Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The diversity of small mammals in a mixed fruit orchard at Bukit Bekong limestone massif, Merapoh, Pahang, Malaysia

The increasing forest fragmentation due to human encroachment has isolated and scattered forest patches and limestone karsts. Agroforestry has been touted as a sustainable solution for the agriculture sector to yield crops and also provide alternative habitats for wildlife outside protected areas and linking forest patches and isolated limestone karsts. This initial survey was conducted to evaluate small mammals (bats and non-volant) assemblages present in a mixed fruit orchard bordering Bukit Bekong limestone massif in Merapoh, Pahang. We captured 193 individuals from 28 species (13 for bats & 15 for non-volant) using mist nets, harp traps and cage traps. This orchard contains Nycteris tragata and Kerivoula pellucida, listed as Near Threatened plus Maxomys rajah as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List, revealing the fact that this small area in comparison to protected areas possesses unprecedented conservation value. Furthermore, 15 out of 28 small mammal species captured are habitat generalist may provide a cause of concern for the loss of forest specialists. Nonetheless, our results show that less intensively managed agroforest like mixed fruit orchard can also support forest specialists that are sensitive to disturbance. Moreover, the presence of limestone karst nearby contributes to bat diversity, especially cave-roosting bats. In summary, the diversity of small mammals in agroforest is worth to be studied as the species accumulation curve in this one mixed fruit orchard has yet to reach an asymptote. We hope future biodiversity data in agroforest will be incorporated in agriculture management strategies to stimulate sustainable agriculture and promoting mammal diversity.
Effects of strain, live weight and micro-environment on body weight development of cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus) in the humid tropics

Interactive effects of strain, live weight and a non-genetic factor namely micro-environment on the live weight development of cane rats reared in captivity were investigated over a seven-month period. A total of seventy-nine (79) cane rats (Thryonomys swinderianus) originating from three different sources (strains) and of four body weight categories were used for the study. The treatment design was 4x3 Factorial of Live-weightXStrain randomlyassigned to 3 Houses (block) using RCBD, while statistical analysis utilized GLM procedure of SAS® (1999). Data were recorded monthly based on Treatment-combinations and House-micro-environment. Results revealed that effects of strain, live weight category and house-micro-environment on strains were significant. Consequently, interactive effect of strainXhouse-micro-environment was found most depressing on awole>FRIN>Bamidele, while strainXlive-weight category interaction exerted most positive influence on Lawole strain which demonstrated the highest ability for body weight development than other two strains. Findings revealed that interactive effect of STRxHME was most significant on weight development. Bamidele strain was identified as most acclimatized and adaptable of the three strains based on least body weight sensitivity and variation between HMEs. Different strains of cane rat in captive rearing systems would exhibit different and specific reaction norms under interaction of strain, Body weight and House-micro-environment. This knowledge is useful for feeding regimes, husbandry and reeding schemes for cane rats in humid tropics.
Triterpenic Acid Amides as a Promising Agent for Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome

A series of triterpenic acid amides were synthesized incorporating a 2-ethoxy-3-phenylpropanoic acid pharmacophore fragment. The synthesized compounds were tested for their ability to improve glycemic control and to counter lipid abnormalities in C57BL/6 mice placed on a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet. Of all tested compounds, the dihydrobetulonic derivative (16b) had the most pronounced effect in decreasing blood glucose levels, total cholesterol (TC), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). All the synthesized compounds displayed a relatively safe profile in the animal studies carried out in this work.
COST-FP1105: Properties of PLA films reinforced with unmodified and acetylated freeze dried nanofibrillated cellulose

Abstract Freeze dried nanofibrils were acetylated in a heterogeneous system with acetic anhydride, pyridine, and dimethylformamide and the obtained acetylated cellulose nanofibrils (CNFac) were combined with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) to a composite. CNFac with its partially hydrophobic surface showed a good compatibility with PLA resulting in composite films with improved properties. Tensile strength (TS), modulus of elasticity (MOE), and elongation at break (EB) of PLA/CNF increased significantly when 2–5% of CNFac was added to the PLA matrix, while the addition of 10% and higher amounts CNFac decreased the EB at a higher TS and MOE. Mechanical parameters did not improve in the case of unmodified CNF addition. The addition of CNFac maintained transparency and had absorbance values between those of pure PLA film and PLA film with 2% CNF, while films formed with the addition of 5 and 10% of CNF were less transparent. The addition of CNF did not essentially affect the thermal properties of nanocomposite films. The addition of 2–10% of CNFac increased the enthalpy and maximal temperature of cold crystallization as opposed to higher loading of CNFac. The results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) coincide with those of the mechanical properties. Tailoring properties of PLA/CNF are only reproducible in case of homogenously distributed CNF within the PLA matrix and by an improved interphase adhesion between PLA and CNFac.
A review of recent theoretical studies in nonlinear crystals: towards the design of new materials

Nonlinear optics is an important and exciting field of fundamental and applied research, with applications in many different disciplines such as physics chemistry, material science and biology. In the recent years, nonlinear optical phenomena started to be also widely used in technological applications for optoelectronics and photovoltaics. This coincided with an important experimental and theoretical search for new materials with an efficient and exploitable nonlinear optical response. Here, starting from the discovery of nonlinear optics, we review the most important theoretical formalisms developed to understand, interpret and predict the nonlinear optical phenomena. We show the different level of approximation of the many-electrons interactions that these formalisms can describe which are fundamental in the interpretation of the experiments. The impact of the theory is then analyzed on different classes of new materials particularly studied in these years: silicon bulk to nano, compound semiconductors, graphene, transition metal dichalcogenide, hexagonal boron nitride and borate crystals.
Green Marketing Tools, Religiosity, Environmental Attitude And Green Purchase Behaviour Among Millenials Generation

The purpose of the research isto examine relationship between Green Marketing Tools (GMT), Environmental Attitudes (EA), Religiosity and Green Purchase Behavior (GPB) and test Religiosity moderates between Environmental Attitudes (EA) and Green Purchase Behavior (GPB). This study employs samples using a questionnaire instrument. The result of the collected 268 questionnaires of respondents were processed using descriptive and quantitative analysis data using SEM (Strutural Equation Model) analysis techniques with Stata 13. The results showed that millennial generation in shaping their engagement behavior on environmental issues is influenced by environmentally friendly advertisements, attributes or labels used on a product, then perceptions of environmentally friendly brands and trust in environmentally friendly advertisements, trust in compliance or environmentally friendly labels and brands that are on the products they know.The findings of this study suggest that individual factors in the form of religious and situational factors in the form of green marketing tools in the form of eco labels, eco brands, trusts or trust in eco labels and eco brands, and environmental advertising affect green behavioral.
The synthesis of selected phase II metabolites – Ο-glucuronides and sulfates of drug development candidates

We have summarized methods for the preparation of phase II metabolites which have proven to be successful in our laboratory for the synthesis of selected O -glucuronides and sulfates of recent drug development candidates. The syntheses of the O -glucuronides AVE0897 O -acyl- glucuronide 7 , AVE2268 O -glucuronide 12, SAR7226 O -glucuronide 21 and the preparation of the sulfates 28 of AVE2268 and MDL107292 33 are described in detail. Analytical aspects related to phase II metabolites and specific chromatographic methods of very polar compounds are discussed.
Performance on postharvest quality of late season cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) varieties in Terai region of Nepal

The experiment was conducted at Horticulture Farm of Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Nepal during the November 2016 to March 2018 for two consecutive years to assess the characteristics on postharvest quality of late season cauliflower varieties. The experiment was laid in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with the eleven late season cauliflower varieties viz., Freedom, Titan, Ravella, Amazing, Artica, Bishop, Casper, Indam 9803, NS 106, Snow Mystique, and Snowball 16, each replicated with four times. Significantly higher TSS value of 5.7o Brix was produced by Snowball 16 than other varieties. Considerably higher vitamin C of 49 mg/100 g was found in Amazing than other varieties. Significantly lower physiological loss in weight of 5.3%, 9.6% and 15.6% was found in Artica at three, six and nine days after harvesting, respectively. Higher score for the taste of curd was 8.8 in Snowball 16 followed by Amazing while lower score for taste of the curd was 4.8 in Indam 9803 variety. The attractive color and more compact curd score of 8.4 was found in both Titan and Artica than other varieties. Therefore, it can be concluded that Snowball 16 and Amazing varieties were the best open pollinated varieties for taste of the curd and composition of chemical constitutes. Bishop, Snow Mystique, NS 106, Artica and Titan varieties were other probable hybrid varieties based on their overall postharvest characteristics.
Effect of sowing pattern and density on the quality of one-year-old Austrian pine bareroot seedlings

Austrian pine (Pinus nigra Arnold) seedlings are frequently used for afforestation/reforestation and restoration practice in Serbia. Indeed, the seedlings of various stock types are produced by almost all forest nurseries in Serbia and bareroot seedlings are mostly common. The aim of this study is to analyze the method of sowing and sowing density on some morphological characteristics and quality of one-year-old Austrian pine seedlings. Sowing in rows and random sowing across all seedbed space were performed. In both cases, the sowing density (R1 - 8 g m-1, R2 - 40 g m-2) and half of the recommended sowing density (S1 - 4 g m-1, S2 - 20 g m-2) were applied. Seedlings from both treatments had average height and root collar diameter values in the range of 4.91 to 5.73 cm, and 1.25 to 2.34 mm, respectively. Observed characteristics of seedlings (height - H, root collar diameter - RCD, root length - RL, dry weight of shoot - SDW, root - RDW and seedlings - SLDW, sturdiness coefficient - SQ and quality index - QI) were conditioned by treatment (One-Way ANOVA, p<0.05). Shoot to root ration was similar at seedlings of all treatments and ranged from 1.33 to 1.63. In both cases, decreased density produced better results. The combination of lower sowing density (20 g m-2) and sowing in all seedbed areas (S2) provided the best seedlings with QI - 0.21.
A Nurse Home Visiting Program for Pregnant Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective To test the efficacy of a nurse home visiting program (HVP) on child development, maternal and environmental outcomes in the first years of life.Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of Primeiros Laços, a nurse HVP for adolescent mothers living in a poor urban area of São Paulo, Brazil. Eighty adolescent mothers were included and randomized to receive either Primeiros Laços (intervention group, n = 40) or healthcare as usual (control group, n = 40) groups. Primeiros Laços is a home visiting intervention delivered by trained nurses that starts during the first 16 weeks of pregnancy and continues to the child’s age of 24 months. Participants were assessed by blind interviewers at 8–16 weeks of pregnancy (baseline), 30 weeks of pregnancy, 3, 6, and 12 months of child’s age. Child development was measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development Third Edition (BSID-III). Weight and length were measured by trained professionals and anthropometric indexes were calculated. The home environment and maternal interaction with the child was measured by the Home Observation and Measurement of the Environment (HOME). Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were used to examine intervention effects on the trajectories of outcomes. Standardized effect sizes (Cohen’s d) were calculated using marginal means from endpoint assessments of all outcomes. The trial was registered at clinicaltrial.gov: NCT02807818.Results Our analyses showed significant positive effects of the intervention on child expressive language development (coefficient = 0.89, 95% CI [0.18, 1.61], p = 0.014), maternal emotional/verbal responsivity (coefficient = 0.97, 95% CI [0.37, 1.58], p = 0.002), and opportunities for variety in daily stimulation (coefficient = 0.37, 95% CI [0.09, 0.66], p = 0.009). Standardized effect sizes of the intervention were small to moderate.Conclusions Primeiros Laços is a promising intervention to promote child development and to improve the home environment of low-income adolescent mothers.
In Silico Prediction of T and B Cell Epitopes of SAG1-Related Sequence 3 (SRS3) Gene for Developing Toxoplasma gondii Vaccine

: Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide infection that can lead to serious problems in immune-compromised individuals and fetuses. A DNA vaccine strategy would be an ideal tool against Toxoplasma gondii. One of the necessary measures to provide an effective vaccine is the selection of proteins with high antigenicity. The SAG1-related sequence 3 (SRS3) protein is a major surface antigen in T. gondii that can be used as a vaccine candidate. In the present study, bioinformatics and computational methods were utilized to predict protein characteristics, as well as secondary and tertiary structures. The in silico approach is highly suited to analyze, design, and evaluate DNA vaccine strategies. Hence, in silico prediction was used to identify B and T cell epitopes and compare the antigenicity of SRS3 and other candidate genes of Toxoplasma previously applied in the production of vaccines. The results of the analysis theoretically showed that SRS3 has multiple epitopes with high antigenicity, proposing that SRS3 is a promising immunogenic candidate for the development of DNA vaccines against toxoplasmosis.
Molecular detection of Rickettsia bellii in Ixodes loricatus (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks associated with rodents from Buenos Aires province, Argentina

The aim of this study was the detection of Rickettsia in ticks of sigmodontine rodents from Northeastern Buenos Aires province, Argentina. A total of 222 rodents were captured collecting 10 ticks identified as Ixodes loricatus Neumann, which were analysed by the real-time PCR and conventional PCR techniques. DNA of Rickettsia bellii was detected in nymphs obtained from the rodents Akodon azarae Fischer, Oxymycterus rufus Fischer and Deltamys kempi Thomas. This is the first report of R. bellii infecting I. loricatus in Argentina and the first report of this bacterium associated with ticks of sigmodontine rodents
A semi-quantitative method to combine tectonic stress indicators: example from the Southern Calabrian Arc (Italy)

Databases of tectonic stress indicators are commonly based on different types of observations at different spatial and temporal scales. Each single indicator can be variously representative of the real stress field and the relative importance of all the indicators should be accounted for before any following elaboration. We propose a semi-quantitative procedure which assigns weights to each indicator on the basis of its quality and its representative volume. In this way the indicators can be reliably combined to produce, for example, stress field maps or stress trajectories. The proposed weighting criterion has been applied to a dataset of 440 crustal stress indicators specifically compiled, gathering focal mechanisms and geological data from the literature, and original data from structural features derived from devoted fieldwork, for the southern part of the Calabrian Arc (Italy). This area represents an interesting case study because of its complex geodynamic and structural arrangement. Data were ranked and the orientation of the minimum horizontal stress (S h ) has been interpolated and smoothed on a regular grid. We drew maps of the principal stress axes and inferred the stress regimes over the investigated area. Results are in agreement with independent information from the literature and display the non-uniform orientation of the tectonic stresses and the occurrence of perturbations both at regional and local scale.
Short-Term Changes in Gut Microflora and Intestinal Epithelium in X-Ray Exposed Mice

Background: Gut microflora contributes to the nutritional metabolism of the host and to strengthen its immune system. However, if the intestinal barrier function of the living body is destroyed by radiation exposure, the intestinal bacteria harm the health of the host and cause sepsis. Therefore, this study aims to trace short-term radiation-induced changes in the mouse gut microflora-dominant bacterial genus, and analyze the degree of intestinal epithelial damage.
Comparison between Water Hyacinth and Waste Cooking Oils as Source of Biofuel Production

The problem of fossil fuel increases by time around the world, Biodiesel is an environmentally friend renewable diesel fuel alternative. The present work aims to determine the possibility for biofuel production from non-edible plant (Water hyacinth) and waste cooking oils in addition to potential uses as source for glycerol, pigments and antioxidant compound sources. this study aimed to investigate the feasibility of biodiesel production from water hyacinth using two solvent systems (chloroform: methanol, 2:1v/v and Hexane), Moreover, WCO applying one steps alkaline transesterification process using methanol, NaOH (0.25) and KOH (0.25, 0.5 and 1g) as a catalyst and hot distilled water for purification. both produced biodiesel (from Eichhornia and WCO) was characterized using FTIR and some chemical constant such as IV, SV and AV. The highest biodiesel produced from Eichhornia recorded with chloroform: methanol system when compared with Hexane. However, the highest biodiesel produced from WCO was recorded when using KOH (0.25g). Also, the obtained results reported the possibility for use glycerol produced from the both biofuel sources in body butter (makhmaria) production, Authors concluded that, the produced biodiesel from both sources was within the recommended standards of biodiesel fuel. Also, water hyacinth became useful in antioxidant compounds production, the contained pigments may be used as natural coloring substances in different fields.
Effect of Alkaline Activation on Low Grade Natural Kaolin for Synthesis of Zeolite A

The conventional technique to synthesizes zeolite A from kaolin is calcination. However, this technique has one drawback since, the impurities in kaolin, such as muscovite and quartz, remain. Therefore, the hydrothermal process without calcination is used to synthesize high purity zeolite A. Hydrothermal synthesis without calcination can be separated into two steps, namely first and second hydrothermal steps. Alkaline activation reaction in the first hydrothermal step was used to study the effect of NaOH concentration ranging from 4M, 6M, 8M, 10M to 12M at 200°C for 3 hours. In this step, sodium aluminosilicate (cancrinite and nepheline hydrate) was produced and then dissolved in HCl. After filtration, the impurity was removed, and adjusted for neutral pH of 7 to form amorphous aluminosilicate gel. For the second hydrothermal step, amorphous gel was mixed with NaOH (1-4M) to form zeolite A at 90°C for 3 days. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) were used for characterization.
Data-Driven Analysis Based on Graphical and Statistical Modelling of the Water Quality of Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Data-driven models derived from data science tools have been used to investigate water quality in some parts of the Niger Delta Region (NDR) of Nigeria. 11 communities were affected in this study. 11 water samples obtained from 25 available sources collected from January 2019 to December 2019 include rainwater, surface water and groundwater. These samples were analysed for their physicochemical and bacteriological parameters. The physical characteristics of the water points range from pH of 6.61-7.2, electrical conductivity (EC) of 450-1742 unit, the turbidity of 0.72-13.65 unit, and total dissolved solids (TDS) of 225-794. The chemical scientific dataset generated were subjected to several scientific data models such as principal component analysis (PCA), piper, Pie, Collins, and Schoeller interpretation. There is a piece of evidence that the water resources are potable in sections where Escherichia coli and total coliforms do not exceed the international and regional recommended limits of 0 per 100 ml of the sample. Also, the community water points are good for livestock and excellent for both recreation and irrigation purposes. Possible water contamination sources include faecal pollution from shallow wells and unconfined aquifers. Land use planning, enactment and implementation of environmental laws are necessary for this region to have effective surface water and groundwater resource management.
Recul des glaciers et appréhension des changements climatiques par les acteurs touristiques locaux. Le cas de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc dans les Alpes françaises

Les changements climatiques impactent fortement l’activite touristique dans les Alpes. Dans ce contexte, comment ces changements sont-ils apprehendes par les acteurs touristiques au niveau local ? Selon l’approche anthropologique des changements climatiques, ces derniers se caracterisent par une multitude de phenomenes qui sont generalement imperceptibles a nos sens et leur apprehension en est d’autant plus compliquee. En etudiant le cas de la vallee de Chamonix caracterisee par une forte presence paysagere des glaciers, nous cherchons a savoir dans quelle mesure l’enjeu climatique est mieux apprehende lorsqu’il se materialise en problemes tangibles comme le retrait des glaciers qui constitue aux yeux des habitants une menace visible au potentiel touristique de la region. Notre analyse montre que tel n’est pas le cas et que la forte presence de paysages glaciaires ne facilite pas l’appropriation du phenomene climatique par les acteurs touristiques locaux.