Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of Biological Coating from Novel Halophilic Exopolysaccharide Exerting Shelf-Life-Prolonging and Biocontrol Actions for Post-Harvest Applications

The literature presents the preserving effect of biological coatings developed from various microbial sources. However, the presented work exhibits its uniqueness in the utilization of halophilic exopolysaccharides as food coating material. Moreover, such extremophilic exopolysaccharides are more stable and economical production is possible. Consequently, the aim of the presented research was to develop a coating material from marine exopolysaccharide (EPS). The significant EPS producers having antagonistic attributes against selected phytopathogens were screened from different marine water and soil samples. TSIS01 isolate revealed the maximum antagonism well and EPS production was selected further and characterized as Bacillus tequilensis MS01 by 16S rRNA analysis. EPS production was optimized and deproteinized EPS was assessed for biophysical properties. High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) analysis revealed that EPS was a heteropolymer of glucose, galactose, mannose, and glucuronic acid. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and UV-visible spectra validated the presence of determined sugars. It showed high stability at a wide range of temperatures, pH and incubation time, ≈1.63 × 106 Da molecular weight, intermediate solubility index (48.2 ± 3.12%), low water holding capacity (12.4 ± 1.93%), and pseudoplastic rheologic shear-thinning comparable to xanthan gum. It revealed antimicrobial potential against human pathogens and antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory potential. The biocontrol assay of EPS against phytopathogens revealed the highest activity against Alternaria solani. The EPS-coated and control tomato fruits were treated with A. solani suspension to check the % disease incidence, which revealed a significant (p < 0.001) decline compared to uncoated controls. Moreover, it revealed shelf-life prolonging action on tomatoes comparable to xanthan gum and higher than chitosan. Consequently, the presented marine EPS was elucidated as a potent coating material to mitigate post-harvest losses.
Pleistocene climate change and phylogeographic structure of the Gymnocarpos przewalskii (Caryophyllaceae) in the northwest China: Evidence from plastid DNA, ITS sequences, and Microsatellite

Abstract Northwestern China has a wealth of endemic species, which has been hypothesized to be affected by the complex paleoclimatic and paleogeographic history during Quaternary. In this paper, we used Gymnocarpos przewalskii as a model to address the evolutionary history and current population genetic structure of species in northwestern China. We employed two chloroplast DNA fragments (rps16 and psbB‐psbI), one nuclear DNA fragment (ITS), and simple sequence repeat (SSRs) to investigate the spatial genetic pattern of G. przewalskii. High genetic diversity (cpDNA: h S = 0.330, h T = 0.866; ITS: h S = 0.458, h T = 0.872) was identified in almost all populations, and most of the population have private haplotypes. Moreover, multimodal mismatch distributions were observed and estimates of Tajima's D and Fu's FS tests did not identify significantly departures from neutrality, indicating that recent expansion of G. przewalskii was rejected. Thus, we inferred that G. przewalskii survived generally in northwestern China during the Pleistocene. All data together support the genotypes of G. przewalskii into three groups, consistent with their respective geographical distributions in the western regions—Tarim Basin, the central regions—Hami Basin and Hexi Corridor, and the eastern regions—Alxa Desert and Wulate Prairie. Divergence among most lineages of G. przewalskii occurred in the Pleistocene, and the range of potential distributions is associated with glacial cycles. We concluded that climate oscillation during Pleistocene significantly affected the distribution of the species.
Pliocene Mollusca (Bivalvia, Gastropoda) from the Sørsdal Formation, Marine Plain, Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica: taxonomy and implications for Antarctic Pliocene palaeoenvironments

Quilty, P.G. , Darragh, T.A. , Gallagher, S.J. & Harding, L.A. July 2016. Pliocene Mollusca (Bivalvia, Gastropoda) from the Sørsdal Formation, Marine Plain, Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica: taxonomy and implications for Antarctic Pliocene palaeoenvironments. Alcheringa 40, XXX–XXX. ISSN 0311-5518. Pliocene shallow-water marine sediments at Marine Plain (centred on 68°37.7ʹS; 78°07.8ʹE) and covering approximately 10 km² in the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica, have yielded six species of gastropods, and 11 species of bivalves from two beds within the Sørsdal Formation. Most of the material is close to in situ but some specimens have been disturbed from their life position; there is no evidence of significant transport. The gastropods include Nacella concinna (Strebel, 1908), Falsimargarita parvispira Quilty, Darragh, Gallagher & Harding sp. nov., indeterminate species of trochids and naticids, Chlanidota (Chlanidota) sp. cf. C. signeyana Powell, 1951, and two species of Trophon/Trophonella. Bivalves include Ennucula sp. aff. E. grayi (d’Orbigny, 1846), Aequiyoldia defossata Quilty, Darragh, Gallagher & Harding, sp. nov., ‘Pectunculina’ sp. , Lissarca sp. , Austrochlamys anderssoni (Hennig, 1911), Ruthipecten campestris Quilty, Darragh, Gallagher & Harding sp. nov., Adamussium necopinatum Quilty, Darragh, Gallagher & Harding sp. nov., Limatula (Antarctolima) sp. cf. L. hodgsoni (Smith, 1907), Cyclocardia magna Quilty, Darragh, Gallagher & Harding sp. nov., ? Hiatella sp. cf. H. arctica (Linnaeus, 1767) and Laternula elliptica (King, 1832). Preservation varies considerably owing to recrystallization, dissolution or distortion through compaction, so several species are left in open nomenclature. Oxygen isotope data indicate that water temperature was 4–7.5°C at the time of shell growth. Many species or species groups are now extinct or have migrated away from the Antarctic to the sub-Antarctic region. An Antarctic mollusc fauna has been characteristic of the region for much of the Cenozoic. Patrick G. Quilty [p.quilty@utas.edu. au], Discipline of Earth Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 79, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia; Thomas A. Darragh [tdarragh@museum.vic. gov.au], Museum Victoria, GPO Box 666 Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia; Stephen J. Gallagher [sjgall@unimelb.edu. au], School of Earth Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; Lucy A. Harding [harding.lucy. a@edumail.vic. gov.au], School of Earth Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
Association between Shift Work and Health Outcomes in the General Population in China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Shift work may adversely affect individuals’ health, thus, the current study aimed to investigate the association between shift work and health outcomes in the general population. A total of 41,061 participants were included in this online cross-sectional survey, among which 9612 (23.4%) individuals engaged in shift work and 31,449 (76.6%) individuals engaged in non-shift work. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the association between shift work and health outcomes (psychiatric disorders, mental health symptoms, and physical disorders). In addition, associations between the duration (≤1 year, 1–3 years, 3–5 years, 5–10 years, ≥10 years) and frequency of shift work (<1 or ≥1 night/week) and health outcomes were also explored. The results showed that compared to non-shift workers, shift workers had a higher likelihood of any psychiatric disorders (odds ratios [OR] = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.56–2.09, p < 0.001), mental health symptoms (OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.68–1.85, p < 0.001), and physical disorders (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.39–1.57, p < 0.001). In addition, inverted U-shaped associations were observed between the duration of shift work and health outcomes. These results indicated that shift work was closely related to potential links with poor health outcomes. The findings highlighted the importance of paying attention to the health conditions of shift workers and the necessity of implementing comprehensive protective measures for shift workers to reduce the impact of shift work.
The Impact of Information Presentation on Consumer Perceptions of Cricket-Containing Chocolate Chip Cookies

As a source of protein and other nutrients for a growing population, edible insect production offers environmental and sustainability advantages over traditional meat production. Although around 2 billion people consume insects worldwide, Western consumers are still reluctant to practice entomophagy, hindered largely by neophobia and negative emotions. In addition to sensory quality and safety, an informational component may be crucial to consumers’ decision making involving insect consumption. In this study, three different information types, namely text, image, and a tangible product, were used to convey information about chocolate chip cookies (CCCs) containing cricket flour. The nature of the information was related to the ingredient usage level (5%), the type of insect (cricket), nutritional values, sustainability benefits, packaging, celebrity endorsement, and/or visual appearance of an actual product. Consumers’ willingness to consume (WTC), acceptance, and purchase intent (PI) were measured in response to each informed condition. Once informed of the insect ingredient, all scores significantly (α = 0.05) dropped. The lowest WTC (1.97 ± 1.06, Text), acceptance (3.55 ± 2.23, Image), and PI (1.85 ± 1.05, Text) scores were found after identifying cricket as the insect ingredient. Compared to other informed conditions, the presentation of a real chocolate chip cookie containing insects achieved the highest scores on all affective scores (WTC: 3.4 ± 1.04, acceptance: 6.17 ± 1.89, PI: 3.07 ± 1.09). The greatest improvement in scores was observed after information about nutrition and sustainability benefits (based on ANOVA), which was more impactful for males than females (based on a t-test). Celebrity endorsement did not have a significant effect. The presentation of the actual CCC containing cricket flour (for visual observation only) significantly increased WTC, acceptance, and PI compared to presenting text and images alone. Acceptance, WTC, and certain information cues were significant predictors of PI for CCCs containing cricket flour.
The Histopathology of Leg Ulcers

Ulcerations of the lower extremities are a frequently encountered problem in clinical practice and are of significant interest in public health due to the high prevalence of underlying pathologies, including chronic venous disease, diabetes and peripheral arterial occlusive disease. However, leg ulcers can also present as signs and symptoms of various rare diseases and even as an adverse reaction to drugs. In such cases, correct diagnosis ultimately relies on histopathological examination. Apart from the macroscopic presentation, patient history and anatomic location, which are sometimes indicative, most ulcers have very distinct histopathological features. These features are found in different layers of the skin or even associated vessels. In this narrative review, we discuss and highlight the histopathological differences of several types of leg ulcers that can contribute to efficient and accurate diagnosis.
Alkaline Activation of Binders: A Comparative Study

Binders formulated with activated alkali materials to replace Portland cement, which has high polluting potential due to CO2 emissions in its manufacture, have increasingly been developed. The objective of this study is to evaluate the main properties of activated alkali materials (AAM) produced by blast furnace slag, fly ash, and metakaolin. Initially, binders were characterized by their chemical, mineralogical and granulometric composition. Later, specimens were produced, with molarity variation between 4.00 and 5.50, using the binders involved in the research. In preparing the activating solution, sodium hydroxide and silicate were used. The evaluated properties of AAM were consistency, viscosity, water absorption, density, compressive strength (7 days of cure), calorimetry, mineralogical analysis by X-ray diffraction, and morphological analysis by scanning electron microscopy. The results of evaluation in the fresh state demonstrate that metakaolin has the lowest workability indices of the studied AAM. The results observed in the hardened state indicate that the metakaolin activation process is optimized with normal cure and molarity of 4.0 and 4.5 mol/L, obtaining compressive strength results after 7 days of curing of approximately 30 MPa. The fly ash activation process is the least intense among the evaluated binders. This can be seen from the absence of phases formed in the XRD in the compositions containing fly ash as binder. Unlike blast furnace slag and metakaolin, the formation of sodalite, faujasite or tobermorite is not observed. Finally, the blast furnace slag displays more intense reactivity during thermal curing, obtaining compressive strength results after 7 days of curing of around 25 MPa. This is because the material’s reaction kinetics are low but can be increased in an alkaline environment, and by the effect of temperature. From these results, it is concluded that each precursor has its own activation mechanism, observed by the techniques used in this research. From the results obtained in this study, it is expected that the alkaline activation process of the types of binders evaluated herein will become a viable alternative for replacing Portland cement, thus contributing to cement technology and other cementitious materials.
Blood-Derived Metabolic Signatures as Biomarkers of Injury Severity in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pilot Study

Metabolomic biomarkers hold promise in aiding the diagnosis and prognostication of traumatic brain injury. In Canada, over 165,000 individuals annually suffer from a traumatic brain injury (TBI), making it one of the most prevalent neurological conditions. In this pilot investigation, we examined blood-derived biomarkers as proxy measures that can provide an objective approach to TBI diagnosis and monitoring. Using a 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based quantitative metabolic profiling approach, this study determined whether (1) blood-derived metabolites change during recovery in male participants with mild to severe TBI; (2) biological pathway analysis reflects mechanisms that mediate neural damage/repair throughout TBI recovery; and (3) changes in metabolites correlate to initial injury severity. Eight male participants with mild to severe TBI (with intracranial lesions) provided morning blood samples within 1–4 days and again 6 months post-TBI. Following NMR analysis, the samples were subjected to multivariate statistical and machine learning-based analyses. Statistical modelling displayed metabolic changes during recovery through group separation, and eight significant metabolic pathways were affected by TBI. Metabolic changes were correlated to injury severity. L-alanine (R= −0.63, p < 0.01) displayed a negative relationship with the Glasgow Coma Scale. This study provides pilot data to support the feasibility of using blood-derived metabolites to better understand changes in biochemistry following TBI.
ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTIES AND CORROSION RESISTENCE OF GALVANIZED STEEL WELDED WITH LASER BEAM

The paper describes the influence of laser welding parameters on the structure, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of 1.2 mm thick galvanized sheets made of DC04 low-carbon steel. The tested test joints were made with a disc laser on a robotic laser welding station (TruLaser Robot 5120) with a TruDisk 12002 laser. In the laser welding process, butt welded joints were made without additional material with variable welding speed (linear welding energy from 30 to 45 J/mm). Welded joints were subjected to non-destructive tests (visual, magnetic-particle and radiographic tests), destructive tests (tensile strength, bend test, hardness test) and tests for corrosion resistance (corrosion potential test, using a three-electrode measuring system and a potentiostat - ATLAS 0531 EU galvanostat) by Atlas-Sollich and corrosion test in a salt chamber). The conducted tests have shown that it is possible to make connections that meet the criteria of ISO 15614-11. All made joints, regardless of the applied linear energy of welding, are characterized by high strength and plastic properties. It can be noticed that as the linear energy of welding increases, the weld seam and the heat-affected zone of the welded joints become wider. A joint made with higher linear energy has higher hardness and tensile strength than a joint made with lower linear energy. In the static tensile test, rupture occurred in the base material, regardless of the value of the linear energy of welding. In the bending test, regardless of the value of the linear energy of welding, the bending angle of 180 ° was achieved, without tears and scratches, the values of relative elongation ranged from 29% to 42%, which confirms the high plastic properties. A joint made with lower line energy has greater corrosion resistance than a joint made with higher line energy, but much lower than the native material. It can be assumed that during welding a part of the galvanic coating is removed or damaged.
Determinants of Exposures to Hazardous Materials among Nail Cosmeticians in the Kampala City, Uganda

Globally, nail salons represent a fast expanding industry and often with low-income cosmeticians. In general, cosmeticians have limited access to safety information about the hazardous materials they handle, which would potentially enable them to minimize workplace exposures. The problem is much pronounced in low- and middle-income countries due to weaknesses in regulation of the industry. We investigated determinants of exposures to hazardous materials among nail cosmeticians in Kampala District, Uganda. We employed a cross-sectional study design among a random sample of 243 participants. The sociodemographic characteristics, education and training status, knowledge about routes of exposure to hazardous chemicals, and personal protective material use of cosmeticians were assessed through face-to-face interviews. Most cosmeticians were aged 18–34 years, and more males were engaged in this work than females. Also, 82.7% believed inhalation was the major exposure route for the chemicals they handled. Participants who had attained secondary-level education and above were over three times more likely to wear masks (AOR = 3.19, 95% CI 1.58–6.41) and gloves (AOR = 3.48, 95% CI 1.55–7.81) and over two times more likely to use aprons (AOR = 2.50, 95% CI 1.18–5.32). Participants who had ever received safety training on hazardous chemicals were more likely to wear all four personal protective equipment: masks (AOR = 3.21, 95% CI 1.61–6.42), gloves (AOR = 4.23, 95% CI 2.05–8.75), goggles (AOR = 4.14, 95% CI 1.25–13.65), and aprons (AOR = 2.73, 95% CI 1.25–5.96). Participants who had spent more than two years in the nail cosmetics business were more likely to wear masks (AOR = 3.37, 95% CI 1.64–6.95). With the increasing demand for nail cosmetics, and many people in urban areas of low-income countries engaging in this industry, there is need for training and better workplace policies to promote a healthier urban workforce dealing in cosmetics.
Radon surveys and monitoring at active volcanoes: learning from Vesuvius, Stromboli, La Soufrière and Villarrica

Abstract Understanding the behaviour of fluids in hydrothermal systems is a key factor in volcano monitoring. Measuring gas emissions in volcanic areas is strategic for detecting and interpreting precursory signals of variations in volcanic activity. The role of radon as a potential precursor of earthquakes has been extensively debated. However, radon anomalies appear to be better suited to forecast eruptive episodes as we know the loci of volcanic eruptions and we can follow the evolution of volcanic activity. Radon mapping is an effective tool in assessing diffuse and concentrated degassing at the surface. We hereby summarize the in-soil radon emissions collected worldwide and further discuss a collection of data on our key targets. These are closed-conduit and open-conduit volcanoes: Vesuvius (Italy) and La Soufrière (Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles), Stromboli (Italy) and Villarrica (Chile), respectively. In all the above volcanoes, faults and fracture systems control radon degassing. Automatic and real-time measurements help us to detect major changes in volcanic activity. We present and discuss the radon time series associated with the last effusive eruption at Stromboli. Spectral analyses reveal diurnal and semi-diurnal cycles being probably modulated by atmospheric variations. Multiple linear regression (MLR) analyses have been performed by filtering the radon signals from the effects of local environmental parameters. The residuals do not show particular variations or precursory peaks as the gases have been released from this open-conduit volcano before the onset of the effusive phase (7 August 2014). It is finally emphasized that radon is not the sole precursor, and we should also rely on other geochemical and geophysical parameters. In this perspective, we propose a methodological procedure that can contribute to improving volcano surveillance in an attempt to mitigate volcanic risk.
Developing a Computer-based Program for Language Rehabilitation of Arabic-speaking Aphasic Patients

Background : Aphasia is acquired selective impairment of language. Computerized aphasia therapy is useful in language therapy and offers chances for independent practice at home to maximize intensity and improve outcomes. This study aimed to develop a computer-based language rehabilitation program for Arabic-speaking Egyptian aphasic patients ensuring cultural, linguistically, and social suitability and to determine its effectiveness. Methods : We conducted a prospective interventional study on 20 aphasic patients in the age range of 40 e 65 years, who received rehabilitation for 3 months using a newly designed Arabic software program named ‘ Takalam. ’ The program was pilot studied on 10 normal adults before its application to the patient group. Improvement was measured using the Comprehensive Aphasia Test (CAT) and Mansoura Arabic Screening Aphasia Test (MASAT) tests to evaluate the effectiveness of the new software program. Results and conclusions : Statistically signi ﬁ cant differences were observed between the pre-and postassessment as regards all items of CAT and most items of the MASAT indicating language improvement. The Arabic software program (Takalam) is a valid and effective tool for language rehabilitation and is culturally and linguistically suitable for Arabic-speaking aphasic patients.