Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Possible Mechanism of Aframomum Sceptrum Extracts Mediated Modulation of Renal Function after Monosodium Glutamate Exposure

The objective of the research was to explain the possible mechanism of an earlier reported role of Aframomum sceptrum extract in the modulation of renal function parameters in monosodium glutamate-induced toxicity. Materials and Methods. Similar experimental methods previously reported by us in Ogbeke et al., (2016) were maintained. Results. Monosodium glutamate administration led to a significant elevation of levels of serum and kidney lipid peroxidation due to decrease in the levels of serum and kidney antioxidant enzyme, super oxide dismutase, catalase, gluthathione peroxidase and gluthathione. There was observed increase in oxidative enzyme, aldehyde oxidase, sulphite oxidase, xanthine oxidase and monoamine oxidase activities in serum and kidney after monosodium glutamate consumption. Aframomum sceptrum treatment significantly regulated all altered indices. Conclusions. The study concluded that the ability of Aframomum sceptrum extract to modulate renal function parameters in monosodium glutamate-induced toxicity is dependent on its efficacy in the induction and mobilization of antioxidant defense armory via the increased synthesis of tissue and serum enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, as well as improved oxidative enzyme activities that mediates the quenching of rising aldehydes and sulfoxides, N-oxides and aromatic oxides within the kidney.
Prevalence of Mental Distress and Associated Factors among Samara University Students, Northeast Ethiopia

Background Empirical findings have indicated that higher institution students experience a higher prevalence of mental distress compared to the general population. Understanding the magnitude and associated factors of mental distress in university students would be helpful to practitioners and policymakers in Ethiopia. The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence and associated factors of mental distress among Samara university students, Northeast Ethiopia. Methods Institution based cross-sectional study design was conducted in Samara university from December to June 2018. A simple random sampling technique was employed to select the study participants. Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20) was used to measure the mental distress of students. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to examine the association between sociodemographic and psychosocial factors with the mental distress of students. Results The proportion of students with mental distress were found to be 53.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 48.0%, 58.0%). Female students were more likely to be mentally distressed compared to male students (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 4.66; 95% CI: 2.81, 7.71). Ever khat use (AOR: 3.09; 95% CI: 1.74, 5.50) and poor sleep quality (AOR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.12, 3.66) were significantly associated with mental distress of students. Conclusion Our study indicates that the proportion of mental distress was found to be higher among Samara university students as compared to previously published studies in Ethiopia. Female students, ever khat users and those with poor sleep quality were associated with mental distress. There is a need for evidence-based interventional strategies such as self-help measures, sleep hygiene and peer support, as well as professional mental health services as part of student health services that would be helpful to reduce the burden of mental distress of students.
Posaconazole MIC distributions for Aspergillus fumigatus SC by four methods: Impact of Cyp51A mutations on estimation of epidemiological cutoff values (ECVs/ECOFFs)

47 48 Estimating epidemiological cutoff endpoints (ECVs/ECOFFS) may be hindered by the 49 overlap of MICs for mutant and non-mutant strains (harboring or not harboring mutations, 50 respectively). Posaconazole MIC distributions for Aspergillus fumigatus SC were collected from 51 26 laboratories (Australia, Canada, Europe, India, South/North America, Taiwan) and published 52 studies. Distributions that fulfilled CLSI criteria were pooled and ECVs were estimated. The 53 sensitivity of three ECV analytical techniques (ECOFFinder, NRI, derivatization) to the inclusion 54 of MICs for mutants was examined for three susceptibility testing methods (CLSI, EUCAST, and 55 Etest®). The totals of posaconazole MICs for non-mutant (no known cyp51A mutations) and 56 mutant A. fumigatus isolates were: by CLSI, 2,223 and 274; by EUCAST, 556 and 52; by the 57 Etest®, 1,365 and 29 respectively; 381 SensititreTM YeastOneTM (SYO) MICs with unknown 58 mutational status were also evaluated. We observed an overlap in posaconazole MICs among 59 non-mutant and cyp51A mutants. At the commonly chosen percentage of the modeled wild-type 60 population (97.5%), almost all ECVs remained the same when the MICs for non-mutant and 61 mutant distributions were merged: ECOFFinder ECVs 0.5 μg/ml (CLSI) and 0.25 μg/ml 62 (EUCAST and Etest®); NRI ECVs: 0.5 μg/ml for all three methods. However, the 95% 63 ECOFFinder CLSI ECV for non-mutants was 0.25 μg/ml. The tentative SYO ECOFFinder ECV 64 was 0.06 μg/ml (data from 3/8 laboratories). Derivatization ECVs with or without mutant 65 inclusion were either 0.25 μg/ml (CLSI, EUCAST, Etest) or 0.06 μg/ml (SYO). It appears that 66 ECV analytical techniques may not be vulnerable to overlap between presumptive wild-type and 67 cyp51A mutants when up to 11.6% of the estimated wild-type population includes mutants. 68 on F ebuary 5, 2018 by U niverssbibliotheek U trcht httpaac.asm . rg/ D ow nladed fom
Malaysian Parent Ratings of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire : Measurement Invariance across Language Versions , Gender , Informants , and Race

For a Malaysian sample, the current study used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to determine the best model for parent ratings of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and then multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (MCFA) to examine measurement invariance for these ratings across different language versions (Malay and English), child’s gender (boys and girls), informants (mothers and fathers), and racial groups (Malay, Chinese and Indians). In all 1407 Malaysian parents completed SDQ ratings of their children (age ranging from 5 to 13 years). The EFA revealed a 2-factor model oblique model, with support for a positive construal factor and a psychopathology factor. For this model, the MCFA showed full measurement invariance (configural, metric and scalar) across all the groups in the different comparisons. For all comparisons, there were equivalencies for latent mean scores. The implications of the findings for clinical and research practice involving the SDQ in Malaysia are discussed.
The Impact of Digital Transformation on Business Performance: A Study of Pakistani SMEs

Business ecosystems are continuously evolving. In this hyper-competitive era, firms are increasingly transforming their business operations through advanced digital technologies. Gone are the days of mere testing and debating the influence of digital transformation and industry 4.0, yet the time has come for actionable steps. Therefore, this study has identified the role of industry 4.0 technologies including big data, cyber-physical systems, internet of things and interoperability, on the performance of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan. A relevant questionnaire was developed and distributed randomly in the cities of Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Islamabad, Gujrat, and Sialkot. After applying multiple regression techniques through SPSS, it was found that big data, cyber-physical systems, and interoperability have a significant positive impact to improve business performance, while the insignificant effect of internet of things was revealed. Since the research in the area of digital transformation and industry 4.0 is scant, the current study has contributed novel directions, insights and a framework for future researchers. Moreover, this study will help managers to justify the allocation of resources towards technological infrastructure development in the operations of their firms. Finally, policymakers will find it helpful in order to devise suitable strategies for developing human capital and to enhance their absorptive capacity.
Current Status, Future Potential and Barriers for Renewable Energy Development in Ethiopia (Short Communication)

Ethiopia is a land locked country, located in Horn of Africa. The country power generation does not meet the national demand of the people. The aim of the paper is to review a current status, future potential and barriers on development of renewable energy for power generations in Ethiopia. The approaches would be use of primary and secondary data. The structural question is developed and data collected from experts. Secondary data were also collected from national published report, ministries brief and policy guides. The study used predominate renewable energy resource for power generation such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and waste to energy. Based on the result, the country utilization of the resources like solar, wind and geothermal with less than 1% with respect to the potential except hydro power which is less than 9% from the national reserve. The paper found that finical, technical, policy and regulation are the main barriers that faced on the development renewable energy. Key measurements are strengthened finical institution, establishing capacity building center, initiation active community participation, organizing institution to support development of renewable energy. This proposed measurements and policy issues were based on the evidence faced the country.
Integrating Social Entrepreneurship into Higher Education in the New Era

This paper studied the necessity and the way of integrating social entrepreneurship into higher education in the New Era using the method of progressive layer by layer. Higher education in China in the new era needs to cultivate college students with social entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurship can reshape the social morality of college students, promote the innovative thinking of college students in the new era, and cultivate their consciousness of "sustainable development economy". The measures to cultivate college students' social entrepreneurship include setting up research platforms related to social innovation and social enterprises, constructing curriculum teaching system of social enterprises and social entrepreneurship education, and establishing a practical teaching system for college students to set up various kinds of social enterprises. Keywords—Social Enterprises; Social Entrepreneurs; Social Entrepreneurship; Higher Education; College Students
Intermediate Filaments as Potential Target for Cancer 2 Treatment

Intermediate filaments constitute the third component of the cellular skeleton. Unlike actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, the intermediate filaments are composed of wide variety of structurally related proteins showing distinct expression patterns in tissues and cell types. Changes in expression patterns of intermediate filaments are often associated with cancer progression, in particular with phenotypes leading to increased cellular migration and invasion. In this review we will describe the role of vimentin intermediate filaments in cancer cell migration, cell adhesion structures, and metastasis formation. The potential for targeting vimentin in cancer treatment and the development of drugs targeting vimentin will be reviewed.
How Instructors Evaluate an e-Learning System? An Evaluation Model Combining Fuzzy AHP with Association Rule Mining

Online learning is becoming increasingly popular as a result more courseware is being converted into digital materials, resulting in the rapid development of e-Learning systems. The ways in which users (particular instructors) evaluate e-Learning systems are an important issue. In this study, the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and Association Rule Mining methods are combined to rank criteria for evaluating e-Learning systems in order of importance. The proposed evaluation model comprises three steps. In step 1, a hierarchal structure of evaluation criteria is established. In step 2, 30 instructors who have practical experience of e-Learning system are interviewed according to this hierarchal structure. Finally, in step 3, a fuzzy mechanism is utilized to normalize the semantic variation among domain experts. Then, the normalized results of the questionnaires are analyzed to obtain the fuzzy weights (via FAHP) and association rules (via Association Rule Mining) among the evaluation criteria. The results of the analysis reveal that “connection quality”, “ease of use”, “visualization”, “waiting time” and “graphical arrangement of interface” are the top five criteria for evaluating an e-Learning system. A developer of an e-Learning system can improve user experience using these criteria and their priorities accordingly.
Acacia Gerrardii Leaf Extracts Inhibit Genetic Diversity Induced by Streptozotocin in Male Rats

This study investigated the prevention effect of Acacia gerrardii leaf extracts on genetic variation in male rats exposed to streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Male rats (n=70) were treated with A. gerrardii leaf extract using concentrations ranging from 100 to 500 mg/kg body weight/day for four weeks against streptozotocin-induced possibly genetic variation. Blood samples and pancreatic tissues were collected at the end of the experiment. Ten Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat primers and ten Start Codon Targeted Polymorphism primers were used to detect genetic variations between the different groups. The biochemical results indicated a reduction in serum glucose levels, especially at doses of 400 and 500 mg/kg body weight. Molecular analysis showed that Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat primers and SCoT detected 119 and 97 amplicons, with 0.43% and 0.55% polymorphic respectively. Based on the previous markers analyzed, cluster analysis revealed that genetic variation was high in the pancreatic tissues of streptozotocin-treated rats in the groups treated with 0 (C+) > 100 (T1) > 200 (T2) > 300 (T3) mg/kg body weight/day. However, low genetic variation was observed in the pancreatic tissues of streptozotocin-treated rats in the groups treated with 400 (T4) > 500 (T5) mg/kg body weight/day. These results indicate that the A. gerrardii leaf extracts are rich in antioxidants preventing genetic variation in the pancreatic tissues. Therefore, A. gerrardii leaf extracts could be recommended as good source of dietary antioxidant
Key Aspects to Consider about Beneficial and Harmful Effects on the Central Nervous System by the Endocannabinoid Modulation Linked to New Cardiovascular Therapies

The endocannabinoid system is closely related to the central nervous system and exerts a promising therapeutic potential on it and other systems such as the cardiovascular, mainly through its neuromodulatory, neuroprotective and neuroinflammatory effects. For this reason, when designing new treatments for different relevant pathologies such as hypertension, it is necessary to take into account the side effects that such therapies can cause at the neurological level. Deeping knowledge of each cannabinoid and the molecular mechanisms that can lead to undesired results is necessary. The present review analyzes the psychoactive consequences of anandamide and other similar substances such as other endocannabinoids, phytocannabinoids and synthetic cannabinoids, to assess their little-explored therapeutic potential in clinical investigations. Finally, the major behavioral tests most used until the moment to predict possible changes in the conduct of animals treated with various substances of cannabinoid nature are summarized.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTRADIALYSIS STATIC BIKE EXERCISE TOWARD FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY IN HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS

Background : Patients with terminal renal failure require renal replacement therapy in the form of hemodialysis. Although already have hemodialysis therapy, there is still buildup of metabolic waste in patients’ body that results in a decrease in functional capacity. Decreased functional capacity in hemodialysis patients causes limitations in carrying out physical activities that reduces their quality of life. However, intradialysis physical exercise by using static bike can be a therapy to increase patients’ functional capacity. Objective : This study was aimed to determine the effectiveness of static bike exercise toward functional capacity in hemodialysis patients. Method : This research is a quantitative study with a quasi-experimental method using pre and post approach with control group design. Intervention and control groups were included in this study. There were 20 people in each group that were selected through consecutive sampling technique as samples of this study. The study was carried out in the hemodialysis room of RSUP Dr. M. Djamil, Padang. Result : The analysis was done using Paired T-Test with a degree of confidence of 95% and showed that intradialysis static bike exercise effectively increased the functional capacity in hemodialysis patients (p = 0.001). Conclusion : Intradialysis static bike exercise can be used as a nursing intervention to increase the functional capacity in hemodialysis patients. Key words: Hemodialysis, exercise, functional capacity.
Constructed Response or Multiple-Choice Questions for Assessing Declarative Programming Knowledge? That is the Question!

Aim/Purpose: This paper presents a data mining approach for analyzing responses to advanced declarative programming questions. The goal of this research is to find a model that can explain the results obtained by students when they perform exams with Constructed Response questions and with equivalent Multiple-Choice Questions. Background: The assessment of acquired knowledge is a fundamental role in the teaching-learning process. It helps to identify the factors that can contribute to the teacher in the developing of pedagogical methods and evaluation tools and it also contributes to the self-regulation process of learning. However, better format of questions to assess declarative programming knowledge is still a subject of ongoing debate. While some research advocates the use of constructed responses, others emphasize the potential of multiple-choice questions. Methodology: A sensitivity analysis was applied to extract useful knowledge from the relevance of the characteristics (i.e., the input variables) used for the data mining process to compute the score. Contribution: Such knowledge helps the teachers to decide which format they must consider with respect to the objectives and expected students results. Findings: The results shown a set of factors that influence the discrepancy between answers in both formats. Recommendations for Practitioners: Teachers can make an informed decision about whether to choose multiple-choice questions or constructed-response taking into account the results of this study. Recommendation for Researchers: In this study a block of exams with CR questions is verified to complement the area of learning, returning greater performance in the evaluation of students and improving the teaching-learning process. Impact on Society: The results of this research confirm the findings of several other researchers that the use of ICT and the application of MCQ is an added value in the evaluation process. In most cases the student is more likely to succeed with MCQ, however if the teacher prefers to evaluate with CR other research approaches are needed. Future Research: Future research must include other question formats.
Influence of Perceived Corporate Social Responsibility on Brand Image, Satisfaction and Trust

The purpose of this research is to analyse the influence of consumers’ perception of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices on a brand’s image, satisfaction and trust in Pakistan. While the strategic importance of CSR, as a corporate marketing tool, is fairly established in the developed world, the concept is still finding its ground in developing countries. This study focuses on the consumers of the apparel industry of Pakistan, and has used the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to test the model. The findings show that the perceived CSR affects brand image in a positive manner, but has no impact on consumer satisfaction and trust directly. Brand image, however, has a favourable effect on both satisfaction and trust, and completely mediates the relationship between perceived CSR, and satisfaction and trust. This study provides insights to apparel manufacturers to formulate corporate marketing strategies that aim at enhancing their brand image through CSR activities.
The Power of Computer-Mediated Communication Theories in Explaining the Effect of Chatbot Introduction on User Experience

Chatbots have increasingly penetrated our lives as their behavior growingly imitates a human interlocutor. This paper examines the effect of different methods of self-presentation of a chatbot on the end-user experience. An interlocutor in a computer-mediated communication (CMC) environment can either introduce itself as a chatbot, a human being, or choose not to identify itself. We conducted an experiment to compare these three methods in terms of end-user experience that comprises of social presence, perceived humanness, and service encounter satisfaction. Our data demonstrate that a chatbot that discloses its virtual identity is scored significantly lower for social presence and perceived humanness than other two choices of self-presentation. Key findings and the associated implications are discussed.
The use of advanced oxidation processes in the degradation of the pesticide chlorpyrifos and reduction of microbial contamination on apples

The use of advanced oxidation processes in the degradation of the pesticide chlorpyrifos and reduction of microbial contamination on apples Jordan Ho Advisors: University of Guelph, 2019 Dr. Keith Warriner Dr. Ryan Prosser A method based on Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) was validated for the degradation of chlorpyrifos on apples and inactivating Escherichia coli O157:H7, along with Aspergillus niger spores. AOP generates free-radicals using UV-C light (at 254 nm), hydrogen peroxide, and ozone. The use of gaseous ozone alone was ineffective in chlorpyrifos degradation and was therefore excluded from AOP use. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to find that the degradation of chlorpyrifos was primarily dependent on UV-C dose and hydrogen peroxide temperature but not hydrogen peroxide concentration. The maximal degradation of chlorpyrifos on apples was achieved through an AOP treatment applying 68.4 kJ/m UV dose and 1.22% v/v H2O2 at 66°C that resulted in a 47% reduction (92μg) of the pesticide with < 0.004 μg accumulation of chlorpyrifos-oxon. The same treatment supported a >6.56 log CFU reduction in E. coli O157:H7 and >6.56 log CFU reduction of A. niger spores.
THE DIGITAL RECONSTRUCTION OF AN UNBUILT MAUSOLEUM BY GIULIANO

Giuliano da Sangallo is one of the paramount figure emerging from the Italian architecture during the Renaissance. He was commissioned to build many buildings, leaving also an ample documentary corpus, made of sketches and more technical drawings. On some pages in the Codice Barberiniano, a rich collection of drawings stored at the Vatican Apostolic Library, Giuliano drafted a plan and a section view of a building that recent studies speculate to be a conceptual proposal for the Pope Julius II’s mausoleum. Beginning from these graphical representations, and taking into account many coeval paintings illustrating architectural details, several digital reconstructions were proposed and compared in two master thesis works, ending in a virtual computer model whose shape and proportions are expression of a plausible constructive hypothesis. Many analysis were also carried out on the model, in order to better understand the original Sangallo’s design intent.