Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bio-optical properties of South Brazil Bight coastal waters and implications for satellite chlorophyll-a concentration retrieval

ABSTRACT Retrieving chlorophyll-a concentration (Chla) from remote-sensing data is especially challenging in coastal regions because of the presence of other co-dominant optically significant constituents (OSCs). In this study, we characterize bio-optical variability at a fixed coastal time series station in the South Brazil Bight (SBB), the ANTARES-Ubatuba site (São Paulo, Brazil) from radiometric measurements and water sample analyses, and evaluate the performance of ocean colour (OC) algorithms for Chla retrieval. In situ Chla and the spectral absorption of phytoplankton (aph), detritus, and coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM), as well as the above-water remote-sensing reflectance (Rrs) were obtained from 2004 to 2019 at a quasi-monthly sampling frequency. Chla exhibited high variability, with a standard deviation twice as large as the mean (1.0 ± 1.83 mg m−3), and values ranging from 0.18 mg m−3 up to 18.09 mg m−3 during episodic bloom events. CDOM was the dominant OSC contributing to the absorption coefficient at 443 nm all-year round, suggesting the influence of continental sources, even though the station is located at the external limit of the inner shelf (40 m). Two optical water types were defined: one composed mainly of ‘blue’ waters with lower concentrations of the OSCs and another of ‘green’ waters with higher concentrations of OSCs. Despite the CDOM spectral dominance, the empirical OCx performed reasonably well with a positive bias for both in situ (17–25%) and satellite (25–31%) Chla retrievals. The performance was slightly better using the 3-band OC3 algorithm by selecting the best band ratio with lower influence of CDM (CDOM + detritus) absorption (Rrs (490/555)). The main sources of uncertainty were caused by higher CDM proportions and phytoplankton-specific absorption, yielding positive biases on the OC3 retrievals. The results suggest that standard satellite products of Chla can be used (with some caution) to monitor and study the dynamics of the phytoplankton biomass within the region, knowing the expected uncertainties.
Effects of Fermented Artemisia annua L. and Salicornia herbacea L. on Inhibition of Obesity In Vitro and In Mice

Plant extracts including secondary metabolites have anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity activities. This study was conducted to investigate the anti-obesity properties of fermented Artemisia annua (AW) and Salicornia herbacea (GW) in vitro and in mice. The metabolite profiling of AW and GW extracts was performed using UHPLC−LTQ−Orbitrap–MS/MS, and gene expression was analyzed using real-time PCR for adipocyte difference factors. The anti-obesity effects in mice were measured using serum AST, ALT, glucose, TG, and cholesterol levels. Metabolites of the plant extracts after fermentation showed distinct differences with increasing anti-obesity active substances. The efficacy of inhibitory differentiation adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 adipocytes was better for GW than AW in a concentration-dependent manner. RT-PCR showed that the GW extract significantly reduced the expression of genes involved in adipocyte differentiation and fat accumulation (C/EBPα, PPARγ, and Fas). In C57BL/6 mice fed the HFD, the group supplemented with AW and GW showed reduced liver weight, NAS value, and fatty liver by suppressing liver fat accumulation. The GW group significantly reduced ALT, blood glucose, TG, total cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol. This study displayed significant metabolite changes through biotransformation in vitro and the increasing anti-obesity effects of GW and AW in mice. GW may be applicable as functional additives for the prevention and treatment of obesity.
Sodium alginate film incorporated with zinc oxide nanoparticles as antibacterial agent

Alginate biopolymer has been used in the design and development of several wound dressing materials such as (foams, topical formulations, nanofibers, films) due to its favorable properties, such as biocompatibility and non-toxicity. It has been particularly attractive in wound healing applications to date. Additionally, it can be loaded by antibacterial materials such as antibiotics, antibacterial plant extracts and metal nano-oxides. The aim of this study was to design sodium alginate (SA) based zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles as antibacterial film for wound healing applications. The ZnO nanoparticles, with an average particle size of about 16.75 nm, were synthesized by sol-gel method and characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). They were then incorporated as antibacterial into sodium alginate with different concentration (0, 5, 7.5, 10%). Effectiveness of antibacterial activity was carried out against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) to characterize the sample. The prepared ZnO/SA film presents a promising potential for applications as novel wound dressings
Links and legibility: Making sense of historical US Census automated linking methods *

How does handwriting legibility affect the performance of algorithms that link individuals across census rounds? We propose a measure of legibility, which we implement at scale for the 1940 US Census, and find strikingly wide variation in enumeration-district-level legibility. Using boundary discontinuities in enumeration districts, we estimate the causal effect of low legibility on the quality of linked samples, measured by linkage rates and share of validated links. Our estimates imply that, across eight linking algorithms, perfect legibility would increase the linkage rate by 5 to 10 percentage points. Improvements in transcription could substantially increase the quality of linked samples. *We thank Santiago Pérez and seminar participants at Midwest Economic Association conference, Western Economic Association virtual international conference, and UBC Econometrics lunch for their valuable comments. This research was undertaken thanks to funding from the Canada Excellence Research Chairs program awarded to Dr. Erik Snowberg in Data-Intensive Methods in Economics. Correspondence can be addressed to hwangii@mail.ubc. ca †briq: Institute on Behavior and Inequality ‡University of British Columbia §University of British Columbia 1
Clinicopathological characteristics, molecular features and novel diagnostic strategies for the detection of malignant transformation of endometriosis (Review)

Endometriosis is a benign gynecological disease that affects women of reproductive age. Although malignant transformation of endometriosis is rare, physicians must be aware of this due to the high incidence of clear cell carcinoma of the ovary (CCC) in Japan. The most prevalent histological subtype of ovarian cancer is CCC (~70%) followed by endometrioid carcinoma (30%). The present review discusses the clinicopathological and molecular features of endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer (EAOC) as well as prospects for novel diagnostic strategies. Papers published between 2000 and 2022 in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases were included. Contents of the endometriotic cyst fluid may be involved in carcinogenesis, although the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Some studies have proposed a possible mechanism wherein excessive hemoglobin, heme and iron could cause an imbalance in intracellular redox homeostasis in endometriotic cells. Combined with DNA damage and mutations, the imbalances may induce the development of EAOC. Endometriotic cells evolve to adapt to the prolonged unfavorable oxidative microenvironmental stress. On the other hand, macrophages enhance the antioxidative defense mechanism and protect endometriotic cells against oxidative damage through intercellular crosstalk and signaling pathways. Therefore, changes in redox signaling, energy metabolism and the tumor immune microenvironment could be the key elements in the malignant transformation of certain endometriotic cell clones. Additionally, non-invasive bioimaging (i.e., magnetic resonance relaxometry) and biomarkers (i.e., tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2) may be promising tools for early-stage detection of the disease. In conclusion, the present review summarizes the latest advancements in research on the biological characteristics and early diagnosis of malignant transformation of endometriosis.
Postoperative opioid use following head and neck endocrine surgery: A multi‐center prospective study

Opioid abuse is widespread in North America and the over‐prescription of opioids are a contributing factor. The goal of this prospective study was to quantify over‐prescription rates, evaluate postoperative experiences of pain, and understand the impact of peri‐operative factors such as adequate pain counseling and use of non‐opioid analgesia.
A Simple Comparison of Four Physics–Dynamics Coupling Schemes

Abstract Four schemes (referred to here as explicit, implicit, split-implicit, and symmetrized split-implicit) for coupling physics parameterizations to the dynamical core of numerical weather and climate prediction models have been studied in the context of a simplified, canonical model problem. This problem models the dynamics by a representation of the terms responsible for gravitational oscillations and models the physics by both a constant forcing term and a linear damping term, representative of horizontal or vertical diffusion. The schemes have been analyzed in terms of their numerical stability and accuracy. Two of the schemes (the explicit and split-implicit) have been studied previously in the context of a three-time-level discretization. Those results are confirmed here for a two-time-level discretization. The two other schemes (the implicit and the novel symmetrized split-implicit) are both found to be second-order accurate and unconditionally stable, and both represent improvements over the e.
Assessing the Reactionary Response of High School Engineering Teachers Offering a Novel Pre-College Engineering Curriculum: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic forced a rapid transition of K-16 education to remote and online learning in the final quarter of the 2019–2020 school year. The disruption was extreme for all teachers in K-12 but particularly for teachers involved in pilot programs, such as the NSF-funded Engineering for Us All (e4usa) project. This paper reports the key findings obtained through systematic data collection from a pilot cohort of high school teachers who adapted a brand-new engineering curriculum during the COVID-19 pandemic, students who experienced the adapted curriculum, and a new cohort of teachers who were tasked with teaching the updated curriculum.
Understanding the Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of Different Extracts of Secamone afzelii Leaves: A Potential Source of Bioactive Compounds for the Food Industry

Secamone afzelii (Roem. & Schult.) K. Schum (family Asclepiadaceae) is a creeping woody climber used to treat ailments in many traditional medicine systems. The present study aims to examine the antioxidant and enzyme inhibition activities of S. afzelii leaf using different compositions of methanol–water mixture as an extraction solvent. The extracts were characterized by HPLC-ESI-MSn in terms of chemical compounds. The in silico results show that compound 23 (quercitrin) has the higher docking scores among the selected substances and the MD simulation revealed that the interactions with the enzymatic pocket are stable over the simulation time and strongly involve the tyrosinase catalytic Cu atoms. All together the results showed that both 80% and 100% methanolic extracts contained significantly (p < 0.05) the highest total phenolics content while the highest content of total flavonoids was significantly (p < 0.05) extracted by 100% methanol. About 26 compounds were tentatively identified by HPLC-ESI-MSn and 6 of them were quantified using standards. Results showed that the extracts were rich in flavonoids with a relatively high abundance of two kaempferol glycosides comprising 60% of quantified compounds. The 100% and 80% methanol extracts recorded significantly (p < 0.05) the highest total antioxidant, DPPH and ABTS activity as well as tyrosinase and ⍺-amylase inhibitory activities. The best significant (p < 0.05) cholinesterase inhibitory activity and reducing capacity of Fe+++ and Cu++ was recorded from the 80% methanolic extract while 100% ethanolic extract gave the highest significant (p < 0.05) butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. The best glucosidase activity was observed in the 50% and 80% methanolic extracts. Although the water extract displayed the least total phenolics and flavonoids content and consequently the lowest antioxidant and enzyme inhibition activity, it displayed significantly (p < 0.05) the highest chelating power. In conclusion, these results demonstrated the richness of S. afzelii leaf as a potential source of bioactive compounds for the food industry, for the preparation of food supplements and functional foods.
Çocukların Motivasyon Düzeyleri ile Annelerinin Çocuk Yetiştirme Tutumları Arasındaki İlişkinin İncelenmesi

Bu araştırma, okul öncesi dönemdeki çocukların motivasyon düzeyleri ile annelerinin çocuk yetiştirme tutumları arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Araştırma ilişkisel tarama modelindedir. Çalışma grubu okul öncesi eğitimi alan 36-72 aylık 352 çocuk ile bu çocukların annelerinden oluşmaktadır. Veriler “Çocuk ve Aile Bilgi Formu”, “Anne-Baba Çocuk Yetiştirme Tutumları Ölçeği (ABTÖ-A)” ve “Okul Öncesi Çocuklar İçin Motivasyon Ölçeği (DMQ18)” kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Veriler, SPSS paket programında t Testi, Tek Yönlü Varyans Analizi (ANOVA) ve korelasyon analizi yapılarak analiz edilmiştir. Ayrıca gruplardaki farklılığın belirlenmesi için Tukey Testi yapılarak farklılığın hangi gruplarda olduğu belirlenmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda annelerin çocuk yetiştirme tutumlarının anne öğrenim durumuna, anne çalışma durumuna ve aile yapısına göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık oluşturduğu belirlenmiştir (p<0.05). Çocukların motivasyon düzeylerinin de çocukların yaşlarına ve cinsiyetlerine göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir farklılık oluşturduğu belirlenmiştir (p<0.05). Çalışma sonucunda annelerin ABTÖ-A Demokratik Tutum alt boyutu puanları ile çocukların DMQ18 Kaba Motor Sebat, Üst Düzey Memnuniyet ve Genel Yeterlilik alt boyutları puanları arasında anlamlı ve pozitif yönde bir ilişkinin olduğu; ABTÖ-A Baskıcı-Otoriter Tutum alt boyutu puanlarıyla çocukların DMQ18 Genel Yeterlilik alt boyutu puanları arasında anlamlı ve negatif yönde bir ilişkinin olduğu tespit edilmiştir (p<0.05).
Mitogenomic phylogeny of Muricidae (Gastropoda: Neogastropoda)

Muricidae is one of the most species‐rich and morphologically diverse families in Gastropoda, with a worldwide distribution. The classification of Muricidae has traditionally been based on shell and radular characteristics; however, the phylogenetic relationships within the family are debated due to morphological convergence and plasticity. In this study, to explore the phylogenetic relationships of Muricidae, we sequenced 11 muricid mitochondrial (mt) genomes and compared them with 13 previously reported complete muricid mt genomes. All muricid mt genomes shared the same gene arrangement and exhibited conserved genome size and nucleotide composition. Three‐nucleotide deletions in atp8 and nad4, and three‐nucleotide insertions in nad2 were detected in Rapaninae. Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses supported the monophyly of each subfamily studied (Ocenebrinae, Muricinae, Rapaninae and Ergalataxinae). Ergalataxinae was recovered as the sister taxon of Rapaninae, refuting the traditional morphology‐based placement of Ergalataxinae within Rapaninae. In Rapaninae, Indothais was confirmed to be monophyletic and determined to be a valid genus. Similarly, Drupina was determined to be an independent genus rather than a subgenus of Drupa. Purpura was recovered as a paraphyletic group, with Purpura panama being sister to Reishia + Rapana + Indothais and clustering with Purpura bufo.
Effects of Closure versus Non-Closure of The Visceral and Parietal Peritoneum at Cesarean Section

: Background: Globally, caesarean sections (CS) are on the rise. It is among the most frequently performed major obstetric surgeries. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of closure versus non-closure of the visceral and parietal peritoneum. Methods: This randomized blinded controlled clinical trial was carried out on 400 consenting women undergoing CS. All pregnant women were randomized into one of the four equal groups: Group 1: Closure of parietal peritoneum only, group 2: Closure of visceral and parietal peritoneums, group 3: No closure of peritoneums, and group 4: Closure of the visceral peritoneum only Results: Surgery duration was considerably lower in Group 3 which was 25 min in average while group 2 showed the longer Duration of Surgery 34 min in average (p<0.001). There was a considerably significant difference between 4 groups according to post-operative patients’ satisfaction VAS (p=0.04), and Analgesics used (Pethidine 10mg/ ml) as the lowest amount was in group 3 (1.83 ml) and the highest amount was in group 2 (2.31 ml) (p<0.0001). Conclusion : For visceral and parietal peritoneum in CS, the non-closure approach is recommended due to its much shorter operating time and lower postoperative pain score. As a result of these advantages, it may be preferred as a method of treating CS patients.
Household Responses to a Late-Life Job Loss

This paper demonstrates that spousal earnings affect an individual’s decision to retire. I find that husbands with higher-earning spouses are more likely to retire following an involuntary job loss. Earlier studies show that job reduces subsequent employment, earnings, and wealth, but they do not explain why some workers return to work and others do not. I add an important dimension to these studies by considering how spousal earnings and household assets affect a worker’s post-displacement labor supply. To explore the household's problem, I develop a stylized two-period model to illustrate how labor supply responds to spousal earnings and household assets in an uncertain environment. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, I test my theoretical model's predictions using a reduced-form empirical specification. Relative to displaced men with low-earning spouses, husbands with higher-earning wives are more likely to exit the labor force following displacement. The same effect is not detectable in the population of older women. In both populations, a displaced worker with higher household assets is less likely to return to the labor force. At the household level, job loss as a profound impact on retirement well-being. At a broader level, a reduction in the labor supply of older workers has negative fiscal consequences.
Optimal control of finite dams: continuous output procedure

The problem discussed is that of controlling optimally the release of water from a finite dam, when the release rate may vary continuously and the optimality is defined in terms of a cost structure imposed on the operation of the dam. A diffusion model is suggested and by considering a family of plausible output policies, the control problem is reduced to the solution of a free boundary problem associated with a certain partial differential equation. A set of necessary conditions for the optimal choice of these boundaries is established and a method of solution is suggested. By using this method, together with well-established computational techniques, numerical solutions are obtained. These numerical solutions indicate that this optimal policy does not result in very much improvement over a much simpler policy where the output rate is constrained to take only two values.
Viscoelastic liquid film flowing down a flexible tube

This investigation addresses the dynamics of annular viscoelastic films flowing down a flexible tube. The fluid viscoelasticity is assumed to be weak in order to obtain approximate explicit expressions for the stresses. Based on Shkadov’s integral boundary layer method (Fluid Dyn., vol. 2(1), 1967, pp. 29–34), a set of nonlinear evolution equations is derived that is valid for flows with moderate Reynolds numbers. The linear stability property of the system is examined by using normal-mode analysis, which is verified by comparing the results with those resulting from the linearization of the full Navier–Stokes equations. The results indicate that the fluid viscoelasticity plays an unstable role in the stability of the annular film flow. The tube flexibility, which includes wall damping and wall tension, plays a dual role. A bifurcation analysis is performed, and the families of steady travelling waves are catalogued. It is found that the stiffness of the tube tends to stimulate the interfacial capillary ripples. The fluid viscoelasticity acts to strengthen the dispersion of the interfacial waves but weakens the interfacial capillary ripples. The spatio-temporal evolutions of the system are also solved numerically. When the tube radius is small enough, tube closure can be observed due to the Plateau–Rayleigh instability. The fluid viscoelasticity acts to promote tube closure while the tube radius is relatively small. However, it plays a role in postponing the closure of the tube with a large radius.
Photometric monitoring of 12 BL Lacertae objects

We present the results of our monitoring the flux variability of 12 BL Lac objects, which have variabilities on time-scales ranging from hours to months. Individual sources are discussed in detail. Three of them, OY091, H0548-322 and 0048-097, show significant rapid variation (hours). Two of them, 3C 66A and Mrk 501, exhibit significant variability on time-scales of months. We find that 3C 66A has a variability period of 63 +/- 5 d, supporting the 65-d period obtained by Lainela et al. The periodicity seems to be weak according to the Jurkevich V-m(2) test. We also find a correlation between B - V colour index and B magnitude for Mrk 421. We discuss possible physical mechanisms on the basis of these observational phenomena.
Nutrient Composition and Sensory Properties of Breakfast Cereal Made from Yellow Maize and Enriched with Soybean and Groundnut Flours

The aim of this study was to assess the nutrient composition and sensory properties of breakfast cereal made from yellow maize and enriched with soybean and groundnut flours. Yellow maize was replaced with groundnut (GF) (15–35%) and soybean flour (SBF) (10–15%) to produce a more nutritionally balanced breakfast cereal. Proximate, mineral, vitamin, and sensory analysis were carried out on the formulated breakfast cereals. The results showed that groundnut and soybean flour supplementation significantly increased the protein content (20.90–23.01%) as compared to the control along with an increase in fat (10.52-11.28%), crude fibre (2.98–3.90%), and ash (1.99–2.60%), while carbohydrate (57.09–52.66%) and energy (406.64–403.79 Kcal) decreased with the incremental addition of SBF and GF. Similarly, calcium (36.16-37.98 mg/100g), magnesium (32.16-37.98 mg/100g), potassium (10.62-12.16 mg/100g), iron (42.21-48.65 mg/100g) and vitamin A (70.07-74.01) g/dl) content of the breakfast cereals also increased significantly with increasing SBF and GF substitution, while a decrease was observed for phosphorus. The highest total score of sensory evaluation was for the control sample (golden morn), which was followed closely by the sample containing 20% GF and 15% SBF. Higher levels of SBF and GF can improve the nutritional value of breakfast cereals.