Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimization of Different Reaction Conditions for the Bio-Inspired Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Aqueous Extract of Solanum nigrum Leaves

Optimization of Different Reaction Conditions for the Bio-Inspired Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Aqueous Extract of Solanum nigrum Leaves One of the significant goals in nanotechnology is to explore different ways for synthesis of nanoparticles with the ability to control and reduce costs and environmental pollutions. Bio-inspired synthesis of nanoparticles using plant extracts has resulted in creation of a new branch of nanotechnology. Silver nanoparticles are among the most widely used nanoparticles. The current research work investigate the findings of optimization of different experimental variables like ratio of plant leaf extract and silver nitrate, reaction time, temperature and pH on silver nanoparticles synthesized using aqueous leaf extract of Solanum nigrum. The formation of dark brown color confirmed the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. The bio-inspired synthesis of silver nanoparticles was found to be optimum at aqueous extract and silver nitrate ratio of 5:95, reaction time 4 hours, temperature 70°C and pH 7. The silver nanoparticles thus formed under optimized parameters were then characterized using transmission electron microscopy that revealed that the nanoparticles are almost spherical in shape with a mean particle size of 17.54 nm. It can be concluded from the finding that good modification of the bioprocess parameters improves potential of desired nano-particles for particular applications.
“Can Home-Based High Intensity Interval Training Improve Post Exercise Glycaemic Control in People with Type 1 diabetes?”

Aims: The aims of this study were to investigate: the effects of home-HIIT and home-MICT completed in a postprandial state compared to a non-exercise control period on; i) hypoglycaemia ii) time in range (TIR), and iii) glycaemic variability (GV), for up to 48-hours post exercise in a free-living environment in adults with Type 1 diabetes. A secondary aim was to investigate whether acute changes following exercise influenced 14-day glycaemic control. Methods: 11 adults with Type 1 diabetes (male n=4, female n=7, age 26 ± 7 years, BMI 25.43 ± 4.29 kg.m2, Type 1 diabetes duration 10 ± 8 years) completed a randomised crossover study consisting of three 14-day interventions; 1) home-HIIT, 2) home-MICT and 3) non-exercise control (CON). During exercise intervention the effect of six exercise sessions on subsequent glycaemic control was assessed for up to 48-hours post exercise. CON data was time matched to home-HIIT. Glycaemic control was measured using an Abbot Freestyle Libre flash glucose monitor. Dietary intake and insulin dose were also assessed. Results: Neither home-HIIT or home-MICT increased time spent in serious, clinically significant hypoglycaemia ( 0.05). TIR in home-HIIT was significantly greater during the period immediately after exercise compared to CON (11% [0, 22], P = 0.043) and significantly greater compared to home-MICT during the awake periods on the day following (10% [2, 18], P = 0.013) and second day following exercise (11% [3, 20], P = 0.014). GV, assessed as coefficient of variation (CV) was increased during the nocturnal period on the second day following home-MICT compared to CON (CV = 4% [1, 7] P = 0.008) and home-HIIT (CV = -5% [-8, 2], P = 0.005). This increase in GV translated into an increased nocturnal GV over the 14-day day intervention period in home-MICT compared to home-HIIT (CV = -4% [-8, 0], P = 0.034). Conclusion: In conclusion, both home-HIIT and home-MICT are safe exercise modalities for people with Type 1 diabetes but Home-HIIT may provide more beneficial effects on glycaemic control compared to home-MICT. This study provides novel evidence that exercise affects glycaemic control for up to 48-hours post exercise in people with Type 1 diabetes.
Postsecondary Adult Learner Motivation: An Analysis of Credentialing Patterns and Decision Making Within Higher Education Programs

This study sought to fill a gap in the literature by considering the role of motivation in post-secondary aspirations of adult learners, specifically full versus part-time status, previous level of educational attainment, years of work experience, and the selection of an academic program. The data from this study came from adult students ages 25 and older at 8 institutions in the Midwest. Statistical analysis determined there were significant differences in gender motivation, level of education is predictive of type of educational credential being pursued, and type of adult learner motivation influences which degree, academic program, and enrollment status is pursued by adult learners. Furthermore, this research revealed as adults acquire more work experience, their postsecondary educational aspirations are more likely motivated by extrinsic factors. These findings have meaningful implications for linking motivation with continuance and graduation from collegiate programs for which this paper identifies and discusses in the context of postsecondary education.
How Do Consumers React to Company Moral Transgressions? The Role of Power Distance Belief and Empathy for Victims

This research proposes that consumers vary in their response to company moral transgressions as a function of power distance belief (PDB), which is the extent that consumers accept inequality (a prominent moral principle). Specifically, consumers with lower PDB tend to feel more empathy for victims, which in turn heightens harm perceptions and negative moral emotions, leading to less favorable reactions toward the transgressing company. A series of nine studies and four supplementary experiments provides converging evidence for the PDB effect and underlying empathy-based process, while identifying victim salience and company crisis response strategy as theoretically and pragmatically relevant moderators. Specifically, the PDB effect emerges when victim salience is high (evoking greater empathy among lower-PDB consumers) but is attenuated when victim salience is low (and empathy is not evoked). Likewise, the PDB effect on company evaluations can be mitigated when the transgressing company offers both an apology and remedy, which together signal the company’s empathy for victims and remedy for harm that are salient to low-PDB consumers. Together, these findings shed light on how consumer reactions to company moral transgressions vary by culture, transgression characteristics, and company response strategies, providing guidance to companies in crisis.
Operating Performance of Pure Electric Loaders with Different Types of Motors Based on Simulation Analysis

The electrification of loader designs can utilise several power motor types. Hence, this study investigates the operational performance of pure electric-powered loaders matched with three types of motors. Firstly, for the ZL08 loader, it is proposed that a pure electric-powered loader structure adopts two motors to drive the walking and hydraulic systems separately. Secondly, the dynamic parameters of the two motors were matched, and then, a joint vehicle dynamics model of the control system, the Multi-Body Dynamics (MBD) module and the material Discrete Element Method (DEM) module, was established. Finally, the performance of the walking system with three motors was tested by inserting three materials and using accelerating and climbing methods. The operating performance of the hydraulic system was tested by shovelling and unloading three materials. Results show that when inserting difficult materials, the loader’s walking system with switched reluctance motors is 9.74–21.2% deeper than that with the other two motors and 11.7–56.2% faster at the same depth. The hydraulic system consumes 3–15.7% less energy when matched with a permanent magnet synchronous motor than the other two motors. Pure electric loaders have the best operating performance when the walking system is matched with a switched reluctance motor, and the hydraulic system is matched with a permanent magnet synchronous motor.
High performance current control of single‐phase grid‐connected converter with harmonic mitigation, power extraction and frequency adaptation capabilities

Grid-connected converters in distributed generation systems are required to operate under highly distorted voltage with a wide frequency range, and to provide active/reactive power information for ancillary services and power control. This paper presents multiple unbalanced synchronous reference frame control for regulating and mitigating the grid current distortion of a voltage source converter caused by grid voltage distortion and converter deadtime. The proposed control technique has intrinsic power extraction and frequency adaptation capabilities. The multiple unbalanced synchronous reference frame control is compared with the proportional multi-resonant control. A new controller which combines the unbalanced synchronous reference frame control for regulation of the fundamental component current and the multi-resonant control for harmonic compensation is presented. The proposed control techniques were veriﬁed with a 1.5-kVA LCL-ﬁltered grid connected inverter. The multiple unbalanced synchronous reference frame control with odd harmonic orders 3rd to 13th exhibited excellent harmonic rejection with a total harmonic distortion (THD) less than 0.60% under a highly distorted voltage. The proposed combined control technique provided slightly inferior performance with the grid current THD less than 0.65%. The combined control scheme retains functionalities as the multiple unbalanced synchronous reference frame control with a signiﬁcant reduction of computational effort.
Urban transportation sustainability assessments: a systematic review of literature

ABSTRACT The volume of urban transportation sustainability assessments in academic literature has steadily increased over the last two decades. This paper targets these studies through the first systematic literature review to construct a synthesised and critical overview of how urban transportation sustainability is in fact assessed. The sample consists of 99 peer-reviewed articles retrieved via three scientific search engines. The results reveal a Europe-centric and single-case focus, a strong interest to introduce new indicator systems with limited references to previous work, and a lack of qualitative approaches and stakeholder diversity regarding the assessment methods. Nearly 2400 indicators are identified in the articles with significant variation in their use. Furthermore, the comprehensive accounting for sustainability is often overlooked, and the inconclusive assessment results are often noted by the authors of the sample articles themselves. Our findings signal that the research field is highly fragmented and to some extent fails to accumulate knowledge generated by past studies and to comprehensively operationalise the concept of sustainability. The identified shortcomings of the assessments and their implications for transportation policy-making and planning are highlighted, and based on our results recommendations to develop more reliable, comparable, and inclusive sustainability assessments for the urban transportation sector are made.
The effect of masculinity threat on transprejudice: Influence of different aspects of masculinity contingent self-worth

ABSTRACT This experimental study examined the moderating role of masculinity contingent self-worth (CSW) in the effects of masculinity threat on transprejudice. One hundred and eighty-six male undergraduate students were randomly assigned to one of the three conditions. In the first condition, participants received feedback that challenged their sense of manhood (masculinity threat group). In the second condition, participants received feedback that affirmed their masculinity (masculinity affirming group), whereas the third group of participants served as a control group. The masculinity threat group demonstrated stronger transprejudice than the other two groups, whereas no differences were found between the affirming and control groups. The effect of masculinity threat on transprejudice was particularly strong for participants whose self-worth is readily threatened by a lack of masculinity (i.e., the threat aspect of masculinity CSW). However, individual differences in the boost aspect of masculinity CSW (i.e. the extent to which a person’s self-worth is boosted by confirmations of masculinity) did not moderate the influence of masculinity threat on transprejudice. This study replicates previous evidence that masculinity threat is a cause of transprejudice, whereas it highlights the distinction between the threat and boost dimensions of masculinity CSW by showing that the effects of masculinity threat were only moderated by the threat dimension.
Foliar Calcium Fertilizers Impact on Several Fruit Quality Characteristics and Leaf and Fruit Nutritional Status of the ‘Hayward’ Kiwifruit Cultivar

Calcium preharvest application influences fruit quality. The impact of preharvest foliar sprays using several commercial fertilizers with Ca content on the fruit quality and nutritional status of the kiwi cv. ‘Hayward’ was investigated for a 2-year period. Fruit flesh firmness increased under all Ca sprays compared to the control. Total soluble solids and acidity were not altered significantly by any of the studied Ca products. Treatment differences with regard to fruit firmness, soluble solids concentration and acids at harvest were maintained during cold storage for 2 and 4 months. Foliar sprays did not affect the N, P, K, Mg, B, Fe, Mn and Zn concentrations of leaves and fruits. However, all treatments increased the concentration of Ca in leaves and fruits compared to the control.
Ownership Structure and Firm Performance: Evidence from Jordan

Previous studies dealing with corporate governance mechanisms testified to the high significance that provided some new direction. The aim of the study was to participate in these directions by presenting empirical evidence relating to the relationship between the ownership structure and firm performance in developing countries like Jordan. To estimate data for the period 2009 to 2017 for a selection of 180 companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE), we used management ownership, government ownership, family ownership, institutional ownership and block ownership to provide a comprehensive guide to the ownership structure of Jordanian companies, while we estimated the firm performance through Tobin’s Q (TQ) model. Furthermore, we employed an econometrics procedure such as crossectional dependency test, Panel unit root test (Levin-Lin-Chu (LL) test, Im-Pesaran, Madalla and Wu test and CIPS panel unit root test), Pedroni Cointegration test, System GMM and Pool Mean Group estimates. a balanced panel data method. The results of the four-panel unit root test show that the ownership structure mechanisms have stationary at the first difference, also the results of the Pedroni Cointegration test reveal that ownership structure mechanisms and firm performance have a long-run relationship. Likewise, Process GMM and PMG findings show that ownership structure processes have a significant effect on the performance of the firm estimated by (TQ). The results of this study indicate that empirical studies continue to find a perfect measurement of performance in order to achieve a real type of performance of the firm. The results of the current examination thus provide objective evidence to managers and stakeholders to assist them in their decision.
Learning Styles and Their Relationship with Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy among Nursing Students in Qazvin

Background: Learning styles, as individual characteristics, form and evolve as we grow older, which in turn may improve the students' educational outcomes. Identifying factors that contribute to learning styles helps us further to better achieve this goal. Objectives: The present study aimed to, firstly, determine learning styles and, secondly, investigating their relationship with self-esteem and self-efficacy. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 150 nursing students were selected through a convenience sampling method. Data were collected using VARK standard questionnaire, Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and Sherer self-efficacy scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS v22 by descriptive and analytical tests. Results: The mean age of participating students was 21.04 ± 3.43 years. Overall, 83.2% of them preferred one learning style. The most common preferred style was "auditory style". Mean scores of self-esteem and self-efficacy were 21.25 ± 5.07 and 62.66 ± 7.31, respectively. No significant relationship was observed between students' self-esteem and self-efficacy with their learning styles (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Determining students’ preferences for learning style is the first step to improve their educational outcomes.
Assimilation of Ground‐Based GPS Observations of Vertical Displacement into a Land Surface Model to Improve Terrestrial Water Storage Estimates

Ground‐based Global Positioning System (GPS) observations of vertical surface displacement can be used to study terrestrial water storage (TWS) change after properly accounting for nonhydrological loading effects. This study systematically merged ground‐based GPS observations of vertical displacement into a land surface model in order to better estimate TWS. Assimilation was conducted across two snow‐dominated watersheds in the western United States using a one‐dimensional ensemble Kalman filter (EnkF). Modeled estimates were compared against TWS retrievals derived from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission and in situ measurements of snow water equivalent (SWE), soil moisture, and runoff. The GPS data assimilation (GPS DA) technique improves prediction skill of TWS anomalies relative to the Open Loop (OL; model run without assimilation) when compared against GRACE TWS retrievals, especially during an extended drought period post‐2011 (e.g., correlation coefficient ROL = 0.46 and RGPSDA = 0.82 in the Great Basin). Furthermore, GPS DA improves SWE estimation with improved R values found over 76% and 69% of all pixels collocated with in situ stations in the Great Basin and Upper Colorado watersheds, respectively. GPS DA estimates of surface soil moisture and runoff, however, exhibit degraded performance relative to the OL due to the limited sensitivity of GPS observations to surface soil moisture variations and the lack of a dynamic surface routing scheme as well as other missing model physics (e.g., river and dam regulation, irrigation‐related water withdrawals, surface water impoundments) that are not included in the Catchment Land Surface Model.
Saururus chinensis Prevents Estrogen Deficiency-Induced Osteoporosis in Rats: A Metabolomic Study Using UPLC/Q-TOF MS

Saururus chinensis (SC), a traditional medicine, has been used for the treatment of edema, jaundice, gonorrhea, and several inflammatory diseases in China and Korea. Our previous studies reported the anti-osteoporotic activity of SC extract (SCE) in ovariectomized (OVX) rats but the mechanism of this effect was unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the anti-osteoporotic effect of SCE and elucidate the underlying mechanisms in ovariectomized rats using a metabolomics approach based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF MS) to analyze metabolic changes. Female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into sham, OVX, and SCE treatment groups. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) score plots separated OVX and sham groups fairly well. Further, 22 potential biomarkers were identified in the rat models of estrogen deficiency-induced osteoporosis, and SCE showed regulatory effects on three vital metabolic pathways associated with these biomarkers, namely, glycerophospholipid metabolism, glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchor biosynthesis, and linoleic acid metabolism. The metabolomics approach reliably confirmed that SCE exerted its anti-osteoporotic effect by intervening with lipid metabolism, thus preventing osteoporosis. This study also showed the promising potential of this approach in an evaluation of natural medicine efficacy.
New QSPR Models to Predict the Critical Micelle Concentration of Sugar-Based Surfactants

Sugar-based surfactants represent a fruitful field of research in the context of sustainable chemistry since they can be obtained from renewable resources. In this work, new quantitative structure property relationships (QSPR) models for the critical micelle concentration (CMC) dedicated to sugar-based surfactants are proposed in order to reduce testing in a screening perspective. An important literature compilation allowed the constitution of a data set of 83 sugar-based surfactants for which accurate CMC values were found. Then, a series of QSPR models were developed based on molecular descriptors of the whole molecule and of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic fragments taken separately. Different models were considered by including quantum-chemical descriptors with hope to access physically based models and by using only simple constitutional descriptors to favor fast and easy prediction. The best QSPR model was obtained including quantum-chemical descriptors of the whole molecular structure with a root-m.
Use of eye drops self-medication in Aseer region, Southern Saudi Arabia

Background: Self-medication is defined as the use of drugs to manage a self-diagnosed disease or complaint, or the intermittent or continued use of a prescribed drug for chronic or recurrent disease or symptoms. Self-medication includes getting medications without a prescription, resubmitting old prescriptions to buy medicines, sharing medicines with relatives or members of one’s social circle, or using leftover medicines stored at home. Risks are related to many factors including not only the possible severe side effects of the drug itself, but also hazardous because of improper treatment. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was used targeting all population in Aseer region. The study was conducted during the period from May 2020 to August 2020. Data were collected using structured questionnaire which was developed by the researchers after intensive literature review and expert’s consultation. The questionnaire data included person’s socio-demographic data such as age, gender, and education. The second section of the questionnaire covered eye drops self-medication data. The questionnaire was uploaded online using social media platforms by the researchers and their relatives and friends to be filled in by all population in Aseer region. Results: A total of 209 participants completed the study questionnaire. Participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 65 years old with mean age of 32.9 ± 11.6 years. Exactly 152 (72.7%) participants were females and 158 (75.6%) had educational level of university or more. Regarding persons who advised participants to use eye drops, the most reported was the person themself (34.4%; 72) followed by family and friends (29.2%), and pharmacist (20.6%). As for causes of using unprescribed eye drops, 105 (50.2%) participants used the eye drops for itching in the eye, followed by eye redness (47.4%), eye pain (22.5%). Regarding side effects of used drops, the most reported was excessive lacrimation (5.7%), followed by blurred vision (5.7%), and eye inflammations (4.3%), Conclusions: In conclusion, the study revealed that there is a large portion of Aseer region population practicing self-medicating behavior based on their own concept or advice from friends and family most of the time, without consulting a specialized physician.