Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Pancreatic Cancer: An Analysis of the Blood Biomarker, r-1,t-2,3,c-4-Tetrahydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrophenanthrene and Selected Metabolism Gene SNPs

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), byproducts of incomplete combustion, and their effects on the development of cancer are still being evaluated. Recent studies have analyzed the relationship between PAHs and tobacco or dietary intake in the form of processed foods and smoked/well-done meats. This study aims to assess the association of a blood biomarker and metabolite of PAHs, r-1,t-2,3,c-4-tetrahydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrophenanthrene (PheT), dietary intake, selected metabolism SNPs, and pancreatic cancer. Demographics, food-frequency data, SNPs, treatment history, and levels of PheT in plasma were determined from 400 participants (202 cases and 198 controls) and evaluated based on pancreatic adenocarcinoma diagnosis. Demographic and dietary variables were selected based on previously published literature indicating association with pancreatic cancer. A multiple regression model combined the significant demographic and food items with SNPs. Final multivariate logistic regression significant factors (p-value < 0.05) associated with pancreatic cancer included: Type 2 Diabetes [OR = 6.26 (95% CI = 2.83, 14.46)], PheT [1.03 (1.02, 1.05)], very well-done red meat [0.90 (0.83, 0.96)], fruit/vegetable servings [1.35 (1.06, 1.73)], recessive (rs12203582) [4.11 (1.77, 9.91)], recessive (rs56679) [0.2 (0.06, 0.85)], overdominant (rs3784605) [3.14 (1.69, 6.01)], and overdominant (rs721430) [0.39 (0.19, 0.76)]. Of note, by design, the level of smoking did not differ between our cases and controls. This study does not provide strong evidence that PheT is a biomarker of pancreatic cancer susceptibility independent of dietary intake and select metabolism SNPs among a nonsmoking population.
EIC Climate Change Technology Conference 2013

This work focuses on the link between economic growth and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in China's transportation sector. By examining national and regional data for the twenty years from 1990 to 2010, we show that the ratios of vehicle ownership to income for Beijing and Shanghai represent the upper and lower bounds for all other Chinese provinces/cities. Through this case study and a quantitative model, we identify several key technical and policy factors that are crucial in decoupling carbon emissions from the rapid increase in affluence.
Challenging the eco-city: residents’ perceptions of social sustainability in Tianjin Eco-City, China

In this chapter, we make the case for ‘humanizing’ new-build urban mega-projects such as eco-cities by focusing on urban social sustainability, and on the experiences of new residents in newly-built cities such as Tianjin eco-city. We base our conceptual framework in the context of debates over social sustainability (Dempsey et al. 2011; Vallance et al. 2011; Woodcraft 2015), and argue that there is a need to also focus on the way(s) in which socially sustainable urban environments are constructed, in new urban spaces, through relational networks comprised by interactions between residents, buildings, facilities and specific (e.g. domestic) spaces. In focusing on the spaces of urban social sustainability we draw on Jane Jacobs’ seminal work on, and critique of, the modern city ( Jacobs 1961). Jacobs’ work is useful here because of its focus on moving past the plans, blueprints and rational urban visions proposed by master planners, engineers and architects, and towards valuing the role of the rather messier relationality found in the everyday city. Recent critiques have highlighted the ways in which urban development trajectories are often predicated on visualisations of antecedent urban models that are mainly rooted in a European and American urban context (Robinson 2013; Bunnell 2015). At the same time, an emerging body of literature analyses the prominence of Asian urban models in influencing the construction of new cities in China and beyond (Percival and Waley 2012; Pow 2014) as well as urban change processes (Waley 2016). However, at the same time as Asian urbanism is being seen through less ‘EuroAmerican’ perspectives (Bunnell 2015), there have been calls to recognise the importance of international planning models in the trend for the construction of new urban areas in Asia, the Gulf and elsewhere: these models are characterised, in many cases, by their anodyne globalness (Rapoport 2015). Thus, our analysis of Tianjin eco-city is conscious of the Chinese and Singaporean context within which the new city was envisioned and built, as well as the wider, global circulation of planning and engineering knowledge and human capital that characterises flagship urban developments worldwide. It is in this context that Jacobs’ work becomes useful: after all, Jacobs herself was writing at a time when New York seemed to be influenced, in part at least, by non-American planning models, as seen by her trenchant critique of Le Corbusier. The chapter is based on interviews, participant observation and documentary research. Twenty interviews were carried out with residents of the eco-city. The interviews were carried out in Mandarin in June and July 2014, and participant observation was carried out over the course of several site visits between 2012 and 2014. The interview 13 Challenging the eco-city
Improving Mental Skills in Precision Sports by Using Neurofeedback Training: A Narrative Review

Primary objectives of neurofeedback training (NFT) are to improve concentration, stress and anxiety management, and performance optimisation. This narrative review examines the role of NFT as a tool to improve mental and cognitive skills of target shooting and archery athletes. Current research discusses how neurofeedback training can act on brain waves by influencing specific EEG frequency bands in order to improve cognitive flexibility. This contribution reports studies that have applied neurofeedback protocols in precision disciplines such as archery and shooting. The results of the studies considered showed that neurofeedback can lead to faster reaction times, more sustained attention, and better emotion management, contributing significantly to athletes’ performance. Furthermore, it is emphasised that neurofeedback could be combined with other techniques such as motor imagination to maximise effectiveness in precision sports training. This review emphasises the importance of future studies that focus on the integration of neurofeedback with biofeedback in neuromodulation protocols. Current perspectives and limitations of research in this area are also indicated. Neuromodulation by means of neurofeedback represents a promising strategy to improve the overall mental and cognitive abilities of target shooting and archery athletes with an interesting potential for high-level performance. Future research should focus on integrated approaches and customised protocols to optimise the use of neurofeedback in a precision sports context.
Development of Rainfall Empirical Models for Osun Watershed, Nigeria

The aim of this study was to conduct a sequential detection for the possible trends in seasonal rainfall data series using various statistical packages. Farmers in Osun basin lack adequate planning with respect to agricultural activities for its maximum productivity as rainfall trends are often cited as one of the causes of socio-economic problems such as food insecurity. The available rainfall records provide information on monthly basis as obtainable from other meteorological stations nationwide. Rainfall records from 1980 to 2009 which were most consistent required for the development of rainfall models were used. A time series analysis was used to develop various models. The volume of rainfall within the study location was observed to fluctuate with December having the lowest amount of rainfall of 1.10 mm. The average rainfall was observed to be on the increase from the month of February through to the month of November with the highest amount of rainfall recorded in the month of September with an average rainfall of 556.60 mm. The polynomial equation was used to develop a best line of fit of y 1.4227x 3 29.502x 154.72x + 9.2348 with a R Square value of 0.7541. A double maxima of June and September was observed while April which is used to be the beginning of the raining season tends. October which used to be the beginning of dry season was also observed to tend towards raining month. The linear, exponential growth and s-curve equation models of the forms Y y and y (cid:2) were developed respectively. The data set were further decomposed and it was observed that there was a seasonal effect. The seasonal indices show the average downward movement within the first 3 months and the last 2 months of the season and average upward movements from the 4th to the 10th month. In conclusion the Linear model from this study proved to be the best for predicting rainfall events for the Osun watershed. It is therefore recommended that the Linear model be used to predict rainfall for the Osun watershed.
Comparative analysis of traditional preservatives for raw beef

Butchers in developing countries face the challenge of finding affordable disinfectants for their products which are not associated with adverse impacts on quality and shelf life. As an affordable option, traditional disinfectants, vinegar, and NaCl solutions have been renowned since ancient times, which led this study to focus on assessing the nutritional and sensory quality of raw beef treated with conventional disinfectants during processing. In a completely randomized study design, the fresh raw beef samples were split into three treatments: T1 as control (water), T2 (vinegar), and T3 (0.9% NaCl solution), and their effects on nutritional and sensory quality (color, appearance, aroma, and texture) were studied. It was found that there was a decrease in the value of moisture content, crude protein, and ether extract (p<0.001) associated with the incorporation of vinegar, whereas the dry matter and ash content (p<0.001) increased. On the other hand, apart from moisture, the other parameter seemed to decrease with the infusion of salt. With more storage time, the pH and dry matter content both considerably dropped (p<0.001), and a significant (p<0.001) color change was seen. A significant association (p<0.05) was found between drip loss and cooking loss after 24 hours. In conclusion, a certain level of vinegar can be used in beef preservation for better nutritional and textural properties.
An Optimal Injection Scheme for Maximizing Oil Recovery in CO 2 Miscible Flooding

As an efficient enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technique, carbon dioxide (CO2) miscible flooding can greatly reduce the viscosity of oil and improve its mobility, and has great potential to achieve higher oil recovery. However, the disadvantage of CO2 flooding, when compared with waterflooding, is the relatively larger viscosity ratio between CO2 and oil. Under such unfavorable conditions, frontal instabilities, or viscous fingering, can easily develop. This may affect the performance of CO2 msicible flooding and result in less sweep efficiency and oil recovery. In the present study, nonlinear numerical simulations were conducted to model the CO2 miscible flooding in subsurface porous media. Both concentration-dependent diffusion and a varying dispersion that is closely related with flow rates were incorporated into the mathematical model. The development of frontal instabilities with time was simulated with highly accurate numerical methods. More importantly, to reduce the unstable displacement and improve sweep efficiency, a time-dependent injection rate involving periodic alternation of injection and extraction was employed. Different from the widely used constant injection rate, this time-dependent displacement rate led to different flow dynamics and sweep efficiency, although the amount of CO2 injected was the same. In particular, the effect of a cycle period on the propagation of CO2 was carefully examined. It was found that a longer period led to earlier breakthrough of CO2 and less sweep efficiency. However, a shorter period with faster alternation of injection and extraction had a stabilizing effect. In particular, a later breakthrough was achieved and higher sweep efficiency at breakthrough was obtained compared with that of a constant injection rate. This indicates that pulsed displacement through fast switching of injection and extraction has the potential to maximize oil recovery in CO2 miscible flooding.
Heat stress and feeding effects on the mucosa-associated and digesta microbiome and their relationship to plasma and digesta fluid metabolites in the jejunum of dairy cows.

The intestinal microbiota plays a pivotal role in digestive processes and maintains gut health and intestinal homeostasis. These functions may be compromised by increased environmental heat which in turn reduces feed intake and gut integrity, while activating the intestinal immune system. It remains unknown whether high ambient temperatures, causing heat stress (HS) to dairy cows, disturb the eubiosis of the microbial community and if so, to which extent the reduction in feed intake and the impairment of circulating and intestinal metabolites account for the alterations of the jejunal microbiota. To address these questions, jejunal digesta, mucosa, and plasma samples from cows exposed to heat stress (HS: 28°C, temperature-humidity-index (THI) = 76, n = 10), control conditions (CON: 16°C, THI = 60, n = 10), or pair-feeding (PF: 16°C, THI = 60, n = 10) for 7 d were collected. Digesta fluids were examined for pH, acetate, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), glucose, and lactate, while plasma samples were analyzed for glucose, lactate, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), triglycerides, NEFA, creatinine and urea. The microbiota of digesta and mucosa samples were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. The α diversity was higher in mucosa than digesta, but not affected by high ambient temperatures. However, the mucosa-associated microbiota appears more responsive to ambient heat than the digesta microbiome. The adaptive responses under HS conditions comprised an increased mucosal abundance of Bifidobacteriaceae, Succinivibrionaceae UCG-001, Clostridia and Lactobacillus. In the digesta, HS has exerted effects on microbial abundance of Colidextribacter and Lachnospiraceae UCG-008. Several correlations between plasma or intestinal metabolites and microbiota were elucidated, including Methanobacteriaceae correlating positively with plasma BHB and digesta glucose concentrations. Moreover, the reduction in feed intake during HS had non-negligible effects on microbial diversity and the abundance of certain taxa, underpinning the importance of nutrient supply on maintaining intestinal homeostasis.
Adrenal ganglioneuroblastoma with metastasis near the renal hilum in an adult female: A case report and review of the literature

Ganglioneuroblastoma (GNB), predominantly observed in children, is an uncommon malignant tumor in adults, with established treatment protocols notably lacking. The present study details the case of a 20-year-old woman who presented with a left adrenal gland mass, identified during a physical examination. Additionally, an unidentified mass was noted near the renal hilum in the preoperative evaluation. Following thorough preoperative preparation, both the primary adrenal gland mass and the renal hilar mass were surgically removed. The procedure concluded successfully. Pathological analysis confirmed that the left adrenal mass was a GNB and identified the renal hilar mass as a metastatic extension. Postoperative examination revealed a new formation at the original surgical site, later verified as a postoperative scar. Through the publication of a case report and extensive literature review, the present study aims to enhance our understanding of this condition, providing valuable diagnostic, therapeutic and post-recovery references for this rare adult disease.
Caractéristiques physico-chimiques des rivières de Côte d'Ivoire

Il existe trois types de bassins en Côte d’ivoire; les grands bassins fluviaux s’étendant du nord au sud du puys, les bassins côtiers et les cours d’eau septentrionaux qui coulent vers le Mali. On peut dislinguer quatre régimes hydrologiques : iropical de transition, équntorial de transition atténué, équatorial de transition et régime de montagne. Les grands cours d’eau (Comoé, Bandama, Sassandra, Cavally) ont un régime mixte. La furbidiité est surtout liée au débit solide qui est maximum en début de crue; la transparence dépasse rarement un m? tre. La température de l’enu ne descend que irès rarement en dessous de 25 OC : les variutions saisonniéres sont fuibles et dans le bassin moyen du Bandama, la fempérature de l’eau se situe entre 26 et 290 pendant au moins huit mois sur douze. Les pH sont légèremeni alcalins sauf dans les cours d’eau de forêt de la zone cdlière où ils sont légèrement acides. Les rivières du centre et du nord du pays ont des conductibilités électriques en général faibles (40 8 70 micromhos en moyenne) ; les variations saisonnières sont directement liées au régime hydrologique, les plus fories teneurs en sels dissous étant observées à l’étiage, les plus faibles duranf les crues. Comme dans la plupuri des eaux douces africaines, les carbonates sont l’élément dominant parmi les unions, les sulfates viennent ensuite puis les chlorures. Les phosphates n’existent qu’à l’ébat de traces sauf en période d’étiage où ils peuvent égaler et même de’passer légèrement le poids des chlorures. Parmi les cations, calcium et sodium sont en mg/1 les éléments les mieux représentés à peu près à égal&; pofassium et magnésium viennent ensuite. Les concentrations en silice dissoute concordent avec les valeurs signnlées pour différents autres milieux d’Afrique de l’Ouest.
Population Dynamics of Pod Borer Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) on Chickpea

A field experiment was carried out to study the population dynamics of pod borer Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) on chickpea at the Agronomy Farm, College of Agriculture, Swami Keshwanad Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner during two consecutive seasons i.e. rabi 2021-22 and 2022-23. The incidence commenced from first and second week of December i.e. 49th and 50th Standard Metrological Week (SMW) and disappeared in the first fortnight of January. Incidence again started from the third week of January (3rd SMW) which increased gradually and reached peak (6.4 and 5.2 larvae/ m row) in the third and second week of February (8th and 9th SMW) during first and second season. These peaks coincided with the vegetative, flowering, and podding stages. The correlation studies showed that incidence has a positive significant correlation with temperatures (p<0.01) while, morning (r = -0.609 and -0.640, p<0.05) and evening relative humidity (r = -0.728, p<0.01 & -0.666, p<0.05) showed negative significant correlation. Further, stepwise linear regression model indicated that maximum temperature as single predicator independent variable had the strongest relationship with incidence based on high R2 value (61% and 63.40%). This forewarning regression model may help the farmers to take advance decision so as to minimize the damage caused by pod borer on chickpea.
The Influence of Sea Surface Temperature Reemergence on Marine Stratiform Cloud

The global distribution of winter to winter sea surface temperature (SST) reemergence is analyzed using a novel metric based on an autoregressive 1 model, and the global impact of SST on cloud amount and cloud type are examined using satellite data. A region in the northeastern Pacific Ocean is identified where wintertime SSTs are correlated with the occurrence of marine stratiform cloud the following winter. This correlation is likely a manifestation of SST reemergence. We hypothesize that through this reemergence mechanism marine stratus cloud amount, and thus shortwave cloud radiative effect, in the northeastern Pacific exhibits memory on inter‐seasonal and even multi‐year time scales and that exploration of this relationship may provide insight into the SST—low cloud feedbacks.
Learners' Perceptions of Task Repetition: Distributed Practice Effects on Engagement and Metacognitive Judgement

This study delves into an underexplored area of language education, investigating how task repetition and distributed practice influence learners' engagement and metacognitive judgement in the context of English language learning in the United Kingdom. Utilizing a robust mixed-methods research design that includes surveys, think-aloud protocols, and semi-structured interviews, the study scrutinizes the experiences and perspectives of 150 English language learners. One of the key findings is the overwhelmingly positive perception of task repetition among the participants. Not only do learners believe that repeating tasks aids in consolidating their learning, but they also view it as a catalyst for increased language proficiency, thereby enriching their overall learning experience. Additionally, when contrasting distributed practice with massed practice, the study unveils a remarkable improvement in learners' engagement levels and their ability to make metacognitive judgments about their own learning process. This suggests that spacing task repetitions over intervals of time— rather than cramming them into one session—offers a more effective strategy for language instruction. Importantly, these findings carry significant implications for educators and curriculum designers. By taking into account the learners' favorable views on task repetition and the demonstrable benefits of distributed practice, educators have a compelling rationale to incorporate these elements into pedagogical planning and practice, with the ultimate aim of optimizing language learning outcomes.
The Role of Utilitarian Value, Hedonic Value, and Emotional Value on Purchase Intention through Shopee Live

This research aims to analyze the role of utilitarian value, hedonic value, and emotional value on purchase intention of Somethinc’s products through Shopee Live. A quantitative approach was used through distributing questionnaires and a sample of 82 respondents was obtained. The validity test using loading factors and Average Variance Extracted (AVE) shows valid values. The reliability test using composite reliability values had met the criteria. The data analysis technique used is SEM-PLS (Partial Least Squares). The hypothesis was tested with SmartPLS 3.0, showing that utilitarian value had a positive and significant effect on purchase intention with a significance value of 0.032, hedonic value had a positive and insignificant effect with a value of 0.066 on purchase intention, and emotional value had a positive and significant effect on purchase intention with a value of 0.001. The influence of utilitarian value, hedonic value and emotional value variables on purchase intention is 65% with an R-square value of 0.648, while 35% is explained by other variables outside this research.