Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimating the Spread in Future Fine Dust Concentrations in the Southwest United States

This work examines how environmental variables previously shown to be correlated with dust emissions (temperature, vapor pressure deficit, relative humidity, precipitation, soil moisture, wind speed, and leaf area index [LAI]) explain historical variability in observed fine dust concentrations in the southwestern United States. We quantify fine dust concentrations in the U.S. Southwest dust season, March through July 1995 through 2015, using fine iron measurements from the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments network as a dust proxy. We use Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) output to estimate how environmental variables that drive dust concentrations may change in the future. The majority of CMIP5 models that simulate LAI, a quantity anticorrelated with dust concentrations, show increasing LAI in the Southwest United States in the 21st century. Based on linear estimates of how dust concentrations respond to changes in LAI, increases in LAI could result in reduced dust concentrations in the future. However, when environmental variables are selected objectively using lasso regression, LAI is not selected in favor of other variables. When using a linear combination of objectively selected environmental variables, we estimate that future Southwest dust season concentrations will increase by 0.24 μg m−3 (12%) by the end of the 21st century for RCP 8.5. This estimated increase in fine dust concentration is driven by decreases in relative humidity, precipitation, and soil moisture and buffered by decreased wind speeds.
Assessment of antibacterial and anticancer capability of silver nanoparticles extracellularly biosynthesized using Aspergillus terreus

The present study explores biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) employing extracellular extract of Aspergillus terreus ITCC 9932.15. Modulation of various variables that dictate the biosynthesis of AgNPs, suggested of optimal AgNPs synthesis using AgNO3, 1 mM at pH 8 and temperature, 35 °C. The biosynthesis of AgNPs was observed to be time dependent with incremental particle synthesis till 24 h. Various studies were undertaken to authenticate formation and characterization of AgNPs for size, crystallinity and biomolecules involved. A sharp SPR peak observed at 420 nm in the UV–vis absorption spectra validated synthesis of nanoparticles. These particles exhibited spherical morphology with size ∼25 nm and −16 mV of zeta potential. Further, the existence of proteins and other biomolecules onto the surface of AgNPs was confirmed with FTIR studies. The SAED pattern investigated by employing TEM authenticated the crystallinity of AgNPs. The AgNPs also exhibited potential antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria (E. coli and P. aeruginosa). In addition, remarkable anticancer activity was obtained in breast cancer cell line (MCF-7).
A spectral approach to the synthesis of dielectric waveguide rejection resonators

Using the spectral theory of open waveguide resonators, a numerical algorithm is constructed for synthesizing rejection cells made of rectangular and square dielectric posts with specified resonance characteristics. The technique takes into account the electric loss. The existence of restrictions on the range of realizable specifications for this kind of dielectric waveguide resonators is demonstrated. Examples of compact three-section band-rejection filters designed from rectangular dielectric posts are presented.
Progress, pluralism and science: moving from alienated to engaged pluralism

Abstract The encompassing scale and scope of International Political Economy (IPE) is rare in the social sciences. Our subject matter affects the way our field organizes and produces knowledge: we study complex overlapping systems where the challenges of adequate description and causal explanation are especially difficult, and as such IPE scholarship borrows from a vast range of social theory and methods. While holding enormous productive potential, this space for pluralism, as currently practiced, risks culminating in the fragmentation of knowledge: what I call ‘alienated pluralism’. A different, ‘engaged pluralism’ as I propose would retain the diversity of IPE’s many approaches and traditions, but would promise greater knowledge synthesis. I argue that stronger adherence to a scientific ethos can assist in building this ‘engaged pluralism’.
Chromosome evolution and phylogeny in Ronderosia (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Melanoplinae): clues of survivors to the challenge of sympatry?

In an attempt to unveil the origin of neo‐sex chromosomes in Ronderosia Cigliano grasshoppers, we performed a combined phylogenetic analysis based on morphological (external morphology and male genitalia) and molecular data (COI, COII, 16S and ITS2) to explore the chromosome evolution within the genus. We also analysed the distributional patterns of the various Ronderosia species and considered the possible role of chromosome rearrangements (CRs) in speciation processes within the genus in the light of ‘suppressed‐recombination’ models. We mapped the states of three chromosomal characters on the combined tree topology. The combined evidence supported Ronderosia as a monophyletic group. The cytogenetic analyses of the genus demonstrated the importance of rearranged karyotypes with single, complex and multiples neo‐sex chromosome determination systems in all species. The chromosome character optimisation suggests X‐autosome centric fusion as the mechanism responsible for neo‐sex chromosome formation in most Ronderosia species, except in R. dubia and R. bergii. Similar autosomes were involved in fusions with the ancestral X chromosome in Ronderosia, supporting previous hypotheses on the unique origin of X‐autosome fusion for the sex chromosome in the genus. As a source of chromosome variation, autosome‐autosome centric fusion played a secondary role in Ronderosia compared with other Dichroplini. Given the homogeneity in the morphological features, the sympatric distribution of closely related species and the intrinsic property of centric fusion as suppressors of the crossing over, we suggest that CRs may have played a key role during the speciation process within Ronderosia.
Reaching out to the readers: The translation of Japanese manga in Malaysia

One of the most recognisable aspects of Japanese pop culture which has invaded Malaysia is the Japanese comic or manga. It appears in translation in both Malay and English in Malaysia. Taking into account its foreign origin and the fact that translated manga is targeted at a local readership, translators often resort to the use of notes in the translations in order to assist the readers. This study, thus, intends to examine the type of notes used in the Malay and English translations of Japanese manga, and to determine items in the Japanese manga which required clarification and for which notes are provided. To analyse the use of notes by the translator in the translated manga, this study adopts a qualitative content analysis approach. The analysis involves six Japanese manga and their corresponding translations in Malay and English. The findings show that the translators employ the use of three different types of notes in the translation: notes on the image, notes in the gutter and notes at the end of the text. The analysis also shows that the elements in the Japanese manga which require clarification in translation are giongo/gitaigo, inscriptions, culture-specific elements, wordplay, technical terms and honorifics. There is also a minor difference between the Malay and English translations where the use of notes is concerned. Based on the findings, it is concluded that notes are important in translated versions of the manga in Malaysia in that they provide assistance to readers in understanding certain aspects of the manga.
Processing Methods Used in the Fabrication of Macrostructures Containing 1D Carbon Nanomaterials for Catalysis

A large number of methodologies for fabrication of 1D carbon nanomaterials have been developed in the past few years and are extensively described in the literature. However, for many applications, and in particular in catalysis, a translation of the materials to a macro-structured form is often required towards their use in practical operation conditions. This review intends to describe the available methods currently used for fabrication of such macro-structures, either already applied or with potential for application in the fabrication of macro-structured catalysts containing 1D carbon nanomaterials. A review of the processing methods used in the fabrication of macrostructures containing 1D sp2 hybridized carbon nanomaterials is presented. The carbon nanomaterials here discussed include single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, and several types of carbon nanofibers (fishbone, platelet, stacked cup, etc.). As the processing methods used in the fabrication of the macrostructures are generally very similar for any of the carbon nanotubes or nanofibers due to their similar chemical nature (constituted by stacked ordered graphene planes), the review aggregates all under the carbon nanofiber (CNF) moniker. The review is divided into methods where the CNFs are synthesized already in the form of a macrostructure (in situ methods) or where the CNFs are previously synthesized and then further processed into the desired macrostructures (ex situ methods). We highlight in particular the advantages of each approach, including a (non-exhaustive) description of methods commonly described for in situ and ex situ preparation of the catalytic macro-structures. The review proposes methods useful in the preparation of catalytic structures, and thus a number of techniques are left out which are used in the fabrication of CNF-containing structures with no exposure of the carbon materials to reactants due to, for example, complete coverage of the CNF. During the description of the methodologies, several different macrostructures are described. A brief overview of the potential applications of such structures in catalysis is also offered herein, together with a short description of the catalytic potential of CNFs in general.
Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Leaf Extract of Lippia adoensis (Koseret) and Evaluation of Its Antibacterial Activity

The synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles with the use of medicinal plant extract is a promising alternative to the conventional chemical method. This work aimed to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles using a green approach from indigenous “Koseret” Lippia adoensis leaf extract which is an endemic medicinal plant and cultivated in home gardens of different regions of Ethiopia. The biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, this study also evaluated the antibacterial activity of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles against clinical and standard strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis by the disc diffusion method. According to the result of this study, ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using Lippia adoensis leaf extract showed promising result against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains with a maximum inhibition zone of 14 mm and 12 mm, respectively, using uncalcinated form of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles.
At the Limits: What Drives Experiences of the Sublime

: Aesthetics, both in its theoretical and empirical forms, has seen a renewed interest in the sublime, an aesthetic category dear to traditional philosophers, but quite neglected by contemporary philosophy. Our aim is to offer a novel perspective on the experience of the sublime. More precisely, our hypothesis is that the latter arises from ‘a radical limit-experience’, which is a metacognitve awareness of the limits of our cognitive capacities as we are confronted with something indefinitely greater or more powerful than us. This hypothesis better explains the negative feelings involved in the experience of the sublime and accounts for its demarcation from other experiences (for example, terrible beauty). Experiences of the sublime have an overall positive valence, though. We will explore different ways in which a subject can try to overcome the negative evaluation involved in radical limit-experiences, and suggest that only one of them is appropriate to experiences of the sublime.
Socioenvironmental Management, the Denial of Theory U and the Amazon Rainforest Fires

The uncontrolled use of fire has resulted in innumerable occurrences of forest fires in the Western Amazon, causing damage to the environment and society, verifying its association with the effects of corruption, since it deals with the selfish behaviors of some involved actors, aiming the well-being of a minority. This study is a case study that focuses on forest fires and their relationship with corrupt practices and Theory U. It brings as its objective general study of the relationship of corruption to forest fires in the Western Amazon; and have as specific objectives to raise the causal relationship of corruption in face of the denial of Theory U (1), to characterize the factors that involve the questions of the fires in the Western Amazon (2), and to offer efficient subsidies to impact the fires considering the attitudinal convergence of the Amazon (3). As a result, there is a denial of Theory U in the face of the selfish conduct of individuals who cause forest fires, since they are limited to the imprisonment of satisfaction of isolated wills, without seeking to emerge a future with greater social inclusion. The subsidies pointed out in this study allow us to verify the need for effectiveness in the inspection and control actions regarding forest fires by public entities related to the environment. It is up to civil society since everyone is harmed in this process, to self-organize and demand more effective measures from environmental managers.
A New Perspective for Isolated Coronary Artery Ectasia: Cystatin C

Introduction The pathophysiology of isolated coronary artery ectasia (iCAE) has not been clearly identified, although multiple abnormalities, including arteritis, endothelial dysfunction, and vascular destruction, have been reported. In this study, we aimed to analyze serum cystatin C concentrations in patients with iCAE and controls. Methods Forty-seven patients with iCAE (mean age: 55.9 ± 11.5) and 32 individuals with normal coronary angiography (mean age: 57.8.1 ± 9.6) were included in the study. Plasma cystatin C levels were measured by using the principle of particle-enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay (PETIA). Results Serum cystatin C concentrations were significantly lower in patients with iCAE compared with the control group (0.98 ± 0.17 mg/L versus 1.17 ± 2.6 mg/L, p-value = 0.001). A significantly positive relationship was found between serum cystatin C levels and creatinine and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in both groups (r-value = 0.288, p-value = 0.005, r-value = 0.143, p-value = 0.007, respectively). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, serum cystatin C level found to be a significant predictor for the presence of iCAE (OR: 0.837, CI: 95% (0.341 - 1.637), p-value = 0.013). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis determined that a cystatin C value < 1.02 mg/L had a sensitivity of 56% and a specificity of 78% for the prediction of ectasia. Conclusion We conclude that cystatin C independently can be a useful predictor for the presence of iCAE.
IJHRM after 30 years: taking stock in times of COVID-19 and looking towards the future of HR research

Abstract In this paper, we take stock of what The International Journal of Human Resource Management (IJHRM) has achieved in the past 30 years since its inception in 1990. By analyzing the publication trends indicated by keywords, we find that research published in IJHRM has shifted from a collective focus with institutional implications towards more individual concerns with organizational implications with relevance to HRM practices. We present research theme and approaches that distinguish IJHRM from other HRM journals, and offer suggestions of what we see as some of the important issues for future research that will take us beyond the current trajectory of HRM studies.
Selective methanation of carbonate@carbon composite formed by the reaction of carbon dioxide with alkali metals

We systematically studied the thermochemical behaviors of alkali metals under the carbon dioxide (CO2) atmosphere and first investigated the hydromethanation performance of the alkali metal carbonate@carbon product formed in the reaction of CO2 with alkali metals. The on‐set reaction temperature of alkali metals with CO2 is at about 466, 584, and 595°C, respectively, following Li < Na < K. The experimental results indicate that COx‐free methane can be selectively and efficiently generated by hydrogenation of these carbonate@carbon composites at 450°C without a catalyst. Among these carbonate@carbon composites, the Li2CO3@carbon composite shows superior methanation performance. The selectivity of methanation is near 100%. The yield and content of methane are able to reach 30.3% and 26.6 mol%, respectively. This work provides an alternative method to produce methane, utilizing CO2 resources.
Balancing transferability and complexity of species distribution models for rare species conservation

Species distribution models (SDMs) are valuable for rare species conservation and are commonly used to extrapolate predictions of habitat suitability geographically to regions where species occurrence is unknown (i.e., transferability). Spatially structured cross‐validation can be used to infer transferability, yet, few studies have evaluated how delineation of cross‐validation folds affects model complexity and predictions. We developed SDMs using multiple cross‐validation approaches to understand the implications for predicting habitat suitability for northern Idaho ground squirrels, a rare, federally threatened species that has been extensively surveyed in regions where known populations occur, resulting in >8000 presence locations.
The Associations between Anemia, Stunting, Low Birthweight, and Cognitive Ability in Indonesian Children: An Analysis from Indonesian Family Life Survey

Background: Stunting, anemia, and Low Birth Wei­ght (LBW) are the most common child health pro­blem in Indonesia. These three factors can af­fect the nutritional status of children both in the short and long term. These disorders will af­fect child­ren growth and development. One of the long-term developmental disorders in children that occur due to stunting, anemia, and LBW is cog­­nitive impairment. Subjects and Method: This was a cross-sec­tio­nal study. This study was conducted by analyzing the secondary data of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Indo­ne­sian Family Life Survey (IFLS). The study was con­ducted from June to July 2020. The study sub­jects were 3563 children aged 7-14 years. The sample was collected using a total random samp­ling technique after clearing the data. The depen­dent variable was cognitive ability. The inde­pen­dent variables were anemia, stunting, and Low Birth Weight (LBW). The data were analyzed using the Chi-square method and logistic reg­res­sion. Results: The prevalence of stunting was 35.92%, ane­mia was 36.21%, children with a history of LBW were 7.69%, and children who had cognitive abi­lities below the average were 37.22%. Children who did not experience stunting improved their cog­nitive abilities (OR=1.32; 95%CI=0.88 to 1.18; p<0.001). Conclusion: Children who do not experience stunting improve their cognitive abilities. Keywords: Anemia, stunting, Low Birth Weight, cognitive
Design, synthesis and characterisation of CCL2 constructs : selective delivery of fluorophores to monocytes

This project utilises the chemokine, CCL2, to build a selective delivery platform to target disease-causing monocyte subsets. Monocytes are white blood cells which form part of the innate immune system and are primarily responsible for pathogen engulfment and antigen presentation towards members of the adaptive immune system. Monocytes have been identified in a number of diseases such as liver fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis and can even be recruited by cancers leading to tumour-protection from the immune system through socalled Tumour-Associated Macrophages (TAMs) and Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSCs). Interestingly, many of these diseases are caused by specific subsets of monocytes which express high levels of the chemokine receptor CCR2. This project has developed CCL2 as a delivery vehicle such that these monocyte subsets can be selectively targeted for fluorophore delivery. A series of CCL2 mutant sequences were conjugated with a range of fluorophores using click chemistry and these conjugates exhibited retained chemotactic function. This chemotaxis and intemalisation of the ligand is CCR2-mediated and disease-causing monocyte subsets were also shown to be targeted with the fluorescent chemokines. Finally, fluorescence microsocpy demonstrated that physicochemical variations of the fluorophore and linker allowed the subcellular localisation of fluorophores to be modulated, post ligand-receptor intemalisation.
Predictive capacity of some wood properties by near-infrared spectroscopy

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-destructive method that has been used in wood property assessment. Preliminary studies have revealed its ability to predict wood density and mechanical properties, but with little attention given to the effect of surface quality and wood anisotropy. This study simulates sawmill conditions variable timber surface quality and cross-sectional annual ring orientation where NIR spectra were taken on rough and smooth surfaces of quarter-sawn and flat-sawn specimens. Two models were developed based on a mixed set which included both cross-sections, and another that was based on wood from these two cross-sections, separately. Promising predictive models were obtained for density ( = 0.66), stiffness ( = 0.78) and strength ( = 0.82). Rough surface and quarter-sawn specimens were mostly better than their counterparts. In general, density, stiffness, and strength of wood could swiftly and with relative accuracy be assessed using NIRS, especially with rough-surfaced timber.