Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Overview of Therapeutic and Non Therapeutic Methods of Anti-Diabetic Activity

Diabetes mellitus and its complications are one of the major health challenges of our time. Currently, more than 400 million adults are affected, a number that is expected to increase to 600 million people within the next two decades. Type 2 diabetes mellitus, or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, is the most common type and its initial stages are treated with oral anti-diabetics. Though anti-hyperglycemic agents with different mechanisms of action are commercially available, their adverse events and hepato-renal toxicity are pronounced. Thus, the discovery of new and safer medicines is urgently warranted. Natural drug products have always been an important source of bio actives and drugs derived from nature still account for half of today’s approved therapeutics. This Special Issue, “Antidiabetic Drugs from Natural Resources”, is dedicated to the discovery of new anti-diabetic lead compounds from nature. Research articles and reviews dealing with novel anti-diabetic activities of natural products and/or natural sources of anti-diabetics are therefore very welcome. Additionally, the evaluation of extracts and herbal preparations used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus by modern analytical techniques will be considered.
Factors that Impact Farmers’ Organic Conversion Decisions

This article helps to answer the question of how the diffusion of organic farming could be accelerated by analyzing farmers’ decisions. Given the fragmentation of the research findings, the determinants of farmers’ organic conversion decisions were integrated into a framework that enables a holistic approach to be adopted in research and policy scheduling. The most important factors of the external farm environment are the organic product demand, product price, access to markets, available technologies, education, knowledge transfer, peer networks, society’s attitudes, and subsidy provision. The most important farm characteristics are the farm’s location, farm size, enterprise, expected costs, profits, knowledge, information and communication technology use, farmers’ age, education, gender, off-farm activities, attitudes, and beliefs regarding organic farming and willingness to preserve the environment. Of particular importance are farmers’ satisfaction with economic incentives, the perception of technical problems, and the certification process. Such comprehensive information enables public authorities to bring about changes in the most important factors that effectively accelerate organic conversion decisions and to assess policy implementation. The market participants are facilitated to implement eco-strategies by encouraging farmers to decide to convert. Future research should broaden the sets of factors that are explored, taking into consideration the interactions and time-dependent changes that exist.
Pre-operative neutrophil/lymphocyte and platelet/lymphocyte ratios are effective in predicting complicated acute cholecystitis

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Acute cholecystitis is a severe disease that requires urgent operation in some cases. To select suitable patients for a conservative approach, there is a need for an affordable and reliable marker for determining complication risk. Evaluation of systemic inflammatory markers in combination with other parameters such as white blood cell and the C-reactive protein might help to decide the appropriate treatment option. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic value of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and thrombocyte-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in determining the risk of complicated acute cholecystitis and to compare with intraoperative and pathological findings. METHODS: A total of 229 patients operated on for acute cholecystitis were included in this study. Intraoperative and pathologically complicated acute cholecystitis in 78 cases and controls group was 151 cases. The two groups were compared in terms of inflammation markers. Then, we used the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to determine the optimal value for NLR and PLR concerning the severity of cholecystitis. Then, the differences in clinical symptoms were investigated according to the cutoff value for NLR and PLR. RESULTS: The NLR and PLR levels were found to be significantly higher in the complicated group (4.18±4.53 vs. 15.23±20.99, 145.34±87.58, and 251.92±245.93, respectively, p<0.01). The best cutoff value for NLR and PLR was 5.5 and 146.90, respectively. Sensitivity for NLR was 80% and specificity was 80.1%. Sensitivity for PLR was 66.7% and specificity was 66.2%. CONCLUSION: Systemic inflammation markers can be used to predict the risk of complicated acute cholecystitis. They are inexpensive tools that can be used to make surgical decisions, especially in resource scarce environments.
Tiotropium/Olodaterol Reduce Cigarette Smoking Extract-induced Cell Death in BEAS-2B Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Background: Cigarette smoking is a critical risk factor for the destruction of lung parenchyma or the development of emphysema, which is characteristic of COPD. Disruption of epithelial layer integrity may contribute to lung injury following cigarette smoke extract (CSE) exposure. Tiotropium/olodaterol acts as a bronchodilator for COPD treatment; however, the effect of dual bronchodilators on epithelial cell injury and its underlying mechanism remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the effect of tiotropium/olodaterol on CSE-mediated cell death and the underlying mechanisms.Methods: Cell viability was determined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy were evaluated using flow cytometry. Autophagy-related protein, phosphorylated ERK, expression was determined using Western blotting.Results: Tiotropium/olodaterol significantly inhibited CSE-induced cell death, mitochondria dysfunction, and autophagy, which had no significant effect on apoptosis or necrosis in BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelial cells. Moreover, tiotropium/olodaterol attenuated CSE-induced upregulation of JNK.Conclusions: CSE induced cell death and caused consistent patterns of autophagy and JNK activation in BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelial cells. Tiotropium/olodaterol treatment protected bronchial epithelial cells from CSE-induced injury and inhibited activation of autophagy and upregulation of JNK phosphorylation. These results indicate that tiotropium/olodaterol may protect epithelial cells from the deleterious effects of CSE exposure, which is associated with the regulation of autophagy and JNK activation.
Modélisation de l'incinération sur grille d'ordures ménagères et approche thermodynamique du comportement des métaux lourds

Ce travail a la fois experimental et theorique est consacre a la modelisation mathematique de l'incineration des ordures menageres (OM) dans un four a grille et a l'etude thermodynamique de la speciation des metaux lourds (ML), initialement contenus dans les dechets, pendant la combustion. Des experiences de thermogravimetrie couplees a des analyses gazeuses par spectrometrie de masse et chromatographie en phase gazeuse ont ete realisees sur des echantillons d'OM reconstituees. Elles ont permis de determiner les cinetiques de pyrolyse de ces echantillons et de quantifier les gaz emis au cours des reactions primaires de devolatilisation. Des experiences de combustion en reacteur pilote a lit fixe, portant sur deux types de combustibles (copeaux de bois et OM reconstituees), ont ete mises en œuvre. L'influence des conditions operatoires (debit, repartition et temperature de l'air primaire) et des caracteristiques de la charge (humidite, teneur en cendres, PCI) a ete etudiee. Un modele mathematique a ensuite ete developpe, qui simule aussi bien la combustion d'une charge solide dans ce reacteur a lit fixe que celle d'un lit d'OM circulant sur la grille d'un incinerateur. Ce modele a ete valide par comparaison des resultats calcules et des mesures experimentales sur pilote. Il permet de localiser les differentes zones de transformation de la charge et d'evaluer l'influence des conditions operatoires sur l'efficacite de la combustion. La simulation numerique de l'ecoulement reactif des gaz dans la chambre de post-combustion et la chaudiere d'une UIOM a ete realisee a l'aide du code de mecanique des fluides numerique FLUENT. L'ensemble de ces simulations numeriques nous a donne acces aux conditions locales de temperatures et de concentrations gazeuses en tout point de l'incinerateur (lit d'OM + chambre de post-combustion + chaudiere) a partir desquelles nous avons pu etudier la speciation des ML a l'equilibre thermodynamique.
Effects of antibiotic substitutes on growth, intestinal microvillus morphology and M cells in pigs - electron microscopy study

Background: Misuse of antibiotics in feed seriously affects intestinal tract health of pigs. The feed strategy of alternative feed additives is essential for the pig industry. A single-factor test was conducted to study the effects of antibiotics in feed, glucose oxidase (GOD), and bacterial direct-fed microbials on pig growth and the morphology of M cells the small intestine. Methods: A total of 160 40-d-old weaning piglets of the DLY (Duroc × Large White × Yorkshire) breed were randomly divided into 4 treatments with 4 replicates of 10 pigs each. Dietary treatments were control (commercial basal diet with no additive) and quantitative antibiotics (0.5 kg/t), bacterial direct-fed microbials, GOD (0.5 kg/t), and microbials + GOD added to the basal diet. The preliminary trial period was 7 days, and the formal test period was 35 days. Results: The results showed that the combination of microbials and GOD significantly increased the average daily gain of pigs (ADG) and reduced the ratio of feed intake to gain (F/G) of pigs. The results of intestinal histology by electron microscopy suggested that antibiotics in feed seriously destroyed the morphology of intestinal microvilli and M cells, perturbed the intestinal microflora in nursery pigs. The bacterial direct-fed microbials were most beneficial to small intestine health, which is characterized by complete microvilli, compact and orderly arrangement of villi, and rich intestinal microbes. GOD changed the morphology of M cells in the small intestine, enhanced phagocytosis, but damaged the intestinal mucosa in a certain degree. The combined use of bacterial direct-fed microbials and GOD repaired the intestinal mucosa injury caused by GOD. Conclusions: In this experiment, the microbials and GOD as feed additives could replace antibiotics and improved the growth and immune performance of nursery pigs. The bacterial direct-fed microbials were beneficial to intestinal health. The excessive use of antibiotics seriously affected the development and health of the small intestine. Our results provide a theoretical basis for the application of bacterial direct-fed microbials and GOD in pig production.
Kinetics of Thin Layer Drying of Button Mushroom

Drying kinetics of white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) slices in a fluidized bed dryer at three different drying air temperatures of 45, 55 and 65 degree C with constant drying air velocity of 2.5 m.s? ¹ was studied. The drying of mushroom slices occurred in the falling rate period. Seven thin-layer drying models, commonly used for perishable fruits/vegetables, were tested for the drying behaviour of mushroom slices. The logarithmic model fitted best to moisture ratio data with higher R² and least c², MBE, RMSE values. The effective moisture diffusivity in white button mushroom increased from 9.21x10? 8 to 1.49x10? 7 m². s? ¹with increasing drying air temperatures in the fluidized bed dryer. The average activation energy of 36.39 kJ.mol? ¹ was required for detaching the water molecules from mushroom slices during fluidized bed drying.
Comparison of Combined and Conventional Rehabilitation with Virtual Monitoring Method on Impulsivity in Parkinson's Patients

Introduction: Parkinson's disease is a chronic multisystem disease that can cause motor and non-motor symptoms and cognitive changes. One of the most important conservative treatments for Parkinson's disease is physiotherapy. Lack of simultaneous attention to the cognitive aspect of rehabilitation consistent with its physical aspect may be one of the effective reasons for the ineffectiveness of Parkinson's exercise therapy, which has not been considered before. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effect of fifteen sessions of combined rehabilitation (cognitive and exercise therapy) and conventional rehabilitation (exercise therapy) with virtual monitoring method on the impulsivity of Parkinson's patients. Materials and Methods: This pretest-posttest study has two groups of intervention: blind and random. The patients were of both sexes and between 50 and 75 years old. The two groups of combined rehabilitation (n=32) and conventional rehabilitation (n=31) were examined for 15 sessions. The scores obtained from the questionnaire were analyzed using SPSS 26 software. Mann-Whitney test was used to measure the mean scores due to the abnormality of the variables. Results: The results showed that after 15 sessions of intervention, there was a significant difference between the two groups of samples in the impulsivity scores of planning and foresight. Combined rehabilitation intervention (cognitive and exercise therapy) has had a greater effect on patients' impulsivity than conventional rehabilitation (exercise therapy). Conclusion: Performing both combined and conventional rehabilitation interventions reduced the impulsivity of Parkinson's patients. However, in the group that received combined rehabilitation, the rate of this reduction was significant in most cases. Further interdisciplinary research between physiotherapy and cognitive rehabilitation is recommended, especially for neurological patients such as Parkinson's disease.
Lifestyle factors and reversion to normoglycaemia by prediabetes type in PREDAPS study.

Background: Healthy lifestyle interventions and drug therapies are proven to have a positive preventative influence on normal glucose regulation in prediabetes; however, there is little evidence to support the role of these factors according to the various stage of the prediabetes stateAims: This study aims to investigate the role of lifestyle factors on the reversion to normal glucose regulation according to the different stage of the prediabetes state based on most up-to-date American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines.Design and Setting: Observational prospective cohort study. The Cohort study in Primary Health Care on the Evolution of Patients with Prediabetes from 2012-2015Methods: A total of 1184 individuals aged 30 to 74 years old were included and classified based on the ADA in three mutually exclusive groups using either fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels (from 100-125 mg/dl, FPG group), HbA1c (5.7%–6.4%, HbA1c group) or both impaired parameters group. Information on lifestyle factors and biochemical parameters were collected at baseline Reversion to normal glucose regulation was calculated at third year of follow-up. Relationship of lifestyle factor and type of prediabetes with reversion were estimated using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusting by different groups of confounders.Results: Proportion of reversion rates were 31% for FPG group, 31% for HbA1c group and 7.9% for both altered parameters group, respectively. Optimal life style factors such as BMI<25 kg/m2[OR (95% CI): 1.90 (1.20-3.01)], high adherence to Mediterranean diet 1.78 (1.21-2.63) and absence of abdominal obesity 1.70 (1.19-2.43) were the strongest predictors for reversion to normal glucose. ORs of reversion to normal glucose were 4.87 (3.10-7.65) for FPG group and 3.72 (2.39-5.78) for HbA1c group, taking as reference those with both impaired parameters. These estimates remained almost the same after further adjustment for biochemical parameters and lifestyle factors.Conclusions: Although optimal lifestyle factors showed to be a positive predictor for reversion to normal glucose regulation, they do not seem to explain the differences according to the type of prediabetes.
Early C Sequestration Rate Changes for Reclaimed Minesoils

Abstract Reclaimed minesoils have well-defined ages (time since reclamation), making them suitable for studying temporal changes in terrestrial carbon sequestration. The objective of this research was to assess the effect of time since reclamation on soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and related soil properties such as texture, bulk density, and cation exchange capacity in three West Virginia minesoils along a chronosequence. The minesoils’ surface 750 Mg ha−1 (0–6 cm) was sampled at 1, 4, and 21 years and again at 2, 5, and 22 years postreclamation, giving a total of 6 site-years of information. Average SOC stocks (Mg C ha−1) were highest in the oldest minesoils. Soil bulk density was highest and unrelated to SOC concentration in the youngest minesoil, reflecting recent compressive reclamation techniques. The cation exchange capacity of older minesoils was influenced more by SOC than by clay, whereas the opposite was observed in younger minesoils. The relationship of SOC stock to time since reclamation was best described by a logarithmic diminishing returns model. Short-term (1 year) SOC sequestration rates (Mg C ha−1 y−1) were not appropriate to describing the change in SOC sequestration rate occurring along the chronosequence. When taken as the first derivative of the diminishing returns model, long-term SOC sequestration rates were shown to decline precipitously (80%) in the first 5 years after reclamation. The model predicts that the surface 750 Mg ha−1 of minesoil will contain about 13.3 Mg SOC ha−1 at 50 years after reclamation. About 75% of that SOC storage is predicted to be achieved in the first decade after reclamation.
Musculoskeletal pain and associated factors among waste collectors in Hanoi, Vietnam: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent among waste collectors in developing countries. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and risk factors of persistent musculoskeletal disorders among waste collectors in Hanoi, Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was utilized to study 468 waste collectors in 2017. The Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire and questionnaires on demographic and work conditions were used to collect data. Descriptive and Multivariate logistics regression analyses were applied at the significant level p<0.05. Findings: 67.4% waste collectors participating into this study reported musculoskeletal disorders in at least one body region. Lower back was the most affected site, followed by pain in the neck and shoulders. The risk of persistent musculoskeletal disorders associated with age, gender, work hours, work shift, duration of poor postures of the neck and back, carrying heavy objects, and experience of work dissatisfaction, stress or anxiety. Conclusions: High prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among waste collectors and association with self-assessed unfavorable work postures and work-related stress imply the need of mechanical and social support at work for waste collectors to prevent the development of musculoskeletal disorders.
A Design to Improve the Quality of OVO Electronic Money Payment Services in Tokopedia Using IPA and PGCV

Currently, many online payment applications have sprung up in the community. This requires online payment application providers to compete in providing the best service for the community. This study aims to design an increase in the service quality of the OVO online payment application in Indonesia. This research applied Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) and Potential Gain in Customer Value (PGCV) methods to map the performance of service attributes and determine the priority service attributes for improvement. Based on the research conducted, the use of the IPA and PGCV methods has been successfully utilized to map the performance of service attributes and determine priority attributes that should be improved.
Effect and correlation of testing load and specimen’s thickness on the hardness and percent depth of cure of condensable composite resins

Background : Dental condensable composite resins were used as a substitute for dental amalgam to restore posterior teeth. They were be condensed as dental amalgam, which made it easier to produce an accurate proximal teeth contact. Objectives: The aim of this study was to measure the top and bottom hardness of two condensable composites at different thicknesses (2,3,4 and 5 mm) at different loads (25,50 and 100 gf). Percent depth of cure was calculated for both materials at the different thicknesses. The correlation between the hardness and percent depth of cure was calculated. Materials and methods : The materials used were Glacier and SureFil condensable composite resins. 120 specimens were prepared from both composite resins, 60 specimens each using transparent Perspex molds of 4mm diameter and thicknesses of 2,3,4,5 mm. Specimens of each composite resin were divided into 4 groups corresponding to the different thicknesses, 15 specimens for each thickness. Specimens for each thickness were further divided into 3 subgroups, 5 specimens for each load applied during hardness testing (25, 50 and 100gf). The hardness was measured using a universal micro hardness testing machine for the top and bottom surfaces of each specimen. Percent depth of cure was calculated by dividing the bottom hardness value by the top hardness value and multiplied by 100. Also, the correlation between the hardness and percent depth of cure was calculated . Results : The results indicated that, the top hardness values were greater than that of the bottom hardness values for both composite resins. Glacier composite showed that, the hardness was increased by increasing the testing loads and decreased by increasing the thickness, except at 3 mm thickness of Glacier, which showed higher hardness than 2 mm thickness. Also, SureFil composite resin showed increased hardness values by increasing the testing loads and decreased by increasing the thickness. The hardness of 3mm thickness was greater than that of 2mm thickness. The percent depth of cure in 2mm and 3mm thicknesses were more than 80%, while the other thicknesses showed percent depth of cure less than 80%. Both materials showed high positive correlation between the hardness and percent depth of cure . Conclusions : The top hardness was greater than that of the bottom hardness. The hardness of 3mm thickness was greater than that of 2mm thickness. The hardness was increased by increasing the testing loads and decreased by increasing the thickness. The percent depth of cure was decreased by increasing thickness. There was high positive correlation between the hardness and percent depth of cure .