Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Obesity alters mobility and adult neurogenesis, but not hippocampal dependent learning in ob/ob mice

Background Obesity has become a severe problem among the world’s population with clearly increasing prevalence over the last decades. Because obesity is associated with several comorbidities (e.g. hypertension or cancer) it constitutes an increasing burden for the health care system. Correlations between obesity and cognition have been studied in humans with ambivalent results. Here, we studied the effects of obesity on hippocampus dependent learning and memory and cell morphology in a mouse model of obesity. Methods The body mass of male and female Lep+/+(wt) and Lepob/ob(ob/ob) animals with access to food and water ad libitum was measured between postnatal day 60-200 and animals with clear adiposity (4-6 months) were further analyzed. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus was examined using phosphohistone H3 as a marker for proliferation, doublecortin as a marker for differentiation and caspase3 as a marker for apoptosis. Moreover, the density of dendritic spines on apical and basal dendrites of pyramidal neurons of the cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) were analyzed using Golgi impregnation. In addition, mice were subjected to the open field and Morris water maze test in order to analyze locomotor activity and spatial learning. Results The body weight of ob/ob mice nearly doubled during the first 120 postnatal days. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis was reduced in ob/ob mice due to reduced cell proliferation. Dendritic spine densities in the hippocampal area CA1 were not altered in ob/ob mice. Four to six months old ob/ob mice showed reduced locomotor activity in the open field test but similar performance in the Morris water maze compared to control mice. Conclusion Our data show that alterations in adult neurogenesis in leptin-deficient mice are not associated with an impairment in spatial learning abilities. Moreover, ob/ob mice are inconspicuous in the Morris water maze and do not display altered spine densities in the hippocampus, suggesting that obesity does not have a severe impact upon hippocampal neuronal plasticity and spatial learning.
An exploration of the effects of learning through ‘interaction activities’ on eighth-graders’ social acceptance of students with special needs in Turkey

ABSTRACT This study aims to determine the effects of training through interaction activities on the social acceptance levels of typically developing eighth-grade students towards students with special needs. The study was carried out with a sample of 100 eighth-grade students attending middle school in a province in Turkey. The study used an experimental pre- and post-test control group design (with 50 students in each group). It found a significant difference between the post-test scores of the experimental group and the control group, with the difference in favour of the experimental group. However, the highest social acceptance among typically developing students was found to be for gifted students, while the lowest was for students with autism and intellectual disabilities.
Factors affecting bank customers usage of electronic banking in Ethiopia: Application of structural equation modeling (SEM)

Abstract Electronic banking services have not been widely used by most bank customers in Ethiopia; most bank customers continue to conduct most of their banking transactions using traditional methods. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to identify factors that affect customers’ usage of electronic banking services. The type of research applied in this study is explanatory in nature. A research model was developed by integrating the constructs of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). A total of 420 actual users of e-banking services were used as a sample. A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect the relevant information. The data analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling revealed that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude towards e-banking, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, behavioral intention, awareness as well as the availability of internet/network connection have a significant positive impact on users e-banking usage practice. However, perceived risk has a significant negative impact. These findings suggest that banks in Ethiopia should create awareness to their customers with regard to the usage and benefits of e-banking service delivery channels.
Experimental Study on the Seismic Performance of Improved Grouted Corrugated Duct Connection (GCDC) Design for Precast Concrete Bridge Column

ABSTRACT This study introduced a new design of the grouted corrugated duct connection (GCDC), which improves the structure integrity, bond strength and ease of constructability. A two-phase experimental program was performed to fully understand the connection behaviour. Phase I focused on the pull-out tests of 32 specimens in two batches with various conditions. It indicates that a connection length of 30 times of the rebar diameters would guarantee the bond strength. Phase II compared the 1/3-scale precast bridge column with its cast-in-place reference via quasi-static cyclic test. It showed that the precast column behaved similarly to that of the CIP column.
Production and Quality Evaluation of Cheese from Soy and Coconut Milk Using Selected Coagulants

Cheese was produced from soy milk, cow milk and coconut milk using lime, lemon and rennet as coagulants. The effect of these coagulants on proximate composition, coagulation time, percentage yield, peroxide value, Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substance (TBA-RS), microbiological and sensory qualities of the formulated cheese was evaluated using standard methods. Nine samples were designed for this study. The moisture content of rennet coagulated cheese was significantly higher than lime and lemon coagulated cheese, while the protein content of lime coagulated cheese was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than those of lemon and rennet coagulated cheese. The crude fat and total ash contents of cheese made from cow milk were superior to those Original Research Article Ayodeji et al.; EJNFS, 12(7): 1-12, 2020; Article no.EJNFS. 58175 2 made from soy milk and coconut milk. The fibre content of lime coagulated cheese was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than lemon and rennet coagulated cheese. The coagulation time and percentage yield of the cheese samples did not follow a definite trend and ranged between 19-147 sec and 12.40-28.70% respectively. Aside samples DSL and HCL, all the other freshly prepared cheese samples fell within the standard value of 10 mEq/kg. However, with an increase in storage time, virtually all the samples became rancid. With an increase in storage time. Similar trend was observed in the TBA-RS of the cheese samples. All the samples were microbiologically safe for human consumption and the cheese samples were organoleptically acceptable, since their sensory scores were above average. The study established that cheese produced from fresh cow milk, soy milk and coconut milk coagulated with lime, lemon and rennet showed to a large extent significant differences in their chemical composition, percentage yield and coagulation time. The peroxide value and TBA-RS determination from this study showed that the cheese could not stay longer than a day on the shelf, unless it is refrigerated.
Bacillus and Paenibacillus spp. associated with extended shelf life milk

ii DEDICATION . iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . v TABLE OF CONTENTS . vi LIST OF TABLES . xii LIST OF FIGURES . xiii CHAPTER ONE . 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION . 1 CHAPTER TWO . 5 LITERATURE REVIEW . 5 2.1 Milk production and consumption trends . 6 2.2 Extended shelf life milk . 8 2.2.1 Milk chilling. 10 2.2.2 Heat treatment of milk . 11 2.2.2.1 Pasteurisation of milk . 12 2.2.3 Microfiltration of milk . 14 2.2.4 Bactofugation of milk . 15 2.2.5 Aseptic packaging . 16 vii 2.3 Bacteria associated with milk . 17 2.3.1 Raw milk . 17 2.3.2 Heat treated milk . 19 2.3.2.1 Pasteurised milk . 19 2.3.2.2 ESL milk . 20 2.4 Contamination routes in milk processing . 21 2.4. 1 Milk at the farm . 21 2.4. 1.1 Interior of the udder . 21 2.4. 1.2 Exterior of the udder . 22 2.4. 1.3 Water . 22 2.4. 1.4 Milk handling equipment. 23 2.4. 2 Milk at the processing plant . 23 2.4. 2.1 Processing equipment . 23 2.4. 2.2 Air in the processing plant . 24 2.4. 2.3 Packaging materials . 24 2.5 Adaptation mechanisms of bacteria during milk processing . 25 2.5. 1 Bacterial endospores . 26 2.5. 2 Biofilms. 27 2.5. 3 Cold shock response . 28 2.6 Spore-forming bacteria associated with ESL milk . 30 2.6. 1 Paenibacillus spp. 30 2.6. 2 Bacillus spp. 31 2.6. 2.1 B. pumilus . 32 viii 2.6. 2.2 B. subtilis . 33 2.6. 2.3 B. cereus . 34 2.6. 2.3.1 B. cereus pathogenicity and outbreaks . 35 2.7 Advances in detection and identification of microorganisms in the food industry . 39 2.7. 1 Protein based methods . 39 2.7. 1.1 Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption / Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) . 39 2.7. 2 DNA based methods . 40 2.7. 2.1 End point PCR . 40 2.7. 2.2 rep-PCR . 40 2.7. 2.3 16S sequencing . 41 2.7. 3.4 Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) . 42 2.7. 3.5 Whole genome sequencing (WGS) . 43 CHAPTER THREE . 45 HYPOTHESES AND OBJECTIVES . 45 3.1 Hypothesis 1 . 46 3.1.1 Objective . 46 3.2 Hypothesis 2 . 47 3.2.1 Objective . 47 CHAPTER FOUR . 48 Bacillus and Paenibacillus spp. associated with extended shelf life milk during processing and storage . 48
Pengaruh Inflasi, Penagihan Pajak dan Penyuluhan Pajak terhadap Penerimaan Pajak Penghasilan

This study aims to examine the effect of inflation, tax collection, and tax education on income tax revenue. This study uses report data documented from the Tampan subdistrict tax office in Pekanbaru and the Central Statistics Agency of Pekanbaru in the form of inflation data, billing activities, and tax counseling for 3 years (January 2017 - December 2019). Data were analyzed using Multiple Regression analysis. The results showed that inflation and tax counseling variables significantly influence income tax revenue. On the other hand, the tax collection variable has no significant effect on income tax revenue. This finding underlines the collection of income tax does not have a significant effect on income tax revenue is due to tax collection carried out on all people who have tax arrears. As a contribution that in the issuance of Tax Collection Letter (STP), the tax authorities can focus the issuance of STP to taxpayers who have large amounts of arrears, so that income tax revenue can increase faster. because more and more STPs issued to prove that tax collection activities may not be able to run effectively.
Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in cigarette smokers ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients

Introduction: A close relationship between smoking and atherosclerosis has been proposed by several workers. This analysis was taken up to ascertain the effects of smoking on cholesterol esterification and variations in lipid, lipoprotein profile, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status leading to cardiac risk which could be explained by proposed mechanism of effect of nicotine on enzymes of lipid metabolism. Methods: The study group consisted of 50 smokers and 50 healthy individuals aged between 35-65 years. During the course of study, some smokers presented with clinical signs and symptoms of ischemic heart disease. ECG of the individuals of the study group was done and accordingly they were classified as smokers with and without IHD, Lipid peroxidation, antioxidant status, Serum Total Cholesterol and its fractions, Triglyceride, HDL, LDL and VLDL were estimated. Out of the total number of smokers (n=50) involved in the study, 22 individuals presented with changes in their ECG pattern diagnostic of IHD (44% conversion rate). Most of these individuals who presented with changes in ECG pattern of IHD were chain smokers (heavy smokers) or individuals smoking for more than 30 years. All of these individuals were non-diabetic. Results: The level of Serum Cholesterol, triglycerides, VLDL, LDL, hs-CRP and MDA were found to be significantly raised in smokers while HDL cholesterol, ratio of esterified cholesterol to free cholesterol and Glutathione was significantly decreased (p<0.001). This impact was directly proportional to increase in the number of cigarettes smoked and duration of smoking.
Role of Spirulina Platensis as a Natural Antioxidant on in Vivo and In Vitro Embryo Development in Rabbits

Various natural antioxidants, such as spirulina platensis (SP) as dietary additives, are beneficial to attenuate the detrimental effects of oxidative stress on fertility of females. The present study targeted to investigate:1) dietary SP effect (200 and 400 mg/kg LBW) on the reproductive performance, ovulatory responses and embryos development, and 2) effect of liquid SP addition to culture media (0.05 and 0.1 ml/ml) on in vitro embryos development of NZW rabbit does under heat stress. Results revealed that both dietary SP additions led to an increase (P<0.05) in ovarian weight, relative ovarian weight, total, antral follicles and CLs numbers, ovulation rate, and number and percentage of expanded blastocyst and hatched blastocysts, while decreased (P<0.05) number of bleeding follicles, number and percentage of degenerated embryos compared with control group. In vitro embryo developmental competence, in terms of number and percentage of hatched blastocysts increased (P≥0.05) by SP compared to control. Number and percentage of expanded blastocysts and degenerated embryos decreased (P≥0.05) in treatment groups as compared to control group. In conclusion addition of SP at a level of 400 mg/kg LBW in the diet of rabbit does improved reproductive traits in terms of increasing site and rate of ovulation, yield of acceptable embryos, and hatched blastocyst production. However, in vitro addition of SP in culture medium had no pronounced effect on the developmental competence of rabbit embryos.
The Implication of “I Am the Alpha and the Omega” to Internet Institutes

It is extremely fearful for the pestilences covering our Earth. Does that mean the “World End” is around the corner? For the so-called “Atheists” originally proposed by Karl Max and Friedrich Engels, “there is a Beginning, there must be an End”, meaning our Earth will finally no longer exist in the entire Universe by colliding with the other planet. According to Holly Bible, however, Jesus, will send out his angels to separate the wicked from the righteous and throw the former into the fiery furnace. For such a special time-period, many useful ideas or outcomes can be acquired by the Internet Institutes.
Agricultural lands offer seasonal habitats to tigers in a human‐dominated and fragmented landscape in India

Conserving wide-ranging large carnivores in human-dominated landscapes is contingent on acknowledging the conservation value of human-modi ﬁ ed lands. This is particularly true for tigers ( Panthera tigris ), now largely dependent on small and fragmented habitats, embedded within densely populated agroecosystems in India. Devising a comprehensive conservation strategy for the species requires an understanding of the temporal patterns of space use by tiger within these human-modi ﬁ ed areas. These areas are often characterized by altered prey communities, novel risks resulting from high human densities and seasonally dynamic vegetative cover. Understanding space use within these areas is vital to devising human-tiger con ﬂ ict prevention measures and for conserving landscape elements critical to maintain functional connectivity between populations. We documented seasonal space-use patterns of tigers in agricultural lands surrounding protected areas in the Central Terai Landscape (CTL) in northern India. We estimated the probability of space use and its drivers by applying dynamic occupancy models that correct for false-positive and false-negative errors to tiger detection\non-detection data within agricultural areas. These data were generated by conducting local interviews, sign surveys, and camera trapping within 94 randomly selected 2.5-km 2 grid cells. We found that agricultural areas were used with high probability in the winter (0.64; standard error [SE] 0.08), a period of high vegetative cover availability. The use of agricultural lands was lower in the summer (0.56; SE 0.09) and was lowest in the monsoon season (0.21; SE 0.07), tracking a decline in vegetative cover and available habitat across the landscape. Availability of vegetative cover and drainage features positively in ﬂ uenced space use, whereas use declined with increasing distance to protected areas and the extent of human settlements. These ﬁ ndings highlight the role of agricultural areas in providing seasonal habitats for tigers and offer a basis for understanding where tigers and humans co-occur in these landscapes. These ﬁ ndings help expand our current understanding of what constitutes large carnivore habitats to include human-dominated agricultural areas. They underscore the need for greater integration of land-sharing and land-sparing initiatives to conserve large carnivores within human-dominated agroecosystems. that cor-rected for false-positive detection errors (Miller et al. 2013) to our data. We discuss the implications of our results for tiger conservation in the CTL and in broadening our understanding of the role that human-dominated, agricultural areas may play in supporting populations of large carnivores.
Soil lifespans and how they can be extended by land use and management change

Human-induced soil erosion is a serious threat to global sustainability, endangering global food security, driving desertification and biodiversity loss, and degrading other vital ecosystem services. To help assess this threat, we amassed a global inventory of soil erosion rates consisting of 10 030 plot years of data from 255 sites under conventional agriculture and soil conservation management. We combined these with existing soil formation data to estimate soil sustainability expressed as a lifespan, here defined as the time taken for a topsoil of 30 cm to be eroded. We show that just under a third of conventionally managed soils in the dataset exhibit lifespans of <200 years, with 16% <100 years. Conservation measures substantially extend lifespan estimates, and in many cases promote soil thickening, with 39% of soils under conservation measures exhibiting lifespans exceeding 10 000 years. However, the efficacy of conservation measures is influenced by site- and region-specific variables such as climate, slope and soil texture. Finally, we show that short soil lifespans of <100 years are widespread globally, including some of the wealthiest nations. These findings highlight the pervasiveness, magnitude, and in some cases, the immediacy of the threat posed by soil erosion to near-term soil sustainability. Yet, this work also demonstrates that we have a toolbox of conservation methods that have potential to ameliorate this issue, and their implementation can help ensure that the world’s soils continue to provide for us for generations to come.
Exploring Thoughts of Victims of School Bullying Through Drawings

This study explored the underlying thoughts of victims of school bullying through analysis of their drawings. Eighty senior secondary students (studying in classes 9 to 11) identified as victims based on the Illinois Victimization Scale participated in the study. Participants drew their victimization experiences and provided elaborations of their drawings. Analysis of participants’ responses involved the framework method. Results showed that thoughts of bullied participants were related to the (1) outcomes of being victimized (2) dealing with the bullies, and (3) the reason for bullying. The participants evinced various thoughts related to direct or indirect coping, victim-related reasons, and bully related reasons as gauged by their drawings. The findings of this study were interpreted in the light of developmental-ecological framework and research. The article indicates implications for future research and professionals to help the victims of school bullying.
Aerosol emission is increased in professional singing

In this study, emission rates of aerosols emitted by professional singers were measured with a laser particle counter under cleanroom conditions. The emission rates during singing varied between 753.4 and 6095.37~P/s. Emission rates for singing were compared with data for breathing and speaking. Significantly higher emission rates were found for singing. The growth rates between singing and speaking were between 3.97 and 99.54. Further, effects of vocal loudness and gender were investigated. The present study should support the efforts to improve the risk management in cases of possible aerogenic virus transmission, especially for choir singing.
The Influence of Knowledge Sharing, Affective Commitment, and Meaningful Work on Employee‘s Performance

Purpose: The research aimed to test the influence of knowledge sharing, affective commitment, and meaningful work on the performance of the employee. This study was conducted in Indonesia, specifically in the banking sector. Design/Methodology/Approach: Data collection of this study used administered questionnaires among employees. Thus, 219 questionnaires were returned and analyzed using SmartPLS 3 software. Findings: The study revealed that knowledge sharing and meaningful work significantly affect the performance of the employee. In contrast, affective commitment did not influence the performance of the employee. This study further showed that meaningful work mediated the correlation between knowledge sharing and the performance of employees. Practical implications: This study’s findings contribute to the literature review advancement related to the associations among knowledge sharing, affective commitment, meaningful work, and the performance of employees. Originality/value: This paper is the first empirical study to uncover the impact of knowledge sharing, affective commitment, and meaningful work on the performance of employees in the Indonesian banking sector.
Linking demographic variables to motivation: investigating the motivation to choose teaching among Arab and Jewish students in Israel

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to explore the kinds of motivation driving Arab and Jewish students in Israel to choose teaching as a career. This study addressed several issues that have been largely overlooked in previous research such as the focus on Content Value motives (the motivation to teach specific subjects) as well as linking demographic variables to motivational factors, particularly cultural diversity and prior pedagogical experience. The present study yielded three central findings: the importance of Content Value motives; similar motivational patterns have been found between the two sectors despite demographic differences between them; prior teaching experience has been found to have an effect on the kinds of motivations for choosing teaching as career. The paper concludes by exploring the implications of the present study on teacher preparation programs and on future research on the motivation to choose teaching as a career especially in culturally diverse educational contexts.