Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Compressible polyglycolic acid-based nanofibrous matrices as a bone filler: fabrication, physicochemical characterisations, and biocompatibility evaluation

ABSTRACT In this study, amorphous hydroxyapatite (am-HAp) incorporated compressible and nanofibrous polyglycolic acid (PGA-HAp) matrices were fabricated by three-dimensional (3-D) electrospinning. The synthesised am-HAp particles were in the size of 260 ± 45 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses confirmed the chemical and phase structure of the am-HAp particles. Continuous PGA-HAp nanofibers with the mean diameter of 367 ± 70 nm were successfully produced and am-HAp particles were well integrated into the nanofibers. Moreover, XRD and FTIR analyses verified the presence of am-HAp in the PGA nanofibers. The incorporation of the am-HAp to the nanofibers increased the maximum degradation temperature of PGA matrices from 340°C to 362°C. Mechanical analyses confirmed the elasticity of the 3-D PGA matrices. In vitro cell culture studies verified the biocompatibility of the nanofibrous matrices. Hence, 3-D nanofibrous PGA-HAp matrices may be a good alternative to ceramic bone substitutes due to their flexibility and physicochemical properties.
Spatial mapping for Groundwater Vulnerability to Pollution Risk Assessment Using DRASTIC Model in Ponnaiyar River Basin, South India

Groundwater is the principle source of drinking water and protection of groundwater quality is an important issue meets out the increasing population and agricultural practices. The present research an attempt made to develop DRASTIC model to understand the groundwater contamination risk in Ponnaiyar River Basin (PRB), Tamil Nadu, India using geographical information system (GIS). GIS have been shown to be useful tools for assessing groundwater pollution hazard. According to Central Ground Water Board reports the PRB categorized by semi-critical groundwater development. In view of the extensive reliance on this basin, contamination of PRB groundwater became an alarming issue. To assess groundwater contamination risk in the PRB the parameters such as Groundwater depth, Net recharge, Aquifer media, Soil media, Topography, Impact of vadose zone and Hydraulic conductivity were selected. Based on the importance of groundwater contamination all the parameters were assigned to rank and weights. Then all the themes were integrated and classified into five categories such as very low (9.33%), low (26.54%), moderate (34.77%), high (22.38%) and very high (6.98) risk. To validate the DRASTIC model, nitrate concentration was selected and found that it is 81.53% accurate which reflects that, DRASTIC model is appropriate to understand groundwater pollution risk assessment. In the GSB groundwater is contaminated mainly due to extensive use of groundwater extraction for agriculture purpose. Groundwater risk index assessment is an effective tool for groundwater management in the PRB.
Design Thinking as an Approach to Guide a More Humanized Learning Process in Engineering Teaching

— Changes in digital transformation have been increasingly accelerated. Consequently, educational institutions face a significant challenge in preparing individuals for the current and future job market. These institutions must support students in developing transversal skills that can meet the demands for work and social life. Thus, the objective of this study is to present a learning model that combines the challenge-based learning methodology with the design thinking approach as a strategy to conduct a more humanized learning process and promote the development of transversal skills. This study was conducted with 23 students pursuing mechanical engineering. The learning model was well-rated by the students, and the development of transversal competencies were evaluated.
From an Optimal Point to an Optimal Region: A Novel Methodology for Optimization of Multimodal Constrained Problems and a Novel Constrained Sliding Particle Swarm Optimization Strategy

The present work proposes a novel methodology for an optimization procedure extending the optimal point to an optimal area based on an uncertainty map of deterministic optimization. To do so, this work proposes the deductions of a likelihood-based test to draw confidence regions of population-based optimizations. A novel Constrained Sliding Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm is also proposed that can cope with the optimization procedures characterized by multi-local minima. There are two open issues in the optimization literature, uncertainty analysis of the deterministic optimization and application of meta-heuristic algorithms to solve multi-local minima problems. The proposed methodology was evaluated in a series of five benchmark tests. The results demonstrated that the methodology is able to identify all the local minima and the global one, if any. Moreover, it was able to draw the confidence regions of all minima found by the optimization algorithm, hence, extending the optimal point to an optimal region. Moreover, providing the set of decision variables that can give an optimal value, with statistical confidence. Finally, the methodology is evaluated to address a case study from chemical engineering; the optimization of a complex multifunctional process where separation and reaction are processed simultaneously, a true moving bed reactor. The method was able to efficiently identify the two possible optimal operating regions of this process. Therefore, proving the practical application of this methodology.
Biodegradation of Naphthalene using Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus subtilis Immobilized on Snail Shell

This study investigated snail shell as a carrier to immobilize Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus subtilis isolated from refinery effluent for the degradation of naphthalene in synthetic wastewater at various process conditions such as initial naphthalene concentration, pH, adsorbent dosage and ambient temperature of 30 o C in batch mode. The results showed that the adsorption and the biodegradation capacity increased with increase in naphthalene concentration, where 73.11%, 74.46% and 65.20% of the optimum concentration (50 mg/L) were removed by immobilized Pseudomonas putida , Bacillus subtilis , and snail shell respectively after 72 hours incubation. The optimal degradation occurred at the adsorbent dosage of 2 g at pH 9 and pH 7 for the adsorption and biodegradation respectively. The results were well fitted to both Langmuir and Freundlich models. Therefore, snail shell can be employed as a low-cost adsorbent and solid support matrix for immobilizing microorganisms in remediating hydrocarbon contaminants. Keywords : Biodegradation; Naphthalene; Immobilization; Snail shell.
The First Identification of the Unique Epitope induced by COVID 19 Vaccines

Introduction The J&J vaccine was administered to over 2.3 million Americans. The J&J vaccine is a DNA adenovirus vector expressing the COVID-19 Spike protein. The Spike protein is 1.2 thousand amino acids long. The side effects of this vaccine are platelet suppression and blood clots. This was noted in 6 female patients. These 6 patients had antibodies which bound Platelet Factor Four protein (PL4). PL4 is 110 amino acids long. Given these numbers and assuming random nucleotide changes; then, one can calculate that a one nucletotide change (leading to a one amino acid change in the coding of the Spike protein's epitope) is responsible for the antibody binding to a PL4 epitope [1].
Blockchain technology for the industrial Internet of Things: A comprehensive survey on security challenges, architectures, applications, and future research directions

The blockchain has emerged as an innovative and powerful technology that shows the tremendous potential to enhance the smart industrial frameworks by providing encryption, immutable storage, and decentralization. In the past few years, several applications in the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) have emerged and blockchain technologies gained great attention from academia and industry. To discover the great potential of blockchain technology for the IIoT, we present a comprehensive survey on security issues, blockchain architectures, and applications from the industrial perspective. This article starts with a comparison of exiting state‐of‐the‐art surveys of blockchain technologies for IoT/IIoT applications. A four‐layer reference architecture of IIoT is presented along with the functionalities and security issues of each layer. To address these challenges, we assess the potential of blockchain technology by considering the key characteristics, architectures, consensus algorithms, and implementation platforms. Furthermore, we also discussed some use cases of blockchain for the IIoT frameworks. Finally, this survey is concluded by highlighting some open issues and future research directions.
Spectral Broadening in a Continuously Pumped Singly Resonant Second-Harmonic Cavity

Optical frequency comb synthesizers with a wide spectral range are an essential tool for many research areas such as spectroscopy, precision metrology, optical communication, and sensing. Recent studies have demonstrated the direct generation of frequency combs, via second-order processes, that are centered on two different spectral regions separated by an octave. Here, we present the capability of optical quadratic frequency combs for broad-bandwidth spectral emission in unexplored regimes. We consider comb formation under phase-matched conditions in a continuous-wave pumped singly resonant second-harmonic cavity, with large intracavity power and control of the detuning over several cavity linewidths. The spectral analysis reveals quite distinctive sidebands that arise far away from the pump, singularly or in a mixed regime together with narrowband frequency combs. Notably, by increasing the input power, the optical frequency lines evolve into widely spaced frequency clusters, and at maximum power, they appear in a wavelength range spanning up to 100 nm. The obtained results demonstrate the capacity of second-order nonlinearities to produce direct comb within a wide range of wavelengths.
The culinary intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO: a review of journal articles in EBSCO platform

ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to identify and codify the scientific studies about intangible cultural heritage related to culinary, which integrates the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO, in tourism industry. For this purpose, a bibliometric research was conducted in EBSCOhost platform, it was found, between 2000 and 2017, 42 journal articles, but only 28 could be used. These were published in 18 journals, developed by 48 authors, linked to 31 institutions from 18 countries. However, only one article addressed the UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage related to culinary. This article contributes to the identification of the nature of research being carried out in the area.
Neural iterative learning identifier‐based iterative learning controller for time‐varying nonlinear systems

In this paper, two iterative learning control (ILC) approaches based on a neural iterative learning identifier (NILI) are proposed for a class of unknown time‐varying nonlinear systems. Since both control and identification processes are done at the common iteration domain, so both tracking performance and identification performance are improved at each iteration simultaneously. A class of neural networks is proposed as iterative learning identifier. The proposed NILI is time varying because the system is time varying. An auxiliary error function is used in new iterative updating laws of the proposed NILI. First, P‐type ILC with iteration‐varying learning gain based on the NILI is proposed and applied to the system. Then, a new ILC based on the NILI is proposed and applied to the system. In comparison with other ILC algorithms proposed for similar systems, the proposed algorithm in this paper has more accurate performance and takes less amount of time and memory. Also, the new proposed NILI‐based ILC can be successfully applied to the system with iteration‐varying initial condition. Theoretical analysis of the trajectory convergence both tracking and identification errors is fully done. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms is verified through some simulation case studies.
Assessing vulnerability of wetland fisheries to climate change: a stakeholders’ perception-based approach

ABSTRACT Floodplain wetlands are among the most threatened ecosystems. It is highly vulnerable to climate change, affecting the wetland ecosystem and its associated fisheries. In the face of data deficiency, this article presents an alternative approach to assess the vulnerability of wetland fisheries to climate change. A total of 15 wetlands from a wetland-fisheries-rich area of West Bengal, India, were selected to illustrate the methodology. The proposed method mainly relies on stakeholders’ perceptions of the wetland fisheries vulnerability. Elicitation stakeholders’ response iteratively screened the indicators of fisheries vulnerability. The hybrid method of index-based vulnerability comprises two types of indicators: climate indicators with long-term quantitative data and stakeholder perceived vulnerability indicators specific to wetland fisheries. The high level of consensus (92%) among respondents provided strong evidence of climate change in last 15 years, which has also been validated through long-term data analysis. The Principal Component Analysis extracted five synthesized vulnerability indicators, explaining 83.35% variability of the original 14 indicators. The wetlands were further grouped according to differential vulnerability for prioritizing the wetlands for strategic planning. Climate change, reduction in species richness and adaptive capacity were the key components responsible for differential vulnerability. The study also revealed some indigenous climate-smart mitigation strategies of wetland fisheries to climate change.
Inorganic separators enable significantly suppressed polysulfide shuttling in high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries

Despite being a promising energy storage system due to their high theoretical energy density of 2567 W h kg−1 and economic applicability, liquid electrolyte based lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries suffer from several challenges including the polysulfide shuttling effect and lithium dendrite growth, causing continuous capacity decay and severe safety concerns. To address these issues, three types of porous ceramic membranes (garnet type Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12, Y0.16Zr0.84O2−δ, and Al2O3) are presented as separators for Li–S batteries. It is found that the mechanically stiff separators not only have strong affinity for polysulfides but also have high mechanical strength to block lithium dendrite penetration, resulting in a significantly improved electrochemical performance and dramatically enhanced safety of Li–S batteries. Specifically, by employing the Li6.4La3Zr1. 4Ta0.6O12 separator, the Li–S battery can achieve an extended cycle life (over 500 cycles at 0.5C with a capacity decay of 0.034% per cycle on average) and high rate performance up to 2C, outperforming the reported Li–S batteries based on dense ceramic membranes. This work has valuable reference significance in developing porous inorganic separators and inorganic/organic composite electrolytes for high-performance Li–S batteries with enhanced safety characteristics.
Numerical Modelling and Design of Aluminium Alloy Angles under Uniform Compression

Research studies have been reported on aluminium alloy tubular and doubly symmetric open cross-sections, whilst studies on angle cross-sections remain limited. This paper presents a comprehensive numerical study on the response of aluminium alloy angle stub columns. Finite element models are developed following a series of modelling assumptions. Geometrically and materially nonlinear analyses with imperfections included are executed, and the obtained results are validated against experimental data available in the literature. Subsequently, a parametric study is carried out to investigate the local buckling behaviour of aluminium alloy angles. For this purpose, a broad range of cross-sectional aspect ratios, slenderness and two types of structural aluminium alloys are considered. Their effect on the cross-sectional behaviour and strength is discussed. Moreover, the numerically obtained ultimate strengths together with literature test data are utilised to assess the applicability of the European design standards, the American Aluminium Design Manual and the Continuous Strength Method to aluminium alloy angles. The suitability of the Direct Strength Method is also evaluated and a modified method is proposed to improve the accuracy of the strength predictions.
QUALITY ASSURANCE IN NIGERIAN PUBLIC HIGHER INSTITUTIONS: CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD

The quality of higher education in Nigeria is falling and this is affecting the social, economic and technological development of the country because the higher institutions are saddled with the responsibilities of manpower development of the country. In order to address this problem, there are various agencies designed to ensure quality assurance in the various higher institutions. These agencies are been confronted with many challenges. This paper is aimed to examine the problems preventing quality assurance programme in Nigerian public higher institutions from achieving their goals. To achieve this, the researchers employed secondary data to justify the various points raised in the paper. Print materials and online publication were sorted and used in the paper. This paper identified; inadequate funding, shortage of academic staff, poor implementation of quality assurance policies, inadequate infrastructural facilities, brain-drain, strike Actions ,corruption, weak supervision, poor staff development as problems preventing quality assurance in the Nigerian higher institutions. To ensure quality in the Nigerian higher institutions, the following have been suggested: adequate funding, employment of adequate academic staff, provision of adequate infrastructural facilities, fight all forms of corruption practices, implement all agreement reached with the different union groups, motivate academic staff, effective supervision, effective staff development.
RATE CONSTANT OF SOME AMINO DERIVATIVES DISSOCIATION

Amino glycoside derivation including, Neomycin, Streptomycin, Kanamycin and Gentamycin with special reagents, which are benzoylchloride; benzene sulfonyl chloride and phthalic anhydride were made to enhance Uv-detectability for HPLC analysis. But there are many problems facing pre column derivation and in order to solve this, the conductivity of antibiotic derivatives were used to calculate the dissociation constant and the hydrolysis rate which determined concern type reaction. In addition the characteristics those controlling the hydrolysis of antibiotic-derivatives were investigated.
Mobilization and transfer of nine macro-and micronutrients to Pinus greggii seedlings via arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Traditionally, it is thought that arbuscular mycorrhizae establish a symbiosis with the roots of numerous angiosperm and some gymnosperm families. However, the mobilization and transfer of macro- and micronutrients to Pinaceae via arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) has not been reported so far. The present work evaluated whether arbuscular mycorrhizae are able to establish, mobilize, and transfer nutrients in the neotropical species of Pinaceae, Pinus greggii . Seedlings were inoculated with 3 AMF consortia isolated from an agricultural site, a Cupressus lusitanica forest and a Pinus hartwegii forest. Evidence of mobilization and transfer of macro- and micronutrients in plants inoculated with the 3 consortia was evaluated. A greater Mg, Mn, and Zn mobilization and transfer was observed in plants inoculated with the pine forest AMF consortium after 7 months. In addition to these positive effects, AMF root colonization of 10 to 15% and 21 to 36% was observed depending on the AMF consortia after 2 and 7 months. In the present work, we report for the first time that AMF mobilize and transfer N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and B to a member of Pinaceae, indicating that this mycorrhizal symbiosis is more complex than previously believed.
Aquatic invertebrate’s Carbohydrate-binding module assists environmental cellulase to immobilize in wetland sediments

: Carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) are non-catalytic protein domains that bind to carbohydrates, and have been well studied in microorganisms. Endogenous CBMs in aquatic invertebrates, however, have not yet been identiﬁed, and little is known about their ecological signiﬁcance to wetland environments. Using an approach of characterizing a recombinant CBM ( Cj Cel9A) from a brackish bivalve, Corbicula japonica , this work identiﬁed Cj Cel9A-CBM ʼ s cellulose-binding activity. Scatchard plot analysis in the study of Cj Cel9A-CBM binding to α -cellulose showed a high corresponding partitioning coeﬃcient (K r ) of 20.33, indicating Cj Cel9A-CBM ʼ s high aﬃnity for cellulose. In addition, this aﬃnity tolerated a high ion concentration buﬀer system, consistent with C. japonica ʼ s adaption to brackish wetland environments. Moreover, immuno-scanning electron microscopy (immuno-SEM) suggested that Cj Cel9A-CBM binds to α -cellulose unevenly, which was further determined to be caused by its higher aﬃnity for crystalline cellulose (Cellulose I, mostly seen in plant leaves). Together, these ﬁndings suggest that Cj Cel9A-CBM is capable of immobilizing its associated catalytic domain on environmental crystalline cellulose (i.e., fallen leaves) in wetland sediments. Most importantly, they could provide a reasonable answer to a question recognized broadly in wetland ecologists, namely, why many wetland sediments have constant cellulase activities, although the sediments are being washed almost every day.
Physicochemical Characterization of Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Coated with Chitosan for Biomedical Application

Aims: Synthesize and characterize a bio-polymer coated iron oxide nanoparticle, which has the potency to be used as an appropriate biomaterial for biomedical purpose. Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) with biological coating exhibits many properties that can be exploited in a variety of biomedical applications. Place and Duration of Study: The study was performed at Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka, Bangladesh from August 2013 to August 2014. Methodology: This research work describes the in-situ synthesis of chitosan-coated magnetic nanoparticles (CS MNPs) by co precipitation method where trisodium phosphate is added as ionic Original Research Article Aziz et al.; IRJPAC, 11(1): 1-9, 2016; Article no.IRJPAC. 23408 2 cross-linker. Analytical characterization of synthesized nanoparticles was performed using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Results: The XRD analysis proved that the synthesized iron oxide was magnetite (Fe3O4). The layer of chitosan on the magnetite surface was confirmed by FTIR. SEM image demonstrated a comparable morphology. The average diameter of synthesized nanoparticle was found to be 13.4 nm from XRD crystallite size analysis. TGA result indicated that the chitosan content of CS MNP were 29% by weight. Conclusion: The synthesized MNPs have many potential applications in biomedicine including targeted drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and magnetic hyperthermia.