Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multitimescale Coordinated Adaptive Robust Operation for Industrial Multienergy Microgrids With Load Allocation

Manufactory load allocation can be used as an effective industrial demand response scheme to reduce operating costs for industrial multienergy microgrids (iMEMGs). In addition, combined cooling, heat, and power (CCHP) plants with auxiliary devices can provide low-cost multiple energies for industrial plants. However, uncertain power generation from renewable energy sources impairs the iMEMG's operation, leading to challenges such as increased operating costs and energy supply deficiency. To conquer these challenges, this paper proposes a multitimescale coordinated adaptive robust operation approach where manufactory load allocation and iMEMG operation are optimally coordinated on different timescales. In the weekly scheduling stage, industrial loads and CCHP units are scheduled for the following week and the hourly iMEMG operation is optimized within the week. Besides, this paper applies an adaptive robust optimization method where the uncertain renewable power generation is fully addressed. The proposed approach is tested on an iMEMG with various industrial manufactories, and it is compared with conventional methods. The simulation results indicate that compared to the conventional ones, the proposed approach can guarantee a robustly optimal operation solution for the iMEMG against any uncertainty realization.
Structural Equation Model Evaluating Katz's Triplet Managerial Skills and Its Relationship to Human Capital

This study examines the structural equation model that assessed the relationship of technical skills, conceptual skills, interpersonal skills, and human capital in the food processing industry. The research utilized a model fit, construct reliability, and validity structural equation modeling technique following the reviewed literature. The 204 samples were selected from food processing entrepreneurs in Metro Manila, Philippines. Questionnaires with rating scales were used as research tools, and a random sample procedure was used. A confirmatory factor analysis was used for analyzing model fit, reliability, and validity. A structural model and path analysis were used to examine the link. According to the findings, the model perfectly fits the factual data and indicates an admissible level of validity and reliability. The results positively correlated with Technical Skills, Conceptual Skills, and Interpersonal Skills. Moreover, Human Capital acted as an additional variable to test its relationship with Katz's triplet Managerial Skills, and the findings indicate that Technical Skills, Conceptual Skills, Interpersonal Skills, and Human Capital are correlated. Based on these results, there is a need to augment the technical expertise and conceptual skills pertaining to food processing and offer training that focuses on cultivating interpersonal skills, particularly proficient communication. To improve human capital, it is important to adopt strategies that enhance employee performance. These encompass enhancing proficiency in marketing, financial management, production management, and opportunities for advancement. Future studies should employ qualitative or mixed methods to thoroughly explore the study.
National Differences in Age and Future-Oriented Indicators Relate to Environmental Performance

Environmental concerns inherently involve an intergenerational aspect, where today’s decisions can have far-reaching effects on future generations. Numerous national characteristics can forecast a nation’s commitment to investing in environmental sustainability. This study expands on previous research and offers evidence in support of Gott’s principle, which states that citizens may use their country’s age to forecast its remaining lifespan. Specifically, we show that a nation’s age positively relates to intergenerational solidarity—a country’s willingness to sacrifice for future generations. Furthermore, country age and other future-oriented variables, such as a country’s Long-Term Orientation and ability to overcome temporal discounting, are linked to sustainability-related indicators, indicating that countries concerned about the future also exhibit greater concern for the environment. These findings reinforce the value of framing a country as a long-standing entity and implementing intergenerational framing interventions to motivate pro-environmental engagement.
Microecological Shifts in the Rhizosphere of Perennial Large Trees and Seedlings in Continuous Cropping of Poplar

The cultivation of poplar trees is hindered by persistent cropping challenges, resulting in reduced wood productivity and increased susceptibility to soil-borne diseases. These issues primarily arise from alterations in microbial structure and the infiltration of pathogenic fungi. To investigate the impact on soil fertility, we conducted an analysis using soil samples from both perennial poplar trees and three successive generations of continuously cropped poplar trees. The quantity and community composition of bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere were assessed using the Illumina MiSeq platform. The objective of this study is to elucidate the impact of continuous cropping challenges on soil fertility and rhizosphere microorganisms in poplar trees, thereby establishing a theoretical foundation for investigating the mechanisms underlying these challenges. The study found that the total bacteria in the BT group is 0.42 times higher than the CK group, and the total fungi is 0.33 times lower than the CK group. The BT and CK groups presented relatively similar bacterial richness and diversity, while the indices showed a significant (p < 0.05) higher fungal richness and diversity in the CK group. The fractions of Bacillus were 2.22% and 2.41% in the BT and CK groups, respectively. There was a 35.29% fraction of Inocybe in the BT group, whereas this was barely observed in the CK group. The fractions of Geopora were 26.25% and 5.99%, respectively in the BT and CK groups. Modifying the microbial community structure in soil subjected to continuous cropping is deemed as the most effective approach to mitigate the challenges associated with this agricultural practice.
Bluetooth an Optimal Solution for Personal Asset Tracking: A Comparison of Bluetooth, RFID and Miscellaneous Anti-lost Traking Technologies

This paper aims to present a comprehensive study for various Asset Tracking technologies. Our study scales down from introduction of chief underlying tracking and localization principles to technologies and systems at higher level. At lower tier, we introduce schemes like triangulation, Time difference of Arrival (TDOA or trilateration), multilateration, Angle of Arrival (AOA), Doppler, Signal Strength (RSSI), Beam forming etc. At surfacetier, our primary focus has been laid on RFID and Bluetooth based technologies while an overview of other technologies like satellites (GPS), cellular (GSM) or data connectivity (WIFI) etc. An insight to associated schemes like Active and Passive, Indoor and Outdoor, and Behavioral Sensing augment this. Each technology is further analyzed with benefits and drawbacks for a tracking solution. After technical insight, we will focus our study on Personal Asset tracking and highlight the pros and cons of previously mentioned tracking technologies in line with five aspects; Accuracy, Budget, Energy, Host and Platform-independence. Within these five regimes, we tabulate the requirements of an affordable, efficient and practicable scheme and illustrate with current examples. We keep our focus on a common user who has a cell phone in-hand and resolve an optimal tracking solution within the resources available to him. As a consequence, we conclude Bluetooth Low Energy based tracking schemes to be optimal candidate. We foresee our endeavor to serve as a compendium for the readers who wish to get an overview of such technologies without going into discrete technical details, and propose the Bluetooth based tacking scheme as a viable and affordable solution for a common user.
Infective Endocarditis by Clostridioides and Clostridium Species—A Narrative Review

Bacteria of the genus Clostridium are anaerobic Gram-positive spore-forming bacilli that include more than 200 species. Some of them are known to cause invasive infections and diseases caused by the production of toxins. Some of the diseases that are mediated by toxins are colitis in patients with specific risk factors, such as previous administration of antimicrobials or foodborne botulism. Invasive diseases include bacteremia, infective endocarditis (IE), clostridial myonecrosis (gas gangrene), and other diseases that involve the destruction of soft tissue due to the local production of toxins. The present study aimed to review all cases of IE by Clostridioides and Clostridium species and describe the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of these infections. A narrative review was performed based on a search in PubMed and Scopus for studies published until 11 September 2023, providing such data of IE caused by Clostridioides and Clostridium species in humans. A total of 20 studies containing data for 21 patients were included. A prosthetic valve was present in 5 patients (23.8%). The aortic valve was the most commonly involved, followed by the mitral valve. Fever, sepsis, and embolic phenomena were the most common clinical presentations. Beta-lactams and metronidazole were the most commonly used antimicrobials. Surgery was performed in nine patients (45%). Mortality reached 33.3%. IE in multiple valves was associated with increased mortality. Despite the heterogeneous genetic and molecular characteristics that necessitate the taxonomic change of some of this genus’s previous members, the clinical syndrome of IE caused by these bacteria seems to have similar characteristics.
Antimycotic Activity of Conifer Green Needle Complex against Clinical Strains of Candida Species

Resistance of some Candida species to antimycotic agents is a public health threat, with new treatments a priority. Conifer Green Needle Complex (CGNC) is a pharmaceutical-grade complex substance from the green verdure of Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies. Characterization of the chemical composition of CGNC (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry/HPLC) showed resin acids (ca 20 %w/w), unsaponafiables, primarily terpenoid alcohols (ca 22% w/w), higher fatty acids (ca 10% w/w), bound acids (ca 11% w/w) and polyprenols (ca 2.5% w/w). Other significant components include phytosterols, carotenoids, chlorophyll derivatives, vitamin E acetate and vitamin K1. CGNC has high antioxidant activity. Preliminary results for antimycotic activity against clinical strains of Candida albicans, C. glabrata and C. krusei showed some Candida spp. were sensitive to CGNC, including fluconazole- and ketoconazole-resistant strains. Antimycotic activity of CGNC should be investigated in larger studies.
LEXICAL EXPANSION IN MAORI

Like many other minority languages throughout the world, Maori has been subject, especially over the past few generations, tothe increasing onslaught of a majority language, in this case, of English. The natural transmission of the language has been virtually entirely broken, in the sense that very few children are acquiring Maori as their first language in the home and, until recently, its domains of use were being progressively cut back to the point where ceremonial speech-making was the only domain where Maori was clearly the preferred language.
3D Bioprinting: An Important Tool for Tumor Microenvironment Research

Abstract The tumor microenvironment plays a crucial role in cancer development and treatment. Traditional 2D cell cultures fail to fully replicate the complete tumor microenvironment, while mouse tumor models suffer from time-consuming procedures and complex operations. However, in recent years, 3D bioprinting technology has emerged as a vital tool in studying the tumor microenvironment. 3D bioprinting is a revolutionary biomanufacturing technique that involves layer-by-layer stacking of biological materials, such as cells and biomaterial scaffolds, to create highly precise 3D biostructures. This technology enables the construction of intricate tissue and organ models in the laboratory, which are utilized for biomedical research, drug development, and personalized medicine. The application of 3D bioprinting has brought unprecedented opportunities to fields such as cancer research, tissue engineering, and organ transplantation. It has opened new possibilities for addressing real-world biological challenges and improving medical treatment outcomes. This review summarizes the applications of 3D bioprinting technology in the context of the tumor microenvironment, aiming to explore its potential impact on cancer research and treatment. The use of this cutting-edge technology promises significant advancements in understanding cancer biology and enhancing medical interventions.
An Unsupervised Cluster-Based VANET-Oriented Evolving Graph (CVoEG) Model and Associated Reliable Routing Scheme

In vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs), communication links break more frequently due to the high-speed vehicles. In this paper, a novel cluster-based VANET oriented evolving graph (CVoEG) model is proposed by extending the existing VoEG model to improve the reliability of vehicular communications. Here, the link reliability is used as a criterion for cluster members (CMs) and cluster heads (CHs) selection. The proposed CVoEG model divides VANET nodes (vehicles) into an optimal number of clusters (ONC) by using Eigen gap heuristic. In a given cluster, a vehicle will be selected as a CH, if it has a maximum Eigen-centrality score. Based on the CVoEG model, a reliable routing scheme called CEG-RAODV is proposed to find the most reliable journey (MRJ) from source to destination. Our simulation results show that the proposed scheme significantly outperforms the existing schemes in terms of reliability, reliable routing request (RRR), packet delivery ratio (PDR), end to end (E2E) delay, and throughput.
We Have a Responsibility: Alternative Land Use Services Farmers and Environmental Stewardship

We Have a Responsibility: Alternative Land Use Services Farmers and Environmental Stewardship Megan K. MacLean Advisor: University of Guelph, 2014 James P. Mahone This thesis is an exploration into the environmental stewardship of farmer participants of the Alternative Land Use Services [ALUS] program in Norfolk County, Ontario. ALUS provides opportunities for farmers to reduce their environmental footprint by providing financial incentives and assistance to reserve agricultural land from production. Utilizing qualitative descriptive method, this study conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews in an attempt to describe the perspectives on environmental stewardship of these farmers, and how these perspectives might have evolved through involvement in ALUS. The study found that the participants have significant feelings of responsibility to protect the environment and do struggle to balance the needs of the environment when it is conflicting with the needs of the farm or the family. However, participation in ALUS is assisting to alter the perspective that environmental stewardship activities can be irreparably in conflict with other needs, amongst several other reported family, farm and
Selenium – a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023

Selenium is an essential trace element in humans, critical to the normal physiology in all animal species. The main form of selenium in food is selenomethionine, selenocysteine and a variety of organic compounds, while inorganic salts mainly occur in food supplements. In animals and humans, selenium occurs as selenocysteine in selenoproteins encoded by 25 genes (specific selenium pool). Several selenoproteins are part of the antioxidant enzyme system and serve as oxido-reductases and in thyroid hormone regulation. SelenoproteinP (SELENOP) transports selenium to peripheral tissues, is the main plasma selenoprotein, and has been used as biomarker of selenium status and intake. SELENOP in plasma represents a saturable pool of selenium and is maximised at a selenium concentration in plasma of about 110 µg/L or an intake of selenomethionine at about 1.2 µg/kg body weight in adults. In Finland, with an estimated selenium intake of 88 µg/day in men and 68 µg/day in women, the average selenium concentration in plasma is about 110 µg/L. Imported wheat from selenium rich areas is an important dietary source in Norway. Dietary intakes in the Nordic and Baltic area vary from 39 to 88 µg/day in men and 22 to 68 µg/day in women, the highest levels were from Finland. Most intervention trials on the effect of selenium supplementation on health outcomes have been carried out in ‘selenium-replete’-populations and show no beneficial effect, which from a nutritional point of view would rather not be expected. Some intervention studies conducted in populations low in selenium have showed a beneficial effect. Observational studies suggest an inverse relationship between selenium status and risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancer and all-cause mortality, and some other outcomes at low levels of intake (<55 µg/day) or in plasma or serum (<100 µg/L). However, a lack of quantitative data and inconsistencies between studies precludes these studies to be used to derive dietary reference values. At high intakes above 330 to 450 µg/day selenium may cause toxic effects affecting liver, peripheral nerves, skin, nails, and hair. An upper tolerable level (UL) of 255 µg selenium/day in adults was established by EFSA.
Analysis of the Behavioral Intention
and Influencing Factors of Farmers Replacing Coal
with Electricity in the Context of Carbon
Neutrality: the Case Study in Yulin City

Exploring the formation mechanism of farmers’ behavioral intention to adopt electricity to replace coal (INT-CE) is important for adjusting energy policies in the context of passive energy transition. Based on the integrated framework of Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Normative Activation Model (NAM), taking farmers in Yulin City, Shaanxi Province as the research sample, the formation mechanism of INT-CE is empirically analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). INT-CE was influenced by both self-interested and altruistic motives, with self-interested motives having a greater impact. The results show that: (1) Subjective attitudes and perceived behavior control have significant positive effects on low-income farmers' transformation intention, the influence coefficients are 0.170 and 0.331, respectively. (2) Perceived behavior control has a significant positive impact on the transition intention of middle - income farmers, the coefficient is 0.155. (3) Subjective norms have significant positive impacts on the energy transition intention of high-income farmers, the coefficient is 0.261. Attitude has the greatest influence on INT-CE. The effect of past habits on INT-CE was not significant, but was controlled by attitudes and perceptual behaviors. Outcome awareness and responsibility attribution indirectly enhance INT-CE through personal norms. The government should consider farmers' self-interest and altruistic motives when motivating INT-CE. On the one hand, positive concepts of energy conservation should be fostered and farmers' knowledge of energy conservation should be enhanced. On the other hand, the education of farmers should be strengthened to make them realize the ecological damage caused by non-clean energy. At the same time, the influence of relevant groups on INT-CE should be further emphasized to play the role of demonstration and leadership,
Factors affecting the dynamics of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei (Cestoda: Diphyllobothridae) infection in medium-sized carnivores in north-eastern Poland

: Parasitic infections in wildlife are affected by biological, ecological and anthropogenic factors and they may have important effects on both individuals and populations. In this paper we studied spread of sparganosis – the disease caused by the diphyllobothrid tapeworm from the genus Spirometra, which importance is increasingly growing around the world. We analysed different factors influencing Spirometra erinaceieuropaei infection parameters in two carnivore hosts: raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and European badger (Meles meles). We found no differences in infection probability between studied hosts; however, European badger has significantly higher mean number of plerocercoid larvae than raccoon dog (35.4 and 4.2, respectively). For both host species we found significant differences in S. erinaceieuropaei prevalence between study sites: Białowieża Forest (BF), Knyszyn Forest (KF) and Augustów Forest (AF). Infection probability was also positively related to the proportion of wet habitats. Sparganosis prevalence decreased with time covered by the study; however, the significance of the temporal changes was confirmed only for raccoon dog. Spirometra erinaceieuropaei infection probability increased with the age of animals with the rate similar for both species, which suggests multiple infections. No sex difference in infection prevalence was found in both species. Our study revealed complex factors, both biological and environmental, involved in parasite transmission, spread and persistence in medium-sized carnivore hosts. Similar prevalence in studied species, may suggest similar probability of infection risk
A D-Shaped Polymer Optical Fiber Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor for Breast Cancer Detection Applications

Fiber-optic biosensors have garnered significant attention and witnessed rapid development in recent years owing to their remarkable attributes such as high sensitivity, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and real-time monitoring. They have emerged as a potential tool in the realm of biomarker detection for low-concentration and small molecules. In this paper, a portable and cost-effective optical fiber biosensor based on surface plasmon resonance for the early detection of breast cancer is demonstrated. By utilizing the aptamer human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) as a specific biomarker for breast cancer, the presence of the HER2 protein can be detected through an antigen-antibody binding technique. The detection method was accomplished by modifying a layer of HER2 aptamer on the flat surface of a gold-coated D-shaped polymer optical fiber (core/cladding diameter 120/490 μm), of which the residual thickness after side-polishing was about 245 μm, the thickness of the coated gold layer was 50 nm, and the initial wavelength in pure water was around 1200 nm. For low-concentration detection of the HER2 protein, the device exhibited a wavelength shift of ~1.37 nm with a concentration of 1 μg/mL (e.g., 5.5 nM), which corresponded to a limit of detection of ~5.28 nM. Notably, the response time of the biosensor was measured to be as fast as 5 s. The proposed biosensor exhibits the potential for early detection of HER2 protein in initial cancer serum and offers a pathway to early prevention of breast cancer.