Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Beneficial Effects of Partly Milled Highland Barley on the Prevention of High-Fat Diet-Induced Glycometabolic Disorder and the Modulation of Gut Microbiota in Mice

The nutritional functions of highland barley (HB) are superior to those of regular cereals and have attracted increasing attention in recent years. The objective of this study was to investigate whether partly milled highland barley (PHB) can regulate the serum glucose and lipid disorders of mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and to further explore their potential gut microbiota modulatory effect. Our results showed that PHB supplementation significantly reduced fasting blood glucose (FBG) and improved oral glucose tolerance. Histological observations confirmed the ability of PHB to alleviate liver and intestine damage. Furthermore, the results of 16S amplicon sequencing revealed that PHB prevented a HFD-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, enriching some beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Ileibacterium, and reducing several HFD-dependent taxa (norank_f_Desulfovibrionaceae, Blautia, norank_f_Lachnospiraceae, unclassified_f_Lachnospiraceae, and Colidextribacter). In addition, the increase of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium presence has a slightly dose-dependent relationship with the amount of the added PHB. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were negatively correlated with the blood glucose level of the oral glucose tolerance test. Overall, our results provide important information about the processing of highland barley to retain its hypoglycemic effect and improve its acceptability and biosafety.
The COVID-19 Pandemic and Smoking Cessation—A Real-Time Data Analysis from the Polish National Quitline

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, tobacco research has delivered new evidence on the harmfulness of smoking in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the course of the COVID-19 disease. More and more research proves that smoking is an important risk factor contributing to increased risk of mortality among COVID-19 patients. The aim of this study was to assess whether and how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted decisions about quitting smoking. A total of 4072 records of anonymized data were obtained from the Polish National Quitline. Between 15 April 2020 and 31 May 2021, the callers were asked about the COVID-19 pandemic and its influence on their decisions on smoking continuation or cessation. Our results indicate that smokers are very receptive to communication concerning COVID-19 and smoking risk. This phenomenon can possibly be connected to the immediate potential health consequences of smoking and COVID-19 virus infection. Results may indicate that putting emphasis on arguments combined with short-term health consequences of smoking may result in better outcomes in smoking cessation. There is a need for further and constant education on tobacco-related health harm. Our results showed that an irregular and mass communication on health consequences may result in high effectiveness in smoking cessation.
Determinants of Y-Shaped Agility Test in Basketball Players

Y-shaped agility test is a reactive agility test that includes both sensory and motor components. However, there is a lack of information about the contribution of these components to reactive agility in basketball players. Therefore, this study investigates: (i) the relationship between Y-shaped agility performance and reaction speed, sprint speed, change of direction speed, muscle strength, and (ii) determinants of this reactive agility test. Eleven male basketball players performed a Y-shaped agility test, 5 m and 20 m sprints, a 505 Agility test, squat, countermovement and drop jumps, and simple and two-choice reaction time tests. The results revealed a significant relationship between the time in Y-shaped agility test and 5 m sprint time (r = 0.795, p = 0.003, R2 = 0.632), 20 m sprint time (r = 0.676, p = 0.022, R2 = 0.457), and reactive strength index (r = −0.619, p = 0.042, R2 = 0.383), but not with simple and choice-based reaction times. These findings indicate that performance in the Y-shaped agility test is more profoundly determined by a motor rather than a sensory component. This may be ascribed to the structure of a predominantly velocity-oriented Y-shaped agility test with a small contribution of responses to visual stimuli. The adaptation of basketball players to training aimed at increasing speed and strength may also play a role. The structure of the Y-shaped agility test should be modified so as to better reflect the sensory component of reactive agility and more sensitively reveal within- and between-group differences.
Misidentification errors in reencounters result in biased estimates of survival probability from CJS models: Evidence and a solution using the robust design

Misidentification of marked individuals is unavoidable in most studies of wild animal populations. Models commonly used for the estimation of survival from such capture–recapture data ignore misidentification errors potentially resulting in biased parameter estimates. With a simulation study, we show that ignoring misidentification in Cormack–Jolly–Seber (CJS) models results in systematic positive biases in the estimates of survival and in spurious declines of survival over time. We developed an extended robust design capture mark–resight (RDM) model that includes correct identification parameters to get unbiased survival estimates when resighting histories are prone to misidentification. The model assumes that resightings occur repeatedly within a season, which in practice is often the case when resightings of colour‐marked individuals are collected. We implemented the RDM model in a state‐space formulation and also an approximate, but computationally faster, model (RDMa) in JAGS and evaluated their performances using simulated and empirical capture–resight data on black‐tailed godwits Limosa limosa. The CJS models applied to simulated data under an imperfect identification scenario data produced strongly positively biased estimates of survival. For a range of degrees of correct identification probabilities, the RDM model provided unbiased and accurate estimates of survival, reencounter and correct‐identification probabilities. The RDMa model performed well for large datasets (>25 individuals), with high resighting (>0.3) and high correct identification (>0.7) probabilities. For the empirical data, the CJS model estimated average juvenile survival at 0.997% and adult survival at 0.939% and also detected a strong decline in adult survival over time at a rate of −0.14 ± 0.029. In contrast, the RDMa model estimated a probability of correct identification of 0.94, annual juvenile survival at 0.234%, adult at 0.834% and less strong decline over time (−0.046 ± 0.016). We conclude that estimates of survival probabilities obtained from data that include misidentification errors and analysed with standard CJS model are unlikely to be correct. The bias in survival increases with the magnitude of misidentification errors, which is inevitable as datasets become longer. Since misidentification due to tag misreads is common in empirical data, we recommend the use of the here presented RDM model to provide unbiased parameter estimates.
Whole Body Ip6k1 Deletion Protects Mice from Age-Induced Weight Gain, Insulin Resistance and Metabolic Dysfunction

(1) Background: We previously demonstrated that disruption of IP6K1 improves metabolism, protecting mice from high-fat diet-induced obesity, insulin resistance, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and steatohepatitis. Age-induced metabolic dysfunction is a major risk factor for metabolic diseases. The involvement of IP6K1 in this process is unknown. (2) Methods: Here, we compared body and fat mass, insulin sensitivity, energy expenditure and serum-, adipose tissue- and liver-metabolic parameters of chow-fed, aged, wild type (aWT) and whole body Ip6k1 knockout (aKO) mice. (3) Results: IP6K1 was upregulated in the adipose tissue and liver of aWT mice compared to young WT mice. Moreover, Ip6k1 deletion blocked age-induced increase in body- and fat-weight and insulin resistance in mice. aKO mice oxidized carbohydrates more efficiently. The knockouts displayed reduced levels of serum insulin, triglycerides, and non-esterified fatty acids. Ip6k1 deletion partly protected age-induced decline of the thermogenic uncoupling protein UCP1 in inguinal white adipose tissue. Targets inhibited by IP6K1 activity such as the insulin sensitivity- and energy expenditure-inducing protein kinases, protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), were activated in the adipose tissue and liver of aKO mice. (4) Conclusions: Ip6k1 deletion maintains healthy metabolism in aging and thus, targeting this kinase may delay the development of age-induced metabolic dysfunction.
High Reliability Organization Research: A Literature Review for Health Care

Abstract High reliability organizations (HROs) operate in hazardous, fast-paced, and complex environments yet avoid catastrophic accidents. Since the genesis of HRO theory in 1989, interest in HROs has grown beyond hazardous operations to many industries, including health care. This article reviews the literature to determine the extent to which changes made in health care organizations are aligned with HRO theory, and more specifically, with Roberts’ Six Actions, which are based on HRO theory. The results suggest that HRO theory remains of interest to health care organizations. Implications for engineering managers and opportunities for future research are suggested.
Spatial and Temporal Change of Land Cover in Protected Areas in Malawi: Implications for Conservation Management

Protected areas (PAs) transform over time due to natural and anthropogenic processes, resulting in the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. As current and projected climatic trends are poised to pressurize the sustainability of PAs, analyses of the existing perturbations are crucial for providing valuable insights that will facilitate conservation management. In this study, land cover change, landscape characteristics, and spatiotemporal patterns of the vegetation intensity in the Kasungu National Park (area = 2445.10 km2) in Malawi were assessed using Landsat data (1997, 2008 and 2018) in a Fuzzy K-Means unsupervised classification. The findings reveal that a 21.12% forest cover loss occurred from 1997 to 2018: an average annual loss of 1.09%. Transition analyses of the land cover changes revealed that forest to shrubs conversion was the main form of land cover transition, while conversions from shrubs (3.51%) and bare land (3.48%) to forest over the two decades were comparatively lower, signifying a very low rate of forest regeneration. The remaining forest cover in the park was aggregated in a small land area with dissimilar landscape characteristics. Vegetation intensity and vigor were lower mainly in the eastern part of the park in 2018. The findings have implications for conservation management in the context of climate change and the growing demand for ecosystem services in forest-dependent localities.
Effect of water management on microbial diversity and composition in an Italian rice field system

Abstract Traditional rice cultivation consumes up to 2500 L of water per kg yield and new strategies such as the ‘Alternate Wetting and Drying’ (AWD) might be promising water-saving alternatives. However, they might have large impacts on the soil microbiology. In this study, we compared the bacterial and archaeal communities in experimental field plots, cultivated under continuously flooding (CF) and AWD management, by high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. We analysed alpha and beta diversity in bulk soil and on plant roots, in plots cultivated with two different rice cultivars. The strongest difference was found between soil and root communities. Beside others, the anaerobic methanotroph Methanoperedens was abundant in soil, however, we detected a considerable number of ANME-2a-2b on plant roots. Furthermore, root communities were significantly affected by the water management: Differential abundance analysis revealed the enrichment of aerobic and potentially plant-growth-promoting bacteria under AWD treatment, such as Sphingomonadaceae and Rhizobiaceae (both Alphaproteobacteria), and Bacteroidetes families. Microorganisms with an overall anaerobic lifestyle, such as various Delta- and Epsilonproteobacteria, and Firmicutes were depleted. Our study indicates that the bulk soil communities seem overall well adapted and more resistant to changes in the water treatment, whereas the root microbiota seems more vulnerable.
When Local Trade-Offs between SDGs Turn Out to Be Wealth-Dependent: Interaction between Expanding Rice Cultivation and Eradicating Malaria in Rwanda

Interactions between SDGs are increasingly mapped and mediating factors that determine whether existing synergies or trade-offs can be identified. However, if and how the wealth status of the concerned population shapes whether SDG interaction constitutes a vicious or virtuous circle is largely overlooked. This article focuses on interaction between SDG2 (nutrition) and SDG3 (health), in particular, the relationship between rice production intensification and the fight against malaria, and thus the role of wealth in explaining the trade-off. This study employed a large-scale survey of rural households (n = 3968) in eastern Rwanda, conducted at a time when a rapid expansion of rice fields co-existed with a strong resurgence of malaria. Logistic regression shows that rice-cultivating households faced significant higher malaria risk, as proxied by fever incidence, confirming the negative externality of agricultural intensification on public health through offering a habitat for vector-borne diseases. Even though rice-cultivating households tend to be higher up the local wealth distribution than those outside the rice sector, its distributional effects are generally biased against the poor. Poorer households outside the rice sector hardly share in the benefits from increased rice production but suffer the consequences in terms of increased malaria risk. The case thus draws attention to the importance of using a distributional lens when analyzing interaction between SDGs locally.
Multimedia Learning and Engineering Students Spatial Ability

A new multimedia environment engineering graphics is running through today, has been established step by step. An important factor that has been taken into consideration and that has influenced dynamic changes of engineering graphics is spatial ability. The introduction of 3D CAD systems has given additional importance to the necessity of highly developed sense of spatial reasoning. Engineering graphics courses therefore have embraced both, the advantages of CAD system recent possibilities and the recommendations based on research results of spatial ability. The first- year students at University of Rijeka Faculty of Engineering, Croatia were tested on spatial ability before and after one semester of engineering graphics course tuition. Two available classical tests, Mental Rotation Test (MRT) and Guay-Lippa Test (VVT), were utilised for the assessment at mechanical engineering, naval architecture and electrical engineering studies both, undergraduate university and professional. The improvement of student spatial ability has been investigated and analysed after tuition performed in multimedia environment. The comparison of detected spatial ability for different studies has been made, and the relationship between initial student spatial ability and engineering graphics course total accomplishment, has been examined. The students with higher initial spatial ability found electrical engineering study both, university and professional appropriate and attractive compared with the studies of mechanical engineering and naval architecture. The gain in scores for the tests administered after in relation to the tests before accomplished engineering graphics course is obvious for all studies and confirmed the development of student spatial ability.
Corporate Governance Mechanisms and the Practice of Sustainability Activities in Nigeria

The paper examined the determinants of sustainability practice (SP) in Nigerian. Two main dimensions of the factors influencing sustainability practice were investigated. First, company characteristics, proxied by firm size (FSIZE), dividend per share (DIPS), Tobin’s-Q (TOBQ), type of industry (IDTY), and profit after tax margin (NPTM). Secondly, the board characteristics, proxied by disclosure of board roles and function (DBRF), chairman roles in the board (DCRB), board members appointment date (BADT), shareholders engagement policy (DISS), and board meetings with attendance records (DMBM). The content analysis approach was introduced to extracted relevant data from 270 annual reports of the sample companies between 2011 and 2020. The Global Initiative Reports GRI (G4) index was used to examine these annual reports. The panel regression result exerts that all of the elements of board characteristics are important determinants of SRP in Nigeria. This suggests that factors related to the identity of companies might influence the disclosure for SRP, particularly when the disclosure is voluntary. Whereas, the proxies of the company characteristics except for DIPS, TOBQ, and IDTY are not important factors, which might be linked with the voluntary nature of sustainability practice in Nigeria. The results further reveal a low level of disclosure. The low rating and disclosure indicated that listed Nigerian firms are still behind when it comes to disclosing and reporting sustainability activities in line with the GRI-G4 guidelines. Therefore, the study is empirically and theoretically relevant, as it might be in need of investigating the commitments and contributions of Nigerian companies and institutions towards a sustainable world by 2030.
The Effects of Referential Questions in the EFL Classroom

Questions, and of course, answers create an inevitable part of the usual human use of any language – native, as well as foreign. There are different questions asked for different reasons. Following the Webster’s College Dictionary definition of a question we find out that it is a sentence in an interrogative form addressed to someone in order to get information in reply. Thus, it seems that the most natural reason for asking questions is to find some unknown information. In non-educational settings, people rarely ask questions to which they already have answers. It would be at least unnatural if someone asks you: “What’s the time? ” You answer, e.g.: “It’s twelve o’clock. ” Then the questioner says: “Fine, well done, thank you. ” This is an example of a typical question-answer interaction in which the teacher checks whether the subject matter, time, has been understood by a learner. Thus, it is evident that asking questions in educational settings, especially in foreign language teaching is completely different from the real-life situations.
Impacts of Human Activities on the Generating
Capacity of Negative Air Ions in Different
Functional Areas of Hefei, China

In order to determine the generating capacity of negative air ions (NAIs) and its relationship with human activities, the NAIs in different functional areas of Hefei, China, were analyzed. And the half residence time was studied by simulated experiments. The results showed that the natural attenuation law of NAIs was complied with this equation: C(t) = 2986.6 × e –0.0141t. Based on the attenuation equation, the coagulation rate α = 0.0141, and the lifespan was about 49.16 min. Combined with the NAIs concentration monitored in different functional areas, it was found that there was a huge difference in background concentration and environmental production or consumption. The background concentration in urban forest area was much higher, indicating that plants were the main source of NAIs. Among them, the urban forest area (UF), water area (WA), culture and education area (CEA) and residential area (RA) produced NAIs, while others consumed. There was a threshold value for the consumption by human activities, which was generally no more than 30% and can reach 50% when the activity was intense. However, no threshold value was found for vehicle activities. These results can provide reference for other mid-latitude inland cities to optimize urban design, and build ‘resilient cities’.
Preliminary Normative Data for the Turkish Form of the KiddyCAT

ABS TRACT Objective: The purpose of this study was to obtain pre- liminary normative data for children who stutter (CWS) and children who do not stutter (CWNS) for the Turkish form of the KiddyCAT, and to determine whether differences in communication attitude exist among CWS and CWNS. Material and Methods: Following the tran- slation process of the original English version into Turkish, the Communication Attitude Test for Preschool and Kindergarten Children Who Stutter (KiddyCAT-TR) was administered to 53 Turkish preschool CWNS and 55 who stutter CWS. The KiddyCAT-TR scores were eva- luated to determine whether the CWS differ by chronological age, younger age versus older age groups and gender. Results: The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was obtained 0.72 for the CWS. The effect size found very high (d=1.14). The test-retest reliability coefficient was determi- ned as 0.99. Group comparisons showed significantly higher mean scores for CWS compared to CWNS. Gender did not affect the test results. Conclusion: CWS develop a negative attitude towards their own communication from a very early age, which increases as they grow older. The results showed that the Turkish version of the KiddyCAT has high internal consistency and test-retest reliability and is a solid differential diagnostic tool to gauge the speech-related attitude among Turkish-speaking preschoolers.
Implementation and Applications of DSL Technology

The digital subscriber line (DSL) industry is expanding rapidly and a technology once thought to be only transitional will soon clear $100 billion in total annual service revenue. From the worlds leading DSL experts, Implementation and Application of DSL Technologies builds upon the theory presented in Fundamentals of DSL Technologies to address issues fundamental to the success of DSL technology, including those that sustain DSL development, constraints, and challenges. This highly practical text peers into the blossoming sub-industries, all born of the DSL. The editors lead with a discussion on splitter circuits and micro-filters and continue by addressing digital chipsets and the capabilities required to mix and match them with various other components. Since testing has become an industry in its own, several chapters describe the various types of testing necessary for service qualification, the evolution of testing and provisioning of services from plain old telephone service, loop qualification, and regulators decree of spectrum management. The book gives adequate coverage of DSM technology and describes networks for multiple applications in video, telephony, and Internet data areas and the associated network architectures. In addition, a section on security discusses packet transfer mechanism and voice-over DSL. Offering a vast array of information not currently in the public domain, Implementation and Application of DSL Technologies provides a rigorous survey of DSL applications that illustrates the profound effect this technology is having on the communications industry. When combined with Fundamentals of DSL Technology, this is the most comprehensive and authoritative source of information on DSL.