Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Cricket Protein Concentrate (Gryllus assimilis)

Simple Summary The demand for consumption of protein of animal and vegetable origin increases with the growth of the world population. Therefore, new sources of animal protein that are nutritious, safe and sustainable for the environment are needed. In this situation, edible insects become a very attractive alternative due to their high protein content, their good functional and biological properties, and their environmental sustainability. Insects as food are not attractive to consumers who do not have them incorporated into their food culture, but products derived from them are accepted by consumers and can be used as functional ingredients by the food industry. Insect protein isolates and concentrates can be used as functional ingredients. The main objective of this work was to obtain protein concentrate from cricket (Gryllus assimilis) flour to evaluate their functional and biological properties. In addition to characterizing its protein profile and digestibility. Abstract Edible insects can represent an alternative to obtain high-quality proteins with positive biological properties for human consumption. Cricket flour (Gryllus assimilis) was used to obtain cricket protein concentrate (CPC) using pHs (10.0 and 12.0) of extraction and pHs (3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0) of isoelectric precipitation (pI). Protein content, water and oil absorption capacity, protein solubility, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities were determined. In addition, the protein profile was characterized by electrophoresis and the in vitro CPC digestibility was evaluated. Cricket flour presented 45.75% of protein content and CPC 12–5.0 presented a value of 71.16% protein content using the Dumas method. All samples were more soluble at pH 9.0 and 12.0. CPC 12–3.0 presented a percentage of water-binding capacity (WBC) of 41.25%. CPC 12–6.0 presented a percentage of oil-binding capacity (OBC) of 72.93%. All samples presented a high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. CPC 12–4.0 presented a value FRAP of 70,034 umol trolox equivalents (TE)/g CPC, CPC 12–6.0 presented a value ABTS of 124,300 umol TE/g CPC and CPC 10–3.0 presented a DPPH value of 68,009 umol TE/g CPC. CPC 10–6.0 and CPC 12–6.0 presented high anti-inflammatory activity, with values of 93.55% and 93.15% of protection, respectively. CPCs can be used as functional ingredients in the food industry for their excellent functional and biological properties.
Exploring multiple-mode vibrations of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs)

Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers (CMUTs) are considered advantageous over piezoelectric transducers for ultrasound imaging for the high bandwidth, ease of integration with electronics and miniaturization. Research efforts over the past two decades have been focusing on manufacturing and system integration of CMUTs to achieve comparable and better performance than the piezoelectric counterparts, while the uniqueness of the CMUT structure and physics is barely exploited. This thesis explores the complex behavior of CMUTs from a mode superposition perspective, and demonstrates imaging applications using CMUTs’ multi-modal operation. The operation of CMUTs is first analytically modeled as a coupled electro-mechano-acoustical system using plate vibration theory. As the simplest case, the first symmetric and asymmetric modes of vibration can be excited simultaneously via asymmetric electrostatic actuation, resulting in a vibration profile with a shifted center. Finite element modeling (FEM) is used to verify the theoretical calculation, and an equivalent circuit consisting of two sub-circuits for the symmetric and asymmetric vibration modes is built to show the possibility of fast simulation of complex CMUT array behavior. Experimental characterization of fabricated CMUT chips show that asymmetric vibration can be achieved with multi-electrode
Biomechanical models and stability analysis of bipedal running = Biomechanische Modelle und Stabilitätsanalyse des zweibeinigen Rennens

Humans and birds both walk and run bipedally on compliant legs. However, differences in leg architecture may result in species-specific leg control strategies as indicated by the observed gait patterns. In this work, control strategies for stable running are derived based on a conceptual model and compared with experimental data on running humans and pheasants (Phasianus colchicus). From a model perspective, running with compliant legs can be represented by the planar spring mass model. However, to compare experimental data to simulated spring mass running, an effective leg stiffness has to be defined. In chapter 2, different methods of estimating a leg stiffness during running are compared to running patterns predicted by the spring mass model, and a new method only relying on temporal parameters is proposed and used in the further course of this work. It has been shown that spring mass running is self-stabilizing for sufficiently high running speeds. However, to provide stability over a broader range of running, control strategies can be applied and swing leg control is one elegant approach to stabilize the running pattern, while maintaining the system energy conservative. Here, linear adaptations of the swing leg parameters, leg angle, leg length and leg stiffness, are assumed. Experimentally observed kinematic control parameters (leg rotation and leg length change) of running humans (chapter 3 and 4) and pheasants (chapter 4) are compared, and interpreted within the context of this model, with specific focus on stability and robustness characteristics.
Improved Symptoms of Peripheral Facial Nerve Palsy in ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccine Recipients Following Complex Korean Medicine Treatment

Peripheral facial nerve palsy is a neurological condition/disease characterized by unilateral paralysis of the facial muscles. We report the effects of complex Korean medicine treatment in 2 patients diagnosed with Bell’s palsy who developed symptoms 3-4 days following vaccination with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and who received oral steroids and antiviral medications. Complex Korean medicine treatments including acupuncture, electroacupuncture, bee venom acupuncture, cupping therapy, herbal medicine, and physical therapy were performed. Symptom improvement was evaluated daily using the Numerical Rating Scale, House- Brackmann Grade, and Yanagihara’s Score. Patient 1 was hospitalized for 22 days and Patient 2 visited the outpatient clinic 20 times. In both cases, postauricular pain caused by Bell’s palsy disappeared, and symptoms of facial paralysis improved following completion of treatment. These findings could suggest that combined Korean medicine treatment may improve symptoms of peripheral facial nerve palsy.
A terminology for downcycling

The term downcycling is often used anecdotally to describe imperfections in recycling. However, it is rarely defined. Here, we identify six meanings of the term downcycling as used in scientific articles and reports. These encompass the material quality of reprocessed materials, target applications, product value, alloying element losses, material systems, and additional primary production. In a proposal for harmonized and more specific terminology, we define downcycling as the phenomenon of quality reduction of materials reprocessed from waste relative to their original quality. We further identify that the reduced quality can express itself thermodynamically, functionally, and economically, covering all perspectives on downcycling. Dilution, contamination, reduced demand for recycled materials, and design‐related issues can cause those downcycling effects. We anticipate that this more precise terminology can help quantify downcycling, keep materials in the loop longer, use materials more often and at higher quality, and therefore assist in reducing material‐related environmental impacts.
Power quality enhancement of single phase grid tied inverters with model predictive current controller

Recognition of renewable energy sources as alternative sources for power generation has augmented the number of distributed generation plants being incorporated into the conventional power distribution system. The single phase voltage source inverter allying the distributed generation plant with the grid has to address various issues related to the quality of current injected into the grid, output power factor, and power exchange between the plant and the grid. This paper focuses on the analysis, design, and implementation of a digital predictive current control technique known as model predictive current controller for the control of single phase power inverter integrating renewable energy based plant with the grid. The proposed controller is tested in diverse operating conditions and is compared with the existing proportional resonant current control scheme. The simulation and experimental results validate the efficacy of the proposed control technique.
Flower visitors and efficient pollinators of Opuntia joconostle F.A.C.Weber. ex Diguet in Jalisco, Mexico

Summary: The animals that visit the flowers, pollinators and reproductive system of Opuntia joconostle were studied. The objectives of the work were to identify its floral visitors, to determine which are the most effective pollinators and to evaluate the importance of floral visitors in seed production. To determine the richness and frequency of the animal visitors, five study visits were made from May to June 2017, during which the animals that interacted with the flowers were recorded and collected for a period of thirty minutes for each hour between 10am and 16pm, after which the pollen grains were removed from the body of the collected specimens. For pollination efficiency, the pollen deposited by a specific pollinator in a single visit on the stigma and by self-pollination was counted and seed production from flowers where pollinator visits were avoided and another group with no restrictions were compared. A total of 2,261 floral visitors were recorded, belonging to four orders, eleven families, and twenty-seven species. Bees were the most abundant floral visitors with 98% of the records; the species with the highest number of visits was Apis mellifera with 90%, followed by Diadasia australis with 5%. A higher number of pollen grains per insect were recorded in D. australis than in A. mellifera, D. australis deposited more pollen per visit than A. mellifera and by self-pollination. Flowers that received pollinators produced significantly more seeds per fruit than flowers where visitors were prevented. O. joconostle flowers are used by many animals, however, the majority are bees, particularly two species: A. mellifera and D. australis, the former having a higher frequency of visitation. However, D. australis carries and deposits more pollen. Joconostle seems to have a mixed autogamy/ xenogamy crossing system, as self-pollination was recorded, although it negatively affected seed production. Thus, cross-pollination is important for the conservation of this species, increasing its chances of reproductive success by seed and preserving genetic diversity.
Reliability as a moderator in the relationship between the antecedents and consequences of general attitude toward advertising

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the relationship between general attitude toward advertising and consumers' purchase intention. The relationship between cognitive attitude, intrusiveness attitude, evaluative judgments, affective response and general attitude toward ad was examined. Furthermore, reliability as a moderator in the relationship between cognitive attitude, intrusiveness attitude, evaluative judgments, and affective response and the general attitude toward ad were studied.Design/methodology/approachData from women consumers who subscribe to fashion magazines in India were collected and analyzed using a structured survey instrument. Women were selected because the products were related to women, including facial and body-care products, women sportswear, shampoos, lipstick, handbags, etc. Unit of analysis in this research is “observations,” and in all, 400 data points were analyzed, and to test hypothesized relationships, hierarchical regression and logistic regression were employed.FindingsA conceptual model is developed and tested where (1) cognitive attitude toward ad, intrusiveness, evaluative judgments and affective responses are related to general attitude toward ad, and (2) general attitude toward ad is related to purchase intention. The hierarchical regression results show that (1) reliability moderates the relationship between cognitive attitude, intrusiveness, affective responses and general attitude toward ad. The logistic regression results support the positive relationship between general attitude toward ad and purchase intention.Research limitations/implicationsSince the present research is based on self-report measures, the limitations of social desirability bias and common method bias are inherent. Second, this research focuses only on women consumers and products purchased by women. The research has implications for literature on advertising, especially women-related products.Practical implicationsThis study contributes to practicing managers who are interested in promoting the women-related products. This study highlights the importance of general attitude toward ad as a precursor for consumers purchase intention. The study provides justification for enormous amounts of money invested in fashion advertising because of their effects on consumer behavior.Originality/valueThis study provides new insights about the effects reliability on general attitude toward ad and consumers' purchase intention. The conceptual model developed in this study adds novelty by considering reliability as a moderator, in addition to the direct relationships which have been studied by earlier researchers.
AI enabled legal assistance system: A case study

Given a Case, finding the related prior cases and their judgements is a time consuming job of a Lawyer. The lawyer has to go through huge volumes of law books and prepare his case. An automated tool that retrieves the relevant past cases and their judgments is a very useful application for lawyers. It is a complex task especially in Indian context, the cases and their judgments are un-structured, and there is no standard format of case and judgement presentation. It is understandable for a lawyer but, a most difficult task for a machine. The work here presents a case study to retrieve judgments given in the past for a given factual description. The dataset considered for this work is selected from FIRE-2019, AILA track. The previously developed models showed best average precision of 0.149 using BM25, which itself demonstrates the challenging aspect of the given task. In this work LDA, a probabilistic algorithm for Topic Modelling is explored and studied. The proposed method has shown improved precision.
A novel MCDM ensemble approach of designing an ELM based predictor for stock index price forecasting

In support of its faster learning capacity and better generalization, Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) has gained the attention of researchers as a means to solve various real-world prediction problems. However, the performance of ELM is heavily dependent on the activation functions used in it. In this study, design of ELM is addressed as a Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) problem. The selection of the activation function for the ELM based predictor model is done through a novel MCDM ensemble approach. On the basis of 9 prediction metrics, MCDM techniques such as TOPSIS, PROMETHEE-II, and VIKOR were used to assess and rank 15 activation functions on ELM performance. In light of the fact that the ranks determined by each MCDM technique do not coincide, a novel ensemble approach was proposed to calculate the final rank score by considering the occurrences of each model in the primary ranking and its respective rank score. In the end, the most highly ranked activation function is taken into account in the ELM-based predictor model. The proposed model is accessed over three benchmark stock indices such as BSE SENSEX, NIFTY 50 and BSE S&P 500. The empirical analysis clearly shows that the ELM based predictor model designed using ELU activation function performs competitively compared to other reported models.
Global assessment of the capability of satellite precipitation products to retrieve landslide-triggering extreme rainfall events

Rainfall-induced landsliding is a global and systemic hazard, likely to increase with the projections of increased frequency of extreme precipitation with current climate change. However, our ability to understand and mitigate landslide risk is strongly limited by th availability of relevant rainfall measurements in many landslide prone areas. In the last decade, global satellite multi-sensor precipitation products (SMPPs) have been proposed as a solution but very few studies have assessed their ability to adequately characterize rainfall events triggering landsliding. Here, we address this issue by testing the rainfall pattern retrieved by 2 SMPPs (IMERG and GSMaP) and one hybrid product (MSWEP) against a large, global database of 20 comprehensive landslide inventories associated with well-identified storm events. We found that after converting total rainfall amounts to an anomaly relative to the 10-year return rainfall, R*, the three products do retrieve the largest anomaly (of the last 20 years) during the major landslide event for many cases. However, the degree of spatial collocation of R* and landsliding varies from case to case and across products, and we often retrieved R*>1 in years without reported landsliding. Additionally, the few (4) landslide events caused by short and localized storms are most often undetected. We also show that, in at least five cases, the SMPPs spatial pattern of rainfall anomaly matches landsliding less well than ground-based radar rainfall pattern or lightning maps, underlining the limited accuracy of the SMPPs. We conclude on some potential avenues to improve SMPPs retrieval, and their relation to landsliding.
Quality by Design: A Suitable Methodology in Industrial Pharmacy for Costa Rican Universities

This review aims to present the Quality by Design (QbD) model as a suitable methodology to perform research in the academic Costa Rican institutions that teach Pharmacy. Pubmed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases were screened for original research papers and review papers published not more than ten years ago. Institutional repositories from the different universities were reviewed as well. The QbD model stands out as a great methodology for carrying out research projects regarding Pharmaceutical Sciences, but especially for Industrial Pharmacy, where it has contributed in terms of formulation development, manufacturing, and quality control. Academic research based on this model enables the training and development of practical, scientific, and leadership skills in Industrial Pharmacy students. The generated knowledge can be shared in classrooms, which represents an ideal environment to communicate research results and to foster collaborative work between researchers, professors, and students. Moreover, research performed through a QbD approach increases the confidence shown by the industrial sector and health regulatory authorities in the quality of the research, products, and knowledge that are developed and created in an Academy. As a result, the implementation of the model has allowed the creation, transfer, and materialization of knowledge from the Costa Rican Academy to different local pharmaceutical industries.
Drivers of human-megaherbivore interactions in the Eastern and Western Ghats of southern India.

The global effort to protect megaherbivore populations is largely dependent on how human-wildlife conflict is identified, prioritized, and remedied. We examined the socio-ecological and landscape-scale factors determining spatial patterns of human-megaherbivore (Asian elephant Elephas maximus and gaur Bos gaurus) interactions across sixteen Forest Divisions in Tamil Nadu, India. Using a systematic grid-based design, we conducted questionnaire-based surveys of 1460 households at the human-wildlife interface adjacent to Protected Areas, Reserve Forest and Fringe Areas. We specifically collected information on elephant and gaur conflict incidents (e.g., human death/injuries, property damage, and crop-raiding), cropland type, extent of crop area and area lost to crop-raiding, from each household. We found that human-elephant conflict increased with percentage of crop cover, diversity of major and minor crops grown, proximity to water source, flat terrain, and lower rates of precipitation. Human-gaur conflict was greatest with a high diversity of major crops, proximity to water source, moderate precipitation, and more undulating terrain. We identified ca. 7900 km2 hotspot area of contiguous high-intensity elephant conflict. For gaur, we identified high-frequency conflict hotspot areas covering ca. 625 km2, which were patchily distributed, highly localised, and attributed mostly to the recent changing land-use patterns. Our findings will help policymakers and park managers in developing landscape-scale human-wildlife conflict mitigation plans in the identified conflict hotspots.
Text Mining Analysis of Korean University Students’ Academic Coaching Intake Session Reports

Academic coaching has been emphasized in Korean universities as an effective measure to assist students’ academic achievement and success. To better assess the needs of the students, the current study investigated academic coaching intake session reports archived at a Korean university from January 2017 to August 2021 and examined students’ descriptions of their academic concerns and barriers. The intake session reports were categorized according to (1) students’ affiliated department tracks, namely Humanities and Social Science (HSS) and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) tracks, and (2) the time the coaching sessions took place, i.e., before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. Text mining analysis was conducted to calculate the frequency of keywords, their degree of centrality, and the frequency of bigrams, or the sets of two adjacent words, for each category. Wordclouds and word networks were also visualized. The results indicated that the word study was dominant in both categories, reflecting the education culture in Korea. Similarities and differences between the two categories were also reported. Based on the results, practical implications for academic coaches, educators, and university administrators were proposed, and limitations were discussed.