Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influences of moisture content and compressive loading speed on the mechanical properties of maize grain orientations

Determination of the mechanical properties (rupture force, deformation, hardness, and toughness) of maize grain could be a significant concern for designing the harvester, thresher, and handling, processing, and storage equipment. Thus, the present research was conducted to assess the vertical and lateral rupture force, deformation, hardness, and toughness of maize grain (Beijing Denong, Lianchuang, Suyu 20, Liyu 88 and Suyu 29) influenced by different moisture contents (11.2%, 17.5%, and 21.3%) and compressive loading speeds (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 mm/min, respectively). Besides, the mean length, width, thickness, geometric mean diameter, equivalent diameter, arithmetic diameter, sphericity, grain volume, surface area, and aspect ratio of the selected varieties were measured. The results showed that the highest length, width, thickness and sphericity, grain volume, surface area, and aspect ratio were obtained at moisture of 21.3%, whereas the lowest was at 11.2%. Moreover, it was observed that as increasing the loading speed from 5 to 25 mm/min, the vertical and lateral rupture forces decreased. However, as increasing moisture contents from 11.2% to 21.3%, the vertical and lateral rupture forces, hardness, and toughness decreased noticeably. Furthermore, the maximum correlation (R2=0.9957) between rupture force and loading speed was found for Liyu 88 at moisture of 17.5% and minimum correlation (R2=0.7002) was found for Suyu 29 at moisture of 11.2%. Moreover, the highest lateral and vertical rupture force was noticed (p<0.05) at a loading speed of 5 mm/min. Based on the experimentally obtained results, it was concluded that the properties of maize grain evaluated were relevant to the design of planter, harvesters, thrashers, and processing machine. Keywords: maize grain, moisture content, compressive loading speeds, mechanical properties, orientation DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe. 20211404.6072 Citation: Chandio F A, Li Y M, Ma Z, Ahmad F, Syed T N, Shaikh S A, et al. Influences of moisture content and compressive loading speed on the mechanical properties of maize grain orientations. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2021; 14(4): 41–49.
Urban forestry practices and its challenges in Makurdi metropolis, Benue state, Nigeria

The study assessed urban forestry practices in Makurdi metropolis, Benue State with a view to ascertain its current status. The study examined the urban forestry practices, the tree species mostly utilized in urban forestry practices and the challenges of urban forestry in the study area. Five council wards were randomly selected out of the eleven council wards, and four hundred respondents were selected through systematic random sampling. Data for the study was obtained with the aid of semi-structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency distribution, percentage and mean). The result revealed that planting of shade trees in residential areas is the most common type of urban forestry practice in Makurdi metropolis and this constituted 46.67% of the types of urban forestry practices in the study area. The most predominant urban tree species according to the study was mango and it constitutes 22.00% of the urban trees in the study area while the least predominant tree species was Mahogany with 0.21%. However, urban forestry is not without challenges in Makurdi metropolis. Insufficient information on the need for urban forestry represented by 31.14% is the major challenge. Other challenges include poor management by the government (29.00%), lack of access to the right tree species (12.82%), poor management by the individuals (7.88%) and legal framework (5.86%). Thus, awareness on the importance of urban forest practices should be created and proper management approach should be developed to preserve urban forest in Makurdi metropolis with the enforcement tree planting by the government.
A Survey on Automatic Text Summarization Techniques

In recent years, there is a tremendous explosion in the amount of text data on the internet and in the archives of news articles, scientific papers, legal documents and even in online product reviews. Text summarization is playing an important role in automatic content creation, minutes of meeting generation, helping disabled people and also for quick online document reading. To achieve these, several automation techniques have been proposed in various researches. In this regard, performing an exclusive survey on different methods, approaches of automatic text summarization which are published in different articles in most recent three years.
Zinc oxide and Zinc oxide Nanoparticles Carbon Past Ion Selective Electrode: A Cyclic Voltammetry Comparison Study

Alternative, low-cost, high-Precision, and selectivity methods Anew homework ion selective electrodes ISE for zinc metal determination and comparison between size particles in sensitive and selectivity. A hydrothermal method used to prepare zinc oxide nano particles, and use Scanning electromagnetic method TEM for morphology and determined size of ZnO-NPs. and study the redox of Zn+2 in pharma drugs by cyclic voltammetry. (Epa - Epc) > 200 mV, refer to the quasi-reversible mechanism. Physical and chemical properties was study for the electrode in the range of temperature 10-40 °C. voltammograms data showed the negative shift with temperature increased, Diffusion coffining 1.01 x 10-7 was calculated from Sevcik-Randles equation. Rate constant Kox (oxidation) was determined 0.43 ×10-7 and reduction equal 0.31×10-7. The peak current of zinc concentration in the range of 1.0-10.0 ppm showed increased linearly.
Occupational health and safety start at school of engineering

The occupational risk prevention has been the subject of study for many years, but it could be said that in Spain, it is from the promulgation of laws in this regard when it becomes more important in view of the need to reduce the accident rate in all professions. Focusing on the engineering profession, the need arises to know if in their training stages, this matter is contemplated by developing a preventive culture in the person that helps to become familiar with and minimize risks. That is why this study aims to find out how this subject is dealt with in Spanish universities. To this end, it proposes the study through the Spanish universities best positioned in international rankings such as the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and Quacquarelli Symonds, known as QS World University Ranking. The results of the study show that Spanish universities are not very well disposed towards this subject, thus depriving future engineers of the acquisition of competencies related to risk prevention.
Trends in hospitalizations and deaths in HIV-infected patients in Spain over two decades

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Background: The prognosis of HIV infection dramatically improved after the introduction of triple antiretroviral therapy 25 years ago. Herein, we report the impact of further improvements in HIV management since then, looking at all hospitalizations in persons with HIV (PWH) in Spain. Methods: A retrospective study using the Spanish National Registry of Hospital Discharges. Information was retrieved since 1997–2018. Results: From 79 647 783 nationwide hospital admissions recorded during the study period, 532 668 (0.67%) included HIV as diagnosis. The mean age of PWH hospitalized increased from 33 to 51 years (P < 0.001). The rate of HIV hospitalizations significantly declined after 2008. Comparing hospitalizations during the first (1997–2007) and last (2008–2018) decades, the rate of non-AIDS illnesses increased, mostly due to liver disease (from 35.9 to 38.3%), cardiovascular diseases (from 12.4 to 28.2%), non-AIDS cancers (from 6.4 to 15.5%), and kidney insufficiency (from 5.4 to 13%). In-hospital deaths occurred in 5.5% of PWH, declining significantly over time. Although most deaths were the result from AIDS conditions (34.8%), the most frequent non-AIDS deaths were liver disease (47.1%), cardiovascular events (29.2%), non-AIDS cancers (24.2%), and kidney insufficiency (20.7%). Conclusion: Hospital admissions in PWH significantly declined after 2008, following improvements in HIV management and antiretroviral therapy. Non-AIDS cancers, cardiovascular events and liver disease represent a growing proportion of hospital admissions and deaths in PWH.
Critical Temperature in Zigzag Graphene Nanoribbon: a First-principles Study

The critical (Néel) temperature in the zigzag graphene nanoribbon was calculated using the mean-eld approximation within the generalized Bloch theorem. This calculation was carried out over the Brillouin zone of the magnon spectrum. We found a nearly at magnon dispersion at the high energy in one-third of the Brillouin zone. Our calculation showed the critical temperature below room temperature, in good agreement with the prediction in the previous works. Our last work (Prayitno 2021 Physica E 129 114641) revealed that the critical temperature may be enhanced by increasing the ribbon width. In this brief report, we justified that the critical temperature becomes almost constant up to a certain ribbon width. This result indicates that the critical temperature in the graphene nanoribbon will never reach room temperature for any ribbon widths, thus it is likely difficult to apply pristine graphene nanoribbon in any practical devices working near room temperature.
Characterization of bacterocin-like substances produced by two local Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei strains

The increasing consumer awareness of the risks derived not only from food borne pathogens, but also from the artificial chemical preservatives used to control them, has led to an increased interest in food -grade preservatives of biological origin. In this respect, special interest has been focused on the antimicrobial bacteriocins and the lactic acid bacteria producing them which are considered safe biopreservatives. In the present study, sixty nine lactobacillus strains isolated from retail samples of local foods and dairy products were screened for bacteriocin production Of the 47 Lactobacillus isolates found to be bacteriocin-like substances producers, five best strains which showed the strongest antibacterial activity against E.coli; Listeria monocytogenes; Bacillus cereus; Salmonella enteritides; and Staphylococcus aureus, were selected and identified, among these isolates, two were found belong to Lb. paracasei subsp. paracasei. The bacteriocin-like substances (BLS) produced by these strains were tested for characteristics that could determine their usefulness as food biopreservatives. The two BLS retained most of their bacterial activity even after autoclaving and after extended refrigerated and freezing storage, as well as after exposure to organic solvents or surfactants, and they remained functional over a wide pH rang of 3.0 to 12.0 and tolerated up to 20.0% sodium chloride. In addition they exhibited broad antimicrobial spectra against not only G + bacteria but also against G bacteria and yeasts. These results suggest that BLS produced by two local Lactobacillus strains has an application potential as food biopreservatives, and may be used as alternatives or complimentary for antibiotics.
Design and simulation of heat sink for exhaust heat recovery system using thermoelectric generator

Heat sinks are a classification of heat exchangers ideally utilised in electronics to cool them. They can be simply fabricated, have low cost and are reliable for heat dissipation purpose. The protruding surfaces from them are called fins. They can be flat-plate or pin shaped. The aim of the present study is to investigate the performance characteristics of a heat sink. The materials and the fin design will be used as two major factors to increase the heat dissipation from the test apparatus. The project will show a three-dimensional analysis, using COMSOL 5.3a, which will verify with accessible exploratory information in the existing data for a continued finned heat sink. It will also identify the heat dissipation and mean temperature distribution of the heat sink for natural convection. Before moving on to design and simulation of heat sink, the first aim was to construct and simulate a leg of a thermoelectric generator model for obtaining the optimum working region of the thermoelectric generator taking into consideration the properties such as temperature difference and heat transfer coefficient. Therefore, available research techniques are briefed upon which enhance the heat removal from heat sinks.
Influence of different wavelet filtering reconstruction techniques applied to bidimensional surface texture characterization

This article develops a preliminary study of the wavelet filtering application in surface finishing, extracting two-dimensional information from the surface microgeometry in a profile. First, the key elements to be considered in the analysis are described, starting with the surface finishing process of measurement. Then, the fundamentals of wavelet-based filtering and the traditional filtration procedure is shown. This procedure eliminates the values of the detail coefficients obtained in the filtering process before the reconstruction of the signal. Other alternatives of filtration, based on the shrinkage wavelet methodology, are also considered. Next, the features of the surface finish characteristic signals are highlighted, and the alternatives considered are applied on three different profiles generated from the result of a Brinell hardness test. Finally, the main conclusions drawn from the study are presented.
Operating Mode Effect on Lipids Production from Rhodotorula mucilaginosa: Modelling and Simulation Trends

A sustainable alternative for fossil fuels substitution is the production of biodiesel from natural lipids. Mainly, such oil used is in the form of triglycerides and is characterized by being potentially renewable, non-toxic, and biodegradable, thus making it a sustainable product. For producing such biofuel, yeast oil is one of the most viable and currently known options, obtaining theoretically optimal results. In this article, kinetic parameters from the oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa will simulate lipid accumulation capacity based on different bioreactor operating modes. Likewise, The Matlab software is used to simulate batch and continuous operating modes to establish comparisons between the productions obtained and their respective yields. The results obtained for the batch mode were: 14 g/L for the growth of biomass and an estimate of 0.22 g/g for lipid production. Likewise, for the continuous mode, its results were: 19 g/L for biomass growth and a value of 0.30 g/g in lipid production. The simulated results in continuous mode would demonstrate the effectiveness of its implementation since a more significant lipid accumulation is reached.
Dynamic numerical simulation of pre-cracked concrete samples under different mechanical parameters

Numerical simulations of pre-cracked concrete subjected to dynamic impact compressive stress wave are carried out via DRFPA (Dynamic Realistic Failure Process Analysis). This code is validated firstly by comparing experimental results. Then, the initiation, propagation and coalescence of wing cracks and secondary cracks are numerically investigated by varying elastic modulus, uniaxial compressive strength, and homogeneity index of some phases (bond and aggregate) of concrete. The numerically simulated concrete failure mode (tension/shear failure) and its development in both quasi-coplanar plane and concrete bridge are analyzed and discussed. Numerical results show that the tension failure occurs firstly whereas shear failure occurs shortly thereafter with continuous dynamic loadings and its reflected wave. Meanwhile, the evolution of wing cracks and secondary cracks are numerically investigated. In addition, the effect of elastic modulus, uniaxial compressive strength, and homogeneity index of concrete phases on the crack evolutions are also studied.
Previously uncharacterized rectangular bacterial structures in the dolphin mouth

Much remains to be explored regarding the diversity of uncultured, host-associated microbes. Here, we describe rectangular bacterial structures (RBSs) in the mouths of bottlenose dolphins. DNA staining revealed multiple paired bands within RBSs, suggesting the presence of cells dividing along the longitudinal axis. Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and tomography showed parallel membrane-bound segments that are likely cells, encapsulated by an S-layer-like periodic surface covering. RBSs displayed unusual pilus-like appendages with bundles of threads splayed at the tips. We present multiple lines of evidence, including genomic DNA sequencing of micromanipulated RBSs, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and fluorescence in situ hybridization, suggesting that RBSs are bacterial and distinct from the genera Simonsiella and Conchiformibius (family Neisseriaceae ), with which they share similar morphology and division patterning. Our findings highlight the diversity of novel microbial forms and lifestyles that await characterization using tools complementary to genomics such as microscopy. Dudek et al. describe rectangular bacterial structures in the mouths of dolphins. Using various genomic and microscopy techniques, they show that the structures consist of bacterial cells that appear to divide along the longitudinal axis and display other unusual features.
Spatial prediction of soil surface properties in an arid region using synthetic soil image and machine learning

Abstract Evaluation of spatial variability and mapping of soil properties is critical for sustainable agricultural production in arid lands. The main objectives of the present study were to spatialize soil organic carbon (SOC), soil particle size distribution(clay, sand, and silt contents), and calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE) by integrating multisource environmental covariates, including digital elevation model (DEM) and remote sensing data by machine learning (Cubist, Cu and random forest, RF) in an arid region of Iran. Additionally, Synthetic Soil Images (SySI) were achieved from multi-temporal images of bare soil pixels based on Landsats 4, 5, 7, 8, and a DEM. Three hundred topsoil samples (0–30 cm depth) were collected based on the conditioned Latin hypercube sampling (cLHS) approach in Afzar district, Fars province, southern Iran. The models were calibrated and validated by the 10-fold cross-validation approach, and the performance was evaluated using root mean square error (RMSE), the ratio of the performance to interquartile distance (RPIQ), and coefficient of determination (R 2). Also, the prediction accuracy was assessed by the relative RMSE (rRMSE). The performance of the best models based on the RPIQ index showed that the model for predicting clay (1.89) had a good prediction, for sand (1.64), SOC (1.55), and CCE (1.59) had a fair prediction, while the model for silt (1.13) performed poorly. We found that the Cu and RF models had the highest and lowest prediction accuracies for CCE (rRMSE = 14.31%) and SOC (rRMSE = 43.93%), respectively. We discovered that a combination of high-quality RS data (SySI) and variables derived from DEM were reasonably able to predict soil properties. We revealed a strong promise to enhance the accuracy of digital soil mapping, especially in regions with limited soil data. Moreover, the application of RS data can reduce the soil sampling cost and, accordingly, soil mapping.
Analysis of the effect of magnetotelluric data quality improvement using rho variance and edit XPR parameters in densely populated areas

Magnetotelluric (MT) research was conducted to map the fault structure in the western part of East Java. The advantage of the magnetotelluric method is its deep penetration because it propagates at a low frequency so that it can detect resistivity anomalies that are thought to be faults. The measuring path of the magnetotelluric method covered the Surabaya and Gresik areas. Research conducted in densely populated areas thus it requires a noise reduction process to improve the quality of the data. Performing the robust processing with Rho Variance parameters and editing XPR is an effort to reduce noise and to improve the quality of magnetotelluric data. The robust processing result of 5 (five) sounding MT data using the Rho Variance parameter can improve the quality of magnetotelluric data by increasing the coherence value of 2.128% (MT01), 2.804% (MT02), 2.378% (MT03), 3.508% (MT04), and 3.129% (MT12). Meanwhile, the editing XPR process can increase the coherence value of 0.184% (MT01), 7.155% (MT02), 9,364% (MT03), 0.784% (MT04), and 0.628% (MT12). Escalation of coherence value by implemented the Rho Variance and Editing XPR means that two methods are sufficient effectively to raise the confidence level of MT data processing and interpretation result.
Noninvasive evaluation of elastic properties for magnesium-calcium biodegradable alloys

Bone injuries can be fixed and stabilized using degradable implants from magnesium - calcium alloys. Mg and Ca being natural elements in human body, they are easiest to be absorbed without causing toxicity problems. The aim of the paper is to present the effect of Gd and Mn addition in 0.5wt. % in order to improve elastic properties of Mg-Ca0.5-[E]x (E = Mn or Gd) and possibility to be used as biodegradable materials. The addition of Mn / Gd in the binary MgCa alloy modify the structural properties of the alloy (analyzed as elastic properties, respectively crystallographic structure). The measurements and the results calculus were carried out using the ultrasound methods and the Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy.
MicroRNA-139-5p Alleviates High Glucose-Triggered Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cell Injury by Targeting LIM-Only Factor 4

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a type of diabetes complication, which can result in loss of vision in adults worldwide. Increasing evidence has revealed that microRNAs (miRs) can regulate DR progression. Thus, the present study was aimed at assessing the possible mechanism of miR-139-5p in high glucose- (HG-) incubated retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE-19) cells. The present results demonstrated that miR-139-5p expression was notably reduced in the serum samples of patients with DR, as well as in ARPE-19 cells treated with HG in a time-dependent manner. Moreover, miR-139-5p was markedly overexpressed by transfection of miR-139-5p mimics into ARPE-19 cells. Overexpression of miR-139-5p markedly induced cell viability and repressed HG-triggered apoptosis. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-139-5p relived HG-enhanced oxidative stress injury. It was found that HG induced malondialdehyde levels but decreased superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in ARPE-19 cells. In addition, overexpression of miR-139-5p could markedly decrease intracellular stress. The results demonstrated that overexpression of miR-139-5p effectively repressed HG-activated inflammation, as indicated by the upregulation of inflammation cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-6, and Cox-2, in ARPE-19 cells. Subsequently, it was identified that LIM-only factor 4 (LMO4) could act as a downstream target for miR-139-5p. LMO4 expression was significantly increased in patients with DR and HG-treated ARPE-19 cells. Mechanistically, knockdown of LMO4 reversed the biological role of miR-139-5p in proliferation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and release of inflammation factors in vitro. Collectively, these results suggested that miR-139-5p significantly decreased ARPE-19 cell injury caused by HG by inducing proliferation and suppressing cell apoptosis, oxidant stress, and inflammation by modulating LMO4.