Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Agromorphological Evaluation of 44 lines of Mung Bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) Introduced in Burkina Faso

Mung bean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) is an important annual legume which is well suited to dry areas, like Burkina Faso where it is still an orphan legume. The present study was conducted to evaluate 44 mung bean genotypes introduced in Burkina Faso and to determine genetic diversity in this collection using both quantitative and qualitative traits. A field experiment was conducted in an augmented bloc design with three blocks and an extraearly maturing cowpea variety as check. Data were recorded on six (06) quantitative traits and seven (07) qualitative traits. For qualitative traits, diversity was revealed in four parameters including hypocotyl’s color, seed coat color, pods and stem pubescence. Significant genetic variability was revealed among genotypes for all the quantitative characters. Phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than Genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all characters studied indicating the influence of environmental effect on the characters. The GCV and PCV estimates were high for number of pods per plant followed by plant height and hundred seeds weigh. The high heritability coupled with high genetic advanced as percent of mean observed for these traits suggest an important genetic gain in genetic improvement for these characters. The genetic diversity observed was grouped into five clusters. Mungbean lines were grouped into four clusters and the cowpea variety used as check crop in this trial was clustered apart. This genetic diversity, both qualitatively and quantitatively, will help enrich local biodiversity in terms of legumes in general and mung bean in particular and constitutes an important basis for a future mungbean breeding program.
Neyman's C(α) test for the shape parameter of the exponential power class

Tests based on Neyman's C(α) approach are proposed for the shape parameter of the exponential power distribution (EPD). Earlier work on the maximum likelihood estimators for the EPD shows that asymptotic normality is hard to establish under the classic regularity conditions due to a discontinuity in its density functions and non-dominated third derivatives. Nevertheless, local asymptotic optimality of the test can be established via Le Cam's differentiability in quadratic mean, with local alternatives of order . We mainly focus on setting the null of the shape parameter to 1 and 2, corresponding, respectively, to the Laplace and normal distributions. Further, we extend the results to the bivariate EPD. A Monte Carlo study illustrates the theoretical results. Real data applications are also given.
Economic Aspects of Implementing Energy Performance Labelling of Buildings and Flats in the Czech Republic

Since 2013 it is compulsory in the Czech Republic to declare energy performance of a property intended for sale or lease in so called Energy Performance Certificates. Before introduction of this obligation many various arguments were presented to public to support it, especially by the subjects participating in the energetic evaluation of buildings. One of the most common arguments was that this gives people interested in lease or purchase of a property with high energy consumption a tool for reduction of the rental fee or the purchase price. This contribution, based on performed research and wider analyses, shows that this assumption together with others was misleading, and it also evaluates the reasons of this fact.
An IPMC-made deformable-ring-like robot

In this paper application of ionic polymer–metal composite (IPMC) as an actuator in a deformable circular robot is studied. Large bending deformation induced by small stimulating voltage, low stiffness and the sensing characteristics that in future work can be used in feedback control make IPMC a good choice for such an application. Here, first a model for IPMC is proposed that can be used in simulating different arrangements of actuators. The parameters of the model are determined using results of blocked force and free displacement tests. Using this model, potentials of an IPMC-made ring-like robot in passing obstacles and the effect of the number of segments on the ring’s performance are investigated. Next, the result of an experiment on a ring made of six segments is presented and the applicability of the proposed design is confirmed. In future, by modifying the fabrication process and implementing more elaborate control schemes, faster and steadier movement can be achieved.
Motion Image Deblurring using AS-Cycle Generative Adversarial Network

To improve the problem of poor generalization ability of image deblurring model in real scenes, this paper proposes a model named AS-CycleGAN (Cycle Generative Adversarial Network based on Asymmetric Samples). The model trains on unpaired images by using two “dual form” Conditional Generation Adversarial Networks, adopting global residual connection and ResNetv2 residual module. To enhance the texture effect, the SFT layer is integrated. The experimental results on the data set of Gopro show that the SSIM and PSNR values of our algorithm are 15.97% and 0.75% higher than those of the benchmark model CycleGAN, respectively. By improving the residual structure and adding the SFT layer, the effect is even better. AS-CycleGAN provides a powerful help to solve the motion blur problem in the actual scene.
Cardiomyogenic Differentiation Potential of Human Dilated Myocardium-Derived Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells: The Impact of HDAC Inhibitor SAHA and Biomimetic Matrices

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the most common type of nonischemic cardiomyopathy characterized by left ventricular or biventricular dilation and impaired contraction leading to heart failure and even patients’ death. Therefore, it is important to search for new cardiac tissue regenerating tools. Human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hmMSCs) were isolated from post-surgery healthy and DCM myocardial biopsies and their differentiation to the cardiomyogenic direction has been investigated in vitro. Dilated hmMSCs were slightly bigger in size, grew slower, but had almost the same levels of MSC-typical surface markers as healthy hmMSCs. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity in dilated hmMSCs was 1.5-fold higher than in healthy ones, which was suppressed by class I and II HDAC inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) showing activation of cardiomyogenic differentiation-related genes alpha-cardiac actin (ACTC1) and cardiac troponin T (TNNT2). Both types of hmMSCs cultivated on collagen I hydrogels with hyaluronic acid (HA) or 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and exposed to SAHA significantly downregulated focal adhesion kinase (PTK2) and activated ACTC1 and TNNT2. Longitudinal cultivation of dilated hmMSC also upregulated alpha-cardiac actin. Thus, HDAC inhibitor SAHA, in combination with collagen I-based hydrogels, can tilt the dilated myocardium hmMSC toward cardiomyogenic direction in vitro with further possible therapeutic application in vivo.
Activation of the ABA Signal Pathway Mediated by GABA Improves the Drought Resistance of Apple Seedlings

Drought seriously affects the yield and quality of apples. γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) plays an important role in the responses of plants to various stresses. However, the role and possible mechanism of GABA in the drought response of apple seedlings remain unknown. To explore the effect of GABA on apple seedlings under drought stress, seedlings of Malus hupehensis were treated with seven concentrations of GABA, and the response of seedlings under 15-day drought stress was observed. The results showed that 0.5 mM GABA was the most effective at relieving drought stress. Treatment with GABA reduced the relative electrical conductivity and MDA content of leaves induced by drought stress and significantly increased the relative water content of leaves. Exogenous GABA significantly decreased the stomatal conductance and intercellular carbon dioxide concentration and transpiration rate, and it significantly increased the photosynthetic rate under drought. GABA also reduced the accumulation of superoxide anions and hydrogen peroxide in leaf tissues under drought and increased the activities of POD, SOD, and CAT and the content of GABA. Exogenous treatment with GABA acted through the accumulation of abscisic acid (ABA) in the leaves to significantly decrease stomatal conductance and increase the stomatal closure rate, and the levels of expression of ABA-related genes PYL4, ABI1, ABI2, HAB1, ABF3, and OST1 changed in response to drought. Taken together, exogenous GABA can enhance the drought tolerance of apple seedlings.
Firework related ocular injuries in Eastern India - A clinico-epidemiological analysis

Purpose: Ocular trauma is one of the major preventable causes of ocular morbidity and blindness in children and young adults. Firework injuries account for 20% of ocular trauma. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical profile and assess the severity of the ocular injuries sustained from fireworks in Eastern India mainly during the festive season. Methods: This was a retrospective, hospital-based case study of patients with ocular injuries sustained from fireworks during the year 2017–2020. The study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Eastern India. Demographic details, type of injury, duration of injury, visual status, diagnostic tests, and management were recorded. Results: Sixty-five patients were reported to suffer from firework-related ocular injuries. The majority of cases were male (51/78.5%). The mean age was 21.78 ± 16.82 years (range: 0–90 years). Children and young adult males were mostly affected (n = 40, 61.5%). Most common offending agent was the bottle rockets (n = 23, 35.4%), followed by bomb and crackers in (n = 18, 27.7%). Majority of the injuries occurred at home environment (n = 37, 56.9%), followed by street (n = 15, 23.1%). About (n = 39, 60%) of the injuries occurred among bystanders. About 40 cases (61.5%) hailed from rural areas. The majority of the cases (n = 46, 70.8%) suffered from closed globe injuries and surgical intervention was required in (n = 40, 61.5%) of the cases. The mean length of hospital stay of fewer than 5 days was required in (n = 42, 64.6%). The final visual acuity of 6/18 or better was achieved in 41 cases (63.1%). Conclusion: Ocular injuries from fireworks remain a public health problem. Awareness among the masses, preventive measures, and strict implementation of government legislation may help in bringing down the incidence of firework-related ocular morbidity and blindness.
Direct and Indirect Effects of Business Environment on BRI Countries’ Global Value Chain Upgrading

This study incorporates business environment, foreign direct investment (FDI), and the global value chain upgrading into a unified analysis framework to unravel the effects of business environment and FDI on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries’ status elevation on the global value chain. The panel data of 112 BRI countries from 2007 to 2017 are employed for empirical tests on the trilateral relationship through the panel data regression model. The results show: (1) business environment improvement and FDI inflow significantly promote BRI countries’ status elevation on the global value chain. Business environment not only elevates BRI countries’ status on the global value chain directly, but indirectly lifts their status through the intermediate effects of FDI; (2) business environment and FDI significantly promote the status elevation on the global value chain for industries that are intensive on varied factors, especially for labor-intensive industry; (3) the test results of the panel threshold model further verify the positive effect of the business environment and FDI inflows on BRI countries’ status elevation on the global value chain.
Characteristics of ultra-high performance ‘ductile’ concrete and its impact on sustainable construction

This article presents an overview of the material characteristics of a Malaysia blend of ultra-high performance ‘ductile’ concrete (UHPdC). Examples of the environmental impact calculations of UHPdC structures compared to that of conventional reinforced concrete (RC) design are presented. The comparison studies show that many structures constructed from UHPdC are generally more environmentally sustainable than built of the conventional RC with respect to the reduction of CO2 emissions, embodied energy and global warming potential. The enhanced durability of UHPdC also provides for significant improvements in the design life, further supporting the concept of sustainable development.
A Mycobacteriophage-Based Vaccine Platform: SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Expression and Display

The explosion of SARS-CoV-2 infections in 2020 prompted a flurry of activity in vaccine development and exploration of various vaccine platforms, some well-established and some new. Phage-based vaccines were described previously, and we explored the possibility of using mycobacteriophages as a platform for displaying antigens of SARS-CoV-2 or other infectious agents. The potential advantages of using mycobacteriophages are that a large and diverse variety of them have been described and genomically characterized, engineering tools are available, and there is the capacity to display up to 700 antigen copies on a single particle approximately 100 nm in size. The phage body may itself be a good adjuvant, and the phages can be propagated easily, cheaply, and to high purity. Furthermore, the recent use of these phages therapeutically, including by intravenous administration, suggests an excellent safety profile, although efficacy can be restricted by neutralizing antibodies. We describe here the potent immunogenicity of mycobacteriophage Bxb1, and Bxb1 recombinants displaying SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein antigens.
Cyclic response of RC continuous span bridges with irregular configuration in longitudinal direction

Cyclic response of a class of reinforced concrete bridges with different degrees of irregularity in longitudinal direction has been investigated. Eighteen bridge configurations have been identified from regular to the so-called highly irregular models. The geometric irregularity in this class of bridges is assumed to vary with the height of the piers. Using non-linear fibre-based analytical models, the cyclic response curves have been generated for theindividual piers of each of these 18 bridge models. Discussions have been made about the imposition of the displacement ductility demand of the piers versus the bridge regularity. Comparison of the cyclic response curves shows that the most vulnerable bridges are the irregular ones, and a high level of damage and ductility demand is expected for the short piers of this class of bridges.
Mothers’ Post-separation Experiences of Male Partner Abuse: An Exploratory Study

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) involves physical and sexual violence and coercive controlling behaviours to maximise power inequality in abusive relationships. Many women make the decision to exit abusive relationships due to the detrimental impact of IPV on their children. In a qualitative exploration, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 women recruited by purposive and snowballing sampling techniques. Two overarching themes of single mothers’ unique experiences of co-parenting with IPV were revealed through interpretative phenomenological analysis. The first theme was Continuous Victimisation, which indicated that post-separation victimisation was an extension of existing IPV whereby fathers used intimidation, threatening behaviours such as stalking and other monitoring tactics and the deliberate undermining of the mother–child relationship. The second theme identified was Systemic Challenges, indicating how court officials applied a ‘pro-contact’ approach and either minimised or denied mothers’ allegations of IPV and the impact on them and the children. The analysis found a persistent bias against mothers. Implications of the study are discussed before the article concludes that attitudinal change regarding IPV is required by decision makers in court processes with a recognition that abusive men may be unwilling to engage in cooperative parenting that focuses on the children’s developmental, social, emotional, psychological and physical needs.
Time and motion assessment of pit-emptying operations in Kigali, Rwanda

To ensure sanitation for all by 2030, fecal sludge collection services in low-income urban areas with no sewer connections need improvement. One of the major issues is the gap between low-income household's willingness to pay and the cost of emptying services in low-income areas. One way of lowering the cost of these services is through process optimization. In this regard, we conducted a time and motion study to better understand the bottlenecks associated with the collection of fecal waste from different types of on-site sanitation facilities. Our results show that emptying pit latrines, which make up 53% of the market for emptying services in Kigali, takes twice longer than emptying septic tanks. 33% of households that requested the service were located in an informal settlement with no access to road and could only be served by a semi-mechanized method which required use of barrels, and a portable pump. In general, interventions related to minimizing trash disposal in pits and septic tanks can go a long way in making the emptying process more time and cost-efficient. Additionally, developing effective and efficient pumping technologies that are suitable for use in inaccessible areas should be prioritized.
ZVT boost converter using a ZCS auxiliary circuit

A soft switching boost converter with zero-voltage transition (ZVT) main switch using zero-current switching (ZCS) auxiliary switch is proposed. Operating intervals of the converter are presented and analyzed. Design considerations are discussed. A design example with experimental results obtained from a 600 W, 100 kHz, 380 V output, power factor corrected, ac-to-dc, boost converter using insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) is presented, Results show that the main switch maintains ZVT while the auxiliary switch retains ZCS for the complete specified line and load conditions.
Outcome of Viral-associated Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis at a Tertiary Hospital

Background: Little is known about viral-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in Oman. This study was done to assess the epidemiology, clinical features and outcome of viral-associated HLH in our setting. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed children (0–18 years) managed for viral-associated HLH at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman, over a 15-year period (2006–2020). Patients’ medical records were used to describe their demographic, clinical and laboratory features, management and outcome. Results: Fifty-six children were managed for HLH at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital over the last 15 years (2006–2020) of whom a third (19; 34%) had a viral trigger. The median age at the time of diagnosis of viral-associated HLH was 83 (13–96) months. Fever, cytopenia, hyperferritinemia and evidence of hemophagocytosis in bone marrow were the most consistent findings. Most of these children had either genetic predisposition to HLH (8/19; 42%) or underlying immunodeficiency secondary to malignant conditions or chemotherapy/hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (6/19; 32%). Epstein-Barr virus (9; 47%) followed by cytomegalovirus (6; 31%) was the most common viral trigger in our setting. Treatment included antivirals (8; 42%), HLH 2004 protocol (4; 21%), rituximab (4; 21%) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (3; 16%). Fourteen children (74%) had full recovery. Conclusions: In our small cohort, viral-associated HLH was more frequently encountered in children with genetic predisposition to HLH or children with underlying immunodeficiency. In addition, we found that the outcome is overall good for children who have no genetic predisposition to HLH and children with genetic predisposition who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Accomplishing Organisational Turnaround through a Repositioning Strategy in a Manufacturing Context in Kenya

The study investigated how a repositioning strategy can be applied to achieve the goals of a turnaround strategy. Thus, the study sought to establish the effect of a repositioning strategy on performance of large manufacturing firms based in Kenya that adopted a turnaround strategy. The study responded to calls to address existing gaps in the literature on both theoretical and conceptual scopes as well as the bias in extant research focusing on customer perspective in the operationalization of a repositioning strategy. The study drew from the RBV and the strategic choice theories and operationalized the repositioning construct into three indicators. The study was done as a descriptive survey of 107 large manufacturing firms in Kenya with data being obtained from functional level managers. The study found that the repositioning strategy was practiced by the firms within a range of moderate to very high extent. Network relationship and internal process control dimensions of the strategy were found to have a significant positive statistical effect on performance of the sampled firms. The findings provide evidence of complementarity between the RBV and strategic choice theories and raise implications for strategic management practice based on anchorage of strategic thinking orientation among firms. Organisational a Repositioning a
Evaluation Of Delta State E-Government Website

The study evaluates Delta state government website by adopting the method used since 2001 in evaluating national government websites. The questionnaire and web survey techniques were adopted for this study. The data from the questionnaire was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) and the results compared with the direct web survey findings. Results showed that though the website is fully accessible by the general public(at an impressive and commendable moderate speed of 30seconds) with rich information content, citizens cannot interact fully with government because the method of contact, like email is not fully executable. Also, the website contains what the government want the citizens to see rather than what the citizens want to see, hence not citizen-centric. Recommendations for making the website more valuable to the citizens included the redesign of the website to conform with the globally accepted features. Keywords : citizen-centric, survey, adopting, executable, accessible The Information Technologist Vol. 5 (2) 2008: pp. 80-90
Food service industry in the era of COVID-19: trends and research implications

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new type of respiratory disease that has been announced as a pandemic. The COVID-19 outbreak has changed the way we live. It has also changed the food service industry. This study aimed to identify trends in the food and food service industry after the COVID-19 outbreak and suggest research themes induced by industry trends. This study investigated the industry and academic information on the food and food service industry and societal trends resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak. The most noticeable changes in the food industry include the explosive increase in home meal replacement, meal-kit consumption, online orders, take-out, and drive-through. The adoption of technologies, including robots and artificial intelligence, has also been noted. Such industry trends are discussed in this paper from a research perspective, including consumer, employee, and organizational strategy perspectives. This study reviews the changes in the food service industry after COVID-19 and the implications that these changes have rendered to academia. The paper concludes with future expectations that would come in the era of COVID-19.