Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring local and organic food consumption in a holistic sustainability view

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify sustainability aspects that overlap with local and organic consumer profiles in order to provide evidence that can be used to promote both kinds of foods in a sustainable food consumption (SFC) integrated framework. Design/methodology/approach Discriminant analysis was applied to a national sample of 3,004 respondents in Italy to separately depict local and organic consumers’ profiles based on personal values, eating habits, food purchase motivations, and involvement. Findings Organic consumption showed a lower penetration compared to local consumption. However, organic consumers adhered to more sustainable consumption principles. Adopting healthy diets and sharing self-transcendence values emerged as common traits of both consumers. Regular consumption made both consumers’ profiles look similar by sharing more sustainability-related traits. Research limitations/implications Only two out of the different types of foods promoted as sustainable were considered. Further insights could be made regarding fair trade foods and food promoted by voluntary sustainability standards. Practical implications The overlapping motivations of the two consumer profiles provided evidence of the potential efficacy of joint promotion in favour of sustainability and demonstrated that a synergic approach among food systems could foster more sustainable consumption. Originality/value This study identified common sustainability motivations among different consumer groups, based on sustainable food categories, adopting a holistic vision of SFC.
Evaluation of employee profiles using a hybrid clustering and optimization model: Practical study

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce an evaluation methodology for employee profiles that will provide feedback to the training decision makers. Employee profiles play a crucial role in the evaluation process to improve the training process performance. This paper focuses on the clustering of the employees based on their profiles into specific categories that represent the employees’ characteristics. The employees are classified into following categories: necessary training, required training, and no training. The work may answer the question of how to spend the budget of training for the employees. This investigation presents the use of fuzzy optimization and clustering hybrid model (data mining approaches) as a fuzzy imperialistic competitive algorithm (FICA) and k-means to find the employees’ categories and predict their training requirements. Design/methodology/approach Prior research that served as an impetus for this paper is discussed. The approach is to apply evolutionary algorithms and clustering hybrid model to improve the training decision system directions. Findings This paper focuses on how to find a good model for the evaluation of employee profiles. The paper introduces the use of artificial intelligence methods (fuzzy optimization (FICA) and clustering techniques (K-means)) in management. The suggestion and the recommendations were constructed based on the clustering results that represent the employee profiles and reflect their requirements during the training courses. Finally, the paper proved the ability of fuzzy optimization technique and clustering hybrid model in predicting the employee’s training requirements. Originality/value This paper evaluates employee profiles based on new directions and expands the implication of clustering view in solving organizational challenges (in TCT for the first time).
Effect of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs) on Information Delivery and Quality in Nigeria

This study examined the effect of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs) on information delivery in Nigeria. The study employed primary data with the study population of seven hundred and ninety nine (799) of which the samples were sourced from the Federal Ministry of Finance, FCT-Abuja and Ekiti State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Ado-Ekiti. Two hundred and sixty-six (266) questionnaires were distributed and all retrieved. One hundred and eighty-three (183) from the Federal Ministry of Finance, FCT-Abuja and eighty-three (83) from Ekiti State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Ado-Ekiti using Taro Yamane’s sample size method. The result of the Cronbach’s Alpha test showed that the questionnaire containing 30 items was reliable with a significant value of 0.813 representing 81.3%. The result of OLS regression of Pre and Post-IPSASs revealed that the coefficient of determination (R 2 ) was 0.510 representing 51.0%, F-test with a value of 136.992 and its P-values were 0.000 which imply that the explanatory variables are positively significant except Understandability that is negatively significant. The study concluded that adoption of IPSAS increased the quality of information delivery thus enhanced level of accountability and transparency of Nigeria public sector. The study recommended that regulatory authorities should adopt adequate measures to ensure compliance by those saddled with the responsibility of preparing public sector financial statements. Also, measures should be taken to enhance the disclosure of relevant financial information that will help users take useful economic decisions. Keywords: Traditional Accounting System, IPSASs, Information Delivery, Accountability
Direct current electrical characterization of ds-DNA in nanogap junctions

Measurements of DNA conductivity, hybridization, and melting using electronic means can have wide applications in molecular electronics and biological sensors. We have fabricated nanogap break-junctions by electromigration through thin gold-on-titanium films. 18-mer thiolated ds-DNA molecules were covalently attached between the electrodes and dc electrical measurements were done. The conductance was measured through the molecule before and after a temperature ramp from 300 to 400 K. A dramatic decrease in conductance was observed, analogous to an electrical fuse, possibly attributed to complete or partial denaturing of the ds-DNA molecules bridging the nanogaps. We also show evidence that the dc resistance of dry DNA strands of the same length decreases with increasing guanine-cytosine content in the sequence with values ranging from 10 M Ω to 2 G Ω. These findings can have important consequences in DNA-based molecular electronics and direct label-free detection of DNA hybridization.
Taxonomy of bi-temporal events data semantics

We describe a taxonomy of bitemporal events in order to show how bitemporal databases based on a bitemporal object state and event (BOSE) model are able to cope with nondestructive updates and managing error corrections in bitemporal databases. Our proposed scheme classifies bitemporal event types according to their roles in maintaining bitemporal database state histories. We classify these events into start, transitional and final bitemporal event types. Transitional bitemporal event types are further classified into corrective, amended and other user-defined types. We demonstrate how this taxonomy can be used in designing bitemporal database systems based on our proposed bitemporal object state and event modelling approach (BOSEMA) and show a generalized internal representation of this taxonomy in a bitemporal database schema.
A Secure User Authentication Scheme against Smart-Card Loss Attack for Wireless Sensor Networks Using Symmetric Key Techniques

User authentication in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is a critical security issue due to their unattended and hostile deployment in the field. In order to protect the security of real-time data query from an external user, many two-factor (password and smart-card) user authentication schemes are proposed. However, most of them are insecure against various attacks. This paper summarizes attacks and security requirements for two-factor user authentication in WSNs. Based on security requirements, a user authentication and session key establishment scheme is also proposed, and this scheme can resist smart-card loss attack merely by using symmetric key techniques. Security and performance analysis demonstrate that, compared to the existing schemes, the proposed approach is more secure and highly efficient.
The ε constrained differential evolution approach for optimal operational planning of energy plants

This paper introduces optimal operational planning of energy plants via the ε constrained differential evolution. In order to generate optimal operational planning for energy plants, startup/shutdown status and/or input/output values of the facilities at each control interval should be determined. The problem can be formulated as a large-scale mixed-integer nonlinear problem (MINLP). Metaheuristics (MHs) is one of the solutions for MINLP. If the formulated MINLP has various equality and inequality constraints, it remains difficult to solve it without parameters tuning. In this paper, to overcome the difficulty, we propose an improved differential evolution approach using the ε constrained method for MINLP. Results show the effectiveness of the proposed method compared with conventional methods.
Basal Lipid Peroxidation in Substantia Nigra Is Increased in Parkinson's Disease

Abstract: Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels (an index of the amount of substrate available for lipid peroxidation) were measured in several brain regions from patients who died with Parkinson's disease and age‐matched control human postmortem brains. PUFA levels were reduced in parkinsonian substantia nigra compared to other brain regions and to control tissue. However, basal malondialdehyde (MDA; an intermediate in the lipid peroxidation process) levels were increased in parkinsonian nigra compared with other parkinsonian brain regions and control tissue. Expressing basal MDA levels in terms of PUFA content, the difference between parkinsonian and control substantia nigra was even more pronounced. Stimulating MDA production by incubating tissue with FeSO4 plus ascorbic acid, FeSO4 plus H2O2, or air alone produced lower MDA levels in the parkinsonian substantia nigra, probably reflecting the lower PUFA content. These results may indicate that an increased level of lipid peroxidation continues to occur in the parkinsonian nigra up to the time of death, perhaps because of continued exposure to excess free radicals derived from some endogenous or exogenous neurotoxic species.
Reseaux d'antennes imprimees sur des surfaces conformes

Ce travail soutenu par la d. G. A. Est le fruit d'une collaboration avec l'universite de rennes i. Il a pour objectif une meilleure connaissance des reseaux d'antennes imprimees disposes sur des surfaces conformes. Dans une premiere partie, une methode permettant de calculer le diagramme de rayonnement de tels reseaux est presentee. Elle est ensuite utilisee dans une etude parametrique assez complete portant a la fois sur la disposition geometrique des elements sur un cone, et sur leur loi d'alimentation. La synthese de reseau est ensuite abordee en calculant le diagramme de rayonnement par la methode precedente et en faisant appel au recuit simule pour l'optimisation des parametres. Afin de valider le logiciel, les premieres applications ont porte sur des reseaux plans dont les resultats etaient connus. Des exemples plus complexes sont ensuite traites, faisant intervenir une optimisation simultanee de la loi d'alimentation et de l'orientation des elements pour obtenir un diagramme en puissance et en polarisation. Les mesures de validation ont permis de verifier differents resultats, mais la fabrication des maquettes a mis en evidence la difficulte de realisation de l'alimentation d'un reseau conforme. Cela a conduit a developper une nouvelle technique utilisant des guides d'ondes coplanaires sur des substrats souples, dont la mise en uvre a necessite l'elaboration de transitions afin de relier les lignes cpw aux diviseurs de puissance realises en technologie microruban.
Current and future treatment approaches for neuromyelitis optica

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by severe attacks of optic neuritis and myelitis, and which, unlike multiple sclerosis (MS), commonly spares the brain in the early stages. NMO used to be considered as a special form of MS. During the past 10 years, however, the two diseases have been shown to be clearly different. NMO is a B-cell-mediated disease associated with anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies in many cases and its pathophysiology seems to be near the acute lesion of necrotizing vasculitis. Assessment of prevalence shows that NMO is far less frequent than MS, which explains the absence of randomized clinical trials and NMO treatment strategies validated by evidence-based medicine. Recently, many data have been published that suggest that the therapeutic option in NMO should be immunosuppressive rather than immunomodulatory drugs. In the present study, after a brief overview of NMO, we review therapeutic studies and propose new therapeutic strategies in the relapse and disease-modifying fields.
AUTHENTICATED ANONYMOUS SECURE ROUTING PROTOCOL USING LAL ALGORITHM FOR VEHICLE TO VEHICLE

Localization is used in many sensor network applications. In the real world deployment for analysis network entirely localizable, leaving a certain number of theoretically in non-localizable nodes.in previous study with mainly focus on how to tune the network sets for make the localizable network. However, the existing method are always create the coarsegrained equal deal with localizable and non-localizable nodes. To emulating localizability involves unnecessary adjustments and accompany costs. In this study, we propose a fine-grained approach localizability-aided localization (LAL), which basically consists of three levels of phases in the algorithm. In the three phases is node localizability testing, structure analysis and network adjustment. LAL algorithm triggers with single round adjustment to get some popular localization methods can be successfully carried out being aware of node localizability. In all network can be adjustment make LAL are purposefully selecting with simulation results show that LAL algorithm effectively makes in terms of the number of added edges and
Presynaptic Local Signaling by a Canonical Wingless Pathway Regulates Development of the Drosophila Neuromuscular Junction

Wnt/wingless signaling contributes to the development of neuronal synapses, including the Drosophila neuromuscular junction. Loss of wg (wingless) function alters the number and structure of boutons at this model synapse. Examining Wnt/wingless signaling mechanisms, we find that a distinct pathway operates presynaptically in the motoneuron and can account for many of the effects of wingless at this synapse. This pathway includes the canonical elements arrow/LRP (low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein), dishevelled, and the glycogen synthase kinase shaggy (GSK3) and regulates the formation of microtubule loops within synaptic boutons as well as the number of synaptic boutons. This pathway, however, appears to be independent of β-catenin signaling and the transcriptional regulation that is most frequently downstream of these components. Instead, inhibition of shaggy is likely to act locally. This pathway thus provides a parallel mechanism to the postsynaptic activation of frizzled receptors and indicates that synaptic development results from the bidirectional influence of wingless on both presynaptic and postsynaptic structures via distinct intracellular pathways.
Guaranteed linear and nonlinear parameter estimation from bounded-error data: A survey

Classical statistical estimation has some drawbacks that can be overcome by bounded-error estimation, a deterministic alternative. Methods are presented that make it possible to obtain a set guaranteed to contain all parameter vectors consistent with the data, model structure and assumed error bounds. The techniques to be used depend on whether or not the error is affine in the parameters. <<ETX>>
Optimal control strategy of a node-level dynamical model with external computers

This paper investigates the effects of dynamic countermeasure and external computers on virus prevalence by establishing a node-level dynamical model. To weigh the control effect and control cost of dynamic countermeasure, an optimal control problem based on the proposed model is formulated. Theoretical analysis shows the existence of an optimal dynamic countermeasure scheme for the problem, and the corresponding optimality system is also derived. Additionally, some numerical analysis is made to illustrate the main results. It is found that accessing the network by using the frequent online-offline-online mode is conducive to the containment of virus diffusion at a low cost.
Pharmacological Studies On Sterculia Foetida Leaves

An alcoholic extract of Sterculia foetida L. leaves was subjected to pharmacological screening using various animal models. The extract caused reduced exploratory activity in mice. Further it potentiated pentobarbitone sleeping time in normal and chronic pentobarbitone-treated mice. It also potentiated barbital sodium-induced hypnosis, indicating central nervous system depressant activity. The extract also exhibited significant antiinflammatory activity in the acute carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and the chronic granuloma pouch models. However, it was devoid of analgesic activity in the tail flick model.
Motor Learning-Dependent Synaptogenesis Is Localized to Functionally Reorganized Motor Cortex

The regional specificity and functional significance of learning-dependent synaptogenesis within physiologically defined regions of the adult motor cortex are described. In comparison to rats in a motor activity control group, rats trained on a skilled reaching task exhibited an areal expansion of wrist and digit movement representations within the motor cortex. No expansion of hindlimb representations was seen. This functional reorganization was restricted to the caudal forelimb area, as no differences in the topography of movement representations were observed within the rostral forelimb area. Paralleling the physiological changes, trained animals also had significantly more synapses per neuron than controls within layer V of the caudal forelimb area. No differences in the number of synapses per neuron were found in either the rostral forelimb or hindlimb areas. This is the first demonstration of the co-occurrence of functional and structural plasticity within the same cortical regions and provides strong evidence that synapse formation may play a role in supporting learning-dependent changes in cortical function.
Synthetic meshes in the treatment of postoperative fascial dehiscence of the spine.

BACKGROUND A fascial dehiscence after spinal instrumentation is usually located at the mechanically stressed interscapular thoracic spine and often causes cosmetic impairment and pain. However, therapy options remain barely discussed. Synthetic meshes have been successfully used in the treatment of abdominal hernias. OBJECTIVE It was hypothesized that synthetic meshes are a successful treatment option for spinal fascial dehiscence. METHODS This retrospective study of a prospective database investigated all consecutive patients who received a synthetic mesh for a fascial dehiscence of the spine between 2010 and 2014 after prior spinal instrumentation. Primary outcomes were healing of the fascial dehiscence, recurrence, infection, revision, subjective satisfaction on a visual analog scale (VAS), and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Among others, secondary outcomes consisted of seroma formation and return to work. The evaluated risk factors consisted of the body mass index (BMI), outer abdominal fat (OAF), back tissue, smoking, immunomodulatory therapy, preoperative radiation dose, and instrumented levels. RESULTS Sixteen patients with a mean follow up of 24 months were included. Every fascial dehiscence successfully healed with the synthetic mesh and there were no recurrences, infections or revisions. The mean subjective satisfaction level was VAS 7.3 and the mean ODI was 26%. Five (31%) patients had a seroma postoperatively, but did not show any differences in the outcome (e.g. ODI of 28%). In the patient group < 65 years (n = 12), all but two patients, who had work restrictions due to other diseases, regained at least some capacity to work. Worse ODI scores were found for patients with increased BMI, OAF, back tissue, cortisone therapy, instrumented levels, preoperative radiation dose, and for smokers. CONCLUSION Synthetic meshes are a successful treatment option for spinal fascial dehiscence, even seemingly in patients with a higher risk profile such as obese and immunocompromised patients as well as in revision procedures. They are associated with respectable cosmetic results, pain relief and clinical outcome. Postoperatively, it is recommended to leave drains for more than five to seven days in order to avoid seroma formation and to avoid weight training for six weeks. Further prospective, comparative studies are recommended.
Experimental Evidence for a Hydride Transfer Mechanism in Plant Glycolate Oxidase Catalysis*

Background: Uncertainty remains about the nature of transition states along the reductive half-reaction of glycolate oxidase. Results: Deuterated glycolate and solvent slow down plant glycolate oxidase catalysis to a modest extent. Conclusion: Isotope effects support a hydride transfer mechanism and indicate glycolate deprotonation to be only partially rate-limiting. Significance: Understanding the catalytic mechanism of the enzyme is crucial for designing drugs/herbicides to inhibit its activity. In plants, glycolate oxidase is involved in the photorespiratory cycle, one of the major fluxes at the global scale. To clarify both the nature of the mechanism and possible differences in glycolate oxidase enzyme chemistry from C3 and C4 plant species, we analyzed kinetic parameters of purified recombinant C3 (Arabidopsis thaliana) and C4 (Zea mays) plant enzymes and compared isotope effects using natural and deuterated glycolate in either natural or deuterated solvent. The 12C/13C isotope effect was also investigated for each plant glycolate oxidase protein by measuring the 13C natural abundance in glycolate using natural or deuterated glycolate as a substrate. Our results suggest that several elemental steps were associated with an hydrogen/deuterium isotope effect and that glycolate α-deprotonation itself was only partially rate-limiting. Calculations of commitment factors from observed kinetic isotope effect values support a hydride transfer mechanism. No significant differences were seen between C3 and C4 enzymes.
Low bone mineral density in patients with type 1 diabetes: association with reduced expression of IGF1, IGF1R and TGF B 1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells

The negative effects of type 1 diabetes (T1D) on growth factors of bone metabolism lead to a reduction in bone mineral density. This study aimed to evaluate the association between bone mineral density and insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF1), insulin‐like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1) expressions in children and adolescents with T1D. Moreover, the influences of age at diagnosis, time since diagnosis, glycaemic control and albuminuria on bone mineral density were investigated.