Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Traditions and Customs in Community Development: The Case of Nkanu West and Nkanu East Local Government Areas of Enugu State, Nigeria

This study examined the influence of traditions and customs on community development in Nkanu West and Nkanu East Local Government Areas of Enugu State. The study was carried out with three objectives and three null hypotheses. The research adopted descriptive survey design with a population of 2,125 members of community Based Organizations in the study area. The sample size of 526 persons were selected using random and proportionate sampling techniques. Data for this study was collected with the use of a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was validated by two experts in the field of Adult and Non-Formal Education. Responses to the questionnaire items were analysed with the mean statistics and the hypotheses were tested using the chi square statistics at 0.05 level of significance. The results of the analysed data revealed that traditions and customs of the people of Nkanu West and Nkanu East LGAs have influenced community development both positively and negatively. The people have on some occasions rejected community development programmes that contradict their customs and traditions. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that the government and council of traditional rulers in Enugu State should organize sensitization programmes for community leaders to conscientize them on the need to eradicate certain customs and traditional practices that impede community development efforts in their communities. Keywords: Tradition, Custom, Community Development
Natural Competence of Xylella fastidiosa Occurs at a High Frequency Inside Microfluidic Chambers Mimicking the Bacterium's Natural Habitats

ABSTRACT Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-limited bacterium that is the causal agent of emerging diseases in a number of economically important crops. Genetic diversity studies have demonstrated homologous recombination occurring among X. fastidiosa strains, which has been proposed to contribute to host plant shifts. Moreover, experimental evidence confirmed that X. fastidiosa is naturally competent for recombination in vitro. Here, as an approximation of natural habitats (plant xylem vessels and insect mouthparts), recombination was studied in microfluidic chambers (MCs) filled with media amended with grapevine xylem sap. First, different media were screened for recombination in solid agar plates using a pair of X. fastidiosa strains that were previously reported to recombine in coculture. The highest frequency of recombination was obtained with PD3 medium, compared to those with the other two media (X. fastidiosa medium [XFM] and periwinkle wilt [PW] medium) used in previous studies. Dissection of the media components led to the identification of bovine serum albumin as an inhibitor of recombination that was correlated to its previously known effect on inhibition of twitching motility. When recombination was performed in liquid culture, the frequencies were significantly higher under flow conditions (MCs) than under batch conditions (test tubes). The recombination frequencies in MCs and agar plates were not significantly different from each other. Grapevine xylem sap from both susceptible and tolerant varieties allowed high recombination frequency in MCs when mixed with PD3. These results suggest that X. fastidiosa has the ability to be naturally competent in the natural growth environment of liquid flow, and this phenomenon could have implications in X. fastidiosa environmental adaptation. IMPORTANCE Xylella fastidiosa is a plant pathogen that lives inside xylem vessels (where water and nutrients are transported inside the plant) and the mouthparts of insect vectors. This bacterium causes emerging diseases in various crops worldwide, including recent outbreaks in Europe. The mechanisms by which this bacterium adapts to new hosts is not understood, but it was previously shown that it is naturally competent, meaning that it can take up DNA from the environment and incorporate it into its genome (recombination). In this study, we show that the frequency of recombination is highest when the bacterium is grown under flow conditions in microfluidic chambers modeled after its natural habitats, and recombination was still high when the medium was amended with grapevine sap. Our results suggest that this bacterium is able to recombine when growing inside plants or insects, and this can be a mechanism of adaptation of this pathogen that causes incurable diseases.
Analog Beamforming in MIMO Communications With Phase Shift Networks and Online Channel Estimation

In multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, the use of many radio frequency (RF) and analog-to-digital converter (ADC) chains at the receiver is costly. Analog beamformers operating in the RF domain can reduce the number of antenna signals to a feasible number of baseband channels. Subsequently, digital beamforming is used to capture the desired user signal. In this paper, we consider the design of the analog and digital beamforming coefficients, for the case of narrowband signals. We aim to cancel interfering signals in the analog domain, thus minimizing the required ADC resolution. For a given resolution, we will propose the optimal analog beamformer to minimize the mean squared error between the desired user and its receiver estimate. Practical analog beamformers employ only a quantized number of phase shifts. For this case, we propose a design technique to successively approximate the desired overall beamformer by a linear combination of implementable analog beamformers. Finally, an online channel estimation technique is introduced to estimate the required statistics of the wireless channel on which the optimal beamformers are based.
Do changes in berry crops drive population fluctuations in small rodents in the southwestern Yukon?

Abstract Small mammals in boreal forest ecosystems fluctuate dramatically in abundance and 1 possible mechanism to explain these changes is the bottom-up hypothesis of variation in food supplies. Here we ask if variation in berry crops produced by 6 major species of dwarf shrubs and herbs, epigeous mushroom crops, and white spruce seeds allow us to predict changes in the abundance of the red-backed vole (Myodes [ = Clethrionomys] rutilus), the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), and field voles (Microtus oeconomus and M. pennsylvanicus combined) over 13 years (1997–2009) in the Kluane Lake region of the southwestern Yukon, Canada. M. rutilus is the dominant rodent in these forests, comprising 64% of the catch. Overwinter survival is a key demographic variable in all these rodents, and the winter food supply—principally berries produced the previous summer—may be 1 key to overwinter survival. We predicted that berry, mushroom, and tree seed crops in year t would produce changes in rodent density in year t + 1. We could explain statistically 78–98% of the variation in May and August abundance of all 3 rodent species with indices of berry crops and mushrooms in the previous summer. For M. rutilus the critical predictor was berry crops of Empetrum nigrum. For P. maniculatus, the critical species were Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, A. rubra, and mushrooms. Spruce seed crops were not significantly correlated with rodent densities or changes in density. A large fraction of the variation in rodent numbers in this ecosystem is explained by a simple bottom-up model of population limitation.
Effects of wind velocity and slope on flame properties

The combined effects of wind velocity and percent slope on flame length and angle were measured in an open-topped, tilting wind tunnel by burning fuel beds composed of vertical birch sticks and aspen excelsior. Mean flame length ranged from 0.08 to 1.69 m; 0.25 m was the maximum observed flame length for most backing fires. Flame angle ranged from −46° to 50°. Observed flame angle and length data were compared with predictions from several models applicable to fires on a horizontal surface. Two equations based on the Froude number underestimated flame angle for most wind and slope combinations; however, the data support theory that flame angle is a function of the square root of the Froude number. Discrepancies between data and predictions were attributed to measurement difficulties and slope effects. An equation based on Byram's convection number accounted for nearly half of the observed variation in flame angle (R2 = 0.46). Byram's original equation relating fireline intensity to flame length overestima.
Wintertime aerosol optical and radiative properties in the Kathmandu Valley during the SusKat-ABC field campaign

Abstract. Particulate air pollution in the Kathmandu Valley has reached severe levels that are mainly due to uncontrolled emissions and the location of the urban area in a bowl-shaped basin with associated local wind circulations. The AERONET measurements from December 2012 to August 2014 revealed a mean aerosol optical depth (AOD) of approximately 0.30 at 675 nm during winter, which is similar to that of the post-monsoon but half of that of the pre-monsoon AOD (0.63). The distinct seasonal variations are closely related to regional-scale monsoon circulations over South Asia and emissions in the Kathmandu Valley. During the SusKat-ABC campaign (December 2012–February 2013), a noticeable increase in both aerosol scattering (σs; 313 → 577 Mm−1 at 550 nm) and absorption (σa; 98 → 145 Mm−1 at 520 nm) coefficients occurred before and after 4 January 2013. This can be attributed to the increase in wood-burned fires due to a temperature drop and the start of firing at nearby brick kilns. The σs value in the Kathmandu Valley was a factor of 0.5 lower than that in polluted cities in India. The σa value in the Kathmandu Valley was approximately 2 times higher than that at severely polluted urban sites in India. The aerosol mass scattering efficiency of 2.6 m2 g−1 from PM10 measurements in the Kathmandu Valley is similar to that reported in urban areas. However, the aerosol mass absorption efficiency was determined to be 11 m2 g−1 from PM10 measurements, which is higher than that reported in the literature for pure soot particles (7.5 ± 1.2 m2 g−1). This might be due to the fact that most of the carbonaceous aerosols in the Kathmandu Valley were thought to be mostly externally mixed with other aerosols under dry conditions due to a short travel time from their sources. The σs and σa values and the equivalent black carbon (EBC) mass concentration reached up to 757 Mm−1, 224 Mm−1, and 29 µg m−3 at 08:00 LST (local standard time), respectively but decreased dramatically during the daytime (09:00–18:00 LST), to one-quarter of the morning average (06:00–09:00 LST) due to the development of valley winds and an atmospheric bounder layer. The σs and σa values and the EBC concentration remained almost constant during the night at the levels of 410 Mm−1, 130 Mm−1, and 17 µg m−3, respectively. The average aerosol direct radiative forcings over the intensive measurement period were estimated to be −6.9 ± 1.4 W m−2 (top of the atmosphere) and −20.8 ± 4.6 W m−2 (surface). Therefore, the high atmospheric forcing (i.e., 13.9 ± 3.6 W m−2) and forcing efficiency (74.8 ± 24.2 W m−2 τ−1) can be attributed to the high portion of light-absorbing aerosols in the Kathmandu Valley, as indicated by the high black carbon (or elemental carbon) to sulphate ratio (1.5 ± 1.1).
Neoadjuvant treatments in triple-negative breast cancer patients: where we are now and where we are going

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains the poorest-prognosis breast cancer (BC) subtype. Gene expression profiling has identified at least six different triple-negative subtypes with different biology and sensitivity to therapies. The heterogeneous nature of TN tumors may justify the difficulty in treating this BC subtype. Several targeted agents have been investigated in clinical trials without demonstrating a clear survival benefit. Therefore, systemic chemotherapy remains the cornerstone of current clinical practice. Improving the knowledge of tumor biology is mandatory for patient management. In stages II and III, neoadjuvant systemic treatment is an effective option of care. The achievement of a pathological complete response represents an optimal surrogate for survival outcome as well as a test for tumor drug sensitivity. In this review, we provide a brief description of the main predictive biomarkers for tumor response to systemic treatment. Moreover, we review the treatment strategies investigated for TNBCs in neoadjuvant settings focusing on experimental drugs such as immunotherapy and poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase inhibitors that hold promise in the treatment of this aggressive disease. Therefore, the management of TNBC represents an urgent, current, unmet need in daily clinical practice. A key recommendation is to design biology-driven clinical trials wherein TNBC patients may be treated on the basis of tumor molecular profile.
Stress orientations and magnitudes in the SAFOD pilot hole

Borehole breakouts and drilling‐induced tensile fractures in the 2.2‐km‐deep SAFOD pilot hole at Parkfield, CA, indicate significant local variations in the direction of the maximum horizontal compressive stress, SHmax, but show a generalized increase in the angle between SHmax and the San Andreas Fault with depth. This angle ranges from a minimum of 25 ± 10° at 1000–1150 m to a maximum of 69 ± 14° at 2050–2200 m. The simultaneous occurrence of tensile fractures and borehole breakouts indicates a transitional strike‐slip to reverse faulting stress regime with high horizontal differential stress, although there is considerable uncertainty in our estimates of horizontal stress magnitudes. If stress observations near the bottom of the pilot hole are representative of stresses acting at greater depth, then they are consistent with regional stress field indicators and an anomalously weak San Andreas Fault in an otherwise strong crust.
Sensitivity of Niobium Superconducting RF Cavities to Magnetic Field

One important characteristic of nitrogen-doped cavities is their very high sensitivity to increased residual surface resistance from trapped ambient magnetic flux. We have performed a systematic study on the losses by trapped flux, and their dependence on the mean-free-path (MFP) of the niobium RF penetration layer. Cavities with a wide range of MFP values were tested in uniform ambient magnetic fields to measure trapped magnetic flux and resulting increase in RF surface resistance. MFP values were determined from surface impedance measurements. It was found that larger mean free paths lead to lower sensitivity to trapped magnetic flux.
Biogeosciences Fine-scale variability in methanol uptake and oxidation : from the microlayer to 1000

The aim of this research was to make the first depth profiles of the microbial assimilation of methanol carbon and its oxidation to carbon dioxide and use as an energy source from the microlayer to 1000 m. Some of the highest reported methanol oxidation rate constants of 0.5– 0.6 d−1 were occasionally found in the microlayer and immediately underlying waters (10 cm depth), albeit these samples also showed the greatest heterogeneity compared to other depths down to 1000 m. Methanol uptake into the particulate phase was exceptionally low in microlayer samples, suggesting that any methanol utilised by microbes in this environment is for energy generation. The sea surface microlayer and 10 cm depth also showed a higher proportion of bacteria with a low DNA content, and bacterial leucine uptake rates in surface microlayer samples were either less than or the same as those in the underlying 10 cm layer. The average methanol oxidation and particulate rates were however statistically the same throughout the depths sampled, although the latter were highly variable in the near-surface 0.25–2 m compared to deeper depths. The statistically significant relationship demonstrated between uptake of methanol into particles and bacterial leucine incorporation suggests that many heterotrophic bacteria could be using methanol carbon for cellular growth. On average, methanol bacterial growth efficiency (BGEm) in the top 25 m of the water column is 6 % and decreases with depth. Although, for microlayer and 10 cm-depth samples, BGE m is less than the near-surface 25–217 cm, possibly reflecting increased environmental UV stress resulting in increased maintenance costs, i.e. energy required for survival. We conclude that microbial methanol uptake rates, i.e. loss from seawater, are highly variable, particularly close to the seawater surface, which could significantly impact upon seawater concentrations and hence the air–sea flux.
Blunting of insulin inhibition of proteolysis in legs of older subjects may contribute to age-related sarcopenia.

BACKGROUND Reduced postprandial muscle proteolysis is mainly due to increased insulin availability. Whether rates of proteolysis in response to low physiologic doses of insulin are affected by aging is unknown. OBJECTIVES We tested the hypothesis that suppression of leg protein breakdown (LPB) by insulin is blunted in older subjects, together with blunted activation of Akt-protein kinase B (PKB). DESIGN Groups of 8 young [mean (+/-SD) age: 24.5 +/- 1.8 y] and older (65.0 +/- 1.3 y) participants were studied during euglycemic (5 mmol/L), isoaminoacidemic (blood leucine approximately 120 micromol/L) clamp procedures at plasma insulin concentrations of approximately 5 and approximately 15 microIU/mL for 1.5 h. Leg amino acid balance, whole-leg protein turnover (as dilution of amino acid tracers), and muscle protein synthesis were measured with D(5)-phenylalanine and [1,2-(13)C(2)]leucine. The kinase activity of muscle Akt-PKB and the extent of phosphorylation of signaling proteins associated with the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway were measured before and after the clamp procedures. RESULTS Basal LPB rates were not different between groups (66 +/- 11 compared with 51 +/- 10 nmol leucine x 100 mL leg(-1) x min(-1) and 30 +/- 5 compared with 24 +/- 4 nmol phenylalanine x 100 mL leg(-1) x min(-1) in young and older groups, respectively). However, although insulin at approximately 15 microIU/mL lowered LPB by 47% in the young subjects (P < 0.05) and abolished the negative leg amino acid balance, this caused only a 12% fall (P > 0.05) in the older group. Akt-PKB activity mirrored decreases in LPB. No differences were seen in muscle protein synthesis or associated anabolic signaling phosphoproteins. CONCLUSIONS At moderate availability, the effect of insulin on LPB is diminished in older human beings, and this effect may be mediated through blunted Akt-PKB activation.
Horizontal and vertical structure of reactive bromine events probed by bromine monoxide MAX-DOAS

Abstract. Heterogeneous photochemistry converts bromide (Br−) to reactive bromine species (Br atoms and bromine monoxide, BrO) that dominate Arctic springtime chemistry. This phenomenon has many impacts such as boundary-layer ozone depletion, mercury oxidation and deposition, and modification of the fate of hydrocarbon species. To study environmental controls on reactive bromine events, the BRomine, Ozone, and Mercury EXperiment (BROMEX) was carried out from early March to mid-April 2012 near Barrow (Utqiaġvik), Alaska. We measured horizontal and vertical gradients in BrO with multiple-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) instrumentation at three sites, two mobile and one fixed. During the campaign, a large crack in the sea ice (an open lead) formed pushing one instrument package ∼ 250 km downwind from Barrow (Utqiaġvik). Convection associated with the open lead converted the BrO vertical structure from a surface-based event to a lofted event downwind of the lead influence. The column abundance of BrO downwind of the re-freezing lead was comparable to upwind amounts, indicating direct reactions on frost flowers or open seawater was not a major reactive bromine source. When these three sites were separated by ∼ 30 km length scales of unbroken sea ice, the BrO amount and vertical distributions were highly correlated for most of the time, indicating the horizontal length scales of BrO events were typically larger than ∼ 30 km in the absence of sea ice features. Although BrO amount and vertical distribution were similar between sites most of the time, rapid changes in BrO with edges significantly smaller than this ∼ 30 km length scale episodically transported between the sites, indicating BrO events were large but with sharp edge contrasts. BrO was often found in shallow layers that recycled reactive bromine via heterogeneous reactions on snowpack. Episodically, these surface-based events propagated aloft when aerosol extinction was higher (> 0.1 km−1); however, the presence of aerosol particles aloft was not sufficient to produce BrO aloft. Highly depleted ozone (
Retrospective analysis of outcomes and prognostic factors of chemotherapy for small-cell lung cancer

Background Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is responsive to initial chemotherapy but becomes resistant to cytotoxic drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate what proportion of patients with SCLC had received the first- and further-line chemotherapy and which patients had benefited from chemotherapy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients with SCLC who had been treated with the best supportive care alone and the first-, second-, or third-line chemotherapy at the Osaka Police Hospital from June 2007 until March 2015. Results Among 145 patients diagnosed with SCLC and eligible for analysis, 118 patients received chemotherapy. We added five patients who initiated the second-line chemotherapy during the study period at our institution. Sixty-five and 31 patients received the second- and third-line chemotherapies, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis detected age ≥75 years (odds ratio, 2.80; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–7.75; P=0.047) and European Clinical Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) 3–4 (14.3; 4.86–41.9; P<0.01) as factors disturbing the introduction of chemotherapy. Multivariate Cox hazard analyses also detected ECOG PS 2–4 (3.34; 2.00–5.58; P<0.01) as a factor decreasing overall survival after the first-line chemotherapy, and C-reactive protein level ≥1.0 mg/dL (2.67; 1.30–5.47; P<0.01) and progression-free survival after the first-line chemotherapy ≥6 months (2.85; 1.50–5.43; P<0.01) as factors influencing overall survival after the second-line chemotherapy. Conclusion Approximately two-thirds and one-third of the patients who receive chemotherapy proceed to the second- and third-line chemotherapies, respectively. Several factors, such as age, ECOG PS, C-reactive protein level, and progression-free survival after previous treatment may be useful when considering the introduction of further-line chemotherapy.