Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of dietary fat source and green tea (Camellia sinensis) extract on genes associated with lipid metabolism and inflammatory responses in female broiler chickens

Abstract This study was aimed to investigate the effects of dietary fat sources and green tea extract (GTE) on gene expression associated with lipid metabolism and inflammation in broiler chicken. A total of 300 female Ross 308 broiler chicks were allocated to six dietary treatments in a completely randomised design with a factorial arrangement of two levels of GTE (0 and 500 mg/kg diet) × three levels of fat inclusion [without fat (control group), soybean oil (SO) and tallow (Ta)]. Liver fat (LF), liver methallothionin (LMT) content, and lipoprotein lipase (LPL), adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and interleukin (IL-6)] genes expression were investigated. Relative expression and statistical analyses of genes expression were assessed using REST software. The effect of added dietary fats was significant and improved performance parameters compared to the control group (p < .05). The highest abdominal fat and blood triglyceride, and the lowest carcase yield, were achieved in chicks fed SO-supplemented diet (p < .05). Chicks fed a diet supplemented with SO showed an overexpression and a decrease of LPL and ATGL compared to the Ta-supplemented and control groups, respectively (p < .05). GTE supplementation was effective on LPL and ATGL expression and ameliorated the effect of SO on abdominal fat percentage. TNF-α expression, LMT content, and relative weight of lymphoid organs were affected neither by GTE nor by the fat sources. There was no detection of IL-6 gene expression in adipose tissue. The results of this study demonstrated that diets rich in SO were capable increase fat deposition by an increase and decrease in LPL and ATGL gene expression, respectively. However inclusion of GTE in broiler diets alleviated the LPL-increasing and ATGL-reducing effects of SO and ameliorated the effect of SO on abdominal fat mass. Highlights Diets supplemented with SO increased abdominal fat mass by changes in LPL and ATGL gene expression. Obesity was not effective in the expression of inflammatory genes (TNF-α and IL-6), indicating a lack of connection between inflammation and obesity in broiler chicken. GTE (500 mg/kg diet) addition to the diets supplemented with SO ameliorated the effect of SO on LPL and ATGL gene expression and abdominal fat mass.
Bio‐reduced GO/Pd nanocomposite as an efficient and green synthesized catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction

In this work, we introduced a green methodology for the production of palladium (Pd) decorated reduced graphene oxide (rGO), using an endemic plant of Onosma malatyana Binzet (OMB) root extract for the first time and used it as an electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in aqueous acidic media. Benefiting from the synergetic effect between rGO and Pd nanoparticles, the as‐prepared bio‐reduced GO/Pd (bio‐rGO/Pd) nanocomposite exhibits a remarkable performance towards HER when the results compared with the bio‐rGO and bio‐rPd nanocomposite. The HER overpotential at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for bio‐rGO/Pd was only 0.17 V. The Tafel slope of the bio‐rGO/Pd nanocomposite film obtained from the HER polarization curves exhibits 154 mV dec−1, showing that the process is limited by the Volmer reaction step. In addition, the bio‐rGO/Pd nanocomposite electrode also showed an outstanding stability after a long‐term potential cycling measurement. It possesses a high synergetic effect, low charge transfer resistance and considerable electrochemical surface area. The all obtained results demonstrated that the bio‐rGO/Pd will be a promising green synthesized HER catalyst.
Condicionamento térmico primário de instalações rurais por meio de diferentes tipos de cobertura

This research aimed to evaluate the thermal comfort provided by different types of coverage, based on thermal analysis and levels of human and animal thermal comfort. The research was conducted from March 20 to May 29, 2014, in UFRPE in Recife, PE. The types of coverage analysed were: fiber cement tile (Tfib), recycled tile (Trec), green roof, grass, Zoysia japonica (Tgra) and green roof, peanuts, Arachis repens (Tame), with four replications. The meteorological variables were recorded internally and externally for the models. Thermal analysis of the covers was performed using thermographic images and the thermal comfort of facility was obtained through the level of comfort, radiant thermal load, black globe temperature and humidity index, human comfort index, temperature and humidity index and effective temperature. Green roofs (Tame; Tgra) reduced the temperature of the inner surface of the panels (5.3 and 4.4 ° C), promoted a higher attenuation of the environment temperature (1.37 and 1.35 °C) and therefore, promoted higher thermal comfort in comparison with Tfib and Trec.
Making realistic wave climates in low‐cost wave mesocosms: A new tool for experimental ecology and biogeomorphology

Wave flume facilities that are primarily designed for engineering studies are often complex and expensive to operate, and hence not ideal for long‐term replicated experiments as commonly used in biology. This study describes a low‐cost small wave flume that can be used for biological purposes using fresh‐ or seawater with or without sediment. The wave flume can be used as a mesocosm to study interactions between wave hydrodynamics and benthic organisms in aquatic ecosystems. The low‐costs wave maker (< 2000 USD) allows for experimental setups which can be easily replicated and used for longer term studies; hence the term wave mesocosm. Waves were generated with a pneumatic piston and wave heights ranged between 3 and 6 cm. Maximum orbital flow velocities ranged between 10 and 50 cm s−1 representing shallow coastal areas with a short fetch. The system can generate both regular waves (i.e., the wave period and orbital velocity remains constant), using a wave absorber, and irregular waves (i.e., varying wave period and orbital velocity) using a fast push and slow pull motion of the wave paddle. This wave mesocosm system is particularly useful in biogeomorphology to quantify interactions between organisms, sediment, and hydrodynamics and for aquatic ecologist aiming to simulate realistic bed shear stress where short‐ and long‐term experiments (weeks–months) can be replicated.
A Qualitative Study of the Development and Utilization of Health Facility-based Immunization Microplans in Uganda.

David Kaawa-Ma giri (  ma giridk@yahoo.com ) Makerere University College of Humanities and Social Sciences https://orcid.org/0000-0002-26994248 Constance Iradukunda Center for Social Sciences Research on AIDS, Makerere University Catherine Atumanya Center for Social Sciences Research on AIDS, Makerere University Michael Odie Center for Social Sciences Research on AIDS, Makerere University Arielle Mancuso World Health Organization Nhan Tran World Health Organization Janet McGrath Case Western Reserve University Henry Luzze Republic of Uganda Ministry of Health
Business model innovation and digital transformation in global management consulting firms

Purpose This paper contains an exploratory analysis of the business model innovations (BMIs) that management consulting firms (MCFs) undertake to remain competitive during digital transformation. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses data from a longitudinal multiple case study of the European practices of major global MCFs to provide an overview of how they reconfigure their business model (BM) to gain competitive advantages. It maps BMIs in MCFs through value creation innovation, value proposition innovation and value capturing innovation. Findings There is a shift in value proposition from solely giving advice or supporting information technology (IT) implementation to providing end-to-end digital solutions. To materialize value propositions, MCFs acquire new knowledge and digital assets through talent scouting, and mergers and acquisitions (MA thus, they focus on expanding, creating their ecosystems and adopting platforms' configuration and characteristics. Research limitations/implications Inductively, the authors reached an analytical generalization through six propositions and a theoretical frame that embeds propositions in the previous literature. Future research should test them across the overall management consulting industry. Practical implications MCFs are recognized as drivers of innovation and BMIs in most client firms. However, MCFs are rarely analyzed with respect to their BMIs. Understanding how MCFs innovate their business models (BMs) to provide digital transformation (DT) consulting services is relevant for delivering management innovation across industries. Originality/value This is the first exploratory study on BMI inside global MCFs during DT.
Chemical Characterization and Acceptability of Eight Cassava Varieties Introduced in Rwanda

Cassava is a staple food and an important and cheap source of carbohydrate in Rwanda. However, the nature and chemical composition of cassava roots limit its proper use as food due to its toxicity and short shelf life. The cyanogenic glucosides found in the cassava roots are responsible for the toxicity. The aim of the study was to characterize the chemical profile and consumer acceptability of paste from eight cassava varieties processed into flour using four processing methods. The cassava samples were harvested from trials conducted at Rubona Station of Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board. Four processing methods were used, namely, Cassava grated fermented, Cassava roots fermented, Cassava grated no fermented and Cassava roots no fermented. Pressing was done before drying the products to obtain the flour. At each stage of processing, the samples were prepared for laboratory analysis of dry mater, titratable acidity, cyanhydric acid and crude fiber by Rwanda Standards Board laboratory. Cassava flour was made into paste and sensory evaluation was conducted to evaluate the acceptability of the eight cassava varieties. The sensory attributes for the Ugali tested was significantly different (P<0.05). The method of grating before fermentation gave the most tasty Ugali than cassava root fermented. The more prefered varieties were GAHENE/2 and SEMAK 150/452 followed by BULK 13, MH95/0091 and NASE 14. The chemical analysis done for the 8 cassava varieties flour from the 4 processing methods exhibited the acceptable acidity and the NASE 14, Gahene/2 and Bulk 13 had the lowest cyanide hydrogen.
Assessing the Business Model in Social Work: A Validation of the Organizational Commitment to Managerialism Scale

Objective: Adopting a business model in human service agencies has led to service delivery challenges and problematic working conditions. This article reports the initial validation of the Organizational Commitment to Managerialism (OCTM) scale, a tool designed to measure how the business model is operationalized in human service agencies. Method: Data from a purposive nonprobability sample of 2,326 workers employed in New York City metropolitan area human service agencies were collected by an anonymous electronic survey, and the sample was split to conduct discrete exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The exploratory factor analysis established the underlying factor structure of the construct; a confirmatory factor analysis examined the subsample’s psychometric properties. Construct validity was confirmed by comparison with validated scales and individual items included in the parent study. Results: Exploratory factor analysis indicated that the OCTM consisted of five internally valid subscales: productivity, accountability, efficiency, standardization, and performance outcomes. Cross-validating confirmatory analysis supported this structure. In addition, OCTM scales correlated as expected with various hypothesized measures, providing strong evidence of construct validity. Conclusions: The OCTM is a useful tool to evaluate workplace factors and improve working conditions, service delivery, and the well-being of human service workers and the clients they serve.
Analog/RF Performance Analysis of  Heterojunction Tunnel FET with Temperatute

In this paper, the analog/RF analysis of SiGe source-based heterojunction Tunnel FET is reported. The parameters like transconductance (gm), device efficiency (gm/ID), gate-source capacitance (CGS), gate-drain capacitance (CGD), cut-off frequency (fT) and gain-bandwidth product (GBP) are studied. DC, as well as AC simulations, have been performed on the proposed device. We have achieved an ON current of 0.537 µA/µm and OFF current of 13 fA/µm, thus achieving ION/IOFF ratio as 3.72×1010. We have also performed temperature analysis of the analog/RF parameters. We have also investigated the device for the temperature analysis concerning the drain current and the capacitance calculations. We have observed that the OFF currents are strongly dependent on the temperature. All the simulations have been performed on Visual TCAD (licensed version 1.9.2-3).
Toward a Chatbot for Financial Sustainability

This study examines technology effectiveness for industry demand in which artificial intelligence (AI) is applied in the financial sector. It summarizes prior studies on chatbot and customer service and investigates theories on acceptance attitudes for innovative technologies. By setting variables, the study examines bank revenue methodologically and assesses the impact of customer service and chatbot on bank revenues through customer age classification. The results indicate that new product-oriented funds or housing subscription savings are more suitable for purchase through customer service than through chatbot. However, services for existing products through chatbot positively affect banks’ net income. When classified by age, purchases by the majority age group in the channel positively affect bank profits. Finally, there is a tendency to process small banking transactions through the chatbot system, which saves transaction and management costs, positively affecting profits. Through empirical analysis, we first examine the effect of an AI-based chatbot system implemented to strengthen financial soundness and suggest policy alternatives. Second, we use banking data to increase the study’s real-life applicability and prove that problems in customer service can be solved through a chatbot system. Finally, we investigate how resistance to technology can be reduced and efficiently accommodated.
Moving Mountains: Geography, Neighborhood Sorting, and Spatial Income Segregation

Using a novel geospatial panel combined with data from the 2015 American Community Survey (ACS), we investigate the effect of topography—altitude and terrain unevenness—on income segregation at the neighborhood level. Specifically, we perform large‐scale counterfactual simulations by estimating household preferences for topography, altering the topographical profile of each city, and observing the resulting neighborhood sorting outcome. We find that unevenness contributes to the segmentation of markets: in the absence of hilliness, rich and poor households experience greater mixing. Hillier cities are more income‐segregated because of their unevenness; the opposite is true for flatter cities.
On networked Euler–Lagrangian systems consensus under switching topologies

This paper studies the consensus of multiple Euler–Lagrangian systems with dynamic uncertainties and the challenges to be solved lie on weak interaction, time-varying interaction and parametric uncertainties. The overlapped problem makes the control protocol of the networked Euler–Lagrangian system hard to analyze and design and to resolve the issue, a novel reference, as well as an adaptive protocol, is proposed. In addition, the concept of integral-  p stability is employed. Under the control of the proposed protocol, networking coupled Euler–Lagrange systems achieve synchronization which means inter-subsystems state errors converge to zero with a mild assumption of the union of switching topologies containing a directed spanning tree. The numerical simulations verify the effectiveness of the proposed protocol.
Plant Spacing and Variety of Field Corn (Zea mays L.) Affecting Yield, Yield Components and Silage Quality

The recent increase in dairy and cattle production in Thailand has increased demand for high-quality roughage, particularly corn silage. Although there has been a great deal of research on field corn, far fewer studies have focused on corn intended as silage. This study involved a field experiment that analyzed crop management methods, focusing on plant spacing and 8 of the field corn varieties most commonly used in Thailand. The objectives were to determine which plant spacing and variety produced the best forage yield and silage qualities of corn silage. The plantings were arranged in a split-plot Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. The main plot contained two spacing (75×20 and 75×25 cm2), each with subplots of 8 field corn varieties (SW5, NS2, NS3, NSX982013, TE1719, WS6437, WS6440, WS6442). All plants received the same crop management care regarding soil conditions, water, fertilization, and weeding. The results showed plant spacing did not significantly affect plant height (cm) and ears per plant, but the narrower 75×20 cm2 spacing produced the highest fresh leaf yield (13 t ha-1) and dry stalk yield (4.5 t ha-1) (p < 0.05). At 75×20 cm2 spacing, the TE1719 varietal had more ears per plant than SW5 (the check variety). TE1719 had the best fresh ear, stalk, and total biomass yield at both spacing of all the varieties. With regard to silage quality, the plant spacing did not significantly affect the CP, ADF, ADL, ash, and pH of the corn silage. The study revealed planting TE1719 varieties at 75×20 cm2 spacing is more economical for farmers because it increases forage yields without negatively affecting the nutritional value of corn silage.
Beliefs of Social Work Students in Israel about Wife-Beating: Are They Influenced by Their Patriarchal Ideology and Exposure to Violence in Their Families-of-Origin?

ABSTRACT Beliefs of Israeli undergraduate students of social work about wife-beating were examined, based on a combination of two theoretical frameworks, i.e., patriarchal ideology (as reflected in participants’ attitudes toward women and marital role expectations) and social learning theory (as reflected in their exposure to family violence during childhood). Self-administered questionnaires were filled out by a convenience sample of 542 students, from all three years of undergraduate studies in social work in seven academic institutions in Israel. The majority of participants were female (90.7%); 91.5% were Jews, and the remaining 8.5% were Arabs. The majority of participants expressed opposition to negative beliefs about wife-beating (e.g., opposed justifying wife-beating, expressed opposition for blaming battered women for husbands’ violence), and expressed willingness to help battered women. In addition, high percentages of the participants expressed willingness to hold violent husbands responsible for their behavior. Students’ liberal attitudes toward women and egalitarian expectations of marriage correlated significantly with most non-lenient beliefs about battered women and violent husbands. Nevertheless, participants’ exposure to family violence did not correlate significantly with these beliefs. The predictability of these beliefs by participants’ patriarchal ideology and exposure to family violence has been examined. The implications of the results for future research and theory development as well as for professional socialization are discussed.
Multimode Monitoring of Oxy-Gas Combustion Through Flame Imaging, Principal Component Analysis, and Kernel Support Vector Machine

ABSTRACT This article presents a method for the multimode monitoring of combustion stability under different oxy-gas fired conditions based on flame imaging, principal component analysis (PCA), and kernel support vector machine (KSVM) techniques. The images of oxy-gas flames are segmented into premixed and diffused regions through the watershed transform method. The weighted color and texture features of the diffused and premixed regions are extracted and projected into two subspaces using the PCA to reduce the data dimensions and noises. The multi-class KSVM model is finally built based on the flame features in the principal component subspace to identify the operation condition. Two classic multivariate statistic indices, for example, Hotelling’s T2 and squared prediction error, are used to assess the normal and abnormal states for the corresponding operation condition. The experimental results obtained on a lab-scale oxy-gas rig show that the weighted color and texture features of the defined diffused and premixed regions are effective for detecting the combustion state and that the proposed PCA-KSVM model is feasible and effective to monitor a combustion process under variable operation conditions.
Estudo da validade da escala de mensuração da Orientação a Longo Prazo

A partir de estudos encontrados na literatura acerca da eficácia do modelo das dimensões culturais de Hofstede (1980), foi realizado um estudo empírico para verificar se o pressuposto de que os valores culturais mudam ao mesmo tempo e na mesma direção, conforme postula o autor. A presente pesquisa foi realizada junto a estudantes universitários em sete países (Brasil, Colômbia, Índia, Portugal, Romênia, Espanha e Turquia), utilizando uma amostragem do tipo “bola de neve”, obtendo-se 1.452 respostas válidas. A participação foi razoavelmente uniforme em relação à distribuição por gênero, perfil etário e escolaridade. Foram aplicados procedimentos recomendados para validação da escala de orientação de longo prazo (Bearden et al., 2006). A análise revela que ocorreram mudanças culturais nas coortes geracionais na comparação frente ao estudo original, pois os escores da dimensão de orientação de longo prazo mudaram de forma significativa. Desta forma, coloca-se por terra o pressuposto das mudanças na mesma direção, preconizados por Hofstede. Reforça-se, desta maneira, a necessidade de atualizar os conceitos teóricos a fim de preservar a relevância acadêmica e gerencial da cultura mundial e de sua natureza mutável. Com isso, pretende-se assegurar uma visão mais acurada da perspectiva cultural, de maneira a equipar os alunos e os gestores com o melhor conjunto de informações possíveis para atuar nos mercados internacionais.
Local-Linear Estimation of Time-Varying-Parameter GARCH Models and Associated Risk Measures

In this article, we propose a nonparametric approach to estimating generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (1,1) models with time-varying parameters. We model the time-varying parameters as a smooth function of time and estimate them using a local linear estimator. We show that our estimator is consistent and is asymptotically normal and that the proposed estimator outperforms a rolling window estimator in Monte Carlo simulation experiments. We present strong evidence of parameter instabilities using daily returns of stock indices and explore implications to risk management measures, such as value-at-risk and expected shortfall, through backtesting.