Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Fermentation Pretreatment on Drying Behaviour and Antioxidant Attributes of Broccoli Waste Powdered Ingredients

Valorisation of fruit and vegetable wastes by transforming residues and discards into functional powdered ingredients has gained interest in recent years. Moreover, fermentation has been recalled as an ancient technology available to increase the nutritional value of foods. In the present work, the impact of pretreatments (disruption and fermentation) on drying kinetics and functional properties of powdered broccoli stems was studied. Broccoli stems fermented with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and non-fermented broccoli stems were freeze-dried and air-dried at different temperatures. Drying kinetics were obtained and fitted to several thin layer mathematical models. Powders were characterized in terms of physicochemical and antioxidant properties, as well as of probiotic potential. Fermentation promoted faster drying rates and increased phenols and flavonoids retention. Increasing drying temperature shortened the process and increased powders’ antioxidant activity. Among the models applied, Page resulted in the best fit for all samples. Microbial survival was favoured by lower drying temperatures (air-drying at 50 °C and freeze-drying). Fermentation and drying conditions were proved to determine both drying behaviour and powders’ properties.
Identification of southern corn rust resistance QTNs in Chinese summer maize germplasm via multi-locus GWAS and post-GWAS analysis

Southern corn rust (SCR) caused by Puccinia polysora Underw is a major disease leading to severe yield losses in China Summer Corn Belt. Using six multi-locus GWAS methods, we identified a set of SCR resistance QTNs from a diversity panel of 140 inbred lines collected from China Summer Corn Belt. Thirteen QTNs on chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8 were grouped into three types of allele effects and their associations with SCR phenotypes were verified by post-GWAS case-control sampling, allele/haplotype effect analysis. Relative resistance (RRR) and relative susceptibility (RRs) catering to its inbred carrier were estimated from single QTN and QTN-QTN combos and epistatitic effects were estimated for QTN-QTN combos. By transcriptomic annotation, a set of candidate genes were predicted to be involved in transcriptional regulation (S5_145, Zm00001d01613, transcription factor GTE4), phosphorylation (S8_123, Zm00001d010672, Pgk2- phosphoglycerate kinase 2), and temperature stress response (S6_164a/S6_164b, Zm00001d038806, hsp101, and S5_211, Zm00001d017978, cellulase25). The breeding implications of the above findings were discussed.
Age Differences in Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Parameters in Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction

Background and Objectives: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a cornerstone of risk stratification in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, there is a paucity of evidence on its predictive power in older patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic power of current heart transplantation (HTx) listing criteria in HFrEF stratified according to age groups. Materials and Methods: Consecutive patients with HFrEF undergoing CPET between 2009 and 2018 were followed-up for cardiac death and urgent HTx. Results: CPET was performed in 458 patients with HFrEF. The composite endpoint occurred in 16.8% of patients ≤50 years vs. 14.1% of patients ≥50 years in a 36-month follow-up. Peak VO2 (pVO2), VE/VCO2 slope and percentage of predicted pVO2 were strong independent predictors of outcomes. The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation thresholds of pVO2 ≤ 12 mL/kg/min (≤14 if intolerant to β-blockers), VE/VCO2 slope > 35 and percentage of predicted pVO2 ≤ 50% presented a higher overall diagnostic effectiveness in younger patients (≤50 years). Specific thresholds for each age subgroup outperformed the traditional cut-offs. Conclusions: Personalized age-specific thresholds may contribute to an accurate risk stratification in HFrEF. Further studies are needed to address the gap in evidence between younger and older patients.
WORKING CAPITAL EFFICIENCY AND ICT STRATEGY TOWARDS SME'S SUCCESS POST PANDEMIC

Resource efficiency is closely related to working capital management. Combined with professional experience, a small business must be able to develop daily activities that support the achievement of the goals and objectives set in the plan. For survival, the use of ICT becomes a priority. This study aims to identify working capital efficiency improvement strategies needed to respond to the impact of the ongoing pandemic on SMEs by leveraging ICT to improve the performance of SMEs in Batu City. This research using a quantitative research approach. The sample of respondents in this study was 100 SME’s in Batu City. This study produced several conclusions, including cash management which has a significant and positive effect on continuance intention. Receivable management, inventory management has a significant and positive effect on the success of MSMEs. ICT Implementation is proven to be able to strengthen the relationship between receivable management and the success of SME’s and ICT Implementation is proven to be able to strengthen the relationship between inventory management and the success of SME’s.
Convergencia real de las regiones españolas y capital humano

espanolEl trabajo analiza la evolucion de la convergencia real de las regiones espanolas en el periodo 1955-1998, comprobando que jamas se ha producido convergencia en la participacion regional en la produccion nacional. Unicamente en terminos de produccion per capita ha habido un subperiodo de convergencia intensa, que incluye los anos 1955 hasta finales de los setenta, propiciadapor los movimientos migratorios. En esta tesitura, noparece probable que en un proximo futuro la convergencia regional reaparezca de forma automatica con intensidad, si bien se comprueba, como mecanismo de convergencia potencial, que la rentabilidad de la inversion educativa tiende a ser mas elevada en las regiones menosdesarrolladas que en las mas desarrolladas. Adicionalmente, desde la perspectiva de su financiacion publica, tambien se senala que este tipo de inversion tiende,en el largo plazo, a autofinanciarse. En consecuencia, se defiende este tipo de gasto como una via para favorecer el desarrollo de las regiones economicamente menos favorecidas. EnglishThe article analyses the trend in real convergence of the Spanish regions over the period 1955-1998, confirming that convergence in regional participation in national production has never taken place. Only in terms of per capita production has there been a subperiod of sharp convergence, which comprisesthe years 1955 up to the late seventies, propitiated by migratory movements. In this context it does not seem likely that marked regional convergence will resumeautomatically, although it is confirmed, as a potential convergence mechanism, that the cost-effectiveness of investment in education tends to be higher in the less-developed regions than in the more-developed ones.In addition, from the standpoint of public financing it is also pointed out that this type of investment tends to be self-financing in the long term. Accordingly, we defend this type of spending as a means for assisting the development of the economically less-favouredregions.
Dynamics of Informal Settlement Expansion on the Urban Fringe: The Case of Birbir Town, Southern Ethiopia

This study examines the dynamics of fringe land invasion in Birbir Town, southern Ethiopia by adopting a descriptive survey design with both qualitative and quantitative data analyses. Primary data were acquired through a household survey, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and observations. This study also benefited from relevant secondary sources. Using a simple random sampling technique, 156 household heads were selected from Birbir and two adjacent rural areas. The study revealed that informal settlement expansion in the form of fringe land invasion occurs in Birbir Town predominantly due to population increase, urban sprawl, migration, poor land administration and governance systems, a lack of boundary demarcation, and the presence of available unserviced public land near the town. The process was intensified by actors such as farmers, local administrators, informal dealers, politicians, and local elders. The encroachment of urban fringe areas has led to deforestation, relinquishment of cultivable acreage, entitlement disputes, a prevailing trend of illicit land occupation, an unstructured urban expansion pattern, and a surge in criminality, fostering discordant communities. This study contributes to the understanding of informality on the urban fringe as posing socioeconomic and governance challenges in small towns of developing countries by presenting the case of Birbir.
Rhodobacteraceae dominate the core microbiome of the sea star Odontaster validus (Koehler, 1906) in two opposite geographical sectors of the Antarctic Ocean

Microbiota plays essential roles in the health, physiology, and in adaptation of marine multi-cellular organisms to their environment. In Antarctica, marine organisms have a wide range of unique physiological functions and adaptive strategies, useful for coping with extremely cold conditions. However, the role of microbiota associated with Antarctic organisms in such adaptive strategies is underexplored. In the present study, we investigated the diversity and putative functions of the microbiome of the sea star Odontaster validus, one of the main keystone species of the Antarctic benthic ecosystems. We compared the whole-body bacterial microbiome of sea stars from different sites of the Antarctic Peninsula and Ross Sea, two areas located in two opposite geographical sectors of the Antarctic continent. The taxonomic composition of O. validus microbiomes changed both between and within the two Antarctic sectors, suggesting that environmental and biological factors acting both at large and local scales may influence microbiome diversity. Despite this, one bacterial family (Rhodobacteraceae) was shared among all sea star individuals from the two geographical sectors, representing up to 95% of the microbial core, and suggesting a key functional role of this taxon in holobiont metabolism and well-being. In addition, the genus Roseobacter belonging to this family was also present in the surrounding sediment, implying a potential horizontal acquisition of dominant bacterial core taxa via host-selection processes from the environment.
Earthquakes in the Ionian Sea, Greece, Documented from Little-Known Historical Sources: AD 1513–1900

The seismicity in the Ionian Sea region is very high. In the historical period, many earthquakes have been reported mainly since the 16th century. In this research, we investigated the historical seismicity in the Ionian Sea, emphasizing earthquakes that have been damaging or strongly felt on Zakynthos (Zante) island. A variety of information sources, which have not been utilized so far and covering the time period from AD 1513 to 1900, were collected and examined. The sources utilized included archives, short chronicles, marginal notes, diaries and official scientific bulletins. This research reveals new information for earthquakes that have remained unknown or little-known in the seismological tradition so far. In addition, new information was found for important and already known earthquake episodes, such as the 1886 large and extensively damaging earthquake in the southwestern Peloponnese and the prolonged and destructive earthquake sequence of 1893 on Zakynthos Island, as well as for the little-known damaging earthquake of 1898. Our research adds new information about the earthquake effects in both the built and natural environments and helps also to correct earthquake dates and to identify spurious events.
Assessing Individuals Attending the Family Medicine Clinic for Periodic Health Examinations in Screening of Diabetes Mellitus

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the presence and risk of diabetes mellitus (DM) and the factors affecting the risk in those who visited the family medicine outpatient clinic. Methods: The present study included adult patients who presented to the outpatient clinic for periodic health examination between February 4, 2022, and April 4, 2022, and who had no known history of DM and were eligible for screening. Anthropometric measurements of the participants were made and their clinical and familial histories were taken in relation to DM. HbA1c and fasting blood glucose (FBG) tests were conducted for each participant. Results: A total of 125 participants, 87 (69.6%) women and 38 (30.4%) men, were included in the study, and five (4%) participants had diabetes. The analysis of the independent risk factors associated with diabetes by multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the presence of DM in the family increased the risk of having HbA1c ≥ 5.7% (OR: 3.441; 95% CI: 1.381-8,574; p=0.008). Among women, the waist circumference being > 95 cm was determined as a discriminating factor for HbA1c ≥ 5.7% (sensitivity: 61.54% and specificity: 68.85%). Conclusion: Accurate patient-centered risk assessments by family physicians can lead to positive lifestyle modifications in patients. For this purpose, family physicians should evaluate the patients for diabetes and its associated risk factors and encourage them to take measures in order to prevent diabetes.
UvA-DARE (Digital Academic A march to a better world? Religiosity and the existential function of belief in social-moral progress

This article reports an investigation of the existential function of belief in progress, speciﬁcally faith in social and moral advancement. We argue that for belief in progress to provide a sense of purpose and signiﬁcance in our world, it must concern humanity and society and not merely the technological advances humankind accomplishes. We observed an effect of mortality salience on belief in social-moral (but not scientiﬁc-technological) progress, which was moderated by strength of religious belief. Participants low in religious belief showed an increase in belief in social-moral progress, while those high in religious belief did not. Follow-up analyses revealed that the latter ﬁnding was primarily due to Protestant participants, who scored highest on strength of religious faith and belief in inherent sin, and were the least optimistic about the future of humanity. of progress are myths answering to the human need for
Plasma Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels in First-Episode and Recurrent Major Depression and before and after Bright Light Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is implicated in the etiology and treatment response in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, peripheral BDNF concentrations have not been compared across different MDD stages. Bright light therapy (BLT) offers some potential in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but its effects on BDNF levels are unknown. This study included a cross-sectional analysis of plasma BDNF concentration in females with TRD, unmedicated MDD patients, and healthy controls (HC), and measurements of longitudinal BLT effects on plasma BDNF levels in TRD patients. The present study included 55 drug-naïve, first-episode patients, 25 drug-free recurrent-episode MDD patients, 71 HC participants, and 54 TRD patients. Patients were rated by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD)-17 and the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Patients with TRD received BLT during 4 weeks. The total HAMD-17 and MADRS scores decreased following BLT. All patient groups had lower plasma BDNF than HC, but BDNF levels did not differ between first- and recurrent-episode BDNF patients and TRD patients before or after BLT. However, responders and remitters to BLT had higher post-treatment plasma BDNF concentrations than patients who did not achieve response or remission. The changes in plasma BDNF levels may be candidates for biomarkers of treatment response to BLT in TRD patients.
Percepción e imagen de los consumidores españoles del pescado salvaje y del pescado de acuicultura

La tesi doctoral que es presenta a continuacio te com a objectiu estudiar la percepcio que tenen els consumidors espanyols del peix d’aquicultura en comparacio amb el peix salvatge, des de varies perspectives: percepcio d’aspectes relacionats amb el marqueting (informacio disponible en l’etiquetatge), percepcio d’aspectes psicologics (component cognitiva o creences) i percepcio d’aspectes sensorials. Els resultats obtinguts indiquen una clara discrepancia entre la percepcio subjectiva i objectiva de la qualitat del peix d’aquicultura. Si be no sembla necessari millorar les seves caracteristiques sensorials, si es indispensable millorar la seva imatge entre els consumidors per tal de fomentar el seu consum. En aquest sentit, els resultats obtinguts aporten informacio de gran valor per al sector en el disseny d’estrategies efectives de marqueting i politiques de promocio dels seus producte.
The Impact of Nutrition During Early Childhood on Education Among Guatemalan Adults

Early childhood nutrition is thought to have important effects on education, broadly defined to include various forms of learning. We advance beyond previous literature on the effect of early childhood nutrition on education in developing countries by using unique longitudinal data begun during a nutritional experiment during early childhood with educational outcomes measured in adulthood. Estimating an intent-to-treat model capturing the effect of exposure to the intervention from birth to 36 months, our results indicate significantly positive, and fairly substantial, effects of the randomized nutrition intervention a quarter century after it ended: increased grade attainment by women (1.2 grades) via increased likelihood of completing primary school and some secondary school; speedier grade progression by women; a one-quarter SD increase in a test of reading comprehension with positive effects found for both women and men; and a one-quarter SD increase on nonverbal cognitive tests scores. There is little evidence of heterogeneous impacts with the exception being that exposure to the intervention had a larger effect on grade attainment and reading comprehension scores for females in wealthier households. The findings are robust to an array of alternative estimators of the standard errors and controls for sample attrition.
UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Reading and Spelling Development Across Languages Varying in Orthographic Consistency Do Their Paths Cross?

We examined the cross-lagged relations between reading and spelling in ﬁ ve alphabetic orthographies varying in consistency (English, French, Dutch, German, and Greek). Nine hundred and forty-one children were followed from Grade 1 to Grade 2 and were tested on word and pseudoword reading ﬂ uency and on spelling to dictation. Results indicated that the relations across languages were unidirectional: Earlier reading predicted subsequent spelling. However, we also found signi ﬁ cant differences between languages in the strength of the effects of earlier reading on subsequent spelling. These ﬁ ndings suggest that, once children master decoding, the observed differences between languages are not related to the direction of the effects but to the strength of the effects from reading to spelling. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
On Sustainable Use of Renewable Resources in Protected Areas as an Instrument of Biodiversity Conservation: A Bioeconomic Analysis

The objective of this dissertation is to provide a theoretical framework for answering the question, whether and under which biological and socio-economic conditions the sustainable use of wild species in or around protected areas is an adequate strategy for biodiversity conservation. To do this, the dynamic interaction between the use of wild species, management of protected areas, population levels of the utilized species and poaching is investigated. A nonlinear bioeconomic model with two state variables (resource stock, management capital stock) and two control variables (harvest rate, investment rate) is developed on the basis of the traditional bioeconomic model and optimal control theory. The model identifies eight fundamental factors that influence the equilibrium population levels of the utilized species. In sum, the lower the discount rate, the depreciation rate of management capital, the poaching coefficient and the cost coefficient of investment are, and the higher the intrinsic growth rate of species, the non-consumptive value coefficient of species, the efficiency coefficient of management capital and the gross profit coefficient of harvest are, the higher the equilibrium population levels of harvested species will be. At the theoretical level, our model suggests that, apart from the usually discussed intrinsic growth rate, discount rate and price/harvest cost ratio, more factors should be taken into account when considering the impact of harvest on resource stock. Moreover, contrary to the conclusion of the Clark model and to the popular belief, our model demonstrates that, other things being equal, the higher the gross profit coefficient of harvest (termed as price/harvest cost ratio in the context of the Clark model) is, the greater the equilibrium resource stock will be. This conclusion is consistent with that drawn by the Swanson model, which first considered the important
Merge or Survive: Number of Population III Stars per Minihalo

The formation process of Population III (PopIII) stars in the mass-accretion phase is investigated by numerical experiments. The barotropic relation of primordial gas and artificial stiffening of the equation of state in very dense regions (>1015 cm−3) enables us to follow the fragmentation of PopIII circumstellar disks and the merging processes of the fragments. The disk becomes gravitationally unstable to fragmentation, followed by a rapid merger process typically within 100 yr, which roughly corresponds to one orbital time of the circumstellar disk. We also find that the fragmentation of the gas disk around a multiple system, a circumbinary disk, is rare; however, it is frequent in the disk around an individual protostar. We also perform a simulation with standard sink particles, where the number and total mass of sink particles are in rough agreement with those of the stiff equation of state runs. Based on the results of these numerical results, we model the evolution of the number of fragments with a simple phenomenological equation. We find that the average number of fragments is roughly proportional to t0.3, where t is the elapsed time since the formation of the first protostar. Next, we compare this trend with a number of published numerical studies by scaling the elapsed time according to the scale-free nature of the system. As a result, we find most of the results in the literature agree well with the relation. The present results, combined with previous studies in the literature, imply that the PopIII stars tend to be born not as single stars, but in multiple systems.