Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ultralow-velocity zone geometries resolved by multidimensional waveform modelling

Ultra-low velocity zones (ULVZs) are thin patches of material with strongly reduced seismic wave speeds situated on top of the core-mantle boundary (CMB). A common phase used to detect ULVZs is SPdKS (SKPdS), an SKS wave with a short diffracted P leg along the CMB. Most previous efforts have examined ULVZ properties using 1D waveform modeling approaches. We present waveform modeling results using the 2.5D finite difference algorithm PSVaxi allowing us better insight into ULVZ structure and location. We characterize ULVZ waveforms based on ULVZ elastic properties, shape, and position along the SPdKS raypath. In particular, we vary the ULVZ location (e.g. source or receiver side), ULVZ topographical profiles (e.g. boxcar, trapezoidal, or Gaussian) and ULVZ lateral scale along great circle path (2.5o, 5o, 10o). We observe several waveform effects absent in 1D ULVZ models and show evidence for waveform effects allowing the differentiation between source and receiver side ULVZs. Early inception of the SPdKS/SKPdS phase is difficult to detect for receiver-side ULVZs with maximum shifts in SKPdS initiation of ∼3o in epicentral distance, whereas source-side ULVZs produce maximum shifts of SPdKS initiation of ∼5o, allowing clear separation of source- versus receiver-side structure. We present a case study using data from up to 300 broadband stations in Turkey recorded between 2005 and 2010. We observe a previously undetected ULVZ in the southern Atlantic Ocean region centered near 45o S, 12.5oW, with a lateral scale of ∼3°, VP reduction of 10%, VS reduction of 30%, and density increase of 10% relative to PREM.
disorder of the pituitary gland. Lymphocytic adenohypophysitis: autoimmune

Autoimmune lymphocytic infiltration of the pituitary gland is rare. In the five previously reported cases [1-5], there was clinical evidence of hypopituitarism but the diagnosis of lymphocytic adenohypophysitis was made only by postmor tem examination of the pituitary gland. I describe a case of lymphocytic adenohypophysitis in a young, multiparous woman who had clinical features of a prolactinoma, other wise normal pituitary function, and radiologic findings com patible with a pituitary adenoma. The diagnosis was estab lished on examination of tissue removed at transsphenoidal hypophysectomy. This is the first description of the radio graphic features of this disorder
Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad

Agricultural expansion and fragmentation of native habitats is considered the major cause of declining biodiversity worldwide, negatively impacting the provision and maintenance of nature’s contributions to people. Bats are a key group in agricultural landscapes, playing crucial ecological roles in pollination, seed dispersal and control of invertebrate populations. Due to interspecific differences in diet, morphology, physiology and behavior, bats differ in habitat use, with a species-specific response to landscape changes. In this study, we evaluated how bats from different trophic guilds that can be catched with mist nets relate to different habitats present in a hyper-fragmented agricultural landscape. With the use of mist nets, we captured 309 bats in 30 nights between June 2016 and July 2018. Our results show differences in habitat use between species of different trophic guilds. While insectivorous bats have a positive relationship with the amount of water present at the collection point, frugivorous bats show a negative response. These results reinforce the importance of landscape heterogeneity in agricultural mosaics for maintaining biodiversity.
and cause-specific mortality in an ethnically diverse cohort from the UK: 8-year prospective study

Background. Depression is associated with increased mortality, however, little is known about its variation by ethnicity. Methods. We conducted a cohort study of individuals with ICD-10 unipolar depression from secondary mental healthcare, from an ethnically diverse location in southeast London, followed for 8 years (2007 – 2014) linked to death certificates. Age-and sex-standardised mortality
The Teaching Milieu Of Pakistan: Rudiments For An Efficacious Teacher

Educators’ convictions about their skills to influence students’ academic practice are a vital element of teaching profession. The high school dropout percentage is mainly attributed to the lack of effective instructors; and there may be some factors responsible for low efficacy of teachers. The present study investigates the differences in the efficacy of teachers due to gender, years of experience and the nature of the school (public and private), subject assignment to teachers, class size factors. Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale was utilized to assemble facts
Examining the Factors that Influence Blended Learning Satisfaction Among Tertiary Students in a Public University in Malaysia

: Blended learning is not a new phenomenon in the academic world. It is widely use anywhere as it integrates face-to-face teaching with web-based learning. Due to the growth in the usage of blended learning in the context of tertiary education, there is an increase need to measure its quality via student’s satisfaction. Student’s satisfaction is a key factor in the success of blended learning. It represents a public relation asset for a university. Indeed, studies on the extent of blended learning satisfaction are still limited, especially in the context of Malaysia. Thus, this study intends to adopt Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived enjoyment (PE) in explaining blended learning satisfaction among tertiary students. Hence, the aims of this study are: (1) to determine the level of blended learning satisfaction among tertiary students; (2) to identify the relationship between perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived enjoyment (PE) and blended learning. Thus, it is expected that the findings of this study will enlighten the efforts in achieving student’s satisfaction on blended learning subsequently leading to an effective implementation of the learning approach in higher education institution.
Evaluation and modeling of scouring and sedimentation around check dams in a Mediterranean torrent in Calabria, Italy

The effectiveness of check dams on channel morphology of managed torrents is rarely assessed. Therefore, there is a need for studies that focus on the impacts of existing engineering check dams on the planoaltimetric characteristics of the torrent, particularly in Mediterranean areas, where the hydrological regime of ephemeral channels is dynamically unsteady. The quantitative evaluation of the effects of the check dams on channel morphology after many years (i.e., at least four or five decades) helps introduce innovations to the usual analysis of check dam efficacy which have often been limited to qualitative observations for only a few years after installation. As a contribution to make up these shortcomings, this paper investigates the geomorphologic asset of a torrent in southern Italy containing 10 check dams (installed in the 1950s to 1960s) and analyzes the dynamics of the scouring and sedimentation processes upstream and downstream of selected check dams after 8 rainfall events; moreover, the capability of the model by Castillo (2007) to predict scouring/sedimentation in proximity to these check dams is assessed. Sediment stored upstream of each check dam (where lower channel gradients and wider channel sections formed very long and wide sedimentary wedges) is more than one order of magnitude higher compared to scouring downstream. The morphological analysis revealed that the check dams installed in the headwater reach play a function of bed stabilization (due to the longitudinal slope reduction) and flood lamination (because of the wider channel section) rather than a role of sediment collectors as their sediment storage capacity has already been completed. Scouring/sedimentation dynamics depend mainly on the channel slope and width in proximity to the check dams rather than on structure height. Finally, Castillo's model showed an acceptable performance in predicting scouring/sedimentation in the channel bed close to check dams after the monitored rainfall events, the model efficiency being satisfactory and the differences between the mean observed and simulated values low. This investigation improves the understanding about morphological effects of check dams in Mediterranean torrents based on field observations and quantitative analysis.
An In Vitro Determinations of the Inhibition of Free Radicals Activity, Carbohydrate-Hydrolysing and Lipoxygenase Enzymes by the Leaf Extracts of Moris alba L

: This study determined the effect of the some extracts of moris alba L leaf against diabetes and selected free radicals using different standard procedures. Free radical scavenging and antidiabetic activities of these extracts (aqueous and ethanol) were tested in six assays, which include metal chelating, 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide, 2, 2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6) sulphonic acid (ABTS), hydroxyl radical and reducing power in five different concentrations (0.065-1.000 mg/mL), the antidiabetic activity was assessed via the inhibition and kinetics of carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzymes including alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase. The aqueous extract showed the best activities in most of the radical scavenging assays including DPPH, ABTS, nitric oxide,hydroxyl radicals and metal chelating (with IC values of 0.625, 3.923, 2.719, 50 0.968 and 2.182 mg/mL) respective values. Moreover, aqueous extract also possessed best reducing ability with 0.41 at the lowest concentration (0.065mg/mL) and 0.78 at the highest concentration (1.0 mg/mL). Similarly, the aqueous extract exhibited the strongest inhibition of alpha amylase activity (0.798 mg/mL) and the strongest alpha glucosidase inhibitory potentials as well (1.591 mg/mL). The anti-inflammatory results depicted the aqueous extract (40.66 mg/mL) revealing the best inhibition of LOX among the two extracts although the activity of quercetin on this enzyme was superior (39.01 mg/mL). In conclusion, it can be suggested that Moris alba L possesses antioxidative and antiinflammatory activities and scientifically indicative of the use of the plant as a potential antidiabetic agent.
How much is the precipitation amount over the tropical coastal region

AbstractMotivated by observational evidence of rainfall concentrations near tropical coastlines with a diurnal cycle, the annual mean precipitation amount was quantified in the tropics (latitudes lower than 37°) obtained as a function of coastal distance and compared between land and ocean sides. The data are from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). Precipitation amount peaks at the coastline and decreases rapidly over a distance of 300 km from the coastline on both sides of the coastline. The precipitation inside the “coastal region” (defined by a distance <300 km from the coastline) accounts for approximately 34% of the total over the entire tropics, while that outside the coastal region accounts for 52% and 14% on the ocean and land sides, respectively. Since the coastal regions are about 29% of the total tropical areas, the precipitation per unit area inside the coastal regions is higher than that outside. Examining the grid number variation in the coastal regions with respect to the annua.
A new derivation of the bayesian bounds for parameter estimation

This paper deals with minimal bounds in the Bayesian context. We express the minimum mean square error of the conditional mean estimator as the solution of a continuum constrained optimization problem and, by relaxing these constraints, we obtain the bounds of the Weiss-Weinstein family. Moreover, this method enables us to derive new bounds as the Bayesian version of the deterministic Abel bound
The Bulletin of the International Linear Algebra Society Serving the International Linear Algebra Community

Conference Reports Western Canada Linear Algebra Meeting, Canada, May 10–11, 2014. 27 10th International Workshop on Accurate Solution of Eigenvalue Problems, Croatia, June 2–5, 2014 . 28 The 7th Linear Algebra Workshop (LAW’14), and the 23rd International Workshop on Matrices and Statistics (IWMS), Slovenia, June 4–12, 2014 and June 8–12, 2014 . 28 Graph Theory, Matrix Theory and Interactions A conference to celebrate the scholarship of David Gregory, Canada, June 20–21, 2014 . 29 The 2014 International Workshop on Matrices and Operators, China, July 24–27, 2014 . 30 The 2014 Workshop on Numerical Ranges and Numerical Radii , China, July 28–August 1, 2014 . 30 The 19th Conference of the International Linear Algebra Society, South Korea, August 6–9, 2014 . 31 The International Conference on Trends and Perspectives in Linear Statistical Inference (LINSTAT’2014), Sweden, August 24–28, 2014 . 33
Drying parameters of wild lettuce (Lactuca taraxaxifolia L) affected by different drying methods

This study focused on the effect of drying method on drying properties of wild lettuce leaves. The fresh wild lettuce was washed thoroughly to remove extraneous parts and subjected to pretreatments by dipping 200 g of vegetable samples into the water (1.5w/v) solution with 0.3% sodium metabisulphite held at room temperature. The pre-treated and untreated leaves were weighed and loaded in stainless steel tray and subjected to drying under cabinet dryer, open-sun drying and solar dryer. The wild lettuce drying curve exhibits a gentle downward curve, i.e. a high moisture loss at the early period of drying for all the drying methods used. The effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy were determined. The effective moisture diffusivity increased with the increase in temperature of drying. This study showed that post harvest losses of wild letuce can be minimized through drying, using mechnical devices or open sun drying, which is one of the oldest preservation processes available to the mankind.
Understanding Conspicuity in the Dissemination of Experiences on Social Media: The Effect of Materialism

Objective: to develop and test a model that explains the motivations for the behavior of disclosing the consumption of experiences on social media, considering the effect of materialism. Theoretical approach: the reasons given by the literature for the use of social media and materialism are adopted to understand the increasingly popular behavior of disclosing experiential consumption. Method: the study is based on a sequential mixed methods approach. First, a qualitative study was carried out with social media users. Subsequently, conceptual models were tested by PLS-SEM. Results: the conspicuous consumption online refers to the final construct of the explanatory model of the behavior of disclosing the experiential consumption in social media. The dissemination of experiences is used to build a positive identity and for the creation interpersonal relationships. From the conceptual models analyzed, it is admitted that materialism can play different roles in the explanatory model of the behavior of disclosing the consumption of experiences in social media. Conclusions: when verifying the conspicuity in consumption and exposition of experiences, it is assumed that consumers are focusing more on symbolic meanings than on satisfying psychological needs when adhering to experiential consumption.
Collective dynamics in the presence of ﬁnite-width pulses

The idealisation of neuronal pulses as δ -spikes is a convenient approach in neuroscience but can sometimes lead to erroneous conclusions. We investigate the effect of a ﬁnite pulse-width on the dynamics of balanced neuronal networks. In particular, we study two populations of identical excitatory and inhibitory neurons in a random network of phase oscillators coupled through exponential pulses with different widths. We consider three coupling functions, inspired by leaky integrate-and-ﬁre neurons with delay and type-I phase-response curves. By exploring the role of the pulse-widths for different coupling strengths we ﬁnd a robust collective irregular dynamics, which collapses onto a fully synchronous regime if the inhibitory pulses are sufﬁciently wider than the excitatory ones. The transition to synchrony is accompanied by hysteretic phenomena (i.e. the co-existence of collective irregular and synchronous dynamics). Our numerical results are supported by a detailed scaling and stability analysis of the fully synchronous solution. A conjectured ﬁrst-order phase transition emerging for δ -spikes is smoothed out for ﬁnite-width pulses. Neuronal networks with a nearly balanced excitatory/inhibitory activity evoke signiﬁcant interest in neuroscience due to the resulting emergence of strong ﬂuctu-ations akin to those observed in the resting state of the mammalian brain. While most studies are limited to a δ -like pulse setup, much less is known about the collective behavior in the presence of ﬁnite pulse-widths. In this paper, we investigate exponential pulses, with the goal of testing the robustness of previously identiﬁed regimes such as the spontaneous emergence of collective irregular dynamics (CID), an instance of partial synchrony with a non-periodic macroscopic dynamics. Moreover, the ﬁnite-width assumption paves the way to the investigation of a new ingredient, present in real neuronal networks: the asymmetry between excitatory and inhibitory pulses. Our numerical studies conﬁrm the emergence of CID also in the presence of ﬁnite pulse-width, although with a couple of warnings: (i) the amplitude of the collective ﬂuctuations decreases signiﬁcantly when the pulse-width is comparable to the interspike interval; (ii) CID collapses onto a fully synchronous regime when the inhibitory pulses are sufﬁ-cient longer than the excitatory ones. Both restrictions are compatible with the recorded behavior of real neurons. Additionally, we ﬁnd that a seemingly ﬁrst-order phase transition to a (quasi)-synchronous regime disappears in the presence of a ﬁnite width, conﬁrming the peculiarity of the δ -spikes. A transition to synchrony is instead observed upon increasing the ratio between the width of inhibitory and excitatory pulses: this transition is accompanied by a hysteretic region, which shrinks upon increasing the network size. Interestingly, for a connectivity comparable to that of the mammalian brain, such a ﬁnite-size effect is still sizable. Our numerical studies might help to understand abnormal synchronisation in neurological disorders.
Storm Surge Return Periods for the United States Gulf Coast

This study estimates tropical cyclone-generated storm surge levels for 2-year, 5-year, 10-year, 25-year, 50-year and 100-year return periods along the U.S. Gulf Coast. The study utilizes SURGEDAT, a Gulf of Mexico storm surge database, for statistical analysis. The most recent 111 years (1900-2010) of this 131-year dataset are analyzed, as this time period maximizes surge observations, while minimizing missing data. Return periods are calculated using the Pareto, Gumbel and Beta-P distributions, and the Huff-Angel and Southern Regional Climate Center (SRCC) linear regression methods. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov Statistic indicates that the SRCC method produced the best results. The SRCC method estimated basin-wide surge levels ranging from 2.67 meters for the 2-year return period to 8.20 meters for the 100-year return period. A K-means clustering algorithm was employed to separate Gulf Coast surges into 10 separate sub-regions. Surge levels for the 10-year, 25-year, 50-year and 100-year return periods were calculated for each sub-region using the SRCC linear regression method. The Southeast Louisiana/ Mississippi Zone generated the highest surge levels for each return period. Surge levels in this zone ranged from 2.72 meters for the 10-year return period, to 7.67 meters for the 100-year return period. These high surge levels are obviously driven by the extreme surges associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Camille. The lowest surge levels in the region were estimated along the West Coast of Florida. These results are useful for emergency management and disaster science personnel, planners, decision makers, stakeholders in various industries, as well as the scientific research community.
MULTIDISCIPLINARY: APPLIED BUSINESS AND EDUCATION

The purpose of this study was to assess the environmental awareness, attitudes towards environmental protection, and environmental practices of Grade 10 students. The study used a mixed-method sequential design and involved 150 students from three National High Schools in Zambales. The results showed that Grade 10 students had a good level of awareness about environmental protection laws (M=8.42, SD=1.63) and environmental steward-ship promotion (M=8.58, SD=1.42). They were supportive of community environment protection (M=3.33) and school environment protection (M=3.46). However, the students observed improper waste segregation in both the school and community, leading to an increased interest in promoting environmental protection activities. There was a moderate positive correlation between the students' level of awareness on environmental protection and stew-ardship promotion and their environmental practices. Similarly, there was a moderate positive correlation between their environmental attitude in the community and school and their environmental protection practices. The Grade 10 students who are aware of the importance of protecting the environment and promoting ecological stewardship tend to be more concerned about conserving energy and natural resources. They are also supportive of activities aimed at protecting their school and community environments
Evaluation of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in the Diagnosis of Lung Lesions

: Background: Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a technique of taking cytology sample by means of a fine needle attached to a syringe. CT guided FNAC is a widely accepted method for differentiating lung lesions. It has been used to distinguish lung lesions into benign, malignant and inflammatory types. It has turned into an established discriminating procedure with excellent results worldwide. Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy and safety of image guided percutaneous fine needle aspiration cytology(FNAC) in various neoplastic and non-neoplastic lung lesions. Material and Methods: A prospective study was carried out in Department of Pathology, GRMC Gwalior. Fifty CT-guided fine needle aspirations were done over a period of one year and cytological diagnosis were made after staining them with May Grunwald Giemsa (MGG) stain and Pap stain. Results: In the present study group of 10-72 year old, definitive diagnosis was given in 41 cases, out of which benign lesions were 12%, in which the most common were Non Specific Inflammatory lesions(8%) followed by TB( 4%), malignant lesions were 70% in which Adenocarcinoma was seen in 48% cases followed by Squamous Cell Carcinoma in 20% cases and Small Cell Carcinoma in 2% cases. Conclusion: CT-guided FNAC is a generally widely accepted, simple-to-perform, accurate, safe, and cost-effective strategy for diagnosing a lung lesion with low morbidity rates. A cytological diagnosis is considered provisional in numerous cases, but it helps the clinician in handpicking the best course of action for the patient.