Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diagenesis of C, N and Si in marine sediments from the Western Tropical North Atlantic and Eastern Subtropical North Pacific: Pore water models and sedimentary studies

The path of the Amazon Plume as it mixes into the Western Tropical North Atlantic (WTNA) has been characterized and mapped by satellite imagery and cruise surveys. It has been suggested that plume waters create ecological niches favorable for N2 fixation, where blooms of diatoms and their diazotrophic cyanobacterial symbionts have been implicated in increasing carbon export. However, the track of the plume is subject to temporal and spatial variability, making it difficult to assess if there is a particular region of the plume that favors enhanced export, and it is unclear how much of the surface production reaches the deep ocean. Here, we used multi-cores collected throughout the Demerara Slope and Abyssal Plain at depths ranging from 1800-5000 m to document benthic diagenetic processes. Pore waters were extracted from sediments using both millimeter and cm-scale resolution extraction techniques. Profiles of NO3 and Si(OH)4 were modeled with a diffusionreaction equation to define POC degradation and bSi remineralization rates. Pore water Mn+2 helped constrain the model by indicating the depth where oxygen
A comprehensive dataset for home appliance control using ERP-based BCIs with the application of inter-subject transfer learning

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have a potential to revolutionize human-computer interaction by enabling direct links between the brain and computer systems. Recent studies are increasingly focusing on practical applications of BCIs—e.g., home appliance control just by thoughts. One of the non-invasive BCIs using electroencephalography (EEG) capitalizes on event-related potentials (ERPs) in response to target stimuli and have shown promise in controlling home appliance. In this paper, we present a comprehensive dataset of online ERP-based BCIs for controlling various home appliances in diverse stimulus presentation environments. We collected online BCI data from a total of 84 subjects among whom 60 subjects controlled three types of appliances (TV: 30, door lock: 15, and electric light: 15) with 4 functions per appliance, 14 subjects controlled a Bluetooth speaker with 6 functions via an LCD monitor, and 10 subjects controlled air conditioner with 4 functions via augmented reality (AR). Using the dataset, we aimed to address the issue of inter-subject variability in ERPs by employing the transfer learning in two different approaches. The first approach, “within-paradigm transfer learning,” aimed to generalize the model within the same paradigm of stimulus presentation. The second approach, “cross-paradigm transfer learning,” involved extending the model from a 4-class LCD environment to different paradigms. The results demonstrated that transfer learning can effectively enhance the generalizability of BCIs based on ERP across different subjects and environments.
Membrane Flexibility and Cellular Energy Management in Type 2 Diabetes, Gestational Diabetes, and Obesity

In the search to understand the onset of life’s biochemistry, scientists attached a great deal of importance to unravelling the replication mechanism of a cell, and the cell membrane was accepted as an indispensable entity. In this review, we give an account of the recent progress of the understanding that the cell membrane has also continuously evolved over the long-term, leading to the important insight that the membrane unsaturation index (USI) – a measure of unsaturation – plays a pivotal role in the basal metabolic rate of a cell and in the aetiology of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It is now clear that increasing the USI with long- term interventions – in the form of aerobic exercise and caloric restriction – can contribute to the prevention or postponement of the onset of T2DM, gestational diabetes, and prediabetic obesity.
Adoption of building information modeling in Chinese construction industry

Purpose Building information modeling (BIM) is recognized as a major innovation in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Understanding the factors that influence the AEC’s adoption of BIM will benefit the research and practice of BIM. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This study provides empirical evidence for the accumulated knowledge of BIM adoption by examining the context of Chinese construction industry. Based on the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework in the innovation diffusion literature, the authors develop a research model that integrates the critical success factors related to the technology of BIM, the construction company and the environment in Chinese construction industry. The authors collected two different data sets from engineering consulting firms and construction firms in China, and conducted rigorous analyses using a sophisticated statistical approach. Findings The authors found that the relative advantage of BIM was a major factor that enabled BIM adoption, while the complexity of BIM was an inhibiter. In addition, management support was also a significant antecedent of BIM adoption. However, organizational readiness was significant for engineering consulting firms but not for construction firms. Surprisingly, the authors did not find consistent significant impacts of any environmental factors. Last, younger firms were more likely to adopt BIM. Originality/value One of the first to apply the TOE framework to integrate three groups of factors that may explain BIM adoption in China. Such a comprehensive framework provides a much broader perspective of BIM adoption to evaluate the impacts of different antecedent factors. The authors conducted an empirical study based on survey data collected from two different types of companies, i.e., engineering consulting firms and construction firms, representing the two parties in the principal-agent relationship of a construction project. One of the first to apply a sophisticated statistical approach, i.e., partial least squares, to analyze the data in the BIM literature.
Exploring Individualized Approaches to Managing Vancouver B Periprosthetic Femoral Fractures: Insights from a Comprehensive Case Series Analysis

The increasing prevalence of periprosthetic femoral fractures, specifically in the vicinity of the hip, has emerged as a significant issue in recent times. Consequently, there is a need for a thorough examination to enhance the effectiveness of management and treatment approaches. The findings of this study emphasize a significant disparity in the occurrence and characteristics of these fractures, and the multiple cases have highlighted the efficacy of various treatment strategies, such as open reduction and internal fixation, as well as the utilization of cortical strut allografts. Furthermore, the study has identified potential risk factors that have an impact on the characteristics of fractures, providing valuable insights that could be crucial in the development of preventive strategies. This study provides a thorough examination of periprosthetic femoral fractures, highlighting the importance of a cohesive treatment algorithm to improve the handling of such fractures. Moreover, it promotes the need for a collaborative endeavor in conducting research in this field, cultivating a more profound comprehension that has the potential to drive progress in therapeutic approaches, ultimately enhancing patient results over an extended period of time. It is crucial that forthcoming research endeavors persist in expanding upon these discoveries, striving towards a unified methodology in tackling this substantial clinical obstacle.
If You Build It, They Will Come: Herpetofaunal Colonization of Constructed Wetlands and Adjacent Terrestrial Habitat in the Cache River Drainage of Southern Illinois

Agricultural lands within the Cache River drainage of southern Illinois are being acquired by both public and private conservation organizations and restored to native terrestrial and wetland natural community types. These efforts proceed under the untested assumption that constructed wetlands and adjacent reforested terrestrial habitat provide a suitable environment for local fauna. I examined this assumption for amphibians and reptiles at three newly constructed wetlands and adjacent terrestrial habitat in Johnson County, Illinois. A total of 35 species of amphibians and reptiles was observed, ranging from 22 to 28 per year. Frogs comprised 31.5% of the species observed, followed by snakes (26%), turtles (20%), salamanders (17%), and lizards (5.5%). Previously unrecorded species were observed each year, suggesting continued colonization by new species. Although most species observed are common in southern Illinois, four species of conservation concern were also encountered. When source populations occur nearby, constructed wetlands and associated terrestrial habitat are rapidly colonized by amphibians and reptiles. Constructed wetlands and adjacent reforested terrestrial habitat provide a habitable environment for amphibians and reptiles and have the potential to expand existing herpetofaunal populations, including those of species of conservation concern.
Environmental Management of Equine Asthma

Simple Summary Equine asthma, a chronic respiratory disease in horses, is primarily caused by environmental factors. In this review, we will present and compare the most relevant and recent information about the environmental management of equine asthma. In terms of feeding, not only the type of forage but also its production method and potential contamination are the most important factors to consider. Soaking and steaming forage can improve its hygienic quality, but these practices also reduce its nutritional value, necessitating dietary supplementation. Concerning housing, despite some contradictory results, avoiding straw bedding and improving barn ventilation remain common recommendations when pasture turnout is not possible. Finally, owners’ compliance has been identified as the most crucial aspect of effective environmental management and the focus of equine asthma treatment should be a detailed explanation to owners of the real benefits of these measures. Abstract Environmental practices related to the inhalation of airborne dust have been identified as the main cause of equine asthma (EA) and reasonably, they are truly relevant in its treatment and control, especially for horses with its severe form. Vast research regarding environmental recommendations has been conducted in recent years. However, no recent exhaustive reviews exist that gather all this new evidence. The aim of this review is to report and compare the most pertinent information concerning the environmental management of EA. The main findings highlight the importance of the type of forage used for feeding but also its method of production and possible contamination during manufacture and/or storage. Procedures to reduce this, such as soaking and steaming hay, improve its hygienic quality, although they also decrease forage’s nutritional value, making dietetic supplementation necessary. Regarding stabling, despite some conflicting results, avoiding straw as bedding and improving barn ventilation continue to be the common recommendations if turning to pasture is not feasible. Finally, owners’ compliance has been identified as the most critical point in correct environmental control. Educating owners about the genuine benefits of these measures should be a cornerstone of EA management.
OPTIMUM WATER ALLOCATION FOR ABO-ZIRIQ MARSH ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION

Optimum allocation of water for restoration of Iraqi marshes is essential for different related authorities. Abo-Ziriq marsh area about 120 km2 is situated 40 km east of Al-Nassryia city. After comparing the measured annual water qualities with the Iraqi standards for surface water quality evaluation, Abo-Ziriq marsh water quality was in acceptable limit. Hydro balance computation were done for each month by using interface among the HEC-RAS, HEC-GeoRAS and ArcView GIS software and built a number of eco-hydro relationships to simulate the marsh ecosystem by using HEC-EFM program to estimate water allocation adequate for ecosystem requirement and constructs a GIS hydraulic reference map to show inundation area, depth grid and velocity distribution, the optimal flow result consists of three different scenarios (24, 30.3 and 33.6 m3 /s) for marsh operation during the year. A computer program in MATLAB 7 was developed to simulate the optimization model to determine the optimum flow value entry to lower zone. The priority of each parameter is represented by a weight associated with each of them (penalty factor). The model was used for different scheme of penalty factor value and examines three cases of flow (wet, moderate and dry years). The results obtained from the program run show that the optimum flow values are not affected significantly with changing the scheme of the penalty factors.Hence, any set of solutions can be use for operation the control structure of two inlets in the lower zone that best fits the objective of the system and increase flow release from Abo Jiry inlet to minimum deviation in water quality during the most time of the year
Compact QMSIW-based antenna with different resonant frequencies depending on loading of metalized vias

Abstract In this work, simple, low profile, compact quarter-mode substrate-integrated waveguide (QMSIW)-based antennas are proposed for Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) at 5.2/5.5 GHz and Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) at 5.8 GHz, respectively. By implementing QMSIW technique, the electrical size of the antenna is reduced up to 1/4th of the conventional circular SIW cavities. Thanks to the quarter mode concept, the antenna size is reduced significantly by preserving its dominant mode. The resonant frequency of the dominant mode TM010 is independently tuned at 5.2, 5.5, and 5.8 GHz after loading the QMSIW cavity with metalized via holes, subsequently. The on-body performance of the antenna is verified on pork tissues at 5.8 GHz and it is found to be insensitive with respect to surroundings. The measured gain and simulated efficiency of the proposed antenna at 5.8 GHz in free space are 4.8 dBi and 92%, while in the proximity of pork tissues values are 3.25 dBi and 57%, respectively. Moreover, the measurement results demonstrate a good matching with the simulation results.
Molecular Basis of XRN2-Deficient Cancer Cell Sensitivity to Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibition

Simple Summary Many cancers exhibit compromised 5′-3′-exoribonuclease 2 (XRN2) expression. XRN2 is a major regulator of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) at the transcription termination sites of protein-coding genes. Deregulated transcription termination facilitates the formation of triple-stranded nucleic acid structures known as R-loops (RNA–DNA hybrids with displaced single-strand DNA). Elevated levels of unscheduled R-loops promote genomic instability. In the absence of XRN2, R-loop levels increase and promote DNA damage that activates DNA damage surveillance protein poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1). Previously, we discovered that the simultaneous absence of XRN2 and PARP1 compromises the survival of non-cancer and cancer cells; however, the underlying cellular stress response remained unknown. Here, we aimed to uncover the molecular consequences of concurrent XRN2 depletion and PARP1 inhibition. Our findings provide a mechanistic understanding of why cancer cells rely on PARP1 when XRN2 is absent and strengthen the translational aspect of targeting XRN2 cancer vulnerabilities using PARP inhibitors. Abstract R-loops (RNA–DNA hybrids with displaced single-stranded DNA) have emerged as a potent source of DNA damage and genomic instability. The termination of defective RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is one of the major sources of R-loop formation. 5′-3′-exoribonuclease 2 (XRN2) promotes genome-wide efficient RNAPII termination, and XRN2-deficient cells exhibit increased DNA damage emanating from elevated R-loops. Recently, we showed that DNA damage instigated by XRN2 depletion in human fibroblast cells resulted in enhanced poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) activity. Additionally, we established a synthetic lethal relationship between XRN2 and PARP1. However, the underlying cellular stress response promoting this synthetic lethality remains elusive. Here, we delineate the molecular consequences leading to the synthetic lethality of XRN2-deficient cancer cells induced by PARP inhibition. We found that XRN2-deficient lung and breast cancer cells display sensitivity to two clinically relevant PARP inhibitors, Rucaparib and Olaparib. At a mechanistic level, PARP inhibition combined with XRN2 deficiency exacerbates R-loop and DNA double-strand break formation in cancer cells. Consistent with our previous findings using several different siRNAs, we also show that XRN2 deficiency in cancer cells hyperactivates PARP1. Furthermore, we observed enhanced replication stress in XRN2-deficient cancer cells treated with PARP inhibitors. Finally, the enhanced stress response instigated by compromised PARP1 catalytic function in XRN2-deficient cells activates caspase-3 to initiate cell death. Collectively, these findings provide mechanistic insights into the sensitivity of XRN2-deficient cancer cells to PARP inhibition and strengthen the underlying translational implications for targeted therapy.
Antibacterial and Cytotoxic Activity of Nepeta Cataria L., N. Cataria Var. Citriodora (Beck.) Balb. and Melissa Officinalis L. Essential Oils

The aim of the present study was to investigate the susceptibility of bacteria that play a role in respiratory tract and skin infections to the essential oils of catnip (Nepeta cataria), lemon catnip (N. cataria var. citriodora) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) with regard to their chemical composition. In addition, we wanted to assess whether antibiotic-resistant and -sensitive strains differ in their susceptibility to the oils and if there are cross resistances between standard antibiotics and essential oils. To evaluate the safety of topical application, cytotoxicity of the oils was studied in human keratinocyte and bronchial epithelial cell lines and irritation threshold concentrations were determined in ovo using the HET-CAM-test. The composition of the essential oils was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Their MICs and MBCs were determined by a broth microdilution method against both reference strains from culture collections and clinical isolates with different susceptibility to standard antibiotics. Cytotoxicity was assessed by the MTT assay. Except for P. aeruginosa (MIC ≥2%), all reference strains tested were susceptible to catnip and lemon balm oils with MIC values ranging from 0.016 % to 0.25% (v/v). The clinical isolates were as susceptible to the oils (± 1 serial dilution) as the corresponding reference strains, regardless of their origin and resistance to standard antibiotics. The oils were cytotoxic to both keratinocytes and bronchial epithelial cells at CC50 values from 0.0012% to 0.015% (v/v). Lemon balm oil, whose main components were monoterpene aldehydes, exhibited the highest antibacterial and cytotoxic activity, followed by lemon catnip oil, which contained mainly monoterpene alcohols, and catnip oil, which was characterized by nepetalactones. Our results provide a rationale for the use of catnip, lemon catnip and lemon balm oils in the complementary topical treatment of respiratory tract infections, as the oils show a high antibacterial activity against respiratory tract pathogens, including clinical isolates with reduced susceptibility to standard antibiotics. However, cytotoxicity must be considered in topical therapy.
Climate Change Resources for Today’s Alberta Classroom

Climate change is an important issue and educators have a responsibility to prepare students to face the challenges and future changes that climate change presents. Unfortunately, public uncertainty about the extent and causes of climate change and the interdisciplinary nature of the climate change topic present significant barriers to effectively teaching this topic. In spite of the Alberta Science 10 Program of Studies including climate change, Science 10 teachers in Alberta tend to de-emphasize, or even omit, the teaching of the climate unit. Authorized Science 10 teaching resources are outdated, do not address some major misconceptions about climate change, present limited actions to address climate change, and in one case, even perpetuate uncertainty about some aspects of climate change that are considered very certain by the scientific community. This Master’s project aims to detail the strengths and limitations of the current authorized climate change resources, and to identify teaching and learning resources that are able to supplement these resources. By finding flexible, accessible, and engaging climate change resources, teachers in Alberta may be better equipped to address misconceptions and will hopefully be more encouraged to give the topic of climate change the emphasis that it deserves.
Sapphire Fiber Bragg Gratings Demodulated With Cross Correlation Algorithm for Long-Term High-Temperature Measurement

The sapphire fiber Bragg grating (SFBG) is a promising high-temperature sensor for application in aviation and power industries; however, the multimode characteristics of SFBG result in a broadband reflection envelope, including multiple peaks, which have a strong impact on the sensing accuracy. In this article, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a cross correlation algorithm (CCA) for the demodulation of SFBG, with the benefit of enhancing the stability of wavelength detection, and hence, the sensing accuracy can be improved. The SFBG high-temperature sensor was created by using the femtosecond laser line-by-line method and sealed in an argon gas-infiltrated sapphire tube. Such a device was demodulated by using the CCA, and the findings show that the Bragg wavelength dispersion of ±12 pm could be obtained; furthermore, before the calibration process, the SFBG sensor was annealed at 1500 °C for 50 h to enhance the stability of reflection spectrum. The temperature calibration experiment has been carried out. In that case, a dry-block calibrator with high stability was employed to calibrate the temperature uncertainty of SFBG is ±0.7 °C. Compared to the calibrated thermometer, the maximum difference is less than 2 °C. In that case, a tube furnace was used to test the SFBG; the temperature uncertainty increased to 2.2 °C, and the maximum difference increased to 7 °C. This is due to the larger temperature fluctuation of this tube furnace. A 1000-h (i.e., 42 days), 1500 °C stability test was carried out. The SFBG exhibited excellent long-term high thermal stability (temperature deviation less than 2.0 °C). A cycling temperatures test was performed, which exhibited good repeatability in temperature measurements. Hence, such an SFBG sensor and the demodulation algorithm are prospectives for applications in harsh environments.