Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The role of public participation in disaster risk reduction initiatives: The case of Katlehong township

Disaster risk reduction (DRR) has become a policy priority worldwide and in line with this trend, the South African Disaster Management Act and National Disaster Management Framework prioritise DRR in efforts to build resilient communities with local municipalities being required to develop their own Disaster Management Frameworks. The problem is that public participation is treated as of secondary importance yet international agreements such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) actively promote public participation in DRR. A bottom-up approach is the most effective in ensuring successful DRR initiatives at the local level because communities take ownership of these initiatives and gain a better understanding of their risks. Community-based disaster risk reduction originated in the paradigm shift away from the traditional disaster management approach, moving away from reactive responses in the top-down approach in disaster risk management to more proactive responses. This research study explored approaches used for public participation to ensure successful DRR initiatives in Katlehong township. The study is exploratory and descriptive, having used qualitative and quantitative research approaches, which included questionnaires and interviews. The results gleaned from the data suggested that the role of public participation in DRR initiatives is ineffective in Katlehong township because of the reluctance of stakeholders to participate in DRR. Accordingly, it was recommended that the municipality host stakeholder sessions where stakeholders are informed about the role of the centre and about their own role in DRR. Such stakeholder sessions should assist in resolving issues such as confusion about the stakeholders’ roles in DRR and help to obtain buy-in from all the stakeholders.
Mechanism Underlying the Bypass of Apurinic/Pyrimidinic Site Analogs by Sulfolobus acidocaldarius DNA Polymerase IV

The spontaneous depurination of genomic DNA occurs frequently and generates apurinic/pyrimidinic (AP) site damage that is mutagenic or lethal to cells. Error-prone DNA polymerases are specifically responsible for the translesion synthesis (TLS) of specific DNA damage, such as AP site damage, generally with relatively low fidelity. The Y-family DNA polymerases are the main error-prone DNA polymerases, and they employ three mechanisms to perform TLS, including template-skipping, dNTP-stabilized misalignment, and misincorporation-misalignment. The bypass mechanism of the dinB homolog (Dbh), an archaeal Y-family DNA polymerase from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, is unclear and needs to be confirmed. In this study, we show that the Dbh primarily uses template skipping accompanied by dNTP-stabilized misalignment to bypass AP site analogs, and the incorporation of the first nucleotide across the AP site is the most difficult. Furthermore, based on the reported crystal structures, we confirmed that three conserved residues (Y249, R333, and I295) in the little finger (LF) domain and residue K78 in the palm subdomain of the catalytic core domain are very important for TLS. These results deepen our understanding of how archaeal Y-family DNA polymerases deal with intracellular AP site damage and provide a biochemical basis for elucidating the intracellular function of these polymerases.
An Effective and Efficient Algorithm for K-Means Clustering With New Formulation

K-means is one of the most simple and popular clustering algorithms, which implemented as a standard clustering method in most of machine learning researches. The goal of K-means clustering is finding a set of cluster centers and minimizing the sum of squared distances between each sample and its nearest clustering center. In this paper, we proposed a novel K-means clustering algorithm, which reformulate the classical K-Means objective function as a trace maximization problem and then replace it with a new formulation. The proposed algorithm does not need to calculate the cluster centers in each iteration and requires fewer additional intermediate variables during the optimization process. In addition, we proposed an efficient iterative re-weighted algorithm to solve the involved optimization problem and provided the corresponding convergence analysis. The proposed algorithm keeps a consistent computational complexity as Lloyd's algorithm, <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {O}(ndk)$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mrow><mml:mi mathvariant="script">O</mml:mi><mml:mo>(</mml:mo><mml:mi>n</mml:mi><mml:mi>d</mml:mi><mml:mi>k</mml:mi><mml:mo>)</mml:mo></mml:mrow></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="li-ieq1-3155450.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula>, but shows a faster convergence rate in experiments. Extensive experimental results on real world benchmark datasets show the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
Nuisance algae in water supply projects in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a tropical continental island which consists of 103 rivers and about ten thousand man made tanks. There are over 250 water supply systems constructed using these water bodies since later part of the nineteenth century, reservoirs which are used extensively for domestic and agricultural practices. It is reported that most of these water sources are constantly becoming contaminated with different types of algae making the water unsuitable for human consumption. The present study was carried out to identify toxin producing, filter clogging, taste and odor forming nuisance algae and some physico-chemical parameters in some selected water bodies namely Labugama, Kalatuwawa, Parakramasamudra, Kondawatuwana, Mahaweli intake at Neelapola and Kantale. Sampling for algae and physico cemical parameters were carried out for a period of one year from April 2009 to April 2010. The results of the present study showed that all physico-chemical parameters in the water bodies were within the drinking water quality standards recommended for Sri Lanka. However Species diversity and density of phytoplankton was different in the water bodies. In Labugama and Kalatuwawa, total algae population consisted 10% of cyanotoxin producing Microcystis aeruginosa, 10%, 20% and 60% of taste and odor forming Peridinium sp. , Microcystis sp. and Staurastrum species respectively. In contrast, 89% of cyanotoxin producing cyanobacteria in Kondawatuwana tank, 50% in Parakramasamudra, 40% in Neelapola and 95% in Kantale were detected. Total filter clogging algae in Parakramasamudra, Neelapola, Kondawatuwana and Kantale were 29%, 69%, 72% and 15% respectively while taste and odor forming algae were 22%, 36%, 72% and 11% respectively. Among the water bodies under study Neelapola recorded the highest occurrence (34%) of filter clogging diatom while the highest percentage of cyanotoxin producing M. aeruginosa (62%) and Cylindrospermpsis sp. (85%) were recorded from Kondawatuwana and Kantale tanks respectively. During the study period, the lowest percentages of toxic producing algae were recorded from Labugama and Kalatuwawa reservoirs which are exclusively used for drinking purposes indicating their suitability as drinking water sources. In contrast, the highest percentages of toxin producing, filter clogging and taste and odor forming algae were recorded in Kondawatuwana drinking water tank. As for the other water bodies studies showed that there is no immediate threat due to algae.
Multi-Objective Optimization of Interior Permanent Magnet Machine for Heavy-Duty Vehicle Direct-Drive Applications

In this paper, an interior permanent magnet (IPM) machine is presented and optimized for heavy-duty vehicle direct-drive applications. Since efficiency decrease and serious heating come along with excessive core loss under flux weakening control, a rotor topology with the combination of the eccentricity structure and magnetic barriers is proposed. The key is to achieve the comprehensive optimization of the proposed rotor topology to satisfy the different requirements under diverse operating points. Then, a multi-objective automatic parallel optimization method is applied, which simultaneously analyzes multi-condition operation without weight coefficients defined artificially. The 3D Pareto solution set is generated by using nature inspired evolutionary algorithm based on the high-precision metal-modals of optimal prognosis, which reduce the needed computation cost significantly. Moreover, the back electromotive force total harmonic distortion, torque and core loss of the optimal machine are analyzed at corresponding operating points. Finally, the finite-element results are validated by experiments based on a prototype machine.
Soft Anticholinergics

The soft drug (pharmacologically active compounds which undergo predictable, preferably one-step, deactivation to a nontoxic moiety, after achieving the desired pharmacological effect) approach was applied to design and evaluate soft anticholinergics based on several known anticholinergics (propantheline, atropine and scopolamine. These compounds are intended for selective local action with decreased potential for systemic side effects. The new compounds synthesized were found to be potent anticholinergics both in vitro and in vivo. A propantheline soft analog was equipotent with propantheline in inhibiting indomethacin-induced gastric ulceration in rats and exhibited a shorter duration of systemic anticholinergic action in rabbits than propantheline. The methatropine and methscopolamine soft analogs were potent anticholinergics with very short duration of mydriatic action in rabbits compared to their hard analogs. In contrast to their hard analogs, they exhibited no systemic anticholinergic activity on topical administration into the rabbit eye. The potent anticholinergic activity combined with increased metabolic lability of the compounds described in this article fulfill the design requirements of ideal soft drugs.
The chemical, microbial and sensory evaluation of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) for human consumption and acceptability

The chemical and microbial content of three lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) cultivars („SA Standard‟, „WL711‟ and „WL525‟) and one spinach beet (Beta vulgaris var. cicla L.) cultivar (as control) were investigated in order to determine the nutritional benefits of lucerne, as well as to determine the cultivar to use for future research. Degrees Brix and amino acids were determined for raw cultivars. Macroand micro-minerals, protein, dry matter, moisture, ash, fat, fibre, carbohydrate and energy contents; average mineral cooking losses; microbial counts and shelf-life were determined for both raw and cooked cultivars. Analysis of variance determined differences between cultivars. The Tukey-Kramer multiple comparison test (α=0.05) was used to determine differences between cultivar means. The Brix content of the lucerne cultivars was significantly (p<0.01) higher than spinach beet (SB). Raw lucerne cultivars had significantly (p<0.01; p<0.001) higher Ca and S contents than raw SB. The K, S and Mn content for the raw lucerne cultivars, were significantly (p<0.001) higher than the cooked cultivars. The protein content of the raw lucerne cultivars were significantly (p<0.001) higher than the raw SB. Cooked „SA Standard‟ and „WL525‟ had significantly (p<0.001) higher protein contents than cooked SB. Both raw and cooked „SA Standard‟ had a significantly (p<0.001) higher carbohydrate content than both raw and cooked „WL525‟, „WL711‟ and SB. Raw „SA Standard‟ had a significantly (p<0.001) higher energy content than raw „WL525‟, „WL711‟ and SB. Cooked „SA Standard‟ had a significantly (p<0.001) higher energy content than cooked „WL525‟ and SB. The lucerne cultivars contained higher values of essential and non-essential amino acids than SB. The total bacterial count, coliform count, lactic acid bacteria count and mould count conformed to standards while cooking significantly (p<0.001) reduced the bacterial load. No E. coli or coliforms were detected in any of the raw and cooked cultivars and SB. For the microbial shelf-life study, it was concluded that the cooked lucerne and SB samples were of satisfactory microbiological quality until day seven. Based on these findings, lucerne cultivar „SA Standard‟ was proposed for further studies.
Comparison of Ethanol Stability and Chemical Composition of Camel Milk from Five Samples

Simple Summary Camel milk has recently gained the interest of consumers and the dairy industry, as it is widely suggested as an ideal substitute for cow milk. The nutritional value and the bioactivity of camel milk proteins have received particular attention from research groups and industrial companies around the world. Camel milk proteins can be used as ingredients in the manufacturing and stabilization of foods and beverages; however, in these applications, the controlled aggregation of milk proteins and stability at high temperatures and in alcohol are desirable. The ethanol stability of milk could be used as an indicator of its freshness and provide information on the stability of raw milk ultra-high temperatures and powder processing. Abstract This research was carried out to study the variation in ethanol stability and chemical composition of five camel milk samples, including two pasteurized samples (Alwatania and Darir alabaker) and three raw samples (Majaheim, Wadah, and Hamra). Ethanol stability was analyzed by dispersing camel milk samples with 0 to 100% ethanol (v/v). The findings indicate that camel milk samples precipitated after adding an equal volume of ethanol at concentrations between 50% and 64% ethanol, depending on the milk sample. The addition of sodium chloride at different concentrations (1–10%) to camel milk resulted in a significant increase in ethanol stability, and samples from Majaheim and Alwatania exhibited the highest ethanol stability values (88%). In contrast, the addition of EDTA to camel milk for pH ranging between 5.9 and 7.1 has increased ethanol stability with a sigmoidal shape in camel milk. The largest ethanol stability differences were observed in a camel milk sample from Alwatania. Thus, the level of Ca2+ in camel milk may contribute to ethanol stability by shifting the entire profile to higher ethanol stability values. The chemical composition of different camel samples was also determined. The lactose content of camel milk varied significantly (p < 0.05) across samples, ranging from 4.37% in Majaheim camel milk to 4.87% in Alwatania camel milk. The total solids of camel milk varied significantly between raw and pasteurized samples, ranging between 10.17% and 12.10%. Furthermore, protein concentration in camel milk obtained from different camel samples varied, from 2.43% to 3.23% for Hamra and Alwatania, respectively. In conclusion, ethanol stability in camel milk was dependent on the camel breed, pH level, ionic strength, and EDTA addition.
New Blockchain Protocol for Partial Confidentiality and Transparency (PPCT)

Running behind new technologies is increasingly becoming a non-circumventable requirement for organisms’ survival. This is not only a strategy to gain a competitive advantage in the market but it is a determinant key for their continuity and persistence. The Blockchain is at the heart of this technological revolution for which transparency, accessibility to the public and the sense of sharing are fundamental properties of its design. Despite its importance, leveraging this technology in an ethical and secure manner by ensuring confidentiality and privacy is a top concern. Through this work, we try to design a new approach to validate transactions within the Blockchain. Entitled "Protocol for Partial Confidentiality & Transparency PPCT", this new protocol makes possible to seek a compromise between the two requirements: Confidentiality & Transparency. It allows introducing a new notion of confidentiality that we have named partial confidentiality. Subsequently, it applies it on the transactions exchanged while ensuring the process of their validations by the different nodes of the Blockchain. In addition, and through the use of hashing and digital signature functions, this protocol also ensures integrity and authentication within its validation process. To present this work, we will first discuss the state of the art on the different current privacy approaches and our motivation behind this work. Then we will explain more about the different stages of this process, its benefits and areas for improvement. Keywords—Blockchain; security; privacy; confidentiality; transparency; integrity; authentication; validation process
Trends in coordination of rhenium organometallic complexes in the Protein Data Bank

This topical review is focused on the development of radiopharmaceuticals containing the radioisotopes of rhenium and technetium, and examines the occurrence of these transition-metal complexes in protein structures in the Worldwide Protein Data Bank. In summing up and looking forward, the authors ask what is the best way for this field to progress.
Pemberdayaan UMKM Melalui Digitalisasi Keuangan Menggunakan Aplikasi Catatan Keuangan di Pasar Kranggan Wilayah Kecamatan Jati Sampurna Kota Bekasi Jawa Barat

Penulis ingin mengetahui para pelaku UMKM dalam memahami digitalisasi keuangan dalam menggunakan aplikasi catatan keuangan untuk kegiatan usaha UMKM. Dalam hal ini penelitian melakukan penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui lebih mendalam mengenai digitalisasi keuangan dalam menggunakan aplikasi catatan keuangan yang dapat meningkatkan produktifitas kinerja dan usaha. Metode penelitian ini menggunakan deskriptif kualitatif melalui hasil wawancara secara jarak jauh dan jarak dekat yang diwakili sebanyak 25 orang. Manfaat penelitian adalah supaya pelaku UMKM dapat lebih memahami pencatatan transaksi keuangan dalam meningkatkan tata kelola keuangan usaha UMKM. Batasan penelitian ini dibatasai hanya pada pemberdayaan UMKM melalui digitalisasi keuangan dengan menggunakan aplikasi catatan keuangan pada media handphone atau Ipad untuk pelaku usaha UMKM. Kontribusi penelitian ini adalah meningkatkan layanan digitalisasi keuangan dalam menggunakan aplikasi catatan keuangan pada sektor perdagangan dan sektor industri kreatif secara tangguh dan produktif. Hasil penelitian dan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini adalah mencakup pemberdayaan UMKM melalui digitalisasi keuangan menggunakan aplikasi catatan keuangan dan optimalisasi jaringan layanan bisnis UMKM secara digitalisasi keuangan dan program pemberdayaan UMKM melalui Aplikasi Catatan Keuangan.
Expression of FMRpolyG in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Women with Fragile X Mental Retardation 1 Gene Premutation

Fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI) is characterized by oligo/amenorrhea and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and is caused by the expansion of the CGG repeat in the 5′UTR of Fragile X Mental Retardation 1 (FMR1). Approximately 20% of women carrying an FMR1 premutation (PM) allele (55–200 CGG repeat) develop FXPOI. Repeat Associated Non-AUG (RAN)-translation dependent on the variable CGG-repeat length is thought to cause FXPOI, due to the production of a polyglycine-containing FMR1 protein, FMRpolyG. Peripheral blood monocyte cells (PBMCs) and granulosa cells (GCs) were collected to detect FMRpolyG and its cell type-specific expression in FMR1 PM carriers by immunofluorescence staining (IF), Western blotting (WB), and flow cytometric analysis (FACS). For the first time, FMRpolyG aggregates were detected as ubiquitin-positive inclusions in PBMCs from PM carriers, whereas only a weak signal without inclusions was detected in the controls. The expression pattern of FMRpolyG in GCs was comparable to that in the lymphocytes. We detected FMRpolyG as a 15- to 25-kDa protein in the PBMCs from two FMR1 PM carriers, with 124 and 81 CGG repeats. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that FMRpolyG was significantly higher in the T cells from PM carriers than in those from non-PM carriers. The detection of FMRpolyG aggregates in the peripheral blood and granulosa cells of PM carriers suggests that it may have a toxic potential and an immunological role in ovarian damage in the development of FXPOI.
nursing internship in COVID-19 times

The objective of the research is to know how nursing students fulfill the rotating internship service, knowing that this is a mandatory program in medicine, nursing, obstetrics, and nutrition careers in higher education institutions in Ecuador. To complete this program, students apply and deepen the knowledge acquired in their previous levels of training. An analysis of the situation of intern nursing students during the pandemic caused by SARs CoV2 is presented. The regulations for the development of the internship were analyzed, evidencing educational gaps in biosafety matters and it became necessary to reorient the current regulations for the realization of the rotating internship and other clinical practices in terms of the functions of the interns and the obligations of the establishments of Health. It is concluded that the rotating nursing internship program must be reviewed and analyzed to prevent students from risking their physical and mental health in practice, for this, the Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador and the universities must reorient inter-institutional agreements towards the health care and optimal training of future professionals.
Mucopolysaccharidosis-Plus Syndrome, a Rapidly Progressive Disease: Favorable Impact of a Very Prolonged Steroid Treatment on the Clinical Course in a Child

Mucopolysaccharidosis-plus syndrome (MPS-PS) is a novel autosomal recessive disorder caused by a mutation in the VPS33A gene. This syndrome presents with typical symptoms of mucopolysaccharidosis, as well as congenital heart defects, renal, and hematopoietic system disorders. To date, twenty-four patients have been described. There is no specific therapy for MPS-PS; clinical management is therefore limited to symptoms management. The clinical course is rapidly progressive, and most patients die before 1–2 years of age. We describe a currently 6-year-old male patient with MPS-PS presenting with multiorgan involvement. Symptoms started at four months of age when he progressively suffered from numerous acute and potentially life-threatening events. When he was two years old, he developed secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), which was successfully treated with steroids. To date, this child represents the oldest patient affected by MPS-PS described in the literature and the first one presenting with a life-threatening secondary HLH. The prolonged steroid treatment allowed a stabilization of his general and hematological conditions and probably determined an improvement of his psychomotor milestones and new neurological acquisitions with an improvement of quality of life. HLH should be suspected and adequately treated in MPS-PS patients presenting with suggestive symptoms of the disease. The usefulness of a prolonged steroid treatment to improve the clinical course of children with MPS-PS deserves further investigation.