Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Black Goji Berry (Lycium ruthenicum Murray): A Review of Its Pharmacological Activity

Lycium ruthenicum Murray (LRM; commonly known as black goji berry or black wolfberry), a plant in the Solanaceae family, grows in the deserts of China’s Qinghai–Tibet plateau. LRM is widely consumed in traditional Chinese medicine, and its fruits are frequently used as herbal remedies to treat heart disease, fatigue, inflammation, and other conditions. Many studies have reported that LRM is rich in functional phytochemicals, such as anthocyanins and polysaccharides, and has various pharmacological actions. This article reviews research on the biological and pharmacological effects of the constituents of LRM fruits. LRM has various pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-radiation, immune-enhancing, anti-tumor, and protective effects. LRM has much promise as a dietary supplement for preventing many types of chronic metabolic disease.
Goringe-Alboran-Tell tectonic zone: A transpression system along the Africa-Eurasia plate boundary

Neotectonic structures distributed from the Goringe bank to the Tell Atlas mountains show that the Africa-Eurasia plate boundary in the western Mediterranean corresponds to an east-west–trending deforming zone (Goringe-Alboran-Tell). Main Pliocene and Quaternary tectonic structures of the northern Atlas Mountains are northeast-southwest–striking fault-related folds, similar to that of El Asnam, and are related to north-south to northwest-southeast compressional movements. Active tectonics in agreement with the main seismicity distribution and focal mechanisms also support an oblique plate convergence and the existence of a 50–100-km-wide transpression zone from Goringe, across Alboran, to the Tell Atlas mountains. A kinematic model shows the interaction between dextral transcurrent faults and left-lateral faults with block rotations and no lateral extension (pinned model). Shortening and lateral movement rates during the Quaternary are estimated to be 1.0–2.3 mm/yr, and block rotation rate is estimated as 2.5°–3.9° /m.y. The plate boundary may correspond to a transpression zone, active thrust faults being controlled by deep-seated dextral transcurrent faults.
The Relationship between Bank Competition and Financial Stability: A Case Study of the Mexican Banking Industry Author(s):

The recent process of consolidation in the Mexican banking sector has generated concerns on possible reduced banking competition. However, the Mexican banking sector has proven to be resilient even to the recent international financial crises. Could there be a trade-off between competition and stability in the Mexican banking industry? We test both the “competition-fragility” and “competition-stability” hypotheses in the Mexican banking sector for the period 2001-2008. In order to account for the degree of competition we elaborate the Lerner index, and use the Zindex and the ratio of non-performing loans over total loans as proxies of financial stability and bank portfolio risks respectively. The main results indicate that there is a positive relationship between greater banking competition and financial stability in Mexico, supporting the “competition-stability” view; at the same time, we also find a direct relationship between bank competition and greater bank portfolio risks, supportive the “competition-fragility” view. However, the benefits of greater competition on the overall stability of the system outweigh the increases in bank portfolio risks given the low levels of non-performing loans in the banking sector.
IMPLICATIONS OF MEASURED THERMAL GRADIENTS FOR WATER MOVEMENT THROUGH THE NORTHEAST JAPAN ACCRETIONARY PRISM

Thermal gradients of 24°–36°C/km have been found in the slope cover sediments of the accretionary prism off northeast Japan (Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) sites 438A, 439, and 440). These gradients lead to the prediction of temperatures in excess of 400°C at depths of 15 km using an increase in thermal conductivity with depth due to the decrease in porosity. Such temperatures conflict with the predictions of temperatures of 150°C at even greater depths from conductive thermal models and petrologic studies of low-temperature blueschists at similar ancient margins. One-dimensional, steady state conduction and advection via Darcian water flow, of heat, up through the prism was simulated numerically. The measured thermal gradients can be reconciled with temperatures less than 125°C at the prism base by water flowing upward at rates of the order of 10−10 m/s. Such velocities imply that the total volume of water available from compaction of sediments subducted beneath the northeast Japan prism would flow up through a <10 km width of the prism (perpendicular to the trench) and would require the DSDP sites to have been located fortuitously over the localized zone(s) of water flow. Smaller velocities will reproduce the measured gradients, and thus greater widths through which water flow occurs are predicted, if the temperature at the prism base is higher and/or if the prism is thinner and a subduction channel several kilometers high separates the accreted sediments from the descending plate. Where water flow is significant, as likely wherever abundant, water-rich sediments are subducted, thermal gradients below a few kilometers in accretionary prisms may be much lower than near-surface values. This has profound implications for the thermal structure of the prism off northeast Japan and elsewhere.
Ionospheric signatures of split reconnection X‐lines during conditions of IMF Bz < 0 and |By| ∼ |Bz|: Evidence for the antiparallel merging hypothesis

[1] We present measurements of the convection electric field in the dayside ionosphere during extended intervals when the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) has a negative Bz component and a significant By component (|By| ∼ |Bz|). Under these conditions, distinct differences in the ionospheric projection of the magnetopause reconnection X-line are predicted by the antiparallel and subsolar merging hypotheses. Close to solstice, in the winter hemisphere the antiparallel merging hypothesis predicts two ionospheric merging lines which are significantly separated either side of noon. This prediction is not expected from any subsolar merging hypothesis (e.g., component merging). Using the method of global convection mapping with line-of-sight velocity data from the SuperDARN HF radar network, we present evidence of two distinct merging regions on the dayside magnetopause under these IMF and seasonal conditions. The two merging regions manifest themselves in the ionosphere as two regions of convection flow with a strong poleward component separated by a region of convection flow with either a weak poleward or equatorward component corresponding to an adiaroic portion of the polar cap boundary. The spatiotemporal nature of the actual convection scenario can be complicated, but the predicted pattern represents a recurring feature of the convection electric field under these IMF and seasonal conditions. These observations lend support to the hypothesis that antiparallel merging is the dominant form of magnetopause reconnection during these steady state IMF intervals. This suggests that the magnetic shear between magnetosheath and magnetospheric magnetic field lines plays the major role in determining the location of reconnection on the dayside magnetopause.
Forest cover change analysis as a proxy: sustainability assessment using remote sensing and GIS in West Kalimantan, Indonesia

This study used a time series of remote sensing data from 1973, 1990 and 1994 to assess sustainability of forest use in three villages in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. This time period is characterised by a shift among three separate, recognised management systems: indigenous management; timber concessionaire management; and management as a wildlife reserve. Comparing remotely sensed data from three different sources with different spatial and spectral resolutions presented a technical challenge. A combined digital and visual classification methodology was adopted to produce comparable forest cover maps. These maps were combined within a geographical information system (GIS) with socioeconomic and cultural data. Quantitative change analysis over such a long period provided a valuable insight into forest cover dynamics in this area. The three villages selected for the study are characterised by two distinct patterns of resource use: shifting cultivation and capture fishery. Comparison of the forest change maps over the 21-year period shows that forest loss among the community of shifting cultivators is 7% less than forest loss for one of the fishing communities. Remarkably, the other fishing community examined shows only a 1.5% loss in forest over the 21-year period. Through this work we have combined forest cover change with ethnographic and socioeconomic data (both in a GIS and by conventional means). We feel that this approach can make a valuable contribution to assessing sustainability.
Delayed production of sulfuric acid condensation nuclei in the polar stratosphere from El Chichon volcanic vapors

Using balloon-borne condensation nuclei counters at Laramie, Wyoming (41°N), a large increase in what appear to be small sulfuric acid droplets above 29-km altitude was detected on January 28, 1983. Simultaneous reductions in electrical conductivity in the layer supported the aerosol observations. The air sample associated with this event appears to have originated in the north polar region where a stratospheric warming episode was taking place. It is believed that the substantial warming in the region may have been sufficient to vaporize resident sulfuric acid aerosol which were mainly derived from the El Chichon volcanic eruption 10 months earlier and transported to the polar region during winter. It is further believed that subsequent rapid cooling of the vapor during transport to the latitude of Laramie resulted in the nucleation of the small droplets, forming an extensive sulfuric acid fog above 29 km. The upper boundary of the cloud was not determined but extended to at least the maximum altitude attained (32.5 km). Longitudinal spreading appears to have been rapid, and remnants of the fog were detected as far south as 32°N in May and persisted throughout the year at Laramie. A similar phenomenon is believed to occur in the Antarctic stratosphere as revealed in a measurement there in the southern hemisphere spring (October 1983).
Development of Scientific Inquiry-Based LKPD to Improve Students Critical Thinking Ability and Collaboration Skills

This study aims to determine the feasibility of LKPD based on scientific inquiry to improve students' critical thinking skills and collaboration skills. The type of research used is research and development with research procedures using the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation). This research is limited to the feasibility test of LKPD based on scientific inquiry at the development stage. The assessment of the results of the validity test and the practicality test of the questionnaire is interpreted on a Likert scale. Based on the data analysis, the following results were obtained: the validity test of teaching materials in the form of LKPD based on scientific inquiry obtained an average validity of the eligibility media for teaching materials of 92.75% and 85% for material eligibility. The practicality test conducted by Biology educators obtained an average score of 75% and 79% for students
Opportunities and challenges of pharmacovigilance in special populations: a narrative review of the literature

The relatively new discipline of pharmacovigilance (PV) aims to monitor the safety of drugs throughout their evolution and is essential to discovering new drug risks. Due to their specific and complex physiology, children, pregnant women, and elderly adults are more prone to adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Additionally, the lack of clinical trial data exacerbates the challenges faced with pharmacotherapy in these populations. Elderly patients tend to have multiple comorbidities often requiring more extensive medication, which adds additional challenges for healthcare professionals (HCPs) in delivering safe and effective pharmacotherapy. Clinical trials often have inherent limitations, including insufficient sample size and limited duration of research; as some ADRs are attributed to long-term use of a drug, these may go undetected during the course of the trial. Therefore, the implementation of PV is key to insuring the safe and effective use of drugs in special populations. We conducted a thorough review of the scientific literature on PV systems across the European Union, the United States, and China. Our review focused on basic physiological characteristics, drug use, and PV for specific populations (children, pregnant women, and the elderly). This article aims to provide a reference for the development of follow-up policies and improvement of existing policies as well as provide insight into drug safety with respect to patients of special populations.
Shock experiments with the H6 chondrite Kernouvé: Pressure calibration of microscopic shock effects

Abstract— Shock‐recovery experiments were carried out on samples of the H6 chondrite Kernouvé at shock pressures of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 45, and 60 GPa and preheating temperatures of 293 K (low‐temperature experiments) and 920 K (high‐temperature experiments). Using a calculated equation of state of Kernouvé, pressure‐pulse durations of 0.3 to 1.2 μs were estimated. The shocked samples were investigated by optical microscopy to calibrate the various shock effects in olivine, orthopyroxene, oligoclase, and troilite.
Variabilidade espacial e preenchimento de falhas de dados pluviométricos para o estado de Alagoas

Tropical region is characterized by great variability in the distribution of the rainfall regimes, and knowledge of this variability is fundamental to achieve the standards that define the climatologic and hydrological regimes of this region. However, lack of information regarding the distribution of rainfall is a serious obstacle to understanding and modeling its variability, resulting in the need to obtain information for regions that do not have measuring stations or shows flaws in its database, by interpolation. The method uses geostatistic technique to understand the spatial variability and on the filling of rainfall data missing on the Alagoas state. For the study 63 rainfall gauge stations of the Agencia Nacional de Aguas (ANA) in the period 1965 to 1980 were selected. The use of geostatistic with variographic analysis showed that the structural characteristic of the studied rainfall are correlated and have strong spatial dependence. The estimation of rainfall obtained by ordinary kriging method showed satisfactory results for the spatial distribution of rainfall as well as in filling the missing data values.
Blended learning versus online education: impact to elementary students’ engagement in physical activity and Body Mass Index

Examining the impacts of blended and online learning settings on children’s fitness and body mass index in a sample of public elementary school pupils in the Philippines is the main objective of this study. A 16-week pre-test and post-test control group in a quasi-experimental approach. The experimental group received blended education, whereas the control group exclusively took classes online. The experimental and control groups consisted of 2 classes from an elementary school in Angeles and Mabalacat City. Anthropometrical characteristics were compared between groups using ANOVA. Pre-test and post-treatment body mass index percentiles and PA levels were compared using a paired t-test. First, there were no significant variance in the individuals’ anthropometrical characteristics between the two groups before intervention. Additionally, the blended learning group outperformed the online learning group on the post-test in terms of physical activity. After intervention, the mean BMI of the blended learning group decreased, but online students showed no improvement. Last but not least, when compared to the online learning group, the BMI percentile of the students in the blended learning group is within the usual range. The benefit of blended learning on the pupils’ physical composition was highlighted. Pupils’ levels of physical activity and body composition have improved as an outcome of the adjustment from traditional to online and blended learning settings. For the benefit of the students, it is advisable to make the most of a blended learning strategy and, if at all possible, return to the full face-to-face method.
Sedimentary facies analysis and paleogeographic significance of the latest Silurian to Early Devonian Winduck Interval in the Darling Basin, western New South Wales, Australia

This work presents the first detailed sedimentary facies analysis of the subsurface latest Silurian to Early Devonian Winduck Interval, based on four wells in the Blantyre and western Neckarboo sub-basins in the central part of the Darling Basin. The study integrates wireline logs, cores, cuttings and limited biostratigraphic data to determine the sedimentary sequence subdivision in the study area. Sedimentological analysis was applied, using characteristic wireline-log responses, and core and cuttings descriptions, to aid in the development of a depositional environment model for the Winduck Interval. Twenty-nine sedimentary facies are defined, forming five facies associations. These associations are characterised as distributary channel sandstone complex, distributary mouth bar, tidal channel sand, proximal delta front associated with mouth bars complex, and distal delta front to prodelta sediments. Tectonism influenced the paleogeography, although fault zones (a complex of normal and reverse faults) were important in determining sedimentary sequence thicknesses obtained from the wells. Tectonic subsidence was moderate, and accumulation rates were low. The results of sedimentary facies analysis of the Winduck Interval have implications for evaluating the hydrocarbon potential, and may assist extensive exploration efforts that are currently occurring in the Darling Basin within western New South Wales.
Carboxylic acids in gas and particulate phase above the Atlantic Ocean

Mixing ratios of acetic (CH3COOH), formic (HCOOH), pyruvic (CH3COCOOH), and oxalic ((COOH)2) acids were measured both in gas and particulate phase in the marine boundary layer, over the Atlantic Ocean from 63°N to 39°S on board of the R/V Polarstern in October/November 1996. The average mixing ratios for gas phase CH3COOH, HCOOH, CH3COCOOH, and (COOH)2 were 291.2±151.9, 448.7±182.1, 1.1±1.0, and 6.1±5.4 parts per trillion by volume (pptv), respectively. The partitioning of these acids in the aerosol phase and the size distribution of their particulate form was also investigated. In the fine mode the mean mixing ratios for acetate, formate, pyruvate, and oxalate were 69.7±47.5, 32.5±39.4, 1.0±1.0, and 5.1±3.7 pptv, respectively. Elevated levels of all organic acids were encountered in the southern hemisphere (springtime) compared to the northern hemisphere (autumn), indicating a possible seasonal variation in their source strength and/or enhanced photochemical production. The observed distributions of formic and acetic acids have been compared to the results of a global chemistry/transport three-dimensional model. The model results show that acetic acid has mainly secondary photochemical sources (about 120 Tg CH3COOH/yr). On the opposite, the known chemical sources of HCOOH are quite weak (20 Tg HCOOH/yr) and insufficient to simulate the HCOOH levels observed in the marine atmosphere. A local marine source of HCOOH of about 50 Tg/yr on a global scale is required to reasonably simulate the observations in the marine atmosphere.
Immediate and Long-Term Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygenation in Patients with Long COVID-19 Syndrome Using SF-36 Survey and VAS Score: A Clinical Pilot Study

(1) Background: Long COVID syndrome (LCS) is a heterogeneous long-standing condition following COVID-19 infection. Treatment options are limited to symptomatic measures, and no specific medication has been established. Hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) has been found to have a positive impact on the treatment of COVID-19 infection. This study evaluates both the feasibility and outcome of supportive HBO in patients with LCS. (2) Methods: Within 17 months, 70 patients with proven LCS were prospectively included. Each patient underwent a cycle of 10 subsequent HBO treatment sessions administered for 75 min at 2.2 atmospheres. Evaluation of the patients was performed before the first and after the last HBO session and 3 months afterwards. Statistical evaluation was based on an intention-to-treat analysis using Fisher’s exact test and Student’s t-test for paired samples. (3) Results: In total, 59 patients (33 females, 26 males; mean age: 43.9 years; range: 23–74 years; median: 45.0) were evaluable. After HBO, a statistically significant improvement of physical functioning (p < 0.001), physical role (p = 0.01), energy (p < 0.001), emotional well-being (p < 0.001), social functioning (p < 0.001), pain (p = 0.01) and reduced limitation of activities (p < 0.001) was confirmed. (4) Conclusions: Physical functioning and both the physical and emotional role improved significantly and sustainably, suggesting HBO as a promising supportive therapeutic tool for the treatment of LCS.
Polyurethane/n-Octadecane Phase-Change Microcapsules via Emulsion Interfacial Polymerization: The Effect of Paraffin Loading on Capsule Shell Formation and Latent Heat Storage Properties

Organic phase-change materials (PCMs) hold promise in developing advanced thermoregulation and responsive energy systems owing to their high latent heat capacity and thermal reliability. However, organic PCMs are prone to leakages in the liquid state and, thus, are hardly applicable in their pristine form. Herein, we encapsulated organic PCM n-Octadecane into polyurethane capsules via polymerization of commercially available polymethylene polyphenylene isocyanate and polyethylene glycol at the interface oil-in-water emulsion and studied how various n-Octadecane feeding affected the shell formation, capsule structure, and latent heat storage properties. The successful shell polymerization and encapsulation of n-Octadecane dissolved in the oil core was verified by confocal microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The mean capsule size varied from 9.4 to 16.7 µm while the shell was found to reduce in thickness from 460 to 220 nm as the n-Octadecane feeding increased. Conversely, the latent heat storage capacity increased from 50 to 132 J/g corresponding to the growth in actual n-Octadecane content from 25% to 67% as revealed by differential scanning calorimetry. The actual n-Octadecane content increased non-linearly along with the n-Octadecane feeding and reached a plateau at 66–67% corresponded to 3.44–3.69 core-to-monomer ratio. Finally, the capsules with the reasonable combination of structural and thermal properties were evaluated as a thermoregulating additive to a commercially available paint.