Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Use of Ethylamine, Diethylamine and Triethylamine in the Synthesis of Zn,Al Layered Double Hydroxides

Amines with two carbon atoms in the organic chain [ethylamine (EA), diethylamine (DEA), triethylamine (TEA)] have been used as precipitant agents to obtain a hydrotalcite-like compound with Zn (II) and Al (III) as layered cations and with nitrate anions in the interlayered region to balance the charge. This Layered Double Hydroxide was prepared following the coprecipitation method, and the effect on the crystal and particle sizes was studied. Also, the effect of submitting the obtained solids to hydrothermal post-synthesis treatment by conventional heating and microwave assisted heating were studied. The obtained solids were exhaustively characterized using several instrumental techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, Thermal Analysis (DTA and TG), Chemical Analysis, Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), determination of Particle Size Distribution and BET-Surface area. Well crystallized solids were obtained showing two possible LDH phases, depending on the orientation of the interlayer anion with respect to the brucite-like layers. The results indicated that there is a certain influence of the amine, when used as a precipitating agent, and as a consequence of the degree of substitution, on the crystallinity and particle size of the final solid obtained. The LDHs obtained using TEA exhibited higher crystallinity, which was improved after a long hydrothermal treatment by conventional heating. Regarding the shape of the particles, the formation of aggregates in the former solid was detected, which could be easily disintegrated using ultrasound treatments, producing solid powder with high crystallinity and small particle size, with homogeneous size distribution.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their alkylated, nitrated and oxygenated derivatives in the atmosphere over the Mediterranean and Middle East seas

Abstract. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their alkylated (RPAHs), nitrated (NPAHs) and oxygenated (OPAHs) derivatives are air pollutants. Many of these substances are long-lived, can undergo long-range atmospheric transport and adversely affect human health upon exposure. However, the occurrence and fate of these air pollutants have hardly been studied in the marine atmosphere. In this study, we report the atmospheric concentrations over the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Gulf, determined during the AQABA (Air Quality and Climate Change in the Arabian Basin) project, a comprehensive ship-borne campaign in summer 2017. The average concentrations of ∑26PAHs, ∑19RPAHs, ∑11OPAHs and ∑17NPAHs, in the gas and particulate phases, were 2.99 ± 3.35 ng m−3, 0.83 ± 0.87 ng m−3, 0.24 ± 0.25 ng m−3 and 4.34 ± 7.37 pg m−3, respectively. The Arabian Sea region was the cleanest for all substance classes, with concentrations among the lowest ever reported. Over the Mediterranean Sea, we found the highest average burden of ∑26PAHs and ∑11OPAHs, while the ∑17NPAHs were most abundant over the Arabian Gulf (known also as the Persian Gulf). 1,4-Naphthoquinone (1,4-O2NAP) followed by 9-fluorenone and 9,10-anthraquinone were the most abundant studied OPAHs in most samples. The NPAH composition pattern varied significantly across the regions, with 2-nitronaphthalene (2-NNAP) being the most abundant NPAH. According to source apportionment investigations, the main sources of PAH derivatives in the region were ship exhaust emissions, residual oil combustion and continental pollution. All OPAHs and NPAHs except 2-nitrofluoranthene (2-NFLT), which were frequently detected during the campaign, showed elevated concentrations in fresh shipping emissions. In contrast, 2-NFLT and 2-nitropyrene (2-NPYR) were highly abundant in aged shipping emissions due to secondary formation. Apart from 2-NFLT and 2-NPYR, benz(a)anthracene-7,12-dione and 2-NNAP also had significant photochemical sources. Another finding was that the highest concentrations of PAHs, OPAHs and NPAHs were found in the sub-micrometre fraction of particulate matter (PM1).
Robust Signal Recovery for High-Dimensional Linear Log-Contrast Models with Compositional Covariates

Abstract In this article, we propose a robust signal recovery method for high-dimensional linear log-contrast models, when the error distribution could be heavy-tailed and asymmetric. The proposed method is built on the Huber loss with penalization. We establish the and consistency for the resulting estimator. Under conditions analogous to the irrepresentability condition and the minimum signal strength condition, we prove that the signed support of the slope parameter vector can be recovered with high probability. The finite-sample behavior of the proposed method is evaluated through simulation studies, and applications to a GDP satisfaction dataset an HIV microbiome dataset are provided.
The Influence of Financial Threat on Go-Jek Drivers' Willingness to Change Financial Behavior in Surabaya, Indonesia

Abstract. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Go-Jek drivers have experienced economic difficulties due to a decline in online orders from consumers. This decline and the fear of contracting the virus have prompted Go-Jek drivers to try various alternatives to be able to meet their daily necessities. This study aims to determine the effect of financial threat on the willingness to change financial behavior among Go-Jek drivers in Surabaya, Indonesia. Data was collected through a questionnaire distributed online using Google Forms, Instagram as well as offline, so that 100 respondents could be obtained. After the data was collected, it was processed through SEM-PLS to examine the relationship of economic hardship, debt, anxiety, and financial threat to willingness to change financial behavior. On the one hand, the results of the analysis show that debt and anxiety had a significant effect on financial threat, and that financial threat had a significant effect on the willingness to change financial behavior. On the other hand, they indicated that economic hardship did not have a significant effect on financial threat. Difficult financial conditions affected Go-Jek drivers' psychological conditions, and they had to be willing to change their financial behavior to survive; hence, psychological factors and financial knowledge have an influence on individuals in terms of their ability to make wise financial decisions. Keywords: Economic hardship, debt, anxiety, financial threat, willingness to change financial behavior
Karyomorphology of some Crocus L. taxa from Uşak province in Turkey

The increasing number of new taxa for each day and the presence of the samples exhibiting variable characters depend on this situation make very problematic the genus Crocus as taxonomic and phylogenetic. For this reason, the many studies based on PCR, DNA barcoding and cytogenetics are applied to provide contribution for taxonomic problems and phylogenetic relationships of the genus Crocus. In this study, detailed karyotypic investigation of four taxa (C. pallasii Goldb. subsp. pallasii, C. olivieri J.Gay subsp. olivieri, C. fleischeri J.Gay and C. uschakensis Rukśans) belonging to Uşak province in Turkey was carried out and compared with the studies made previously. The somatic chromosome numbers of studied taxa were found to be 2n=14 for C. pallasii subsp. pallasii, 2n=8 for C. olivieri subsp. olivieri, 2n=20 for C. fleischeri and 2n=20 for C. uschakensis. C. uschakensis has only satellite on the short arm of chromosome 7. Some differences with previous studies in aspect of chromosome number and morphology were determined in this study. Furthermore, there is no enough literature information on Crocus uschakensis and it was provided with this study based on detailed chromosomal investigation.
Occupational Stress and Academic Staff Job Performance in Public Universities in Two Nigerian Universities

Available reports provide an account of academic staff’s poor job performance in higher education institutions and universities in particular. Consequently, a growing body of research has been attracted to this area, including those seeking ways to understand the problem and others aimed at proffering solutions. This study contributes to the literature by investigating the influence of occupational stress on the job performance of academic staff in universities. Three null hypotheses directed the study in line with the quantitative ex-post facto research design. A sample of 150 respondents was obtained using the systematic random sampling technique from a population of 400 lecturers in the Faculty of Education from two public universities in Nigeria. A 31-item questionnaire was used for data collection. The null hypotheses were tested at the . 05 alpha level using simple linear regression analysis. It was revealed that remuneration is a significant positive predictor of academic staff job performance. The prediction of workload was negatively non-significant on the job performance of academics. The provision of institutional amenities has a positive but non-significant prediction on academic staff job performance in the two public universities. It was concluded that occupational stress significantly influences the job performance of lecturers in universities. The study recommended that the government constantly pay lecturers’ salaries as and when due. Institutional managers should reward lecturers with outstanding performance to boost their morale for effective service delivery.
Cytotoxicity, Apoptosis, Migration Inhibition, and Autophagy-Induced by Crude Ricin from Ricinus communis Seeds in A549 Lung Cancer Cell Lines

Background Ricin protein derived from Ricinus communis seeds is known to have a high toxicity to humans and animals. Several studies revealed that ricin, belonging to ribosome inactivating protein-I, has cytotoxic properties against various types of cancer cell lines. Material/Methods Crude ricin (CR) from the seeds of R. communis was investigated for its cytotoxicity on the A549 cancer cell lines using the MTS assay, and the cell death mechanism was explored using flow cytometry and Western blot methods. The cell migration was measured using a scratch/wound-healing method and the autophagy activity was explored using Western blotting. Results CR showed cytotoxicity against A549 cancer cell lines, with an IC50 of 40.94 ppm. CR induced apoptosis and necrosis, but apoptosis occurred more frequently than necrosis. Apoptosis induced by CR was mediated by the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. CR inhibited cell migration in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, with the highest effect occurred at the concentration of 1.0 ppm. The autophagic experiment showed that CR inhibited autophagy in A549 lung cancer cells by decreasing Beclin-1 levels while increasing Atg5 levels in a concentration-dependent manner and CR decreased LC3-II level while increasing p62 level. Cisplatin treatment also inhibited autophagy as it exhibited the same effect on those autophagic proteins as CR. Conclusions Our findings suggest that CR might be a potential candidate for anticancer drugs, but further study is needed to verify its anticancer properties.
Predictors for E-Government Adoption of SANAD App Services Integrating UTAUT, TPB, TAM, Trust, and Perceived Risk

Using mobile applications in e-government for the purpose of health protection is a new idea during COVID-19 epidemic. Hence, the goal of this study is to examine the various factors that influence the use of SANAD App As a health protection tool. The factors were adopted from well-established models like UTAUT, TAM, and extended PBT. Using survey data from 442 SANAD App from Jordan, the model was empirically validated using AMOS 20 confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling (SEM) and machine learning (ML) methods were performed to assess the study hypotheses. The ML methods used are ANN, SMO, the bagging reduced error pruning tree (RepTree), and random forest. The results suggested several key findings: the respondents’ performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, perceived risk, trust, and perceived service quality of this digital technology were significant antecedents for their attitude to using it. The strength of these relationships is affected by the moderating variables, including age, gender, educational level, and internet experience on behavioral intention. Yet, perceived risk did not have a significant effect on attitude towards SANAD App The study adds to literature by empirically testing and theorizing the effects of SANAD App on public health protection.
Autologous Platelet‐Rich Plasma Drops for Evaporative Dry Eye Disease from Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: A Pilot Study

Purpose To evaluate the effects of autologous platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) drops for evaporative dry eye (EDE) disease from meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). Methods This is a retrospective, consecutive case series of 20 eyes of 10 patients with EDE from MGD treated with PRP drops from November 2020 to November 2021 at a single outpatient clinic in Ontario, Canada. PRP drops were prepared from whole blood using a two-step centrifugation method. Patients were instructed to instill these drops six times daily for 4 weeks. The Canadian Dry Eye Assessment (CDEA) questionnaire score, patient subjective assessment (PSA) score, first and average non-invasive break-up times (f/a NIBUT), tear meniscus height (TMH), bulbar redness (BR), and meibograph grade (MG) were measured before and after the treatment course. Results Significant improvements in dry eye symptoms and tear film parameters were observed. Dry eye symptoms significantly improved as per the CDEA (mean difference (MD) = −5.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [−7.9, −3.1], p<0.001) and PSA (MD = −2.6, 95% CI = [−3.9, −1.2], p<0.001). There were significant improvements in tear film parameters including fNIBUT (MD = 3.85s, 95% CI = [1.2, 6.8], p=0.006), aNIBUT (MD = −6.81s, 95% CI = [5.7, 11.1], p<0.001) and TMH (MD = 0.08, 95% CI = [0.003, 0.2], p=0.045). There was an improvement in conjunctival injection as measured by BR (MD = −0.36, 95% CI = [−0.4, −0.15], p=0.373). Five eyes experienced a one-grade improvement in MG (p=0.453), and none experienced worsening in MG with treatment. No temporary or permanent adverse effects were noted. Conclusion Four weeks of PRP therapy resulted in significant functional improvements in dry eye symptoms and tear film quality and quantity. Improvements in conjunctival injection and microstructural improvements in meibomian glands were also observed in some eyes. Overall, PRP is a promising treatment option for patients with EDE from MGD refractory to conventional treatments.
Low-Pb High-Piezoelectric Ceramic System (1−x)Ba(Zr0.18Ti0.82)O3–x(Ba0.78Pb0.22)TiO3

Piezoelectric materials, especially Pb-based piezoelectric materials, are widely used in the key components of sensors, actuators, and transducers. Due to the rising concern of the toxicity of Pb, global legislation has been adopted to restrict the use of Pb. Given that the available Pb-free piezoelectric materials cannot replace the Pb-based ones for various reasons, we designed and fabricated a low-Pb piezoelectric solid-solution ceramic system, (1–x)Ba(Zr0.18Ti0.82)O3–x(Ba0.78Pb0.22)TiO3 (denoted as BZ0.18T–xBP0.22T herein). The crystal structure, ferroelectric, dielectric, and piezoelectric properties of the BZ0.18T–xBP0.22T system were systematically studied. With the increase in BP0.22T content, the structure of the samples changed from a rhombohedral phase to a tetragonal phase; the intermediate composition x = 0.5 was located at the morphotropic phase boundary of the system and corresponded to the state with the coexistence of the rhombohedral and tetragonal phases. Moreover, x = 0.5 exhibited the optimum comprehensive properties among all the samples, with a piezoelectric coefficient d33 of 240 pC/N, a maximum dielectric temperature Tm of 121.1°C, and a maximum polarization Pm of 15 μC/cm2. Our work verifies the validity of the route to design low-Pb high-piezoelectric materials and may stimulate the interests for exploring new low-Pb high-performance ferroelectric and piezoelectric materials.
A 3-Year Longitudinal Study of Effects of Parental Feeding Practices on Child Weight Status: The Childhood Obesity Study in China Mega-Cities

This study examined the longitudinal associations between parental feeding practices and child weight status, and their potential modification effects by child sex, age, and maternal and paternal educations among children. Data were collected from 2015 to 2017 of 2139 children aged 6–17 years and their parents in five Chinese mega-cities. Parental feeding practices were assessed using 11-items from Child Feeding Questionnaire. Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), body mass index (BMI), and general and central obesity were measured and analyzed using a mixed-effects model. Three parental feeding patterns were identified by factor analysis including “concern”, “pressure to eat”, and “control”. Concern was associated with higher BMI z-score, WHtR (βs ranged from 0.01 to 0.16), and general obesity (ORs ranged from 1.29 to 6.41) among children aged ≤12 years and >12 years, regardless of child sex and parental educations. Pressure to eat was associated with lower BMI z-score (β = −0.08, p < 0.001), WHtR (β = −0.004, p < 0.01), and general (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.42, 0.66) and central obesity (OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.58, 0.90) among children aged ≤12 years. Further analyses showed that significant associations were found for children with maternal or paternal education of college and above. Control was associated with increased risk of general and central obesity among children with maternal education of college and above, regardless of age. Our study indicates that higher concern and lower pressure to eat were associated with increased risk of obesity among children. Control was associated with increased risk of obesity among children with maternal education of college and above. Future childhood obesity preventions may optimize parental feeding practices.
Fractures characterization of carbonate reservoir using core analyses and borehole image logs

Abstract In this research, we used a combination of available data (core analysis and borehole image logs) to characterize the Judea Formation sediment fractures. The Judea Formation low-energy marine shelf sediments are made up of limestone in the upper half and dolostone in the lower. Some induced and enhanced fractures with an N-S striking direction were identified using FMI image logs. Furthermore, the rock naturally fractures with an NNE striking orientation. The characterization of fractures using core studies revealed that the limestone zone had a greater quantity of induced fractures than the dolomite zone. Within the dolomite zone, naturally occurring fractures are frequent; they are open or partially filled with secondary mineralization. Due to the breaking of the limestone matrix under compression during burial diagenesis, sealed fractures with calcite are primarily recognized in the limestone zone. Due to the plastic deformation/pressure solution of the soft carbonate host rocks, sealed fractures with clay are most prevalent in the limestone zone. Because of their link with the dolomitization that floated over the lower part of the Judea Formation section during diagenesis, sealed fractures with dolomite were primarily identified in the dolomite zone. As a result of the significant dolomitization, sealed fractures containing bitumen formed within the dolomite zone conduits, serving as hydrocarbon migration pathways. The paragenetic sequence is given, although it is stressed that many parts are still hypothetical owing to the inadequate database. Geological and/or other projects in the Euphrates Graben area can use help from such an integrated study.
Goats as Valuable Animal Model to Test the Targeted Glutamate Supplementation upon Antral Follicle Number, Ovulation Rate, and LH-Pulsatility

Simple Summary Exogenous glutamate administration to yearling-anestrous goats enhanced not only ovarian function (i.e., ovulation rate and antral follicle number) but also denoted undoubted effects at the hypothalamic-pituitary level, augmenting LH pulsatility. Our results show not only the use of glutamate as a clean alternative but also as an interesting reproductive strategy to amplify ovarian function, considering goats as an animal model. While this should enlarge the possibility of escalating our knowledge regarding the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal modulation by glutamate, such research outcomes may also embrace potential translational implications. Abstract The potential effect of intravenous administration of glutamate on the ovarian activity and the LH secretion pattern, considering the anestrous yearling goat as an animal model, were assessed. In late April, yearling goats (n = 20) were randomly assigned to either (1) Glutamate supplemented (GLUT; n = 10, Live Weight (LW) = 29.6 ± 1.02 kg, Body Condition (BCS) = 3.4 ± 0.2 units; i.v. supplemented with 7 mg GLUT kg−1 LW) or (2) Non-supplemented (CONT; n = 10; LW = 29.2 ± 1.07 kg, BCS = 3.5 ± 0.2 units; i.v. saline). The oats were estrus-synchronized; blood sampling (6 h × 15 min) was carried out for LH quantification. Response variables included pulsatility (PULSE), time to first pulse (TTFP), amplitude (AMPL), nadir (NAD), and area under the curve (AUC) of LH. Ovaries were ultra-sonographically scanned to assess ovulation rate (OR), number of antral follicles (AF), and total ovarian activity (TOA = OR + AF). LH-PULSE was quantified with the Munro algorithm; significant treatment x time interactions were evaluated across time. The variables LW and BCS did not differ (p > 0.05) between the experimental groups. Nevertheless, OR (1.77 vs. 0.87 ± 0.20 units), TOA (4.11 vs. 1.87 ± 0.47 units) and LH-PULSE (5.0 vs. 2.2 pulses 6 h-1) favored (p < 0.05) to the GLUT group. Our results reveal that targeted glutamate supplementation, the main central nervous system neurotransmitter, arose as an interesting strategy to enhance the hypothalamic–hypophyseal–ovarian response considering the anestrous-yearling goat as an animal model, with thought-provoking while promising translational applications.