Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic light scattering for the characterization and counting of extracellular vesicles: a powerful noninvasive tool

Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-to-cell shuttles that have recently drawn interest both asdrug delivery platforms and disease biomarkers.Despite the increasingly recognized relevance of thesevesicles,their detection,andcharacterizationstillhaveseveral technical drawbacks. In this paper, we accu-rately assess the size distribution and concentration ofEVs by using a high-throughput non-perturbativetechnique such as Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The vesicle radii distribution, as further conﬁrmed byAtomic Force Microscopy experiments, ranges from10 to 80 nm and appears very asymmetric towardslarger radii with a main peak at roughly 30 nm. Bycombining DLS and Bradford assay, we also demon-strate the feasibility of recovering the concentrationand its distribution of proteins contained insidevesicles. The sensitivity of our approach allows todetect protein concentrations as low as 0.01 mg/ml.Keywords Exosomes Dynamic light scattering Extracellular vesicles Size distribution Atomicforce microscopy Protein concentration NanomedicineIntroductionExtracellular Vesicles (EVs) are membranous vesicleswith radius ranging between 30 nm and 1 lm,released by cells and implicated mainly in intercellularcommunication (Ratajczak et al. 2006). Currentresearch interest in the ﬁeld focuses primarily on twomajor types of EVs, Exosomes (30–100 nm) andMicrovesicles (100 nm–1 lm), although EVs includeother vesicular structures such as exosome-like ves-icles and membrane particles (Gyo¨rgy et al. 2011). Cell-released vesicles contain proteins and nucleicacid cargos directed to neighboring or distant cells viabody ﬂuids. EVs are ubiquitously produced and haverecently been exploited as biomarkers for severaldiseases (Yang and Robbins 2011). Indeed, themolecular makeup of these shuttles is informative ofthe status of cells and tissues of origin and could hencerepresent a new tool for clinical diagnostics (Honget al. 2009). Furthermore, these natural carriers ofprotein and genetic material can be harnessed toovercome the obstacle of poor molecules deliveryacross tissues and hence represent an appealing drugdelivery platform (El Andaloussi et al. 2013).
Forecasting Irregular Seasonal Power Consumption. An Application to a Hot-Dip Galvanizing Process

Distribution companies use time series to predict electricity consumption. Forecasting techniques based on statistical models or artificial intelligence are used. Reliable forecasts are required for efficient grid management in terms of both supply and capacity. One common underlying feature of most demand–related time series is a strong seasonality component. However, in some cases, the electricity demanded by a process presents an irregular seasonal component, which prevents any type of forecast. In this article, we evaluated forecasting methods based on the use of multiple seasonal models: ARIMA, Holt-Winters models with discrete interval moving seasonality, and neural networks. The models are explained and applied to a real situation, for a node that feeds a galvanizing factory. The zinc hot-dip galvanizing process is widely used in the automotive sector for the protection of steel against corrosion. It requires enormous energy consumption, and this has a direct impact on companies’ income statements. In addition, it significantly affects energy distribution companies, as these companies must provide for instant consumption in their supply lines to ensure sufficient energy is distributed both for the process and for all the other consumers. The results show a substantial increase in the accuracy of predictions, which contributes to a better management of the electrical distribution.
Molecular basis of the evolution of new protein functions: Kemp elimination and phosphoryl transfer reactions

How remote mutations can lead to changes in enzyme function at a molecular level is a central question in evolutionary biochemistry and biophysics. Here, we combine laboratory evolution with biochemical, structural, genetic and computational analysis to dissect the molecular basis for the functional optimization of phosphotriesterase activity in a bacterial lactonase (AiiA) from the metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) superfamily. We show that a thousand-fold increase in phosphotriesterase activity is caused by a more favourable catalytic binding position of the paraoxon substrate in the evolved enzyme that resulted from conformational tinkering of the active site through remote mutations. A non-mutated active site residue, Phe68, was displaced by ~3 Å through the indirect effects of two peripheral mutations, enabling molecular interactions between the residue and paraoxon. Comparative mutational scanning, i.e. examining the effects of alaninemutagenesis on different genetic backgrounds, revealed significant changes in the functional roles of Phe68 and other non-mutated active site residues caused by the indirect effects of trajectory mutations. Our work reveals the impact of remote mutations on the catalytic contributions of non-mutated resides, which is the result of an intramolecular network of strong epistatic mutational relationships between active site and remote residues. Defining these long-range conformational and functional epistatic
SYNTHESIS AND EVALUATION OF THE ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIBIOFILM ACTIVITY OF NOVEL DIBENZOTHIEPINES

Considering the anti-infective potential of compounds containing the dibenzothiepine scaffold, we set out to obtain new compounds bearing this structure. The synthesized compounds were characterized by spectral studies and elemental analysis and screened for their microbiostatic/microbicidal and antibiofilm properties against reference and clinical microbial strains. The new compounds exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, which was more intensive for the S-oxidized compounds. Some of the compounds also inhibited the ability of the investigated strains to form biofilms on the inert substratum.
Effects of Olive Cake and Cactus Cladodes as Alternative Feed Resources on Goat Milk Production and Quality

In the Mediterranean area, the olive cake (OC) and cactus cladodes (CC) are two alternative resources widely available that could be used for ruminants’ feeding. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of OC and/or CC diet incorporation on the production performance and quality of goat milk. Forty-four lactating goats were randomly allocated to four groups. The control one (Co) received a conventional feed. Test groups (TOC; TCC and TOC+CC) received 20% OC, 30% CC, or 15% OC and 20% CC, respectively, on concentrate dry matter basis. Over three months, milk production was evaluated, and samples were collected to analyze the milk quality. No significant differences were observed between control and test groups for daily milk production, yield, composition and acidity. In milk fat, OC incorporation increased C18:1n-9, mono-unsaturated (MUFA) and n-9 fatty acid (FA), and decreased 9t-C18:1 and poly-unsaturated FA (PUFA) (p < 0.05). Significantly highest contents of C15:0, C18:1n-9, and C21:0, and lowest levels of C4:0, 9t-C18:1, 6t-C18:2, C20:0, and PUFA were obtained with cactus cladodes administration (p < 0.05). The TOC + CC diet reduced C4:0, 9t-C18:1, 6t-C18:2, C22:6n-3, and PUFA proportions, and increased C18:1n-9, MUFA/PUFA, and thrombogenic indexes. The incorporation rates of OC and CC that could reach 20% and 30%, respectively, had no major negative effects on milk production performance, composition, and quality. Thus, they could be introduced in the diets of lactating goats.
Exploring the Biodiversity of Red Yeasts for In Vitro and In Vivo Phenotypes Relevant to Agri-Food-Related Processes

Red yeasts grow on food wastes, show antagonistic activity against food-spoilage microorganisms, produce food supplements, and may be utilized as feed-supplements themselves to positively modulate the quali-quantitative composition of intestinal microbiota. Therefore, they show a variety of possible biotechnological applications in agri-food-related processes. Here, to further explore the biotechnological potential of red yeasts, eleven strains ascribed to different species of the genera Rhodotorula and Sporobolomyces, differing for biomass and carotenoids production, were characterized in vitro for biofilm formation, invasive growth, and growth at the temperature range of 20–40 °C and in vivo for their antagonistic activity against the fungal pathogen and patulin producer Penicillium expansum. Most of them formed cellular MAT and showed invasive growth as well as adhesion to plastic materials. Four strains determined a significant reduction of fruit decay caused by P. expansum on apple fruit while the remaining seven showed different degrees of biocontrol activity. Finally, none of them grew at body temperature (>37 °C). Statistical analyses of both qualitative and quantitative phenotypic data, including biomass and carotenoids production, gathered further information on the most interesting strains for the biotechnological exploitation of red yeasts in agri-food-related process.
Corporate Social Responsibility Perceived by Employees: Latvian Survey Results

There is empirical evidence that business commitment to the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) principles has a direct positive impact on customer loyalty, employees’ performance, and, as a result, on the company’s value. The goal of the current paper is to evaluate the perceived importance of the company’s CSR-related practices from the viewpoint of employees. One hundred nineteen representatives of Latvian companies were surveyed, using the authors’ developed questionnaire consisted of 35 statements. Survey data was processed applying the frequency analysis and the logistic regression method. Most of the respondents (84%) perceive the company’s commitment to CSR principles as necessary. The base on the frequency analysis results, the most important CSR elements from the viewpoint of Latvian employees are paid leaves, consumer interests, and salary. Logistic regression yielded the elements, which contribute the most to the positive perception of CSR: ‘flexible work’, ‘support staff relaxation’ and ‘claims submission system’ within the group’ staff matters’. The measurement scale was tested for reliability and, based on Cronbach alpha results, was accepted as appropriate for use in a cross-country survey. Implications for Central European audience: Despite the high interest in CSR-related issues in academia, the number of published works in Baltic countries is limited. In this particular study, the authors tried to identify — what exactly affects employees’ positive attitude to CSR commitment — the company’s participation in charity programmes or its environmental responsibility, for example? This survey contributed to the theoretical knowledge base about CSR perception among the staff of Latvian companies. In turn, the future survey is planned to be extended, involving respondents from Central and Eastern European countries. This, in turn, will allow making conclusions about the differences in attitude to CSR practices expressed by employees from different countries.
Sıtma Hastalığının Sınıflandırılmasında Evrişimsel Sinir Ağlarının Performanslarının Karşılaştırılması

Sitma, Plasmodium adli bir kan parazitinin neden oldugu ciddi bir hastaliktir. Sitmayi teshis etmenin standart yolu, parazit bulasmis kirmizi kan hucreleri icin kan bulasmalarini mikroskop altinda uzmanlar tarafindan gorsel olarak incelenmesidir. Bu yontem verimsizdir ve tani, muayeneyi yapan kisinin deneyimine ve bilgisine baglidir. Daha once teshis icin sitma kan hucrelerine makine ogrenimine dayali otomatik goruntu tanima teknolojileri uygulanmistir. Bu calismanin amaci, sitma hucrelerinin parazit veya enfekte olmayan olarak ayirmak icin, onceden egitilmis evrisimsel sinir aglarina dayali butunlesik bir tani sistemi onerilmistir. Bu calismada sitma hucrelerini siniflandirmak icin Ulusal Saglik Enstituleri'nde (NIH) toplam 27558 imge kullanilmistir. Deneysel calismalar sonucunda, sitma hucrelerinin siniflandirilmasinda, sirasiyla AlexNet, GoogleNet, SqueezeNet, ShuffleNet ESA modelleri ile % 95.77, % 96.31, % 95.95, % 96.44 ve 0.9880, 0.9887, 0.9888, 0.9923 EAA performans degerleri elde edilmistir. Sitma hucrelerinin siniflandirilmasinda en iyi sonuca, %96.44 Dogruluk degeri ile ShuffleNet CNN modeli kullanilarak ulasilmistir.
In-store promotion and customer value on private label product purchase intention

This study aims to determine the influence of in-store promotion in the form of price discount and price package on customer value and purchase intention. The research sample was 120 consumers purchasing the private label products in modern stores using a purposive sampling technique. The data were then analyzed using SEM PLS. The result revealed that all hypotheses were accepted and each variable studied showed a strong and significant influence on each other, especially in terms of its influence on the purchase intention. In-store promotion is a more influencing variable of purchase intention in private label products than customer value. The result also pointed out the three most dominant items forming in-store promotion, customer value, and purchase intention. Those items are the frequency of discount program, the products’ quality, and the reference group that helps the company promoting private label products, usually friends’ recommendation. These findings are expected to be used by decision-makers in retail businesses to formulate in-store promotional activities and create customer value following the target market to increase consumers’ willingness to buy private label products. Acknowledgment The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Doctoral Dissertation Research Grant Program of the Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education for funding this research. The authors highly appreciate the assistance, suggestions, and inputs from both editors and reviewers of this article.
Detection of Clostridium difficile Infection in Al-Quwayiyah General Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Clostridium difficile infections (CDIs) is considered healthcare-associated infections which cause watery diarrhea to long stayed hospitalized patients and cause increased mortality rate. Aim: Detection of the prevalence and risk factors of C. difficile in Al Quwayiyah General hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and compairing between GeneXpert® PCR assay and Quikchek complete-enzyme imunoassay QCC, (QCC-EIA) in detection of C. difficile infection and toxicity Materials and Methods: A cross sectional and prospective study was performed for one year started from June 2019 to June 2020. The data collected include demographic, laboratory and clinical data. A total of 104 stool samples were collected from patients presented with diarrhea. GeneXpert® PCR assay and Quikchek complete-enzyme imunoassay QCC (QCC-EIA) were conducted to each stool sample. Results: Only 15(14.4%) of the 104 studied patients had CDI while 89 (85.6%) were non CDI Original Research Article Khater and Al-Faki; MRJI, 30(9): 94-102, 2020; Article no.MRJI. 63799 95 patients, 13 (86.7%) of the CDI patients were males and 2 (13.3%) were females with mean age for CDI cases 61 (±19.9), while non CDI cases involved 55(61.8%) were males and 34 (38.2%) were females with mean age for cases of non CDI, 60 (±18.7) years. Of the CDI and non CDI cases respectively 12 (80%) and 14(15.7%) had fever, 5 (27%) and 6 (6.7%) had vomitting and 7 (46.7%) and 12 (13.5%) of cases had abdominal pain. There was statistical significant difference between patients with fever while no statistical significant difference regarding vomitting and abdominal pain. There was statistical significant difference between patients with peptic ulcers, patients received proton pump inhibitors and patients received broad-spectrum antibiotics, while There was no statistical significant difference between cardiac disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, pulmonary disease, hepatic disease and Renal disease. Gene expert PCR detected 15/104(14.4%) as positive CDI while QCC-EIA detected 21/104 (20.5%) as positive CDI. On comparison between gene expert PCR technique and QCC-EIA the sensitivity of QCC-EIA was 100%, while the specificity was 91%. The Positive Predictive Value was 74%, while the Negative Predictive Value was 100%. Conclusion: The C. difficile infection prevalence rate in the hospital was 14.4%. There was statistical significant difference between patients with peptic ulcers, patients received proton pump inhibitors and patients received broad-spectrum antibiotics. The QCC-EIA can be used as a screening test for the detection of C. difficile toxin in stool samples but should be confirmed with a PCR assay or another confirmatory test Due to its decreased specificity.
An Overview of Women Entrepreneurship from Islamic Perspective

Islam has encouraged women to participate in entrepreneurial activities for economic prosperity and social growth. Nevertheless, their participation in economic activities is very lesser than men globally. Previously, the field of entrepreneurship has been regarded as a male dominant sector. Entrepreneurship flourishes due to economic, social, ethical, and environmental factors while the practice of Sharia principles works as a catalyst in this process. Women entrepreneurship helps in alleviating poverty and unemployment that leads to socio-economic prosperity in a country. The motivation of starting women businesses varies in different cultures and geographic regions. Women engagements in different business activities can not only empower them socially and financially but can also share the household economic burden with men. Furthermore, it will also help them to make their decisions independently. Their entrepreneurial income can be used for their children’s education, health, and the betterment of society. They can also use the option of partnership within the family for the financial and social network. The challenges faced by these women entrepreneurs can be handled with their family support. This review provides a general overview of concepts, motives, challenges, and the prospects of women entrepreneurship from an Islamic perspective.
Only Friends Can Betray You: International Rivalry and Domestic Politics

ABSTRACT This article argues that dramatic political change in State A poses a threat to the interests that other states B share with it. The more salient those interests are to State B, the greater the threat posed by domestic political change within State A. Thus major changes in one state place the leaders of formerly friendly states into a domain of losses, motivating risk-seeking behavior in hopes of reversing these losses. Conversely, the new leaders of the state undergoing domestic political change initiate similarly risk-seeking behavior to defend their new endowments. The conflicts that result sow the seeds of long-lasting enmity (rivalry) between former partners. I test this argument in a dataset of rivalry onset during the period 1950–2005 and find evidence that in the wake of dramatic political change in State A, rivalries are most likely to form between A and its close partners.
PROJECTION OF DRY BEANS CULTIVATION AREA FOR TURKEY: CASE OF CENTER ANATOLIAN REGION

Dry beans are an agricultural product within the legume family. It is a product included in irrigated farming systems and has a higher profit margin compared to other products. It is an important resource in meeting the protein needs of people with low income. In this study, dry bean projections with the ARIMA model have been made for the provinces of Central Anatolia Region and Turkey in general. The ARIMA model projected that there was an important volatility in the dry bean production areas over the years. As a result of the estimations, although a rising trend in the period up to 2023, especially after the estimate was made in 2021 will again switch to a down trend. In the light of the information obtained, it is recommended to eliminate the factors that will adversely affect the producer's production decisions. It is recommended to further support cost factors to provide price stability and to examine the actors in the supply chain.
Antifungal Susceptibility Pattern of Candida Isolates Causing Vulvovaginitis in Reproductive Age Women

Objectives: The study was designed to isolate and identify Candida species from high vaginal swab, and to determine the antifungal susceptibility pattern of Candida spp. among women of reproductive age group i.e. 1550 years old. Methods: High vaginal swabs were processed to isolate Candida species and identifi ed by Gram’s stain, germ tube formation test, carbohydrate (glucose, sucrose, maltose, lactose) fermentation tests and antifungal susceptibility test were performed as recommended by Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute. Results: Out of total 261 samples, 42.1% (110/261) were found to be culture positive for Candida spp. Candida albicans was the most common (56.4%) and among non-albicans, predominate species was C. krusei (19.1%) isolated from high vaginal swab specimens All the isolates of Candida species were sensitive to Nystatin and Miconazole and resistant to Itraconazole. Fluconazole, Itraconazole and Clotrimazole are widely used drug against vaginal candidiasis but showed high resistance which leads to treatment failure. Conclusion: This study on the infection rate of Candida and its antifungal susceptibility pattern may help in the choice of appropriate therapy in the clinical setting.
The distance education process in K–12 schools during the pandemic period: evaluation of implementations in Turkey from the student perspective

ABSTRACT The present study is an evaluation of the distance education process along with related activities in primary, secondary and high schools in Turkey during the Covid-19 pandemic. The present qualitative study involved K–12 students who participated in the distance education process. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and content analysis was performed on the data. The research findings show that EBA TV supported students’ learning and provided psychological support. The EBA portal was deemed beneficial for providing easy access to the content and promotion of interest with varied presentations. But both EBA TV and the EBA portal were also reported to be deficient in preparing students for examinations. Synchronous lessons were viewed more positively for such advantages as social interaction, motivating atmosphere and opportunities to ask questions in real time. In conclusion, the evaluations provided in this study can help instructional designers maintain and upgrade distance education activities targeting K–12 students.