Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The major genetic risk factor for severe COVID-19 among Europeans does not show any association among Indian populations

With the growing evidence on the variable human susceptibility against COVID-19, it is clear that there are some genetic loci modulating the severity. Recent studies have identified several loci associated with the higher severity. More recently, a study has identified 50kb segment introgressed from Neanderthal adding risk for COVID-19, and is present among 16% and 50% people of European and South Asian origin respectively. Contrary to that, our studies on ACE2 identified a haplotype present among 20% and 60% of European and South Asian populations respectively, was probably responsible for the low case fatality ratio among South Asian populations. This result was also consistent with the realtime infection rate and case fatality ratio among various states of India. We readdressed this issue using both of the contrasting datasets and compared them with the realtime infection rates and case fatality ratio in India. We found out that that the polymorphism present in 50kb introgressed segment (rs10490770) did not show any significant correlation with the realtime infection and case fatality ratio in India.With the growing evidence on the variable human susceptibility against COVID-19, it is clear that there are some genetic loci modulating the severity. Recent studies have identified several loci associated with the higher severity. More recently, a study has identified 50kb segment introgressed from Neanderthal adding risk for COVID-19, and is present among 16% and 50% people of European and South Asian origin respectively. Contrary to that, our studies on ACE2 identified a haplotype present among 20% and 60% of European and South Asian populations respectively, was probably responsible for the low case fatality ratio among South Asian populations. This result was also consistent with the realtime infection rate and case fatality ratio among various states of India. We readdressed this issue using both of the contrasting datasets and compared them with the realtime infection rates and case fatality ratio in India. We found out that that the polymorphism present in 50kb introgressed segment (rs10490770) did not show any significant correlation with the realtime infection and case fatality ratio in India.
Dropping in, Helping Out: Social Support and Weak Ties on Traditional Medicine Social Networking Sites

Abstract This exploratory study analyses the network mechanisms with which Vietnamese traditional medical knowledge propagates on Facebook and explores patterns of social support provided by weak ties on these sites. The study employs a mixed-method multiple case study approach. Social network analysis is conducted on a sample of 6,293 original posts and 23,333 associated comments on two Vietnamese traditional medicine sites on Facebook, over three years. Content analysis is performed on a subsample of 2,570 comments made by nodes with a degree of one, together with 1,543 associated original posts. Findings indicate that weak ties are much more prevalent among discourse communities where communicative exchanges lie outside existing regulatory frameworks concerning traditional medicine. An overwhelming majority of these weak ties provide mostly informational support, while other forms of support such as emotional, esteem, network, or tangible are much less prevalent. This study suggests that weak ties play an important role in providing action-facilitating support, particularly within discourse networks that are outside of the current Vietnamese regulatory frameworks on traditional medicine. Community detection techniques performed on the dataset also show that discourse communities within networks containing more weak ties are harder to break than those containing fewer weak ties.
Assessment of Wooden Foundation Piles after 125 Years of Service

Buildings on piles have been constructed in Ljubljana since the Bronze Age. The piles were made of different types of wood. In the present study, piles that were erected about 125 years ago were investigated. Investors tend to renovate a building; therefore, the piles were analysed to assess the structural condition of the building. The building showed no signs of damage. To gain access to the piles, a 2 m thick layer of soil was removed. On-site, the following analyses were carried out: drilling resistance with a resistograph and a screw withdrawal test. Part of the piles was isolated and light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, dynamic vapour sorption, density analysis, and chemical analysis were performed. Microscopic analysis revealed that the piles were made from the wood of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). The results indicate that the wood was severely degraded, mainly by soft-rot fungi and bacteria, resulting in a significant deterioration of its mechanical properties.
Testing public policy at the frontier: The effect of the $15 minimum wage on public safety in Seattle

Research Summary: In 2017, Seattle, Washington, became the first city in the United States to increase its minimum wage to $15 per hour, more than double the federal minimum wage. Not only was a $15 minimum wage unprecedented, but the increase was also extremely rapid, with the minimum wage rising by nearly 60 percent in just two years. Using a synthetic differences-in-differences estimator, we consider the impact of Seattle’s landmark minimum wage legislation on public safety. While there is speculative evidence for an increase in commercial burglaries, we find little evidence that Seattle experienced a change in its aggregate rate of violent or property offending relative to other U.S. cities. To better understand the mechanisms underlying our findings, we investigate the impacts of the local wage law on employment and earnings for Seattle’s low-skilled labor market. We detect no meaningful adverse effects on the employment rates of low-wage workers. Policy Implications: Our results suggest that Seattle increased its minimum wage without compromising public safety. Seattle’s experience shows that increasing wages can be a tool for reducing the opportunity cost of crime without reducing employment levels. To the extent that other cities enact higher minimum wages to a level that generates unemployment among low-skilled workers, public safety changes could be considerably different.
Impact to Coral Reef Populations at Hā‘ena and Pila‘a, Kaua‘i, Following a Record 2018 Freshwater Flood Event

Many corals and reef-dwelling organisms are susceptible to the impacts of storm events, which are typically characterized by large inputs of freshwater, sediment, and nutrients. The majority of storm effects are focused on shallow, nearshore reef flats, as low salinity and sedimentation tend to dissipate with depth and distance from shore. In April 2018, record rainfall on the northern coast of Kaua‘i caused extensive flooding and landslides, introducing large amounts of freshwater and sediment into nearshore reefs. Using benthic and fish transects from 2016–2019 and temperature, sediment, and rainfall data gathered pre- and post-flood, this study aimed to quantify and explicate the effects of flooding on the various biotic populations of two reef habitats at Pila‘a and Hā‘ena, Kaua‘i. Results from the shallow Pila‘a reef suggest sediment and freshwater-associated declines in mean urchin abundance (−52.0%) and increases in mean coral bleaching (+54.5%) at the flood-prone eastern sector. Additionally, decreases in mean urchin (−65.7%) and fish (−42.3%) populations were observed at shallow Hā‘ena transects, but not deep sites, supporting the occurrence of depth-specific affliction. Multivariate community-level analyses affirmed much of these results, showing a significant shift in community structure before and after the flood at both Pila‘a and Hā‘ena. The outcomes of this study are pertinent to strategic design and solution development by local aquatic resource managers, especially as anthropogenic climate change continues to increase the frequency, duration, and intensity of storm events.
Rheological characterisation of earth-pressure-balance (EPB) support medium composed of non-cohesive soils and foam

Das Fliesverhalten von Boden-Schaum-Gemischen, wie sie typischerweise beim geschlossenen Vortriebsmodus mit EPB-Schilden zur Stutzung der Ortsbrust eingesetzt werden, ist ein wesentlicher Faktor fur eine effektive Steuerung der Tunnelvortriebsmaschine. Diese Arbeit befasst sich mit der Rheologie solcher Boden-Schaum-Mischungen und dem Ziel eines breiteren Verstandnisses der komplexen Wechselwirkungen, welche die einzelnen Mischungskomponenten auf das Fliesverhalten bewirken. Dafur wurde ein umfangreiches Versuchsprogramm aufgestellt, welches vordergrundig zwei Arbeitslinien vorsah: zum einen die Diskussion uber den Wert von Indexversuch als Bewertungsmasstab fur die Fliesfahigkeit von Boden-Schaum-Gemischen und zum anderen die Untersuchung von Boden-Schaum-Gemischen im Rheometer. Es werden Flieskurven von einer Vielzahl von Boden-Schaum-Mischungen ermittelt, um das Fliesverhalten naher zu charakterisieren. Mithilfe einer Multi-Skalen-Analyse werden die Erkenntnisse ausgewertet.
Experimental and computational simulations of nematogenic liquid crystals based on cinnamic acid in pure and mixed state

ABSTRACT Homologous series of nematogenic azomethine liquid crystals bearing different terminal alkoxy-chain lengths, 4-(cinnamolyloxy)benzylidene-4ʹ-n-alkoxyanilines (In), were synthesised and investigated via practical and theoretical tools. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarised optical microscopy (POM) were used for mesomorphic and optical investigations. While the computational simulations and geometrical parameter estimations were carried out using a DFT approach at B3LYP/6-31 G(d,p) level of theory. The results revealed that all of the investigated compounds showed to exhibit the enantiotropic nematic mesophase. The temperature range of the nematic phase depends on the length of the terminally attached flexible alkoxy chain. Theoretical calculations were conducted and found to confirm the experimental data values of the mesophase stability and its temperature range. Furthermore, the length of the terminal alkoxy chains showed to exhibit remarkable effects on the stability of the mesophase as well as their thermal and physical properties. The mesomorphic and optical properties determined were correlated with the theoretically calculated parameters and the study revealed that many factors in different extents contribute together to manifest the behaviour of the observed nematic phase. The binary phase diagram of two corresponding homologues was constructed and their binary phase thermal properties were discussed in terms of the temperature range of the nematic phase.
Podcasting the Pandemic: Exploring Storytelling Formats and Shifting Journalistic Norms in News Podcasts Related to the Coronavirus

ABSTRACT The coronavirus pandemic dominated headlines at the same time that mainstream news organizations began adding more podcasts to their digital storytelling platforms. This popular form of audio journalism appears to be unrestricted by traditional journalism practices and constraints of deadlines and space. Few academic studies thus far have examined the characteristics of news podcasts (i.e., shows created by professional news organizations) and where they fit within the journalism landscape. Through a content analysis of 40 news podcast episodes related to the coronavirus pandemic, this study explores the extent to which narrative storytelling devices (voice, character development, scene setting, dialogue, dramatic tension), and other elements, such as opinion, were incorporated into the sample. Results show all but one episode utilized narrative storytelling elements, but the degree of editing and production varied widely. Results also demonstrate an overall shift away from journalistic norms of objectivity and toward interpretive reporting in this emerging format. Reporters and hosts often appear as both characters and experts in the episodes, and narrative elements serve to emphasize storytelling over content.
Décomposition des matières organiques et stabilisation des métaux lourds dans les sédiments de dragage

Ce travail de these s'inscrit dans le cadre du procede NOVOSOL® (developpe par le groupe Solvay) qui vise la decomposition des matieres organiques et la stabilisation des metaux lourds dans les sediments de dragage par phosphatation. L'objectif essentiel est la comprehension des mecanismes de stabilisation des polluants metalliques et la production de residus a proprietes controlees pour, a terme, favoriser la valorisation matiere de ces residus traites. Le procede de traitement comporte les etapes de traitement chimique de phosphatation de sechage et de calcination des sediments phosphates. Un accent particulier a ete porte sur l'evaluation du procede par la methode d'extraction sequentielle et par des tests de lixiviation. Concernant la matiere organique, les resultats obtenus lors de cette these ont permis de determiner les cinetiques de decomposition de ces composes de meme que leur famille chimique en fonction des differentes conditions experimentales. En ce qui concerne les metaux lourds, les resultats obtenus ont permis de mettre en evidence le mecanisme de dissolution–precipitation qui gouverne la formation de phosphates insolubles. Ce sont ces phosphates qui sont a l'origine de la stabilisation des metaux. D'autre part une etude cinetique detaillee a permis de bien mettre en evidence les interactions des metaux avec les phosphates. Cette stabilisation des metaux lourds confirmee par les tests de lixiviation et par l'extraction sequentielle (methode Tessier) a ete renforcee par la calcination entre 300 et 1100°C. La calcination s'est traduite par trois resultats essentiels, la degradation des matieres organiques, la cristallisation et le frittage (densification) des phases minerales phosphatees pour les rendre insolubles, et le controle des proprietes finales (densite et surface specifique) des residus solides en fonction des conditions experimentales. Une des originalites de cette these est la mise en evidence par l'extraction sequentielle de la repartition des metaux lourds et du phosphate dans cinq fractions respectives du sediment. Cela a permis de mieux comprendre les processus de stabilisation observes et par consequent d'ameliorer le traitement de stabilisation
University Level Management Toward Industrial Revolution 4.0 using COBIT 5 Framework

The Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0) has escalating the demands for accountability and transparency for every organization, yet changing the organizational design paradigm. Adaptive power and fast responsive are the critical points In RI 4.0 to achieve the vision and mission of the organization. This is a challenge for organization such as universities to adapt in the era of disruption. The transformation of educational organizations is become the preference toward an excellent public services oriented and preparing the competent human resources in their expertise. This research propose a formulation for universities to investigate the readiness of the university to prepare the era of RI 4.0 using Cobit 5 Framework. The descriptive method with a qualitative approach are conducted in this work. By using purposive and snowball sampling from Universities in Riau, we found the Universities was on the level of managed process. The results can be delivered to the university as an outlook of readiness toward disruption era in the IR 4.0.
Practical strategies for enhanced performance of anode materials in Na+/K+-ion batteries

To build a new green energy society, energy storage technology is becoming increasingly important and infiltrating into almost every aspect of our daily life. Lithium-ion batteries have been widely used because they have no memory effect and a high energy density. However, it is not clear whether the limited lithium resources can support such an energy system during its march towards our goal of sustainable development. To address this issue, sodium-ion and potassium-ion batteries are considered to be suitable alternative power sources because of their much more abundant reserves on our planet. The successful application of these two new battery systems requires the development of advanced electrode materials. Although many materials with promising performance have been reported, further improvements are still needed to achieve a high energy density and a long cycle life to meet the requirement for commercialization. Instead of categorizing different candidate anode materials according to their nanostructures or compositions, in this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of different effective strategies to address the specific drawbacks in these materials, including the construction of heterojunctions, the introduction of diffusion channels and heteroatom doping to enhance the ionic and electronic conductivity, and the strategic design of an unique structure or chemical composition to improve the stability of the electrode. We also summarize some challenges associated with these strategies, which need to be addressed in order to achieve a more intensive application of sodium-ion and potassium-ion batteries.
Aerosol delivery via invasive ventilation: a narrative review

In comparison with spontaneously breathing non-intubated subjects, intubated, mechanically ventilated patients encounter various challenges, barriers, and opportunities in receiving medical aerosols. Since the introduction of mechanical ventilation as a part of modern critical care medicine during the middle of the last century, aerosolized drug delivery by jet nebulizers has become a common practice. However, early evidence suggested that aerosol generators differed in their efficacies, and the introduction of newer aerosol technology (metered dose inhalers, ultrasonic nebulizer, vibrating mesh nebulizers, and soft moist inhaler) into the ventilator circuit opened up the possibility of optimizing inhaled aerosol delivery during mechanical ventilation that could meet or exceed the delivery of the same aerosols in spontaneously breathing patients. This narrative review will catalogue the primary variables associated with this process and provide evidence to guide optimal aerosol delivery and dosing during mechanical ventilation. While gaps exist in relation to the appropriate aerosol drug dose, discrepancies in practice, and cost-effectiveness of the administered aerosol drugs, we also present areas for future research and practice. Clinical practice should expand to incorporate these techniques to improve the consistency of drug delivery and provide safer and more effective care for patients.
Application of biostimulants in tomato subjected to water deficit: Physiological, enzymatic and production responses

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the application of the biostimulants Seed+ and Crop+ on physiological and production variables and on the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase - SOD and guaiacol peroxidase - POD) in tomato plants subjected to two soil water conditions. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, in a 2 x 2 x 6 factorial scheme, with two times of application of the biostimulants (flowering and fruiting), two soil water conditions (50 and 100% of soil water holding capacity) and six biostimulants (control treatment; Seed+; Seed+ + Crop+ 1x; Seed+ + Crop+ 2x; Crop+ 1x; + Crop+ 2x). The exprimental design was completely randomized, with four repetitions. The biostimulants Seed+ and Crop+ increased the quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), regardless of the time of application and water condition of the soil. The biostimulants Seed+ + Crop+ 2x and Crop+ 2x stood out in the pre-morning period, with an average Fv/Fm of 0.813, under the conditions tested. The highest SOD activity (372.12 U mg-1 of protein) was obtained with Crop+ 2x biostimulant in fruiting and under water deficit. For POD, when under water deficit, the best results were obtained with the biostimulants Seed+ + Crop+ 2x, Crop+ 1x and Crop+ 2x in flowering (810.94; 691.19 and 921.59 U mg-1 protein) and in fruiting (703.60; 800.00 and 972.62 U mg-1 protein). Thus, the use of Seed+ and Crop+ biostimulants can be an alternative to help mitigate the damage caused by water deficit in tomato crop.
U‐Pb Zircon and Re‐Os Molybdenite Geochronology of the W‐Mo Mineralized Region of South Qinling, China, and their Tectonic Implications

A W‐Mo mineralized region is located along the northern margin of the South Qinling tectonic belt of China. W‐Mo mineralization occurs mainly in Cambrian–Ordovician clastic and carbonate rocks, and the ore bodies are structurally controlled by NW–SE‐ and NNE–SSW‐striking faults. Evidence for magmatism in the area is widespread and is dominated by intermediate–felsic intrusives or apophyses, such as the Dongjiangkou, Yanzhiba, Lanbandeng, and Sihaiping granitic bodies. Quartz‐vein‐type mineralization and fault‐controlled skarn‐type mineralization dominate the ore systems, with additional enrichment in residual deposits. At present, there are few or insufficient studies on (1) the age of mineralization, (2) the relationship between intermediate–felsic granite and W‐Mo mineralization, (3) the source of ore‐forming materials, and (4) the metallogenic and tectonic setting of the mineralized area. In this paper, we present geochronology results for numerous intrusive granitic bodies in the South Qinling tectonic belt. U‐Pb zircon geochronology of the Lanbandeng monzogranite and Wangjiaping biotite monzogranite yields ages of 222.7 ± 2.3 and 201.9 ± 1.8 Ma, respectively. In contrast to the Late Triassic age of the Lanbandeng monzogranite, the age of the newly discovered Wangjiaping biotite monzogranite places it at the Triassic–Jurassic boundary. Re‐Os molybdenite geochronology on the Qipangou W‐Mo deposit yielded a model age of 199.7 ± 3.9 Ma, indicating the deposit formed in the early Yanshanian period of the Early Jurassic. Granitoid intrusions in the mineralized area are characterized by composite granite bodies that crystallized at ca. 240–190 Ma. While there were multiple stages of intrusion, most occurred at 210–220 Ma, with waning magmatic activity at 200–190 Ma. The Re‐Os age of molybdenite in the region is ca. 200–190 Ma, which may represent a newly discovered period of W‐Mo metallogenesis that occurred during the final stages of magmatism. The heat associated with this magmatism drove ore formation and might have provided additional ore‐forming components for metallogenesis (represented by the Wangjiaping biotite monzogranite). Ore materials in the mineralized area were derived from mixed crustal and mantle sources. Enrichment of the region occurred during intracontinental orogenesis in the late Indosinian–Yanshanian, subsequent to the main Indosinian collision. At this time, the tectonic environment was dominated by extension and strike‐slip motion.
Oman’s Trade Potentials with Indian Ocean Rim Countries

Oman’s regional trade flow, especially with the Indian Ocean Rim countries, is examined within a gravity model framework. The analysis is based on the generalised method of moments (GMM) estimation procedure. The findings show that Oman’s exports are strongly determined by the Indian Ocean Rim countries’ populations, gross domestic product, infrastructure, Oman’s trade policy and a common border and language. Distance is found to induce significant friction for Oman’s imports. We conclude that the Indian Ocean Rim countries are sources of active markets and provide opportunities for greater trade integration. In light of the dramatic decline in world oil prices in recent years, Oman also needs to reduce its reliance on oil earnings and intervene more aggressively in its domestic economy by diversifying its non-oil sector and concentrate more on non-oil led exports.