Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How Do Nature-Based Activities Benefit Essential Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic? The Mediating Effect of Nature Connectedness

Although many studies have suggested that nature-based activities have a healing effect on human beings, there is little research on the underlying mechanism. This study investigated the role of nature connectedness in the relationship between the perception of nature and individuals’ physical and psychological health. We recruited essential workers who participated in disease prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic and their family members as the subjects for this study. The stress levels experienced by this group made them an ideal sample. The results of a survey-based study showed that nature-based activities had a positive effect on alleviating state anxiety levels. The results also showed that nature-based activities affected perceived restoration via the feeling of nature connectedness. This study examined the healing effect of nature-based activities that stimulate the five senses and nature connectedness and explored the potential of nature-based treatments for people experiencing high levels of stress.
Evaluation of Vanaraja female line chicken for growth, production, carcass and egg quality traits

Vanaraja female line (PD-2) chicken was evaluated for growth, production, carcass and egg quality traits utilizing the data generated from 3,737 chicks and 599 hens produced in pedigreed mating with 50 sires and 250 dams at ICAR-Directorate of Poultry Research, Hyderabad, Telangana. Fertility was 86.63% and the hatchability was 86.72% on fertile egg set and 72.53% on total egg set basis in PD-2 line. The least squares means (LSM) for six week body weight and shank length were 662.38±2.54 g and 71.48±0.12 mm, respectively. Sex had significant influence on live weight, thigh and wing proportions wherein cocks had heavier and stronger legs and wings. Abdominal fat was significantly higher in females. The egg production up to 40 and 52 weeks of age was 80.29±0.03 and 133.16±0.05 eggs, respectively. The egg mass up to 52 weeks of age was 7447.41±2.98 g in PD-2 line. The heritability was low up to 15% for egg production and 17% for egg mass, the primary trait of selection in PD-2 line. Egg mass and egg weights at different ages had positive association as larger and high number of eggs contributed more to the egg mass. The egg mass and egg production had a significant positive association in PD-2 line. The egg quality was reasonably fair with average shape index of 75.22 and Haugh unit of 79.0±0.62. The albumen, yolk and shell weights were 30.20±0.14, 15.8±0.09, 0.40±0.02 g, respectively. The proportion of heritability and the magnitude of association between the important traits provide requisite information for implementing the breeding program for improvement of egg production in PD-2 line.
Antifungal Activity of Aloe Vera Extracts Against Phytopathogenic Fungus Aspergillus Spp.

Medicinal plant contains many natural products to perform antifungal activity. The present study was undertaken to determine the antifungal activity of Aloe vera gel with ethyl acetate and methanol extracts against the Aspergillus spp. The fungus was isolated using standard potato dextrose agar. After identifying the fungus based on their morphology they were subjected to various biochemical tests. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was also performed to determine the content of Aloe vera gel with ethyl acetate and methanol extractions. The Aloe vera gel with methanol extract was found to have high yield as compared to ethyl acetate extract. The methanol extraction of Aloe vera also showed high inhibition rate of fungal flora as depicted by colony forming unit (CFU) method. Further studies are recommended to ascertain the role of Aloe vera with other solvent extracts as a potent pharmacological and therapeutic agent Key words: Antifungal activity, Aloe vera, extracts, GCMS
High levels of dietary digestible protein transiently promote beneficial bacteria in adult dog feces

Nowadays, many commercial dog diets select the ingredients not only to meet the needs of the individual and maintain a balance between nutrition/microbiome/health; fiber and protein quality is known to be one of the most important factors in this balance. Diets high in low digestible protein tend to favor microorganisms that when fermenting amino acids generate substances that induce inflammation, while high digestible protein and fermentable fibers have been related to beneficial bacteria. The study's objective was to identify changes in the relative abundance of specific microorganisms (Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus salivarius, Bacteroides fragilis and Fusobacterium varium) by PCR (polymerase chain reaction), associated with two diets of different quality and digestibility. Twenty adult dogs were used, divided into two groups, the first one fed with a high digestibility diet (HD) (n = 10), the second one with a low digestibility diet (LD) (n = 10). After 3 days of adaptation to the diet, fecal samples were taken at days 15 and 30. The results showed that the high-quality diet promotes a transient increase (15 days) in the relative abundance of F. varium and E. faecium, as well as a persistent increase in that of L. salivarius and B. fragilis until day 30. Apparently, however, healthy adult dogs eventually balance their fecal microbiota, regardless of the dietary protein level and digestibility. Therefore, it is difficult to identify clear patterns of the ideal dietary profile in this species.
A new robust compressed sensing mathematical model applied to image restoration

In this paper, we first conducted a detailed analysis of the perturbation phenomenon of the sensing matrix, and then, through statistical learning theory, we established a robust optimization and reconstruction mathematical model of compressed sensing based on the perturbation of the sensing matrix. Finally, we carried out a detailed analysis of the optimization of the model. The model is resistant to disturbance uncertainty. As an extension of the standard mean square error boundary constraint, it introduces the distortion parameters caused by sampling and other factors to determine the relationship between the mean square error of the estimated signal and the sparse measure. The robust compressed sensing optimization algorithm based on disturbance established in this paper belongs to the category of convex optimization. Most importantly, the proposed model is proved to be reasonable and mathematical. Finally, we apply the mathematical model of compressed sensing to image similarity comparison, and the experimental results show that the mathematical model has a good matching effect in the field of image similarity, which meets our requirements.
Effects of a diet low in excitotoxins on PTSD symptoms and related biomarkers

ABSTRACT Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after trauma exposure and involves symptoms of avoidance, intrusive re-experiencing, mood and cognitive dysfunction, and hypervigilance. PTSD is often comorbid with Gulf War Illness (GWI), a neurological condition involving widespread pain, cognitive dysfunction, digestive problems, and other symptoms, in Gulf War veterans. PTSD tends to be more severe when comorbid with GWI. Low cortisol and elevated homocysteine levels have been found in PTSD, making them potential PTSD biomarkers. The low-glutamate diet, which aims to reduce excitotoxicity by eliminating the consumption of free glutamate and aspartate, has been shown to significantly reduce GWI and PTSD symptoms. This study examined whether changes in serum cortisol and homocysteine are associated with reduced PTSD severity in veterans with GWI after one month on the low-glutamate diet, and whether reducing the consumption of dietary excitotoxins was associated changes in PTSD and serum biomarkers. Data were analyzed for 33 veterans. No serum biomarkers significantly changed post-diet; however, cortisol increased as dietary excitotoxin consumption decreased, which held in a multivariable linear regression after adjustment for sex. Reduced dietary excitotoxin consumption was also associated with reduced hyperarousal symptoms, which held in a multivariable linear regression after adjustment for sex. Cortisol increase was associated with reduced avoidance symptoms after adjustment for change in BMI, and was marginally associated with overall PTSD reduction. Change in homocysteine was not significantly related to dietary adherence nor change in PTSD. Results suggest that reducing the consumption of dietary excitotoxins may normalize cortisol levels, which has been associated with alleviating PTSD.
How COVID‐19 affected food systems, health service delivery and maternal and infant nutrition practices: Implications for moving forward in Kenya

Abstract This implementation research study sought to examine the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on maternal and infant nutrition practices, and related aspects of health and food systems in Nairobi and Uasin Gishu Counties, Kenya. The study triangulated in‐depth interviews with 16 pregnant women, 31 lactating women (including COVID‐19 positive), 10 facility health workers, 10 community health volunteers, 6 focus group discussions (FGDs) with food vendors, 4 FGDs and 15 stakeholder interviews with government and implementing partners. Trends from Kenyan Health Information System indicators (i.e., exclusive breastfeeding and initiation of breastfeeding, antenatal care) were also examined. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, a decline in attendance of antenatal care, and maternity facilities was observed, and corroborated by Kenyan Health Information System data. Lack of clarity among health workers on COVID‐19 breastfeeding guidance and fear of COVID‐19 infection early in the pandemic were key drivers of early infant formula use, mother–child separation following delivery and delayed initiation of breastfeeding. Most women exclusively breastfed due to Government of Kenya restrictions in movement. Unemployment and job loss was linked to food insecurity and worsened by increased food prices and limited social protection measures. In response, pregnant and lactating women resorted to skipping meals and reducing quantity and variety of foods consumed. Efforts to build forward from COVID‐19 in Kenya should include facility and community health education to prevent disruptions in breastfeeding and to support maternal dietary intake, and in the provision of targeted social protection measures alongside other multisectoral interventions (i.e., psychosocial support) for Kenyan pregnant and lactating women.
Attenuation of streptozotocin induced high fat diet exacerbated dyslipidemia mediated hepatic and aortic injuries in male pigs by camel milk

ABSTRACT Dyslipidemia, diabetes, and the upregulation of receptors for oxidized low-density lipoprotein all contribute to hepatic and aortic endothelial dysfunction. The current research examined how camel milk could possibly decrease induced Streptozotocin-high fat diet-aggravated dyslipidemia-mediated damage in male pig hepatic and aortic tissues. Twenty-five pigs were separated into five groups of five pigs each, with five non-atherosclerotic pigs in the control group and twenty atherosclerotic pigs in the experimental groups. Groups 1 and 2 received distilled water as the standard control and atherosclerotic control groups, respectively, while Groups 3 and 4 received camel milk at 250 mL/day and 500 mL/day, respectively, and Group 5 received Metformin at 500 mg/day. The experiment lasted ten weeks. After 10 weeks, all of the pigs were euthanized. The lipid profile and liver enzyme levels were determined from the analysis of blood serum and the histology of the liver and aortic. When pigs administered, camel milk were compared to atherosclerotic control pigs, there was a significant decrease (p 0.05) in cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels, while a significant increase in high density lipoprotein levels was observed in pigs that received camel milk. Also, pigs in groups that received camel milk had their liver enzyme parameters (ALP, AST, ALT, GGT, LDH, and CK-MB) significantly lowered when compared with atherosclerotic control pigs. Similarly, treatment with camel milk ameliorates aortic tissues from degradation and reduces histological liver steatosis, and it also decreases the expression of LOX-1 mRNA in the aorta of atherosclerotic pigs.
Identification of a transcription factor‑cyclin family genes network in lung adenocarcinoma through bioinformatics analysis and validation through RT‑qPCR

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the predominant pathological subtype of lung cancer, which is the most prevalent and lethal malignancy worldwide. Cyclins have been reported to regulate the physiology of various types of tumors by controlling cell cycle progression. However, the key roles and regulatory networks associated with the majority of the cyclin family members in LUAD remain unclear. In total, 556 differentially expressed genes were screened from the GSE33532, GSE40791 and GSE19188 mRNA microarray datasets by R software. Subsequently, protein-protein interaction network containing 499 nodes and 4,311 edges, in addition to a significant module containing 76 nodes and 2,631 edges, were extracted through the MCODE plug-in of Cytoscape. A total of four cyclin family genes [cyclin (CCNA2, CCNB1, CCNB2 and CCNE2] were then found in this module. Further co-expression analysis and associated gene prediction revealed forkhead box M1 (FOXM1), the common transcription factor of CCNB2, CCNB1 and CCNA2. In addition, using GEPIA database, it was found that the high expression of these four genes were simultaneously associated with poorer prognosis in patients with LUAD. Experimentally, it was proved that these four hub genes were highly expressed in LUAD cell lines (Beas-2B and H1299) and LUAD tissues through qPCR, western blot analysis and immunohistochemical studies. The diagnostic value of these 4 hub genes in LUAD was analyzed by logistic regression, CCNA2 was deleted, following which a nomogram diagnostic model was constructed accordingly. The area under the curve values of CCNB1, CCNB2 and FOXM1 diagnostic models were calculated to be 0.92, 0.91 and 0.96 in the training set (Combined dataset of GSE33532, GSE40791 and GSE19188) and two validation sets (GSE10072 and GSE75037), respectively. To conclude, data from the present study suggested that the FOXM1/cyclin (CCNA2, CCNB1 and/or CCNB2) axis may serve a regulatory role in the development and prognosis of LUAD. Specifically, CCNB1, CCNB2 and FOXM1 have potential as diagnostic markers and/or therapeutic targets for LUAD treatment.
Monotonieeigenschaften der Kundenwartezeiten im Modell GI/G/1

Fur das Bedienungsmodell G I/G/1 (Beliebiger Eingang mit unabhangigen Zuwachsen, beliebige Verteilung der Bedienungszeit, 1 Bedienungsgerat) werden – mit Hilfe einer geeigneten Relation auf der Menge aller reellen Zufallsgrosen – folgende Aussagen bewiesen. 1) „Vergrosert ” man bei gleichbleibender Kundenabstandsverteilung die Bedienungszeiten, so „vergrosern” sich auch die Kundenwartezeiten. 2) „Verkleinert” man bei gleichbleibender Bedienungszeitverteilung die Kundenabstande, so „vergrosern” sich ebenfalls die Kundenwartezeiten. Der Satz von Rogozin, der besagt, das die mittleren Kundenwartezeiten im Modell G I/G/1 bei gleichmasigem Kundeneingang bzw. konstanten Bedienungszeiten minimal werden, erweist sich als Spezialfall der erhaltenen Ergebnisse. By mean of a suitable relation on the set of all real stochastic variables the following theorems are deduced for the service model G I/G/1 (arbitrary entry with independent increments, arbitrary distribution of service time, 1 service device). (1) „increase” in service time at constant service time distribution leads to „increase” in customers' waiting times; (2) „decrease” in customers' intervals at constant service time distribution also leads to „increase” of customers' waiting times. The Rogozin theorem, according to which the mean waiting times in this model are minima for uniform entry of customers and constant service times, respectively, is shown to be a special case of the results here obtained.
Convergence Behavior of the em algorithm for the multivariate t -distribution

Iterative reweighting (IR) is a popular method for computing M-estimates of location and scatter in multivariate robust estimation. When the objective function comes from a scale mixture of normal distributions the iterative reweighting algorithm can be identified as an EM algorithm. The purpose of this paper is to show that in the special case of the multivariate t-distribution, substantial improvements to the convergence rate can be obtained by modifying the EM algorithm.
Making sense of leadership and language styles of student leaders in a Malaysian public secondary school

Language plays an essential role in everyday experiences, given that it can facilitate and maintain congenial relationships if it is used properly. Not much is known about how young student leaders make sense of their communicative acts with their peers, especially in the Malaysian context. The study investigated student leaders' sensemaking of leadership and language use in a public secondary school in Northern Malaysia. Their narratives were obtained through a qualitative study using focus groups and face-to-face in-depth interviews. The findings revealed several themes that explain the preferred spoken language styles among the student leaders in performing their responsibilities at school. The study demonstrated that appropriate language use should be part of the training of student leaders at school or leadership training curriculum for secondary school leaders nationwide. In that way, the student leaders will not only be exposed to proper language use in communicating leadership, but they will also be motivated to polish up and reflect on their language use for continuous self-development.
Individual identification and population assignment with microsatellite markers in three Indian donkey populations

Ability of the microsatellite markers for individual identification and their potential for breed assignment of individuals was evaluated in three Indian donkey populations. The probability of identity of two random individuals within a population (G1), taking into consideration all eleven loci was 5.91×10–13, 1.06×10–12 and 3.67×10–14 in Ladakhi, Spiti and Andhra-brown donkeys, respectively. Similarly, the probability of identity of two random individuals from two different populations (G2) between Spiti and Ladakhi donkeys, the two most closely related populations, was only 8.05×10–21 . However, the population assignment precision using this set of 11 loci, the correct assignments ranged between 73.08 (Andhra-brown) to 96% (Ladakhi) with frequency method and between 88.46 (Andhra-brown) to 100% (Ladakhi) with Baysian approach. These results suggest that this set of markers can be a promising tool for identification of individuals and their products. Although G2 values were higher than the G1 values but when this set was specifically evaluated for breed allocation purposes, our results indicated that it may require further substantiation before this set can be safely employed for breed/population allocation of individuals in Indian donkey populations.
Multi-objective robust transmission expansion planning using information-gap decision theory and augmented ɛ-constraint method

This study presents a novel tractable mixed-integer linear programming model for multiyear transmission expansion planning (TEP) problem coping with the uncertain capital costs and uncertain electricity demands using the information-gap decision theory (IGDT). As the uncertain capital costs and electricity demands compete to occupy the permissible uncertainty budget, the proposed IGDT-based TEP (IGDT-TEP) framework employs the augmented e-constraint method to solve a multi-objective optimisation problem maximising the robust regions against the uncertain variables (i.e. capital costs and electricity demands) centred on their forecasted values. This framework enables the system's planner to control the immunisation level of the optimal expansion plan regarding the enforced planning uncertainties using a certain uncertainty budget. Also, a Latin hypercube sampling-based post-optimisation procedure is introduced to evaluate the robustness of an expansion plan obtained from the proposed IGDT-TEP framework. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the IGDT-TEP model to handle the uncertain nature of capital costs and electricity demands.
Mortality Assesment of Pediatric Septic Patients Through Pediatric Sofa+Anion Gap and Pelod-2 Scores

Highlight: Sepsis and septic shock cause morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients. The accuracy of pediatric sequential organ failure assessment and anion gap (pSOFA+AG) was compared with AG and pediatric logistic organ dysfunction-2 (AG+PELOD-2). The mortality assessment of pediatric septic patients showed that pSOFA was more sensitive than PELOD-2, while pSOFA+AG was not more sensitive than PELOD-2. Abstract: Sepsis and septic shock are some of the causes of morbidity and mortality (50-60%) in pediatric patients treated in intensive care rooms. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (pSOFA) score combined with anion gap (AG) score to Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 (PELOD-2) score in the assessment of mortality in pediatric septic patients at the Resuscitation Room of Dr. Soetomo Geeneral Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia. This was a retrospective observational cohort study using pediatric sepsis diagnosis guidelines based on the 2016 Pediatric Sepsis Consensus and medical records between January-December 2018. All data of patients aged 1 month to 16 years with suspected infection at the Resuscitation Room were collected based on predisposing infections, signs of infection, and warning signs. Organ dysfunction was assessed by calculating the pSOFA+AG scores, PELOD-2 scores, and corrected anion gap (cAG) in the first 24 hours. Sepsis mortality was assessed by comparing the results of the pSOFA, pSOFA+AG, and PELOD-2. The results showed 94.9% sensitivity and 70.0% specificity (p<0.0001) in the pSOFA, 89.9% sensitivity and 71.3% specificity (p<0.0001) in the PELOD-2, 79.7% sensitivity and 65% specificity (p<0.0001) in the AG, 79.7% sensitivity and 73.8% specificity (p<0.0001) in the cAG, and 79.3% sensitivity (p<0.0001) in the pSOFA+AG. In conclusion, pSOFA was more sensitive than PELOD-2, while the use of pSOFA+AG was not more sensitive than PELOD-2 in assessing the mortality of pediatric septic patients.