Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Study on Lubrication Characteristics of C4-Alkane and Nanoparticle during Boundary Friction by Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Lubricant has been widely applied to reduce wear and friction between the contact surfaces when they are in relative motion. In the current study, a nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulation was specifically established to conduct a comprehensive investigation on the dynamic contact between two iron surfaces in a boundary friction system considering the mixed C4-alkane and nanoparticles as lubricant. The main research objective was to explore the effects of fluid and nanoparticles addition on the surface contact and friction force. It was found that nanoparticles acted like ball bearings between the contact surfaces, leading to a change of sliding friction mode to rolling friction mode. Under normal loads, plastic deformation occurred at the top surface because nanoparticles were mainly supporting the normal load. By increasing the number of C4-alkane molecules between two contact surfaces, the contact condition has been changed from partial to full lubrication. In addition, an attractive force from the solid–liquid LJ interaction between C4-alkane and surfaces was observed at the early stage of sliding, due to the large space formed by wall surfaces and nanoparticles. The findings in this paper would be beneficial for understanding the frictional behavior of a simple lubricant with or without nanoparticles addition in a small confinement.
Towards High-Efficiency GaAsP/Si Tandem Cells

In this work, we present recent progress towards high-efficiency epitaxial 1.7 eV/1.1 eV GaAsP/Si tandem cells. First, we present Si bottom cells with thick, epitaxial $n$-GaAsP optical filtering layers, yielding an efficiency of 6.25%. Furthermore, we demonstrate GaAsP/Si 2-terminal tandem cells with $\mathbf{V}_{\mathbf{oc}}$ of 1.596 V using an unoptimized tunnel junction to interconnect the GaAsP and Si sub-cells. Finally, we discuss the design of $\mathbf{SiN}_{x}/\mathbf{SiO}_{x}$ double-layer anti-reflectance coating (ARC) for $\mathbf{GaAsP}/\mathbf{Si}$ tandem cells, which boosted the $\mathbf{J}_{\mathbf{sc}}$ by 28.9%.
Expression profile of microRNA-29b and its action on matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) in the cervical carcinogenic process

Background: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide. In order to make the diagnosis earlier and more accurate, increase the prospect of using microRNA-29b, which targets matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), proteolytic enzymes that play a significant role in the degradation of the important extracellular matrix in progression of cervical carcinogenic lesions. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of expression of microRNA-29b at all histological levels of carcinogenesis and its relationship with MMP-2 in this type of cancer. Methods: RNA was extracted from eighteen paraffin-embedded biopsy samples diagnosed with carcinoma and 19 considerable healthy samples, after which a real-time PCR technician was performed for expression analysis. Results: Our results show underexpression of microRNA-29b and MMP-2. This decrease in expression was statistically significant and differentiated in the histopathological subtypes. In addition, it has been shown that MMP-2 is directly regulated by microRNA-29b. No other studies were found that performed the same analysis on cervical cancers. Conclusion: Our results indicate a potential diagnosis of microRNA-29b and MMP-2 for lesions and cervical cancer, and show a direct association between these molecules.
Perceived Procedural Justice Enhances Correctional Officers’ Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Correlational and Causal Evidence From Israel

Procedural justice refers to unbiased, caring, respectful, and participative treatment by decision makers. It positively associates with employees’ citizenship behavior, an expression of motivation and commitment that consists of voluntary helpful acts toward the organization or fellow employees. In view of scarce research on these variables in correctional facilities, we conducted two studies among Israeli correctional officers. In a survey (N = 336), procedural justice by the commander moderately associated with organization- and individual-targeted citizenship behavior. In addition, commander procedural justice predicted perceiving organization procedural justice, which in turn strongly associated with organization-targeted citizenship. In an experiment (N = 311), commander procedural justice enhanced organization- but not individual-targeted citizenship behavior. These studies provide new statistical and causal evidence for procedural justice effects on correctional officers, which can inform prison administrations’ practices. They also generalize justice effects to the Israeli prison culture and provide knowledge on Israeli officers, hitherto notably understudied.
Modeling of airfoil aeroelastic response to gust and rain coupled loads

The aeroelastic response of an airfoil featuring plunging-pitching coupled motion in an incompressible flow field to gust and rain coupled loads is primarily investigated in this paper. The equations of airfoil coupled motion are derived by the “typical section” approach and the aeroelastic model is achieved by coupling these to 2D unsteady aerodynamics models for incompressible potential flows. The modelings of the unsteady aerodynamic and gust loads are established by the use of the Wagner’s and the Kussner’s functions, respectively. The incorporation of the rain effect is implemented via substituting the values of the slope of lift curve in the rain conditions in the aeroelastic response equations. Numerical modelings of the aeroelastic response to gusts of different velocity distributions and comparisons with the solution obtained for the rigid and elastic models featuring plunging or pitching motion alone and plunging-pitching coupled motion are provided. The pertinent results agree well with the results from other literature. The influences of gust, rain and airfoil control parameters are specially presented and discussed in detail. These results seem new and should have important reference value to the optimization of aircraft structure for the industrial aviation community.The aeroelastic response of an airfoil featuring plunging-pitching coupled motion in an incompressible flow field to gust and rain coupled loads is primarily investigated in this paper. The equations of airfoil coupled motion are derived by the “typical section” approach and the aeroelastic model is achieved by coupling these to 2D unsteady aerodynamics models for incompressible potential flows. The modelings of the unsteady aerodynamic and gust loads are established by the use of the Wagner’s and the Kussner’s functions, respectively. The incorporation of the rain effect is implemented via substituting the values of the slope of lift curve in the rain conditions in the aeroelastic response equations. Numerical modelings of the aeroelastic response to gusts of different velocity distributions and comparisons with the solution obtained for the rigid and elastic models featuring plunging or pitching motion alone and plunging-pitching coupled motion are provided. The pertinent results agree well with the res.
Key SARS-CoV-2 Mutations of Alpha, Gamma, and Eta Variants Detected in Urban Wastewaters in Italy by Long-Read Amplicon Sequencing Based on Nanopore Technology

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) and variants of interest (VOIs) poses an increased risk to global public health and underlines the need to prioritise monitoring and research to better respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wastewater monitoring can be used to monitor SARS-CoV-2 spread and to track SARS-CoV-2 variants. A long read amplicon sequencing approach based on the Oxford Nanopore technology, targeting the spike protein, was applied to detect SARS-CoV-2 variants in sewage samples collected in central Italy on April 2021. Next-generation sequencing was performed on three pooled samples. For variant identification, two approaches–clustering (unsupervised) and classification (supervised)–were implemented, resulting in the detection of two VOCs and one VOI. Key mutations of the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) were detected in all of the pools, accounting for the vast majority of NGS reads. In two different pools, mutations of the Gamma (P.1) and Eta (B.1.525) variants were also detected, accounting for 22.4%, and 1.3% of total NGS reads of the sample, respectively. Results were in agreement with data on variant circulation in Italy at the time of wastewater sample collection. For each variant, in addition to the signature key spike mutations, other less common mutations were detected, including the amino acid substitutions S98F and E484K in the Alpha cluster (alone and combined), and S151I in the Eta cluster. Results of the present study show that the long-read sequencing nanopore technology can be successfully used to explore SARS-CoV-2 diversity in sewage samples, where multiple variants can be present, and that the approach is sensitive enough to detect variants present at low abundance in wastewater samples. In conclusion, wastewater monitoring can help one discover the spread of variants in a community and early detect the emerging of clinically relevant mutations or variants.
Sustainable Education through E-Learning: The Case Study of iLearn2.0

The present paper studies a blended learning approach provided by a university in central Taiwan from 2018 to 2020. In this approach, a Moodle E-learning platform called iLearn2.0 was used along with an onsite classroom. iLearn 2.0 has four major features, including cloud services, mobile learning, flipped classroom, and data analysis. The platform was used during 2018–2020 in the Citizen Participation course, helping the researcher/teacher to design an interactive course content and aiding students to complete classroom activities through their devices. In total, 127 students enrolled in citizen participation courses were taught during 2018–2020, using different teaching methods. In 2018, students studied in a physical classroom. iLearn2.0 was integrated with the physical classroom for the 2019 course; lastly, the iLearn2.0 platform was used alone in 2020. To evaluate the effect of virtual teaching on the students’ performance, the researcher used summative assessment as the dependent variable. The findings show that the class that received the iLearn2.0- assisted teaching had a significantly better learning performance than the other two classes. However, when researchers used iLearn2.0 alone, both the scores and the feedback from students were lower than those in blended and face-to-face teaching. The results suggest the effectiveness of iLearn2.0 assistance, while learners’ performance did not show any significant change in a totally online class. Results were assessed in the view of sustainability, and three sustainability dimensions were found to be improved in the hybrid classroom. The researcher suggests that iLearn2.0 be integrated with other learning tools for maximum results, as it allows students to have a more diverse learning experience, strengthen sustainable learning, and grasp the progress of their courses and learning activities in a timely manner.
Impact of Thermal Treatment on the Surface of Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-Based Ceramics

Thermal etching is a widely accepted surface treatment method for studying microstructure in Na0.5Bi0. 5TiO3-based compositions. Surprisingly, besides the flat pattern of grains (suitable for evaluating ceramics’ microstructure), images illustrating well-expressed relief and even microstructure consisting of partly bonded cubic-shaped grains are also found among the micrographs presented in various publications. The present paper shows that this different surface character in Eu-modified Na0.5Bi0. 5TiO3 can be obtained through thermal treatment across a wide range of temperatures. At higher temperatures, remarkable growth of cubic-shaped grains on the surface is observed. This growth affects the grain size distribution on the surface more than it does within the bulk of a sample. Such micrographs cannot be used to characterise the microstructure of dense ceramics. Intensive growth of TiO2 inclusions at high thermal treatment temperatures is also observed, revealing substantial evaporation of Bi and Na from the surface of a ceramic sample, but not from its core part.
Determining the effectiveness of pollution control policies implemented by the Chinese government: Distribution fitting and testing of daily PM2.5 data

Air pollution has become an urgent issue affecting sustainable urban development. The Chinese government has implemented a series of air pollution control policies since 2012. Exploring the effectiveness of pollution control policies is important for future policy-making and improvements in air quality. Mean and variance tests were used for evaluation on the effectiveness of pollution control policies implemented in major cities and estimates of the heterogeneity among cities based on the distribution fitting and testing of daily PM2.5 data from January 2015 to January 2020. The nonparametric kernel density estimation adopted in this paper can effectively describe the data characteristics, and this is very important for air quality monitoring and control. Our findings demonstrate that air pollution prevention and control policies have significantly improved the levels and distribution of urban air quality in China.
Purification and characterization of a mesophilic organic solvent tolerant lipase produced by Acinetobacter sp. K5b4

Abstract The extracellular lipase produced by Acinetobacter sp. K5b4 was purified to homogeneity using ultrafiltration (cutoff 30 KDa) followed by gel filtration chromatography on Sephadex G-50. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity with an apparent molecular mass of 133 KDa by SDS-PAGE. This purification resulted on 10.24 fold with 18.3% recovery. The Km and Vmax of purified enzyme when using pNPL hydrolysis were 4.0 mM and 73.53 nmol/ml/min, respectively. The pure enzyme was greatly stimulated in the presence of 20, 40 and 60% (v/v) methanol, DMSO and acetone whereas, ethanol, acetonitrile and propanol decreased the enzyme activity. Maximum enzyme activity was achieved at pH 7.0 and incubation temperature of 27 °C. The enzyme was stable within a pH range of 6.5 to 7 at 27 °C for 1 h. The enzyme activity was enhanced up to 36% by KCl, BaCl2, MgCl2 and CaCl2 while obviously inhibited (10–20%) by CoCl2, ZnCl2, MnCl2 and CuCl2. No inhibitory effects were observed with 1.0 and 5.0 mM of 2-mercaptoethanol and EDTA. Similarly, SDS at 1.0 mM does not affect the enzyme activity while high reduction (80%) was observed at 5.0 mM SDS concentration. The enzyme was active against p-nitrophenyl esters of C8, C12 and C16 with highest preference to the medium carbon chain p-nitrophenyl caprylate (C8). The fact that the enzyme displays distinct stability in the presence of methanol, DMSO and acetone suggests that this lipase is suitable as biocatalyst in organic synthesis where such hydrophilic organic solvents are used as a reaction media.
Decision letter for "The role of habitat fragmentation in Pleistocene megafauna extinction in Eurasia"

The role of habitat fragmentation in Pleistocene megafauna extinction in Eurasia Journal Item How to cite: Mondanaro, Alessandro; Di Febbraro, Mirko; Melchionna, Marina; Maiorano, Luigi; Di Marco, Moreno; Edwards, Neil; Holden, Philip; Castiglione, Silvia; Rook, Lorenzo and Raia, Pasquale (2021). The role of habitat fragmentation in Pleistocene megafauna extinction in Eurasia. Ecography (Early access).
Structuring cooperative learning methods in Ancient Greek classrooms

Abstract Considering the concept of critical teaching, teachers should seek to ensure the active participation of students, emphasisng the adoption of student-centred and group-centred teaching methods, which will provide students with relevant motivation for learning. From this perspective the current article focuses on a teaching proposal for the course of Ancient Greek Language in Greece and Cyprus, presenting the method of jigsaw-based cooperative learning as a teaching practice which promotes both active student participation and group cooperation. According to this teaching practice, the teacher actively involves the students in the learning process, promoting higher-level cognitive, metacognitive and emotional functions. Not only is this method compatible with the broader contemporary pedagogical and didactic principles, which aim to provoke students' interest, cultivate their social skills and relationships, develop their personal self-perception, and create autonomous and fulfilled personalities, but also it is harmonised with the main aims of the Ancient Greek Language Curriculum in these countries, which are fully aligned with both their education policy and their societal needs.
Study on the utility and efficacy of clinical and instrumental tests in the follow-up of COVID-19 patients

Introduction: The disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) frequently leads to serious complications and prolonged hospitalizations requiring effective care after discharge. Aim of the study: Aim of this study was to identify feasible and cost-effective predictors of outcome among clinical characteristics, functional status, laboratory, echocardiographic and lung ultrasound data of COVID-19 patients. Material and methods: Patients affected by COVID-19 who experienced a prolonged hospitalization due to a severe form of the disease and that have been discharged from the COVID-19 rehabilitation unit (RU) were prospectively enrolled between April 6 th and May 22 nd , 2020. All the patients underwent a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) at the 30-day follow-up. Baseline characteristics, laboratory, functional exercise tests, echocardiographic and lung ultrasound (LUS) data collected between hospitalization, admission to RU, discharge from RU and follow-up were compared. Correlations with the predicted distance covered at the 6MWT (6MWD) were made. Results: 40 patients met inclusion criteria and presented to follow-up (13 women [32.5%] and 27 men [67.5%]; mean age 66 ± 10 years). Among all variables analysed, only functional tests at discharge showed a remarkable correlation with the 6MWD. Significant improvement in lung ultrasound score (LUSS) was also observed however without correlation with 6MWD. Conclusions: functional tests at discharge from RU identified patients with different 30-day outcomes that could deserve a stricter long-term follow-up. This may help in planning a personalized follow-up. The costs and effort were minimal. The severity of the acute phase did not significantly influence functional recovery. LUS was useful to identify subclinical lung damage and its evolution over time, however without clear functional correlation.
Together but separate: decoupled Variscan (late Carboniferous) and Alpine (Late Cretaceous – Paleogene) inversion tectonics in NW Poland

Abstract. In Europe, formation of the Palaeozoic Variscan orogenic belt, and then the Mesozoic-Cenozoic Alpine-Carpathian orogenic belt led to a widespread inversion events within forelands of both orogenic domains. We used legacy 2D seismic data together with the newly acquired 3D seismic data that for the first time precisely imaged sub-Zechstein (i.e. sub-evaporitic) upper Palaeozoic succession in NW Poland in order to develop quantitative, balanced 2D model of the late Palaeozoic – recent evolution of this area, characterised by a complex pattern of repeated extension and inversion. Four main tectonic phases have been determined: (1) Late Devonian – early Carboniferous extension related to extensional reactivation of Caledonian thrusts, (2) late Carboniferous inversion caused by Variscan orogeny, (3) Permo-Mesozoic subsidence related to the development of the Polish Basin, and (4) its Late Cretaceous – Paleogene inversion. Variscan and Alpine structures form superimposed multilayer inversion system, mechanically decoupled along the Zechstein evaporites.
Concept and utility of population pharmacokinetic and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic models in drug development and clinical practice

Due to frequent clinical trial failures and consequently fewer new drug approvals, the need for improvement in drug development has, to a certain extent, been met using model-based drug development. Pharmacometrics is a part of pharmacology that quantifies drug behaviour, treatment response and disease progression based on different models (pharmacokinetic - PK, pharmacodynamic - PD, PK/PD models, etc.) and simulations. Regulatory bodies (European Medicines Agency, Food and Drug Administration) encourage the use of modelling and simulations to facilitate decision-making throughout all drug development phases. Moreover, the identification of factors that contribute to variability provides a basis for dose individualisation in routine clinical practice. This review summarises current knowledge regarding the application of pharmacometrics in drug development and clinical practice with emphasis on the population modelling approach.
Role of Anionic Backbone in NHC‐Stabilized Coinage Metal Complexes: New Precursors for Atomic Layer Deposition

Abstract Cu and Ag precursors that are volatile, reactive, and thermally stable are currently of high interest for their application in atomic‐layer deposition (ALD) of thin metal films. In pursuit of new precursors for coinage metals, namely Cu and Ag, a series of new N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐based CuI and AgI complexes were synthesized. Modifications in the substitution pattern of diketonate‐based anionic backbones led to five monomeric Cu complexes and four closely related Ag complexes with the general formula [M( tBuNHC)(R)] (M=Cu, Ag; tBuNHC=1,3‐di‐tert‐butyl‐imidazolin‐2‐ylidene; R=diketonate). Thermal analysis indicated that most of the Cu complexes are thermally stable and volatile compared to the more fragile Ag analogs. One of the promising Cu precursors was evaluated for the ALD of nanoparticulate Cu metal deposits by using hydroquinone as the reducing agent at appreciably low deposition temperatures (145–160 °C). This study highlights the considerable impact of the employed ligand sphere on the structural and thermal properties of metal complexes that are relevant for vapor‐phase processing of thin films.
Significant reduction of radiation dose and DNA damage in 18F- FDG whole-body PET/CT study without compromising diagnostic image quality

ABSTRACT Reduction of radiation dose from medical investigations still remains an important strategy. The combined effect of the reduced injected activity of 18F – FDG, low tube voltage & iodine concentration with iterative reconstruction on image quality, radiation dose, and DNA damage in patients undergoing PET/CT examination were examined. The study includes 16 patients who underwent PET/CT investigation twice using two different protocols; standard & new. A new protocol was followed during follow-up after 4–6 months. All acquisition and reconstruction parameters were the same in both protocols, except administered activity, iodine concentration and CT tube voltage which was reduced. Image quality was assessed using various parameters. Effective dose from PET/CT was assessed using CTDIvol and ICRP coefficients. DNA damage analysis was performed using comet and γ-H2AX assay. No significant difference was noted in quality parameters between two protocols (p > 0.05) except CT noise level (p < 0.05). Mean iodine dose, total radiation dose, mean foci and TM in the new protocol were found significantly lower than standard PET/CT (p < 0.05). There were 26.68% reduction in radiation dose, 10% reduction in contrast load, 20.31% reduction in the number of foci and 17.67% reduction in TM was noted with optimized protocol.