Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Work Commitment as A Mediator of Work Environment Effect on Employee Performance

This study aims to examine the effect of work environment on work commitments, work commitment on employee performance, and work commitment as a mediator of work environment influence on employee performance. The samples are 43 KPPN employees in Malang. Data are collected directly from the respondents through questionnaires and analyzed with path analysis using SPSS software. The result shows that work environment has a positive and significant influence on work commitment, and work commitment also has a positive and significant effect on employee performance. Therefore, work commitment proves to be a mediating variable.
Prenatal stress impairs recognition memory and leads to neurodevelopmental deficits in hippocampus of adolescent rats with early acute pentylenetetrazole-kindling

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of prenatal stress (PS) on hippocampus of early acute pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-kindled offspring in adolescence. Recognition memory, morphological changes and synaptophysin levels in hippocampus were evaluated. Methods: Restraint stress was induced to a group of pregnant dams and non-stressed (NA) group remained undisturbed. Next, male and female offspring were divided as 1. PS-PTZ, 2. PS -control, 3. NA-PTZ and 4. NA-control (n = 12 in each group). The object recognition test was performed following PTZ injection (45 mg/kg) on postnatal day 10 (P10). Brains were collected on postnatal day 35 (P35) to determine neuronal density and synaptophysin expression by immuno/-histological studies. Further, oxidative stress products in hippocampus were analyzed with different biochemical assays. Results: PS impaired recognition memory in PTZ group significantly (p = 0.03); however, the impairment of PS was reversible in control group compared to PTZ (p = 0.04). Furthermore, PS caused neuronal loss in CA1 (p = 0.01) and decreased synaptophysin expression in the CA3 area of hippocampus in PTZ group (p = 0.03). PS also increased the oxidative stress markers in PTZ group significantly (p < 0.05). Conclusions: These results suggest that PS causes neurodevelopmental deficits in adolescent hippocampus and recognition memory after early-life seizures prominently. However, the damage of only PS in adolescence can be reversible. Therefore, the effects of PS in the adult hippocampus and other regions of brain need to be further studied
Kinetic Modeling of Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cellulosic Material

Development of a kinetic model for analysis of processes for fermentable sugars production is a significant challenging issue due to the complexity of the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. This paper presents a useful mathematical model for simulation and evaluation of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic material. The simulation results were compared with a set of experimental results reported in the literature, in order to validate the proposed model. A comparison was also made between the proposed model and another model previously described in the literature Numerical results indicate that the proposed model gives a more accurate prediction of time course production of glucose, cellobiose, and cellulose during enzymatic hydrolysis cellulosic materials.
Reform And Development Of E-Banking In Modern Age Scenario: An Indepth Study Based On Malaysian Banking Sector

Banking has seen substantial change with the invention of the Internet; however, it is not yet revolutionized. to beleaguer reducing the threshold for financial institutions to access the Internet to only simply-because this is widely recognized as e-banking, in June 2000, the Central Bank of Malaysia allowed the banks to go online many big financial institutions have provided online banking services for the general public for at this period. The purpose of this article is to summarize the many ways in which online banking is widely used in Malaysia the first phase is an analysis from Chung and Payter in their earlier work on U.S. neighborhood banks that finds the most trusted financial institutions within a metropolitan region (2002). In the third phase, the experiment studies the various types of e-banking goods, to make sure that they meet the requirements of the customers who accept them. Cents were turned in, out of which, about fifty percent of which were from e-banking users, but the number of completed responses was 542, because the number of unusable entries was less than one percent of that number. Most adopters took advantage of the app for simple tasks such as checking their balance and transaction summaries, as well as carrying out numerous financial investigations, but only a handful used the various resources and functions. Around half of the consumers find it easier to pay their monthly bills by doing so via the online facility, while the other half found accesses being made either at their office or from home. People were persuaded by their friends and family members to use electronic banking. It indicates that the relative abundance of adopters was greater in the younger age classes, along with those who received higher incomes, and often occupied leading positions in their careers.
Use of active learning strategies in public affairs education: Advances and lessons from the scholarship and the practice

Public affairs education can benefit from the potential of active learning practices in preparing students for the complex surroundings of real public service. This article aims to explore the use of those practices in public affairs education and the extent to which those practices are suitable in a public affairs school in a country in the global South. To do so, it follows a threefold analytical approach. First, from a sample of empirical works in public affairs, it explores the active learning practices portrayed in the literature of public affairs education and identifies patterns and practices. Then, through content analysis of syllabi from a sample of master level courses of schools of public affairs in the US and Europe it identifies the most frequent participant-centered learning practices used in public affairs education. Finally, by means of a case study from a public affairs school in Colombia, it analyzes the adoption of active learning practices to be effectively adopted in such setting and compares them with the two sets of practices previously analyzed. The analysis provided some insights. Both the literature review and the benchmark of practices in public affairs schools, reflect that public affairs education already relies on a wide array of active learning strategies, which, according to some empirical literature, appear to be highly useful in preparing students for public sector practice. Then, the analysis of the use of active learning practices in a Latin American school of public affairs revealed a similarly evident use such practices, something that appears to be instrumental for the faculty, students and alumni of the program, and whose implementation does not appear to differ from other programs abroad.
Children with medical complexity and pediatric palliative care: Data by a respiratory intermediate care unit

Pediatric palliative care (PPC) is an active and total approach to the care of children with life‐limiting conditions and their families. PPC programs provide ongoing treatment for children with medical complexity (CMC), many of whom will reach adulthood. Aim of the study was to describe a population of CMC attendingin six preselected months the Respiratory Intermediate Care Unit of a tertiary referral hospital for southern and central Italy. We enrolled all CMC patients admitted to our unit in six preselected months and registered pathologies and different categories of childhood diseases, devices and needs, hospitalization and home care plan. Among the 275 children admitted to our unit, 130 CMC were included. Median age was 9.9 (0.1–40.0) years. The main pathologies recorded were neuromuscular, neurological, respiratory, metabolic and malformative diseases, genetic syndromes and outcomes of prematurity. Comorbidity due to respiratory, digestive, neurological, cardiac and urological involvement was present in a high percentage of cases. Among our patients, only 46 were not carriers of any medical device. The average length of hospitalization was 7.0 (1.0–270.0) days with 2 (1.0–7.0) admissions per year per patient. Home care activation was not required for 47 out of 130 patients. Children eligible for PPC are increasing and their survival results in a rise of comorbidities and special needs demanding multilevel interventions. Respiratory symptoms are the most recurrent ones observed, thus requiring an expert in PPC with expertise in the respiratory field. Sharing data and knowledge of CMC needs may help improve care coordination.
Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using flower extracts of Aerva lanata and their biomedical applications

Abstract In the present study, green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was performed using flower extracts of Aerva lanata (Al) from Amaranthaceae family. The size, shape, and elemental composition of the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and UV-visible spectroscopy. The dynamic light scattering (DLS), of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) exhibited mean size of 7.6 nm in the range of 5–15 nm, having a poly-dispersed indexed value of 0.419. Zeta potential contributing to the stability of silver nanoparticles was recorded as −18.7 mV. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis confirmed the presence of the synthesized AgNPs with an average size range 7 ± 3 nm. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles displayed antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The 2,2’-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay revealed antioxidant potential of silver nanoparticles in the concentration of 100 µg/ml. The photocatalytic activity of silver nanoparticles was evaluated using decolourization of the dyes under the sunlight using UV-Vis. spectroscopy. The results suggest that biosynthesized silver nanoparticles from A. lanata (Al-AgNPs) flower extracts have broad spectrum antibacterial, antioxidant and catalytic activities may be useful in a variety of biomedical and industrial applications. Graphical Abstract
Patterns of genome-wide codon usage bias in tobacco, tomato and potato

Abstract Understanding codon usage patterns and their shaping factors in members of the Solanaceae family may reflect important features of their evolutionary history. Here, we investigated codon usage bias (CUB) over the whole genome of tobacco, tomato and potato. Analyzing the effective number of codons (ENc) revealed a weak CUB over the whole genome of the three genomes. The correlation analysis between the ENc and the nucleotide content at the third codon position indicated that genes with high ENc have high A/T and low G/C contents. Analyzing nucleotide composition and the relative synonymous codon usage confirmed that the three genomes are AT-rich and favor codons ending with T and/or A. Comparing CUB in each of the three genomes revealed that approximately 50% and 45% of the genes were dominated by mutational and natural selection, respectively. The remaining 5% of the genes were affected by combined factors of mutation and translation selection. The first four axes of the correspondence analysis (CA) were the major contributors to the variation within the codon sequences (CDS) of the three genomes. Results of a multi-regression analysis between the 4 axes and the CUB indices verified the fact that natural selection and directional mutation for base composition along with other factors could describe the variations in the CUB within the CDS of the three genomes. In conclusion, the CUB of the three species showed the same weak trend and that mutation and natural selection were the main factors influencing the nuclear genes of the three genomes.
Predicting the Location of Maple Habitat Under Warming Scenarios in Two Regions at the Northern Range in Canada

Acer saccharum and Acer rubrum, two main maple species in North America, will be affected by ongoing global warming. Several studies predict a southern limit contraction but limited northward expansion of maple distribution for the future. We aimed to understand the main drivers of current maple distribution to quantify potential changes to maple habitat in this context. We identified the local conditions of maple stands and assessed the potential changes under warming scenarios. We selected two regions in Quebec, Canada, at the northern distribution of the species and applied probability distribution function and principal component analysis to identify the factors explaining the occurrence of maple compared with other forest species, croplands, and grasslands. Maple habitat was estimated under warming scenarios up to 2°C. We observed a lower density of maple stands in the north (7.76%), compared to the south (33.01%). Warming increased maple stands by 3.54 and 1.45% in the northernmost and southernmost regions, respectively, with the highest increases being estimated at the initial warming (+1.0°C). We conclude that maple of northern regions can benefit from local warming if precipitation does not become limiting. These changes could increase the potential for the regional maple industry and forest management.
The Effect of Loop Diuretics on 28-Day Mortality in Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Background: Diuretics have been widely used in critically ill patients while it remains uncertain whether they can reduce mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This study aimed to investigate the associations between diuretics and 28-day mortality in patients with ARDS. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the ARDS Network Fluid and Catheter Treatment Trial (FACTT) of National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Those patients who did not receive renal replacement therapy within the first 48 h after enrollment in the FACTT were included in the analysis. A marginal structural Cox model (MSCM) was used to investigate the associations between diuretics and 28-day mortality after correction of both the baseline and time-varying variables. The latent class analysis (LCA) and subgroup analysis were performed to identify the kind of patients that could be benefited from diuretics. Results: A total of 932 patients were enrolled, i.e., 558 patients in the diuretics group and 374 patients in the no diuretics group within the first 48 h. The 28-day mortality was lower in the diuretics group (15.1 vs. 28.1%, p < 0.001). In MSCM, diuretics use was related to the improved 28-day mortality (HR 0.78; 95% CI 0.62–0.99; p = 0.04). LCA identified three subtypes, and diuretics were associated with reduced mortality in subtype 3, which was characterized by worse renal function and higher central venous pressure (CVP). A subgroup analysis indicated survival advantage among the female patients, sepsis induced ARDS, and those with the ratio of partial pressure of oxygen to the fractional concentration of inspired oxygen (PaO2/FiO2) ≤ 150 mmHg, and mean arterial pressure (MAP) ≥ 65 mmHg. Conclusion: Loop diuretics were associated with the reduced 28-day mortality in the patients with ARDS, after controlling for time-varying confounders. Randomized trials are required to verify the association.
A LoRaWAN IoT-Enabled Trash Bin Level Monitoring System

Municipal solid waste management remains a major problem in urban areas, leading to serious health and environmental issues.Consequently, trash bins are placed in many places to handle the municipal solid waste, but these bins can overflow, spreading around the area, polluting the environment, and causing inconvenience to the public. Therefore, there is a need for a real-time remote monitoring system that alerts the level of garbage in the trash bins to the municipality or a waste management company. To manage the municipal solid waste efficiently, this article presents the development and validation of a self-powered, LoRaWAN Internet-of-Things (IoT)-enabled trash bin level monitoring system. The end nodes of the proposed IoT system are called trash bin level measurement unit (TBLMU) and are installed in each trash bin where the status needs to be monitored. The TBLMU measures the unfilled level and geographical location of a trash bin, processes the data, and transmits it to a LoRaWAN gateway at a frequency of 915 MHz. A LoRaWAN gateway serves as a concentrator for the TBLMUs and relays data between a TBLMU and an IoT trash bin level monitoring server. The users can view and analyze the status of every bin and its geolocation by using a smart graphical user interface. The accuracy of the developed system, wireless range between a TBLMU and a LoRaWAN gateway, average current consumption and life expectancy of the TBLMU, battery charging time, and the cost were studied and are reported here.
Performance Evaluation of SDR Blade RF using Wide-band Monopole Antenna for Spectrum Sensing Applications

A spectrum-sensing algorithm is used to detect the available and the occupied frequency bands. The wideband antenna design approach is used for a microstrip fed monopole antenna that can be used for various wireless technologies such as GSM, UMTS, LTE, and WiFi operating at different frequencies from 1.25 to 3 GHz. The antenna is constructed from two copper layers of rectangular radiator and a partial ground plane. These layers are printed on an RO4003 substrate with dimensions 60 x 80 mm2. The antenna is experimentally fabricated to verify the simulation predictions and good matching between simulated and measured results is achieved. The wide-band antenna is tested by connecting it to the receiver of the Blade-RF Software Defined Radio (SDR) platform. A matlab script is then used to control the SDR board and to perform Spectrum Sensing for Cognitive Radio Applications.
Improving the estimation of canopy cover from UAV-LiDAR data using a pit-free CHM-based method

ABSTRACT Accurate and rapid estimation of canopy cover (CC) is crucial for many ecological and environmental models and for forest management. Unmanned aerial vehicle-light detecting and ranging (UAV-LiDAR) systems represent a promising tool for CC estimation due to their high mobility, low cost, and high point density. However, the CC values from UAV-LiDAR point clouds may be underestimated due to the presence of large quantities of within-crown gaps. To alleviate the negative effects of within-crown gaps, we proposed a pit-free CHM-based method for estimating CC, in which a cloth simulation method was used to fill the within-crown gaps. To evaluate the effect of CC values and within-crown gap proportions on the proposed method, the performance of the proposed method was tested on 18 samples with different CC values (40−70%) and 6 samples with different within-crown gap proportions (10−60%). The results showed that the CC accuracy of the proposed method was higher than that of the method without filling within-crown gaps (R 2 = 0.99 vs 0.98; RMSE = 1.49% vs 2.2%). The proposed method was insensitive to within-crown gap proportions, although the CC accuracy decreased slightly with the increase in within-crown gap proportions.
A Longitudinal Study of Great Ape Cognition: Stability, Reliability and the Influence of Individual Characteristics

Primate cognition research allows us to reconstruct the evolution of human cognition. However, temporal and contextual factors that induce variation in cognitive studies with great apes are poorly understood. Here we report on a longitudinal study where we repeatedly tested a comparatively large sample of great apes (N = 40) with the same set of cognitive measures. We investigated the stability of group-level results, the reliability of individual differences and the relation between cognitive performance and individual-level characteristics. We found results to be relatively stable on a group level. Some, but not all, tasks showed acceptable levels of reliability. Cognitive performance across tasks was not systematically related to any particular individual-level predictor. This study highlights the importance of methodological considerations – especially when studying individual differences – on the route to building a more robust science of primate cognitive evolution.
Drones in Education: A Critical Review

The use of drones in education is growing and has been implemented in various courses as well as in pedagogy development. Using drones in education highly engages students and supports them to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which will prepare themselves in advance to pursue their career. The role of drones in education covers from simple coding for 4–8-year students to much more complex remote sensing for environmental management in higher education and in various fields of academic research. This article aims to review the application of drones in various educational environments and epitomizes the ideas and implementations of drones for educational purposes. Classification of drones of different types used for educational purposes were also outlined. The frameworks proposed for Drone based learning were reviewed and summarized. Further directions of research in this domain were proposed.
Surface modification of polyurethane via creating a biocompatible superhydrophilic nanostructured layer: role of surface chemistry and structure

ABSTRACT Advanced surface modification approaches of biomaterials alongside the advent of sophisticated analytical techniques have provided a great opportunity to understand how the physicochemical characteristics of materials determine cell–surface dynamics at molecular and atomic scale. However, there are still many contradictory reports, which are mainly due to inadequate information about the role of the two parameters of surface chemistry and structure and their synergistic effect as an adequate predictor of biological performance. Here, surface parameters were altered by grafting of poly ethylene glycol (PEG) on polyurethane (PU) surfaces through a superhydrophilic modification method. In this study, surface modification of PU films by PEG thin layer via grafting technique and TiO2 nanoparticle entrapment in the brush polymers was investigated. The surface modification led to a reduction in protein adsorption and bacterial attachment by 8.7 times and 71% respectively with no cytotoxicity effect on HeLa cells. It was also observed that when PU surface became superhydrophilic the bacterial adhesion becomes independent of bacterium type. In general, it was observed that the impact of topographical changes on the biocompatibility and biofilm formation becomes significantly more profound than that of the surface chemistry alteration.