Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Calibration development for nutritional evaluation of Yam (Dioscorea sp.) using Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectrophotometry (NIRS)

Abstract The aim of yam breeders is to produce many hybrids, which can form the basis of selecting quality nutritional traits and other characteristics using certain agronomic criteria. Chemical methods are employed to determine the main constituents of yam, which are time-consuming, expensive, and involve sample destruction. However, the constraints of lengthy analysis time and the cost needed to analyze thousands of these genotypes are major constraints to yam breeding in Nigeria. This study was undertaken to develop and validate calibration equations on the Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectrophotometer (NIRS) for determining chemical compositions of selected yam genotypes. Equations developed for moisture, ash, protein, crude fiber, and tannin showed high coefficients of determination (R2) for the calibration curve (0.87, 0.84, 0.83, 0.80, and 0.89, respectively) and high to medium coefficients of determination in cross-validation (0.80, 0.68, 0.69, 0.68, and 0.50). The standard errors of calibration (SEC) and the standard errors in cross-validation (SECV) were low for most constituents. A total of 360 ascensions of yam flour were predicted for selected traits to test the equations, and the results were comparable with data from conventional methods. Results of this study have shown that NIRS could be a very useful tool to help yam breeders screen large sample sets using limited resources with very short time. This will enhance breeders’ rapid selection of genotypes at screening stage where many breeding lines are to be evaluated within the shortest time possible.
Organo-Protective Effect of Moringa oleifera (Moringa) and Camellia sinensis (Green Tea) against Histopathological Damage in Monosodium Glutamate-induced Oxidative-Stressed Rats

Original Research | Volume 5 | Number 1| 26 Copyright 2019 by Ejiofor NC. This is an open-access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which allows to copy, redistribute, remix, transform, and reproduce in any medium or format, even commercially, provided the original work is properly cited. cc Background Moringa oleifera and Camellia sinensis are widely consumed edible plants in parts of South East, Nigeria. It is used as a beverage and also used in the treatment of several ailments by alternative medical practitioners because of its medicinal properties medicinal plant. The histopathological damage repair properties of Moringa oleifera and Camelia sinensis on the brain, liver and kidney organs were investigated on monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced oxidative-stressed rats. Method Twenty male Wister rats were divided into five groups of four rats each. Rats were administered with 0.6 mg/g body weight (b.w) dose of MSG solution for 14 days to induce oxidative stress. Control group was given distilled water. A subsequent treatment with MO, GT and their mixture for a period of 28 days was carried out. One group was left untreated. On day 28 of the treatment regime, animals were sacrificed and necessary organs (brain, liver and kidney) harvested. These organs were processed according to paraffin wax embedding technique, stained with haematoxylin and eosin for light microscopy. Results The plant samples both showed in vivo nitric oxide scavenging properties. The plant samples also presented an increased catalase enzyme activity and the lipid profile analyses showed no significant difference at 95% level of probability. Both plants resulted in reversing the damage that occurred in MSG-induced oxidative stressed rats. This was particularly true for both the kidney and liver. Conclusion The study provides a pharmacological basis for the traditional use of Camellia sinensis and Moringa oleifera extracts in alleviating common medical conditions.
Dissecting the Molecular Basis of the Scaffold Protein JADE in HBO1 Histone Acetyltransferase (HAT) Activity

HBO1 is a member of the human MYST family of acetyltransferases that is evolutionarily conserved from yeast to human. HBO1 functions in the context of a multi-protein histone acetyltransferase (HAT) complex containing JADE1/2/3, HBO1, ING4/5 and Eaf6 to regulate DNA replication, transcription, and other important cellular processes. HBO1 is shown to be responsible for the majority of H4 acetylation throughout the human genome. HBO1 functions in many important biological processes such as interaction with the origin recognition complex (ORC) and loading of the minichromosome maintenance protein complex (MCM), highlighting its importance in DNA replication. In addition, HBO1 is heavily co-localized to the transcription start site and H3K4me3 mark, which is one of the post translational modifications (PTMs) recognized by the PHD domains of another subunit in the HBO1 HAT complex containing HBO1, JADE, ING, Eaf. The activity of HBO1 is heavily dependent on the regulatory proteins within the HBO1 HAT complex. We demonstrate that the scaffold protein JADE functions as a platform to bring other subunits together forming a stable HBO1 HAT complex in addition to recruiting the substrate. Importantly, JADE is the main protein in the HBO1 HAT complex contributing to modulation of the activity and substrate specificity. Based on the fact that JADE contributes strongly to the overall activity of the HBO1 HAT complex, we dissected the molecular role of JADE in HBO1 histone acetyltransferase activity. We demonstrate that JADE contains 2 domains at the N-terminal end of the protein that cooperate to activate HBO1 activity towards H3/H4 substrate. Specifically, the Histone Core Biding Domain (HCBD) of JADE1 binds to the core of the histone and HBO1 and the Histone Binding Domain (HHBD) binds to both the HAT domain and the histone core, orienting the HAT domain towards the substrate. In addition, we demonstrated that JADE specifically binds to H3/H4 over H2A/H2B histones suggesting that the substrate recruitment is through specific interaction between JADE and H3/H4 rather than non-specific charge interaction. We demonstrate that HBO1 contains an N-terminal Histone Binding Domain (HBD) that makes additional contacts to H3/H4, independent of JADE interactions with histones. However, the additional HBO1 binding domain does not contribute to the overall HAT activity. Together, these studies highlight the importance JADE in HBO1 function. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Chemistry First Advisor Ronen Marmorstein This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn. edu/edissertations/3123
Centrifugally spun poly(ethylene oxide) fibers rival the properties of electrospun fibers

Centrifugal force spinning (CFS), also known as centrifugal spinning, forcespinning, or rotary jet spinning, provides considerably higher production rates than electrospinning (ES), but the more widespread use of CFS as an alternative depends on the ability to produce fibers with robust thermal and mechanical properties. Here, we report the CFS of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) fibers made using a spinning dope formulated with acetonitrile (AcN) as the volatile solvent, and we describe the thermal and mechanical properties of the centrifugally-spun fibers. Even though the formation, diameter, and morphology of electrospun and centrifugally-spun PEO fibers are relatively well-stud-ied, the article presents three crucial contributions: the pioneering use of PEO solutions in AcN as spinning dope, characterization of crystallinity and mechanical properties of the centrifugally-spun PEO fibers, and a comparison with the corresponding properties of electrospun fibers. We find that fiber formation occurrs for the chosen CFS conditions if polymer concentration exceeds the entanglement concentration, determined from the measured specific viscosity. Most significantly, the centrifugally spun PEO fibers display crystallinity, modulus, elongation-at-break, and fiber diameter that rival the properties of electrospun PEO fibers reported in the literature.
Chitosan as A Preservative for Fruits and Vegetables: A Review on Chemistry and Antimicrobial Properties

Chitosan, derived from chitin, a major constituent (in quantity) of crustaceans, is a unique aminopolysaccharide with emerging commercial potential in agriculture, food, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals due to its nontoxic, biodegradable and biocompatable properties. Chitosan coating on fruits and vegetables has been found to be effective for the reduction of a variety of harmful micro-organims and extend the shelf-life of these products. In this review, our focus is on the antimicrobial properties of chitosan and its application as a natural preservative for fresh products. We detailed the key properties that are related to food preservation, the molecular mechanism of the antimicrobial activity of chitosan on fungi, gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, coating methods for using chitosan and its formulation for preserving fruits and vegetables, as well as the radiation method of producing chitosan from chitin. Understanding the economic and scientific factors of chitosan’s production and efficiency as a preservative will open its practical application for fruits and vegetable preservation.
Persistent shocks and incomplete regional adjustment: a model-averaging approach

ABSTRACT Two competing paradigms to modelling the impacts of regional economic shocks have arisen: ‘disequilibrium’ models, which predict that regional economies eventually fully recover, and ‘no-equilibrium’ models, which predict economic shocks have a permanent effect. To address this controversy, we adapt contemporary model-averaging methods to optimally combine both paradigms and thereby permit intermediate cases in which recoveries can be partial. Applying our method to a set of labour market models that span the disequilibrium and no-equilibrium paradigms, we find that regional recoveries are incomplete, implying that downturns have long-lasting effects on regional unemployment rates.
Partial purification of the molybdenum-reducing enzyme from Bacillus pumilus strain Lbna

Molybdenum is an emerging pollutant. Bioremediation of this heavy metal is possible by the mediation of Mo-reducing bacteria. These bacteria contain the Mo-reducing enzymes that can conver toxic soluble molybdenum into molybdenum blue; a less soluble and less toxic form of the metal. To date only the enzyme has been purified from only one bacterium. The aim of this study is to purify the Mo-reducing enzyme from a previously isolated Mo-reducing bacterium Bacillus pumilus strain Lbna using ammonium sulphate fractionation followed by ion exchange and then gel filtration. Two clear bands were obtained after the gel filtration step with molecular weights of 70 and 100 kDa. This indicates that further additional purification methods need to be used to get a purified fraction. Hence, additional steps of chromatography such as hydroxyapatite or chromatofocusing techniques can be applied in the future.
The significance of music in early childhood education and care of toddlers in Finland: an extensive observational study

ABSTRACT The present study investigated the role of music education in early childhood education and care (ECEC) in relation to the daily activities of children ages one to three, i.e. toddlers (N = 918) in Finnish ECEC units (N = 327). A total of 23,142 random observations were conducted. The observations focused on children’s involvement, emotional expressions, social orientations and interaction with their immediate caregiver. An independently conducted survey was used to evaluate music emphasis in groups to which the observers did not have access. The data consist of the analysis of teachers’ self-evaluations concerning the role music plays in daily activities and developmental orientations of toddlers in ECEC. The connections between the large-scale observations and independently measured music emphasis are discussed in the Results section. The results of the study highlight the importance of music in ECEC pedagogy for toddlers. The children in groups where music/singing was emphasised exhibited more sustained intense activity and less low or interrupted involvement. These groups also exhibited more positive emotions, increased social adaptation and increased social involvement with adults. Special emphasis on music enhanced the pedagogical learning environment.
Convolutional neural network inversion of airborne transient electromagnetic data

As an efficient geophysical exploration technique, airborne transient electromagnetics shows strong adaptability to complex terrains and can provide subsurface resistivity information rapidly with a dense spatial coverage. However, the huge volume of airborne transient electromagnetic data obtained from a large number of spatial locations presents a great challenge to real‐time airborne transient electromagnetic interpretation due to the high computational cost. Moreover, the inherent non‐uniqueness of the inverse problem also limits our ability to constrain the underground resistivity structure. In this study, we develop an entirely data‐driven convolutional neural network to solve the airborne transient electromagnetic inverse problem. Synthetic tests show that the convolutional neural network is computationally efficient and yields robust results. Compared with the Gauss–Newton method, convolutional neural network inversion does not depend on the choices of an initial model and the regularization parameters and is less prone to getting trapped in a local minimum. We also demonstrate the general applicability of the convolutional neural network to three‐dimensional synthetic airborne transient electromagnetic responses and the field observations acquired from Leach Lake Basin, Fort Irwin, California. The efficient convolutional neural network inversion framework can support real‐time resistivity imaging of subsurface structures from airborne transient electromagnetic observations, providing a powerful tool for field explorations.
Effects of application of organic formulated fertiliser and composted Tithonia diversifolia leaves on the growth, yield and quality of okra

ABSTRACT The production of healthy food in a sustainable manner is a major challenge for agriculture. Pot experiments were conducted in an open field during the rainy season in 2017 and 2018 to study the effects of the application of composted leaves of Tithonia diversifolia (T) and organo-biodegradable (OBD+) formulated fertiliser on growth, yield and concentrations of minerals and bioactive compounds in okra. Treatments consisted of four application rates of composted Tithonia leaves (0, 10, 20 and 30 g 10 kg−1 soil) and three rates of organic-biodegradable (OBD+) formulated fertiliser (0, 10 and 20 g 10 kg−1 soil), which were combined and arranged in a complete randomised design with four replications. Performance and quality parameters of okra were measured. The application of the amendments significantly increased vegetative growth and yield parameters of okra, compared with the control, with the application of 30 T + 10 OBD+ resulting in the highest values for growth and yield. The number of days to flowering and fruiting of the okra was significantly reduced by the application of the organic amendments. The results also revealed that the concentrations of mineral elements and bioactive compounds in the okra fruits significantly increased with applications of 30 T + 20 OBD + and 30 T + 10 OBD +. Therefore, for improved vegetative and yield performance as well as accumulation of mineral elements and bioactive compounds, the application of 30 T + 10 OBD+ was considered as the most suitable for the cultivation of okra in the study area.
The Impact of Parental Depression on Children’s Smartphone Addiction: A Serial Mediation Model With Parental Neglect and Children’s Self-Esteem

The present study investigates the mechanisms underlying the relationship between parental depression and children’s smartphone addiction. It explores the effects of parental depression on children’s smartphone addiction, as well as the mediating roles of parental neglect and children’s self-esteem in this relationship, which multiplies sequentially. We utilize data—comprising 2,396 children and their parents—from the National General Survey on Korean Children, using parent–child dyads. First, a hierarchical regression analysis shows that parental depression significantly and positively predicts children’s smartphone addiction (B = .29, SE = .03, p < .001). Second, Hayes’s PROCESS macro (Model 6), executed to test the mediation effects, reveals that the effect of parental depression on children’s smartphone addiction is significantly mediated by parental neglect (B = .07, Boot SE = .01, 95% Boot CI [.05, .10]) and children’s self-esteem (B = .12, Boot SE = .01, 95% Boot CI [.10, .14]). Moreover, the serial mediation model’s results support that parental neglect and children’s self-esteem serially mediate the relationship between parental depression and children’s smartphone addiction (B = .02, Boot SE = .004, 95% Boot CI [.01, .03]), implying that a higher level of parental depression is sequentially associated with increased parental neglect that reduces children’s self-esteem and consequently accelerates their smartphone dependence. The theoretical and practical implications of the results as well as the directions for future research are discussed.
Assessment of a Modified Sandwich Estimator for Generalized Estimating Equations with Application to Opioid Poisoning in MIMIC-IV ICU Patients

Longitudinal data is encountered frequently in many healthcare research areas to include the critical care environment. Repeated measures from the same subject are expected to correlate with each other. Models with binary outcomes are commonly used in this setting. Regression models for correlated binary outcomes are frequently fit using generalized estimating equations (GEE). The Liang and Zeger sandwich estimator is often used in GEE to produce unbiased standard error estimation for regression coefficients in large sample settings, even when the covariance structure is misspecified. The sandwich estimator performs optimally in balanced designs when the number of participants is large with few repeated measurements. The sandwich estimator’s asymptotic properties do not hold in small sample and rare-event settings. Under these conditions, the sandwich estimator underestimates the variances and is biased downwards. Here, the performance of a modified sandwich estimator is compared to the traditional Liang-Zeger estimator and alternative forms proposed by authors Morel, Pan, and Mancl-DeRouen. Each estimator’s performance was assessed with 95% coverage probabilities for the regression coefficients using simulated data under various combinations of sample sizes and outcome prevalence values with independence and autoregressive correlation structures. This research was motivated by investigations involving rare-event outcomes in intensive care unit settings.
Characteristics and Sources of Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals in PM2.5 in Dalian: Important Role of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are an emerging class of environmental hazardous contaminants that extensively, stably exist in airborne particulate matter and pose harmful effects on human health. However, there was little research about the sources of EPFRs in actual atmospheric conditions. This study reported the occurrence, characteristics and sources of EPFRs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in PM2.5 collected in Dalian, China. The concentrations of PM2.5-bound EPFRs ranged from 1.13×1013 to 8.97×1015 spins/m3 (mean value: 1.14×1015 spins/m3). Carbon-centered radicals and carbon-centered radicals with adjacent oxygen atoms were detected. The concentration of ∑PAHs ranged from 1.09 to 76.24 ng/m3 and PAHs with high molecular weight (HMW) were predominant species in PM2.5. The correlation analysis and PMF result showed that coal and biomass combustion are the top contributors to EPFR, followed by vehicle emission. The secondary sources to EFPRs was negligible. The finding of present study provides an important evidence for further study on the formation mechanism of EPFRs in actual atmospheric to control the air pollution.
Boron and zinc deficiencies and toxicities and their interactions with other nutrients in soybean roots, leaves, and seeds

Abstract In many parts of the world, soils deficient and/or toxic in micronutrients reduce potential soybean (Glycine max) yields. The objective of our study was to grow plants in low to high concentrations of boron (B) and zinc (Zn) to determine how B and Zn deficiencies and toxicities affect soybean growth and interact with other essential nutrients in roots, leaves, and seeds. We found that B significantly affected levels of all essential nutrients except manganese and iron, while Zn significantly affected all essential nutrients in at least one plant tissue tested. Some of the physiological responses and nutrient interactions were cultivar-dependent. This study showed how deficiencies and toxicities of B and Zn affect plant growth and how B and Zn fertility interacts with many of the other essential nutrients.
Characterization of pectin extracted from different fruit wastes

A valuable byproduct that can be obtained from fruit wastes is pectin. Pectin designates those water sluble pectinic acid (colloidal polygalacturonic acids) of varying methyl ester content and degree of neutralization, which are capable of forming gels with sugar, and acids, under suitable condition* (GITCO, 1999). It is used in pharmaceutical preparation as filler, as an agglutinator in blood therapy and also to glaze candied fruits. Besides, it can be used to increase the foaming power of gases in water.
Curcumin increases insulin sensitivity in C2C12 muscle cells via AKT and AMPK signaling pathways

Abstract Background: Diabetes is an enduring condition that causes impaired, peripheral insulin resistance. Curcumin was shown to exert notable anti-diabetic effects, which might be possible by overexpression of certain glucose transporter genes and glycoprotein content within the cells. Objectives: To investigate the effect of curcumin alone and in concomitant with insulin on glucose translocation from intracellular compartments of nuclear or endoplasmic reticulum membranes into the cytoplasmic membrane (CM) and key kinases involved in insulin signaling pathways. Materials and Methods: C2C12 myoblast cells were cultured and differentiated to the myotubes. Later, the cells were treated with curcumin alone or a combination of curcumin and insulin, so their viability was measured by MTT assay. The expression level of GLUT 4 gene was examined by Real Time-reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). To evaluate the activity of curcumin and curcumin/insulin synergistic effect on stimulated GLUT4 translocation, kinases AKT, P-AKT, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and P-AMPK were assessed and detected via Western Blotting (WB). Results: Curcumin significantly induced GLUT 4 expression and its translocation from intra-cell space into the cell surface and showed a synergic effect on GLUT 4 translocation in presence of insulin. This synergistic effect was inhibited by the insulin receptor inhibitor AG1024 and the inhibitor of AMPK signaling, compound C. Conclusion: Curcumin demonstrated a synergistic effect with insulin and could be a choice of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treatment, which may be affected by both AKT and AMPK signaling pathways, hereby facilitates glucose uptake into the cells.