Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nutritional and sensory properties of biscuits based on wheat (Triticum aestivum), beniseed seed (Sesamum indicum) and sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) composite flour

This study evaluated the nutritional and sensory characteristics of biscuits produced from wheat/beniseed seed/sweet potato composite flour. Four flour samples from wheat, defatted beniseed and sweet potato flours in the ratios of 100:0:0; 80:10:10; 70:20:10; and 60:30:10, respectively with other ingredients were used to produce biscuits. Samples were analyzed for proximate content, vitamins and minerals, antinutrients, sensory and microbial properties using standard procedures. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. Crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre, ash, carbohydrate and energy composition of samples ranged from 8.39-12.07 g 100-g–1, 17.52-22.59 mg 100-g–1, 0.60-4.20 g 100-g–1, 1.18-2.29 g 100-g–1, 67.11-60.53 g 100-g–1 and 460.34-491.11 kCal 100-g–1, respectively. Calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, iron and zinc contents ranged from 474.50-843.75, 498.75-845.00, 267.50-568.50, 92.50-105.75, 82.25- 288.25, 3.88-5.99, and 0.07-0.32 mg 100-g–1, respectively. Beta-carotene, thiamin, niacin and tocopherol contents were 429.20-441.93 μg 100-g–1, 4.03-4.83, 17.87-19.57 and 54.87-62.77 mg 100-g–1, respectively. Most nutrients increasedwith increasing beniseed substitution levels. Phytate andoxalate contents of samples here within permissible levels. Sensory properties decreased from 7.78-5.60, 7.90-5.00, 7.00-6.53, 6.80-5.83, 7.87-5.23 for colour, taste, crispiness, texture and general acceptability, respectively. Number of colonies were negligible after storage for 21days. Beniseed (20%) and sweet potato (10%) flours substitution for wheat flour produced acceptable biscuits with higher protein and micronutrient composition and acceptable sensory properties than wholly wheat flour and other composite flour biscuits.
A Systematic Review on Sonographic Evaluation of Renal Size in Apparently Healthy Adults

The normal size of a kidney is variable and is affected by both physiologic and pathological conditions. Since renal size is affected by various factors, it is necessary to establish population specific normative values. Ultrasonography has shown its usefulness as an essential tool in the evaluation of renal size. The study aimed at reviewing published articles in the evaluation of renal size and identifying gaps in order to make recommendation for further studies. All articles included in this review are prospective in design with the smallest sample size used being 100 participants and the largest 4,035 participants. The age of the participants ranged from 13 to 80 years. The overall mean renal size reported in this review ranged from 63±18.1 cm3 to 164.3±38 cm3 for the right kidney and 69.1±25.1 cm3 to 183.3±48.9 cm3 for the left kidney. Six of the reviewed articles reported a statistical significant difference between male and female mean renal size (p<0.05), while two articles revealed no statistical significant difference between male and female mean renal sizes (p>0.05). However, the remaining seven articles did not compare the mean renal size between male and female participants. Seven out of the articles reported a significant positive correlation between kidney dimensions and BMI, while other eight articles did not check the association between kidney dimensions and anthropometric parameters. This review showed only one article out of fifteen used a probability sampling method and only two articles used larger sample size. Eight of the reviewed articles did not perform creatinine clearance test before recruitment of their participants.
Effects of aging on rheological, chemical, and micromechanical properties of waterborne epoxy resin modified bitumen emulsion

ABSTRACT Bitumen emulsion, which is widely used for surface treatment and cold recycling in pavement engineering, has the advantage of not requiring heating during construction. But it has the disadvantage of low mechanical strength, especially at higher temperatures. Various studies have proved that waterborne epoxy can effectively improve the mechanical properties of bitumen emulsion. However, how aging affects the performance of waterborne epoxy resin-modified bitumen emulsion is still unclear. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap through combined rheological and microscopic characterisation. Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) was first applied to characterise the oxidative reaction during the pressure aging vessel (PAV) test. The rheological behaviours before and after PAV aging were evaluated through dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) tests. The peak force tapping quantitative nanomechanical (PFT QNM) test was further conducted to measure the micromechanical performance of the waterborne epoxy bitumen emulsion residues. The results indicated that waterborne epoxy resin could improve the resistance to oxidative aging of the emulsion residues. In addition, it was found that the complex moduli generally increased while the phase angle decreased after PAV aging, and the aging process would lead to higher micromechanical modulus and lower adhesion.
DIMASS: A Delaunay-Inspired, Hybrid Approach to a Team of Agents Search Strategy

This article describes an approach for multiagent search planning for a team of agents. A team of UAVs tasked to conduct a forest fire search was selected as the use case, although solutions are applicable to other domains. Fixed-path (e.g., parallel track) methods for multiagent search can produce predictable and structured paths, with the main limitation being poor management of agents’ resources and limited adaptability (i.e., based on predefined geometric paths, e.g., parallel track, expanding square, etc.). On the other hand, pseudorandom methods allow agents to generate well-separated paths; but methods can be computationally expensive and can result in a lack of coordination of agents’ activities. We present a hybrid solution that exploits the complementary strengths of fixed-pattern and pseudorandom methods, i.e., an approach that is resource-efficient, predictable, adaptable, and scalable. Our approach evolved from the Delaunay triangulation of systematically selected waypoints to allocate agents to explore a specific region while optimizing a given set of mission constraints. We implement our approach in a simulation environment, comparing the performance of the proposed algorithm with fixed-path and pseudorandom baselines. Results proved agents’ resource utilization, predictability, scalability, and adaptability of the developed path. We also demonstrate the proposed algorithm’s application on real UAVs.
Numerical optimization of surface texture for improved tribological performance of journal bearing at varying operating conditions

Purpose Journal bearings are used in numerous rotary machines. The load carrying capacity and friction of a bearing have been major concerns in design. Recent developments in surface texturing have showed potential outcomes to improve the tribological characteristics of mating surfaces. This study aims to investigate surface textures, which are transverse to the sliding direction, for frictional response of the journal bearing. Design/methodology/approach A hydrodynamic lubrication model is considered to evaluate the effect of surface texturing on the performance of a journal bearing at varying operating conditions. The two-dimensional generalized Reynolds equation, coupled with mass-conserving Elrod cavitation algorithm, is solved to evaluate texture-induced variations in tribological performance parameters. Findings Results have showed remarkable improvements in frictional response. Moreover, micro-textures on the journal surface alter the cavitation response and film-reformation in the hydrodynamic conjunction of the plain bearing. Originality/value Operating condition-based comprehensive exhaustive optimization of texture geometry is performed to generate widespread conclusion.
Enterobacteriaceae Therapy using Bacteriophages: A Review

Enterobacteriaceae are a family of bacteria, including many familiar pathogens that cause signs of diarrhoea in humans and animals, such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, and Klebsiella. Enterobacteriaceae, the first Gram-negative bacteria, are bacilli (rod-shaped) facultative anaerobes. They ferment sugars to produce lactic acid and other end products. They are usually about 1-5 μm in length. Most are motile because of many flagella; however, a few genera are non-motile. They do not form spores. Most Enterobacteriaceae members have fimbriae necessary for the adhesion of the bacterial cells to their hosts. They are economically significant and thus a considerable concern because they cause the deaths of millions of people each year, resulting in a significant situation to curb their infection. Due to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, there is an urgency to search for replacement therapies against bacteria in the Enterobacteriaceae family. To find a solution to this traumatic problem, studies have been launched in the areas of bacteriophages and their therapeutic application as a significant replacement for antibiotics. Bacteriophage therapy utilizes a different mechanism in destroying bacteria; hence, it is a better alternative to antibiotics. This review sheds light on Enterobacteriaceae and bacteriophage therapy, as well as the history of bacteriophage therapy, its mode of lysing bacteria and formulations of phages.
Product form networks with negative and positive customers

We introduce a new class of queueing networks in which customers are either "negative" or "positive". A negative customer arriving to a queue reduces the total customer count in that queue by one if the queue length is positive; it has no effect at all if the queue is empty. Negative customers do not receive service. Customers leaving a queue for another one can either become negative or remain pos itive. Pos itive customers behave as ordinary queueing network customers and receive service. We show that this model with exponential service times, Poisson external arrivals , with the usual independence assumptions for service times , and Markovian customer movements between queues , has product form. It is quasi-reversible in the usual sense, but not in a broader sense which includes all destructions of customers in the set of departures. The existence and uniqueness of the solutions to the (non-linear) customer flow equations, and hence of the product form solution, is discussed.
Cytotoxic effects of parijoto (Medinilla speciosa Reinw. Ex. Bl.) methanol extract combined with cisplatin on WiDr colon cancer cells through apoptosis induction

Parijoto (Medinilla speciosa Reinw. Ex. Bl.) is a medicinal plant with cytotoxic effects on cancer cells in vitro. As only a limited number of studies have reported the effect of parijoto on colon cancer cells, this study initially aimed to measure the total flavonoid levels and potential cytotoxic effects of parijoto methanol extract (PME) through cell viability assays and expression of the apoptotic protein on WiDr colon cancer cells as a model. PME cytotoxic activity was determined by conducting a cytotoxicity test on WiDr colon cancer cells using the MTT assay. The synergistic cytotoxic effects of the PME and cisplatin were tested to obtain the combination index (CI) value. Apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry, and the apoptotic protein expression was observed by immunocytochemical tests. Furthermore, quercetin as a major flavonoid in PME was measured using a UV–Vis spectrophotometer. The results showed that PME had a moderate cytotoxic activity with an IC50 of 198.64±1.6 µg/mL, whereas the IC50 of cisplatin was 2.34±0.7 µg/mL. The PME with cisplatin combination test showed a strong synergistic effect with a CI value of <1 (0.1‐0.4). The combination showed increased apoptosis properties compared to PME treatment alone. In addition, immunocytochemistry showed that PME alone or in combination with cisplatin increased the pro‐apoptosis proteins (p53 and caspase‐9) and suppressed Bcl‐2 expression. Moreover, the cell viability value increased as the PME concentration decreased. The administration of PME led to changes in cell morphology, lower cell density, and a decreasing number of living cells. Therefore, the combination of PME and cisplatin had a strong synergistic effect in inducing apoptosis.
Assessment of vegetation dynamics and forest loss using google earth engine and multi-temporal sentinel-2 imagery

This study evaluated regional vegetation dynamics and changes between 2015 and 2020 using Google earth engine (GEE) platform and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) derived from the multi-petabyte catalogue of sentinel-2 imageries. Using the computational capability of GEE, yearly mean NDVI from 2015 to 2020 were computed using level C-1 product. Subsequently, each of the NDVI images was classified into four land cover classes; water bodies, non-vegetated, grassland /cropland /shrubs, and forest using NDVI threshold values of < 0.01, 0.01-0.20, 0.20-0.30 and > 0.30, respectively. The classified maps allowed for the assessment of yearly variation in vegetation and changes between 2015 and 2020. Result showed that non-vegetated area increased from 18.53% in 2015 to 42.56% in 2020 (~ 25.00% gain), the forest area reduced to 6.78% in 2020 compared to 23.76% measured in 2015 (~ 17.00% loss in forest); whereas water bodies and grassland/cropland/shrubs remained relatively constant (0.21 and ~ 50.00%, respectively) across the years studied. Presently, the forest land was estimated to be about 2, 371.131 km2 (~ 6.70%) of the total land mass, grassland/cropland/shrubs occupied 17, 770.79 km2 (~ 50.07%), non-vegetated area was slightly less than half with 15, 274.85 km2 (~ 43.04%) and water bodies occupied 75.68 km2 (~ 0.21%).
Non-Iterative Optimal Design Method Based on LM Index for Steel Double-Beam Floor Systems Reinforced with Concrete Panels

Steel double-beam floor systems reinforced with concrete panels can improve the structural and environmental performance of buildings by reducing moment demands and embodied CO2 emissions. However, for steel double-beam floor systems, a time-consuming iterative analysis is required to derive an optimal design proposal owing to the rotational constraints in the composite joints between the concrete panel and steel beams. In this study, a non-iterative optimal design method using the LM index is proposed to minimize the embodied CO2 emissions of steel double-beam floor systems. The LM index is a measure that can be used to select the optimal cross-section of the steel beams considering the decreased moment capacity according to the unbraced length. The structural feasibility of the proposed design method was verified by investigating whether safety-related constraints were satisfied by the LM index with respect to the design variables under various gravity loads. The applicability of the proposed optimal design method is verified by comparing the embodied CO2 emissions derived from the proposed and code-based design methods. Applicable design conditions were presented based on the LM index to aid engineers. The proposed design method can provide environmentally-optimized design proposals to ensure structural safety by directly selecting the LM index of steel beams.
Effects of Subjective Health Perception on Health Behavior and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Patients with Prediabetes and Diabetes

The purpose of this study is to confirm the health behavior performance rate and cardiovascular disease-related indicators according to the subjective health perception of prediabetic and diabetic patients using the 2016–2019 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. This study classified hemoglobin A1c ≥ 6.5% as diabetes and 5.7–6.4% prediabetes among 2485 adults over 40 years of age among the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In addition, subjective health perception was divided into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ and then cross-classified into four groups (Good/PDM, Bad/PDM, Good/DM, and Bad/DM) to analyze the differences between the four groups. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA), and complex sample analysis was performed using weights according to the KNHANES raw data usage guidelines from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rate of subjective health awareness was higher in men than in women in both prediabetic- and diabetic-stage subjects and adults in the prediabetic stage were higher than in the elderly. The better the subjective health status, the higher the ratio of normal weight, proper sleep time, exercise, and eating out among health-related behaviors. As a result of analyzing blood pressure and blood indices related to the cardiovascular disease risk (Framingham Risk Score), in all indicators except blood pressure, the better the subjective health status and the lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. As a result, for disease prevention and continuous management through healthy behaviors in prediabetic and diabetic patients, it is necessary to improve the positive subjective perception of health.
EFFECTIVENESS OF PROJECT-BASED LEARNING (PJBL) IN IMPROVING KNOWLEDGE RETENTION AMONG TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL STUDENTS

TVET in Malaysia is becoming more popular as government started a new transformation on technical and vocational education. The establishment of Vocational College (KV) changes the requirements needed for new teachers as KV only seek new teachers with high level of skills and knowledge. Nevertheless, most of the teacher trainees voiced out their concerns as they unable to retain knowledge that they have learned during their study in university. Thus, this study is conducted in order to seek the effectiveness of PjBL in improving knowledge retention among technical and vocational students, who also teachers-to-be for KV. This study was conducted qualitatively by using experimental research design, which using two groups of students. The students from both groups are interviewed in order to seek the effectiveness of PjBL. The findings show that PjBL is able to improve the students’ knowledge retention as they able to apply and practice their knowledge throughout the semester. It is imperative for educators to provide best teaching practice for students in order to improve their knowledge retention.
Enhancing the usability and benefits of open space for older people in regional Australia

ABSTRACT Open space planning and design can play an important role in ameliorating health and social issues associated with the increasing ageing population in regional Australia. We undertook a case study at Albury, NSW using an online survey, focus groups and park observations to explore the way older people (>65) value and use open spaces. While exhibiting diverse views, older Australians’ voices provided recommendations that can maximise the benefits of open space. Well-designed facilities support walking and other physical activity, social interaction and neighbourliness, and potentially reduce feelings of vulnerability. Issues associated with access are complex and require early and ongoing strategic planning. Ensuring open space is responsive to these needs requires both State and local government development and environmental planning and attention to the design and maintenance of park microfeatures.
Genetic Characterization of Microsporum canis Clinical Isolates in the United States

Microsporum canis is the primary agent causing dermatophytosis in cats, and also infects humans, dogs, and other species. Assessment of genetic variation among M. canis isolates in the United States has not been conducted. Further, M. canis mating type and assessment of disease severity associated with genotypic characteristics have not been rigorously evaluated. We therefore isolated M. canis from 191 domestic cats across the US and characterized genotypes by evaluation of ITS sequence, MAT locus, and microsatellite loci analysis. The genes SSU1 and SUB3, which are associated with keratin adhesion and digestion, were sequenced from a subset of isolates to evaluate potential genetic associations with virulence. Analysis of microsatellite makers revealed three M. canis genetic clusters. Both clinic location and disease severity were significant predictors of microsatellite variants. 100% of the M. canis isolates were MAT1-1 mating gene type, indicating that MAT1-2 is very rare or extinct in the US and that asexual reproduction is the dominant form of replication. No genetic variation at SSU1 and SUB3 was observed. These findings pave the way for novel testing modalities for M. canis and provide insights about transmission and ecology of this ubiquitous and relatively uncharacterized agent.
Minority Influence and Degrowth-Oriented Pro-environmental Conflict: When Emotions Betray Our Attachment to the Social Dominant Paradigm

If today the anthropogenic origin of climate change gathers almost total scientific consensus, human pro-environmental action is not changing with sufficient impact to keep global warming within the 1.5° limit. Environmental psychology has traditionally focused on the underlying barriers towards more pro-environmental behaviours. Emotions—like fear or anger—may act as such barriers especially in case of radical change (e.g., degrowth). While minority influence has been extensively applied to understand societal change, it has rarely been applied to understand the emotional responses that may hinder counter-normative pro-environmental messages. However, past literature on emotions shows that, in challenging situations—the likes of radical minority conflict—people will tend to use their emotional reaction to maintain societal status quo. Two studies investigated how participants emotionally react towards a counter-normative pro-environmental minority message (advocating degrowth). A qualitative (thematic analyses) and a quantitative (emotional self-report paradigm) studies showed that participants report emotions that allow them to realign themselves with the cultural backdrop of the social dominant paradigm (growth), thus resisting change. Specifically, although all participants tend to demonstrate higher proportions of control-oriented emotions, men do so more. These effects, as well as questions of cultural and ideological dominance, are discussed considering barriers towards pro-environmentalism.
Overweight and Fertility: What We Can Learn from an Intergenerational Mouse Obesity Model

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of being overweight on the ability to conceive, fertilization rate, and in vivo development of embryos in regularly cycling, spontaneously ovulating, and naturally mated female mice. The study was based on statistical analysis of data collected during 14 experiments with identical design, performed on 319 control and 327 obese mice, developed in an intergenerational model of obesity induction which eliminates the impact of aging and high-fat feeding. Six-week-old mice with a vaginal sperm plug were slaughtered on embryonic days 2, 3, or 4, and the flushed contents of the oviducts and uteri were assessed by stereomicroscopy. The results showed no association between being overweight and the proportion of ovulating or fertilized females. On the other hand, a strong association was found between being overweight and ovulation yield. On embryonic day 2, significantly higher numbers of eggs were recovered from the oviducts of fertilized obese mice. Maternal overweight status was also associated with higher developmental capacities of preimplantation embryos. In conclusion, contrary to studies based on the high-fat-diet model, in female mice fed regular chow, being overweight was associated with an increased ovulation quota and higher developmental rate of fertilized oocytes. Being overweight did not impact ability to conceive. On the other hand, as documented in our previous studies, the quality of oocytes and blastocysts recovered from overweight mice developed in an intergenerational model of obesity was low.