Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Solvent Type and Drying Method on Protein Retention in Chitosan-Alginate Microcapsules

Purpose: The effect of solvent used in dissolving chitosan (membrane material) and the microcapsule drying method used, on protein retention in chitosan-alginate microcapsules were studied since these factors affect the physicochemical characteristics of the coating membrane. Method: The microcapsules were prepared by extruding a solution containing alginate and BSA into chitosan/calcium chloride solution prepared with different acid solvents – acetic acid, formic acid, tartaric acid and hydrochloric acid. A portion of the microcapsules was air-dried at ambient temperature while the remaining portion was freeze-dried. The elution of protein from the microcapsules in simulated gastric fluid was monitored spectrophotometrically at λmax 280 nm. Results: Tartaric acid effected the highest mean protein retention (54%) after 9 h followed by acetic acid (35%), hydrochloric acid (31%) and formic acid, (30%). There appears to be a link between the pKa of the acids and the degree of chitosan–solvent interaction on the one hand, and protein retention on the other hand. Increase in elution pH from 1.2 to 5.0 did not significantly (P>0.05) affect protein retention. Furthermore, there was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the protein retention capacities of air-dried and freeze-dried microcapsules as both types showed protein retention of 50% after 5 h. Conclusion: Tartaric acid was the most suitable solvent for enhancing protein retention in chitosan-alginate microcapsules in simulated gastric fluid.
A Novel Attitude-Tracking Control for Spacecraft Networks With Input Delays

This article is concerned with the attitude synchronous tracking control of time-delayed multispacecraft systems. The attitude-tracking error dynamics are transformed into a modified one that can be readily constructed by the Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy approach, where a variable related to system states is treated as the equivalent disturbance. A novel fuzzy-based controller is proposed to guarantee that attitude-tracking systems of multiple spacecraft could be synchronously stabilized with <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$H_\infty $ </tex-math></inline-formula> performance. The presented fuzzy-based controller shows its significant advantages compared with the conventional nonlinearity compensation controller. Some improved sufficient conditions ensuring the synchronous stability with <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$H_\infty $ </tex-math></inline-formula> performance of large-scale multispacecraft systems are derived. Numerical examples are finally reported to illustrate the efficiency and improved performance of the presented theoretical approaches.
Hybrid Mutation Fruit Fly Optimization Algorithm for Solving the Inverse Kinematics of a Redundant Robot Manipulator

The inverse kinematics of redundant manipulators is one of the most important and complicated problems in robotics. Simultaneously, it is also the basis for motion control, trajectory planning, and dynamics analysis of redundant manipulators. Taking the minimum pose error of the end-effector as the optimization objective, a fitness function was constructed. Thus, the inverse kinematics problem of the redundant manipulator can be transformed into an equivalent optimization problem, and it can be solved using a swarm intelligence optimization algorithm. Therefore, an improved fruit fly optimization algorithm, namely, the hybrid mutation fruit fly optimization algorithm (HMFOA), was presented in this work for solving the inverse kinematics of a redundant robot manipulator. An olfactory search based on multiple mutation strategies and a visual search based on the dynamic real-time updates were adopted in HMFOA. The former has a good balance between exploration and exploitation, which can effectively solve the premature convergence problem of the fruit fly optimization algorithm (FOA). The latter makes full use of the successful search experience of each fruit fly and can improve the convergence speed of the algorithm. The feasibility and effectiveness of HMFOA were verified by using 8 benchmark functions. Finally, the HMFOA was tested on a 7-degree-of-freedom (7-DOF) manipulator. Then the results were compared with other algorithms such as FOA, LGMS-FOA, AE-LGMS-FOA, IFOA, and SFOA. The pose error of end-effector corresponding to the optimal inverse solution of HMFOA is mm, while the pose errors obtained by FOA, LGMS-FOA, AE-LGMS-FOA, IFOA, and SFOA are mm, mm, mm, mm, and mm, respectively. The experimental results show that HMFOA can be used to solve the inverse kinematics problem of redundant manipulators effectively.
Effects of soil amendments on aggregate stability and selected agronomic parameters of pepper (Capsicum annuum)

Soil amendment had been used to ameliorate soils for better productivities with improved aggregate stability, thus, a research was conducted to determine the effects of poultry manure, portland cement and combined poultry manure plus portland cement amended soil on time (s), kinetic energy (J m hr) of simulated rainfall to disintegrate soil aggregate and selected agronomic parameters (number of leaves, plant height, leaf area, number of roots, stem girth, root girth, and root length) of pepper (Capsicum annuum) in the Greenhouse; Teaching and Research Farm of The Oke – Ogun Polytechnic, Saki, Oyo State, Nigeria, in a complete randomized design. The treatments were four and replicated three times. Results indicated that, all treatments had increased significant (P ≤ 0.05) effects on the aggregate stability, also both poultry manure and combined poultry manure plus portland cement had significant (P ≤ 0.05) improvements on all the seven agronomic parameters, while portland cement only had significant (P ≤ 0.05) increment on five agronomic parameters and no significant (P = 0.05) effects was observed on stem girth and root length. Poultry manure, portland cement and combined poultry manure plus Portland cement had pronounced distinct statistical significant (P ≤ 0.05) improvement on the three, four and five selected agronomic parameters respectively, however, based on the strength of analysis of variance, cost and LSD, combined poultry manure plus Portland cement at 10:10 gm could be recommended for the improvements of soil aggregate stability and growth of pepper (Capsicum annuum) in a derived savannah with sandy soil. Key-words: Vegetable, Tropics, Soil Fertility, Soil Conditioner, Kinetic Energy
Molecular Identification and Biofilm-Forming Ability of Culturable Aquatic Bacteria In Microbial Biofilms Formed in Drinking Water Distribution Networks

Drinking water distribution networks are known to harbor microbial biofilms. The aim of the present work is to (i) identify the culturable bacteria presented in the drinking-water distribution network, (ii) investigate the ability of isolated bacteria to form biofilm under some environmental stress conditions and some eliminating or removing treatments. To achieve it, 57 strains were isolated from biofilm (43 isolates) and water samples (14 isolates) collected from five stations in drinking-water distribution network in Taif city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Partial sequences of 16S rRNA gene in the 57 isolates ensured the presence of only 22 different strains in biofilm samples. Among these strains, only 14 strains were also detected in water samples. Gram-negative Aeromonas hydrophila was the most occurred bacterium in the microbial biofilm obtained from the purified-water storage tanks followed by Gram-negative Pseudomonas sp. Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis was the most occurred bacterium in the microbial biofilm collected from the ends of the distribution pipes. Among the 22 isolated strains, 13 strains were strong biofilm producers at 30 and 37°C. The effects of environmental stresses including nutrient starvation (diluted TSB, 20:1), heating (100°C for 10 min), UV-treatment (240 nm for 10 min) and dynamic incubation (150 rpm min−1) on the formation of biofilm were also investigated. These conditions affected the biofilm formation ability of the isolated strains at different levels. Nutrient starvation enhanced biofilm formation by most of the isolates. Among some biofilm deforming treatments, SDS and trypsin had considerable effects on preventing biofilm formation by most of the isolated strains. In conclusion, the results of the present work indicated that not all biofilm strains released from biofilm to the drinking water. Also, not all biofilm strains were able to form biofilm. Most of isolated bacteria had ability to form biofilm at suboptimum temperature of growth. These results may provide basic information on formation of microbial biofilms and overcome the problem of deteriorating of water quality in the drinking-water distribution networks.
WATER QUALITY IN AN INTEGRATED CULTURE OF WHITE SHRIMP (Litopenaeus vannamei)-TOMATO (Lycopersicon esculentum) USING LOW SALINITY GROUNDWATER IN SONORA, MEXICO

SUMMARY The aim of this work was to test the performance of a shrimp-tomato culture system (STCS) in an arid-semiarid region (Sonora, Mexico) and to evaluate the water quality variables and phytoplankton variation of shrimp effluent and that water returning from the tomato module culture. The field study was conducted using groundwater and consisted of three circular tanks that were used for shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) farming and were coupled to one culture module of tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum). The shrimp effluent was used to irrigate the tomato plants. The yield was 11.1±0.2 kg shrimp per tank (3.9±2.0 ton ha−1) and 33.3 kg tomatoes per 45 plants (36.1±2.3 ton ha−1). During the culture, the concentrations of nutrients were (mg L−1): total N-ammonia, <0.001–0.848; N-nitrite, <0.001–1.45; N-nitrate, 5.2–172.2; dissolved reactive-P, <0.005–0.343. A total of 35 taxa belonging to three different algal classes were observed: Chlorophyta (87 to 98%), Bacilliariophyta (2 to 9%) and Cyanophyta (0–3%). This STCS allowed us to harvest the equivalent of 3.9 ton ha−1 of shrimp and 36.3 ton ha−1 of tomatoes, with a water consumption of 2.1 m3 per kg harvested of both products.
Additive-controlled synthesis of monodisperse single crystalline gold nanoparticles: interplay of shape and surface plasmon resonance

We introduce a three-step seed-mediated synthesis for single crystalline gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) stabilized by hexadecylpyridinium chloride (CPC) in variable sizes with an independently adjustable ratio of the cubic and octahedral facets. The effect of KBr and ascorbic acid (AA) on shape and growth kinetics is systematically investigated. The kinetic data were evaluated using the minimalistic Finke–Watzky autocatalytic two-step mechanism, which allows to estimate the rate constants of the “pseudoelementary” reactions. The proposed surface-mediated mechanism of reduction of gold ions and Au NP growth allows to explain the effect of gradual increase of bromide ion concentration on switching the Au NP morphology from cubic to octahedral. The plasmonic properties of single particles of different facetings and their assemblies are investigated.
Evolutionary psychology and inequality.

Darwin foresaw that evolutionary theory would transform the science of psychology, but progress in that direction was glacial for more than a century and large parts of psychological science remain untouched by evolutionary insights. One topic requiring the attention of Darwinians is the psychology of inequality, relative standing, and relative deprivation. These positional aspects of social life clearly affect important realms of human action, including violence and reproduction, but too little is known about how they are apprehended and work their way into our phenotypes. Public Signiﬁcance Statement Natural selection is intrinsically relative, and it has equipped the human animal with an intense interest in relative position, but despite large literatures on “social comparison processes” and “relative deprivation”, psychologists are more likely to disparage sentiments like “envy” than to study how they develop and function in our lives. An infusion of evolutionary insights would help.
INDUCING PLURIPOTENCY IN RUMINANTS

The generation of ES cell lines in ruminants, including cattle and sheep, has been inefficient with putative ESCs undergoing rapid spontaneous differentiation. Recently direct reprogramming of rodent and primate somatic cells to induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) is possible simply by forcing expression of a handful of transcription factors, typically OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4 and cMYC (OSKM). Using a similar approach we have identified that addition of NANOG to the reprogramming cocktail was essential for the generation of stable bovine induced pluripotent stem cells (biPSC). Conversely, generation of reprogrammed sheep iPS (siPSC) cells was achieved by transduction of four factors (OSKM) alone. Significantly, at passage 17 the siPS cells showed silencing of the OSKM transgenes with concomitant reactivation of endogenous pluripotent genes, including OCT4, SOX2 and NANOG. The generation of stable ruminant pluripotent cell lines paves the way for the use of these cells for both biomedical research and agricultural outcomes.
Aerodynamic Characteristics of New Volleyball for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

The pattern of a modern volleyball is greatly different from that of a conventional volleyball, with several changes being made to the shape and design of the surface on the ball. Furthermore, at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a new volleyball (V200W; Mikasa) with 18 panels will be shown as the official ball. Therefore, this study compared the basic aerodynamic characteristics of conventional volleyballs with those of new designs in a wind tunnel. We used three full-size FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volley-Ball) official volleyballs (V5M5000; Molten, MVA200; Mikasa and V200W; Mikasa) to determine the aerodynamic forces acting on each ball. The results indicate that the critical Reynolds number (Recr) differed depending on the ball types and their orientations. The Recr for the Molten ball (conventional) was determined to be ~3.4 × 105 (Cd = 0.17) on panel orientation A and ~2.7 × 105 (Cd = 0.14) on panel orientation B. Moreover, the Recr for the conventional Mikasa ball was determined to be ~2.6 × 105 (Cd = 0.14) on panel orientation A and ~3.0 × 105 (Cd = 0.13) on panel orientation B. On the other hand, the critical Reynolds number for the new volleyball (V200W) was ~2.9 × 105 (Cd = 0.17) in the panel orientation A and ~2.6 × 105 (Cd = 0.15) in panel orientation B. From these results, it can be hypothesized that, during a float serve, the flight trajectory will change depending on the type of volleyball and their orientation.
Extended Kalman Filter-Based Approach for Nodal Pricing in Active Distribution Networks

This article presents an analytical approach based on Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) for nodal pricing in distribution networks containing private distributed generation (DG). An appropriate nodal pricing policy can direct active distribution network (ADN) to optimal operation mode with minimum loss. However, there are several crucial challenges in nodal pricing model such as: equitable loss allocation between DGs, obtain minimum merchandising surplus (MS), and equitable distribution of remuneration between DGs, which is difficult to achieve these goals simultaneously. However, in the proposed method, the issue was embedded in the form of the EKF updates. The measurement update reduces the MS, and in the time update, DG's nodal prices as state variables are modified based on their contribution to the loss reduction. Therefore, all aspects of the problem are considered and modeled simultaneously, which will prepare a realistic state estimation tool for distribution companies in the next step of operation. The proposed method also has the ability to determine the nodal prices for distribution network buses in a wide range of power supply point prices (PSP), which other methods have been failed, especially at very low or high PSP prices. Eventually, using the new method will move system towards to the minimum possible losses with the equitable condition. The application of the proposed nodal pricing method is illustrated on 17-bus radial distribution test systems, and the results are compared with other methods.
Effects of sampling seasons and locations on fish environmental DNA metabarcoding in dam reservoirs

Abstract Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis has seen rapid development in the last decade, as a novel biodiversity monitoring method. Previous studies have evaluated optimal strategies, at several experimental steps of eDNA metabarcoding, for the simultaneous detection of fish species. However, optimal sampling strategies, especially the season and the location of water sampling, have not been evaluated thoroughly. To identify optimal sampling seasons and locations, we performed sampling monthly or at two‐monthly intervals throughout the year in three dam reservoirs. Water samples were collected from 15 and nine locations in the Miharu and Okawa dam reservoirs in Fukushima Prefecture, respectively, and five locations in the Sugo dam reservoir in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. One liter of water was filtered with glass‐fiber filters, and eDNA was extracted. By performing MiFish metabarcoding, we successfully detected a total of 21, 24, and 22 fish species in Miharu, Okawa, and Sugo reservoirs, respectively. From these results, the eDNA metabarcoding method had a similar level of performance compared to conventional long‐term data. Furthermore, it was found to be effective in evaluating entire fish communities. The number of species detected by eDNA survey peaked in May in Miharu and Okawa reservoirs, and in March and June in Sugo reservoir, which corresponds with the breeding seasons of many of fish species inhabiting the reservoirs. In addition, the number of detected species was significantly higher in shore, compared to offshore samples in the Miharu reservoir, and a similar tendency was found in the other two reservoirs. Based on these results, we can conclude that the efficiency of species detection by eDNA metabarcoding could be maximized by collecting water from shore locations during the breeding seasons of the inhabiting fish. These results will contribute in the determination of sampling seasons and locations for fish fauna survey via eDNA metabarcoding, in the future.
Conflict situations and response strategies in urban forests in Switzerland

Currently the number of conflicts between forest users is increasing due to new and growing societal demands for forest recreation in addition to the traditional forest function of wood production. Outdoor sports and forest education programmes are adding to the demands on forest use. Even between recreational users there is conflict, e.g. between bikers and hikers. These two causes of conflict are expected to become more acute in the future, which poses new challenges to both forest policy-makers and forest managers. Therefore, analyzing the dynamics and mechanisms of forest recreation governance is crucial to better address societal demands, to maintain or enhance the provision of different forest services, and to manage forest conflicts. This paper analyses forest conflicts that can be traced back to the increasing demand for forest recreation using the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework. The paper focuses on conflicts in urban forests using four case studies from Switzerland. The paper argues that a better understanding of forest recreation governance may improve the management and planning of forest recreation in agglomerations by reducing conflict situations and identifying response strategies. Finally, the findings presented may help to achieve a more cross-sectoral and multi-level approach in forest recreation governance.
Effects of air inlet or outlet position of a fan coil unit ventilation system on smoke movement and fire severity

Abstract Air conditioning engineers design the inlet or outlet position of a fan coil unit (FCU) system according to thermal comfort and cost. However, the effect of the position on fire growth has not been considered. In this study, the effect of the relative inlet and outlet positions was investigated. Thirty cases were simulated using fire dynamics simulator (FDS). The simulation results revealed that the air inlet and outlet positions influence the smoke movement, doorway temperature and time to flashover. The air inlet is best installed near the door because the downward flowing cold air can cool the hot smoke exiting from the door. The air outlet positioned far from the doorway efficiently enables the smoky air to move outward, while it positioned near the doorway exhausts some fresh air. Furthermore, the air outlet position has a larger influence on flashover than the air inlet position. The air outlet immediately exhausts the smoke.
Relationship between Shoot Elongation and Dry Matter Weight During Submergence in Oryza sativa L. and O. glaberrima Steud. Rice Cultivars

Abstract Rice plants are damaged by flash floods with a rapid increase in water level caused by a heavy rain. However, rice plants cope with the flash floods either by an “escape strategy” involving rapid shoot elongation or by a “quiescence strategy” involving surviving under water with minimal activity. As we found in previous experiments, Saligbeli cultivar adapted well to flash floods through rapid shoot elongation. To understand the vigorous growth process during submergence, we studied the relationship between shoot elongation and changes in dry matter weight (DMW) during submergence. O. glaberrima Steud. cv. Saligbeli and O. sativa L. cv. Ballawé and IR 49830-7-1-2-2 were used. Saligbeli and Ballawé exhibit shoot elongation, and IR 49830-7-1-2-2 exhibits flash-flood tolerance due to the presence of the Sub-1 gene. Twelve-day-old seedlings were submerged for 7 days and the plant length and DMW were measured. The plant length ratio of submerged to control plants in Saligbeli was higher than that of other cultivars during 2-6 days of submergence but IR 49830-7-1-2-2 shoot elongation was inhibited by submergence. In all three cultivars, the elongation of the developing leaf sheath conferred shoot elongation during submergence. The plant length of all submerged plants showed a strong positive correlation with DMW of the leaves developed during submergence. Submerged Saligbeli and Ballawé showed strong negative correlations between DMW of the leaves developed before and during submergence (r = –0.786 for Saligbeli and –0.772 for Ballawé , P < 0.05), suggesting that the enhancement of shoot elongation during submergence is accomplished by using dry matter of the leaves developed before submergence. However, the correlation was not observed in the submerged IR 49830-7-1-2-2. Further details from studies using isotopes are also needed to understand the plant growth during submergence.