Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chitosan a natural anti-inflammatory and wound healing agent: A brief update

Inflammation is a complex physiological response that serves as a critical component in the pathogenesis of various diseases. Over the years, chitosan, a natural polysaccharide sourced from chitin, has gained significant attention as a prospective anti-inflammatory agent. This brief review aims to summarize the existing knowledge about chitosan's anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms. It discusses in vitro and in vivo studies on chitosan's impact on inflammatory markers, immune responses, and cellular signaling pathways. Additionally, it presents an overview of the different formulations and delivery systems of chitosan utilized in preclinical and clinical studies. The findings suggest that chitosan exhibits promising anti-inflammatory effects by modulating pro-inflammatory mediators, inhibiting inflammatory enzymes, and regulating immune cell functions. Moreover, the biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low toxicity of chitosan make it a promising candidate for therapeutic applications. However, additional investigation is necessary to clarify the exact mechanisms that explain its anti-inflammatory activity and enhance its therapeutic potential. Overall, this review highlights the chemistry, applications of chitosan in biomedical fields, and the utilization of chitosan as an anti-inflammatory agent in drug delivery systems, with a growing body of evidence supporting the potential of chitosan as a valuable anti-inflammatory agent, paving the way for future investigations and the development of novel therapeutic interventions.
Effects of Interactive Homework Assignments on Parental Involvement in Homework and Public Primary Schools’ English Learning in Tanzania

The factors associated with students’ success in learning may have been addressed but the impact of parental involvement continues to be a significant issue. Some schools in Tanzania post poor learning achievement amid claims that the traditional homework used in Public Primary Schools limit parental involvement and thus parents become not supportive to their children’s’ learning. This paper aimed at evaluating the effects of weekly Interactive English homework on parental involvement in homework and pupils’ English learning. Standard five pupils (N = 100) with their parents and 02 teachers participated in the 08-week study. 02 classes completed IHA (Interactive Homework Assignments) with directions for family and parent involvement. Two classes completed Non-Interactive Homework (no family involvement directions). Parents in Interactive homework group reported significantly higher levels of involvement than did Non-Interactive Parents. Pupils in IHA who more regularly involved parents significantly improved their behavior and skills needed for successful learning than Non-IHA pupils. The findings of this study support the hypothesis that IHA enhances parental involvement in homework and pupils learning in English than did the Non-IHA.
Preliminary Study on Hourly Dynamics of a Ground-Dwelling Invertebrate Community in a Farmland Vineyard

Simple Summary Understanding diel variations in ground-dwelling invertebrates is an important issue for agricultural ecology, which has been extensively studied at the population level. However, contemporary studies on hourly variations in the field are scarce at the community level owing to the lack of an effective method for collecting hourly data. Therefore, this study used a novel, automatic method using infrared camera traps to photograph a ground-dwelling invertebrate community at 5 min intervals from 31 July to 29 September in farmland in Ningbo City, China. In total, 9 taxa and 1147 individuals were identified across 42 d in 217,728 photographs. The taxonomic richness and abundance of the ground-dwelling invertebrate community did not show significant hourly variations within each day nor significantly preferred active hours. Only millipedes had significant hourly variations within each day, with a significant preference for activity between 1:00 and 4:00. Additionally, slugs, beetles, and grasshoppers showed preferred active hours around sunset and midnight. This study provides a useful method for monitoring hourly changes in ground-dwelling invertebrate communities in farmlands as well as fine temporal resolution data to understand the responses of ground-dwelling invertebrate communities to climate change and human management. Abstract We evaluated the hourly dynamics of ground-dwelling invertebrate communities in farmland using infrared camera traps between August and September 2022. No significant variations within 24 h nor between any two time points of each day were observed in the taxonomic richness and abundance of the entire community. However, the periods from 4:00 to 7:00 and 13:00 to 20:00 showed relatively high taxonomic richness, while those from 2:00 to 6:00 and 16:00 to 21:00 showed relatively high abundance. Millipede abundance varied significantly in a 24 h period, with higher abundance from 3:00 to 4:00 and 1:00 to 2:00. Additionally, slug, beetle, and grasshopper abundances were significantly higher from 22:00 to 23:00, 17:00 to 18:00, and 23:00 to 24:00, respectively. The abundance of other taxa did not show significant variations between any two time points of a day. Predominant generalist predators showed positive correlation in their activity times. These results suggest that significant variations within each 24 h period are uncommon at either community or taxa (except for millipedes) levels in farmland ground-dwelling invertebrates. Further, while most taxa had significantly preferred active hours, the total community did not. Therefore, hourly dynamics should be considered to understand biodiversity maintenance.
Biofilm formation and manipulation with optical tweezers

Some bacterial species form biofilms in suboptimal growth and environmental conditions. Biofilm structures allow the cells not only to optimize growth with nutrient availability but also to defend each other against external stress, such as antibiotics. Medical and bioengineering implications of biofilms have led to an increased interest in the regulation of bacterial biofilm formation. Prior research has primarily focused on mechanical and chemical approaches for stimulating and controlling biofilm formation, yet optical techniques are still largely unexplored. In this paper, we investigate the biofilm formation of Bacillus subtilis in a minimum biofilm-promoting medium (MSgg media) and explore the potential of optical trapping in regulating bacterial aggregation and biofilm development. Specifically, we determine the most advantageous stage of bacterial biofilm formation for optical manipulation and investigate the impact of optical trapping at different wavelengths on the aggregation of bacterial cells and the formation of biofilm. The investigation of optically regulated biofilm formation with optical tweezers presents innovative methodologies for the stimulation and suppression of biofilm growth through the application of lasers.
Structural Characterization and Physicochemical Properties of Functionally Porous Proton-Exchange Membrane Based on PVDF-SPA Graft Copolymers

Fluorinated proton-exchange membranes (PEMs) based on graft copolymers of dehydrofluorinated polyvinylidene fluoride (D-PVDF), 3-sulfopropyl acrylate (SPA), and 1H, 1H, 2H-perfluoro-1-hexene (PFH) were prepared via free radical copolymerization and characterized for fuel cell application. The membrane morphology and physical properties were studied via small-(SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), SEM, and DSC. It was found that the crystallinity degree is 17% for PEM-RCF (co-polymer with SPA) and 16% for PEM-RCF-2 (copolymer with SPA and PFH). The designed membranes possess crystallite grains of 5–6 nm in diameter. SEM images reveal a structure with open pores on the surface of diameters from 20 to 140 nm. Their transport and electrochemical characterization shows that the lowest membrane area resistance (0.9 Ωcm2) is comparable to perfluorosulfonic acid PEMs (such as Nafion®) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) based CJMC cation-exchange membranes (ChemJoy Polymer Materials, China). Key transport and physicochemical properties of new and commercial membranes were compared. The PEM-RCF permeability to NaCl diffusion is rather high, which is due to a relatively low concentration of fixed sulfonate groups. Voltammetry confers that the electrochemical behavior of new PEM correlates to that of commercial cation-exchange membranes, while the ionic conductivity reveals an impact of the extended pores, as in track-etched membranes.
Visceral adipose tissue and osteoarthritis, a two-sample Mendelian randomized study

Background The relationship between visceral adipose tissue and osteoarthritis is not clear. The purpose of our study was to explore the relationship between visceral adipose tissue and osteoarthritis. Methods We used a two-sample Mendelian randomization method to select single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with visceral adipose tissue as instrumental variables to explore the relationship between visceral adipose tissue and all osteoarthritis, hand osteoarthritis, hip osteoarthritis, knee osteoarthritis, and spine osteoarthritis. The reliability of the results was tested using sensitivity analysis. Results Our findings indicated that visceral adipose tissue was associated with all osteoarthritis, hip osteoarthritis, knee osteoarthritis, and spine osteoarthritis (all osteoarthritis: OR = 1.399, 95% CI: 1.335–1.467, p = 7.95e-44; hip osteoarthritis: OR = 1.399, 95% CI: 1.284–1.524, p = 1.41e-14; knee osteoarthritis: OR = 1.794, 95% CI: 1.662–1.937, p = 1.33e-50; and spine osteoarthritis: OR = 1.445, 95% CI: 1.314–1.589, p = 2.89e-14). Sensitivity analysis demonstrated the reliability of these results. Conclusion Our study suggests that genetically predicted visceral adipose tissue is associated with osteoarthritis. Reducing the accumulation of visceral adipose tissue could potentially have an impact on the incidence of osteoarthritis.
Decision Fusion at Pixel Level of Multi-Band Data for Land Cover Classification—A Review

According to existing signatures for various kinds of land cover coming from different spectral bands, i.e., optical, thermal infrared and PolSAR, it is possible to infer about the land cover type having a single decision from each of the spectral bands. Fusing these decisions, it is possible to radically improve the reliability of the decision regarding each pixel, taking into consideration the correlation of the individual decisions of the specific pixel as well as additional information transferred from the pixels’ neighborhood. Different remotely sensed data contribute their own information regarding the characteristics of the materials lying in each separate pixel. Hyperspectral and multispectral images give analytic information regarding the reflectance of each pixel in a very detailed manner. Thermal infrared images give valuable information regarding the temperature of the surface covered by each pixel, which is very important for recording thermal locations in urban regions. Finally, SAR data provide structural and electrical characteristics of each pixel. Combining information from some of these sources further improves the capability for reliable categorization of each pixel. The necessary mathematical background regarding pixel-based classification and decision fusion methods is analytically presented.
Climate Technology Strategies : The Macro-Economic Cost and Benefit of Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the European Union

Introduction * Literature Review * Definition of Policy Instruments and Criteria for Their Assessment * Baseline Scenario for the EU and Overview of Policy Simulations * The Cost of Meeting Emission Reduction Targets: Pollution Permits * The Role of Accompanying Policies * The Role of Energy Saving Investment * Internalisation of Externalities * Burden Sharing * Sensitivity Analysis * Conclusions * Appendix: Brief Description of Models Used in the Study.
Supervised machine learning algorithms to predict the duration and risk of long-term hospitalization in HIV-infected individuals: a retrospective study

Objective The study aimed to use supervised machine learning models to predict the length and risk of prolonged hospitalization in PLWHs to help physicians timely clinical intervention and avoid waste of health resources. Methods Regression models were established based on RF, KNN, SVM, and XGB to predict the length of hospital stay using RMSE, MAE, MAPE, and R2, while classification models were established based on RF, KNN, SVM, NN, and XGB to predict risk of prolonged hospital stay using accuracy, PPV, NPV, specificity, sensitivity, and kappa, and visualization evaluation based on AUROC, AUPRC, calibration curves and decision curves of all models were used for internally validation. Results In regression models, XGB model performed best in the internal validation (RMSE = 16.81, MAE = 10.39, MAPE = 0.98, R2 = 0.47) to predict the length of hospital stay, while in classification models, NN model presented good fitting and stable features and performed best in testing sets, with excellent accuracy (0.7623), PPV (0.7853), NPV (0.7092), sensitivity (0.8754), specificity (0.5882), and kappa (0.4672), and further visualization evaluation indicated that the largest AUROC (0.9779), AUPRC (0.773) and well-performed calibration curve and decision curve in the internal validation. Conclusion This study showed that XGB model was effective in predicting the length of hospital stay, while NN model was effective in predicting the risk of prolonged hospitalization in PLWH. Based on predictive models, an intelligent medical prediction system may be developed to effectively predict the length of stay and risk of HIV patients according to their medical records, which helped reduce the waste of healthcare resources.
Numerical simulation on the dynamic evolution process of thermokarst lake based on the moving mesh technology

Based on the method of moving mesh,a heat transfer finite element numerical model with phase change under cylindrical system was presented. The thermal change and morphologic process of thermokarst lakes were investigated. The results showed that the thermokarst lake expanded at a linear rate of 0. 7 m ·a- 1.The depth of the lake increased with the thawing of ice-rich permafrost. The increasing rate in depth was slowat first,then it became fast,finally it kept constant. The process of expansion and the settlement of the lake was significant during the period of May to Jan. next year,while they were suspended from Feb. to May. The scope of thermal effect increased gradually in the moving boundary model,while it increased firstly and then kept constant in the fixed boundary model. The results showed that the fixed boundary model may overestimate the thermal effect on permafrost under the thermokarst lake and underestimate the thermal effect on permafrost far from the lake.
Dissolution enhancement and physicochemical characterization of fenofibric acid in surface solid dispersion with croscarmellose sodium

The dissolution enhancement of the water-insoluble drug fenofibric acid (FA) was conducted by the surface solid dispersion (SSD) technique with croscarmellose sodium (CS) as a carrier. The SSD formulations of FA were prepared by the solvent evaporation method in three different drug-to-carrier weight ratios, evaluated for the dissolutions, and compared to the physical mixtures (PMs). The optimum SSD formulation and its corresponding PM were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD), Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and were compressed into tablets to evaluate the dissolution after compression. The best dissolution was obtained from the SSD 1:1. The recrystallization of FA in the SSD preparation could change the crystal habit of FA and deposited it on the surface of CS. İn addition, there was no chemical interaction observable between both FA and CS in the SSD formulation. No chemical interaction between FA and CS in the SSD. However, a slight reduction was noticed in the crystallinity of FA if compared to that of the pure drug. This study showed that the SSD formulation had the best dissolution compared to the PM, the conventional direct compression, and the reference formulation of FA in its commercial tablets. The SSD preparation with CS could enhance the dissolution of FA from its tablet dosage form.
Can Cash Transfers Help Households Escape an Inter-Generational Poverty Trap?

Many poor households in developing countries are liquidity-constrained. As a result, they may under-invest in the human capital of their children. We provide new evidence on the long-term (10-year) effects of cash transfers using data from Ecuador. Our analysis is based on two separate sources of data and two identification strategies. First, we extend the results from an experiment that randomly assigned children under the age of 6 years to early or late treatment groups. Although the early treatment group received twice as much in total transfers, we find no difference between children in the two groups on performance on a large number of tests. Second, we use a regression discontinuity design exploiting the fact that a poverty index was used to determine eligibility for transfers. We focus on children who were just-eligible and just-ineligible for transfers when they were in late childhood, and compare their school attainment and work status 10 years later. Transfers increased secondary school completion, but the effects are small, between 1 and 2 percentage points from a counterfactual school completion rate of 75 percent. We conclude that any effect of cash transfers on the inter-generational transmission of poverty in Ecuador is likely to be modest.
Investigating the Tooth Contact Based on a High-speed Thermography Monitoring Conducted Under High-reduction Hypoid Gears Meshing Condition

—Currently, improving the Noise Vibration Harshness (NVH) characteristics of systems is among the most important issues for meeting user needs in the automotive industry. Remember that the tooth surface accuracy significantly influences the vibrations in gear meshing. The hypoid gear used in the automobile differential has a complex shape; hence, estimating its contact conditions is difficult. Therefore, we aim to develop a novel method to analyze the tooth contact conditions by using highly sensitive infrared thermography measurements with a high response. The proposed method acts as a noncontact analysis that is based on monitoring the temperature distribution during meshing between the pinion and gear surfaces. In this report, we designed three hypoid gear types with high-reduction ratios. Subsequently, a tooth contact analysis was carried out using thermography measurements. As a result, the relationship between the temperature rise at the tooth contact area was clarified.
Antepartum Fetal Surveillance and Optimal Timing of Delivery in Diabetic Women: A Narrative Review

Antepartum fetal surveillance (AFS) is essential for pregnant women with diabetes to mitigate the risk of stillbirth. However, there is still no universal consensus on the optimal testing method, testing frequency, and delivery timing. This review aims to comprehensively analyze the evidence concerning AFS and the most advantageous timing for delivery in both gestational and pregestational diabetes mellitus cases. This review’s methodology involved an extensive literature search encompassing international diabetes guidelines and scientific databases, including PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Scopus. The review process meticulously identified and utilized pertinent articles for analysis. Within the scope of this review, a thorough examination revealed five prominent international guidelines predominantly addressing gestational diabetes. These guidelines discuss the utility and timing of fetal well-being assessments and recommendations for optimal pregnancy resolution timing. However, the scarcity of clinical trials directly focused on this subject led to a reliance on observational studies as the basis for most recommendations. Glucose control, maternal comorbidities, and the medical management received are crucial in making decisions regarding AFS and determining the appropriate delivery timing.
Aligning Manufacturing Skills When Implementing Industry 5.0

Manufacturers have constantly had to adapt to new challenges to stay productive and economically viable. Currently, they are having to face a revolution in technology in the digital age that requires agile responses to new challenges. Key policy and industry reports predict that there will be a skill disruption when a manufacturer integrates Industry 5.0 which is defined as people working alongside robots and smart machines. When smart technologies are introduced, skills need change. These changes do bring challenges to manufacturers and create a necessary shift in skills. Each manufacturing facility has its unique impact of technology on production and processes which will affect the nature of the skill disruption. The introduction of automation connected to these smart technologies' present skill-transition challenges for the manufacturing operation and the individual worker. Hesitation from manufacturers as how to navigate those skill transitions has led to slow adoption of automation. Manufacturers who are successfully transitioning to Industry 5.0 within their operation are doing so through trial and error and developing their own skills in house. In response to these challenges, we have developed a customized approach of assessing the organization holistically and create a transformational roadmap called Strategic Process Roadmap (SPR). SPR focuses on processes that not only adapt new technologies in the factory floor but also on information centric facets of the organization. This roadmap is used to align the people's talent needs to a Skills Development Plan (SDP) for each manufacturer. The early participants in this study were manufacturers that are part of the regional Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) system. With this approach, we are enabling manufacturers to align their automation integration with the skill sets required for a successful implementation. This paper will discuss the challenges for a manufacturer in integrating Industry 5.0 and outline an assessment structure with real world manufacturing case studies.