Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microbiological safety and quality survey of some dairy confectioneries with cream filling and topping

Background: Dairy confectionaries are recently categorized as an important part of different consumers’ diets with increasing demand for cream-based cakes “Tourta” and gateau which are used as celebrating food for almost all occasions and celebrations. Aim: The study was designed for evaluating general quality and safety of such products. Methods: 100 cream-based (for topping and filing) samples; 50 cakes “Tourta” and 50 gateau, were purchased separately from several pastry shops covering international, national, and local brands in Great Cairo, Egypt, and subjected to microbiological analysis. Results: Results showed that international brands were the best for gateau samples while national brands were the best quality for cake samples. Regardless of the brand, the general hygienic quality of the cake product “Tourta” was lower on an average total colony, coliforms, yeast, and mold counts as compared with the gateau product. Although coliforms were found in 100% of the examined samples with the highest mean value of 33 × 102 ± 7.0 × 102 CFU/g in local gateau samples, Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. could not be detected in these samples. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 8% of the total examined samples with the highest incidence of (22.2%) and a mean count of 38 × 10 ± 6.0 × 10 CFU/g in local brand gateau samples. Bacillus cereus was extensively isolated with the highest incidence in cake samples (32%) and mean counts higher than 103 in all of the examined samples. Bacillus cereus strains have harbored more than one toxigenic gene. In this aspect, nhe gene was the most predominant one as it was detected in 100% of the examined isolates, followed by cytK gene in 80%, whilehbl and ces genes could not be found. According to the Egyptian Standard specifications for cake (ES: 4037/2020), a higher acceptability degree was reported for the international brand gateau and cake “Tourta” samples. The incidence of using any preservative as an inhibitory substance was also analyzed generally using the Bacillus subtilis disk assay technique, but all samples were negative using this technique indicating the need for a more advanced technique for its detection such as using high-performance liquid chromatography. Conclusion: Finally, it was concluded that; more attention is needed to cream-based cakes’ quality and safety, with essential modification required in the standards of cakes in Egypt.
Studies of Viscous and Viscoelastic Potential Flows

The first goal of the proposed research is to carry out the analysis of viscous and viscoelastic potential flow for the many interface problems which have been solved by inviscid potential flow. This has already been done for Rayleigh-Taylor instability of a viscous fluid and a viscoelastic fluid, for Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and for capillary instability. Viscous potential flow was applied to the problem of determining the rise velocity of a spherical cap bubble which was studied by Davies and Taylor (1950) using inviscid potential flow (see Batchelor 1967, pg. 475). The effects of viscosity which could not emerge from Taylor’s inviscid analysis do arise very naturally, and in elementary explicit form, from analysis based on viscous potential flow. The results presented in these papers show that viscous and viscoelastic analysis of flow instability is very often close to the results of exact analysis and always better than the results of analysis based on inviscid potential flow.
A generalized scheme based on shifted Jacobi polynomials for numerical simulation of coupled systems of multi-term fractional-order partial differential equations

Due to the increasing application of fractional calculus in engineering and biomedical processes, we analyze a new method for the numerical simulation of a large class of coupled systems of fractional-order partial differential equations. In this paper, we study shifted Jacobi polynomials in the case of two variables and develop some new operational matrices of fractional-order integrations as well as fractional-order differentiations. By the use of these operational matrices, we present a new and easy method for solving a generalized class of coupled systems of fractional-order partial differential equations subject to some initial conditions. We convert the system under consideration to a system of easily solvable algebraic equation without discretizing the system, and obtain a highly accurate solution. Also, the proposed method is compared with some other well-known differential transform methods. The proposed method is computer oriented. We use MatLab to perform the necessary calculation. The next two parts will appear soon.
The Effect of Upper Extremity Slings (UESs) on Balance in Young Adults

Introduction: Upper extremity slings (UESs) are frequently provided for patients with a hand or forearm injury. However, their effect on balance has not been well explored. We sought to characterize the effect of a UES on balance in young adults. Methods: Healthy young adult participants with no injuries acting as a proxy for the general young adult patient population using UESs balanced on a BioDex Balance System platform: once while wearing a UES and once without wearing it, to serve as their own control. Participant weight, height, gender, hand dominance, overall stability index, anterior/posterior stability index, and medial/lateral stability index were recorded. Comparisons were analyzed with paired t-tests and linear regression analysis. Results: No significant difference in the three stability index scores were found between UES and no UES usage. Height and weight were found to have positive significant relationships with the overall stability index during UES usage. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the feasibility of assessing balance discrepancies between the sling and nonsling usage in a broader patient population and suggests that height and weight may impact balance negatively during UES use.
The Analysis of Data Preparation to Validate Model Values of Information Technology

Currently, there are some methods of preparing data for validating an IT value model correctly. One challenge in applying data mining to validate model values is to convert data into an appropriate form for this activity. Data mining algorithms can then be applied using the prepared data. The adequacy of data preparation often determines whether this data mining is successful or not. This study aims at creating a method for preparing the data during validation. The basic method used for data preparation is the Returns to Scale (RTS) method because it is easy to use and can be combined with further validation results. This method was applied by employing two models: two-factor and three-factor models. Both models are then compared to see the difference between them. The developed model is then tested on Branchless Banking (BB) and Downstream Petroleum (DP) industries. The results show that the method is applicable to prepare the data for validation. In addition, the results also demonstrate that both industries, DP and BB, have different result on data preparation, meaning that DP and BB have different ITs. This research contributes not only to a technique of preparing data for validating an IT value model by the RTS method but also can be a basis to work for data validation because it can give a result with the behaviour of the industry.
Piecewise observers of rectangular discrete fuzzy descriptor systems with multiple time-varying delays

This paper investigates piecewise observer design for rectangular discrete fuzzy descriptor systems with multiple time-varying delays. Via a series of simple transformations, the considered rectangular descriptor plants are converted into standard ones with multiple time-varying delays. Then, two sufficient delay-dependent conditions for existence of piecewise fuzzy observers are derived based on piecewise Lyapunov functions. Finally, two numerical examples are presented to show the effectiveness of the theoretical results.
Hyperkalemia in CKD: an overview of available therapeutic strategies

Hyperkalemia (HK) is a life-threatening condition that often occurs in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). High serum potassium (sKsK) is responsible for a higher risk of end-stage renal disease, arrhythmias and mortality. This risk increases in patients that discontinue cardio-nephroprotective renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitor (RAASi) therapy after developing HK. Hence, the management of HK deserves the attention of the clinician in order to optimize the therapeutic strategies of chronic treatment of HK in the CKD patient. The adoption in clinical practice of the new hypokalaemic agents patiromer and sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (SZC) for the prevention and chronic treatment of HK could allow patients, suffering from heart failure and chronic renal failure, to continue to benefit from RAASi therapy. We have updated a narrative review of the clear variables, correct definition, epidemiology, pathogenesis, etiology and classifications for HK among non-dialysis CKD (ND CKD) patients. Furthermore, by describing the prognostic impact on mortality and on the progression of renal damage, we want to outline the strategies currently available for the control of potassium (K+) plasma levels.
Factors associated with stress-related symptoms among people with epilepsy in Ethiopia, a cross-sectional study

Introduction Stress is a common psychological problem present in people with epilepsy and has a serious impact on the health-related satisfaction of people with epilepsy and their cohabiters. This study aimed to assess the magnitude and related factors of stress. Methods A hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 301 systematically chosen people with epilepsy. The seven stress-related items of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress -21 questionnaire was used to measure stress. Data were entered using Epi Info and analyzed by SPSS version 25. Predictors with a p-value < 0.20 in the bivariate logistic regression were transferred into the multivariate model. A p-value of less than 0.05 was viewed as statistically significant. Result The prevalence of stress symptoms in this study was 23.9%. Daily labor occupational status with Adjusted Odds ratio [(AOR) = 0.042, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.469], onset of illness at the age of 18 years and above (AOR = 0.188, 95% CI: 0.046, 0.771), perceived stigma (AOR = 3.320, 95% CI: 1.345, 8.200), the presence of anxiety symptoms (AOR = 8.275, 95% CI: 3.345, 20.471), and belief that the condition is untreatable (AOR = 6.360, 95% CI: 1.647, 24.562) were significantly associated factors. Conclusion The occurrence of stress was high, and it reinforced that there is a requisite for the identification and handling of stress-related symptoms among people with epilepsy.
Dose- and Time-Dependent Effect of Dietary Blueberries on Diabetic Vasculature Is Correlated with Gut Microbial Signature

Evidence from our lab and others indicates the vascular effects of dietary blueberries. In the present study, we determined dietary blueberries’ dose- and time-dependent effects on diabetic vasculature and their association with gut microbes. Seven-week-old db/db diabetic male mice were fed a diet supplemented with ± freeze-dried wild blueberry powder (FD-BB) for 4, 8, or 12 weeks (three cohorts). Diets contained 0%, 1.23%, 2.46%, and 3.7% of FD-BB, equivalent to 0, ½, 1, and 1.5 human servings of wild blueberries, respectively. The non-diabetic db/+ mice fed a standard diet served as controls. Metabolic parameters, vascular inflammation, and gut microbiome were assessed. Dietary supplementation of 3.7% FD-BB improved vascular inflammation in diabetic mice without improving systemic milieu in all three cohorts. Blueberries improved diabetes-induced gut dysbiosis depending on blueberry dosage and treatment duration. Spearman’s correlation indicated that the opportunistic microbes and commensal microbes were positively and negatively associated with indices of vascular inflammation, respectively. Dietary blueberries reduced the opportunistic microbe that was positively associated with vascular inflammation (Desulfovibrio), and increased the commensal microbe that was negatively associated with vascular inflammation (Akkermansia). Dietary blueberries could be a potential adjunct strategy to beneficially modulate gut microbes and improve vascular complications in diabetes.
Does Asymmetric Cost Behavior Reduce Over Time? "Evidence from the Lagged Effect of Investment Intensity on Operating Cost and SG&A Cost"

Purpose - Cost reacts in an asymmetric way to increase and decrease in the volume of the cost driver. This study aims to investigate how investment intensity affects this asymmetric cost behavior. It examines the effect of capital expenditure and PPE investment on the asymmetric cost behavior of operating cost and SG&A cost. In addition, this study extends prior literature by examining the lagged effect of investment intensity on the asymmetric cost behavior of operating cost and SG&A cost. Design/Methodology/Approach – This study uses Anderson et al. (2003) baseline model to measure asymmetric cost behavior of operating cost and SG&A cost and the effect of investment intensity on the asymmetric cost behavior. In addition, the model is developed by including the lagged investment intensity to capture its effect on the asymmetric cost behavior of operating cost and SG&A cost. Findings - The empirical results demonstrate that: i) the degree of asymmetric cost behavior of operating cost and SG&A cost is increased by investment intensity. ii) the lagged investment intensity decreases the asymmetric cost behavior of operating cost and SG&A cost. iii) the asymmetric cost behavior decreases over time. Research limitations/implications - The study is based solely on one year lagged effect and does not control for firm`s life cycle (i.e., firm’s age). Future research will be useful to conduct comparative studies of cost behavior at different stages of firm`s life cycle.
Study on flow parameters of fractal porous media in the high-velocity fluid flow regime

High-velocity fluid flow, which will result in the region of the wellbore or fracture, is generally in the turbulent flow regime and has drawn tremendous attention in petroleum engineering field. Turbulent factor is the key parameter, which is widely used to describe high-velocity flow in porous media. In this work, a theoretical model for turbulent factor in fractal porous media in the high-velocity fluid flow regime is developed. Moreover, a novel analytical expression for the permeability in porous media based on Wu's resistance model is also derived. Then, the analytical Kozeny-Carman constant with no empirical constant is obtained. The predictions of permeability-porosity relation by the current mathematical models have been validated by comparing with available experimental data. Furthermore, the effects of structural parameters of porous media on the curve of velocity and pressure drop are discussed in detail.
Time efficient signed Vedic multiplier using redundant binary representation

This study presents a high-speed signed Vedic multiplier (SVM) architecture using redundant binary (RB) representation in Urdhva Tiryagbhyam (UT) sutra. This is the first ever effort towards extension of Vedic algorithms to the signed numbers. The proposed multiplier architecture solves the carry propagation issue in UT sutra, as carry free addition is possible in RB representation. The proposed design is coded in VHDL and synthesised in Xilinx ISE 14.4 of various FPGA devices. The proposed SVM architecture has better speed performances as compared with various state-of-the-art conventional as well as Vedic architectures.
Extension Operators for Sobolev Spaces on Periodic Domains, Their Applications, and Homogenization of a Phase Field Model for Phase Transitions in Porous Media

The first part of this thesis is concerned with extension operators for Sobolev spaces on periodic domains and their applications. When homogenizing nonlinear partial differential equations in periodic domains by two-scale convergence, the need for uniformly bounded families of extension operators often arises. In this thesis, new extension operators that allow for estimates in the whole domain, even if the complement of the periodic domain is connected, are constructed. These extension operators exist if the domain is generalized rectangular. They are useful for homogenization problems with flux boundary conditions. Additionally, the existence of extension operators that respect zero and nonnegative traces on the exterior boundary is shown. These can be applied to problems with mixed or Dirichlet boundary conditions. Making use of this type of extension operators, uniform Poincaré and Korn inequalities for functions with mixed boundary values in periodic domains are proven. Furthermore, a generalization of a compactness theorem of Meirmanov and Zimin, which is similar to the well-known Lions-Aubin compactness theorem and which is applicable in periodic domains, is presented. The above results are then applied to the homogenization by two-scale convergence of some quasilinear partial differential equations and variational inequalities with operators of Leray-Lions type in periodic domains with mixed boundary conditions. In the second part, a phase field model for phase transitions on the pore scale of a porous medium is introduced. The existence and uniqueness of weak solutions is shown. Uniform a-priori estimates are established by making use of extension operators of the type of those that have previously been constructed in the first part of this thesis. By using two-scale convergence and again applying the extension operators, a homogenized phase field model is obtained. Finally, by applying the method of formal asymptotic expansion, a macroscopic sharp interface model for phase transitions in porous media is derived. Possible applications include the melting of permafrost soil and the frost attack on concrete.
Subscapularis Tear Repair Arthroscopic vs Open Surgery

Background: The largest rotator cuff tendon, the subscapularis, rotates the glenohumeral joint internally. This study's objective was to compare the arthroscopic versus the open technique outcomes in subscapularis tear repair. Methods: This prospective study comprised 30 patients who had a subscapularis tear and needed either arthroscopic or open surgery for repair. The study was done in Benha university hospitals and Ahrar teaching hospital from November 2020 to February 2023. Patients were split into 2 groups: Arthroscopic group: 15 were treated by arthroscopic surgery. Open surgery group: 15 were treated with open surgery. Results: The arthroscopic group had a higher percentage of combined tears and affected the right side more often, while the open surgery group had a higher percentage of isolated tears and affected the left side more often. The arthroscopic group had more postoperative pain, but fewer complications than the open surgery group. Preoperative and postoperative clinical assessments showed substantial changes among groups of the study concerning the constant score, UCLA score, and results of belly press test. The arthroscopic group had more positive results in belly press tests and lift off after operation. The two groups had similar outcomes in terms of post-surgical complications and duration of follow up. Conclusions: In terms of motion range and functional results, arthroscopic treatment may be preferable to open repair. While there are still rare cases when open repair surgery makes sense, particularly when arthroscopic options are restricted.
The Impact of Trade Openness on Economic Stability in Asian Countries

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nexus between trade openness and three aspects of macroeconomic stability, including growth stability, inflation stability, and exchange rate stability, in 20 Asian countries from 2011 to 2019. The empirical analysis was carried out with the help of the autoregressive distributed lag (ADRL) model to examine the impact of trade openness on economic stability. Our results revealed that trade openness was negatively associated with the growth stability of the countries located in the Asian region, while the opposite was true for exchange rate stability in the short run. There was, however, no relation between trade openness and inflation stability, which requires further investigation. In addition to contributing new empirical evidence to academic literature, our study expects to have important implications for policymakers. In particular, Asian countries are recommended to speed up the process of trade liberalisation to accelerate long-run economic growth and exchange rate stability.
Performance Evaluation of Dual-axis Tracking System of Parabolic Trough Solar Collector

A parabolic trough solar collector with the concentration ratio of 24 was developed in the College of Engineering; Nanjing Agricultural University, China with the using of the TracePro software an optical model built. Effects of single-axis and dual-axis tracking modes, azimuth and elevating angle tracking errors on the optical performance were investigated and the thermal performance of the solar collector was experimentally measured. The results showed that the optical efficiency of the dual-axis tracking was 0.813% and its year average value was 14.3% and 40.9% higher than that of the eat-west tracking mode and north-south tracking mode respectively. Further, form the results of the experiment, it was concluded that the optical efficiency was affected significantly by the elevation angle tracking errors which should be kept below 0.6o. High optical efficiency could be attained by using dual-tracking mode even though the tracking precision of one axis was degraded. The real-time instantaneous thermal efficiency of the collector reached to 0.775%. In addition, the linearity of the normalized efficiency was favorable. The curve of the calculated thermal efficiency agreed well with the normalized instantaneous efficiency curve derived from the experimental data and the maximum difference between them was 10.3%. This type of solar collector should be applied in middle-scale thermal collection systems.
Robustness analysis of gain‐scheduled Model Predictive Control for Linear Parameter Varying systems: An Integral Quadratic Constraints approach

In this paper, we evaluate the robustness qualities of Model Predictive Control (MPC) algorithms applied for Linear Parameter Varying (LPV) systems. Specifically, we analyze gain‐scheduled LPV MPC schemes, that is, those that use model predictions based on the LPV scheduling variables available at each sampling instant. Accordingly, we extend previous results on finite‐horizon robustness analysis of linear time‐variant (LTV) systems, employing Integral Quadratic Constraints (IQCs) to describe the input‐output behavior of prediction uncertainties. We provide two main novelties in our formulation: (i) we propose a parameter‐dependent Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) inequality to describe the existence and feasibility of the LPV MPC control inputs; and (ii) we model the uncertainties that arise due to the unavailability of the scheduling trajectory along the prediction horizon as a bounded interconnection in the form of a Linear Fractional Transformation (LFT). Accordingly, we use dissipativity arguments ( p$$ p $$ ‐hard IQCs) in order to compute robust induced gains of the closed‐loop system (specifically, the ℒ2$$ {\mathcal{L}}_2 $$ and ℒ2$$ {\mathcal{L}}_2 $$ ‐to‐Euclidean metrics), taking into account the MPC prediction uncertainties. We also generate the set of reachable states from a given initial condition. A benchmark example is used to illustrate the proposed analysis procedure.