Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Utilization of Levoglucosan Production By-Products

Biorecycling of wood includes many different processes aimed at the complete utilization of the main and by-products. The complete isolation of C5 and C6 sugars from wood and their further use is currently attracting attention worldwide. The C5 sugars can be catalytically converted directly into furfural or into monosaccharides’ aqueous solution for further hydrolytic treatment. The resulting lignocellulose can be used in thermochemical pyrolysis (350-400°C) for the synthesis of levoglucosan. The biochar formed during pyrolysis and the liquid residue after the isolation of levoglucosan are by-products and can be used as precursors to obtain valuable products – activated carbon composites for supercapacitor electrodes and catalysts in fuel cells.
The low-temperature effect on sports regeneration

Abstract Introduction Intense physical activity and increased exercise significantly reduce the body's adaptive capacity, negatively affect the recovery processes of athletes, and can significantly impair athletic performance. Objective To identify how low temperatures can affect the regenerative processes in athletes, assess the effectiveness and feasibility of cold therapy in sports, and identify the key parameters that determine the effectiveness of the stated recovery method. Methods A systematic review of studies related to the use of cold therapy in sports guided by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, and reported through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The scientific material was selected by finding keywords and phrases, including “the effect of cold on athletes”, “athletes’ recovery”, “cold therapy”, etc. Following the selection criteria, only 30 studies were included. Results Cold exposure has significant benefits for sports regeneration, including pain relief (100%), inflammation reduction (93%), and restoration of sprint capabilities (89%). However, its impact on muscle strength (33%), endurance (11%), and lactate reduction (8%) is more limited. It moderately improves the psycho-emotional state (65-75%). Conclusion The use of low temperatures in sports has a beneficial effect on the recovery of sports performance for at least 24 hours after intense physical activity (training).
Ideal body weight-based determination of minimum oral calories beneficial to function and survival in ALS

Introduction This study sought to identify the optimal caloric intake to improve function and survival in ALS patients by comparing oral intake per ideal body weight (IBW) and its discrepancy with total energy expenditure (TEE) using the Shimizu formula. Methods A retrospective analysis of 104 ALS patients was conducted, categorizing them based on their average intake during the first week after admission using two primary intake cutoffs: 25 kcal/kgIBW and 30 kcal/kgIBW. The variance between oral intake and TEE was also evaluated using −300 kcal and 0 kcal as reference points. Results Oral caloric intake per IBW and functional decline rate (rs = −0.35, p < 0.001), but the variance from TEE was not significantly correlated (−0.11, p = 0.27). Survival data showed that patients consuming less than 25 kcal/kgIBW had a median survival of 24 months, increasing to 38 months for those consuming between 25–30 kcal/kgIBW and 63 months for those consuming 30 kcal/kgIBW or more. Deviations from the TEE did not significantly affect survival (p = 0.36). Among patients consuming less than their TEE, those consuming less than 25 kcal/kgIBW had a shorter median survival (24 months) compared to their counterparts (46 months) (p = 0.022). Consumption of less than 25 kcal/kgBW emerged as a significant negative predictor of patient outcome, independent of factors such as age, gender or disease progression. Discussion Intakes of 25 kcal/kgIBW or more are correlated with improved ALS outcomes, and larger, multi-regional studies are recommended for deeper insights.
Risks of the ketogenic diet in CKD – the con part

ABSTRACT The ketogenic diet is a very low carbohydrate diet that has received a lot of attention for its role in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. For patients with chronic kidney disease, there is limited evidence on the risks and/or benefits of this diet. However, from the limited evidence that does exist, there are several inferences that can be drawn regarding this diet for patients with kidney disease. The ketogenic diet may not be better than comparator higher carbohydrate diets over the long term. The diet also has low adherence levels in studies lasting ≥12 months. The diet's emphasis on fat, which often comes from animal fat, increases the consumption of saturated fat, which may increase the risk of heart disease. It has the potential to worsen metabolic acidosis by increasing dietary acid load and endogenous acid production through the oxidation of fatty acids. In addition, the diet has been associated with an increased risk of kidney stones in patients using it for the treatment of refractory epilepsy. For these reasons, and for the lack of safety data on it, it is reasonable for patients with kidney disease to avoid utilizing the ketogenic diet as a first-line option given alternative dietary patterns (like the plant-dominant diet) with less theoretical risk for harm. For those adopting the ketogenic diet in kidney disease, a plant-based version of the ketogenic diet may mitigate some of the concerns with animal-based versions of the ketogenic diet.
Desarrollo de un sistema de visión 3D para su integración en un robot móvil social

In such an important engineering branch like robotics, with devices increasingly in contact with the world that surrounds us, it has been necessary the helping of human-machine interaction systems in order to tackle this relationship in the most natural way. Computer vision is one of the fields that offers more support in the development of these interaction systems. This project approaches the comprehension, design and implementation of a 3D computer vision system with the objective of controlling and interacting with a social mobile robot.
Advancements in Vaccine Adjuvants: The Journey from Alum to Nano Formulations

Vaccination is a groundbreaking approach in preventing and controlling infectious diseases. However, the effectiveness of vaccines can be greatly enhanced by the inclusion of adjuvants, which are substances that potentiate and modulate the immune response. This review is based on extensive searches in reputable databases such as Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The goal of this review is to provide a thorough analysis of the advances in the field of adjuvant research, to trace the evolution, and to understand the effects of the various adjuvants. Historically, alum was the pioneer in the field of adjuvants because it was the first to be approved for use in humans. It served as the foundation for subsequent research and innovation in the field. As science progressed, research shifted to identifying and exploiting the potential of newer adjuvants. One important area of interest is nano formulations. These advanced adjuvants have special properties that can be tailored to enhance the immune response to vaccines. The transition from traditional alum-based adjuvants to nano formulations is indicative of the dynamism and potential of vaccine research. Innovations in adjuvant research, particularly the development of nano formulations, are a promising step toward improving vaccine efficacy and safety. These advances have the potential to redefine the boundaries of vaccination and potentially expand the range of diseases that can be addressed with this approach. There is an optimistic view of the future in which improved vaccine formulations will contribute significantly to improving global health outcomes.
A 15-Year Climatology of Warm Conveyor Belts

This study presents the first climatology of so-called warm conveyor belts (WCBs), strongly ascending moist airstreams in extratropical cyclones that, on the time scale of 2 days, rise from the boundary layer to the upper troposphere. The climatology was constructed by using 15 yr (1979‐93) of reanalysis data and calculating 355 million trajectories starting daily from a 1 83 18 global grid at 500 m above ground level (AGL). WCBs were defined as those trajectories that, during a period of 2 days, traveled northeastward and ascended by at least 60% of the zonally and climatologically averaged tropopause height. The mean specific humidity at WCB starting points in different regions varies from 7 to 12 g kg 21. This moisture is almost entirely precipitated out, leading to an increase of potential temperature of 15‐22 K along a WCB trajectory. Over the course of 3 days, a WCB trajectory produces, on average, about four (six) times as much precipitation as a global (extratropical) average trajectory starting from 500 m AGL. WCB starting points are most frequently located between approximately 258 and 458N and between about 208 and 458S. In the Northern Hemisphere (NH), there are two distinct frequency maxima east of North America and east of Asia, whereas there is much less zonal variability in the Southern Hemisphere (SH). In the NH, WCBs are almost an order of magnitude more frequent in January than in July, whereas in the SH the seasonal variation is much weaker. In order to study the relationship between WCBs and cyclones, an independent cyclone climatology was used. Most of the WCBs were found in the vicinity of a cyclone center, whereas the reverse comparison revealed that cyclones are normally accompanied by a strong WCB only in the NH winter. In the SH, this is not the case throughout the year. Particularly around Antarctica, where cyclones are globally most frequent, practically no strong WCBs are found. These cyclones are less influenced by diabatic processes and, thus, they are associated with fewer high clouds and less precipitation than cyclones in other regions. In winter, there is a highly significant correlation between the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the WCB distribution in the North Atlantic: In months with a high NAO index, WCBs are about 12% more frequent and their outflow occurs about 10 8 latitude farther north and 208 longitude farther east than in months with a low NAO index. The differences in the WCB inflow regions are relatively small between the two NAO phases. During high phases of the Southern Oscillation, WCBs occur more (less) frequent around Australia (in the South Atlantic).
Immune function, egg quality and production responses in layer hens fed two different lignocellulose fibre supplements during the early laying period

Abstract The effects on immune function and egg productivity of 2 commercial lignocellulose supplements with similar insoluble and soluble fibre concentrations and water holding capacities, were determined in Hy-Line Brown hens from 20 weeks-of-age for 8 weeks. Hens were fed 1 of 3 diets (6 pens/diet, 3 hens/pen): Control diet – a commercial layer diet; Diet LC1 - Control diet plus 1.5 g Arbocel RC fine/100 g diet; Diet LC2, Control diet plus 1.5 g OptiCell C5/100 g diet. After 4 weeks, heterophil phagocytosis index and percentage (innate immunity), was greater in LC1 (p < 0.05) than Controls. After 8 weeks, absolute and relative weights (g/100 g BW) of LC1 thymus glands were heavier (p < 0.05) than Control; numbers of intestinal Peyer’s patches in LC1 were greater (p < 0.05) than LC2 and Control; total and relative areas of LC1 Peyer’s patches were higher (p < 0.05) than Control. Yolk immunoglobulin Y concentrations of LC1 were higher but not significantly, than Control and LC2. Between 6 and 8 weeks, egg weights and eggs produced/hen per d of LC1 hens were greater (p < 0.05) than Controls. Feeding LC1, but not LC2, during early lay significantly improved immune function and egg productivity compared to Control. As dietary fibre concentrations of LC1 and LC2 were similar, differences in their relative concentrations of chemical components such as cellulose and lignin or types of polysaccharides, may have contributed to the improvements during early lay. HIGHLIGHTS Lignocellulose supplements (LC) had similar soluble and insoluble fibre contents. Hens fed LC1 had improved immune function and egg production compared to Controls. LC2 caused no significant improvement. As fibre concentrations of LC1 and LC2 were similar, differences in concentrations of chemical components such as cellulose and lignin may have contributed to their different effects.
A Signal Quality Index for Improving the Estimation of Breath-by-Breath Respiratory Rate During Sport and Exercise

The breath-by-breath measurement of respiratory rate (RR) plays a pivotal role in sports and exercise. The accurate estimation of RR values on a breath-by-breath basis with wearable sensors has several open challenges during training, including motion artifacts and other breathing-unrelated events. This article presents a novel method based on a signal quality index (SQI) for identifying and excluding unreliable breaths from breathing waveforms. The method analyses the morphological characteristics of the respiratory signal, comparing each breath with an average breath template calculated as an average of all individual breaths. The comparison is made using a template matching without the need of a reference signal. Experimental tests have been carried out at rest and during walking, running, and cycling activities to assess the method’s performance in estimating breath-by-breath RR by comparison with reference values collected with a flowmeter. The comparison between the RR values has been performed with an ad hoc developed method able to accomplish this task, even when the number of breaths identified by the two devices is different. The obtained results showed that our SQI-based method improves the accuracy of RR estimation by reducing the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) values in all the tested conditions (18.5%, 22.2%, 2.8%, and 14.1% of MAPE improvement rate during rest, walking, running and cycling, respectively). Pilot tests during high-intensity interval training (HIIT) also demonstrated a 30.7% MAPE improvement rate. The promising findings demonstrated that using SQI-based algorithms can lead to more accurate RR estimations during exercise by using comfortable wearable sensors.
The Role of Experience in Defining Tornado Risk Perceptions: A Case from the 27 April 2011 Outbreak in Rural Alabama

This research examines the ways tornado experience influences an individuals’ risk perceptions. The work uses the 27 April 2011 Southeastern United States tornado outbreak to investigate perceptions of individuals in three Alabama towns. Surveys administered in Phil Campbell and Hackleburg, two towns that sustained severe losses, are compared with survey responses from Red Bay, a town without sustained loss. The purpose of this study is to determine if direct experience with a tornado influences tornado risk perception. Comparison of survey responses using common statistical analyses suggest that while 40 percent of the study population reports a change in perceived tornado risk, direct experience was less a driver of change than was anticipated. The amplified or diminished perception, in fact, may be based on a more shared social experience. This study found that experience extends beyond direct experience.
Spatial–Temporal Characteristics of Semen Quality in Infertile Men in Wenzhou, China during 2010–2018

Background. Declining semen quality has become one of the most serious public health problems worldwide; however, the spatial–temporal characteristics of semen quality of infertile men remain unknown. Objective. To explore spatial–temporal characteristics of semen quality of infertile men in Wenzhou from 2010 to 2018 and thereby provide a scientific basis for development of strategies to enhance male reproductive health. Methods. We obtained 22,978 semen sample data from 2010 to 2018 from the Reproductive Medicine Center and Urology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University in Wenzhou, China. Linear regression analyses and spatial autocorrelation analyses were used to study spatial–temporal characteristics of semen quality parameters. Results. Overall, from 2010 to 2018, mean values for total sperm number and semen volume showed linear increasing trends, and mean values for total sperm motility showed linear decreasing trend (all P < 0.05 ). Cold spot analyses of progressive sperm motility, total sperm motility, and normal sperm forms were also in main urban area of Wenzhou (Lucheng District, Ouhai District, Longwan District, and Dongtou District) and hot spot were also in nonmain urban area of Wenzhou (mainly including Taishun County, Pingyang County, and Wencheng County). However, hot spot analyses of total sperm number and semen volume were mainly in Dongtou District. Conclusions. The main urban area is the “harder-hit area” of semen quality, while for the islands area is the “high-withdrawal area. ” Government departments need to pay more attention to improve male reproductive health in the main urban areas and actively control the potential influencing factors of male reproductive health, such as occupational exposure and life stress. Good environmental quality and plenty of seafood intake may be beneficial to semen quality.
On Proto-Languages and Archaeological Cultures: pre-history and material culture in the Tukanoan Family

This work analyzes the cultural history of the Tukanoan family by attempting the reconstruction of 107 words related to the material culture shared by Amazonian peoples, especially in the Northwest Amazon. The analysis of the terminological system of words that can be reconstructed to Proto-Tukanoan, as well as words that can only be reconstructed to intermediate proto-languages or words that cannot be reconstructed at all allows for a set of cultural inferences regarding the historic evolution of Tukanoan family, which is accomplished along a dialogue with the ethnographic and archeological literature of the Northwest Amazon, as well as following in general terms the proposals for linking Historical Linguistics and Archaeology in different parts of the globe. It is concluded that there was a process of cultural differentiation between the two main branches of the Tukanoan family, as the reflex of distinct integration of each branch in different regional subsystems in the Northwest Amazon.
Climate Change Impacts on Water Availability and Use in the Limpopo River Basin

This paper analyzes the effects of climate change on water availability and use in the Limpopo River Basin of Southern Africa, using a linked modeling system consisting of a semi-distributed global hydrological model and the Water Simulation Module (WSM) of the International Model for Policy Analysis of Agricultural Commodities and Trade (IMPACT). Although the WSM simulates all major water use sectors, the focus of this study is to evaluate the implications of climate change on irrigation water supply in the catchments of the Limpopo River Basin within the four riparian countries: Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The analysis found that water resources of the Limpopo River Basin are already stressed under today’s climate conditions. Projected water infrastructure and management interventions are expected to improve the situation by 2050 if current climate conditions continue into the future. However, under the climate change scenarios studied here, water supply availability is expected to worsen considerably by 2050. Assessing hydrological impacts of climate change is crucial given that expansion of irrigated areas has been postulated as a key adaptation strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa. Such expansion will need to take into account future changes in water availability in African river basins.
Active learning sample selection based on multicriteria

In multivariate calibration problems, model performance is affected significantly by the calibration samples used during model building. In recent years, active learning methods have become one of the best methods for sample selection. However, most active learning methods only select instances from prediction uncertainty or sample space distance, and these single-criteria methods tend to select undesired samples. In addition, sample density characterizes the spatial information carried by the sample, but few studies in quantitative analysis utilize sample density alone to select calibration samples. Considering these issues, based on the k-means clustering algorithm, this paper proposes an active learning sample selection method (Diversity Informativeness Density Active Learning, DIDAL), which combines the three criteria of diversity, informativeness and sample density. The most representative sample is iteratively selected for - addition to the calibration set for modeling and estimating the chemical concentration of analytes. Soybean meal and soy sauce samples were analyzed by DIDAL and compared with existing sample selection methods. The prediction results show that the DIDAL algorithm significantly outperforms several existing algorithms and is close to the performance of full-sample modeling. A model with high prediction accuracy can be constructed by selecting only a few samples using the DIDAL method.
State-of-the-Art Technologies for Integrated Modular Avionics and the Way Ahead

Towards the end of the 20th century, the aviation industry started to adopt the Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) architecture. It describes an airborne system with a unified design and standardized components. This allows application software to be used on various hardware modules that share common features. The previously established federated avionics architecture, which describes the self-containment of avionics functions as Line-Replaceable-Units, would therefore gradually become obsolete. A major advancement of IMA is its computing paradigm. With the allocation of multiple functions to single processing units, IMA systems show a higher efficiency, modularity, and maintainability compared to the federated systems. This paper motivates the journey to the next generation of IMA systems. For this new generation of avionics systems, highly adaptive and integrated structures, i.e., computing platforms, are being developed and implemented. The novel design enables the reconfiguration and reassignment of safety-critical applications to counter total system failures. The deployment of advanced airborne applications is enabled due to to more powerful processing units and wireless technologies. The study presents the state-of-the-art in designing ARINC 653-compliant IMA systems as well as development efforts for future IMA architectures. Three major points are discussed in the paper. First, IMA as a technology is presented. Second, the status quo and development efforts for IMA systems are discussed. This refers mainly to the research performed for state-of-the-art avionics systems. Third, the requirements for next generation IMA with some potential implementations are discussed. The research shows that IMA is invaluable for aviation systems and there will be a major shift to more advanced software and hardware technologies with future IMA systems. Nevertheless, there are many emerging requirements yet to be met with this next generation of IMA.