Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experimental Investigation of Sorghum Stalk and Sugarcane Bagasse Hybrid Composite for Particleboard

This study evaluated the physical-mechanical properties of three-layer particleboard made from sorghum stalk and sugarcane bagasse hybrid reinforced bonded with urea-formaldehyde resin. The production of particleboards using the sorghum and bagasse particles has been established at the ratio of (25 : 50 : 75) sorghum stalk and sugarcane bagasse with urea-formaldehyde as a matrix at different concentrations (50 kg/m3, 60 kg/m3, and 70 kg/m3) and pressing pressure (18 MPa, 20 MPa, and 22 MPa) through hand mixing from 3 to 5 minutes and then hot press within a temperature range of 160°C to 180°C for 4 minutes. The particleboards were produced with their proportions through the Taguchi design of the experiment (L9) approach. The experimental results were analyzed using Taguchi design and ANOVA with a general linear model. The experimental results showed that internal bonding, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, and moisture content were significantly improved with high resin content and pressing pressure from 18 MPa to 22 MPa. The thickness swelling value also dropped where the resin concentration varies from 50 kg/m3 to 70 kg/m3 and shows better board stability. In contrast, the water absorption increased as resin content was increased. Results from ANOVA provide that SS3B1P3UFR3 (3 : 1 ratio of Sorghum with bagasse, 22 MPa of pressing load, and 70 kg/m3 urea-formaldehyde concentration) is the most optimal combination of variables for the better performance of particleboard.
Exosymbiotic microbes within fermented pollen provisions are as important for the development of solitary bees as the pollen itself

Abstract Developing bees derive significant benefits from the microbes present within their guts and fermenting pollen provisions. External microbial symbionts (exosymbionts) associated with larval diets may be particularly important for solitary bees that suffer reduced fitness when denied microbe‐colonized pollen. To investigate whether this phenomenon is generalizable across foraging strategy, we examined the effects of exosymbiont presence/absence across two solitary bee species, a pollen specialist and generalist. Larvae from each species were reared on either microbe‐rich natural or microbe‐deficient sterilized pollen provisions allocated by a female forager belonging to their own species (conspecific‐sourced pollen) or that of another species (heterospecific‐sourced pollen). Our results reveal that the presence of pollen‐associated microbes was critical for the survival of both the generalist and specialist larvae, regardless of whether the pollen was sourced from a conspecific or heterospecific forager. Given the positive effects of exosymbiotic microbes for larval fitness, we then examined if the magnitude of this benefit varied based on whether the microbes were provisioned by a conspecific forager (the mother bee) or a heterospecific forager. In this second study, generalist larvae were reared only on microbe‐rich pollen provisions, but importantly, the sources (conspecific versus heterospecific) of the microbes and pollen were experimentally manipulated. Bee fitness metrics indicated that microbial and pollen sourcing both had significant impacts on larval performance, and the effect sizes of each were similar. Moreover, the effects of conspecific‐sourced microbes and conspecific‐sourced pollen were strongly positive, while that of heterospecific‐sourced microbes and heterospecific‐sourced pollen, strongly negative. Our findings imply that not only is the presence of exosymbionts critical for both specialist and generalist solitary bees, but more notably, that the composition of the specific microbial community within larval pollen provisions may be as critical for bee development as the composition of the pollen itself.
How effective is the assessment of generic skills gained by Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) of engineering students engaged in Problem-Based Learning (PBL)? - A Literature Review

The review of the literature for this study focusses on PBL approach within the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) of engineering, and the development of assessment on engineering students'� generic� skills . Key findings of the research point to four aspects: inter engineering disciplines; different cultures; different education policies; and world globalization with rapid technology changes; will be considered during designing the assessment. The identification and the development of measurable and reliable method for assessing the engineering students'� generic� skills� through PBL approach are crucial to the overall success of the respective Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institution. Graduates from higher education who grasps generic skills competencies during studies have added value in their career development. With the dramatic changes in technology, graduates should be able to digest, apply and distribute information with precision and ease. Young and Chapman (2010) commented in their research, employers who operate in global markets now seek employees who possess not only high-level� technical� or� 'j ob-specific'� competencies,� but� also,� high� levels� of� communication skills, problem solving and conflict resolution (p. 1). The generic skills in this research refer to the problem solving, critical thinking, communication and life-long learning skills of graduates. Therefore, this paper aims to critically assess the effectiveness in terms of reliability, measurability and validity of the assessment methods of generic skills through PBL approach amongst Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) engineering students. To achieve the above aim, the paper begins by looking at the terminology of generic skills in different countries and the importance of generic skills at the workplace. The paper thus discusses the approaches used in the generic skills development especially in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) perspective. The next part of the paper focuses on the generic skills assessment methods through PBL approach and the problems faced in verifying the assessment in PBL. The paper concludes that the aspects in inter Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) disciplines, different cultures, different education system policies, and globalization alongside rapid technology changes will be given due consideration when designing the generic skills assessment. This research will contribute a positive impact on PBL assessment especially in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) engineering students'� generic� skills� achievement in a measurable context. Indirectly, it may also be deemed as a performance indicator of the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institution and Ministry of Higher Education respectively. This would be the focus of this research as emphasized in the research question and objectives.
Enhanced Microwave Dielectric Properties and Sintering Behaviors of Mg2SiO4-Li2TiO3-LiF Ceramics by Adding CaTiO3 for LTCC and GPS Antenna Applications

Mg2SiO4 holds promise for its application in the microwave communication field due to its low dielectric constant and high Q×f value. However, its high negative τf and high sintering temperature limit its application in low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) devices. In this work, Li2TiO3 and CaTiO3 were introduced to improve the τf, and LiF was chosen to decrease the sintering temperature. According to XRD patterns and SEM micrographs, the ceramic systems displayed a complex-phase structure, and the microstructure was densified when CaTiO3 was added. All of the relative densities, dielectric constants, and Q×f values first increased and then decreased as the sintering temperature increased. The MLLC11.5 ceramics sintered at 800 °C could be obtained with the highest Q×f value of 54,581 GHz (at 8.06 GHz), εr of 14.13, and τf of + 5.81 ppm/°C. Furthermore, it was proven that the MLLC11.5 powders could be co-fired without any reaction with Ag powders at 800 °C, indicating its potential for LTCC application. The MLLC11.5 composition was used to prepare a GPS antenna and showed good prospects for its application in electronic communications.
An In-silico Approach for Identifying Phytochemical Inhibitors Against Nervous Necrosis Virus (NNV) in Asian Sea Bass by Targeting Capsid Protein

Nervous necrosis virus (NNV) is a devastating infectious pathogen for fish species with 100% mortality. To date, no specific drugs or vaccines have been developed that can prevent infections in aquaculture caused by NNV. It has been found that the NNV utilizes capsid protein to enter into the host cell in Asian sea bass and cause disease. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory potential of Allium sativum compounds that have been reported to show antiviral activity against various pathogens. The capsid protein was modeled and the binding affinity of all the compounds was calculated with the docking approach and top 2 (PubChem CID: 122130381 and CID 12303662) inhibitory compounds were selected for further ADMET properties and DFT analysis. Both the geometry optimization and redocking of the two inhibitory compounds (PubChem CID: 122130381 and CID 12303662) showed a strong binding affinity of -8.2 and -8.0 kcal/mol, respectively with the capsid protein. The molecular dynamic simulation approach further validated the capsid protein – CID: 122130381 and capsid protein- CID 12303662 complex stability. In conclusion, this study deduces that these Allium sativum phytochemicals might act as significant inhibitors of the NNV in sea bass, which can be further validated experimentally.
EFFICACY ASSESSMENT OF LARVICIDES IN THE CONTROL OF FLIES IN A LAYING INDUSTRIAL AVIARY

The eggs production through the confinement of chickens generates some inconveniences, among which the accumulation of manure, rich in organic matter that provides an environment conducive to the development and proliferation of Musca domestica. The objective of this work was to evaluate in a controlled environment the larvicidal efficacy in suppressing Musca domestica larvae. Material and methods used were the distribution of plastic trays exposed to oviposition in the farm sheds’ vicinity, applying the treatments in a controlled environment. Results shown that the isolated and intercropped treatments were effective in controlling the larvae. Concluding that the evaluation of the larvicidal efficacy of the Ciromanzine 50% principles; Triflumuron 48%; Ciromanzine 10%; and dolomitic limestone were effective in controlling larvae development in a controlled environment.
The Association between Approximate Number Sense (ANS) and Math Achievement Depends on the Format of the ANS Test

ABSTRACT There are two lines of discussion regarding the function of the Approximate Number System (ANS). The first line focuses on the extent to which visual cues affect the estimation of numerosity. The second line investigates the extent to which ANS precision is associated with symbolic math performance. The current study combined these two lines of discussion. Data from the nonsymbolic comparison test and the math achievement of 313 first graders (mean age: 7.6 years; 51% girls) from Russia were analyzed. First, we estimated the extent to which the effect of nonnumerical visual cues on nonsymbolic numerosity estimation varied across the four formats of stimulus presentation: separated/homogenous, separated/heterogeneous, mixed/homogeneous and mixed/heterogeneous. The results revealed that in the mixed/heterogeneous format of stimulus presentation, the congruency effect was not significant with respect to accuracy and was negative with respect to reaction time (RT). The reduction in the congruency effect may indicate that in this format, the participants tended to directly estimate numerosity, ignoring visual cues. Second, we tested the association between math achievement and precision on the ANS test in each format. The results demonstrated that accuracy in the separated/homogenous format had no significant association with math performance, while accuracy in other formats had significant associations with math performance. Moreover, accuracy in the mixed/heterogeneous format had a larger association than that found in other formats. This result might indicate that ANS accuracy has a significant association with math achievement in formats that demonstrate a smaller congruency effect and greater involvement of the direct estimation of numerosity.
Work Readiness of TVET Graduates in the Context of Industry 4.0

—The rapid development in the Industry 4.0 era requires TVET graduates to have high capabilities and competitiveness in an effort to find work and maintain jobs in the global industrial market. In this regard, each individual is expected to have Work Readiness which includes readiness in terms of knowledge, skills, attitudes and competences. The focus of the research in this paper is to analyze the factors that affect Work Readiness in the context of Industry 4.0 graduates of Technology and Vocational Education and to find out the efforts made to improve Work Readiness in the context of Industry 4.0 graduates of Technology and Vocational Education. Based on the study, the factors that affect the work readiness of TVET graduates are influenced by ability factors, academic factors, behavioral factors and self-potential, innate/inherited factors. The findings of the study also illustrate that the TVET Institute is not yet optimal in preparing its students for post-graduate work readiness. The challenges of graduate work readiness can be handled effectively by HR professionals in partnership with three main stakeholders, namely the government, employers and industry through a dual system training program in the form of continuous professional development of teachers, the application of innovative new learning strategies, internship programs or industrial work practices.
Biological and Clinical Implications of Gene-Expression Profiling in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: A Proposal for a Targeted BLYM-777 Consortium Panel as Part of a Multilayered Analytical Approach

Simple Summary This review summarizes gene-expression profiling insights into the background and origination of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL). To further unravel the molecular biology of these lymphomas, a consortium panel called BLYM-777 was designed including genes important for subtype classifications, genetic pathways, tumor-microenvironment, immune response and resistance to targeted therapies. This review proposes to combine this transcriptomic method with genomics, proteomics, and patient characteristics to facilitate diagnostic classification, prognostication, and the development of new targeted therapeutic strategies in DLBCL. Abstract Gene-expression profiling (GEP) is used to study the molecular biology of lymphomas. Here, advancing insights from GEP studies in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) lymphomagenesis are discussed. GEP studies elucidated subtypes based on cell-of-origin principles and profoundly changed the biological understanding of DLBCL with clinical relevance. Studies integrating GEP and next-generation DNA sequencing defined different molecular subtypes of DLBCL entities originating at specific anatomical localizations. With the emergence of high-throughput technologies, the tumor microenvironment (TME) has been recognized as a critical component in DLBCL pathogenesis. TME studies have characterized so-called “lymphoma microenvironments” and “ecotypes”. Despite gained insights, unexplained chemo-refractoriness in DLBCL remains. To further elucidate the complex biology of DLBCL, we propose a novel targeted GEP consortium panel, called BLYM-777. This knowledge-based biology-driven panel includes probes for 777 genes, covering many aspects regarding B-cell lymphomagenesis (f.e., MYC signature, TME, immune surveillance and resistance to CAR T-cell therapy). Regarding lymphomagenesis, upcoming DLBCL studies need to incorporate genomic and transcriptomic approaches with proteomic methods and correlate these multi-omics data with patient characteristics of well-defined and homogeneous cohorts. This multilayered methodology potentially enhances diagnostic classification of DLBCL subtypes, prognostication, and the development of novel targeted therapeutic strategies.
Numerical assessment of the effect of cigarette smoking on indoor PM2.5 distribution and study of ventilation strategies

Elevated concentration of indoor particulate matter (PM) has been linked to adverse effects on human health. To explore how particles from cigarette smoke affect the indoor PM2.5 concentration and whether such circumstance is harmful to people, distribution characteristics of indoor particulate matter in a typical residence with a smoker were numerically studied under different ventilation strategies. The indoor PM2.5 concentration without forced ventilation was shown to far exceed the air quality standard of 75 µg/m3 as recommended by the World Health Organization. In this study, we numerically investigated the performances of the mixing and displacement ventilation strategies in reducing indoor particle levels. Different airflow patterns could significantly influence the movement and deposition of particles in ventilated rooms, even with the same air change rate and particle characteristics. When comparing with the mixing ventilation strategy, the displacement ventilation strategy was shown to have a lower deposition mass and a larger portion of particles leaving the room. Thus, the average indoor PM2.5 concentration in the displacement ventilation strategy was shown to be higher than the mixing ventilation strategy. In spite of this, low particle concentration in the personnel’s breathing zone was shown by our measurement. Displacement ventilation strategy could provide a cleaner ambient air than the mixing one.
Research on Process of the Bilingual Corpus Alignment Tool

As language researchers and translators gradually realize the importance of the development of corpus, many institutions at home and abroad have begun to devote themselves to the research and construction of corpus. During the process of corpus, bilingual corpus alignment is an indispensable step. However, the alignment software based on the existing alignment technology still can’t meet the needs of users or translators. On the basis of previous studies, this paper mainly makes some beneficial attempts on the alignment process of sentence level automatic alignment technology in bilingual corpus. In this paper, Chinese and English files are imported into the corpus alignment tools and aligned one by one according to the translation units of sentence level. This paper presents the process of corpus alignment and proposes corresponding solutions to the errors in the process, to further improve the efficiency of bilingual corpus alignment.
An Evaluation of the Nominal Stress Method for Life Prediction of Cylindrical Circumferential V-Notched Specimens Tested under Variable Amplitude Loading

An experimental device was constructed with the aim of testing various cylindrical V-notched specimens until fracture and under variable amplitude torsional loads. The specimens had different notch depths resulting in the same number of values for the stress concentration factor. Strain gages directly bonded at the specimens’ surface and using a slip ring system for their communication with the conditioner, allowed the measurement of the actual applied loads. The well-known rain flow cycle counting procedure was then applied on the scaled signal for identifying the frequency of the 64 classes of stress amplitudes and means. The traditional nominal stress-based approach was then evaluated as the most widely used tool for fatigue lifetime calculations. As the occurrence of stress amplitudes above the endurance fatigue limit tends to lower it, the Miner elementary method was used. The results show damage sum ranges between 0.5 and 6.4 with a mean value of 2.0. Despite the small size of the sample used in the present paper (only 13 tests), these significant deviations are in agreement with previous results reported by different researchers.
NLCC controller for SEPIC-based micro-wind energy conversion system

ABSTRACT The growth of the power industry is gaining greater momentum as the usage of the non-conventional energy sources that include fuel, solar, and wind energies, increases. Wind energy conversion systems (WECSs) are gaining more popularity and are expected to be able to control the power at the output. This paper describes the current control (CC), non-linear carrier charge control (NLCCC), and fuzzy logic control (FLC) applied to the single-ended primary inductor converter (SEPIC)-based WECS. The current controller has an inherent overcurrent protection with better line noise rejection. The pulses for the switch of the SEPIC are obtained by comparing the current flowing through it with the virtual current reference. FLC is also investigated for the micro-wind energy conversion system (μWECS), since it improves the damping characteristics of WECS over a wide range of operating points. This cannot attain the unity power factor rectification. In this paper, NLCCC is proposed for high-power factor rectifier-based SEPIC in continuous conduction mode (CCM) for μWECS. The proposed converter provides an output voltage with low input current ripple due to the presence of the inductor at the input side. By comparing the signal proportional to the integral of switch current with a periodic non-linear carrier wave, the duty ratio of the converter switch is determined for the NLCC controller. By selecting the shape of the periodic non-linear carrier wave the input-line current can be made to follow the input-line voltage. This work employs a parabolic carrier waveform generator. The output voltage is regulated for changes in the wind speed. The results obtained prove the effectiveness of the NLCC controller in improving the power factor.
The impact of different playing surfaces on physiological parameters in collegiate DI American football athletes

Heat conditioning aids in acclimatization to support health and performance, yet heat safety is an important factor. This quasi-experimental pilot study investigated differences in micro-environmental conditions and physiological outcomes in n = 5 Division I collegiate American football players over different playing surfaces during summertime in the southwest U.S. Participants performed three practice sessions on hot days (∼33°C): outdoors on artificial turf (AT) and natural grass (NG); and an indoor dome (ID). Microclimate parameters, including net radiative fluxes, and physiological markers (core temperature (Tc), skin temperature (Tsk), heart rate, and hydration) were continuously and simultaneously monitored. Microclimate conditions varied across the three environments. Outdoors, the largest differences were observed in surface temperatures between AT and NG (67.0°C and 32.8°C, respectively), resulting in higher emitted longwave radiation (infrared heat), slightly increasing air temperatures. Indoors, the lack of radiation lessened the overall heat load, yet higher humidity and lower airflow were observed. Physiologically, similar baseline Tc and Tsk and self-reported heat stress levels were recorded. During exercise, a significantly higher Tsk value was found on the AT (higher heat load), followed by the NG (moderate) and ID (lowest). The same pattern was reflected in Tc, RPE, and self-reported heat stress, even with lower solar radiation on AT. No differences between environments were reported for estimated energy expenditure, pre/post-body weight, bodyweight loss, fluid intake, or sweat rate. Small changes in microclimates affect overall heat loads and measured and perceived heat stress, which coaches can use in decision-making for session type, heat safety, and/or acclimatization goals.