Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development and Validation of a Simple and Rapid HPLC Method for the Evaluation of Pesticide Residues in Plasma Samples of Farmers; Application in Toxicological and Risk Assessment Studies

Background: In the present work, an analytical method based on high performance liquid chromatography–diode array detection has been reported to evaluate the presence of some widely used pesticides in plasma samples of the farmers exposed to the pesticides in farm lands and rural zones. Prior to instrumental analysis, the analytes are extracted using a two–step extraction procedure based on a combination of cold–induced homogenous liquid–liquid extraction and dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction. Methods: In this method, initially acetonitrile is added to a tube containing the plasma sample and the mixture is vortexed. By this action, the proteins of plasma are precipitated at the bottom of the tube after centrifugation and a homogenous solution is collected on them. Subsequently, the mixture is placed in liquid nitrogen for a few seconds to freeze the aqueous phase. As a result, the homogenous state is broken and the analytes are extracted into the supernatant organic phase (acetonitrile), which is subsequently removed and used in the following microextraction method. Results: Under the optimum extraction conditions, the proposed method indicated good extraction recoveries (59–80%), satisfactory repeatability (relative standard deviation ≤ 6% for intra– and inter–day precisions), and low limits of detection (1.4–2.3 μg L−1). Conclusion: Finally, various plasma samples of the farmers were analyzed by the introduced method. Ease of operation, being environmentally friendly, rapidity, and low cost can be the main advantages of the introduced approach.
DISEASE PATTERN STUDY OF FUNDUS CHANGES IN DIABETIC RETINOPATHY IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN WESTERN INDIA

Background - Disease pattern study of fundus changes in diabetic retinopathy in a tertiary hospital in western India Methods- One hundred patients with established diabetes mellitus were subjected to ophthalmic examination and specific hematological investigations. The ophthalmic examination in form of visual acuity, pinhole, near vision , corrected vision ,anterior segment examination ,slit lamp examination ,tonometry, (schiotz) direct ophthalmoscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy. Results - During this study period, 100 patients showed the following results. Incidence of diabetes increased with age, with incidence being more in males, 81% of patients were diagnosed to have borederline changes. The study also showed that incidence increases with duration of disease, progression of the disease was less with better control. Conclusion- With maximum patients being detected at the borderline stage proper awareness, a good diabetic diet, regular check ups and investigations, frequent follow ups, need for a proper control of baseline disease helps in reducing morbidity & mortality.
Age- and Sex-Specific Burden of Morbidity and Disability in India: A Current Scenario

India is the second most populous country in the world with a population of 1.3 billion; any change in its morbidity and disability pattern is bound to bring change at the Asia level, which is a matter of concern for the developing countries. Disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) provide summary measures of health across characteristics. The assessments of epidemiological patterns and health system performance of any place and time period display its progress towards the goal of sustainable development goals (SDGs). The main aim of this study is to assess the age and sex pattern of the burden of diseases (mortality and morbidity) and disability in India. The information on disease and deaths was extracted from the 71st round of the National Sample Surveys (NSS) conducted in 2014 (NSS 2014) and the Causes of Deaths Study conducted in the 2010–2013 (RGI 2010–2013) and disability from Census of India 2011 (ORG 2011).
Skin sympathetic fiber α-synuclein deposits: A potential biomarker for pure autonomic failure

stroke management. Currently, India lacks an organized EMS that can provide a fast and responsive service in urban as well as rural India. It is not enough to strengthen the stroke infrastructure if patients cannot be transported within the treatment window for tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). A coordinated participation of EMS and public and private hospitals as well as increased levels of stroke awareness among the masses are required to optimize stroke management in India.
Nabiha: An Arabic Dialect Chatbot

Nowadays, we are living in the era of technology and innovation that impact various fields, including sciences. In computing and technology, many outstanding and attractive programs and applications have emerged, including programs that try to mimic the human behavior. A chatbot is an example of the artificial intelligence-based computer programs that try to simulate the human behavior by conducting a conversation and an interaction with the users using natural language. Over the years, various chatbots have been developed for many languages (such as English, Spanish, and French) to serve many fields (such as entertainment, medicine, education, and commerce). Unfortunately, Arabic chatbots are rare. To our knowledge, there is no previous work on developing a chatbot for the Saudi Arabic dialect. In this study, we have developed “Nabiha,” a chatbot that can support conversation with Information Technology (IT) students at King Saud University using the Saudi Arabic dialect. Therefore, Nabiha will be the first Saudi chatbot that uses the Saudi dialect. To facilitate access to Nabiha, we have made it available on different platforms: Android, Twitter, and Web. When a student wants to talk with Nabiha, she can download an application, talk with her on Twitter, or visit her website. Nabiha was tested by the students of the IT department, and the results were somewhat satisfactory, considering the difficulty of the Arabic language in general and the Saudi dialect in particular.
Impact of irrigation techniques on rice yield and dynamics of zinc in plants and soil

Zinc (Zn) insufficiency and water deficiency are primary challenges in intensive rice production systems. This study aims to examine the influence of two irrigation regimes, flood irrigation (FI) and water-saving irrigation (WSI), on rice grain yield and mobile Zn accumulation in soil and rice grains. Experiments were conducted in An Vien rice fields in the Tien Lu district, Hung Yen province, located in the middle of the Red River delta during four rice seasons from 2015 to 2016. The results showed that the WSI regime dramatically increased the grain yield and Zn concentrations in grain of rice. Grain yield was increased by 14.76% and grain Zn concentration by 17.93% when compared with the FI regime. The decrease in the mobile Zn concentration in soil was only 5.7% in the WSI technique, compared with 73.6% for FI techniques. Therefore, it can be concluded that WSI can be effective agricultural practice to elevate grain yield and increase Zn retention in soil and bioavailability in rice grains.
Trends of AIoT Application in Smart Agriculture

The rapid development of AI and IoT devices and infrastructure has formed the convergence of the two transformative technologies into AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things). Although AIoT is still at a growing stage, its applications in many areas are already boosting enormous business potentials. This emerging technology also creates immense potential in solving problems as well as changing the shape of agriculture. AIoT utilizes modern technologies including, but not limited to, smart sensors, image processing, cloud computing, data analytics, network communication, and artificial intelligence to make agricultural production, management, and marketing more autonomous and efficient. The delivery of information to farmers, farm managers, or consumers becomes more instantaneous and easier to access. Thus, the applications of AIoT will help not only in increasing the quantity and quality of food production but also in enhancing the efficiency of agricultural operations such as pest and plant disease management. While AIoT will become one of the main driving forces for smart agriculture, there are still some barriers need to be overcome such as the cost factors and the adaptation to the traditional agricultural practice. In this paper, we will discuss several promising AIoT applications in agriculture such as insect pest monitoring and forecasting, greenhouse management, livestock monitoring, etc. Through the application examples we can have a deeper look and understanding of the future impact of AIoT on modern agriculture.
Study of Patterns of Inheritance in Affected Patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa in Iranian Populations

Background and Aims: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the most common form of inherited retinal degeneration, photoreceptors loss of which in the retina causes visual loss. The purpose of the present study was to determine patterns of inheritance in RP patients in Yazd to help the health professional for designing suitable laboratory testing for the high risk families. Materials and Methods: Thirty affected RP patients referred to the Genetics Clinic of Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, in Yazd Medical Sciences University from 2010-2016. Full medical and family histories were taken from all family members. Ophthalmology examinations were performed in members of the families including electroretinogram, fundus photography, visual-field measurements and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Results: In this study, the most commonly pattern was inheritance of autosomal recessive. The patients were diagnosed as having Usher syndrome, Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Posterior Column Ataxia with Retinitis Pigmentosa. The study also reported a patient with Kreans-Sayer syndrome, a mitochondrial disease. Conclusions: We identified different inheritance patterns in RP patients. Identifying patterns of inheritance is important for pre-marriage and preconception genetic counseling.
New Approach for the Detection of Family of Geometric Shapes in the Islamic Geometric Patterns

This article proposes a new approach to detect the family of geometric shapes in Islamic geometric patterns. This type of geometric pattern which is constructed by tracing the grids with the respect of precise measurement criteria and the concept of symmetry of a method which is called ‘Hasba’. This geometric pattern generally found in the tiles which cover the floors or walls of many buildings around the Islamic world such as mosques. this article describe a new method which is based on the calculation of the Euclidean distance between the different geometric shapes which constitute the geometric Islamic pattern, in order to detect similar regions in this type of geometric pattern encountered in Islamic art.
Efficacy of valsartan combined with trimetazidine in the treatment of chronic heart failure and effects on cardiac function

Objective: To study the efficacy of valsartan combined with trimetazidine in the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF) and the effects on cardiac function. Methods: 82 patients with CHF admitted to our hospital were selected and randomized into an observation group and a control group (n=41). Patients in the control group were treated with valsartan (80 mg/time, 1 time/d), while patients in the observation group were additionally treated with trimetazidine (20 mg/time, 3 times/d) on this basis. Their improvement in clinical symptoms was observed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the two schemes. Their cardiac function indexes [mitral ratio of peak early to late diastolic filling velocity (E/A), early mitral filling velocity/early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (E/e’), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD)] were examined by echocardiography before and after treatment. Their cardiac functional grading was recorded before and after treatment. Their adverse drug reactions were collected during treatment. Their quality of life was scored by SF-36 scale after treatment. Results: After treatment for 3 months, compared with those in the control group, patients in the observation group had better improvement in cardiac function indexes (P<0.05), better cardiac functional grading (P<0.05), higher total effective rate (P<0.05), lower total incidence of adverse drug reactions (P<0.05), and higher quality of life (P<0.05). Conclusion: Effective in the treatment of CHF, valsartan combined with trimetazidine can significantly improve the patients’ cardiac function, cardiac functional grading and quality of life, without significant adverse drug reactions.
Estimation of Phytochemical in Yam Flours and Sensory Attribute of Poundo Yam Produced from Yam and Moringa oleifera Seed Meal Blends

The sensory characteristic can be quantified and defined by the use of the descriptive profile. A different cultivar of yam can be used for the production of poundo yam. The standard of a product is determined by the evaluation and its acceptability by a taste panelist. Four cultivars of yam; Dioscorea alata, Dioscorea cayenensis, Dioscorea rotundata and Dioscorea bulbifera were sourced and processed into flour. Moringa seed oleifera was defatted and the cake was blended at a different concentration of 5% and 10% with the yam flour. The qualitative phytochemical investigation of the yam flour and Moringa oleifera seed revealed the presence of, alkaloids, steroids, terpenoid oxalate, anthraquinone, phenol, saponins, tannins and flavonoids. Quantitative analysis showed that among the control samples Dioscorea alata (DAC), Dioscorea Dioscorea bulbifera (DBC), cayenensis (DCC) and Dioscorea rotundata (DRC). DRC and DAC have the highest values in the total phenol and total flavonoids. Dioscorea cayenensis recorded the highest value in steroid and saponin content. The flavonoids, steroid and terpenoid were improved by the inclusion of moringa seed meal at 5% and 10%. The result of the sensory analysis revealed that panellist preferred DRC in term of moldability, texture, taste and general acceptability. However, the Original Research Article Kanu and Kingsley; JAMB, 20(2): 61-69, 2020; Article no.JAMB. 55074 62 samples with moringa seed meal at 5% and 10% inclusion compete favourably with the control samples. The inclusion of Moringa oleifera seed meal at 10% improved the pounded yam and was more accepted than the 5% in term of general acceptability.
Peptide-Based Vaccination Therapy for Rheumatic Diseases

Rheumatic diseases are extremely heterogeneous diseases with substantial risks of morbidity and mortality, and there is a pressing need in developing more safe and cost-effective treatment strategies. Peptide-based vaccination is a highly desirable strategy in treating noninfection diseases, such as cancer and autoimmune diseases, and has gained increasing attentions. This review is aimed at providing a brief overview of the recent advances in peptide-based vaccination therapy for rheumatic diseases. Tremendous efforts have been made to develop effective peptide-based vaccinations against rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), while studies in other rheumatic diseases are still limited. Peptide-based active vaccination against pathogenic cytokines such as TNF-α and interferon-α (IFN-α) is shown to be promising in treating RA or SLE. Moreover, peptide-based tolerogenic vaccinations also have encouraging results in treating RA or SLE. However, most studies available now have been mainly based on animal models, while evidence from clinical studies is still lacking. The translation of these advances from experimental studies into clinical therapy remains impeded by some obstacles such as species difference in immunity, disease heterogeneity, and lack of safe delivery carriers or adjuvants. Nevertheless, advances in high-throughput technology, bioinformatics, and nanotechnology may help overcome these impediments and facilitate the successful development of peptide-based vaccination therapy for rheumatic diseases.
Collaboration for Knowledge Creation in Nepalese Hospitality Industry

This paper examines the different factors promoting collaboration for knowledge creation in the hospitality industry such as hotel, travel and trekking agencies. The study is based on primary data with 382 responses. The self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the perceptive opinions from the respondents. The study concludes that hospitality industry employees’ supportive and participative behaviour and keep each other informed about work-related issues in the team have a larger impact on the knowledge creation while each employee contributes equally to the organisation’s service innovation influences less.
External evidence against using less-than complete abstinence as a primary outcome in addiction

Abstract “Addiction” is a complex neurobiological process of hedonic dysregulation. It is characterized in humans by compulsive use of substances, loss of control over the quantity consumed, and continued use despite the harm caused by the substance. Addicted individuals are prone to relapse that appears to be related to reexposure to the addicting substances, substance-related cues, and psychosocial stressors [1]. In this process, initial impulsivity is replaced by compulsivity [1]. The traditional method of treatment for addiction in the United States involves twenty-eight days of residential treatment. The follow-up recommendations by treatment centers generally amount to participation in twelve-step meetings. There is little financial incentive for rigorous follow-up in this model and the recovery rates following such treatments are unknown. Even if very generous definitions of success are applied, recovery rates remain low. However, for physicians, well-documented recovery rates following their initial residential treatment experience are high. Additionally, there is a movement in the field of addiction medicine to employ “Medication Assisted Treatment” (MAT). For example, its advocates recommend the use of medications such as naltrexone (Vivitrol). The proponents of these medications, however, use curious outcome measures, rather than complete abstinence, to demonstrate their efficacy. This paper reviews and utilizes the neurobiology of addiction to compare and contrast the outcomes in different populations. It also reviews the outcome data on Vivitrol in particular. We believe that a clear understanding of the neurobiology of addiction is essential to understanding and correcting the vast outcome differences in various patient groups.
Interactions between biogeochemical and management factors explain soil organic carbon in Pyrenean grasslands

Abstract. Grasslands are one of the major sinks of terrestrial soil organic carbon (SOC). Understanding how environmental and management factors drive SOC is challenging because they are scale-dependent, with large-scale drivers affecting SOC both directly and through drivers working at small scales. Here we addressed how regional, landscape and grazing management, soil properties and nutrients, and herbage quality factors affect 20 cm depth SOC stocks in mountain grasslands in the Pyrenees. Taking advantage of the high variety of environmental heterogeneity in the Pyrenees, we built a dataset (n=128) that comprises a wide range of environmental and management conditions. This was used to understand the relationship between SOC stocks and their drivers considering multiple environments. We found that temperature seasonality (difference between mean summer temperature and mean annual temperature; TSIS) was the most important geophysical driver of SOC in our study, depending on topography and management. TSIS effects on SOC increased in exposed hillsides, slopy areas, and relatively intensively grazed grasslands. Increased TSIS probably favours plant biomass production, particularly at high altitudes, but landscape and grazing management factors regulate the accumulation of this biomass into SOC. Concerning biochemical SOC drivers, we found unexpected interactive effects between grazer type, soil nutrients and herbage quality. Soil N was a crucial SOC driver as expected but modulated by livestock species and neutral detergent fibre contenting plant biomass; herbage recalcitrance effects varied depending on grazer species. These results highlight the gaps in knowledge about SOC drivers in grasslands under different environmental and management conditions. They may also serve to generate testable hypotheses in later/future studies directed to climate change mitigation policies.
DETERMINANTS OF BLOCKCHAIN ADOPTION AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS IN FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS

Purpose: Although some practitioners and academics emphasise the opportunities that Blockchain offers in supply chains, it is not yet widely adopted. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework in order to determine the factors influencing supply chain managers’ decision to adopt Blockchain and to explore the perceived benefits from its adoption. Research approach: The research design adopted follows two sequential phases of data collection: systematic literature review and interview with experts and practitioners across the food supply chain. Findings and Originality: Drawing from the technological, organisational, environmental (TOE) framework, a conceptual framework proposed that integrates various advantages of the Blockchain technology and several risks; these factors are used to explain supply chain managers intention to use Blockchain. The Blockchain adoption will in turn impact the level of perceived benefits such as supply chain transparency. Research Impact: Regarding Blockchain, studies in the field of supply chain management focus on the identification of drivers, challenges and its applications but there is currently no holistic evaluation of the determinants of Blockchain adoption as well as the implications on supply chain performance. This study therefore presents a more holistic assessment of Blockchain adoption and its impacts on supply chain performance. Practical Impact: This study produces a comprehensive set of benefits and risks to be considered by supply chain managers during the Blockchain adoption decision. Practitioners considering adoption of the technology could also justify potential efficiency and effectiveness related benefits. Keywords: Blockchain, Food supply chain, Supply chain Performance, Technology adoption
Evaluation of the biodegradation of phthalic contaminants originated from polyvinyl chloride commercial films

The excessive use of phthalates (PHEs) plasticizers has promoted a serious environmental problem. This study evaluated the biodegradation of PHEs from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film, aiming to mitigate damage to the environment. Therefore, 23 microorganisms were prospected and isolated from the Serra do Ouro Branco State Park (Minas Gerais, Brazil), where screening was carried out by growth in enriched microbial medium and esterase-activity was monitored by diffusion in solid agar. Three microorganisms were selected. Bacterium (I) presented the highest esterase activity, as evidenced in the diffusion tests in solid medium. Further, evidence of this is given by the biodegradation of PHEs into phthalic acid, because changes the acid concentration from 0 to 3.10 ± 0.07 mol L-1 and 28 % mass reduction of PVC film after 24 days. Furthermore, after six days of biodegradation the number of viable cells and ammonia concentration showed no significant change. This indicates that the survival of the Bacterium (I) cells is independent of ammonia consumption, but rather depends on PHEs consumption. The detection of the organic functions of -COOH and –COOR proved the biodegradation of PHEs by Bacterium (I), thus demonstrating its potential to be used in bioremediation of soils and rivers from PHEs contaminants.