Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determinants of Negotiated Wages in the Kenyan Banking Industry

Over time, wages in the Kenyan banking sector have increased, but not at a rate that has kept up with inflation. This has had a negative effect in that the employees in the banking sector were unable to maintain the standards they were used to. In the banking industry, the average yearly wage per employee climbed from Kes 10,424 in 1968 to Kes 2,082,067 in 2021. The period from 1972 to 1994 saw the greatest loss in the buying power of earnings for banking personnel. From highs of Kes 2,629,534 in 1972 to lows of Kes 726,178 in 1994, the real average wage per employee per year fell. Between 1994 and 2008, there was a recovery in the real annual average wage per employee. Over this time, the real average wage rose from Kes 726,178 to Kes 2,330,778. By 2021, the real average annual wage per employee had decreased to Kes 1,861,550. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that influence union wages. With time series data for the years 1968 to 2021, a wage model was fitted, and the estimated outcomes showed that gross profit before tax, labour productivity, and the prior period wage of unionisable personnel were key factors in negotiated wages. The other factors, such as the minimum pay set by law, the number of unionised employees, the unemployment rate, the inflation rate, and the union density, had no statistically significant impact on negotiated wages. The study supports the need for developing a labour productivity measurement system that is acceptable to all participants in the banking industry. The fact that the union's strength had little bearing on determining salaries also made it clear that the union needed to find new strategies for luring members.
Assessment of Psychosocial Correlates and Associated Factors of Colorectal Cancer Screening among Southwestern Saudi Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

Psychosocial correlates are one of the crucial determinants for the uptake of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening by the pre-eligible population. The present study aimed to identify the psychosocial correlates of colorectal cancer screening and determine their associated factors among the Saudi population in the Najran region, Saudi Arabia. Using a validated questionnaire, we assessed five constructs of psychosocial correlates of CRC screening among 790 participants aged 45 years and above. The five constructs were salience and coherence, cancer worries, perceived susceptibility, response efficacy, and social influence. Of the studied population, less than 50% agreed with most of the five constructs’ statements, and 27.5% preferred to follow their family members’ advice. Significantly higher mean scores (±SD) were identified for the male gender (7.38 ± 2.15, p = 0.027) and participants working in government sectors (7.60 ± 2.03, p = 0.027) in the cancer worries construct, while the mean (±SD) scores of perceived susceptibility were significantly higher among married participants (14.38 ± 4.10, p = 0.023) and smokers (14.95 ± 3.92, p = 0.041). Our survey results could help policymakers to implement focused health education programs for the pre-eligible population on the importance of the uptake of CRC screening. Furthermore, it is recommended to carry out exploratory mixed-method surveys in other regions of Saudi Arabia to understand the region’s specific psychosocial correlates towards CRC screening.
Threshold Shear Strains for Cyclic Degradation and Cyclic Pore Water Pressure Generation in Two Clays

AbstractCyclic threshold shear strains are fundamental cyclic soil properties that have not been fully investigated. To learn more about the threshold shear strains for cyclic degradation, γtd, and cyclic pore water pressure generation, γtp, in fully saturated clays, nine multistage cyclic strain-controlled NGI direct simple shear tests are conducted on laboratory-made kaolinite clay (PI=28) and kaolinite-bentonite clay (PI=55). Three levels of vertical effective consolidation stress, σvc′ (113 kPa, approximately 216 kPa, and approximately 674 kPa); three OCRs (1, 4 and 7.8); and two cyclic loading frequencies, f (0.01 and 0.1 Hz), were applied. In three tests on the normally consolidated (NC) kaolinite clay, γtd varied between 0.012 and 0.014% and γtp between 0.014 and 0.034%. In two tests on the overconsolidated (OC) kaolinite clay with OCR=4, γtd was 0.013% and γtp 0.016 and 0.017%. In two tests on the NC kaolinite-bentonite clay, γtd was 0.013 and 0.016% and γtp 0.052 and 0.078%. In the test on OC kao.
Benchmarking GOCART-2G in the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS)

Abstract. The Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) model, which controls the sources, sinks, and chemistry of aerosols within the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS), recently underwent a major refactoring and update, including a revision of the emissions datasets and the addition of brown carbon. A 4-year benchmark simulation utilizing the new version of the model code, termed GOCART Second Generation (GOCART-2G) and coupled to the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) model, was evaluated using in situ and spaceborne measurements to develop a baseline and prioritize future development. A comparison of simulated aerosol optical depth between GOCART-2G and MODIS retrievals indicates the model captures the overall spatial pattern and seasonal cycle of aerosol optical depth but overestimates aerosol extinction over dusty regions and underestimates aerosol extinction over Northern Hemisphere boreal forests, requiring further investigation and tuning of emissions. This MODIS-based analysis is corroborated by comparisons to MISR and selected AERONET stations; however, discrepancies between the Aqua and Terra satellites indicate there is a diurnal component to biases in aerosol optical depth over southern Asia and northern Africa. Despite the underestimate of aerosol optical depth in biomass burning regions in GEOS, there is an overestimate in the surface mass of organic carbon in the United States, especially during the summer months. Over Europe, GOCART-2G is unable to match the summertime peak in aerosol optical depth, opposing the observed late fall and early spring peaks in surface mass concentration. A comparison of the vertical profile of attenuated backscatter to observations from CALIPSO indicates the GEOS model is capable of capturing the vertical profile of aerosol; however, the mid-troposphere plumes of dust in the North Atlantic and smoke in the southeastern Atlantic are perhaps too low in altitude. The results presented highlight priorities for future development with GOCART-2G, including improvements for dust, biomass burning aerosols, and anthropogenic aerosols.
Mesoscale and Synoptic Scale Analysis of Narrow Cold Frontal Rainband During a Landfalling Atmospheric River in California During January 2021

Narrow cold‐frontal rain bands (NCFR) often produce short‐duration and high‐intensity precipitation that can lead to flooding and debris flow in California (CA). On 27 January 2021, an atmospheric river (AR) associated with an intense surface cyclone made landfall over coastal northern CA, which featured a prominent NCFR. This study uses high‐resolution West Weather Research and Forecasting simulations to accurately resolve the gap and core structure of the NCFR and provide reliable precipitation estimations, compensating for limitations of radar and satellite observations. This NCFR was supported by robust synoptic‐scale quasi‐geostrophic (QG) forcing for ascent and frontogenesis. It propagated southward from Cape Mendocino to Big Sur in 12 hr before stalling and rotating counter‐clockwise in central/southern CA due to upstream Rossby wave breaking and an amplifying upper‐tropospheric trough. With the lower to middle tropospheric flow backed considerably to the south‐southwest over the NCFR, the increase of the vertical wind shear caused the transition from parallel to trailing stratiform precipitation. The stall and pivot of the AR and NCFR led to intense rainfall with a 2‐day precipitation accumulation greater than 300 mm over central CA. In addition, under the potential instability and frontogenesis, a moist absolutely unstable layer between 850 and 700 hPa was captured at the leading edge of the NCFR, which indicated slantwise deep layer lifting and high precipitation efficiency. This study reveals synoptic‐scale and mesoscale drivers of rainfall outside orographic lifting and reaffirms the importance of high‐resolution numerical modeling for the prediction of extreme precipitation and related natural hazards.
The Effect of Lower Limb Combined Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Skeletal Muscle Signaling for Glucose Utilization, Myofiber Distribution, and Metabolic Function after Spinal Cord Injury

Maintaining healthy myofiber type and metabolic function early after spinal cord injury (SCI) may prevent chronic metabolic disorders. This study compares the effects of a 2–5 week combined (aerobic + resistance) neuromuscular electrical stimulation (Comb-NMES) regimen versus a sham control treatment on muscle protein signaling for glucose uptake, myofiber type distribution, and metabolic function. Twenty participants (31 ± 9 years of age) with an SCI (C4-L1, AIS level A–C) within 14 days of the SCI were randomly assigned to control (N = 8) or Comb-NMES (N = 12). Sessions were given three times per week. Fasting blood samples and vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were collected 24–48 h before or after the last session. Western blots were performed to quantify proteins, immunohistochemical analyses determined muscle myofiber distribution, and enzymatic assays were performed to measure serum glucose, insulin, and lipids. Our main findings include a decrease in fasting glucose (p < 0.05) and LDL-C (p < 0.05) levels, an upregulation of CamKII and Hexokinase (p < 0.05), and an increase in type I (+9%) and a decrease in type IIx (−36%) myofiber distribution in response to Comb-NMES. Our findings suggest that maintaining healthy myofiber type and metabolic function may be achieved via early utilization of Comb-NMES.
Preparation and Application of Green Sustainable Solvent Cyrene

The bio-based solvent dihydrolevoglucosenone (Cyrene) is a green and sustainable alternative to petroleum-based dipolar aprotic solvents. Cyrene can be prepared from cellulose in a simple two-step process and can be produced in a variety of yields. Cyrene is compatible with a large number of reactions in the chemical industry and can be applied in organic chemistry, biocatalysis, materials chemistry, graphene and lignin processing, etc. It is also green, non-mutagenic and non-toxic, which makes it very promising for applications. In this paper, we have also screened all articles related to Cyrene on the Web of Science and visualised them through Cite Space.
Excretion of Antibiotic Resistance Genes by Dairy Calves Fed Milk Replacers with Varying Doses of Antibiotics

Elevated levels of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil and water have been linked to livestock farms and in some cases feed antibiotics may select for antibiotic resistant gut microbiota. The purpose of this study was to examine the establishment of ARGs in the feces of calves receiving milk replacer containing no antibiotics versus subtherapeutic or therapeutic doses of tetracycline and neomycin. The effect of antibiotics on calf health was also of interest. Twenty-eight male and female dairy calves were assigned to one of the three antibiotic treatment groups at birth and fecal samples were collected at weeks 6, 7 (prior to weaning), and 12 (5 weeks after weaning). ARGs corresponding to the tetracycline (tetC, tetG, tetO, tetW, and tetX), macrolide (ermB, ermF), and sulfonamide (sul1, sul2) classes of antibiotics along with the class I integron gene, intI1, were monitored by quantitative polymerase chain reaction as potential indicators of direct selection, co-selection, or horizontal gene transfer of ARGs. Surprisingly, there was no significant effect of antibiotic treatment on the absolute abundance (gene copies per gram wet manure) of any of the ARGs except ermF, which was lower in the antibiotic-treated calf manure, presumably because a significant portion of host bacterial cells carrying ermF were not resistant to tetracycline or neomycin. However, relative abundance (gene copies normalized to 16S rRNA genes) of tetO was higher in calves fed the highest dose of antibiotic than in the other treatments. All genes, except tetC and intI1, were detectable in feces from 6 weeks onward, and tetW and tetG significantly increased (P < 0.10), even in control calves. Overall, the results provide new insight into the colonization of calf gut flora with ARGs in the early weeks. Although feed antibiotics exerted little effect on the ARGs monitored in this study, the fact that they also provided no health benefit suggests that the greater than conventional nutritional intake applied in this study overrides previously reported health benefits of antibiotics. The results suggest potential benefit of broader management strategies, and that cost and risk may be avoided by minimizing incorporation of antibiotics in milk replacer.
Primary Angiosarcoma of the Breast: A 20-Year Single-Institution Experience in China

Background. Primary angiosarcoma of the breast (PAS) is a rare aggressive tumor with no standardized treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of all primary angiosarcoma of the breast obtained from a single center and the features peculiar to Chinese patients. Methods. The medical records at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital were retrospectively searched to identify all cases of PAS treated in 2000–2019. Results. Sixteen cases of PAS were identified, and most involved the left breast. Forty percent of young patients had a history of progressive tumor enlargement with localized pain and skin color changes. The diagnostic accuracy rate was 66.7% for MRI, 75% for core-needle aspiration, and 58.3% for intraoperative fast frozen pathology. The most common surgery was modified radical mastectomy (n = 9, 56.25%). All positive margins involved the pectoralis major muscle, and these tumors’ mean size was 8.2 cm. All cases were CD34 positive, and the Ki-67 index was ≥30% in 37.5%. Median local or distant recurrence-free survival was 57.6 months for low-to-moderate-grade tumors and 23.5 months for high-grade tumors. Seventy-five percent of the patients were treated with chemotherapy. The average tumor size in patients with relapse-free survival longer than 3 years was 2.2 cm. Conclusion. Young patients may have larger and softer breast tumors with skin color changes. MRI and core-needle biopsy should be performed preoperatively. A positive surgical margin at pectoralis major should be noted. Breast prosthesis may be a better reconstruction option. Adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy should be considered for large tumors with a high Ki-67 index or high-grade tumors.
Autotomy in Blue

Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus Rathbun) populations were examined at four sites in Chesapeake Bay and three additional sites along the southeastern Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico; the aims were to assess the incidence of limb autotomy and to determine whether injury patterns varied temporally, geographically, and ontogenetically. These data, which include four years of information from one site (Rhode River, Maryland, a su-bestuary of central Chesapeake Bay), make this study the most extensive and intensive survey of limb autotomy yet conducted in arthropods. A substantial percentage ( 1 7-39%) of the blue crab populations were either missing or regenerating one or more limbs, suggesting that autotomy is an important mechanism for their survival. The frequency of limb autotomy varied, both within and between years, and over broad geographical scales. Injury levels were generally correlated positively with crab size. Limb autotomy was independent of sex and molt stage, and frequencies varied little among sites in the Rhode River. Patterns of limb injury in C. sapidus were remarkably consistent among all sites. The most frequent injury involved loss of a single cheliped. Swimming legs suffered the least damage. Severe multiple limb loss was rare. Right and left limbs were lost with equal frequency in most populations. This consistency of autotomy pattern suggests differential vulnerability of limbs and standard behavioral response by blue crabs to various injury-causing agents. The frequency of autotomy was density-dependent in the Rhode River, indicating that intraspecinc interactions (e.g., cannibalism) may be a major cause of limb
Equations of State and Phase Boundaries of SiO2 Polymorphs Under Lower Mantle Conditions

SiO2 is an important modally abundant component of terrestrial planets, while there are few studies that quantitatively determine the properties of silica under simultaneously high‐temperature and high‐pressure conditions. In this study, thermal properties of stishovite, CaCl2‐type SiO2 and seifertite have been obtained by using extensive first‐principles simulations. The quasi‐harmonic approximation and intrinsic anharmonic effects were considered, and a generalized rescaling method was adopted to eliminate systematic errors in the simulation results. Based on the simulation data, we have established new equations of state for the SiO2 polymorphs and determined their phase boundaries. Anharmonicity has been demonstrated to show noticeable effects on their thermal properties and phase boundaries. With the new results, we found that SiO2 polymorphs show increasing buoyancy in the subducted basaltic slabs at depths greater than ∼800–900 km. In the normal lower mantle, they are readily stable over a broad range of depths approximately from 1,500 km to 2,600 km. This implies that SiO2 polymorphs may contribute to the lateral heterogeneity in the deep lower mantle as observed by small‐scale seismic scatterers.
Investigating the Interplay of Foreign Language Enjoyment, Elaboration Strategies, Gender Differences, and Academic Achievement among Chinese EFL learners

The objective of this study was to investigate whether foreign language enjoyment predicted elaboration strategy and academic achievement and to test whether there are gender differences in the relations of foreign language enjoyment, elaboration strategies, and academic achievement in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context in China. Data were collected from 536 Chinese secondary EFL learners aged 11-15 years in Grade 7 and Grade 8. Results from structural equation modeling analysis (SEM) found that foreign language enjoyment was positively correlated with EFL learning achievement directly and indirectly, mediated by elaboration strategies. In addition, results of multi-group analysis showed that indirect relations from foreign language enjoyment to EFL learning achievement were not moderated by gender, indicating that the model of “foreign language enjoyment→elaboration strategies→EFL learning achievement” was invariant across genders. These findings add to the literature on the mechanism linking foreign language enjoyment and EFL learning achievement and an increasing number of studies concerning the female dominance in terms of language learning. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.
Interpretation of aeromagnetic data across the central crystalline shield area of Nigeria

Summary, A residual map of the total magnetic field (above 25 000 nT base) is presented for a portion of the central crystalline shield area of Nigeria and overlapping small portions of the Chad basin and the Benue rift (8'30'- 12' OO'lat, and 7' -10'30' long). The map (based on a dataset digitized from recently released aeromagnetic sheets of Nigeria) leads to four results. (1) A magnetic boundary, evident on the map, separates the Younger Granite complexes into two groups. The groups are petrologically different, and the boundary may be a fault line with uplift to the south. (2) South of the boundary the map is dominated by a system of sub-parallel anomalies striking NE-SW, possibly representing major tectonic trends, and a set of fractures through which the Younger Granite complexes were intruded. The trend of the system parallels the Benue rift and lineaments in the oceanic crust off West Africa. (3) Negative magnetic anomalies lie over most of the known ring complexes, and over some suspected buried ring complexes and other intrusions. (4) 2%- and 3-D modelling shows that the larger complexes extend to 12 km depth, and the smaller ones to 6 km. They have nearly vertical sides, and magnetization contrasts range from 0.3 to 0.5 A m-I.
Liquefaction of Unsaturated Sand Considering the Pore Air Pressure and Volume Compressibility of the Soil Particle Skeleton

A series of cyclic triaxial tests of unsaturated soils was conducted to get a better understanding of the general liquefaction state of unsaturated soils. In the tests, cyclic shear strain was applied to fine clean sand with the same dry density but different initial suction states under the undrained condition. During cyclic shear, the volume change of the soil particle skeleton, the pore air pressure and the pore water pressure were measured continuously. Having used the effective stress defined by Bishop (Bishop et al., 1963), where the net stress and suction contribute to the effective stress, our test results showed that unsaturated sand specimens with quite a low degree of saturation lose their effective stress due to cyclic shear. At a zero effective stress state, unsaturated specimens behaved similarly to liquids in much the same way as saturated specimens. From experimental and theoretical considerations, the zero effective stress state (i.e., liquefaction) for unsaturated sand was found to have been established when both the pore air and water pressures build up to the point where it is equal to the initial total pressure. A volume change of pore air under the undrained condition, if a volume change of pore water is negligible, is equal to that of the soil particle skeleton. Therefore, it can be concluded that the liquefaction of unsaturated soil generally depends on the volume compressibility of the soil particle skeleton and the degree of saturation. On the other hand, according to the ideal gas equation of Boyle-Charles law, the volume change required to bring about a zero effective stress state can be calculated from the initial pore air pressure (usually the atmospheric pressure) and the final pore air pressure (the initial confining pressure). Therefore, the liquefaction of unsaturated soils also depends on the initial confining pressure. Based on this concept, the liquefaction potential of unsaturated soil can be evaluated by comparing the volume compressibility of the soil particle skeleton and the volume change of the pore air required to bring about a zero effective stress state.
The Importance of Trust and Information Technology on Individual Performance

Technology has made Motor Vehicle Tax services more efficient and effective. However, one of the weaknesses is that the communication network is still limited or often disrupted. This study aims to prove the influence of trust and information system technology on individual performance at the Samsat office in East Java Province. This study uses primary data sourced from the answers of the Samsat Joint Office employees who are directly related to the Motor Vehicle Tax payment information system, which is as many as ninety-four people. This study uses multiple linear regression analysis with independent variables of trust and information system technology, while individual performance is the dependent variable. Based on the results of multiple linear regression analysis, it can be concluded that trust and information system technology influence individual performance. These results prove that the individual performance of employees in the Samsat office increases if they already trust and understand the technology used. The implication is that the Samsat office must always strive for technology and motor vehicle tax application features that can satisfy its users