Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Creación participativa de una red semántica de material docente a partir de la descripción de los contenidos de una asignatura

Internet provides a huge amount of different material and resources, such as videos, documents, web pages, etc., that can be useful in the teaching and learning process of any subject. In this experience, the students of the Degree of a Computer Engineering subject are involved in the tasks of: searching, classification and assessment of teaching resources and materials. The collaborative creation and management of this repository of resources is generated with specific developed software tools that are based on semantic and crowdsourcing technologies. The final product is a source of useful information, continuously updated, that contribute that the students can achieve the educational aims of the subject.
The Amorphous Solid Dispersion of Chrysin in Plasdone® S630 Demonstrates Improved Oral Bioavailability and Antihyperlipidemic Performance in Rats

Chrysin is a flavonoid with various biological activities. However, its low water solubility and strong metabolism render its oral bioavailability rather poor. This study aimed to develop a stable solid dispersion formulation of chrysin to improve the dissolution of chrysin, so as to increase its oral bioavailability and improve its antihyperlipidemic activities. A solid dispersion of chrysin was prepared using a solvent evaporation method, with Plasdone® S630 as the hydrophilic carrier. The formulations were characterized via X-ray diffraction, in vitro dissolution studies, and stability studies. An in-situ perfusion model was used to evaluate the absorption rates. Plasma pharmacokinetics and antihyperlipidemic performance after the oral administration of the chrysin formulations were investigated in rats. It was found that the solid dispersion of chrysin prepared using the drug–polymer mass ratio of 1:6 can form the optimized formulation. X-ray diffraction results showed that the chrysin was in an amorphous state in this optimized formulation. The cumulative release percentage of the optimized solid dispersion of chrysin at pH 1.2 and pH 6.8 was elevated to above 90% within 24 h, indicating that the formulation could enhance the dissolution rates of chrysin. Stability studies showed that the optimized formulation presented acceptable long-term storage stability, but it was susceptible to high temperature and humidity. The solid dispersion of chrysin showed higher absorption rates in the in-situ perfusion model. Pharmacokinetic studies revealed that Cmax and AUC after the intragastric administration of solid dispersion of chrysin were appreciably higher than those resulting from chrysin suspension. The oral bioavailability of the solid dispersion of chrysin was 41 times higher than that of chrysin suspension. Pharmacological studies suggested that the solid dispersion of chrysin was more powerful than chrysin raw material in improving biochemical indicators in the hyperlipidemic model in rats. This study reveals the potential use of a novel oral formulation of chrysin to reduce the currently required high dose.
Determinantes de la elaboración de reportes de sostenibilidad: Evidencia de Ecuador

Los reportes de sostenibilidad presentan información integral que ayuda a los grupos de interés a tomar decisiones informadas de acuerdo con sus expectativas y el desempeño organizacional, hecho que puede fortalecer la relación grupos de interés- organización. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar los factores que influyen en la decisión de elaborar un RS. Para ello, se usó un modelo de regresión logística en una muestra de 57 empresas listadas en el mercado de valores de Ecuador durante el 2022. Se encontró que algunas características organizacionales influyen en la decisión de elaborar un reporte de sostenibilidad. Específicamente, las empresas con mejor desempeño financiero, mayores niveles de endeudamiento, mayor antigüedad y aquellas que desarrollan sus actividades en el sector financiero presentan una mayor probabilidad de elaborar un RS, en tanto que, no se encontró relación alguna con el tamaño, la propiedad familiar y la firma de auditoría que usa la empresa.
Applications of Degradable Hydrogels in Novel Approaches to Disease Treatment and New Modes of Drug Delivery

Hydrogels are particularly suitable materials for loading drug delivery agents; their high water content provides a biocompatible environment for most biomolecules, and their cross-linked nature protects the loaded agents from damage. During delivery, the delivered substance usually needs to be released gradually over time, which can be achieved by degradable cross-linked chains. In recent years, biodegradable hydrogels have become a promising technology in new methods of disease treatment and drug delivery methods due to their many advantageous properties. This review briefly discusses the degradation mechanisms of different types of biodegradable hydrogel systems and introduces the specific applications of degradable hydrogels in several new methods of disease treatment and drug delivery methods.
Theoretical Studies for the Discovery of Potential Sucrase-Isomaltase Inhibitors from Maize Silk Phytochemicals: An Approach to Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes

A theoretical analysis of the potential inhibition of human sucrase-isomaltase (SI) by flavonoids was carried out with the aim of identifying potential candidates for an alternative treatment of type 2 diabetes. Two compounds from maize silks, maysin and luteolin, were selected to be studied with the structure-based density functional theory (DFT), molecular docking (MDock), and molecular dynamics (MD) approaches. The docking score and MD simulations suggested that the compounds maysin and luteolin presented higher binding affinities in N-terminal sucrase-isomaltase (NtSI) than in C-terminal sucrase-isomaltase (CtSI). The reactivity parameters, such as chemical hardness (η) and chemical potential (µ), of the ligands, as well as of the active site amino acids of the NtSI, were calculated by the meta-GGA M06 functional in combination with the 6-31G(d) basis set. The lower value of chemical hardness calculated for the maysin molecule indicated that this might interact more easily with the active site of NtSI, in comparison with the values of the acarbose and luteolin structures. Additionally, a possible oxidative process was proposed through the quantum chemical calculations of the electronic charge transfer values (∆N) between the active site amino acids of the NtSI and the ligands. In addition, maysin displayed a higher ability to generate more oxidative damage in the NtSI active site. Our results suggest that maysin and luteolin can be used to develop novel α-glucosidase inhibitors via NtSI inhibition.
Integrative Approaches in Acute Ischemic Stroke: From Symptom Recognition to Future Innovations

Among the high prevalence of cerebrovascular diseases nowadays, acute ischemic stroke stands out, representing a significant worldwide health issue with important socio-economic implications. Prompt diagnosis and intervention are important milestones for the management of this multifaceted pathology, making understanding the various stroke-onset symptoms crucial. A key role in acute ischemic stroke management is emphasizing the essential role of a multi-disciplinary team, therefore, increasing the efficiency of recognition and treatment. Neuroimaging and neuroradiology have evolved dramatically over the years, with multiple approaches that provide a higher understanding of the morphological aspects as well as timely recognition of cerebral artery occlusions for effective therapy planning. Regarding the treatment matter, the pharmacological approach, particularly fibrinolytic therapy, has its merits and challenges. Endovascular thrombectomy, a game-changer in stroke management, has witnessed significant advances, with technologies like stent retrievers and aspiration catheters playing pivotal roles. For select patients, combining pharmacological and endovascular strategies offers evidence-backed benefits. The aim of our comprehensive study on acute ischemic stroke is to efficiently compare the current therapies, recognize novel possibilities from the literature, and describe the state of the art in the interdisciplinary approach to acute ischemic stroke. As we aspire for holistic patient management, the emphasis is not just on medical intervention but also on physical therapy, mental health, and community engagement. The future holds promising innovations, with artificial intelligence poised to reshape stroke diagnostics and treatments. Bridging the gap between groundbreaking research and clinical practice remains a challenge, urging continuous collaboration and research.
FPGA-Based Feature Extraction and Tracking Accelerator for Real-Time Visual SLAM

Due to its advantages of low latency, low power consumption, and high flexibility, FPGA-based acceleration technology has been more and more widely studied and applied in the field of computer vision in recent years. An FPGA-based feature extraction and tracking accelerator for real-time visual odometry (VO) and visual simultaneous localization and mapping (V-SLAM) is proposed, which can realize the complete acceleration processing capability of the image front-end. For the first time, we implement a hardware solution that combines features from accelerated segment test (FAST) feature points with Gunnar Farneback (GF) dense optical flow to achieve better feature tracking performance and provide more flexible technical route selection. In order to solve the scale invariance and rotation invariance lacking problems of FAST features, an efficient pyramid module with a five-layer thumbnail structure was designed and implemented. The accelerator was implemented on a modern Xilinx Zynq FPGA. The evaluation results showed that the accelerator could achieve stable tracking of features of violently shaking images and were consistent with the results from MATLAB code running on PCs. Compared to PC CPUs, which require seconds of processing time, the processing latency was greatly reduced to the order of milliseconds, making GF dense optical flow an efficient and practical technical solution on the edge side.
Prevalence Estimation and Geographic Distribution of Scrapie in the Canadian Sheep Population via Abattoir Surveillance

Classical scrapie, a federally reportable disease in Canada, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease of sheep and goats. In order to inform future scrapie eradication programs for Canada, a study estimating the national prevalence of scrapie was conducted from Nov 2010 to Dec 2012; seven cases were detected among 11,702 sheep. The prevalence at the individual level is estimated to be 0.06% (CI from 0.03% to 0.12%); at the farm-level it is estimated to be 0.22% (CI from 0.11% to 0.45%). A sampling information index was developed which measures the available sampling information at the Census Division (CD) level. A choropleth map is used to show the spatial distribution of this index. CDs with a low information index value cluster in the West Coast, the southern border between British Columbia and Alberta, southern Manitoba, northern Ontario and the Atlantic Provinces. These areas should be targeted in future surveillance activities.
Upper Eocene Impact Ejecta/Spherule Layers in Marine Sediments: New Sites

Abstract Microtektites with compositions and ages similar to those of the North American tektites have been found in deep-sea deposits in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, northwestern Atlantic Ocean and on Barbados. Unmelted impact ejecta (including shocked quartz and feldspar with multiple sets of planar deformation features, coesite, stishovite, and reidite, a high-pressure polymorph of zircon) have been found associated with this microtektite layer. These microtektites appear to belong to the North American tektite strewn field based on their geographic location, age (∼35 Ma), and composition. Clinopyroxene-bearing spherules (cpx spherules) are closely associated with the North American microtektitestherefore, occurrences of cpx spherules in the Indian Ocean and equatorial Pacific were originally interpreted to indicate a major extension of the North American strewn field. However, at a few sites it is clear that the cpx spherules are older than the North American microtektites and it is now accepted that they belong to a different impact event. The major crystalline phase in the cpx spherules is clinopyroxene, as their name implies, but they also contain Cr- and Ni-rich spinels. The cpx spherules generally have lower SiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 and higher FeO, MgO, and CaO contents compared with the North American microtektites. The cpx spherules also have high Ni, Cr, Co, and Ir contents compared to the North American microtektites and to the average upper continental crust. The cpx spherule layer is associated with a positive Ir anomaly and with the extinction of several taxa of Radiolaria. Flattened pancake spherules composed of clay have been found in upper Eocene deposits at Massignano, Italy, associated with a positive Ir anomaly. The pancake spherules are believed to be diagenetically altered cpx spherules. Shocked quartz with multiple sets of planar deformation features have been found associated with the spherule layer at Massignano. The number of upper Eocene microtektite/spherule layers is debated, but most authors agree that there are probably only two: the North American microtektite layer and the cpx spherule layer. Geographic variations in abundance, age, composition, and Sr and Nd isotopic data are consistent with the North American microtektites (and tektites) being derived from the 90 km-diameter Chesapeake Bay structure. Based on the nature of the shocked quartz found associated with the spherule layer at Massignano and the age and Sr and Nd isotopic composition of the cpx spherules, it has been suggested that the 100 km-diameter Popigai impact structure in northern Siberia may the source crater for the cpx strewn field.
Regulation of σB-Dependent Biofilm Formation in Staphylococcus aureus through Strain-Specific Signaling Induced by Diosgenin

Staphylococcus aureus is a commensal skin bacterium and a causative agent of infectious diseases. Biofilm formation in S. aureus is a mechanism that facilitates the emergence of resistant strains. This study proposes a mechanism for the regulation of biofilm formation in S. aureus through strain-specific physiological changes induced by the plant steroid diosgenin. A comparison of diosgenin-induced changes in the expression of regulatory genes associated with physiological changes revealed the intracellular regulatory mechanisms involved in biofilm formation. Diosgenin reduced biofilm formation in S. aureus ATCC 6538 and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) CCARM 3090 by 39% and 61%, respectively. Conversely, it increased biofilm formation in S. aureus ATCC 29213 and MRSA CCARM 3820 by 186% and 582%, respectively. Cell surface hydrophobicity and extracellular protein and carbohydrate contents changed in a strain-specific manner in response to biofilm formation. An assessment of the changes in gene expression associated with biofilm formation revealed that diosgenin treatment decreased the expression of icaA and spa and increased the expression of RNAIII, agrA, sarA, and sigB in S. aureus ATCC 6538 and MRSA CCARM 3090; however, contrasting gene expression changes were noted in S. aureus ATCC 29213 and MRSA CCARM 3820. These results suggest that a regulatory mechanism of biofilm formation is that activated sigB expression sequentially increases the expression of sarA, agrA, and RNAIII. This increased RNAIII expression decreases the expression of spa, a surface-associated adhesion factor. An additional regulatory mechanism of biofilm formation is that activated sigB expression decreases the expression of an unknown regulator that increases the expression of icaA. This in turn decreases the expression of icaA, which decreases the synthesis of polysaccharide intercellular adhesins and ultimately inhibits biofilm formation. By assessing strain-specific contrasting regulatory signals induced by diosgenin in S. aureus without gene mutation, this study elucidated the signal transduction mechanisms that regulate biofilm formation based on physiological and gene expression changes.
The Effect of the Audit Quality on the Extend of Voluntary Shari'a Disclosure

The purpose of the study was to obtain empirical evidence regarding the effect of the Audit Quality on the Extend of Voluntary Shari'a Disclosure. This research is a field research using a quantitative descriptive approach using a purposive sampling method from companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in 2018. There are 22 companies that meet the criteria as research samples. The results showed that the Audit Quality had no effect on the Extend of Voluntary Shari'a Disclosure.
Data reduction with least squares differential correction using equinoctial elements

Abstract : This study investigates earth satellite orbit estimation on a track of range, azimuth, and elevation data from a single tracking station. The estimation routine is a least squares batch filter based solely on two-body orbital motion. Using equinoctial elements for the reference orbit avoids the numerical difficulties of the classical elements at eccentricities near zero and inclinations near zero or 90 degrees. Orbits for Mir, DMSP, Explorer, Cosmos, and GPS are investigated. The goal of this study is to reduce orbit information from observations (range, azimuth, and elevation) to an element set and a covariance matrix without considering perturbation effects. The results indicate that the lower orbiting earth satellites had large J2 perturbations on the equinoctial elements causing the differential corrector to diverge. Higher orbiting satellites had minimal J2 effects and the correction process sufficiently extracted all information from the data and successfully reduced the observations to an element set and a covariance matrix. Equinoctial elements, Differential correction, Least squares method, Data reduction, Batch processing, Earth orbits, Two-Body motion.
Design and development of a fuzzy explainable expert system for a diagnostic robot of COVID-19

Expert systems have been widely used in medicine to diagnose different diseases. However, these rule-based systems only explain why and how their outcomes are reached. The rules leading to those outcomes are also expressed in a machine language and confronted with the familiar problems of coverage and specificity. This fact prevents procuring expert systems with fully human-understandable explanations. Furthermore, early diagnosis involves a high degree of uncertainty and vagueness which constitutes another challenge to overcome in this study. This paper aims to design and develop a fuzzy explainable expert system for coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis that could be incorporated into medical robots. The proposed medical robotic application deduces the likelihood level of contracting COVID-19 from the entered symptoms, the personal information, and the patient's activities. The proposal integrates fuzzy logic to deal with uncertainty and vagueness in diagnosis. Besides, it adopts a hybrid explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) technique to provide different explanation forms. In particular, the textual explanations are generated as rules expressed in a natural language while avoiding coverage and specificity problems. Therefore, the proposal could help overwhelmed hospitals during the epidemic propagation and avoid contamination using a solution with a high level of explicability.
Simulation model of carbon capture with MEA and the effect of temperature and duty on efficiency

Humans continue to rely on fossil fuels to generate electricity. In other words, fossil fuels are the world's largest energy producers. Fossil fuels produce significant carbon dioxide, mostly in areas where humans live. Although the share of carbon dioxide produced in big cities is minimal compared to the carbon dioxide production of volcanoes, the production of carbon dioxide in big cities has destructive effects. Process Simulator is utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of their simulation model by subjecting it to various experimental conditions, including liquid loading, temperature, and CO2 absorption (PPS). Comparing empirical and simulated mass transfer coefficients distinguishes this study from others. This procedure consists of two steps: Carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption in a solvent produces highly concentrated CO2 gas following solvent regeneration. A chemical adsorption process's scalability depends on accurate simulation models, typically validated using data from a pilot plant. With the aid of this study, a simulation model of a desorption column is constructed with ASPEN PLUS and 42% MEA validated. In addition, the effect of the weight percentage of 20-42 MEA in the inlet stream on the efficiency is investigated, and the influence of the MEA inlet temperature on system efficiency is examined. Then, the recommended temperature is confirmed based on the MEA's heat tolerance capacity of 303 Kelvin.
Significance of Plasma Irisin, Adiponectin, and Retinol Binding Protein-4 Levels as Biomarkers for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Severity

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common sleep disorder that is caused by the reduction or cessation of airflow in the upper airway. Irisin, retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP-4), and adiponectin are the three significant factors in the metabolic process of the human body. The objective of this study was to investigate whether plasma irisin, RBP-4, and adiponectin levels are associated with the severity of OSAS. Methods: According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, 125 patients with OSAS and 46 healthy, gender-matched controls were included in this study. The patients were classified according to the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) as 14 mild cases (5 < AHI < 15), 23 moderate OSAS cases (15 < AHI < 30), and 88 severe OSAS cases (AHI > 30). The plasma irisin, RBP-4, and adiponectin levels were measured and compared between groups. Results: RBP-4 levels were higher in severe OSAS compared to other groups, and irisin levels were significantly lower in severe OSAS compared to other groups. There was a negative correlation between irisin and RBP-4 (r = −0.421; p < 0.001), and irisin and AHI (r = −0.834; p < 0.001), and a positive correlation between irisin and adiponectin (r = 0.240; p = 0.002). There was a negative correlation between RBP-4 and adiponectin (r = −0.507; p < 0.001) and a positive correlation between RBP-4 and AHI (r = 0.473; p < 0.001). As a predictor of OSAS, adiponectin showed the highest specificity (84.8%) and RBP-4 the highest sensitivity (92.0%). Conclusion: Circulating adiponectin, irisin, and RBP-4 may be new biomarkers in OSAS patients in addition to risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. When polysomnography is not available, these parameters and clinical data can be used to diagnose the disease. As a result, patients with an AHI score greater than thirty should be closely monitored for metabolic abnormalities.