Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Oleogel Volatile Profile Formation under Ultrasonic Treatment

Under certain conditions, ultrasonic treatment of certain foods and ingredients can contribute to the appearance of an extraneous odor, which is not usual for them, especially in fat-containing products. Since the food sector uses high-intensity ultrasound to control the crystallization of fats, the development of foreign smells and secondary fat oxidation products may impact the quality and safety of such items. In this work, we studied the volatile compounds’ profiles of oleogels structured with individual fractions of beeswax using ultrasonic treatment. For this work, six samples of oleogels were obtained. Sunflower oil was used as a fatty base, and three fractions of beeswax were used as gelators: hydrocarbon fraction (>99%), monoester fraction (>95%), and a mixture fraction of wax di- and triesters (10.1%), free fatty acids (40.1%), and free fatty alcohols (49.8%). The influence of ultrasonic treatment on the properties of oleogels was assessed using light microscopy in polarized light, texture analysis, gas chromatography with flame ionization, and mass spectrometric detection. Ultrasonic treatment affected the crystallization of oleogels and led to the formation of smaller crystals. At the same time, sonication led to both an increase and a decrease in the firmness of oleogels, depending on the composition of the gelator. As regards volatile compounds, a total of 121 fragrant substances were identified in all samples, including such groups as alkanes, alkenes, alkadienes, alkynes, alkadiynes, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, terpenes, alkyl alkane, and alkyl benzene derivatives. Ultrasonic treatment caused formation of new volatile unsaturated compounds. Some of them are known to have an unpleasant odor and thus might be responsible for the extraneous odor formation in studied fatty systems. Those were mainly (E)-2-octene, 1-heptene, 1,3-butadiene, and 1,3-octadiene in all oleogel samples. Sonicated samples B and C additionally had but-1-en-3-yne, pentenyne, and 1,3-butadiyne, whose odor can also be characterized as extraneous and distasteful. Several volatile compounds, supposed to be products of lipid oxidation, were also identified. Here we assume a reasonable approach is needed when selecting sonication conditions to prevent undesirable taste and flavor in oleogels and oleogel-based food products.
Age at asthma diagnosis and onset of symptoms among adults with allergic and non-allergic asthma

ABSTRACT Background Childhood-onset allergic asthma is the best-known phenotype of asthma. Adult-onset asthma, also an important entity, is instead often shown to be more non-allergic. There is still a lack of studies concerning the association of allergies and age at asthma onset from childhood to late adulthood. The aim of the study was to assess the age at onset of asthma symptoms and age at asthma diagnosis among adults with allergic and non-allergic asthma. Methods Questionnaires were sent to 2000 randomly selected Finnish adults aged 18–80 years who were dispensed medication for obstructive airway diseases during the previous year. The corrected sample size was 1978 subjects after exclusion of non-analysable data. The response rate was 40.6%. Self-reported doctor-diagnosed asthma was considered allergic if a concomitant self-reported doctor-diagnosed pollen and/or animal allergy was reported with asthma symptoms upon allergen exposure. Results Of the 496 participants with asthma, 42.7% were considered to have allergic asthma. The median ages at asthma diagnosis and onset of asthma symptoms were 31 (IQR 17–46) and 20 (9.25–40) years in participants with allergic asthma and 49 (37.75–58) and 40.5 (30–50) years in participants with non-allergic asthma (p < 0.001), respectively. Of the participants with asthma diagnosed at ≥30 years of age, 18% of allergic and 7% of non-allergic participants reported having had asthma symptoms under 20 years of age. Conclusions Both the onset of symptoms and diagnosis occurred at a younger age among adults with allergic asthma than among those with non-allergic asthma. Only a minority of adults with non-allergic asthma had already had symptoms in younghood.
Wall-Parameters Dependent Sparse MIMO Array Design for Ultra-Wideband TWRI

In through-the-wall radar imaging (TWRI), antenna array design is crucial for accurately reconstructing the dielectric profile of targets hidden behind walls. While deterministic or stochastic methods have been widely utilized to construct arrays in free space, challenges arise when dealing with the scenario of TWRI since the electromagnetic (EM) wave interacts complexly with wall materials. Moreover, many TWRI scenarios involve multilayered walls, a factor often overlooked in previous array designs. This work presents a wall-parameters dependent sparse multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) array design approach for TWRI. First, the signal model for radar imaging through layered walls is presented, incorporating the transmission coefficients to represent wave propagation within the wall layers. Second, the averaged sidelobe level and the entropy of the Gram matrix are chosen as optimization criteria. The latter metric assesses the severity of sidelobe distribution in nontarget regions for a given array. Then, the covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy (CMA-ES)-based multi-objective optimization, as its first reported implementation in TWRI, is employed to solve the array optimization problem. Finally, the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method-based numerical simulations and onsite experiments are provided to validate the effectiveness of the proposed array design strategy and show that the proposed optimized array achieves improved target reconstruction performance.
Shifts in Chronic Disease Patterns Among Spanish Older Adults With Multimorbidity Between 2006 and 2017

Objectives: To investigate changes in multimorbidity patterns among Spanish older adults. Methods: Data come from the Spanish National Health Survey (ENSE) for individuals aged 60–89 years (2006: n = 9,758; 2017: n = 8,535). Prevalence rates and relative risks of 20 chronic conditions are estimated for the multimorbidity (3+ chronic conditions) sample, along with observed-to-expected prevalence of three-way disease combinations. Principal component and cluster analyses identify multimorbidity patterns and track temporal changes. Results: Overall, multimorbidity remained stable [2006: 59.6% (95% CI: 58.7%–60.6%); 2017: 60.3% (CI: 59.3%–61.3%)], except at older ages. Women exhibited higher multimorbidity prevalence, but sex differences declined by five percentage points. Low-high education differences widened by three percentage points. In 2017 most individuals living with multimorbidity experienced hypertension (63.4%), osteoarthrosis (62.4%) and chronic back pain (55.9%). These chronic conditions also dominate the most common triadic combinations. Multimorbid men also saw increases in cholesterol and diabetes. Conclusion: Multimorbidity trends and the most common combination of diseases can help plan healthcare for an ageing population. Sex and socioeconomic differences pose additional public health challenges as women and deprived populations tend to have more health complexities.
RISK PERCEPTION AND INVESTMENT INTENTION IN ISLAMIC BANKS' TERM DEPOSITS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY IN MOROCCO

<p>This study focuses on the impact of risk perception on the intention to invest in Islamic banks' term deposits in Morocco. Using quantitative methodologies, including statistical analysis, Cronbach's reliability tests, and structural equation modelling, the study assesses the influence of various factors, including perceived quality and perceived value, on the intention to invest. Contrary to expectations and the existing literature, the results suggest that risk perception has no statistically significant effect on the intention to invest in these financial products. However, perceived value shows a significant relationship with intention to invest, indicating its crucial role in financial decision-making within this specific context. These results have important implications for Islamic banks, policymakers, and researchers, as they challenge the conventional emphasis on risk perception in the Islamic finance literature. The results suggest that other factors, such as perceived quality and value, may play a more influential role in the intention to invest in Islamic term deposits. </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>JEL</strong>: G11, G 21, Z12, D81</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0101/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>
Hepatitis E Virus in Livestock—Update on Its Epidemiology and Risk of Infection to Humans

Simple Summary Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a public health problem worldwide, as it is an important food pathogen that humans can obtain from animals. The most common way to infect humans is by consuming contaminated, undercooked meat or raw meat from infected pigs. However, domestic cattle, small ruminants such as sheep and goats, and farm rabbits should not be underestimated as possible sources of HEV infection for humans. Many studies have detected HEV in milk from infected ruminants. Thus, the consumption of raw milk might lead to infection. Among livestock, chickens are susceptible to avian HEV, which can cause symptomatic disease but is not dangerous to humans. Avoiding eating undercooked meat from certain livestock species and following basic hygiene rules when in contact with animals that may be a source of HEV are effective preventive measures for hepatitis E in humans. Abstract Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a public health problem worldwide and an important food pathogen known for its zoonotic potential. Increasing numbers of infection cases with human HEV are caused by the zoonotic transmission of genotypes 3 and 4, mainly by consuming contaminated, undercooked or raw porcine meat. Pigs are the main reservoir of HEV. However, it should be noted that other animal species, such as cattle, sheep, goats, and rabbits, may also be a source of infection for humans. Due to the detection of HEV RNA in the milk and tissues of cattle, the consumption of infected uncooked milk and meat or offal from these species also poses a potential risk of zoonotic HEV infections. Poultry infected by avian HEV may also develop symptomatic disease, although avian HEV is not considered a zoonotic pathogen. HEV infection has a worldwide distribution with different prevalence rates depending on the affected animal species, sampling region, or breeding system.
COMPARISON BETWEEN RENOPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF FEBUXOSTAT AND ALLOPURINOL IN CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE PATIENTS WITH HYPERURICEMIA

Objective: The objective of the study was to compare the renoprotective effects of febuxostat versus allopurinol in chronic kidney disease patients with hyperuricemia. Methods: One hundred and ten patients were divided randomly into two equal groups: group F (febuxostat) and group A (allopurinol). Group F patients received tablet febuxostat 40 mg OD for 4 months and group A patients received tablet allopurinol 100 mg TDS for 4 months. Following parameters such as estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) assessment, serum creatinine, serum uric acid (SUA), total serum protein, urine creatinine, urine protein, blood urea, and number of dialysis were carried out and repeated at the end of 1st–4th month to check for the effect of the test drugs on the status of kidney function. Observations: Febuxostat caused more rise in eGFR than allopurinol. Meanwhile, the number of patients with eGFR ≤15/mL/min/1.73 m2 showed no difference between the groups. No patient showed >10% decrease in the eGFR values. Febuxostat showed more decline in SUA levels than allopurinol, although the number of patients reaching the target SUA levels was the same in both groups. Febuxostat led to a more reduction in serum creatinine levels than allopurinol. Urine creatinine and urine albumin levels decline were associated more with febuxostat. No remarkable difference in comparison of both the groups in terms of total serum protein and serum globulin, although a significant rise was seen with febuxostat in serum albumin levels. Both drugs had a similar sequel in declining blood urea nitrogen levels. No discernible difference in the number of dialysis sessions needed by patients in the previous month was seen in the study groups. Conclusion: The present study concluded that febuxostat appears to be a better alternative to allopurinol for chronic kidney disease patients with hyperuricemia. Febuxostat has a superior renoprotective effect than allopurinol.
A NitroPure Nitrocellulose Membrane-Based Grapevine Virus Sampling Kit: Development and Deployment to Survey Japanese Vineyards and Nurseries

We developed a NitroPure Nitrocellulose (NPN) membrane-based method for sampling and storing grapevine sap for grapevine virus detection. We devised an efficient nucleic acid extraction method for the NPN membrane, resulting in 100% amplification success for grapevine leafroll-associated virus 2 (GLRaV2) and 3 (GLRaV3), grapevine rupestris stem pitting-associated virus (GRSPaV), grapevine virus A, grapevine virus B, and grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV). This method also allowed the storage of recoverable nucleic acid for 18 months at room temperature. We created a sampling kit to survey GLRaV2, GLRaV3, and GRBV in Japanese vineyards. We tested the kits in the field in 2018 and then conducted mail-in surveys in 2020–2021. The results showed a substantial prevalence of GLRaV3, with 48.5% of 132 sampled vines being positive. On the other hand, only 3% of samples tested positive for GLRaV2 and none for GRBV.
Assessment of T-Gate and Π-Gate HEMT Through Cellular Monte Carlo Simulations

Several different <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${T}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\Pi $ </tex-math></inline-formula>-gate architectures of GaN/AlGaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) are compared using full band cellular Monte Carlo (CMC) device simulator for device performance (dc and RF) while accounting for self-heating modeled through energy balance equation (EBE) for acoustic and optical phonons which self consistently couple charge and heat transport. Efficacy of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\Pi $ </tex-math></inline-formula>-gate over <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${T}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>–gate is assessed for suppression of hot electron under device self-heating obtained through solution of electron energy distribution function (EDF) from complete nonlinear Boltzmann transport equation (BTE). The <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\Pi $ </tex-math></inline-formula>-gate suppresses 19.75% more hot electrons corresponding to a dc power of 2.493 W/mm for <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${V}_{\text {gs}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> = −0.6 V (max transconductance). For the dc performance, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${I}_{\text {ds}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> is nearly the same for each device configuration over the entire bias range, whereas, for the RF performance the current gain was evaluated over a frequency range 20–120 GHz in each device for both thermal (including self-heating) and isothermal (without self-heating). The evaluated cut off frequency is around 7% lower for the thermal case than the isothermal case, and for the experimentally characterized <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${T}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-gate device, and for the simulated cutoff frequency closely follows the experimental measurement.
Risk factors of early mortality in COVID-19 patients in Indonesia: A retrospective cohort study in a provincial referral hospital of Aceh

Some of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients died after being hospitalized and early mortality is a matter of concern during the pandemic; therefore, it is critical to determine which patients are the most vulnerable of having early mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for early mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Indonesia. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on hospitalized COVID-19 patients from July 2020 to September 2021 at Dr. Zainoel Abidin Hospital, Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, and mortality were collected. Early mortality was defined as a death before seven days of the hospitalization. Multivariate regression analysis was employed to determine the risk factors associated with early mortality. We included the data of 624 COVID-19 patients who died during the study period. More than half of the patients were male and aged over 50 years old. The average hospitalization period was 10 days and most patients had more than two comorbidities. Chronic lung disease was the most common comorbidity (46.0%) followed by respiratory disease (26.8%) and heart disease (14.3%). Multiple comorbidities and elevated D-dimers exceeding 3376.92 ng/mL were associated with early mortality with OR: 7.029; 95%CI: 2.02–24.43 and OR: 1.000085, 95%CI: 1.000028–1.000142, respectively. In conclusion, early mortality in COVID-19 patients was associated with having multiple comorbidities and elevated D-dimer level. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the presence of comorbidities and routine laboratory test while managing COVID-19 patients in order to prevent the early mortality.
A STUDY ON BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER SUBJECTS UNDER REMISSION – QUALITY OF SLEEP AND QUALITY OF LIFE

Aims and Objectives: People affected with bipolar disorder experience sleep disturbances which precedes an episode of depression or mania. The aim of the present study was to assess the quality of sleep and quality of life (QOL) in subjects with euthymic bipolar disorder. Methods: This was a case–control study conducted between April 2015 and September 2015. All subjects in the age of 18–60 years with bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) under remission for at least 6 months were included as cases and healthy volunteers as controls. Mini-international neuropsychiatric interview plus brief interview, Hamilton depression rating scale and young mania rating scale were used to quantify remission. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and Epworth sleepiness scale were used to assess quality of sleep and the WHO quality of life brief version (WHOQOL-BREF) scale was used to assess QOL. Descriptive data were given in summary statistics, Student’s t-test to compare means, one-way ANOVA to compare means with variables, Pearson’s test for correlation and Chi-square test for qualitative variables were used. p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Fifty patients and 51 volunteers were included in the study. The mean age was 39.62±11.68 years, males and females were equal, most were married (82.17%), 34.65% had completed high school, 47.52% were unskilled workers and 73.27% were in upper lower socioeconomic status. About 95.05% did not had family history of psychiatric illness. Euthymic BPAD patients were more unmarried (p=0.033), more unemployed (p=0.0003), less full-time employees (p=0.0001), had more PSQI global score (p=0.0003) and more Epworth sleepiness scale (p=0.0004) than controls. As the duration of remission increased, sleep dysfunction improved (p=0.009). WHOQOL scores were lower in BPAD patients and overall perception of health was lower (p=0.044). BPAD patients had poor sleep hygiene and watched more television in bed, had more cigarettes and had more coffee than tea. Conclusion: Patients with BPAD even when in remission had significant sleep disturbances. Sleep hygiene factors have to be modified to improve sleep dysfunction. Psychosocial interventions are needed to achieve better QOL.
Multi-Agent Systems for the Simulation of Land-Use and Land-Cover Change: A Review

Abstract This article presents an overview of multi-agent system models of land-use/cover change (MAS/LUCC models). This special class of LUCC models combines a cellular landscape model with agent-based representations of decision making, integrating the two components through specification of interdependencies and feedbacks between agents and their environment. The authors review alternative LUCC modeling techniques and discuss the ways in which MAS/LUCC models may overcome some important limitations of existing techniques. We briefly review ongoing MAS/LUCC modeling efforts in four research areas. We discuss the potential strengths of MAS/LUCC models and suggest that these strengths guide researchers in assessing the appropriate choice of model for their particular research question. We find that MAS/LUCC models are particularly well suited for representing complex spatial interactions under heterogeneous conditions and for modeling decentralized, autonomous decision making. We discuss a range of possible roles for MAS/LUCC models, from abstract models designed to derive stylized hypotheses to empirically detailed simulation models appropriate for scenario and policy analysis. We also discuss the challenge of validation and verification for MAS/LUCC models. Finally, we outline important challenges and open research questions in this new field. We conclude that, while significant challenges exist, these models offer a promising new tool for researchers whose goal is to create fine-scale models of LUCC phenomena that focus on human-environment interactions.
Fuzzy rule-based models for infiltration

Modeling water movement in the unsaturated zone requires a great number of parameters, such as the initial water content, the saturated moisture content, and the saturated hydraulic conductivity, which can relatively easily be assessed. Other functions such as the suction head and the relative hydraulic conductivity, which are highly nonlinear functions of the actual water content are more difficult to find. Furthermore, infiltration experiments carried out at a few locations can only define these parameters at selected locations, and a reasonable interpolation of these parameters is extremely difficult. In this paper, two fuzzy logic-based models are presented for the infiltration process. Basic definitions of fuzzy sets are given, and basic operations are explained. Principles of the rule-based infiltration models are presented. The rules for the first model are based on the moisture content of the adjacent layers and the depth of the wetting front. Using these rules, the flows can be calculated as exact quantities. The rules are derived from a training set which was obtained from several test runs of a Green and Ampt (GA) infiltration model. Separate rules are derived for the flow dynamics in the upper layer (runoff and infiltration), and for water flow between the layers. Examples of the application of the model are given. The model performs with similar accuracy as the GA model, using only 40% of its parameters and running 2 orders of magnitude faster. A training set obtained by numerical solution of the Richards equation was used to create a second fuzzy rule-based model. Here the rules are based on the moisture content of the adjacent layers. Results obtained by the use of the models are compared with measured values, showing a very accurate reproduction of the values.