN/33.96 VHN) and Evolux PMMA (32.34 VHN/29.11VHN); however, both materials were statistically superior to Cosmos Temp (10.90 VHN/15.40 VHN). The impact of artificial aging was only observed for 3D-printed resin (p < 0.05), with an increase in hardness after 60 days. Conclusion: The milled and bis-acrylic resins were statistically superior to 3D-printed resin in both periods of artificial aging, which caused a significant increase of hardness only for 3D-printed resin.
A Granular Experiment approach to Earthquakes

Although earthquakes have been scientifically studied for more than a century, essential questions as the possibility of predicting catastrophic events remain still open. Here we introduce an original experimental setup that mimics the behavior of a tectonic fault. By continuously shearing a granular layer under confined pressure, we are able to obtain a dynamics ruled by scale-invariant avalanches. We monitor the sizes of these avalanches by two methods and both show a power-law distribution (similar to the Gutenberg-Richter law). There is also a strong resemblance between waiting times distribution in our experiment and other studies with real earthquakes data.
Relationship between Corporate Governance and Financial Performance of Manufacturing Firms through Moderating Role of ISO-14001

The objective of this research is to investigate the potential moderating role of ISO14001 in the relationship between corporate governance and firm financial performance. Corporate governance is measured using four dimensions, the variable considered in this analysis encompass board size, frequency of board meetings, gender diversity within the board, and the presence of independent non-executive directors. The assessment of financial performance involves both accounting-based and market-based metrics. The results of this study are obtained from annual company reports, and the study employs purposive sampling with a sample size of 70 manufacturing firms from the PXS 100 index. The empirical findings indicate that CG has a positive significant influence on both ROA and Tobin's Q. Additionally, ISO14001 significantly moderates the relationship between CG and FP.
The effects of land‐use change on semi‐aquatic bugs (Gerromorpha, Hemiptera) in rainforest streams in Sabah, Malaysia

Land‐use change and agricultural expansion have caused marked biodiversity loss in Southeast Asia, but impacts on freshwater communities have been very little studied. Semi‐aquatic bugs are abundant in streams, provide prey for many other animals, and are sensitive to environmental change, making them a relevant group for studying land‐use change. We investigated the effects of logging and conversion of forest to oil palm plantations on semi‐aquatic bugs in Sabah, Malaysia, and the potential value of retaining riparian buffer strips in plantations, by sampling across 12 rivers along an existing land‐use gradient. We recorded catchment, riparian, and stream‐scale environmental variables and surveyed semi‐aquatic bugs within streams in old‐growth forest, logged forest, and oil palm plantation with (OPB) and without buffer strips (OP). We recorded the abundance, richness, total biomass, and proportion of juveniles and winged adult individuals of all species, together with the sex ratio of a common morphospecies (Ptilomera sp.), as possible indicators of disturbance effects. Average abundance and average richness, but not total biomass, of all semi‐aquatic bugs were lower in areas with higher habitat disturbance. In particular, average abundance in old‐growth forest was more than two, four, and six times higher than that in logged forest, OPB, and OP, respectively. Average richness in old‐growth forest was higher than in logged forest by two species, but more than two and three times higher than in OPB and OP, respectively. The presence of riparian buffer strips in oil palm had little effect on the abundance and richness of semi‐aquatic bugs. We found no significant differences in the proportion of juveniles, winged adult individuals, or the sex ratio of Ptilomera sp. along the disturbance gradient. In conclusion, oil palm plantations were associated with lower average abundance and richness of semi‐aquatic bugs than forest sites, but community composition did not differ markedly between logged and old‐growth forests. We also found that the forested buffer strips maintained within our oil palm plantation study sites did not protect forest species of semi‐aquatic bugs. Maintaining forest may therefore provide the best option for the conservation of semi‐aquatic bugs, but further studies of the effects of land‐use change and management options are needed across Southeast Asia.
Exploring Indonesian Primary School Teachers’ Emotional Intelligence: Comparisons by Gender and Teaching Experience

This study examined the level of emotional intelligence among private primary school teachers in selected Indonesian schools and differences in teachers’ EI by gender and teaching experience. Using a census survey, the study obtained emotional intelligence data from 107 Indonesian teachers—65 female and 42 male—from 19 private primary schools in Surabaya. The survey was administered using a Google Form containing 25 items on emotional intelligence adapted from Goleman (2011). The emotional intelligence items were divided into five subscales measuring self-awareness (four items), self-regulation (four items), motivation (six items), empathy (five items), and relationship management (six items). The EI data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to establish teachers’ EI levels and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test to determine teacher differences in EI by gender and teaching experience. The results indicated that private primary school teachers in Surabaya reported high levels of EI in all five of its dimensions. Both male and female teachers demonstrated a consistent distribution of emotional intelligence scores and no statistically significant differences by gender and teaching experience were found among the sample in terms of emotional intelligence.
Front-of-Package-Label-Style Health Logos on Menus—Do Canadian Consumers Really Care about Menu Health Logos?

Public health policies have been widely utilized to improve population nutrition, such as the newly announced front-of-pack labels (FOPLs) that will be applied to Canadian prepackaged foods to help consumers make healthier selections. However, research on similar health logos in the food service sector has been limited. This study explores the potential application of FOPL-style health logos in the food service sector and its impact on consumer behaviors. A survey was conducted among 1070 Canadians to assess their awareness, perception, and support for health logos on restaurant menus. The results indicate that while participants value healthy food options when dining out, taste, price, and convenience remain the primary factors influencing their choices. Most participants were unaware of existing FOPL policies and demonstrated mixed responses regarding the influence of similar health logos on their restaurant selection. However, a majority expressed a desire to see FOPL-style health logos on menus, and nutrient profile ratings and logos indicating nutrient limitations or encouragements were listed as preferred health logos. Notably, females indicated higher supportiveness for FOPL-style health logos on menus and individuals with food allergies exhibited higher agreement in the likelihood of eating at a restaurant displaying labels. Additionally, findings revealed that FOPL-style health logos alone may not significantly deter consumers from purchasing labelled menu items, especially if price is affected. Overall, this study highlights the need for further understanding consumer perceptions to effectively develop and implement FOPL initiatives in the food service sector.
Screening of Galician grapevine varieties by SNPs, phenotypic traits, and phytopathology

The genetic erosion of the European grapevine diversity in the last century has promoted the conservation of varieties in germplasm banks to prevent their disappearance. The study of these varieties is necessary as it would allow the diversification of the wine market, as well as provide a source of genes to face new pathogens or climate constraints. In this work, the grapevine varieties preserved in the “Estación de Viticultura e Enoloxía de Galicia” (EVEGA) Germplasm Bank (Ourense, Spain) were widely characterized, combining ampelography, ampelometry, agronomy, and phytopathology. Moreover, genetic characterization was carried out through the analysis of 48 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). A Bayesian analysis based on the SNP data was carried out to define the genetic structure of the EVEGA Germplasm Bank, which allowed the differentiation of two main reconstructed panmictic populations (RPPs), confirming previous results obtained based on microsatellite markers (SSRs). A great diversity between varieties was found for almost every parameter evaluated for ampelography, ampelometry, phytopatology, phenology, and berry quality. A principal component analysis (PCA) performed with these phenotypical data allowed discrimination among some groups of varieties included in different genetic populations. This study allowed us to evaluate the grapevine diversity maintained in the EVEGA Germplasm Bank and characterize varieties of potential value for breeding programs of interest for the Galician viticulture.
Evaluation of phase behavior, microstructure transition and antiradical activity of lavender essential oil-based microemulsions

Abstract Lavender essential oil (LO) is widely used as a bioactive component in cosmetics. In this study, the pseudo ternary phase diagrams of microemulsions composed of oil phase (LO: short-chain alcohol = 1:1, w/w), nonionic surfactant (Tween 80) and water were constructed to evaluate the impact of cosurfactant type on the dilutability of microemulsion systems. The solubilization of LO was improved in the presence of 1,3-butylene glycol. For this reason, microstructural inversion of a water titration line D82 was investigated by dye diffusion, conductivity, viscosity and DSC. Microemulsions transition from W/O to bicontinuous occured at 20% water content, and then to O/W structure at 50% water content. In the bicontinuous phase, the viscosity reduced rapidly by the rise of temperature. The structure transition affected the free radical scavenging activity. The DPPH radical scavenging activity increased continuously with water content from 10% to 90%, indicating that increasing free water may accelerate the interaction between LO and DPPH radicals. The ABTS radical scavenging activity of W/O and bicontinuous formulations was concentration-dependent while increased again and peaked at 70% water content in O/W regions. The microemulsion techniques could be applied as potential delivery systems to improve the application of poorly water-soluble essential oils. Graphical Abstract
New Multitarget Rivastigmine–Indole Hybrids as Potential Drug Candidates for Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia with no cure so far, probably due to the complexity of this multifactorial disease with diverse processes associated with its origin and progress. Several neuropathological hallmarks have been identified that encourage the search for new multitarget drugs. Therefore, following a multitarget approach, nine rivastigmine–indole (RIV-IND) hybrids (5a1-3, 5b1-3, 5c1-3) were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their multiple biological properties and free radical scavenging activity, as potential multitarget anti-AD drugs. The molecular docking studies of these hybrids on the active center of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) suggest their capacity to act as dual enzyme inhibitors with probable greater disease-modifying impact relative to AChE-selective FDA-approved drugs. Compounds 5a3 (IC50 = 10.9 µM) and 5c3 (IC50 = 26.8 µM) revealed higher AChE inhibition than the parent RIV drug. Radical scavenging assays demonstrated that all the hybrids containing a hydroxyl substituent in the IND moiety (5a2-3, 5b2-3, 5c2-3) have good antioxidant activity (EC50 7.8–20.7 µM). The most effective inhibitors of Aβ42 self-aggregation are 5a3, 5b3 and 5c3 (47.8–55.5%), and compounds 5b2 and 5c2 can prevent the toxicity induced by Aβ1-42 to cells. The in silico evaluation of the drug-likeness of the hybrids also showed that all the compounds seem to have potential oral availability. Overall, within this class of RIV-IND hybrids, 5a3 and 5c3 appear as lead compounds for anti-AD drug candidates, deserving further investigation.