Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Three-Dimensional Printing Parameter Optimization for Salmon Gelatin Gels Using Artificial Neural Networks and Response Surface Methodology: Influence on Physicochemical and Digestibility Properties

This study aimed to optimize the 3D printing parameters of salmon gelatin gels (SGG) using artificial neural networks with the genetic algorithm (ANN-GA) and response surface methodology (RSM). In addition, the influence of the optimal parameters obtained using the two different methodologies was evaluated for the physicochemical and digestibility properties of the printed SGG (PSGG). The ANN-GA had a better fit (R2 = 99.98%) with the experimental conditions of the 3D printing process than the RSM (R2 = 93.99%). The extrusion speed was the most influential parameter according to both methodologies. The optimal values of the printing parameters for the SGG were 0.70 mm for the nozzle diameter, 0.5 mm for the nozzle height, and 24 mm/s for the extrusion speed. Gel thermal properties showed that the optimal 3D printing conditions affected denaturation temperature and enthalpy, improving digestibility from 46.93% (SGG) to 51.52% (PSGG). The secondary gel structures showed that the β-turn structure was the most resistant to enzymatic hydrolysis, while the intermolecular β-sheet was the most labile. This study validated two optimization methodologies to achieve optimal 3D printing parameters of salmon gelatin gels, with improved physicochemical and digestibility properties for use as transporters to incorporate high value nutrients to the body.
The Hispanic Population in the United States: March 2002

lation in the United States in 2002, providing a profile of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, such as geographic distribution, age, educational attainment, earnings, and poverty status. These characteristics are compared with those of the non-Hispanic White population, and because Hispanics are a heterogenous group, variability within the Hispanic population is also discussed. The findings are based on data collected by the Census Bureau in the Annual Demographic Supplement to the March 2002 Current Population Survey (CPS).
Correlation of hepatic transaminases with cortisol levels in type 2 diabetes

Introduction and Aim: Aminotransferases are the markers of liver function and cortisol is the hyperglycemic stress hormone, both have been associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis is known to control many functions of the liver. This study was aimed to evaluate the correlation of cortisol with hepatic transaminases; AST and ALT also with fasting blood glucose (FBG) and HbA1c in type 2 diabetic patients. Also, the AST, ALT and cortisol levels of participants were compared based on their diabetic duration and gender. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included patients with type 2 diabetes (n=89) with a mean diabetic duration of 7.66± 6.871 years, of which 66.3% were males and 33.7% were females. Data for the above parameters except cortisol were collected from the data management system of the central lab. Morning serum cortisol levels were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Karl Pearson’s correlation coefficient and independent student’s t-test were applied to find correlation and comparison of AST, ALT and cortisol levels of participants based on their diabetic duration and gender respectively. Results: The comparison based on diabetic duration shows significant differences (p<0.005) with AST while, not with ALT and cortisol. Also, they did not show a significant difference in either of the gender. Among hepatic transaminases, the probability of association of ALT with FBS levels and HbA1c levels was significant (p<0.05). However, though a positive trend is seen in the AST association, there is no strong correlation observed. Likewise, the association of serum cortisol levels, with AST, ALT and HbA1c was not significant but the probability of association was significant with FBS levels. Conclusion: Findings from the present study suggest that liver transaminases are positively correlated with serum cortisol levels in type 2 diabetic patients.
In Situ Construction of Near-Infrared Response Hybrid Up-Conversion Photocatalyst for Degrading Organic Dyes and Antibiotics

Unique nonlinear optical properties for converting low-energy incident light into high-energy radiation enable up-conversion materials to be employed in photocatalytic systems. An efficient near-infrared (NIR) response photocatalyst was successfully fabricated through a facile two-step method to load BiOBr on the Nd3+, Er3+@NaYF4 (NE@NYF) up-conversion material. The NE@NYF can transform NIR into visible and UV light and promote charge–energy transfer in the semiconductor. Consequently, the as-obtained photocatalysts exhibit excellent photodegradation performance for rhodamine B dye (RhB) and tetracycline (TC) organic pollutants. About 98.9% of the RhB was decomposed within 60 min with the 20% NE@NYF-B sample, outperforming the pristine BiOBr (61.9%). In addition, the 20% NE@NYF-B composite could decompose approximately 72.7% of the organic carbon during a 10 h reaction, which was almost two-fold more than that of BiOBr. Meanwhile, a possible charge transfer mechanism is proposed based on the recombination of electron–hole pairs and reactive oxygen species. This work provides a rational hybrid structure photocatalyst for improving photocatalytic performance in the broadband spectrum and provides a new strategy for NIR light utilization.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MENTAL WELL-BEING IN TEENAGERS WITH WORKING MOTHERS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND HOMEMAKERS ATTENDING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN LAHORE, PAKISTAN

Mental health plays a vital role in our ability to think, feel, interact, work, and enjoy life individually and collectively. A person's mental health is affected by several things at any moment, some of which are social, psychological, and biological. Children of working mothers may have different degrees of anxiety, depression, and social problems. Adolescents' mental health has been the subject of countless global studies. Still, less is known about the differences in adolescent mental health between children whose mothers work and those whose mothers do not work outside the home. This research aimed to compare students' mental health in public and private schools in Lahore based on their mothers' employment and its correlation with other socio-demographic characteristics. The research was cross-sectional and included 150 randomly chosen people from many different strata. The collected data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. The majority of students we checked attended private schools. The study findings revealed no significant association between the mental health status of adolescents and their mothers' working status, especially in the private sector. However, a noteworthy correlation was observed between mental health status and gender. The average score for mental health assessment was not satisfactory. In conclusion, this research found no statistically significant difference in adolescents' mental health across groups depending on their mothers' employment level. The results indicated that a mother's employment or lack thereof had little impact on her children's psychological health. However, when comparing the mental health of male and female students, there was a clear gender gap. Adolescents' mental health was not significantly affected by factors like their mothers' education, the sort of household they were born into, their birth order, or their parents' monthly income. To learn more about this issue, researchers should investigate how teenagers see their parents' parenting styles in the future.
The Role of NLRP3 in Regulation of Antimicrobial Peptides and Estrogen Signaling in UPEC-Infected Bladder Epithelial Cells

The NLRP3 inflammasome, estrogen and antimicrobial peptides have all been found to have a vital role in the protection of the bladder urothelium. However, the interdependence between these protective factors during a bladder infection is currently unknown. Our aim was to investigate the role of NLRP3 in the regulation of antimicrobial peptides and estrogen signaling in bladder epithelial cells during a UPEC infection. Human bladder epithelial cells and CRISPR/Cas9-generated NLRP3-deficient cells were stimulated with the UPEC strain CFT073 and estradiol. The gene and protein expression were evaluated with microarray, qRT-PCR, western blot and ELISA. Microarray results showed that the expression of most antimicrobial peptides was reduced in CFT073-infected NLRP3-deficient cells compared to Cas9 control cells. Conditioned medium from NLRP3-deficient cells also lost the ability to suppress CFT073 growth. Moreover, NLRP3-deficient cells had lower basal release of Beta-defensin-1, Beta-defensin-2 and RNase7. The ability of estradiol to induce an increased expression of antimicrobial peptides was also abrogated in NLRP3-deficient cells. The decreased antimicrobial peptide expression might be linked to the observed reduced expression and activity of estradiol receptor beta in NLRP3-deficient cells. This study suggests that NLRP3 may regulate the release and expression of antimicrobial peptides and affect estrogen signaling in bladder epithelial cells.
BATHYMETRIC AND PETROLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR A YOUNG (PLEISTOCENE?) 4-KM DIAMETER IMPACT CRATER IN THE GULF OF SAINT LAWRENCE, CANADA.

The Corossol crater (50°3’N, 66°23’W) was first discovered by the Canadian Hydrographic Service about 10 years ago while mapping the entrance to the Sept Iles harbour, Gulf of St Lawrence, Canada [1]. It is a complex circular structure about 4 km in diameter with a central uplift that rises to about -70 m and an annular valley ~160 m deep. There are no other circular structures nearby. Figure 1: Bathymetry of the 4-km diameter Corossol crater, Near Sept-Iles, Gulf of St Lawrence, Canada (Canadian Hydrographic Service). The bedrock of this region is the Sept Iles Intrusive suite, an 80 km diameter 564 Ma old layered mafic intrusion [2]. These rocks are overlain by relatively thin flat-lying Ordovician limestones that have only a few, small outcrops in this region [3]. However, the submarine limits of these rocks can be identified from cuestas (steep slopes). One such cuesta marks the northern limit of the crater and continues to both the east and the west. Hence, the crater appears to have formed in these limestones, but may well have been excavated the crystalline basement as well.
Effects of Lavender Essential Oil Inhalation on the Welfare and Meat Quality of Fattening Heavy Pigs Intended for Parma Ham Production

Simple Summary This study aimed to investigate lavender essential oil aromatherapy as a calming phytoextract to improve the welfare of fattening Italian heavy pigs (intended for Parma ham production) and its possible effects on pig meat. Three pig groups were formed: one raised in commercial conditions, one receiving lavender oil inhalation administration once a day and one receiving lavender oil twice a day. We observed no effects of lavender on carcass or blood stress indicators, and only minor effects on meat quality, not affecting the subsequent dry curing processing. No residues were found in lean or fat tissue. With respect to welfare, animals treated once a day showed less severe tail lesions (indicating a lower level of frustration and damaging behaviors) compared to the other groups. Unexpectedly, animals treated twice a day showed a more severe degree of lesions on the body compared to the other groups (possibly indicating increased agonistic behaviors). Although from these conflicting results it was not possible to conclude on the ability of the product to improve the level of animal welfare, further studies are needed to investigate the potential effects on pig behavior and the optimization (frequency and modality) of the administration of vaporized lavender essential oil. Abstract We assessed the effects of inhalation administration of lavender essential oil (LEO) either once (L1) or twice (L2) a day on animal welfare indicators, carcass and meat quality of Italian heavy pigs. Pigs (n = 108) were allotted to three experimental groups (control -C-, L1 and L2) and lavender was administered, via a vaporizer device, to the treated groups during the entire fattening–finishing period (79–160 kg BW). Tail lesion severity was reduced in L1 at the end of the trial compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). Body lesion counts, however, were higher in L2 than in C (p < 0.05), resulting in a more severe overall damage classification (p < 0.01). At slaughter, no differences were observed in carcass traits or blood stress indicators, only minor differences were observed in meat quality, and no LEO residual was found in fat or lean tissues, highlighting the preserved suitability of thighs for the dry curing process. While it was not possible to conclude on the ability to improve animal welfare of vaporized LEO in this production phase, the absence of adverse effects on meat quality and the discrepancies observed regarding the body lesions in L1 and L2 make further studies on behavioral aspects and the method of administration (route, frequency) of the product desirable.
Varietätengebrauch und Varietätenkontakt in Südtirol und Ostbelgien

Dialect often plays an important role in minority communities where it functions as a marker of ethnic identity. In this case it also becomes an issue for speakers of the majority group who intend to acquire the minority language. The situation, however, differs from region to region and within different minority groups. The article discusses the linguistic setting and variety use of two German-speaking minorities, South Tyrol and East Belgium. The main focus is on the dimensions of dialect use in different domains, its linguistic influence on the standard variety, and its role for identity building. It will be pointed out that South Tyrolians almost exclusively identify with their regional dialect, whereas East Belgians also make use of language mixing. In its conclusion the article emphasizes the importance of dialectal and regional varieties for L2-learners: Learners should not only acquire a passive knowledge of the respective minority dialects, but also come to appreciate its symbolic value in the respective communities.
The Effects of Self-Regulated Strategy Development on Writing Skill and Self-Regulated Learning of Thai High School Students

This study was conducted to examine the effects of self-regulated strategy development, an intervention designed to teach writing skills through six steps and four self-regulation skills, on academic English writing skills and self-regulated learning. Additionally, the aim is also to investigate attitudes towards the instruction. Mastering the skills of writing is a challenging task since it requires several integrated skills. There exist several complex difficulties in, for example, creating content, organizing structure, applying writing mechanics, and completing the revision process. Thus, the essential factor is writing instruction which helps learners improve their writing skills. The participants were eleven pre-intermediate students at a senior high school in Thailand who were explicitly taught by self-regulated strategy development instruction in a process consisting of six recursive stages and four self-regulation skill stages. To gather quantitative data, a pretest and posttest were employed. Moreover, to obtain qualitative data regarding the students’ attitudes toward the instruction, a semi-structured interview was used. The findings revealed that the academic writing ability and self-regulation skills of Thai high school students can be enhanced by self-regulated strategy development and that students show positive attitudes towards this type of instruction.
Treatment response prediction of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for rectal cancer by deep learning of colonoscopy images

In current clinical practice, several treatment methods, including neoadjuvant therapy, are being developed to improve overall survival or local recurrence rates for locally advanced rectal cancer. The response to neoadjuvant therapy is usually evaluated using imaging data collected before and after preoperative treatment or postsurgical pathological diagnosis. However, there is a need to accurately predict the response to preoperative treatment before treatment is administered. The present study used a deep learning network to examine colonoscopy images and construct a model to predict the response of rectal cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A total of 53 patients who underwent preoperative chemotherapy followed by radical resection for advanced rectal cancer at the Osaka University Hospital between January 2011 and August 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. A convolutional neural network model was constructed using 403 images from 43 patients as the learning set. The diagnostic accuracy of the deep learning model was evaluated using 84 images from 10 patients as the validation set. The model demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and area under the curve of 77.6% (38/49), 62.9% (22/33), 71.4% (60/84), 74.5% (38/51) and 0.713, respectively, in predicting a poor response to neoadjuvant therapy. Overall, deep learning of colonoscopy images may contribute to an accurate prediction of the response of rectal cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Time Period of Treatment’s Effect on the Association Between Race and Survival in Patients With Malignant Colorectal Adenocarcinoma

Background: Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignancies diagnosed in the United States, with 126,240 new cases diagnosed in 2020. Past studies have shown that disparities may exist between certain patient populations, but it is unknown how they are affected over time as treatments evolve. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the decade of treatment modifies the association between race and five-year survival in adults diagnosed and treated for malignant colorectal adenocarcinomas since the 1970s. Methods: This was a non-concurrent retrospective cohort study using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database of the National Cancer Institute. The inclusion criteria involved patients with primary malignant colorectal adenocarcinoma between the years 1975 and 2018. Exclusion criteria included previous malignancies or missing information on any of the variables. The exposure variable was the patient’s race, and the main outcome variable was average five-year survival rates. The effect modifier was the time period in which the patient received treatment. The covariates of the study included age, sex, Hispanic status, surgical intervention recommendation, and disease stage. Unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox regression models. Results: As the interaction term between race/ethnicity and year of diagnosis was statistically significant, the data were stratified according to year of diagnosis. Black patients in both time periods had a higher mortality rate from malignant colorectal carcinoma after adjustment for the covariates (1975-1990: HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.06-1.15; 1991-2018: HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.16-1.23) when compared with White patients. American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Asian patients were found to have lower mortality in both time periods when compared with White patients (1975-1990: HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.85-0.95; 1991-2018: HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.89-0.96). Conclusion: Our data found that despite the evolution in the standard of care treatment for malignant colorectal adenocarcinoma since the year 1975, Black patients had lower five-year survival rates when compared with their White counterparts as well as increased rates of being diagnosed with this disease. Overall, addressing these disparities in colorectal cancer outcomes is critical for improving public health and reducing healthcare costs.
Percutaneous versus Cutdown Access for Endovascular Aortic Repair.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to compare the outcomes of the percutaneous femoral access and open surgical cutdown access approaches in patients undergoing thoracic/abdominal endovascular aortic repair. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 59 patients who underwent a thoracic/abdominal endovascular aortic repair at a single tertiary care hospital between 2015 and 2022. Based on their femoral access type, the patients were categorized into the "percutaneous" or "cutdown" groups. Using a computerized sheet, relevant patient data (including demographic information and patient risk factors) were collected. The operative duration, complication rates, mortality rates, intensive care unit admission and stay durations, and total hospital stay were compared between the two groups. The primary outcomes were differences in the postoperative morbidity and mortality associated with the two approaches. RESULTS The cutdown and percutaneous groups comprised 24 (41%) and 35 (59%) patients, respectively. The two groups displayed comparable demographic and clinical characteristics (p > 0.05). However, the vascular anatomy differed with the common femoral artery diameter being larger in the percutaneous group compared to the cutdown group (9.63 ± 1.81 mm vs. 8.49 ± 1.54 mm, p = 0.028). The ratio of the sheath diameter to the common femoral artery diameter was significantly lower in the percutaneous group than in the cutdown group (0.73 ± 0.16 vs. 0.85 ± 0.20, p = 0.027). A ratio of ≥0.74 was associated with a higher risk of complications (odds ratio, 12.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-102.2; p = 0.023) and mortality (odds ratio, 5.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-29.6; p = 0.035). Additionally, the operative duration was significantly shorter in the percutaneous group than in the cutdown group (141.43 ± 97.05 min vs. 218.46 ± 126.31 min, p = 0.001). Compared to the cutdown group, the percutaneous group experienced a shorter total hospital stay (21.54 ± 21.49 days vs. 11.60 ± 12.09 days, p = 0.022) and lower intensive care unit-admission rates (66.7% vs. 40%, p = 0.044). CONCLUSION The percutaneous approach is a viable and more time-efficient alternative to the traditional cutdown method for delivering vascular endografts. It is associated with a significantly shorter operative duration and briefer hospital stays. Additionally, the ratio of the sheath diameter to the common femoral artery diameter can help surgeons preoperatively predict and anticipate the risks of complications and mortality. Future in-depth research is necessary to better understand the association between this ratio and postoperative outcomes and complications.
The Influence of Social Media Marketing Activities on Brand Equity and Purchase Intention (Study of Silungkang Restaurant Instagram Followers)

This research aims to analyze the influence of social media marketing activities on brand equity and purchase intention (study on Instagram followers of Silungkang Restaurant). This explanatory research uses a survey. explanatory survey with a quantitative approach. Data collection on 250 Instagram followers of Silungkang Restaurant who were interested in buying food at Silungkang Restaurant was carried out using a purposive sampling technique. The data was then analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling - Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS). The research results show that social media marketing activities have a significant effect on brand equity. Brand equity has a significant effect on purchase intention, social media marketing activities have a significant effect on purchase intention, and social media marketing activities have a significant effect on purchase intention with brand equity as a mediating variable.