Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Field Trip as an Effective Method of Teaching Apiculture/Beekeeping among University Students

Various methods of teaching beekeeping in the very few institutions of higher learning that offer such courses have been studied. This survey attempted to review the numerous methods of instructions applied in achieving better learning outcomes on apiculture in tertiary institutions. Secondary information were mainly used to source for data for the survey. However, interview schedules were conducted to solicit for primary data from the students on their perception on best methodology for learning the subject. Descriptive statistics and percentage score were used to analyse the involvement of institutions in instructing learners, and capture learners’ perception on most preferred teaching methods of the course, respectively. Although findings indicated that a classroom lectures method, a combination of lecture and demonstration methods, field trip method, laboratory method, project methods, among others, existed as pedagogies used for ensuring that learners have had thorough understanding of the subject matter, majority of learners opted for the field trip method of teaching apiculture as the most preferred way of stimulating students toward enhanced learning outcomes. Based on the findings of the study, it’s concluded that a combination of field trip and lecture methods of instruction is the most effective way of teaching beekeeping in tertiary schools. Therefore, institutions and organisations of public and private origins that intend to improve on the knowledge of apiculture among youths and all, should capture field trip and lecture methods in their curricula of learning as the most preferred way of instruction.
Daily Inclusion of Resistant Starch-Containing Potatoes in a Dietary Guidelines for Americans Dietary Pattern Does Not Adversely Affect Cardiometabolic Risk or Intestinal Permeability in Adults with Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Poor diet quality influences cardiometabolic risk. Although potatoes are suggested to adversely affect cardiometabolic health, controlled trials that can establish causality are limited. Consistent with potatoes being rich in micronutrients and resistant starch, we hypothesized that their inclusion in a Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)-based dietary pattern would improve cardiometabolic and gut health in metabolic syndrome (MetS) persons. In a randomized cross-over trial, MetS persons (n = 27; 32.5 ± 1.3 year) consumed a DGA-based diet for 2 weeks containing potatoes (DGA + POTATO; 17.5 g/day resistant starch) or bagels (DGA + BAGEL; 0 g/day resistant starch) prior to completing oral glucose and gut permeability tests. Blood pressure, fasting glucose and insulin, and insulin resistance decreased (p < 0.05) from baseline regardless of treatment without any change in body mass. Oral glucose-induced changes in brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, nitric oxide homeostasis, and lipid peroxidation did not differ between treatment arms. Serum endotoxin AUC0–120 min and urinary lactulose/mannitol, but not urinary sucralose/erythritol, were lower in DGA + POTATO. Fecal microbiome showed limited between-treatment differences, but the proportion of acetate was higher in DGA + POTATO. Thus, short-term consumption of a DGA-based diet decreases cardiometabolic risk, and the incorporation of resistant starch-containing potatoes into a healthy diet reduces small intestinal permeability and postprandial endotoxemia.
Phytochemical study and pharmaceutical properties of essential oils and organic extracts of two Eucalyptus species: E. stricklandii Maiden and E. brevifolia F.Muell

ABSTRACT Essential oils and solvent extracts of E. brevifolia F.M and E. strickalndii M. were screened for their chemical composition, and biological activities. 39 compounds were identified in, E. brevifolia F. M. EOs, whereas 41 volatile compounds were identified in E. stricklandii M. EOs. The organic extracts were rich on polyphenols and tannins. The IC50 of the ME of E. stricklandii M. using DPPH· assay was 4.4 ± 0.2 µg/mL. Concerning AChE, the aqueous extract of E. brevifolia F.M. exhibited the highest IC50 value 10.0 ± 0.0 µg/mL. Regarding the anti-inflammatory capacity, E. brevifolia F.M. EOs and E. stricklandii M. ME showed the best IC50 (7.3 µg/mL and 9.7 µg/mL) against the inhibition of 15-LOX. Both plants exhibited a good activity against gram-negative bacteria. Finally, E. stricklandii M. ME was the best cytotoxic extract against HCT116 and K562 with IC50s of 18.0 ± 0.1 µg/mL and 1.8 ± 0.0 µg/mL. HIGHLIGHTS Eucalyptus leaves EOs were extracted using Clevenger type apparatus. Chemical composition of E. stricklandii Maiden and E. brevifolia F. Muell EOs was studied. Antimicrobial activity was more efficient on Gram negative bacteria. Methanolic extracts exhibited a strong antioxidant power (IC50 = 4.4 µg/mL). Polar extracts were the most active one against 15-Lox, AChE. A strong cytotoxic effect against leukemia cell lines was shown (IC50 = 1.8 µg/mL).
The Influence of Diet on Ovulation Disorders in Women—A Narrative Review

Female infertility is commonly due to ovulation disorders. They are mostly related to polycystic ovary syndrome, which is currently viewed as one of the most common endocrine disorders in women of reproductive age. Ovulation-related female fertility is influenced by multiple factors which may include: age, smoking cigarettes, stress, use of psychoactive substances, and physical activity. Moreover, diet-related factors play an important role in the regulation of ovulation. Dietary components that exert a positive influence on ovulation include: carbohydrate products with low glycemic index, plant protein, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, folic acid, vitamin D, antioxidants, and iron. A diet based on the structure of the Mediterranean diet also seems beneficial. Components that have a negative influence mostly include high glycemic index carbohydrates, large amounts of animal protein, saturated fatty acids, and trans fatty acids, which are typically found in the Western model of nutrition. Due to the paucity of studies that presented a direct link between nutrition and the risk of anovulatory infertility, this study aimed to summarize the most recent research on the influence of dietary factors on ovulation disorders and indicate the possibilities of future research.
Chebulinic and chebulagic acid binding with serum proteins: biophysical and molecular docking approach

Abstract Chebulinic acid (CHN) and chebulagic acid (CHG) have been known for centuries for their anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, HIV and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, the interaction of these phytochemicals CHN/CHG, with the two major transport proteins for various drugs, human serum albumin (HSA) and α-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), was unraveled by using several spectroscopic techniques and computational methods. The binding of CHN/CHG quenches the HSA/AGP fluorescence intensities, and also these phytochemicals are bound strongly to HSA/AGP proteins. An apparent decrease in fluorescence intensities of CHN/CHG-HSA and CHN/CHG-AGP complex showed the static mode of fluorescence quenching. Furthermore, the intrinsic fluorescence and using site-specific markers ibuprofen competing with these molecules, thereby replacing it in the binding site of subdomain IIIA. The computational methods substantiated the experimental findings, revealing that CHN interacted with Lys414A, Glu492A, Glu492A and Lys413A residues of subdomain IIIA of HSA and for CHG showed the interaction with Lys545A and Lys413A residues of subdomain IIIA of HSA. Fluorescence and surface plasmon resonance data unveiled a previously unreported binding event between CHN/CHG and HSA; the determined binding affinities of both compounds were slightly higher for HSA than AGP. A change in functionality of protein confirmed the esterase‐like activity of HSA in the presence of CHG/CHN upon binding with CHG/CHN. Displacement and circular dichroism (CD) experiments analysis showed that the two CHN/CHG and binding specifically to IIIA subdomain on HSA results in the conformational changes in the HSA. Thus, CD revealed a few conformational changes in HSA due to CHN/CHG. The binding of these two phytochemicals to the plasma proteins would give a path to develop new inspired drug molecules for chronic diseases. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma
Creating a Rainbow for Sustainability: The Case of Sustainable Beef

Sustainability is a complex, multi-dimensional issue that requires contributions from diverse disciplines, perspectives, and actors. Research and innovation are recognised as having the potential to help address some of the trade-offs and synergies associated with sustainability, and interactive innovation in particular offers many advantages. The beef sector has faced significant sustainability challenges in recent times, with criticisms relating to greenhouse gas (GHG) production, biodiversity, water quality, human health, and animal welfare, along with economic challenges to the viability of the sector. Furthermore, the low level of adoption of solutions proposed by research to address these challenges indicates the need for a pan-European multi-actor network to produce actionable and usable information to support European beef farmers. Drawing on practice-based research, the purpose of this exploratory paper was to examine how interactive innovation can be supported in a sector that, to date, has been the focus of limited interactive innovation efforts. It concluded that a “rainbow” of actors and diverse knowledges, along with different types of innovation intermediaries, can enhance the sustainability of the beef sector.
Allelopathic potential of Annona muricata (L.) on physiological and biochemical changes of Vigna radiata (L.) and Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn

An experiment was conducted to assess the allelopathic potential of leaf extract of Annona muricata (L.) on physiological and biochemical changes of Vigna radiata (L.) and Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn. Annona muricata inhibits and stimulates other plants’ growth, a phenomenon called “allelopathic effect. ” Crude water extract of the leaves of A. muricata was treated on V. radiata and E. coracana in different concentrations such as 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5%, respectively. A control crop was treated with distilled water. The morphological and physiological effects on V. radiata and E. coracana were observed and recorded. Data were recorded on seed germination (after 10 days of seed sowing), growth, and biochemical composition (15 days old seedlings). Reduction in germination percentage of V. radiata and E. coracana was recorded using leaf extract of A. muricata . The outcome of this research work showed that the extracts from the leaves of the A. muricata plant inhibit and stimulate the growth and development of the test seedlings. The biochemical constituents of test seedlings, such as chl a, chl b, carotenoid, protein, amino acid, carbohydrate, peroxidase, and catalase were observed. The extracts were absorbed through the roots of these plants, affecting physiological processes such as photosynthetic and transpiratory rates, stomatal closure, and reduced chlorophyll content, resulting in wilting, tissue maceration, and stunted growth. Between the two crops, more allelopathic effect was recorded in E. coracana . These results showed that there are differences in allelopathic inhibition and stimulation of crops.
Computer-Aided Molecular Design of CCR2 - CCR5 Dual Antagonists for the Treatment of NASH

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), one of the most common liver diseases, is caused by the disruption of hepatic lipid homeostasis by various metabolic disorders. The progression of NAFLD into Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is mediated by inflammatory chemokines, cytokines, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress resulting in hepatocyte inflammation, ballooning, apoptosis, and activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC). NASH can further lead to cirrhosis, hepatic carcinoma, and also it is predicted to be a major cause of liver transplantation over the next 10 years. Chemokine receptors are majorly involved in recruiting the monocytes in the liver where they are converted into pro-inflammatory macrophages, which further activate the hepatic stellate cell (HSCs) to promote their survival while activating collagen production and fibrogenesis. Thus, chemokines and their receptor play a vital role in the pathogenesis of NASH and can be a potential target for the treatment of NASH. Herein, in this study, we have carried out a structure-based design of CCR2 and CCR5 dual antagonists. We performed pharmacophore mapping studies followed by virtual screening of commercial database to obtain novel molecules which can potentially act as CCR2 and CCR5 dual antagonists. We also performed molecular docking studies of newly obtained hits molecules to see their interactions with both CCR2 and CCR5 receptors. Non-alcoholic By evaluating the chemical structures of the top five molecules, it was observed that all five molecules possess C2 symmetry. The docking results of the top five molecules showed that Thr284, Trp86, Tyr89, and Glu283 (in CCR5) and Asp283, Val37, Asn286, His202, and Gln288 (in CCR2) residues were involved in hydrogen bond interactions. The molecules also showed π-π stacking interaction with key residues Phe112, Tyr108, Phe109, Trp86, and Tyr89 (in CCR5) and HIE121, Trp98, Tyr120 (in CCR2). Additionally, in some molecule’s halogen bond was also observed. The residues which formed the halogen bond include Phe182, Thr195 (in CCR5), and Lys38 (in CCR2). The screened molecules showed the interactions with some key residues i.e., Phe112, Tyr108, Phe109 (in CCR5) and Trp98, Tyr120 (in CCR2) as same that of CVC interactions with CCR5 and CCR2 receptor.
Comparative Study of Powder Carriers Physical and Structural Properties

High specific surface area (SSA), porous structure, and suitable technological characteristics (flow, compressibility) predetermine powder carriers to be used in pharmaceutical technology, especially in the formulation of liquisolid systems (LSS) and solid self-emulsifying delivery systems (s-SEDDS). Besides widely used microcrystalline cellulose, other promising materials include magnesium aluminometasilicates, mesoporous silicates, and silica aerogels. Clay minerals with laminar or fibrous internal structures also provide suitable properties for liquid drug incorporation. This work aimed at a comparison of 14 carriers’ main properties. Cellulose derivatives, silica, silicates, and clay minerals were evaluated for flow properties, shear cell experiments, SSA, hygroscopicity, pH, particle size, and SEM. The most promising materials were magnesium aluminometasilicates, specifically Neusilin® US2, due to its proper flow, large SSA, etc. Innovative materials such as FujiSil® or Syloid® XDP 3050 were for their properties evaluated as suitable. The obtained data can help choose a suitable carrier for formulations where the liquid phase is incorporated into the solid dosage form. All measurements were conducted by the same methodology and under the same conditions, allowing a seamless comparison of property evaluation between carriers, for which available company or scientific sources do not qualify due to different measurements, conditions, instrumentation, etc.
Can forest trees take up and transport nanoplastics?

Plastic contamination of ecosystems has increased dramatically over the last decades, raising concerns about the negative impacts of plastic particles on aquatic and terrestrial systems. In recent years, the focus of most research has shifted from large fragments (macroplastic) to micro- (<5 mm) and more recently to nano-plastic (<1000 nm) particles as more evidence has come to light about their ubiquity in water, soils, and living systems, and their effects on ecosystem and human health. In this study, we investigate nanoplastic uptake in the roots of seedlings (1-2 years old) of three different tree species and assess their transport to different tissues. Parts of the main roots of silver birch ( Betula pendula Roth), sessile oak ( Quercus petraea Matt. [Liebl.]), and Norway spruce ( Picea abies [L.] Karst.) were immersed for one or four days in a suspension containing 13 C-labelled nano-sized polystyrene particles ( 13 C-nPS; 99% 13 C, d = 28 ± 8 (1 σ) nm). Carbon stable isotope analysis showed significant 13 C enrichment ( P < 0.05) in the immersed part of the root after one day of treatment in all three species, and after four days in Q. petraea alone. Signals of significant 13 C enrichment were also found in the aboveground tissues of the trees. The stem of B. pendula in particular showed a significant 13 C enrichment after one day of treatment ( P < 0.01). This indicates that nanoplastic particles can be taken up through tree roots into the tree’s central cylinder, where they are subsequently conveyed through the tree by acropetal transport via the xylem.
Lorentzian Operator for Angular Source Localization with Large Array

|Source localization problem consists of an ensem-ble of techniques that are used to obtain spatial information of present radiation in given medium of propagation, with a constraint of the antenna geometry and the characteristics of radiating sources. This condition gives multitude of cases to study, hence several methods were proposed in the literature. In this paper, a new algorithm for estimating the Direction of Arrival (DoA) of narrowband and far (cid:12)eld punctual sources is introduced. By exploiting the spectrum of covariance matrix of received data, the Lorentzian function on spectral matrix to (cid:12)lter the eigenvalues is applied. This (cid:12)ltering process elim-inates the eigenvalues belonging to signal subspace. Parameters of Lorentz function are adjusted using (cid:12)rst and second statistics of eigenvalues. The algorithm requires the knowledge of minimum eigenvalue and is performing when the dimension of antenna is relatively large which is con(cid:12)rmed by several Monte Carlo simulations.
Reduction of Power and Virtual Machine Migration Inside a Cloud Datacenter

Today’s datacenter consumes high amount of electrical energy for its operation. It increases day by day, thus increasing the operation cost and carbon dioxide emission. To reduce the power consumption at a datacenter, a model with an adaptive threshold virtual machine (VM) consolidation method that reduces the number of VM migration and power consumption in the datacenter was used. By consolidating VMs and switching off unused hosts, a cloud provider can reduce physical resource usage and power consumption. But due to service level agreement(SLA) between a cloud service provider and cloud users, a cloud service provider cannot degrade the performance. To balance between energy and performance, a cloud service provider must maintain a reasonable performance while reducing power consumption. In this thesis work a novel technique have been proposed to adhere both power and performance by implementing an adaptive host upper utilization threshold and host lower utilization threshold for CPU utilization in a host, this makes iii our model more robust than the existing models. Our proposed algorithm reduces the power consumption and limits the number of VM migration while ensuring high level of SLA. To simulate the experiment and to validate our proposed algorithm using real world datacenter datasets, we have used CloudSim which is a widely popular datacenter simulation toolkit.
Flexible and Dynamic Patch Reconstruction for Traveling Wave Magnetic Particle Imaging

Different types of scanners have been presented since the first publication of Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) in 2005. As a result, there are different types of reconstruction methods available, which can be separated into two basic concepts: reconstruction using a system matrix and reconstruction using a direct deconvolution. Both methods have their merits and drawbacks. For the first approach hardware parameters like sampling rate and frequencies have to be chosen carefully to fit the parameter selection process required for the system matrix. For the other approach the temporal and spatial homogeneity of the magnetic field gradient over the entire FOV has to be high to perform an accurate reconstruction, which results in smaller FOVs. In this paper a novel reconstruction method is presented, which combines the advantages of both reconstruction methods to be more flexible during the entire reconstruction process. Furthermore, it enables the possibility of performing a dynamic patch reconstruction, which allows to select arbitrary areas of the FOV for higher resolution reducing reconstruction time significantly. In addition, this new reconstruction improved the image quality of a Traveling Wave MPI scanner substantially.
Criteria for Freeze-Thaw Resistant Concrete Mixtures

Concrete, especially for improved durability, is typically specified with prescriptive provisions. More recently there has been increasing interest in evolving towards performance-based specifications, both within state highway agencies and industry (FHWA, 2014, “Guide to Developing Performance-Related Specifications, FHWA-RD-98-155, FHWA-RD-98-156, FHWA-RD-98-171, Vol. III, Appendix C,” http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/pccp/pavespec/ , last accessed July 28, 2014; ACI Committee 329, Report on Performance-Based Requirements for Concrete, American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, 2010; The P2P Initiative, 2014, “National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver Spring,” http://www.nrmca.org/p2p/ , last accessed July 28, 2014). One of the challenges in successfully implementing performance-based specifications is the existence and use of reliable test methods and specification criteria that can measure the potential durability of concrete mixtures and provide the expected service life. A state pooled fund research project (TPF-5 (179), 2014, “Evaluation of Test Methods for Permeability (Transport) and Development of Performance Guidelines for Durability,” http://www.pooledfund. org/Details/Study/406 , last accessed July 28, 2014) was developed with an objective to propose performance criteria for concrete that will be resistant to penetration of chlorides, cycles of freezing and thawing, and sulfate attack. This paper summarized results pertaining to freeze-thaw resistance. Concrete freeze-thaw (F-T) performance was evaluated by ASTM C666/C666M-15 (AASHTO T161-08 (Standard Method of Test for Resistance of Concrete to Rapid Freezing and Thawing, Standard Specifications for Transportation Materials and Methods of Sampling and Testing, Part 2A: Tests, AASHTO, Washington DC, 2013)) and deicer salt scaling resistance was evaluated by ASTM C672/C672M-12. It was examined whether F-T performance of concrete correlated with results of rapid index tests for fluid transport characteristics of concrete. These tests included the rapid chloride permeability, absorption, and initial and secondary sorptivity. The impact of degree of saturation on the F-T resistance of concrete was also explored. Criteria for F-T resistant concrete mixtures depending on type of exposure were suggested.