Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A New Species of Nanorana (Anura: Dicroglossidae) from Northwestern Yunnan, China, with Comments on the Taxonomy of Nanorana arunachalensis and Allopaa

Simple Summary Currently, the genus Nanorana contains thirty-two species, and four of them belong to the subgenus Nanorana, namely N. bangdaensis, N. parkeri, N. pleskei, and N. ventripunctata. In this study, on the basis of molecular and morphological evidence, we described a new species of Nanorana (Nanorana) from northwestern Yunnan, China, where only one member (N. ventripunctata) of Nanorana (Nanorana) has been reported. Additionally, the taxonomic status of Nanorana arunachalensis and Allopaa hazarensis were discussed, and subgeneric allocations of Nanorana species were suggested. The findings in this study bring the number of Nanorana species to 33 and improve our understanding on the taxonomy of genus Nanorana and the species diversity of Nanorana (Nanorana), an alpine group widely distributed in the southern and southeastern QTP. Abstract The genus Nanorana contains three subgenera, namely Nanorana, Paa, and Chaparana, and currently, there are four species known to science in Nanorana (Nanorana). In this study, we describe a new species belonging to the subgenus Nanorana from northwestern Yunnan, China. Phylogenetically, the new species, Nanorana laojunshanensis sp. nov., is the sister to the clade of N. pleskei and N. ventripunctata. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from known congeners by the combination of following characters: present tympanum, equal fingers I and II, small body size, yellow ventral surface of limbs, distinct vomerine teeth, indistinct subarticular tubercles, head width greater than head length, slender supratympanic fold, absent dorsolateral fold, nuptial spines present on fingers I and II in adult males, absent vocal sac, and paired brown spines on the chest. Moreover, we suggest moving the genus Allopaa into Nanorana (Chaparana) and consider that N. arunachalensis is neither an Odorrana species nor a member of the subfamily Dicroglossinae (therefore Nanorana), but probably represents a distinct genus closely related to Ingerana or belongs to Ingerana, pending more data. Additionally, we consider that Nanorana minica deserves the rank of an independent subgenus, and we suggest assigning N. arnoldi, N. blanfordii, N. ercepeae, N. polunini, N. rarica, N. rostandi, N. vicina, N. xuelinensis, and N. zhaoermii into the subgenus Paa and placing N. kangxianensis, N. phrynoides, and N. sichuanensis in the subgenus Chaparana.
Which Voice for which Robot? Designing Robot Voices that Indicate Robot Size

Many social robots will have the capacity to interact via speech in the future, and thus they will have to have a voice. However, so far it is unclear how we can create voices that fit their robotic speakers. In this article, we explore how robot voices can be designed to fit the size of the respective robot. We therefore investigate the acoustic correlates of human voices and body size. In Study I, we analyzed 163 speech samples in connection with their speakers’ body size and body height. Our results show that specific acoustic parameters are significantly associated with body height, and to a lesser degree to body weight, but that different features are relevant for female and male voices. In Study II, we tested then for female and male voices to what extent the acoustic features identified can be used to create voices that are reliably associated with the size of robots. The results show that the acoustic features identified provide reliable clues to whether a large or a small robot is speaking.
The Multifunctional Nature of the MicroRNA/AKT3 Regulatory Axis in Human Cancers

Serine/threonine kinase (AKT) signaling regulates diverse cellular processes and is one of the most important aberrant cell survival mechanisms associated with tumorigenesis, metastasis, and chemoresistance. Targeting AKT has become an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of many cancers. AKT3 (PKBγ), the least studied isoform of the AKT family, has emerged as a major contributor to malignancy. AKT3 is frequently overexpressed in human cancers, and many regulatory oncogenic or tumor suppressor small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), have recently been identified to be involved in regulating AKT3 expression. Therefore, a better understanding of regulatory miRNA/AKT3 networks may reveal novel biomarkers for the diagnosis of patients with cancer and may provide invaluable information for developing more effective therapeutic strategies. The aim of this review was to summarize current research progress in the isoform-specific functions of AKT3 in human cancers and the roles of dysregulated miRNA/AKT3 in specific types of human cancers.
Extensional tectonics of the Outer Hebrides Fault Zone, South Uist, northwest Scotland

The Outer Hebrides Fault Zone is a major ESE-dipping reactivated structure within Lewisian basement gneisses of the Laurentian craton, northwest Scotland. Detailed mapping in South Uist reveals important new evidence that contributes to a better understanding of the kinematic evolution of the fault zone. Large quantities of pseudotachylite which characterize the fault zone on South Uist may in part be lithologically controlled, and therefore of little value in determining areas of greatest deformation and displacement. Only limited evidence is preserved for ductile and brittle thrust-sense movements along this portion of the fault zone. The tectonics of the fault zone on South Uist are dominated by structures associated with several episodes of pervasive top-down-to-the-SE to -ENE brittle extensional deformation, which are progressively overprinted by protophyllonitic and phyllonitic fabrics associated with top-down-to-the-E to -ENE extension. A series of late-stage high-angle normal faults record top-down-to-the-ESE to -ENE extension and cut the phyllonites. Fluid inclusion studies from syntectonic quartz veins constrain the conditions of phyllonite formation at 370 ± 20 °C. Field evidence suggests that this section of the Outer Hebrides Fault Zone may have been largely unaffected by sinistral strike-slip reactivation as reported along-strike to the north, suggesting both a varied and compartmentalized tectonic and evolutionary history along the length of the Outer Hebrides Fault Zone.
A 40-nm 1.89-pJ/SOP Scalable Convolutional Spiking Neural Network Learning Core With On-Chip Spatiotemporal Back-Propagation

In recent years, progress in spiking neural network (SNN) research has generated growing interest in specialized SNN hardware. However, most of the hardware studies are about inference-only engines, and the training process for low-power endpoint devices remains arduous due to high numerical precision requirements. In this article, we introduce a scalable convolutional SNN learning core for energy-efficient training utilizing the spatiotemporal back-propagation (STBP) algorithm. We modify the STBP algorithm with five hardware-based enhancing methods, which minimize the hardware implementation cost without losing accuracy. We propose a unified core architecture encompassing three data-flow modes for three training phases. It also offers multicore scalability for wider and deeper models. A 40-nm prototype chip has been implemented, achieving peak training and inference efficiencies of 3 and 7.7 TOPS/W, respectively, at 90% input sparsity and an energy per synaptic operation (SOP) metric of 1.89 pJ/SOP. Based on the chip, our multicore prototype system attains a competitive accuracy of 99.1% on MNIST. We also exhibit the first on-chip training results on SVHN and CIFAR10, with an average of $36\times $ improvement in efficiency compared with a typical commercial GPU platform.
Execution Simulation Design of Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) Device Ingress Networks Using GPON with FBG Based on OptiSystem

— Consumers require high-speed data transmission for different activities, such as smartphone usage, live broadcasting of news, and video conferencing. Therefore, a reliable communication network is needed to provide this kind of service to users. Fiber to the home (FTTH) is an optical fiber architecture that uses fiber cables in the access network for direct and final connection to homes or offices of customers. Networks based on FTTH can offer high performance, speed, and quality. An optical fiber communication system based on FTTH device ingress network using gigabit passive optical networks (GPONs) with fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and optical amplifier is designed and analyzed in this study. The developed design based on the FTTH device and FBG shows a low bit error rate (BER) for downstream and upstream configurations with an optical fiber length of 20 km. Downstream and upstream configurations achieve a Q-factor of 89.5 and 181.3, respectively. Achievable sensitivity of the developed system is −28 dBm, whil e the received signal based on OptiSystem is −25.59 dBm. FTTH with FBG will play a major role in the future and provide effective solutions for a wide variety of applications in network communication systems and data transmission rates.
Data Driven Forecasting Models for Urban Air Pollution: MoreAir Case Study

Artificial Intelligence has the potential to contribute to sustainable cities, life on land, and climate action. Specifically, data-driven AI models can analyze large, interconnected databases to develop joint environmental actions. Air quality plays a pivotal role in both climate action and the development of sustainable cities, but developing countries face challenges due to insufficient monitoring stations and limited access to air quality data sets. This study builds upon the MoreAir project, which established a low-cost air pollution monitoring system and provided the first air quality data set from Morocco. We first exploit and delve into the details of the obtained dataset. Subsequently, we conduct a multi-level comparison of data-driven forecasting models, specifically focusing on short-term forecasting of Particulate Matter concentrations. Four forecasting frameworks are explored, using different combinations of exogenous data and spatio-temporal information. Our findings highlight that Machine Learning models, particularly LightGBM and CatBoost, outperform other models. Overall, our study demonstrates that the inclusion of the spatial dimension along with the diverse exogenous features enhances the models’ predictive performance, and provides valuable insights.
A probabilistic-phase field model for the fracture of brittle materials

We develop a computational method to determine the failure probability of brittle materials under general mechanical loading conditions. The method is a combination of two parts: (1) numerical simulations of materials with multiple cracks using phase field theory, where the complete fracture process is viewed as ‘damage percolation’ along critical paths or clusters of cracks, rather than the traditional weak-link failure mechanism of Weibull, and (2) an extension of the Batdorf statistical theory of fracture to finite domains, where it is implemented within the finite element framework. The results of phase-field simulations at the ‘percolation threshold’ are used as failure data in the Batdorf theory to determine the overall probability of failure. The input to this approach is the size distribution of cracks in a pristine material. An example is shown, where alumina samples that were previously tested by Abe and coworkers (Abe et al 2003 J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 86 1019–21) in four-point loading are compared to the results of our numerical simulations. The approach developed here has the advantage of being extendable to more complex thermomechanical loading.
Estimation of Price Elasticity of Demand for Cigarettes in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Macro Data Analysis

Tobacco consumption continues to be behavior engaged in by a large percentage of Bosnia & Herzegovina (BiH) citizens. According to the official statistics, nearly half of the state’s adults, that is about 1,200,600 people, consume tobacco products on a daily bases. The state excise policy is one of the main available tools for reducing smoking prevalence because cigarette prices are under the direct impact of this policy. The specific excise on cigarettes introduced in BiH in 2009 and has increased every year so it was the main driver of cigarette price growth. In order to provide research-based evidence for more effective tobacco taxation policies in BIH, in this paper we estimate the price elasticity of demand for cigarettes using the macro-level data for the period 2008 to 2017, on a semi-annual basis. The results have shown that the increase in prices of cigarettes has a statistically significant impact on cigarette consumption, at a significance level of 1%. The estimated price elasticity coefficient is in the range from -0.71 to -0.83, depends on the selected control variables used in the model. It means that the increase in real cigarette prices for 10% led to a decrease in cigarette consumption in the range from 7.1% to 8.3%.
A gravity profile across southern Saganash Lake fault: implications for the origin of the Kapuskasing Structural Zone

A high-resolution gravity profile, with station elevations and locations determined by a differential Global Positioning System, shows that the Saganash Lake fault that defines the northwestern boundary of the southern Kapuskasing Structural Zone (KSZ) is southeast dipping and of reverse type. Previous interpretations of a normal fault, caused by crustal collapse following east-verging thrusting along the Ivanhoe Lake fault that forms the southeastern boundary of the KSZ are no longer tenable. Instead, the reverse nature of the Saganash Lake fault is more in harmony with a model of the Kapuskasing zone, whereby its fault-bounded, uplifted blocks are positive flower structures formed by dextral shear along a zone of left-stepping en echelon faults.
Inhibition of T-cell activity in alopecia areata: recent developments and new directions

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease that has a complex underlying immunopathogenesis characterized by nonscarring hair loss ranging from small bald patches to complete loss of scalp, face, and/or body hair. Although the etiopathogenesis of AA has not yet been fully characterized, immune privilege collapse at the hair follicle (HF) followed by T-cell receptor recognition of exposed HF autoantigens by autoreactive cytotoxic CD8+ T cells is now understood to play a central role. Few treatment options are available, with the Janus kinase (JAK) 1/2 inhibitor baricitinib (2022) and the selective JAK3/tyrosine kinase expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (TEC) inhibitor ritlecitinib (2023) being the only US Food and Drug Administration–approved systemic medications thus far for severe AA. Several other treatments are used off-label with limited efficacy and/or suboptimal safety and tolerability. With an increased understanding of the T-cell–mediated autoimmune and inflammatory pathogenesis of AA, additional therapeutic pathways beyond JAK inhibition are currently under investigation for the development of AA therapies. This narrative review presents a detailed overview about the role of T cells and T-cell–signaling pathways in the pathogenesis of AA, with a focus on those pathways targeted by drugs in clinical development for the treatment of AA. A detailed summary of new drugs targeting these pathways with expert commentary on future directions for AA drug development and the importance of targeting multiple T-cell–signaling pathways is also provided in this review.
Grid Resilience Enhancement and Stability Improvement of an Autonomous DC Microgrid Using a Supercapacitor-Based Energy Storage System

This article proposes a supercapacitor (SC)-based energy storage system (ESS) connected to the common DC link of a DC microgrid (MG) through a bidirectional DC/DC converter. The studied DC MG consists of a hybrid wind/PV/wave power generation system (PGS) fed to a DC load through a DC/DC buck converter. The proposed SC-ESS is to achieve both power management and DC-link voltage control of the DC MG under various operating conditions. The simulation results show that the proposed SC-ESS can render better DC grid resilience enhancement and dynamic stability improvement to the DC MG under various disturbance conditions and severe weather conditions.
THE ROLE OF TEACHER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF READING LITERACY

The problem of low reading literacy in the Ruá Catholic Primary School (SDK) was the motivation for this study. The purpose of this study is to describe the role of teachers at SDK Ruá in the development of students' reading literacy. This type of research is qualitative, using data collection techniques through interviews, observation and documentation. The techniques of data collection, data reduction, data presentation and inference (verification) developed by Miles and Huberman were used for data analysis. On the basis of the results of the study, the teachers at SDK Ruá have fulfilled their role and have played an important role in overcoming the main problem related to the low level of reading literacy. The efforts made are to get the pupils used to reading independently, to create a reading corner, to maximise learning by directing the formation of reading literacy, to provide non-text books that the pupils like, and to maximise the use of learning media. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that the teachers at SDK Ruá have performed their role optimally. This can be seen from the habits of the students and the physical evidence seen in the school regarding the procurement of books that the students like and the creation of a reading corner. Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi oleh permasalahan terkait rendahnya literasi membaca di Sekolah Dasar Katolik (SDK) Ruá. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan peran guru di SDK Ruá dalam mengembangkan literasi membaca siswa. Jenis penelitian ini merupakan kualitatif dengan menggunakan teknik pengumpulan data melalui wawancara, observasi, dan dokumentasi. Analisis data menggunakan teknik yang dikembangkan Miles dan Huberman yaitu pengumpulan data, reduksi data, penyajian data, penarikan kesimpulan (verifikasi). Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, guru di SDK Ruá telah menjalankan perannya dan mengambil bagian penting dalam mengatasi masalah utama terkait rendahnya literasi membaca. Upaya yang dilakukan adalah membiasakan siswa untuk membaca secara mandiri, membuat pojok baca, memaksimalkan pembelajaran dengan mengarahkan pada pembentukan literasi membaca, pengadaan buku-buku nonteks yang disukai siswa, dan memaksimalkan penggunaan media pembelajaran. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, dapat disimpulkan bahwa guru-guru di SDK Ruá telah menjalankan perannya dengan maksimal dan hal ini terlihat dari kebiasaan para siswa dan bukti fisik yang terlihat di sekolah terkait pengadaan buku-buku yang disukai siswa dan pembuatan pojok baca.
Telomere length varies with sex, hatching rank and year of birth in the Little Owl, Athene noctua

Telomeres are non-coding DNA sequences located at the end of linear chromosomes, protecting genome integrity. In numerous taxa, telomeres shorten with age and telomere length (TL) is positively correlated with longevity. Moreover, TL is also aﬀected by environmental stressors and/or resource-demanding situations particularly during early-life. Thus, TL has been used as a physiological marker of individual quality and also as an indicator of population trend in conservation physiology. In this study, we investigated the eﬀects of hatching rank, year of birth (2014 to 2017), sex and nest environment on TL of 137 Little Owls nestlings ( Athene noctua ). Little Owls’ populations in Europe showed a
Influential Factors in Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Prevalence Among Sexually Active Women at Kampala International University-Western Campus, Ishaka-Bushenyi, Uganda

PID is a significant public health issue among sexually active women, with silent PID being a major diagnostic and treatment challenge. A 2008 study estimated an average direct medical cost of $3,202 per case of PID. A quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted to assess the factors influencing the prevalence of PID among sexually active women attending OBS/GYN clinics at KIU-TH. The study found that 45.6% of sexually active women at KIU-TH had PID, with 80.6% having their first intercourse at 18 years of age, 19.4% starting between 15-18 years, and 90.6% preferring pills or withdrawal for contraception. 51.9% attended government healthcare, while 56.2% used government facilities. Most PID patients reached within one hour or less than 30 minutes. Only 38.7% could meet their bills without insurance. Most patients agreed that health sensitization is essential, and 96.9% received counseling and professional advice. 62.5% of PID affected women were under 35 years old, 35.5% were unemployed, and 59.3% earned ≤50,000/= and had secondary education. The prevalence of PID among sexually active women at KIUTH is 45.6%. Keywords: prevalence, pelvic inflammatory disease, sexually active women
Multiple-Scale Spatio–Temporal Variability of Precipitation over the Coterminous United States

Abstract The spatio–temporal variability of precipitation over the United States using a 30-yr, gridded hourly precipitation dataset is studied. Orthogonal wavelet transform is applied to the time series at each grid box to capture the temporal scales of fluctuation at 17 different timescales ranging from 2 h to 15 yr. Rotated principal component analysis is then applied to the transformed series to identify spatial coherence of the temporal scales of fluctuations. The results indicate that the energy of the fluctuations shows an approximate power-law relationship with respect to scale in most regions. The spatial organization of the temporal variability shows coherence at distinct scales identified as the subdiurnal (2–16 h), synoptic (16 h–22 days), seasonal (42 days–1 yr), and climatic mode (15 yr). The synoptic scale explains the largest spatial variance of the fluctuations in precipitation and is spatially coherent; the subdiurnal mode is spatially less coherent. The seasonal mode is dominant over th.