Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chemical compositions of Zea mays cobs biodegraded by Lentinus subnudus and Pleurotus tuber-regium

Agro-industrialwastes constitute great nuisance to our environment. These wastes could be recycled into other useful products such as animal feeds and organic fertilizers. Two white rot fungi (Lentinus subnudus and Pleurotus tuber- regim) were collected from the Botanical Nursery section, University of Ibadan, Nigeria and tissue cultured to generate hyphal starter cultures. Inoculation of active mycelia of these microoranisms into agricultural wastes(maize cobs, Zea mays) in a solid state fermentation for 56 days resulted in significant increase (P>0.05) in the crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE) and ash contents (AC) of the fermented wastes. Crude protein (CP)of themaize cob increased significantly from6.71 g/100gDM control (UM) after 8 weeks to 10.64 and 9.50 g/100g DMfor LSMand PT respectively. Likewise, the EE value ofUMwas 0.37 g/100gDMwhile that of PT and LSMincreased to 1.38 and 0.65 g/100gDMrespectively. The dry matter (DM) and crude fibre fractions (CRF) of the treated wastes also reduced significantly in comparismwith that of the control (P>0.05). However, acid detergent fractions (ADF) reduced from47.03 g/100g DM(control) to 41.98 and 40.76 g/100gDMrespectively inLSMand PT. In vitro gas production ranged from0.16ml h-1 (UM) to 0.20ml h-1 for LSMand 0.11ml h-1 for PT. The volume of final gas (a+b) produced also differ in values considerably. For LSM, it was 15.00ml h-1, and 19.67ml h-1 for PT but the control (UM) had the value of 11.67ml h-1.Which was significantly lower than the treated cobs(P>0.05). Significant incresed valueswere also obtained in the fungal treated maize cobs as compared with the control for short chain fatty acid (SCFA), organic matter digestibility (OM) and metabolisable energy (ME). Treatment of maize cobs with the two fungi were also observed to enhance invitrol digestibility in ruminants.
Multi-Objective Optimal Power Flow Considering the Multi-Terminal Direct Current

Introduction. In recent years, transmission systems comprise more direct current structures; their effects on alternating current power system may become significant and important. Also, multi-terminal direct current is favorable to the integration of large wind and solar power plants with a very beneficial ecological effect. The novelty of the proposed work consists in the effects of the aforementioned modern devices on transient stability, thus turn out to be an interesting research issue. In our view, they constitute a new challenge and an additional complexity for studying the dynamic behavior of modern electrical systems. Purpose. We sought a resolution to the problem of the transient stability constrained optimal power flow in the alternating current / direct current meshed networks. Convergence to security optimal power flow has been globally achieved. Methods. The solution of the problem was carried out in MATLAB environment, by an iterative combinatorial approach between optimized power flow computation and dynamic simulation. Results. A new transient stability constrained optimal power flow approach considering multi-terminal direct current systems can improve the transient stability after a contingency occurrence and operate the system economically within the system physical bounds. Practical value. The effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method is tested on the modified IEEE 14-bus test system with multi-objective optimization problem that reflect active power generation cost minimization and stability of the networks. It should be mentioned that active power losses are small in meshed networks relative to the standard network. The meshed networks led to a gain up to 46,214 % from the base case.
Connectivity and edge effects increase bee colonization in an experimentally fragmented landscape

Though landscape corridors increase dispersal of many animals and plants, it remains unknown whether these positive effects extend to the process of colonization and establishment of new populations in fragments. Working in experimentally fragmented landscapes, we tested how two aspects of habitat fragments altered by corridors – connectivity and edge-to-area ratio – determine patterns of colonization by a solitary, cavity-nesting bee Megachile rotundata . We found that though connectivity initially affected rates of nest-site occupation, edge-to-area ratio ultimately determined the final patterns of patch occupation and nest building, likely due to habitat selection by our focal species. Bee colonization was also higher in patches with higher abundances of their preferred food resources, flowers from the Fabaceae family. Our results show the importance of considering the effects of both connectivity and edge on population dynamics in habitat-based conservation.
Privacy-preserving speaker verification system based on binary I-vectors

Speaker verification is a key technology in many services and applications like smartphones and intelligent digital assistants. These applications usually require users to transmit their recordings, features, or models from their voices over untrusted public networks which stored and processed them on cloud ‐ based infrastructure. Furthermore, the voice signal contains a great deal of the speaker's personal and private information which raises several privacy issues. Therefore, it is necessary to develop speaker verification systems that protect the user's voice against such threats. Herein, the cancellable biometric systems have been introduced as a privacy ‐ preserving solution. A cancellable method for speaker verification systems is proposed using speakeri ‐ vectorembeddings. This method includes two stages: (i) i ‐ vector binarisation and (ii) the protection of the binary i ‐ vector with a shuffling scheme derived from a user ‐ specific key. Privacy evaluation of this method according to the standards of biometric information protection (ISO/IEC 24745) shows that the proposed cancellable speaker verification system achieves the revocability, unlinkability, and irre-versibility requirements. Moreover, the cancellable system improves biometric performance compared with the unprotected system and makes it resistant to different attack scenarios. Additionally, we demonstrate
Effect of Ultrasonic Extraction on Qualitative Parameters of Saffron Edible Extract

Abstract Saffron (Crocus sativus), known as most expensive spice on the world market and distinguished by its delicate flavor, bitter taste and attractive yellow color, is basically cultivated in Iran, Spain, Greece, and India. Besides to its use as spice and as coloring agent, saffron is also esteemed as medicinal plant and is investigated as a new safe source for natural antioxidants in the food industry. Saffron stigma includes crocin, picrocrocin, safranal which are related to its color, flavor and odor, respectively. The aim of this study was to produce a saffron edible extract with high quality factors (crocin, picrocrocin and safranal) using ultrasound assisted extraction. For this purpose, the extraction yield of major constituents of saffron was studied in a sonicator at constant frequency (25 kHz) and in four levels of times (1, 3, 5, 10 min) at 25°C. The efficiency of the process was compared with that of classic extraction method (maceration in ethanol/water 50:50 v/v) and control (powdered saffron). Results showed that the crocin, picrocrocin and safranal content of the extract produced using ultrasonic treatment were respectively 498.7, 49.71 and 151.7 compared to the values for the extract in classic method: 423.9, 49.6, 151.2 and the values for the control sample: 229.7, 27.92, and 75.17. So it showed that ultrasound largely improved the extraction rate and incredibly reduced the process time. It was also found that the use of ultrasonic waves was more efficient than the classic extraction method.
Cup Positioning in True or False Acetabulum in Total Hip Arthroplasty: Which one is More Effective: A Randomized Clinical Trial on Patients with Crowe type 3 and 4 Dysplastic Hip

Background and objectives: Hip dysplasia is a common hip disease which could be diagnosed in different ages and Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a common surgical procedure for dysplastic hip in adults. Cup placement in patients with false acetabulum formation could be performed in true or false acetabulum. The current study aimed at evaluating and comparing the effectiveness of these two procedures in patients with Crowe type 3 or 4 dysplastic hip underwent THA. Methods: In this randomized open label parallel group clinical trial 67 patients/71 hips with crowe type 3 or 4 dysplastic hip undergoing THA were assigned to Group 1: patients with cup placement in true acetabulum or group 2: patients with cup placement in false acetabulum. Severity of pain was assessed using visual analogue scale (VAS), range of motion (ROM), limb discrepancy, gait ability, need for repeated joint replacement and also Harris hip score. Data were collected and analyzed using SPSS software version 20.Results: 67 patients/71hips entered the current study with the mean age of 50.51± 9.94 years. Two study groups were comparable in terms of basic characteristics (P> 0.05). No significant differences were observed between two groups regarding mean values of VAS, ROM, limb discrepancy and Harris hip score (P> 0.05). Conclusion: Cup placements in true or false acetabulum showed comparable effectiveness on all studied main orthopedics outcomes which are clinically important. We recommend more clinical trial studies with larger sample size for confirming our study results.
Impact of Quality of Unfamiliar Shopping App on Initial Trust Formation: A Moderated Mediation of Risk Attitude

Today, all phases of consumers' buying process from pre-information search, evaluation of alternatives, order placing and post-purchase service are conducted in shopping apps installed in smartphones. A shopping app is omnipresent and is a powerful retail channel for retailers all over the world. However, the primary concern for many customers is that online shopping is not secure. This insecurity is more if customers have to purchase from an unfamiliar shopping app. Customers generally hesitate to purchase using unfamiliar shopping apps, unless they feel that the app is trustworthy. Based on the survey of 264 respondents, this study attempts to measure the impact of the quality of unfamiliar shopping apps on initial trust formation and subsequently, purchase intention. An attempt was also made to study the moderated mediation impact of risk attitude on the relationship between shopping app quality and initial trust formation. The findings of this paper may be of practical use for the online retailers by providing a better understanding of the adoption of unfamiliar shopping apps among prospective customers. It will also provide strategic inputs to online retailers to craft suitable strategies for the adoption of unfamiliar shopping apps.
On the Biodiversity and Biodeteriogenic Activity of Microbial Communities Present in the Hypogenic Environment of the Escoural Cave, Alentejo, Portugal

Hypogenic caves represent unique environments for the development of specific microbial communities that need to be studied. Caves with rock art pose an additional challenge due to the fragility of the paintings and engravings and to microbial colonization which may induce chemical, mechanical and aesthetic alterations. Therefore, it is essential to understand the communities that thrive in these environments and to monitor the activity and effects on the host rock in order to better preserve and safeguard these ancestral artforms. This study aims at investigating the Palaeolithic representations found in the Escoural Cave (Alentejo, Portugal) and their decay features. These prehistoric artworks, dating back up to 50,000 B.P., are altered due to environmental conditions and microbial activity inside the cave. Microbial cultivation methods combined with culture-independent techniques, biomarkers’ viability assays and host rock analysis allowed us to better understand the microbial biodiversity and biodeteriogenic activity within the hypogenic environment of this important cave site. This study is part of a long-term monitoring program envisaged to understand the effect of this biocolonisation and to understand the population dynamics that thrive in this hypogean environment.
Terpolymers Derived from Limonene Oxide and Carbon Dioxide: Access to Cross-Linked Polycarbonates with Improved Thermal Properties

The formation of bio-derived materials is gaining momentum in academic and industrial research as a consequence of depleting petroleum resources, providing mid- and long-term alternative sustainable materials. In this context, we have prepared a series of terpolymers derived from the renewable terpene limonene producing polycarbonates with a controlled and variable ratio of incorporated nonfunctional cyclohexene oxide (CHO) and functional limonene oxide (LO) monomers. As catalyst, a simple binary combination of an Al(III) aminotriphenolate complex and PPNCl (PPN = bis(triphenyl)phosphine–ammonium) has been used to afford the targeted, partially bio-based polycarbonates with typically high carbonate content (>95%), good conversions, and a controllable amount of olefinic groups in the terpolymer backbone. Cross-linked polymers (CLP) have been easily obtained from these terpolymers through thiol–ene click reactions allowing for the preparation of interconnected networks with improved thermal properties with .
1.0 V-0.18 µm CMOS Tunable Low Pass Filters with 73 dB DR for On-Chip Sensing Acquisition Systems

This paper presents a new approach based on the use of a Current Steering (CS) technique for the design of fully integrated Gm–C Low Pass Filters (LPF) with sub-Hz to kHz tunable cut-off frequencies and an enhanced power-area-dynamic range trade-off. The proposed approach has been experimentally validated by two different first-order single-ended LPFs designed in a 0.18 µm CMOS technology powered by a 1.0 V single supply: a folded-OTA based LPF and a mirrored-OTA based LPF. The first one exhibits a constant power consumption of 180 nW at 100 nA bias current with an active area of 0.00135 mm2 and a tunable cutoff frequency that spans over 4 orders of magnitude (~100 mHz–152 Hz @ CL = 50 pF) preserving dynamic figures greater than 78 dB. The second one exhibits a power consumption of 1.75 µW at 500 nA with an active area of 0.0137 mm2 and a tunable cutoff frequency that spans over 5 orders of magnitude (~80 mHz–~1.2 kHz @ CL = 50 pF) preserving a dynamic range greater than 73 dB. Compared with previously reported filters, this proposal is a competitive solution while satisfying the low-voltage low-power on-chip constraints, becoming a preferable choice for general-purpose reconfigurable front-end sensor interfaces.
Nanoemulsion-based patch for the dermal delivery of ascorbic acid

Abstract Photo-aging is caused mainly by sun radiations, which consist mainly of the ultraviolet radiation (UVA and UVB). Ascorbic acid (AA) has been widely used in the cosmetic field as an anti-wrinkle, anti-pigmentary, and antioxidant agents, however, its cosmetic application is limited due to its poor penetration across the skin, rapid oxidation, and instability of the formulation. The objective of the present study was to utilize a nanoemulsion as a nanocarrier strategy to deliver AA dermally and stabilize it. A concentration of 80 mg/mL AA was loaded into oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsion and characterized in terms of droplet size, zeta potential, thermodynamic stability, and morphology. Patches were then prepared using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC), AA nanoemulsion, and plasticizers (PEG 400 in Formulation 1, F1, and isopropanol in Formulation 2, F2) and evaluated in terms of stability, in vitro release, and ex vivo permeation study. The mean droplet size of the AA nanoemulsion was 14.4 ± 1.9 nm, zeta potential was close to zero. The AA nanoemulsion was physically stable showing no phase separation or turbidity after centrifugation and heating/cooling tests. The cumulative amount per area of AA permeated across Strat-M® membrane was 602.2 ± 57.9 µg/cm2. The ex vivo permeation profile showed a controlled-release profile of AA within 24 h, achieving a maximum amount of 414 µg permeated across the stratum corneum. The release fitted the Higuchi model with a correlation coefficient of 0.995. Nanoemulsion-based patches could serve a potential system for the dermal delivery of unstable hydrophilic compound Graphical Abstract
How do teachers deal with undemocratic attitudes in secondary school? ‘Evidence’ from Norway

This article is concerned with presenting a qualitative study of teachers dealing with undemocratic attitudes in secondary school. The research question was: how do teachers teach when the aim is to remove undemocratic attitudes and prevent the formation of undemocratic attitudes? The research group which was part of the study established collaboration with two teacher groups at a Norwegian secondary school. This collaboration included two start-up meetings, filming and observation of teaching sessions, as well as group interviews with two different teacher groups about the teaching which had been filmed and observed. The findings were analysed by way of the theory of indirect pedagogy and its different models for teaching, including both direct and indirect approaches of teaching. First, there is the model of direct instruction; second, there is the model of indirect summoning which is specified; and third, there is the model of indirect summoning which is unspecified. A major finding was that the teachers who participated in the study combined direct and indirect approaches in their teaching. While direct approaches and the model of indirect summoning which is specific were mostly used for learning purposes, such as acquiring knowledge of certain concepts (epistemology), the model of indirect summoning which is unspecified was particularly prominent in situations where the purpose was to make students responsible for society and democracy (existence and morality).
Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Using meso- tetrakis-(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin iron(III) chloride

This study focuses on the electrochemical catalysis of proton reduction into hydrogen using mesotetrakis-(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin iron(III) chloride in the presence of Et3NHCl. Indeed, the direct reduction of Et3NHCl on vitreous carbon electrode occurs at Ep -1.6 V vs Ag/AgCl in [Bu4N][BF4]CH3CN, whereas the reduction potential shifts to -1.3 V vs Ag/AgCl in the presence of Fe(PFTPP)Cl. Based on the gas chromatography analysis, the formation of H2, with a current efficiency of ca. 58% after 3.8 h, is achieved with a yield of 8 μmoles and a turnover number of 8 while the chemical yield was about 80%. These results reflect the effect of the presence of electron withdrawing pentafluorophenyl groups around the metal in Fe(PFTPP)Cl.
Mapping the Ethics of Learning Analytics in Higher Education: A Systematic Literature Review of Empirical Research

Ethics is a prominent topic in learning analytics that has been commented on from conceptual viewpoints. For a broad range of emerging technologies, systematic literature reviews have proven fruitful by pinpointing research directions, knowledge gaps, and future research work guidance. With these outcomes in mind, we conducted a systematic literature review of the research on ethical issues that have been empirically approached in the learning analytics literature. In our final analysis, 21 articles published in the period 2014–2019 met our inclusion criteria. By analyzing this data, we seek to contribute to the field of learning analytics by 1) characterizing the type of empirical research that has been conducted on ethics in learning analytics in the context of higher education, 2) identifying the main ethical areas addressed in the selected literature, and 3) pinpointing knowledge gaps.
Oncogenic BRAF V600E induces glial proliferation through ERK and neuronal death through JNK

Background: Activating V600E in BRAF is a common driver mutation in cancers of multiple tissue origins, including melanoma and glioma. BRAF V600E has also been implicated in neurodegeneration. The present study aims to characterize BRAF V600E on cell death and survival in three major cell types of the CNS: neurons, astrocytes, and microglia. Methods : Multiple primary cultures and cell lines of glial cells and neurons were employed. BRAF V600E as well as BRAF WT expression was mediated by lentivirus or retrovirus. Blockage of downstream effectors were achieved by siRNA. Gene expression data from patients with Parkinson’s disease was analyzed. Results : In astrocytes and microglia, BRAF V600E induces cell proliferation, and the proliferative effect in microglia is mediated by activated ERK but not JNK. Conditioned medium from BRAF V600E -expressing microglia induced neuronal cell death. In neuronal cells, BRAF V600E directly induces cell death, through JNK but not ERK. We further show that BRAF-related genes are enriched in pathways in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Conclusions : Our study identifies distinct consequences mediated by distinct downstream effectors in dividing glial cells and in neurons following the same BRAF mutational activation and a causal link between BRAF-activated microglia and neuronal cell death that does not require physical proximity. It provides insight into a possibly important role of BRAF in neurodegeneration as a result of either dysregulated BRAF in neurons or its impact on glial cells.
Accurate Prediction of Concentration Changes in Ozone as an Air Pollutant by Multiple Linear Regression and Artificial Neural Networks

This study considers the usage of multilinear regression and artificial neural network modelling to forecast ozone concentrations with regard to weather-related indicators (wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity and temperature). Initial data were obtained by measuring the meteorological parameters using the PC Radio Weather Station. Ozone concentrations near high-voltage lines were measured using RS1003 and at a 220 m distance using ML9811. Neural network models such as the multilayer perceptron and radial basis function neural networks were constructed. The prognostic capacities of the designed models were assessed by comparing the result data by way of the square of the coefficient of multiple correlations (R2) and mean square error (MSE) values. The number of hidden neurons was optimised by decreasing an error function that recorded the number of units in the hidden layers to the precision of the expanded networks. The neural software IBM SPSS 26v was used for artificial neural network (ANN) modelling. The study demonstrated that the linear regression modelling approach was lacking in its capacity to predict the investigated ozone concentrations by used parameters, whereas the use of an ANN offered more precise outcomes. The conducted tests’ results established the strength of the designed artificial neural network models with irrelevant differences between detected and forecasted data.