Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Lived Experience of Nurses on the Role of Continuing Education Programs in Promoting Their Knowledge, Skills, and Attitude Toward Non-Communicable Diseases

BackgroundContinuing professional education is essential for nurses to provide quality patient care and upgrade their professional skills and competence. The need for continuing medical education (CME) has become more apparent in the face of advances in medical science, the ever-changing healthcare system, and the important role nurses play in improving health care. It is therefore imperative to explore nurses’ experience of CME courses and the extent to which such programs are effective. The present qualitative study aimed to assess the lived experience of nurses on the effect of CE programs in promoting their knowledge, skill, and attitude toward non-communicable diseases.MethodsThis qualitative study was conducted in 2019-2020 at various hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (Shiraz, Iran). The target population was nurses actively working in the chronic wards of these hospitals. The participants were selected using maximum variation sampling, including nursing managers, education and clinical supervisors, and staff nurses. Data were collected through individual, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews and analysed using the conventional content analysis method. Data trustworthiness was assessed according to the criteria proposed by Guba and Lincoln.ResultsAnalysis of the interview data resulted in 230 primary codes based on which 15 subcategories, 6 categories, and 3 themes were identified. The extracted themes were training to improve knowledge and attitude, training to improve professional skills, and the need for effective training programs. The associated categories weretraining to improve clinical knowledge, training to improve professional attitude, training in clinical skills related to holistic and person‐centred care, communication skills training, incorporate the fundamentals of effective training, and recognize common challenges and barriers to effective training.ConclusionProfessional competence and performance of nurses can be improved through intrinsic motivation stimulation, planning and implementation of training programs based on professional needs, and effective assessment of the teaching/learning process.
Towards Smart Campus Management: Defining Information Requirements for Decision Making through Dashboard Design

At universities worldwide, the notion of a ‘smart campus’ is becoming increasingly appealing as a response to the multitude of challenges that impact campus development and operation. Smart campus tools are widely used to support students and employees, optimise space use and save energy. Although smart campus tools are supposed to support campus managers in their decision-making processes, the use of the information delivered by smart campus tools and their application in organisational processes has received little attention. In this paper, we focus on the use of dashboards in the connection of IoT information to strategic decision-making processes in the management of university campuses. To this end, we developed a briefing approach for dashboards that expresses the needs of campus management and matches the structure of decision-making processes. In two cases, dashboards based on this approach were use-tested by stakeholders for defining information requirements for IoT applications. The results suggest that users are able to use dashboards for assessing portfolio performance and determining interventions. Through iteration the usability of the dashboard is improved and information requirements are refined, resulting in a brief for a campus management dashboard. The results suggest that the briefing approach can be used to determine IoT information requirements, though further research is required to study indications and contra-indications of the proposed method.
Clarifying the meaning of mantras in wildland fire behaviour modelling: reply to Cruz et al. (2017)

In a recent communication, Cruz et al. (2017) called attention to several recurring statements (mantras) in the wildland fire literature regarding empirical and physical fire behaviour models. Motivated by concern that these mantras have not been fully vetted and are repeated blindly, Cruz et al. (2017) sought to verify five mantras they identify. This is a worthy goal and here we seek to extend the discussion and provide clarification to several confusing aspects of the Cruz et al. (2017) communication. In particular, their treatment of what they call physical models is inconsistent, neglects to reference current research activity focussed on combined experimentation and model development, and misses an opportunity to discuss the potential use of physical models to fire behaviour outside the scope of empirical approaches.
Microsatellites reveal patterns of relatedness in a local African wild cat ( Felis silvestris ) population from the southern Kalahari , with limited evidence of hybridisation with the domestic cat

1. Abstract The African wild cat (Felis silvestris) has a wide geographic range, stretching throughout most of the African continent, except in the tropical forests and true desert areas. Hybridisation with feral domestic cats is thought to be a threat to the genetic integrity of wild cats throughout their range. Several admixture studies on the European wild cat have been reported, but there is limited information available on the status of the African wild cat. Here we report the genetic variation and admixture analysis of 57 wild living African wild cats and 46 domestic cats using 18 microsatellite loci. Cats were morphologically identified as African wild cats (F. s. cafra) and two geographically separated domestic cat populations (F. s. catus), independent of any prior genetic information. Significant genetic differentiation between these groups confirms earlier suggestions of the distinctiveness of African wild cats and domestic cats. Bayesian cluster analysis also showed evidence of these two distinct entities and identified four cryptic hybrids among the wild cats. All hybrids were either outside or on the periphery of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, suggesting that the level of introgression is low, yet still of concern for the genetic integrity of the African wild cat. The genetic diversity within our wild cat population was significantly higher than in the domestic cat populations and relatedness values were compared with results from direct observations.
Modelling Telecommunications Operators and Adversaries using Game Theory

Telecommunications systems being inherently distributed and collaborative in nature present a plurality of attack surfaces to malicious entities and hence vulnerable to many potential attacks even indirectly demanding a need in prioritising security. The choice of security implementations depends upon the currently understood threats, future possible threat vectors, and the dependencies between systems. Executing these choices while contemplating the financial aspects is exceptionally difficult. It is thus critical to have a perceptible decision support framework for better security decision-making. This thesis studies the strategic nature of the interaction between the Telecoms operators and attackers utilising game theory to understand their strategic decision-making characteristics strengthening security decisions. To understand the security investment decision-making criteria of operators, this thesis utilises static security investment games. Through these games, we study the effects of security investment decision of an operator on other operators’ behaviour. We determine conditions supporting the security investment decisions and propose strategic recommendations supplementing the dependency conditions. We then study attackers’ behaviour considering them with strategic incentives in contrary to their strictly-bounded rationality in traditional game-theoretic modelling approaches. We utilise a behavioural approach and design a decision-flow model capturing the choices of attackers in the attack process. An outcome of this work is a generalised attack framework. Moreover, using this framework, we derive attack strategies optimising attackers’ effort. Through this work, we are probing the foundations for drawing inferences about attackers’ strategic characteristics from a cybersecurity perspective.
PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI PROTEASE ACTIVITIES OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF NILGIRIANTHUS HEYNEANUS NEES STEM

Objective: The aim of this study was focussed on phytochemical screening, in vitro antioxidant and antiprotease activities of methanolic extract of Nilgirianthus heyneanus stem. Methods: The stem of the plant was washed thoroughly, shade dried and coarsely powdered. The powdered material of Niligirianthus heyneanus stem was extracted with methanol using soxhlet apparatus. Preliminary phytochemical screening for carbohydrates, proteins, alkaloids, phytosteroids, flavonoids, glycosides, polyphenolics, saponins, tannins was done by following standard procedure. In vitro antioxidant activities of methanolic extract were assessed using DPPH, ABTS and total antioxidant capacity. In vitro anti-protease activity of the plant was analysed using trypsin as an enzyme and BAEE (N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester) as a substrate. Results: The results showed that phytochemicals such as carbohydrates, proteins and amino acids, flavonoids, glycosides, tannins and polyphenolics are present in the methanolic extract of Niligirianthus heyneanus stem. The in vitro antioxidant and antiprotease activities of Niligirianthus heyneanus stem clearly showed that the plant has antioxidant and antiprotease activity. Conclusion: From this work, it can be concluded that Niligirianthus heyneanus stem has the potential to be a strong antioxidant and protease inhibitor.
Robust Image Watermarking Against Different Attacks : Noising , ( Jpeg ) Compression , And Filtering

Many electronic watermarks for still images are sensitive to geometric distortion. For example, noising, JPEG compression and filtering of an image can prevent blind detection of a public watermark. In this paper, we propose a watermarking algorithm that the watermark is embedded into a (2-D) coefficients obtained by taking DCT of the image is robust to noising, JPEG compression and filtering distortions.
Effect of a Herbal Formula Song Zhi Wan on Non-alcoholic Fatty liver Disease in Obese Mice

Background: Effective treatment against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is lacking. Song Zhi Wan (SZW), a Chinese formulation medicine comprising eight herbal ingredients, has been demonstrated to confer a liver protective effect in chronic hepatitis C patients. We aimed to investigate the effect of SZW on NAFLD using a high-fat diet (HFD; 60% fat) induced obese mouse model. Methods: C57BL/6J mice were fed with HFD for 10 weeks, followed by daily oral administration of various dosages of SZW (low [n=6], normal [n=10], high [n=10]) or water (n=10) for 8 weeks. Another formulation of SZW (modified SZW), in which two ingredients were replaced by radish seed and barley, was tested. Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, liver transaminases, and histologic steatosis were assessed. Results: At the end of experiment, the HFD-fed placebo mice had a mean increase in serum total cholesterol and triglyceride by 57.7% and 35.0%, respectively. HFD-fed mice receiving either SZW formulation had a smaller increase in serum total cholesterol (mean increase 7.9% – 39.4%) and a significant reduction in triglyceride (mean reduction 4.2% – 27.4%; P < 0.05). A dosage dependent effect on serum total cholesterol and triglyceride was observed with modified SZW (=0.043 and 0.006, respectively). 90% of placebo mice and 59% of SZW-treated mice had severe steatosis (P=0.079). With an escalating dosage of original SZW, there was a decreasing proportion of mice with severe steatosis (P=0.013). Conclusion: SZW administration can attenuate hypercholesterolemia, reduce dyslipidemia and alleviate steatosis in HFD-induced obese mice.
Power Loading in Peak Limited Intensity Power Loading in Peak Limited Intensity Modulation Direct Detection Mode Group Division Multiplexing Nir Sheffi and

The exponential growth of network traffic within data centers and highperformance computing generates a growing volume of fiber cabling. This raises the need for spectrally efficient communication scheme, which allows easy integration of optics and electronics. In this paper, we suggest a mode group division multiplexing scheme based upon intensity-modulated silicon photonics (SiP) Mach–Zehnder modulators (MZMs) coupled to standard graded-index multi-mode fiber directly detected using multi-segment concentric photo-detector. In addition, we have theoretically derived the bit and power loading of such a system in a closed-loop multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) formation using convex optimization with two possible types of architectures: the vertical Bell Labs layered spacetime architecture (V-BLAST) with minimum mean square error and successive interference cancellation (MMSE-SIC); and singular value decomposition (SVD). Our optimization problem maximizes the system’s capacity under peak amplitude, power consumption, and BER constraints. Simulation results have shown the superiority of a V-BLAST MMSE-SIC over the SVD architecture in terms of total spectral efficiency for a 4 × 4 MIMO short reach low driving voltage conventional SiP-based MZM system.
Comparison Of Three Phase NPC Based Multilevel Shunt Active Power Filters With Non Linear Loads

This work presents a three phase shunt active power filter based inverter with Multi Levels. In this study, the novel approach i.e NPC based Multi-Level inverter proposed. The proposed approach reveals unwanted active current component with fundamental frequency contained in the compensation current which causes oscillation and fall of the DC voltage level of shunt active power filter. The proportional-integral controller that has been widely used by researchers is used to maintain the reference DC voltage level. The proposed system is modeled with MATLAB/Simulink and simulation studies are carried out on RL and RC type load with both PI controller and Fuzzy controller. The obtained results from the simulation studies show that the proposed approach give the good results when the level of the inverter increases. Keywords—NPC; Multilevel; PI; Fuzzy;.
ENCAPSULATION OF PARTIALLY PURIFIED BROMELAIN FROM PINEAPPLE CORES IN ALGINATE-PECTIN BEADS AS A TARGETED ANTIPLATELET AGENT

Objective: Oral administration of bromelain can decrease its bioactivity once it makes contact with stomach acid. Therefore, bromelain was loaded into alginate (Alg), pectin (Pec), and alginate-pectin (AP) beads to control its release into the intestines and avoid degradation. Methods: Crude bromelain was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and the dialysis process. In vitro releases and kinetics studies of bromelain-loaded alginate-pectin beads were carried out using an acid and phosphate buffer medium. The beads were characterized using physical analysis, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analysis. Results: The dialysis fraction of bromelain has a specific activity of 67.93 U/mg, 3.05 times that of crude bromelain. That fraction was encapsulated in Alg, Pec, and AP beads with a range of encapsulation efficiency around 82.70–91.39%. Bromelain-loaded pectin and AP19 beads were chosen to study in an in vitro release based on their swelling properties and encapsulation efficiency. Bromelain-loaded AP19 beads have lower release than bromelain-loaded pectin beads in both dissolution mediums. The cumulative releases of AP19 are 9.99 and 87.81% in 0.1 N HCl and phosphate buffer medium, respectively. Bromelain-loaded P and AP beads both follow the zero-order kinetics model and the dissolution mechanism of the beads is non-Fickian with a combination of diffusion and erosion. The in vitro antiplatelet activity of dissolution aliquots (20.51 and 18.48%) is lower than its dialysis fraction (56.04%). Conclusion: This in vitro research data shows promising potency for AP as a carrier for oral administration of bromelain as an antiplatelet agent.
Nutrient Metabolism Feeding Frequency and Type of Isotope Tracer Do Not Affect Direct Estimates of Lysine Oxidation in Growing Pigs 1

Oxidation contributes to the inefficiency of lysine utilization for protein deposition. The influences of feeding frequency and type of isotope tracer on estimated lysine oxidation were studied in growing pigs fed lysine-limiting diets. Yorkshire gilts (n 11) weighing 40–45 kg were fitted with venous catheters. They were fed, in 3 or 8 equal meals daily, a purified diet based on casein and cornstarch. Lysine intake limited the pigs’ protein deposition to 70% of their potential. After a 5-d N-balance period, lysine oxidation was estimated by a primed, constant 26-h infusion of [1-C]L-lysine and [6-H]L-lysine. Feeding frequency and type of tracer did not affect lysine oxidation (P 0.1). Increasing feeding frequency from 3 to 8 times daily reduced the variance and fluctuation of lysine oxidation by 46 and 30%, respectively. The mean lysine oxidation, as a fraction of the true ileal digestible lysine intake, was 9.2% based on the free lysine specific radioactivity (SRA) in plasma, 20.1% based on free lysine SRA in liver and 21.8% calculated from N-balance data. On the basis of liver free lysine SRA, tracer dilution methods and N-balance data give similar quantitative estimates of lysine oxidation (P 0.10). Isotope tracer studies that cover one or more complete feeding cycles, i.e., feeding-to-feeding periods, can be used to obtain valid daily lysine oxidation values. J. Nutr. 133: 3504–3508, 2003.
Battery system modeling and identification for electric propulsion vehicle with fault simulation

This paper describes development process and results of a battery system model with fault simulation for electric propulsion vehicles. The developed battery system model can be used to verify control and fault diagnosis strategies of a supervisory controller in the electric propulsion vehicle. To develop this battery system model, three sub-models, including a battery model, a relay assembly model, and a BMS (Battery Management System) model, are connected together similarly to the target real battery system. Comparison results between the real battery system hardware and the battery system model show similar tendency and values. And fault injection test of the model shows real system situation. It is possible for the model to emulate battery characteristics and fault situation if it is used in the development process of the BMS or the supervisory control strategies for electric propulsion systems.
Experimental investigation of the additional energy consumed by building HVAC systems providing grid ancillary services

Commercial buildings offer vast thermal energy storage capability. Control of building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems can potentially be used to balance variations in renewable generation and load. Specifically, buildings can provide ancillary services to the grid by decreasing and increasing consumption with respect to their baseline, making them appear as a battery to the power system operator. However, a recent study has shown that buildings providing these services tend to consume more energy, resulting in a low effective round-trip efficiency. To explore this phenomenon further, experiments were conducted on three buildings on the University of Michigan campus. The buildings were chosen to represent a variety in structure, size, and HVAC system layout. They were instrumented in early summer of 2017 and baseline power and building automation system (BAS) data were collected for several months. The building thermostats were then perturbed through predefined patterns emulating ancillary service events, enabling detailed investigation of the resulting electrical energy consumption. This paper presents experimental results, focusing on the additional energy consumed and effective input/output efficiency. We find that the efficiency of building response depends on the magnitude and polarity of the temperature setpoint changes. Our results are consistent with past experimental results, but inconsistent with past modelling results. This indicates that the models need to be improved in order to capture the energy impacts of ancillary service provision by buildings.
Magnetic activity and orbital periods of five low-mass eclipsing binaries

We report 15 new VRI light curves of five low-mass eclipsing binaries (NSVS 02502726, NSVS 07453183, NSVS 11868841, NSVS 06550671 and NSVS 10653195) that were observed between 2010 and 2012. We analysed our new data together with three published spectroscopic observations and seven published light curves using a modified version of the Wilson-Devinney program. Orbital solutions of the five low-mass eclipsing binaries were revised and new star-spot parameters were obtained. We found that spot locations on the five low-mass eclipsing binaries changed over several years. However, the star-spots for NSVS 07453183 and NSVS 06550671 were stable for several months. More interestingly, for NSVS 02502726, the spots within a star-spot longitude region of 180A degrees-360A degrees indicated a magnetic activity cycle of 5.9(+/- 0.2) yr. Moreover, we detected the first flare-like event on NSVS 07453183 at phase 0.39. The observations of the chromospheric activity indicators (H beta and H gamma lines) revealed that NSVS 10653195 and NSVS 06550671 were active. For NSVS 02502726, we found a weak continuous secular decrease at a smaller rate of dp/dt = -2.1(0.8) x 10(-7) d yr(-1) than the previous result. For NSVS 07453183, the O-C times appeared to increase at cycle 6000, and this was followed by a decrease at cycle 6500.
Channel planform migration architecture of meandering rivers

The planform migration architecture is the basis for the reconstruction and restoration of the sedimentary evolution of the paleochannel, as well as the premise for forecasting the migration trend of the river. This paper aims to figure out the regularity of the planform migration structures of a meandering river, and historical satellite images are acquired primarily through Google Earth and ACME Mapper. Through the characterization on Irtysh River, which is relatively in the considerable preservation condition of the natural structure, 28 kinds of structure elements are utilized to depict the meandering river. Moreover, 5 kinds of characterization factors are proposed to make quantitative describe the channel structure, extraordinarily, three of which are firstly brought forward and applied here. Via the fine anatomy of the structure of 12 typical meander loops, S, C, ∆θ, ∆θ', KM factors are adopted to summarize 6 kinds of planform migration structures. Finally, 9 meandering channel migration patterns are concluded.