Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of socio-demographic factors on the production system of Kersting’s groundnut in Benin

Socio-demographic factors are often responsible for the persistent neglect of orphan crops such as Kersting’s groundnut (Macrotyloma geocarpum) in sub-Saharan Africa.The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of socio-demographic factors on production of Kersting’s groundnut (KG), as a basis for informing policy and development efforts in Benin. Data were collected from 305 randomly selected respondents from three major KG growing areas of Benin (Zou, Collines and Plateau). Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, ordered logit models and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance were used to analyse data, rank and prioritise production constraints across socio-demographic clusters. Factors such as land tenure, farm size, farming experience, education level, age and location had significant positive influence on cultivated KG plot size. Similarly, gender, education level and membership to cooperative groups had positive effects on farmer-reported yield. Furthermore, location in the department of Zou had a negative effect on reported yield. Production activities (sowing and harvesting) were significantly influenced by gender and education level. The most significant constraints were damage due to transhumance, lack of quality seed, changing rainfall patterns, production complexity and poor access to credit and land. Strategic actions for boosting KG productivity should include use of improved varieties, sustainable seed system, appropriate crop management practices, and improved access to credit.
Research on Interference Coordination Optimization Strategy for User Fairness in NOMA Heterogeneous Networks

In order to comprehensively improve the performance of edge users in heterogeneous cellular networks and the fairness of network users, a downlink interference coordination optimization strategy in heterogeneous cellular networks with non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) based on the cell range expansion (CRE) and the almost blank subframe (ABS) technology is proposed. Different from the traditional interference coordination strategy, a NOMA user pairing scheme combined with ABS technology and a dynamic NOMA power allocation scheme are designed to maximize the network fairness based on the optimized throughput of the edge users. The simulation results show that the proposed optimization strategy can balance the performance of network users more effectively to improve the throughput of edge users and network fairness than other NOMA user pairing and power allocation algorithms without the complexity being increased.
Inhibition of a Mitochondrial Potassium Channel in Combination with Gemcitabine and Abraxane Drastically Reduces Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma in an Immunocompetent Orthotopic Murine Model

Simple Summary Treatment of pancreas ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains challenging due to the late stage of presentation, limited efficacy of cytotoxic chemotherapies, and aggressive tumor biology. Novel therapeutic targets are desperately needed. The voltage-gated potassium channel, Kv1.3, is one such unique target. It has been extensively studied in many cancers but less is known in pancreas cancer. In this study, we evaluated the tissue expression of Kv1.3 in resected PDAC and tumor inhibition using novel Kv1.3 inhibitors developed by our group (PCARBTP and PAPTP) with cytotoxic chemotherapies. We found that Kv1.3 is expressed in early stage, non-metastatic, resectable pancreas cancer specimens. Treatment with novel mitochondrial Kv1.3 inhibitors resulted in 95% reduced tumor growth when combined with cytotoxic chemotherapies. This near complete eradication of tumors using this treatment strategy shows that Kv1.3 represents an innovative therapeutic target for pancreas cancer therapy. Abstract Pancreas ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one the most aggressive cancers and associated with very high mortality, requiring the development of novel treatments. The mitochondrial voltage-gated potassium channel, Kv1.3 is emerging as an attractive oncologic target but its function in PDAC is unknown. Here, we evaluated the tissue expression of Kv1.3 in resected PDAC from 55 patients using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and show that all tumors expressed Kv1.3 with 60% of tumor specimens having high Kv1.3 expression. In Pan02 cells, the recently developed mitochondria-targeted Kv1.3 inhibitors PCARBTP and PAPTP strongly reduced cell survival in vitro. In an orthotopic pancreas tumor model (Pan02 cells injected into C57BL/6 mice) in immune-competent mice, injection of PAPTP or PCARBTP resulted in tumor reductions of 87% and 70%, respectively. When combined with clinically used Gemcitabine plus Abraxane (albumin-bound paclitaxel), reduction reached 95% and 80% without resultant organ toxicity. Drug-mediated tumor cell death occurred through the p38-MAPK pathway, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and oxidative stress. Resistant Pan02 clones to PCARBTP escaped cell death through upregulation of the antioxidant system. In contrast, tumor cells did not develop resistance to PAPTP. Our data show that Kv1.3 is highly expressed in resected human PDAC and the use of novel mitochondrial Kv1.3 inhibitors combined with cytotoxic chemotherapies might be a novel, effective treatment for PDAC.
Are haematological and biochemical properties of freshwater spotted snakehead Channa punctata (Bloch, 1793) season and sex dependent?

Freshwater murrel, Channa punctata commonly known as “spotted snakehead” is a popular fish because of its taste and price. Haematological and biochemical profile of fish helps in understanding the fish health and play an important role in fisheries management. The present work was carried out to determine season (summer, monsoon and winter) and sex dependent variations in the blood profile of C. punctata. Haematological [red blood cell counts (RBC), packed cell volume (PCV) and haemoglobin (Hb)] and serum biochemical parameters [blood glucose, total protein, cholesterol, triglyceride (Tg), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), serum calcium levels] of C. punctata were analysed which varied significantly with seasons (p < 0.05). The level of glucose, total protein, Tg, VLDL, RBC, Hb and PCV was low during monsoon season because of the growth and development of gonads compared to the summer and winter season. The level of cholesterol and LDL was high during monsoon. However, haematological and biochemical parameters were not sex dependent. The seasonal haematological and biochemical variations in the fish were mainly due to the physiological acclimatisation of the fish to variations in the environmental condition and feeding regime.
Characterization and Hydrodynamic Evaluation of the Relationship between Permeability and Microstructure Parameters Ceramic Membranes for the Separation of Oil-in-water Emulsion

Ceramic membranes for wastewater treatment are usually fine filters prepared by sintering of alumina, titania or zirconia powders at ultra-high temperatures and have an asymmetric cross-section using the same material or a combination of the three giving a base support and an active layer forming the membrane. The Carman–Kozeny (C–K) and Hagen–Poiseuille (H–P) transport equations have been used to predict water permeability of ceramic membranes and can be adapted to take account of the effects of microstructural parameters (porosity, and tortuosity) of ceramic membranes on pure water flux. The hydrodynamics of the membranes were evaluated by gas transport to obtain equivalent water permeability which was then used to obtain the porosity and tortuosity respectively. Gas permeability experiments showed good correspondence with the calculated water flux. Characterization of the membranes was carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging to determine the morphological aspects of the sample including shape and size of membranes while the electron diffraction with x-rays analysis (EDAX) was used to obtain information on the elemental composition.
Early Detection of Hearing Loss by Using Auditory Brainstem Response tests among Neonates: Incidence and Risk Factors

Background: Hearing loss has become the fourth leading cause of disability globally. Disabling hearing loss impairs interpersonal communication, psychosocial wellbeing, academic and professional career opportunities, economic independence, and quality of life. The study aimed to detect hearing loss incidence and Identify risk factors by using Auditory Brainstem Response tests among neonates. Design: A cross-sectional research design was used to achieve the aim of the current study. Sample: 463 neonates included in the study were calculated using the Epi Info program. Setting: This study was conducted at Minia Eastern Health Center and Minia Western Health Center in Minia City. Tools : two tools were used; Tool I included three parts: The first part related to: Mother and neonate Socio-demographic data, the second part related to: The medical history of the mother, and the third part related to risk factors of the mother. Tool II: Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test. Results: most common maternal risk factors were caesarean section delivery , gestational diabetes, premature rupture of membrane and pre-eclampsia. Regarding neonatal risk factors to hearing loss were neonatal respiratory distress, admission to neonatal intensive care unit, neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and neonatal hypoxia. Conclusion: caesarean section and gestational diabetes were most common maternal risk factors also, neonatal respiratory distress, and admission to neonatal intensive care unit were the most common neonatal risk factors, the majority of the studied neonates not had hearing loss and the minority of them had hearing loss in unilateral ears. Recommendation: Health education to mothers about the risk factors of hearing impairment.
Bachelor Thesis Bioinformatics Time Series Data Visualization in Escher

Modern biological research has arrived in the age of big data. Consequently, new discoveries heavily depend on specialized software for analysis. To understand biological processes it is not suﬃcient to consider a model in stasis but also to analyze the systems dynamics. In the ﬁeld of pathway-based visualization the web-based tool Escher oﬀers a powerful program for visual and statistical management of large data sets in the context of metabolomics, transcriptomics, and ﬂux visualization. So far, it could not accept time course data. In this thesis Escher was extended to enable a time series data visualization including animation. By implementing new features in the existing code base, data can now be contextualized over a time course or in between diﬀerent conditions. A user interface was designed to control the data playback animation (with or without interpolation) in a time series or in pairwise comparison of data sets. This extends Escher with essential tools for analysis of time series data in the context of metabolism and can lead to new ﬁndings in biological research.
Ultra-Processed Foods in University Students: Implementing Nutri-Score to Make Healthy Choices

Going to university means that many students assume, for the first time, responsibilities associated with living outside the family group, such as controlling eating habits. A survey was conducted among 161 university students in order to find out their perceptions regarding their type of diet, their knowledge of nutrition issues, their consumption of ultra-processed foods, and to evaluate the Nutri-Score labeling system as an aid in choosing healthier products. This is a cross-sectional observational study. Participants who have the perception of following a healthy diet show a more adequate BMI, regularly practice sports and read labels (nutritional information, expiration date, and ingredients). In general, the university students surveyed do not read the labels (64%) and find it difficult to identify the degree of wholesomeness of what they consume. Furthermore, they buy products based on the external information on the packaging (72%). The consumption of ultra-processed products, such as alcohol and soft drinks, is higher in those who live outside their family homes. The Nutri-Score labeling system is perceived as an aid for better product choice (89%).
Successful Percutaneous Fogarty Thrombectomy for Subacute Lower Limb Ischemia Due to Resistant Thrombus in the Popliteal Artery

Patient: Male, 73-year-old Final Diagnosis: Subacute lower limb ischemia Symptoms: Coldness • pallor • numbness • rest pain of the right toes Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Percutaneous Fogarty thrombectomy Specialty: Cardiac Surgery • Cardiology Objective: Unusual setting of medical care Background: Subacute lower limb ischemia occurs more than 14 days and less than 3 months from symptom onset. Although endovascular procedures are the preferred treatment choice for a viable and not immediately threatened limb in patients with acute lower limb ischemia (<14 days), percutaneous catheter-directed thrombolysis, percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy, or percutaneous thromboaspiration are not recommended, and no treatment strategy has yet been established for nonacute lower limb ischemia (>14 days). A percutaneous Fogarty thrombectomy, an endovascular thrombus removal procedure with the use of a large-caliber sheath and a Fogarty balloon catheter, has recently been reported as a less invasive alternative to open surgery in patients with acute lower limb ischemia. In this report, we use this technique for a case of subacute lower limb ischemia caused by a resistant thrombus. Case Report: A 73-year-old man with a diagnosis of essential thrombocythemia presented with symptoms of right lower limb ischemia, which started about a month before. The diagnosis was subacute lower limb ischemia due to a resistant thrombus in the popliteal artery. First, we attempted percutaneous thromboaspiration and prolonged dilation with a large-caliber balloon catheter, but there were still severe residual stenoses with delayed blood flow. Although vascular scaffold implantation might have achieved complete revascularization, we avoided it because of a high probability of stent fracture in the popliteal artery. Thus, we performed a subsequent percutaneous Fogarty thrombectomy immediately after the conventional endovascular recanalization failed, achieving complete revascularization and next-day discharge without any complications. Conclusions: A percutaneous Fogarty thrombectomy could be a new treatment option for subacute lower limb ischemia due to a resistant thrombus, which can be performed immediately after failure of the conventional endovascular recanalization.
Design and Implementation of an Experiential Learning Exercise for Mechanical Piping Systems to Enhance Construction Engineering and Management Education

Over the past several years, the building codes that govern commercial building construction have become increasingly prescriptive in nature, specifying detailed information related to the design and installation of the systems, while offering no reasoning behind their prescriptive measures. For example, mechanical piping systems commonly found in commercial and industrial facilities are used for a variety of building systems. Students now read and study construction details about piping system and installation methods in textbooks, and using published productivity rates, they perform in-class exercises estimating quantities and scheduling their installation, but they lack the experience working with the material and understanding the challenges trade workers face in the field during installation. This paper describes the design and implementation of experiential learning exercises that allows construction management students to perform “hands-on” fit-up exercises of mechanical piping systems.
Expression of genes encoding terpenoid biosynthesis enzymes during leaf development of Eucalyptus camaldulensis

- gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; GO - gene ontology; HMGCS - hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase; IPP - isoprene phosphate; KEGG - Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes; ME-CPP - 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol- 2,4-cyclodiphosphate synthase; MEP - methylerythritol 4-phosphate; MVA - mevalonate; RIN - RNA integrity number; RPKM - reads per kb per million reads; TPS - terpene synthase; TFs - transcription factors. Abstract To reveal the regulation mechanism of terpenoid biosynthesis in the leaves of Eucalyptus camaldulensis , the content of volatiles in eucalyptus leaves and the transcriptome databases of young and mature leaves were analyzed. The results showed that E. camaldulensis contains 92 and 89 kinds of volatile substances in the young and mature leaves, respectively. Among them, the content of 1,8-cineole, β-pinene, and other substances was significantly different in young and mature leaves. A total of 99 802 unigenes were obtained from the transcriptome database of young and mature leaves of E. camaldulensis and 18 441 genes displayed obviously differential expressions during both developmental stages. There were 6 982 up-regulated unigenes and 11 461 down-regulated unigenes in the young leaf stage compared to the mature leaf stage. The key genes for terpenoid biosynthesis, including limonene synthase-10, limonene synthase-11, myrcene synthase-1, α- pinene synthase-2, and 1,8-cineole synthase-2 , were selected for further analysis to explore the mechanism of gene regulation and genetic transformation. The expressions of key genes were validated by RT-qPCR, and their expressions were consistent with RNA-seq data. WRKY, MYB, NAC , and bHLH transcription factors (TFs) displayed important regulatory effects on the above key genes. Thus, a regulatory network model of terpenoid biosynthesis was constructed using target genes and TFs during leaf development in E. camaldulensis . These results provide theoretical evidence for understanding the terpenoid biosynthesis in plants and reference for terpenoids utilization by genetic engineering methods in E. camaldulensis .
The role of environmental management accounting and environmental knowledge management practices influence on environmental performance: mediated-moderated model

Purpose This study aims to observe the influence of environmental management accounting (EMA) and environmental knowledge management (KM) practices on environmental performance with mediating role of top management support (TMS). Moreover, green work climate perception (GWCP) is used as a moderator between TMS and environmental performance. Design/methodology/approach Partial least square-structural equation modeling is used to test research hypotheses. Data was collected to distribute questionnaires in light of the purposive sampling technique; a total of 329 questionnaires were used for final analysis. This study is correlational and cross-sectional. Multiple regression analysis was used to see the influence of EMA, environmental KM practices, TMS and GWCP on environmental performance. Findings The results reveal that EMA, environmental KM practices and TMS are positively related to environmental performance. Moreover, TMS significantly mediates between EMA, environmental KM practices and environmental performance. GWCP is positively associated with environmental performance. Finally, GWCP significantly strengthens the positive relationship between TMS and environmental performance. Practical implications This study highlighted a significant issue that of how top management uses EMA, environmental KM practices, TMS and GWCP in examining environmental performance. Moreover, this study covers the gap and supports top management to concentrate on exogenous variables to examine environmental performance. Originality/value This study adds value to literature to focus on factors that influence environmental performance. This initial research observes the influence of EMA and environmental KM practices on environmental performance with TMS as a mediator in light of the knowledge-based view. Besides, GWCP is used as a moderator between TMS and environmental performance. Finally, our research can provide benefits to researchers, students and managers.
Observer-Based Event-Triggered Adaptive Fuzzy Control for Fractional-Order Time-Varying Delayed MIMO Systems Against Actuator Faults

This article presents the observer-based event-triggered adaptive hybrid fuzzy dynamic surface control strategy for a category of uncertain nonstrict-feedback fractional-order nonlinear multi-input multi-output systems, including unknown time-varying delays and actuator faults. First, an adaptive hybrid fuzzy state observer and a serial-parallel estimation system are constructed to estimate the unmeasured system states and incorporate them into the control design scheme, respectively, where some appropriate fuzzy logic systems are introduced to approximate the unknown nonlinear functions. According to the dynamic surface control technique, the designed adaptive fuzzy control approach can surmount the deficiency of “complexity explosion. ” Then, an observer-based adaptive event-triggered control algorithm is developed by constructing the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals and estimating the compounded disturbances. Furthermore, it is proved that under the drive of the reference signals, all the signals in the closed-loop system are semiglobally uniformly ultimately bounded and Zeno behavior can be successfully excluded. Finally, an example with numerical simulations is utilized to exhibit the applicability of the obtained observer-based event-triggered adaptive fuzzy control approach.
Synthesis and Computational Insights of p-Benzoyl-Phenylalanine as Potential Estrogen Receptor Inhibitor

Radiolabelled amino acids have been gaining great interest in medical field both as diagnostic and therapeutic agents. New pharmaceutical compound, p-benzoyl-phenylalanine (4-BP), was synthesised and investigated for its potential as estrogen receptor inhibitor for breast cancer and characterised using FT-IR, 1H and 13C-NMR spectroscopic techniques. The molecular docking study were carried out to explore the molecular interactions between 4-BP and human estrogen receptor (hERα). Docking results revealed 4-BP has high binding affinity via hydrophobic and polar-polar contacts towards hERα. Analysis of 30 ns molecular dynamics simulations results of the best docked 4-OHT and 4-BP with hERα receptor demonstrate stable complex interaction and (4-BP)-hERα undergoes less conformational fluctuations compared to the (4-OHT)-hERα. This work reports new synthesis method for 4-BP amino acid with improved anti-estrogenic properties and shed light on its interaction mechanism with hERα.