Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detection of Hydrocarbons Induced by Gamma and Electron Beam Irradiation in Ground Beef by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

This study determined hydrocarbons induced by gamma and electron beam irradiation of ground beef. The samples were irradiated with 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, and 20 kGy dosages of gamma-rays and an electron beam. The lipid contents were extracted by hexane and the induced hydrocarbons were separated and identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The analytical method was validated by characterization of detection limits, linearity, precision, and recovery; satisfactory results were obtained in all cases. The major hydrocarbons detected in irradiated ground beef samples were pentadecane and 1-tetradecene from palmitic acid, heptadecane, and 1-hexadecene from stearic acid, and 8-heptadecene and 1,7-hexadecadiene from oleic acid. The induced hydrocarbons were detected at irradiation levels above 2.5 kGy but not in the absence of irradiation. The induced hydrocarbons showed an increase with radiation dosage, but the concentration was slightly higher for gamma rays than for the electron beam. The 1-tetradecene, 8-heptadecene, and 1,7-hexadecadiene were detected as the major hydrocarbons and showed good linearity with irradiation level. It was concluded that these major hydrocarbons are suitable markers to distinguish irradiated and unirradiated ground beef.
Assessing Young Students’ Design Thinking Disposition and Its Relationship With Computer Programming Self-Efficacy

To explore the role of design thinking in contemporary computer literacy education, this study aimed to examine the relationship between young students’ design thinking disposition and their computer programming self-efficacy. To assess students’ design thinking disposition, this study developed the Design Thinking Disposition Scale (DTDS) with a sample of 350 junior high school students who had computer programming experience in a STEAM course. A principle axis factor analysis with the promax rotation method was used to verify the DTDS’s construct under the four dimensions: empathize, define, ideate and prototype. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability was . 90 for the overall scale. Correlation analyses results showed that all the four dimensions were significantly correlated with computer programming self-efficacy assessed by CPSES. A significant regression model was found in which the three factors, ideate, prototype and define, significantly predicted the overall computer programming self-efficacy. Meanwhile, except for the ideate subscale, no gender difference was found in the young students’ design thinking dispositions. The students’ self-directed programming learning experience was shown to benefit their design thinking disposition. The DTDS can be applied to design-thinking-embedded computer literacy curricula such as makers, STEAM, or robotics education. Several further studies are also suggested.
Soil Erosion and its Effects on Maize Field as Modified by Amendments in Southwestern Coastal Bangladesh

The coastal soils of Bangladesh are preferentially dominated by silt content and stressed by salinity (Na) as well as low humus content . Hence, these soils are moderately to extremely vulnerable to water erosion, which is a major form of land degradation. The aim of this study was to estimate the soil erosion rate from maize fields in the southwestern coastal region. A field experiment was conducted on maize grown field, which is nearly level, moderately saline, and silt dominated coastal land. The plots were amended with inorganic fertilizer, sieved sand, and decomposed cow dung. Each runoff plot was connected to separate reservoirs and was exposed to rainfall. From the erosive rainstorms, representative critical rainfall intensity was determined. The entrapped eroded material in the reservoirs was collected to estimate the loss of soil. The efficacy of the applied amendments was studied in terms of lowering seasonal (maize growth period) soil loss and erosion associated deterioration of relevant soil parameters. This study revealed that CRI was ≥15 mm h. The soil loss during the maize growth period from inorganic fertilizer, cow dung, and sand amended runoff plots were 64(±7) t ha y, 51(±5) t ha y, and 23(±2) t ha y, respectively. The changes in soil properties indicated that after initial erosion, vulnerability to further erosion increased.
Osteological revision of the holotype of the Middle Jurassic sauropod dinosaur Patagosaurus fariasi (Sauropoda: Cetiosauridae) BONAPARTE 1979

Middle Jurassic sauropod taxa are poorly known, due to a stratigraphic bias of localities yielding body fossils. One such locality is Cerro Condor North, Canadon Asfalto Formation, Patagonia, Argentina, dated to latest Early−Middle Jurassic. From this locality, the holotype of Patagosaurus fariasi Bonaparte 1986 is revised. The material consists of the axial skeleton, the pelvic girdle, and the right femur. Patagosaurus is mainly characterised by a combination of features mainly identified on the axial skeleton, including the following: (1) cervical centra with low Elongation Index, (2) high projection of the postzygodiapophyseal lamina, (3) deep anterior pleurocoels that are sometimes compartmentalized in cervicals, (4) high projection of the neural arch and spine in dorsal vertebrae and anterior(most) caudal vertebrae, (5) deep pneumatic foramina in posterior dorsals which connect into an internal pneumatic chamber, (6) anterior caudal vertebrae with ‘saddle’shaped neural spines. Diagnostic features on the appendicular skeleton include (7) a transversely wide and anteroposteriorly short femur, (8) a medial placement of the fourth trochanter on the femur, and (9) an anteroposteriorly elongated ilium with a rounded dorsal rim, with hook-shaped anterior lobe. The characters that are diagnostic for Patagosaurus are discussed, and the osteology of Patagosaurus is compared to that of Early and Middle Jurassic (eu)sauropods from both Laurasia and Gondwana.
Swelling and drug‐release behavior of the poly(AA‐co‐N‐vinyl pyrrolidone)/chitosan interpenetrating polymer network hydrogels

A series of novel hydrogels were prepared from acrylic acid (AA), N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP), and chitosan by photopolymerization. The swelling behavior, gel strength, and drug release behavior of the poly(AA/NVP) copolymeric hydrogels and corresponding interpenetrating polymer network hydrogels were investigated. Results showed that the swelling ratios for the present hydrogels decreased with an increase of NVP content in the gel, but the gel strength increased with an increase of NVP content in the gel. Results also showed that the drug-release behavior for the gels is related to the ionicity of drug and the swelling ratio of the gel. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 2135–2142, 2004
Development and application of an analytical protocol for evaluation of treatment processes for landfill leachates. II. Evaluation of leachate treatment efficiency of different steps in a constructed pilot plant

Different methods for treatment of leachate from a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill were tested in a pilot plant. Raw leachate was pre-treated with aeration and sedimentation, followed by several parallel individual steps such as bioremediation, chemical oxidation, ozonation, and geo-bed filters. The efficiency of different treatment steps was evaluated according to one previously developed protocol, which includes measurements of several parameters such as conductivity, pH, nutrients, chloride, metals, organic compounds, and acute toxicity before and after a treatment step. The treatment steps which showed the highest efficiency towards organic pollutants in leachate were ozone treatment and chemical oxidation. The use of an adsorption filter, a geo-bed with a mixture of peat and bottom ash with ca 10% remaining carbon, also had good effects. A combination of pre-treatment and a geo-bed filter with peat and carbon ash gave the best overall treatment results when water-quality parameters such as total organic carbon and ammonia-nitrogen were also considered.
Not all elderly are the same: fostering trust through mobile banking service experience

Purpose: This study seeks to examine the impact of mobile service experience on trust of elderly consumers in their financial institution and assess whether age (55–64 years vs 65+ years) exerts a moderating influence Design/methodology/approach: A self-administered questionnaire was completed online by 390 panelists (aged 55 years or more) who use their mobile devices to conduct banking activities A multigroup analysis was conducted to assess the moderating role of age Findings: Results confirm the presence of links between four out of five dimensions of the mobile banking service experience (cognitive, positive affective/sensory, negative affective and social) and trust Findings further point to age-specific variation in the impact of mobile service experience dimensions on trust, thus supporting the notion that the elderly represents a clientele with different experiential needs More specifically, whereas the social dimension has a greater influence on trust in individuals 65 years of age and over (seniors), the positive affective/sensory dimension exerts a deeper marked impact on trust in individuals 55–64 years of age (pre-retirees) Research limitations/implications: Although generations and chronological age are powerful segmentation variables, it might be interesting to consider perceived age Redoing the study in a post-COVID context would also be an interesting avenue of research Practical implications: The ageing market is important for banks This study highlights, in an m-banking context, which dimension of experience to focus on in order to improve trust in banks for pre-retirees (emotional/sensory dimension) and seniors (social dimension) Originality/value: This study is the first to consider mobile service experience of elderly individuals as well as the impact of each of the experience dimensions on an important relational variable, namely trust By considering the age of individuals as a moderating variable, this study also provides an in-depth examination of age-related links and presents a number of relevant recommendations for financial institutions © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited
An English Needs Analysis of Medical Doctors in Western Japan

Despite the importance of English to medical doctors (MDs), few studies have examined the English needs of MDs in EFL contexts. This paper describes an English needs analysis of MDs in western Japan, which aimed to identify how these MDs use English, which English skills were most important to their work, and what their views were on English education. Findings from a questionnaire survey of MDs at one university hospital and five nonuniversity hospitals showed that these MDs primarily used English to gather information, although they were dissatisfied with their university English education for failing to improve their speaking skills. Interviews revealed that English use in unscripted situations causes stress for these MDs, and that most of their English-speaking patients are not native English speakers. These findings suggest that Japanese MDs need general speaking skills more than discipline-specific expressions and vocabulary and signal the importance of communicative language teachers in English for specific purposes (ESP) education.
Understanding of Inverse Proportional Reasoning in Pre-Service Teachers

From an early age, understanding proportional reasoning is a fundamental pillar in mathematics education, and therefore, teachers should have a thorough knowledge of it. Despite its significance, there are few studies that analyse the difficulties that student teachers have in understanding proportionality, and even less so inverse proportionality. We emphasised inverse missing-value problems by analysing them according to the type of unknown and the representation used. We checked which strategies they use to solve them and related them to other generic problems of proportional reasoning. For such purposes, we used a combined quantitative and qualitative empirical study applied to how pre-service teachers solve fifteen problems. The results show that the representations used in the statements aid their understanding and help solve the problems. Similarly, it is shown here that certain problem-solving strategies complicate proportional reasoning in pre-service teachers.
Newly diagnosed HIV individuals: Barriers to timely entrance into care after adopting treat all policy

ABSTRACT Background Vietnam has adopted ‘treat all’ guidelines since mid-2017. However, this can lead to a significant increase in ART coverage only if PLHIV go on to start treatment. In Vietnam, in 2017, approximately half of infected people were not able to access to treatment due to different types of barriers. Method We applied a qualitative method nested within a cohort study that investigated patient flow from HIV diagnosis to initiation of ART in the province of Ninh Binh. Data was collected at the end of 2017, comparing with baseline in 2015. Results Almost constraints for care found were structural with the most common was socio stigma. The lack of basic information on HIV treatment has led to delayed access to care, in the meantime, misconception about HIV status has also prevented support from the society. Experiencing discrimination and breach of confidentiality by health staff was less common, but probably spread out. No barrier from family was found towards infected individuals. Conclusions Interventions to promote timely initiation of care after diagnosis required understanding interaction of factors at multi-level in local context. Training for health staff should be enhanced. In addition, it’s necessary to mobilize community in the strategy against HIV stigma and discrimination.
The Effect of Education Given to Children with Functional Constipation and Fecal Incontinence and Their Mothers on Anxiety and Constipation Management

AIM This study aimed to determine the effect of multidimensional training program on children with constipation and fecal incontinence and their mothers on anxiety and their constipation management. METHOD The study had an experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group. The intervention group consisted of children diagnosed with functional constipation (n=20) and fecal incontinence (n=21) and their mothers in the Pediatric Surgery Clinic. The control group consisted of healthy (n=20) children who applied to two different Family Health Centers for any reason. Data were collected between February 2016 and June 2017 using a descriptive questionnaire, a nutrient consumption frequency form, the Rome III diagnostic criteria form, and the Trait Anxiety Scale for Children. RESULTS After the training program, the mean score of the Trait Anxiety Scale for Children decreased in both intervention groups (p<0.01) and increased in the control group (p<0.05). In addition, the frequency of the consumption of milk, caffeinated drinks, and white bread was reduced in the children of both intervention groups after the training program. The consumption of dried legumes, vegetables, and whole wheat bread increased. According to the Rome III diagnostic criteria, it was determined that constipation symptoms were not observed in 50% of the children. CONCLUSION The training program had a significant influence on the prevention and management of constipation and anxiety. Given that constipation is associated with both physical and mental health outcomes, the approach for the treatment should be holistic in nature, involving a multidisciplinary team.
Frequency of port-site infection in children undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy for uncomplicated appendicitis

Background: Laparoscopic appendectomy is being practiced throughout the world for the treatment of acute appendicitis in children and adults. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of port sites infection in children undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy at our institution. Methods: The study was conducted at the Pediatric Surgery Unit of Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar from January 2014 to Jan 2015. All the patients with the diagnosis of acute appendicitis underwent a three-port laparoscopic appendectomy. Portsite infection was noted postoperatively. Results: Total number of patients in this study was 207 including 138 males (66.70%) and 69 (33.3%) females (M:F 2:1). The age ranged from 6 to 14 years, with mean age of 11 years ±2.096. The overall complications occurred in 39 (18.84%) patients. The port-site infection occurred in 33 (16%) patients. Port-site infection involved only the umbilical port sites and was superficial. Port-site infection was managed conservatively without any sequelae. Conclusion: Laparoscopic appendectomy is a safe technique in children with port-site infection rate of 16%. There is no morbidity as all the port-site infections occurred at umbilical port-site were superficial thus managed conservatively.
Self-Reported Emotional Reactivity, Depression, and Anxiety: Gender Differences among a Psychiatric Outpatient Sample

The objective of this study was to identify the relationship of emotional reactivity with depression and anxiety symptoms among adults diagnosed with a serious mental illness (SMI) and to explore gender differences in these relationships. Cross-sectional data were collected from intensive case management services recipients (N = 150). Hierarchical multiple regression was used to identify the associations of self-reported positive emotions, fear, sadness, and anger to depression and anxiety, while testing the interaction of gender with emotional response. Compared with men, women reported significantly higher depressive and anxiety symptoms and greater reactivity to sadness and fear. Emotional response variables explained 35.5% of the variance in depression and 38.7% in anxiety. Gender did not moderate the relationship between emotional response and depression; however, gender did moderate the relationship between reactivity to positive emotions and anxiety. Self-reported emotional response may provide clinicians with insight into the severity and presentation of co-occurring anxiety and depressive symptoms among adults with SMI. Increasing the experience of positive emotions among women with SMI may contribute to reduced anxiety symptoms. Therapists and rehabilitation counselors may consider the interplay between mood and anxiety symptoms and emotional response styles to reduce the burden of psychiatric distress among people with SMI.
Production of bromelain aerosols using spray-freeze-drying technique for pulmonary supplementation

Abstract Spray-freeze-drying (SFD) is a promising technique to produce inhalable dry powder formulations that able to retain the integrity of bioactive compounds. Therefore, in this study bromelain aerosols were developed using SFD by varying core-to-wall ratios (1:10, 1:25 and 1:50). The maltodextrin was used to protect the bromelain during freezing and drying stages had a significant effect on the developed aerosols; as the concentration increased, the emitted dosage level increased to around 97.2%. The particles were found to be spherical and highly porous, with geometric diameter ranging between 4.71 to 7.46 µm. All formulations were low in density, had excellent flowability and the theoretical mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMADt) ranged between 2.97 to 3.33 µm. The total bromelain concentration ranged between 413.73 to 462 mg/g and the activity was found to be between 333.22 to 404.64 casein digestion units−1 (CDU)−1 for all three formulations. The XRD patterns explained the crystalline nature of these formulations. The in-vitro release profile showed that the release of bromelain was slow and sustained for 12 h and 46 to 55% of release was estimated. In-vitro aerosol performance of particles showed 84.28% fine particle fraction (FPF) and MMAD of 3.2 µm for the 1:25 formulation. Thus, this study confirmed that SFD can produce aerosols with desired properties and the approach can be used for pulmonary supplementation of food bioactives with good retention and activity.
Co-Polyesters of Hydroxy-Fatty Acids Extracted from Tomato Peel Agro-Wastes and Glycerol with Tunable 16 Mechanical, Thermal and Barrier Properties

By mimicking the cutin natural polyester networks of plant cuticles, we produced hydrophobic elastomers by a sustainable process, i.e., using a catalyst- and solvent-free polycondensation of glycerol and hydroxy fatty acids, two by-products of the agro-food industry. The hydroxy-fatty acid fraction was obtained by alkaline hydrolysis in ethanol of peels from industrial tomato pomaces. This industrial-like fatty acid fraction contained more than 90% wt. of 9(10)-16 dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid (diOHC16). The co46 polyesters were designed by increasing the ratio of esterified glycerol/diOHC16 in a range observed in plant cutins (up to 6% wt.). Their structure and functional properties (thermal, mechanical, gas permeability, interaction with bacterial cells) were characterized. Increasing the glycerol contents induced a significant decrease in the reticulation degree of the polyesters and the formation of crystalline domains with an hexagonal organization. These structural modifications were related to a marked increase of elastomeric extensibility (up to 217%). While water vapor permeability was not impacted, the increase of glycerol content induced a significant decrease of oxygen permeability. None of the polyesters displayed biocide activity, but an increase of glycerol content significantly reduced the adhesion of bacterial cells, potentially giving rise to antifouling applications. Finally, the increasing content of free hydroxyl groups of the co-polyesters offer opportunities of grafting and covalent substitution for tailored functionalization
Responses of Wheat Genotypes to Zinc Fertilization Under Saline Soil Conditions

ABSTRACT A greenhouse experiment with four bread wheat [Triticum aestivum L. ] genotypes, ‘Rushan,’ ‘Kavir,’ ‘Cross,’ and ‘Falat,’ and a durum wheat [Triticum durum L. ] genotype, ‘Dur-3,’ at two zinc (Zn) rates (0 and 15 mg Zn kg−1 dry soil) and four salinity levels (0, 60, 120, and 180 mM NaCl) was conducted. After 45 d of growth, the shoots were harvested, and Zn, iron (Fe), potassium (K), sodium (Na), and cadmium (Cd) concentrations were determined. In the absence of added Zn, visual Zn deficiency symptoms were observed to be more severe in ‘Dur-3’ and ‘Kavir’ than in other genotypes. The effect of Zn deficiency on shoot dry matter was similar to its effect on visual deficiency symptoms, such that shoot growth was most depressed in ‘Kavir’ and ‘Dur-3. ’ At the 180 mM treatment, Zn fertilization had no effect on shoot dry matter of genotypes. Genotypes with high Zn efficiency had greater shoot Zn content than genotypes with low Zn efficiency. In the absence of added Zn, the Dur-3, and ‘Cross’ genotypes had the highest and lowest Cd concentrations, respectively. Application of Zn had a positive effect on salt tolerance of plants.