Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 and the New Normal of Organizations and Employees: An Overview

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit organizations and employees in every sector worldwide in unprecedented ways. It became extremely difficult for organizations and employees across sectors to operate under increased mobility restrictions. The pandemic effectively disrupted previous operational models and imbued changes such as telework and digital adoption that are pervasive and may potentially last beyond the pandemic. Amid these circumstances, it was essential to ask how organizations and employees will sustain themselves in the post-COVID-19 ”new normal”. Although so much research is conducted about COVID-19, there is no comprehensive view of the changes at the meso (organizational) and micro (individual) levels. This article aims to explain this using the emergency-learning-institutionalization-new normal (ELIN) framework, which is based on the timeline of the pandemic. The article aims to bring forth the overall trends in how organizations and employees are adapting to the pandemic, the lessons they have learned, and how they will change and adapt in a post-COVID-19 “new normal”. We have analyzed existing policy papers, articles published in business, public administration, nonprofit journals, and other studies to achieve this. We find an increasing trend towards the adoption of telework and digital tools at both meso- and micro-levels. The effective implementation of telework policies and digital transformation plans at the meso-level will ensure the sustainability of organizations and jobs in the new normal. Although these trends vary across sectors and within and across countries, there is an overall increase in the flexibility of organizations and employees in adopting new solutions, making them more open to innovation. The article makes important recommendations for organizations to make these transitions more sustainable in the medium and long term.
Gamification as a Process Class: The Dialetic of user Interaction

The study of gamification as a process has been growing in a multidisciplinary way in various areas of knowledge, being applied to the development of products, services and interaction with users in a search to make their experience more meaningful and promote the change of their behavior. This paper aims to present a dialectical view on the concept of gamification as a process of its relationship with changing user behavior. Descriptive research, which used as analysis the dialectical method divided into three moments, syncresis, analysis and synthesis. The revision of the texts concludes with an interdisciplinary view of gamification as a process, as well as its development is linked to the intrinsic, extrinsic motivations and the behavioral change of users, especially when they are inserted actions and activities, whether products or services. Gamification it is not just a set of methods or game mechanics, but a process that increases the likelihood of user experiences seeking their behavior change. Keywords— Users, Processes, Gamication, dialectic. Resumo— TO estudo da gamification como processo vem crescendo de forma multidisciplinar em diversas áreas do conhecimento, sendo aplicado ao desenvolvimento de produtos, serviços e interação com os usuários, na busca de tornar sua experiência mais significativa e promover a mudança de seu comportamento. Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar uma visão dialética do conceito de gamification como um processo de sua relação com a mudança de comportamento do usuário. Pesquisa descritiva, que utilizou como análise o método dialético dividido em três momentos, sincrese, análise e síntese. A revisão dos textos termina com uma visão interdisciplinar da gamification como um processo, bem como seu desenvolvimento está atrelado às motivações intrínsecas, extrínsecas e à mudança de comportamento dos usuários, principalmente quando inseridas ações e atividades, sejam produtos ou serviços. Gamification não é apenas um conjunto de métodos ou mecânica de jogo, mas um processo que aumenta a probabilidade de experiências do usuário buscando uma mudança de comportamento. Palavras-chave— Usuário, Processos, Gamification; dialética.
Disaggregation of future GCMs to generate IDF curves for the assessment of urban floods

Urbanization and industrialization cause an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn causes changes in the atmosphere. Climate change is causing extreme rainfalls and these rainfalls are getting stronger day after day. Floods are threatening urban areas, and short-duration rainfall and outdated drainages are responsible for urban floods. Intensity–Duration–Frequency (IDF) curves are crucial for both drainage system design and assessment of flood risk. Once IDF curves are determined from historical data, they are assumed to be stationary. However, IDF curves must be non-stationary and time varying based on preparation for extreme events. This study generates future IDF curves with short-duration rainfalls under climate change. To represent future rainfall, an ensemble of four Global Climate Models generated under Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 were used in this study. A new approach to the HYETOS disaggregation model was applied to disaggregate daily future rainfall into sub-hourly using disaggregation parameters of hourly measured rainfalls. Hence, sub-hourly future rainfalls will be obtained capturing historical rainfall patterns instead of random rainfall characteristics. Finally, historical and future IDF curves were compared. The study concludes that increases in short-duration rainfalls will be highly intensified in both the near and distant futures with a high probability.
The Intention and Expectations of Modern Robotic Technologies in the Hotel Industry

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper was to study the feasibility and expectations of use and quality of service robots in the hotel industry. For this purpose, the authors have relied on a research tool, also used in the pilot research conducted in 2020, regarding the intention to the use and expectations of service robots. The research was based on a sample of 413 hotel employees in hotels in Greece. An important outcome of this research is that overall the intention and expectations from the use of robots affect quality of service of robots in the hotel industry. Also, it appears that demographics can be a mediator in the examined relationships. This research presents a significant originality and importance for two reasons; it examines the perceptions of hotel personnel to use robots – since most of the existing empirical evidence derives mostly from consumers – and secondly it creates the necessary research framework and tools for future research.
Telehealth use and Satisfaction among U.S. Households: Results of a National Survey

Telehealth services have expanded dramatically during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic; we provide estimates of telehealth use and satisfaction based on a nationally representative, random survey of 3454 U.S. households. Fifty percent of households reported using telehealth because they could not receive medical care in person. Satisfaction was high among telehealth users (86%). However, satisfaction with telehealth was lower (65%) among households who reported experiences of delayed medical care for serious problems. Telehealth use was lower among rural households than urban households (46% vs. 53%) and among <$30,000 annually (47%), $30,000–<$50,000 (39%), and $75,000–<$100,000 (49%) compared with those earning $100,000 + (60%). Telehealth use was lower among households without high-speed internet compared to those with it (36 vs. 53%). Among users, satisfaction did not differ significantly by metro area, income, or internet quality. Telehealth may play a valuable role in access for many patient populations, but may not always be a perfect substitute for in-person care.
Neural Network Models for Spinal Implementation of Muscle Synergies

Muscle synergies have been proposed as functional modules to simplify the complexity of body motor control; however, their neural implementation is still unclear. Converging evidence suggests that output projections of the spinal premotor interneurons (PreM-INs) underlie the formation of muscle synergies, but they exhibit a substantial variation across neurons and exclude standard models assuming a small number of unitary “modules” in the spinal cord. Here we compared neural network models for muscle synergies to seek a biologically plausible model that reconciles previous clinical and electrophysiological findings. We examined three neural network models: one with random connections (non-synergy model), one with a small number of spinal synergies (simple synergy model), and one with a large number of spinal neurons representing muscle synergies with a certain variation (population synergy model). We found that the simple and population synergy models emulate the robustness of muscle synergies against cortical stroke observed in human stroke patients. Furthermore, the size of the spinal variation of the population synergy matched well with the variation in spinal PreM-INs recorded in monkeys. These results suggest that a spinal population with moderate variation is a biologically plausible model for the neural implementation of muscle synergies.
den Bos Involvement on the Use of Justice Assertions On the Social-Communicative Function of Justice : The Influence of Communication Goals and Personal

This article reveals how people strategically use justice assertions when attempting to persuade others. In three studies participants communicated about a negative situation they or someone else had experienced and did so in a persuasive manner (Studies 1-3), an accurate manner (Study 1), by asking for an opinion (Study 2), or without a communication goal (Studies 1 and 3). Communicators who had a persuasion goal used more justice-related words than communicators who had a goal to be accurate, asked for an opinion, or had no goal. This was particularly the case when communications were about someone else rather than the participants themselves and for those high in self-monitoring whose identities were known (vs. anonymous). The article concludes that people use justice-related words in attempts to persuade others, but only when they know there is no doubt about their personal involvement. Implications are discussed.
Efficacy of Asenapine in Schizophrenia Resistant to Clozapine Combined with Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Case Report

Schizophrenic patients resistant to antipsychotics are diagnosed as having treatment-refractory schizophrenia, and they are treated with clozapine. However, clozapine is sometimes combined with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) if clozapine monotherapy fails. In this report, a severe treatment-refractory schizophrenic patient who did not respond to clozapine even with ECT, but who recovered with asenapine monotherapy, is presented. Asenapine, considered a serotonin spectrum dopamine modulator, is a new atypical antipsychotic with unique pharmacological features that is used not only for schizophrenia, but also for bipolar disorder. The unique features of asenapine may be effective for some treatment-refractory schizophrenic patients.
Parallel Signaling through IRE1a and PERK Regulates Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Growth and Survival

Master regulators of the unfolded protein response (UPR), IRE1a andPERK, promote adaptation or apoptosis depending on the level of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Although the UPR is activated in many cancers, its effects on tumor growth remain unclear. Derived from endocrine cells, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNET) universally hypersecrete one or more peptide hormones, likely sensitizing these cells to high ER protein-folding stress. To assess whether targeting the UPR is a viable therapeutic strategy, we analyzed human PanNET samples and found evidence of elevated ER stress and UPR activation. Genetic and pharmacologic modulation of IRE1a and PERK in cultured cells, xenograft, and spontaneous genetic (RIP-Tag2) mouse models of PanNETs revealed that UPR signaling was optimized for adaptation and that inhibiting either IRE1a or PERK led to hyperactivation and apoptotic signaling through the reciprocal arm, thereby halting tumor growth and survival. These results provide a strong rationale for therapeutically targeting the UPR in PanNETs and other cancers with elevated ER stress. Significance: The UPR is upregulated in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and its inhibition significantly reduces tumor growth in preclinical models, providing strong rationale for targeting the UPR in these cancers.
Synergy of Chemo- and Photodynamic Therapies with C60 Fullerene-Doxorubicin Nanocomplex

A nanosized drug complex was explored to improve the efficiency of cancer chemotherapy, complementing it with nanodelivery and photodynamic therapy. For this, nanomolar amounts of a non-covalent nanocomplex of Doxorubicin (Dox) with carbon nanoparticle C60 fullerene (C60) were applied in 1:1 and 2:1 molar ratio, exploiting C60 both as a drug-carrier and as a photosensitizer. The fluorescence microscopy analysis of human leukemic CCRF-CEM cells, in vitro cancer model, treated with nanocomplexes showed Dox’s nuclear and C60’s extranuclear localization. It gave an opportunity to realize a double hit strategy against cancer cells based on Dox’s antiproliferative activity and C60’s photoinduced pro-oxidant activity. When cells were treated with 2:1 C60-Dox and irradiated at 405 nm the high cytotoxicity of photo-irradiated C60-Dox enabled a nanomolar concentration of Dox and C60 to efficiently kill cancer cells in vitro. The high pro-oxidant and pro-apoptotic efficiency decreased IC50 16, 9 and 7 × 103-fold, if compared with the action of Dox, non-irradiated nanocomplex, and C60’s photodynamic effect, correspondingly. Hereafter, a strong synergy of therapy arising from the combination of C60-mediated Dox delivery and C60 photoexcitation was revealed. Our data indicate that a combination of chemo- and photodynamic therapies with C60-Dox nanoformulation provides a promising synergetic approach for cancer treatment.
Monitoring cfDNA in Plasma and in Other Liquid Biopsies of Advanced EGFR Mutated NSCLC Patients: A Pilot Study and a Review of the Literature

Simple Summary In advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, tumor tissue biopsy represents the gold standard for molecular analysis procedures. However, to achieve the necessary information, both at the time of diagnosis and progressive disease, is sometimes challenging, considering the small cancer material available. Liquid biopsy consists of a non-invasive alternative approach that owns the potential to provide useful information for molecular diagnostic. We aimed to prove the worth of liquid biopsy as plasma but also as urine and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) as the best surrogate to tumor tissue as well as to explore the molecular mechanisms that underlying the resistance to second-line osimertinib in advanced EGFR mutated NSCLC. We believe that our findings, with the PLUREX study and the review of literature, may add another brick in the wall on the use of liquid biopsy in the clinical practice in the setting of EGFR-mutated NSCLC disease. Abstract In order to study alternatives at the tissue biopsy to study EGFR status in NSCLC patients, we evaluated three different liquid biopsy platforms (plasma, urine and exhaled breath condensate, EBC). We also reviewed the literature of the cfDNA biological sources other than plasma and compared our results with it about the sensitivity to EGFR mutation determination. Twenty-two EGFR T790M-mutated NSCLC patients in progression to first-line treatment were enrolled and candidate to osimertinib. Plasma, urine and EBC samples were collected at baseline and every two months until progression. Molecular analysis of cfDNA was performed by ddPCR and compared to tissue results. At progression NGS analysis was performed. The EGFR activating mutation detection reached a sensitivity of 58 and 11% and for the T790M mutation of 45 and 10%, in plasma and urine samples, respectively. Any DNA content was recovered from EBC samples. Considering the plasma monitoring study, the worst survival was associated with positive shedding status; both plasma and urine molecular progression anticipated the radiological worsening. Our results confirmed the role of plasma liquid biopsy in testing EGFR mutational status, but unfortunately, did not evidence any improvement from the combination with alternative sources, as urine and EBC.
A Comparative Analysis of the Outcomes of Carotid Stenting and Carotid Endarterectomy in the Management of Carotid Stenosis

Carotid Stenosis is an important cause of stroke (20%) which is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. The management is mainly by surgery or carotid stenting. This study reviews 3 years of experience and the outcomes in the treatment of carotid stenosis by the two methods. The study aimed to evaluate and compare the outcomes of both procedures during a 3yr period at a vascular Surgery department of the Cisanello Hospital. 302 pts were retrospectively analyzed; 151 pts assigned for each procedure. The average intervention time was significantly higher for the CEA group O.R: 0.556; 95% C.I; 0.3490. 886, P: 0.014 but technical successes were achieved in 100% of CEA pts, whereas were achieved in 91.39% of the CAS group. The periprocedural stroke was nonsignificant between the two procedures. The Periprocedural TIA were show significant difference with more incidences in CAS pts [O.R: 7.292, 95% C.I; 1.15045. 856, P: 0.032] but almost all pts improved. The cranial nerve injuries were a specific complication of CEA [11.9%]. The recurrent stenosis was seen only in CAS pts [2.9%] with O.R: 0.493, 95% C.I; 0.1042. 345, P: 0.410. Both procedures are effective and comparable in outcomes in the management of carotid Stenosis.
Increasing soil organic carbon content can enhance the long‐term availability of phosphorus in agricultural soils

The stocks of phosphorus (P) in soil resulting from decades of over‐fertilisation can be used as a long‐term source of P provided that crop P bioavailability is ensured. This study was set up to identify to what extent soil organic matter (SOM) affects the long‐term availability of these stocks, the premise being that OM may limit irreversible P fixation in soil by blocking P sorption sites on sesquioxides. An ensemble of 42 agricultural soils, composed from experimentally amended soils (field and incubation trials) and soils with contrasting properties, was subjected to 288 days of P depletion with anion exchange membranes as a P sink; this method was previously shown to yield P pools with agronomic significance. Cumulative P desorption data were fitted with a two‐pool kinetic desorption model, yielding estimates for a fast (labile) and total desorbable P pool. On average, 42% of oxalate extractable P (Pox) associated with poorly crystalline iron (Fe) and aluminium (Al) (oxy)hydroxides (Feox and Alox) were desorbable and 25% of that fraction (i.e. 11% of Pox) was labile. That labile P pool matched well with the 24 h isotopically exchangeable P (E value) in these soils (R2 = 0.74). Both the fast and total desorbable fraction of Pox were larger at higher degrees of phosphorus saturation (DPS). In soils with a low DPS (<0.30), the labile fraction of Pox increased as the ratio of soil organic carbon to Feox + Alox increased (R2 = 0.70; p < 0.001), but soils with a higher DPS did not exhibit that trend. These results adhere to soil chemical views that enhanced SOM contents reduce fixation of P by competitive sorption and prevention of P diffusion into micropores. No such effects occur in more P saturated soils, probably because orthophosphate sorption and electrostatic effects outcompete effective SOM sorption. The findings suggest that simultaneous application of OM with P fertilisers could keep P better available in the long term, but that this OM application does not affect P fixation when soils are excessively dosed with P.
Optoelectronic properties of thermally coated tin selenide thin films for photovoltaics

In this study, 490 nm thin tin selenide thin films were deposited by facile co‐evaporation techniques using Sn and Se sources on a clean glass substrate. The thin films were annealed at moderate annealing temperature followed by characterization and analysis. The thin annealed films possess polycrystalline nature and orthorhombic structure with an average grain size of 130 nm. The band gap assessed from absorption spectra for the highly annealed sample was 1.52 eV. The resistivity and sheet resistance were measured with four‐probe techniques and the sheet resistance was =1.362 × 104 ohm for the highly annealed film.
A new method to determine varying adsorbed density based on Gibbs isotherm of supercritical gas adsorption

In the calculation of the absolute adsorption of supercritical gas adsorbed on the microporous materials, most existing methods regard the adsorbed density as a constant, which is very unreasonable. In this study, an extended pressure point method combined with Langmuir adsorption model is proposed in which the varying adsorbed density under different pressures is considered at the same time. The utility of the proposed method to correlate accurately the experimental data for supercritical gas adsorption system is demonstrated by high-pressure methane adsorption measurements on two groups of shale samples. Taking advantage of the proposed method, we can obtain the adsorbed density and the adsorbed volume corresponding to different pressures. Compared with the conventional methods under the assumption of fixed and parameterized adsorbed density, the proposed method yields better fitting results with the experimental data. Our work should provide important fundamental understandings and insights into the supercritical gas adsorption system.
Study on some hemato-biochemical changes associated with Babesia Bovine in cattle of El-Wisata -Libya

Bovine Babesiosis is a tick-borne disease of cattle caused by haemoparasite of the genus Babesia. This parasite is responsible for considerable losses due to mortality, weight loss, and reduction in milk besides the cost of treatments. This study aimed to study the effect of Babesia on some hematological and biochemical parameters on cattle in farms of El-Wisata in the El-Gabal El-Akhdar area. Twenty-three of crossbred cattle of 3-8 years old were examined. Giemsa stained thin blood smears from the ear vain of all 23 cases of crossbred cattle for microscopic examination to diagnose the parasite in the blood and divided the animals into two groups (7 non-infected group (30.5%) and 16 infested group (69.5%)), as well as two blood tubes (with EDTA) from the jugular vein of all cases were collected for hematological analysis and (without EDTA) for biochemical analysis. The results of the haemato-biochemical studies showed a significant reduction in the levels of RBC, PCV, Hb, MCH, MCV, TP, Ca+ and Na+ with a significant increase in WBC and K- levels in the crossbred cattle infected group. The infected cases marked the clinical-pathological symptoms like fever (41 C°), Anorexia, depression, weakness, pale mucous membrane, weight loss, hemoglobin urea, decrease in milk and death within a few days.