Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Validation and Ecological Niche Investigation of a New Fungal Intraspecific Competitor as a Biocontrol Agent for the Sustainable Containment of Aflatoxins on Maize Fields

Crop yield and plant products quality are directly or indirectly affected by climate alterations. Adverse climatic conditions often promote the occurrence of different abiotic stresses, which can reduce or enhance the susceptibility to pests or pathogens. Aflatoxin producing fungi, in particular, whose diffusion and deleterious consequences on cereals commodities have been demonstrated to highly depend on the temperature and humidity conditions that threaten increasingly larger areas. Biological methods using intraspecific competitors to prevent fungal development and/or toxin production at the pre-harvest level are particularly promising, even if their efficacy could be affected by the ecological interaction within the resident microbial population. A previously characterized Aspergillus flavus atoxigenic strain was applied in two maize fields to validate its effectiveness as a biocontrol agent against aflatoxin contamination. At one month post-application, at the harvest stage, its persistence within the A. flavus population colonizing the maize kernels in the treated area was assessed, and its efficacy was compared in vitro with a representation of the isolated atoxigenic population. Results proved that our fungal competitor contained the aflatoxin level on maize grains as successfully as a traditional chemical strategy, even if representing less than 30% of the atoxigenic strains re-isolated, and achieved the best performance (in terms of bio-competitive potential) concerning endogenous atoxigenic isolates.
Dual coding theory and its application in healthcare facility

The gap between verbal and non-verbal learning has always been a task for trainers and finding new ways for the same. Dual Coding Theory as a theory has been quite popular for past several years but still has not yet made its place in the daily education concepts. This paper focuses on application of the concept of Dual Coding Theory in which visuals were integrated into the content delivery and pre & post session evaluation using questionnaire having visuals to bring down the cognitive load on the mind of learners when being introduced to a new concept. Learners were healthcare workers and administrative staff who belonged to diversified departments. Content delivery was on Radiation Safety in Healthcare Facility to which they could be directly or indirectly encountering during their course of working. Attendees were appreciative of the visual dynamic components (Hand Drawn Images on Digital/Physical White Boards) for ease of understanding, interactive delivery and real time evaluation tools.
Investigation of Pretreatment of Textile Wastewater for Membrane Processes and Reuse for Washing Dyeing Machines

The aim of this study was to investigate the best pretreatment of textile wastewater (TWW) for membrane separation processes and the previously unexplored reuse of treated TWW for washing dyeing machines. Sand filtration (SF), coagulation, coagulation/flocculation, and ultrafiltration (UF) with hollow fiber membrane (ZW1) were used for pretreatment. Pretreatment selection was based on turbidity, total organic carbon (TOC), and color. SF and ZW1 were found to be the best pretreatments. In addition, the SF and ZW1 effluents were subjected to the 5 (PT) and 50 (MW) kDa UF flat sheet membranes to test removal efficiency. ZW1-PT was better in terms of removal results and fouling. To reduce the use of drinking water for washing dyeing machines, the characteristics of ZW1-PT effluent were compared with drinking water from a textile factory. TWW treated with this hybrid process fulfils the purpose of reuse for washing dyeing machines and can be used in Galeb d.d. , Croatia, or in any other textile factory, saving up to 26,000 m3 of drinking water per year. This contributes to both sustainable production and the conservation of water resources.
Effect of Varenicline on Detrusor Overactivity in Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease Induced by Intranigral 6-Hydroxydopamine

Background: Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by both motor and non-motor symptoms. Bladder dysfunction is the common non-motor symptom of PD, most often presenting with detrusor overactivity (DO). Treatment of DO is currently limited, poorly tolerated and sometimes ineffective. Bladder responses are not only mediated by muscarinic cholinergic receptors (mAChR) but also by nicotinic cholinergic receptors (nAChR). However, nicotinic receptor subtypes and functions in the bladder are not clearly identified. Purpose: This study aimed at investigating the effect of varenicline, an alpha7 full agonist and alpha4beta2/alpha3 partial agonist, on detrusor strips in rat PD model induced by substantia nigra injection of 6-hydroxydopamine. Method: The detrusor activity was studied in an isolated organ bath system. Results: In PD group, the detrusor activity was increased, whereas varenicline decreased the DO. Conclusion: Alpha7 nAChR agonists may have therapeutic potential in treatment of bladder overactivity
Design Analysis of Solar-Powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

One of the main problems in micro unmanned aerial vehicles is endurance or flight time since the general domain aircraft uses conventional fuel, which is a pollutant, has a limited life and is costly. Then, there is a huge demand for using an unlimited non-exhaustible source of energy. Solar energy is one of the unlimited available renewable energy which can be used to increase the endurance of unmanned aerial vehicle without adding significant mass or increasing the size of the fuel system. This paper aims to encourage research on renewable energy sources for aviation considering the basic challenges for a solar-powered aircraft: geographical area of operation, energy collection and storage, payload and design parameters. Hence, a plane is designed for 2 kg, including payload, and is analyzed in various aspects. Besides, the design is optimized starting from airfoil to complete structure for better performance.
Decomposition Characteristics of the TTIP (Tetraisopropyl Orthotitanate) Precursor for Atomic Layer Deposition

The decomposition of tetraisopropyl orthotitanate (TTIP), a representative precursor used in the atomic layer deposition (ALD) of titanium dioxide (TiO2) film, and the resulting changes in the thin film properties of the TiO2 film were investigated. TTIP was evaluated after exposure to thermal stress in an enclosed container. The vapor pressure results provide reasonable evidence that impurities are generated by the decomposition of TTIP under thermal stress. These impurities led to changes in the thermal properties of TTIP and changes in the growth rate, morphology, and composition of the thin film; in particular, these impurities increased the unstable oxidation states of Ti2+ (TiO) content in the TiO2 film. The changes in the properties of the TiO2 film resulting from the changes in the physical properties of TTIP led to a change in the properties of the device. We proved that the thermal stability of the precursor is a factor that can determine the reliability of the ALD process and the resulting thin film. Additionally, systematic evaluation of the precursor can provide useful information that can improve the development of the precursor and the consistency of the process.
Pathogenic Leptospira Species Are Widely Disseminated among Wild Rodents in Urban Areas of Guangzhou, Southern China

Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonotic disease with global importance caused by pathogenic Leptospira. Rodents are considered the most significant reservoirs for both human and animal infection. Historically, Guangzhou has been an endemic region of human leptospirosis. Although the incidence in humans has significantly decreased in the past decades in China, the epidemiology of pathogenic Leptospira in wild rodents is of great significance for the prevention and control of human leptospirosis. In this study, a total of 296 wild rodents were trapped in urban areas of Guangzhou, in southern China, in 2020. Three pathogenic Leptospira species, i.e., Leptospira interrogans, L. borgpetersenii, and L. kirschneri, were detected by nested PCR in this wild rodent population with an overall prevalence of 9.5%. Additionally, L. interrogans was detected in three of the four captured rodent species, and the relative high prevalence suggests that L. interrogans probably represents the preponderant species of the pathogenic Leptospira circulating in Guangzhou. Taken together, this study reveals a high genetic diversity of pathogenic Leptospira disseminated among wild rodents in the urban areas of Guangzhou and emphasizes that the risk for the occurrence of human leptospirosis in Guangzhou remains high.
CYBER BULLYING DETECTION USING MACHINE LEARNING AND DEEP LEARNING

—The use of information and technology to bully a person online is referred to as cyberbullying. Individuals use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to ridicule, embarrass, taunt, defame, intimidate, and criticise a person without making a direct eye contact. With the rise of social media, bullies have created a “virtual playground” in Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter and YouTube by targeting specific set of individuals or groups. It is necessary to deploy models and mechanisms in place for bullying contents, where the content is automatically detected and resolved, as the repercussions could have societal ramifications. This paper proposes a unique hybrid model for detecting cyberbullying in three different types of social media content such as textual, visual, and infographic data.
The use of shaft voltage to detect air gap eccentricity and shorted turns in salient pole alternators

Electrical machine manufacturers deem that if an induced shaft voltage is measured higher than 250 mV rms on a ball and roller bearing or 400 mV rms on a sleeve type bearing, the nondrive end bearing shall be insulated from the frame to avoid bearing damaging circulating currents. Irregularities in the magnetic circuit may cause a small amount of flux to link the shaft, with the result that an electromotive force is generated between the shaft ends. This electromotive force will produce a current to flow through the shaft, bearings, bearing supports, machine framework and back to the other end of the shaft, unless this circuit is interrupted by insulation. If the rotor pole has shorted turns or the stator to rotor air gap is eccentric, then this will cause a magnetic unbalance as described above. There could also be some electromagnetic effect transmitted to the shaft from the DC cables which run along the shaft to feed the rotor poles. Diesel driven salient pole alternators are the main power generation facility of most offshore drilling rigs. Failure of these units can have drastic effects on the drilling activity as well as safety implications. Prevention of such failures is vital. This paper describes the rationale adopted and noninvasive tests conducted to detect malfunctions within salient pole alternator rotors, while the machine is in service. Results are presented showing that shaft voltage can be used as a predictive maintenance technique and condition monitoring tool on this type of alternator rotor.
Microbiota and Transcriptomic Effects of an Essential Oil Blend and Its Delivery Route Compared to an Antibiotic Growth Promoter in Broiler Chickens

This study evaluated the effect of the delivery of a commercial essential oil blend containing the phytonutrients star anise, cinnamon, rosemary, and thyme oil (via different routes) on broiler chickens’ ileal and ceca microbiota and liver transcriptome compared to an antibiotic growth promoter. Eggs were incubated and allocated into three groups: non-injected, in ovo saline, and in ovo essential oil. On day 18 of incubation, 0.2 mL of essential oil in saline (dilution ratio of 2:1) or saline alone was injected into the amnion. At hatch, chicks were assigned to post-hatch treatment combinations: (A) a negative control (corn-wheat-soybean diet), (B) in-feed antibiotics, (C) in-water essential oil (250 mL/1000 L of drinking water), (D) in ovo saline, (E) in ovo essential oil, and (F) in ovo essential oil plus in-water essential oil in eight replicate cages (six birds/cage) and raised for 28 days. On days 21 and 28, one and two birds per cage were slaughtered, respectively, to collect gut content and liver tissues for further analysis. Alpha and beta diversity differed significantly between ileal and ceca samples but not between treatment groups. In-feed antibiotic treatment significantly increased the proportion of specific bacteria in the family Lachnospiraceae while reducing the proportion of bacteria in the genus Christensenellaceae in the ceca, compared to other treatments. Sex-controlled differential expression of genes related to cell signaling and tight junctions were recorded. This study provides data that could guide the use of these feed additives and a foundation for further research.
Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Evaluation of Canine Nerve Sheath Tumors and Proposal for an Updated Classification

Nerve sheath tumors are a group of tumors originating from Schwann cells, fibroblasts, and perineurial cells. In veterinary pathology, the terminology for nerve sheath tumors remains inconsistent, and many pathologists follow the human classification of such tumors in practice. Immunohistochemistry plays an important role in the diagnosis of nerve sheath tumors, but specific immunohistochemical and molecular biomarkers are lacking. In our study, we histopathologically reevaluated 79 canine nerve sheath tumors and assessed their reactivity for the immunohistochemical markers Sox10, claudin-1, GFAP, CNPase, and Ki-67. Based on the results, we classified the tumors according to the most recent human classification. Twelve cases were diagnosed as benign nerve sheath tumors, including six neurofibromas, three nerve sheath myxomas, two hybrid nerve sheath tumors (perineurioma/neurofibroma and perineurioma/schwannoma), and one schwannoma. Sixty-seven tumors were malignant nerve sheath tumors, including fifty-six conventional, four perineural, one epithelioid malignant nerve sheath tumor, and six malignant nerve sheath tumors with divergent differentiation. We believe that with the application of the proposed panel, an updated classification of canine nerve sheath tumors could largely follow the recent human WHO classification of tumors of the cranial and paraspinal nerves, but prospective studies would be needed to assess its prognostic value.
Comparison of Honey Dressing with Povidone-iodine dressing in Infected Surgical Wounds

Background: Honey is a type of natural dressing with many mechanical, biochemical and antimicrobial properties. Aim: To prove that Honey is better than conventional dressing with Povidone-Iodine (PVI) in terms of pain control and wound healing. Methods: It is a randomized, single blind and multicentre experimental study, carried out in 2 hospitals i.e., Bhatti International Teaching Hospital situated in Kasur and Noor Hospital situated in Kot Radha Kishan from 04-05-18 to 10-01-19. 105 patients were included in the study while 2 patients left the follow up during study period. 2 parameters were studied i.e. Pain control and wound healing. Pain is assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) and wound healing was assessed in terms of resolution of erythema and resolution of discharge from the wound. Results: Mean age of patients in Honey dressing (HD) group was 42±12 years while mean age of patients in PVI dressing (PD) group was 40±13 years. 75% of patients from HD group were male while 25% were female. In PD group, 66% patients were male while 34% were female. Mean VAS in HD was 1.2±0.5 while it was 4.0±1.1 in PD group (p value=0.002). 86.5% (45 out of 52) of patients had successful outcome (resolution of erythema and discharge from wound and appearance of healthy granulation tissue) with the use of honey dressing while only 64.7% (33 out of 51) of patients had successful outcome with PVI dressing (2 sided sig.=0.01). Conclusion: Honey dressing is better than conventional Povidone-Iodine dressing in terms of cost factor, pain control and early wound healing.
Reference Gene Validation for RT–qPCR in PBMCs from Asthmatic Patients with or without Obesity

Obesity is known to impair the efficacy of glucocorticoid medications for asthma control. Glucocorticoid-induced gene expression studies may be useful to discriminate those obese asthmatic patients who present a poor response to glucocorticoids. The expression of genes of interest is normalized with respect to reference genes (RGs). Ideally, RGs have a stable expression in different samples and are not affected by experimental conditions. The objective of this work was to analyze suitable RGs to study the role of glucocorticoid-induced genes in obese asthmatic patients in further research. The gene expression of eight potential RGs (GUSB, B2M, POLR2A, PPIA, ACTB, GAPDH, HPRT1, and TBP) was assessed with reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from asthmatic, obese asthmatic, and healthy individuals. Their stability was analyzed using four different algorithms—BestKeeper, ΔCt, geNorm, and NormFinder. geNorm analysis recommended the use of a minimum of three genes for normalization. Moreover, intergroup variation due to the treatment was calculated by NormFinder, which found that B2M was the gene that was least affected by different treatments. Comprehensive rankings indicated GUSB and HPRT1 as the best RGs for qPCR in PBMCs from healthy and asthmatic subjects, while B2M and PPIA were the best for obese asthmatic subjects. Finally, our results demonstrated that B2M and HPRT1 were the most stable RGs among all groups, whereas ACTB, TBP, and GAPDH were the worst shared ones.
Innovative Antibiofilm Smart Surface against Legionella for Water Systems

Legionella pneumophila contamination of water systems is a crucial issue for public health. The pathogen is able to persist in water as free-living planktonic bacteria or to grow within biofilms that adhere to and clog filters and pipes in a water system, reducing its lifespan and, in the case of hospital buildings, increasing the risk of nosocomial infections. The implementation of water management is considered to be the main prevention measure and can be achieved from the optimization of water system architecture, notably introducing new materials and strategies to contrast Legionella biofilm proliferation and so prolong the water system functionality. In this research, we propose a new smart surface against L. pneumophila biofilm formation. This is based on an innovative type of coating consisting of a sulfonated pentablock copolymer (s-PBC, commercially named Nexar™) deposited on top of a polypropylene (PP) coupon in a sandwich filter model. The covering of PP with s-PBC results in a more hydrophilic, acid, and negatively charged surface that induces microbial physiological inhibition thereby preventing adhesion and/or proliferation attempts of L. pneumophila prior to the biofilm formation. The antibiofilm property has been investigated by a Zone of Inhibition test and an in vitro biofilm formation analysis. Filtration tests have been performed as representative of possible applications for s-PBC coating. Results are reported and discussed.
In Vitro Fermentability of Soybean Oligosaccharides from Wastewater of Tofu Production

Soybean oligosaccharides (SBOS) isolated from wastewater of tofu production were studied in terms of their structural characteristics and in vitro fermentation by human fecal inocula. Three sub-fractions named Z1 (14%), Z2 (13%), and Z3 (17%) were obtained by Sephadex G-15 column separation. Z1 contained mainly stachyose; Z2 and Z3 contained stachyose, raffinose, and sucrose with different relative percentages. The in vitro batch fermentation model of human intestinal bacteria including 0, 12, 24, and 48 h was used to investigate the fermentation characteristics of SBOS. According to the results, during the fermentation process, the molecular weight of oligosaccharides decreased significantly with increasing fermentation time, indicating that oligosaccharides could be utilized and degraded by the colonic microbiota. Furthermore, SBOS could significantly promote the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially acetic, propionic, and butyric acids. SBOS increased the abundance of Firmicutes, while that of Proteobacteria was decreased. Additionally, SBOS could promote the proliferation of Dialister, Bacteroides, and Akkermansia at the genus level. Therefore, SBOS can be potentially used as prebiotic promoting gut health.
From Parasitized to Healthy-Looking Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Morphological Reconstruction Using Algorithmic Processing

Background: Parasites cause predictable alternative phenotypes of host individuals. Investigating these parasitogenic phenotypes may be essential in cases where parasitism is common or taxa is described based on a parasitized individual. Ignoring them could lead to erroneous conclusions in biodiversity-focused research, taxonomy, evolution, and ecology. However, to date, integrating alternative phenotypes into a set of wild-type individuals in morphometric analysis poses extraordinary challenges to experts. This paper presents an approach for reconstructing the putative healthy morphology of parasitized ants using algorithmic processing. Our concept enables the integration of alternative parasitogenic phenotypes in morphometric analyses. Methods: We tested the applicability of our strategy in a large pool of Cestoda-infected and healthy individuals of three Temnothorax ant species (T. nylanderi, T. sordidulus, and T. unifasciatus). We assessed the stability and convergence of morphological changes caused by parasitism across species. We used an artificial neural network-based multiclass classifier model to predict species based on morphological trait values and the presence of parasite infection. Results: Infection causes predictable morphological changes in each species, although these changes proved to be species-specific. Therefore, integrating alternative parasitogenic phenotypes in morphometric analyses can be achieved at the species level, and a prior species hypothesis is required. Conclusion: Despite the above limitation, the concept is appropriate. Beyond parasitogenic phenotypes, our approach can also integrate morphometric data of an array of alternative phenotypes (subcastes in social insects, alternative morphs in polyphenic species, and alternative sexes in sexually dimorphic species) whose integrability had not been resolved before.
Integrating Lecture and Laboratory in an Analog Electronics Course Using an Electronics Explorer Board

Kenneth V. Noren recieved the B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, in 1987, 1989, and 1992, respectively. He is a Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Idaho located in Moscow, Idaho. His research interests are in the area of design and modeling of analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits and in methods for engineering education.
Introduction to biofuel cells: A biological source of energy

ABSTRACT Todays, the greatest source of energy is supplied by fossil fuels, particularly oil. Burning of fossil fuels is associated with environmental problems, and also the resources of these fuels are limited. One of the new and effective resources of energy is biofuel cells, which is a solution for clean and renewable energy. It generates electrical energy by biological catalysts as microorganisms or enzymes. In this paper, classification, mechanism, and the favorable applications of biofuel cells are discussed. Then, the obtained results and the recommendations for further research studies in this topic are discussed.