Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A losing battle? Women’s sport pre- and post-COVID-19

ABSTRACT Research question In 2019, women’s sport was reported as being on the rise. Increased participation rates, media coverage, investment and support were evident. Following the spread of COVID-19 across the globe, which halted most forms of competitive sport, there were repeated concerns about the future of women’s sport. This research aims to document elite sportswomen’s perceptions of the state of women’s sport pre-COVID-19 and the possible impact moving forwards. Research methods Ninety five responses from an online, anonymous, qualitative questionnaire completed by elite sportswomen mainly based, in the UK, on the impact of COVID-19 on women’s sport were collected. Data were subject to a thematic analysis, to determine key concerns, and the frequency data of responses were quantitatively recorded. Results and findings Most sportswomen felt that women’s sport was on an upward trajectory, but many juxtaposed that against inequality compared to men’s sport in terms of media coverage and finance. There were concerns that the subordinate position women’s sport, with less resources and support, will have severe implications post-COVID-19. However, there were considerations that a pause in sport would allow for personal development, increased participation upon sports return and space for a reconfiguration of sport. Implications Those involved in sport are encouraged to think more critically about progress narratives in women’s sport. We caution that these hide perpetual, structural and symbolic inequalities and propose that they are positioned more coherently within wider gender equity agenda. This is a process that will require widespread cultural change.
Multi-dimensional kinetic simulations of laser radiation absorption and electron acceleration in inhomogeneous underdense plasma

The sub-relativistic laser beam interaction with an underdense plasma is investigated via two-dimensional (2D) numerical simulations with respect to the laser polarization direction. Different parametric instabilities dominate the interaction depending on the propagation direction of the daughter waves in the simulation plane with respect to the laser field polarization and laser propagation direction. In the plane containing the laser electric field (p-polarization) the interaction is dominated by the two-plasmon decay instability and the beating of large amplitude electron plasma waves produces periodic ion density perturbations suppressing stimulated Raman scattering in the quarter critical density zone. A stronger absorption and heating of hot electrons is observed in the case where laser polarization is perpendicular to the simulation plane (s-polarization). Furthermore, by comparing a plane laser wave with a narrow beamlet, the effect of the initial transverse laser profile is proven to play an important role in exciting the filamentation instability, which competes with stimulated Brillouin scattering and affects the laser absorption and hot electron generation. A dedicated three-dimensional simulation indicates that a 2D simulation with p-polarization produces a more reliable results while the case of s-polarization overestimates the laser absorption and hot electron generation.
Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Gelatin Scaffolds Allow Regeneration of Nasal Tissues

Need for regeneration and repair of nasal tissues occurs as a consequence of several pathologies affecting the nose, including, but not limited to infective diseases, traumas and tumor resections. A platform for nasal tissue regeneration was set up using poly(vinyl alcohol)/gelatin sponges with 20%–30% (w/w) gelatin content to be used as scaffolds, for their intrinsic hydrophilic, cell adhesive and shape recovery properties. We propose mesodermal progenitor cells (MPCs) isolated from the bone marrow as a unique stem cell source for obtaining different connective tissues of the nose, including vascular tissue. Finally, epithelial cell immune response to these scaffolds was assessed in vitro in an environment containing inflammatory molecules. The results showed that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) deriving from MPCs could be used to differentiate into cartilage and fibrous tissue; whereas, in combination with endothelial cells still deriving from MPCs, into pre-vascularized bone. Finally, the scaffold did not significantly alter the epithelial cell response to inflammatory insults derived from interaction with bacterial molecules.
Moderating Role of Financial Policies on the Relationship between Tax Aggressiveness and Cash Holding

Research aims: This study aims to examine and analyze the effect of tax aggressiveness on cash holding, and financial policies (leverage, capital intensity, inventory intensity) can moderate tax aggressiveness on cash holding. Design/Methodology/Approach: The population in this study was manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange for the 2016-2017 period. The sample selected in this study was 106 companies that met the sample criteria. The research data were analyzed using simple regression analysis and multiple regression analysis. Research findings: The results of this study indicated that tax aggressiveness had a negative effect on cash holding, leverage had a significant negative effect in moderating the effect of tax aggressiveness on cash holding, the capital intensity had a significant positive effect in moderating the effect of tax aggressiveness on cash holding and inventory intensity had a positive significant effect in moderating the effect of tax aggressiveness on cash holding. Theoretical contribution/Originality: The inconsistency of previous studies regarding tax aggressiveness towards cash holding. This inconsistency is an important matter for further investigation, one of which is through the use of moderating variables that aim to measure strength. Therefore, this study correlates financial policies, which are the policy of leverage, capital intensity, and inventory intensity in companies conducting tax aggressiveness which determines the level of cash holding as a source of the company’s fund. There is hardly any research that used leverage, capital intensity, and inventory intensity as moderating variables, particularly capital intensity and inventory intensity. Practitioner/Policy implication: This research is potentially relevant to academics, researchers, and management. By examining the factors that affect the level of cash holding given the role of financial policy, this study reveals the way for further investigation of this topic with a set of micro and macro variables. This study provides insight into the principles of financial policy in moderating corporate tax aggressiveness to influence cash holding decisions.
The Role of Atmospheric Feedbacks in Abrupt Winter Arctic Sea Ice Loss in Future Warming Scenarios

Winter Arctic sea ice loss has been simulated with varying degrees of abruptness across global climate models (GCMs) run in phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) under the high-emissions extended RCP8.5 scenario. Previous studies have proposed various mechanisms to explain modeled abrupt winter sea ice loss, such as the existence of a wintertime convective cloud feedback or the role of the freezing point as a natural threshold, but none have sought to explain the variability of the abruptness of winter sea ice loss across GCMs. Here we propose a year-to-year local positive feedback cycle in which warm, open oceans at the start of winter allow for the moistening and warming of the lower atmosphere, which in turn increases the downward clear-sky longwave radiation at the surface and suppresses ocean freezing. This situation leads to delayed and diminished winter sea ice growth and allows for increased shortwave absorption from lowered surface albedo during springtime. Last, the ocean stores this additional heat throughout the summer and autumn seasons, setting up even warmer ocean conditions that lead to further sea ice reduction. We show that the strength of this feedback, as measured by the partial temperature contributions of the different surface heat fluxes, correlates strongly with the abruptness of winter sea ice loss across models. Thus, we suggest that this feedback mechanism may explain intermodel spread in the abruptness of winter sea ice loss. In models in which the feedback mechanism is strong, this may indicate the possibility of hysteresis and thus irreversibility of sea ice loss.
Trademark and product innovation: the interactive role of quality certification and firm-level attributes

ABSTRACT The study examines how quality certification and firm-level attributes (firm age and size) support firms’ innovative ecosystems that use trademarks in developing countries. The study combines data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) and Innovation Follow-up Surveys (IFS) for 11 countries to test the hypotheses. The estimations are performed using an instrumental variable treatment model with direct-2sls for the primary analysis and a Tobit model for the robustness checks. Our findings indicate a positive effect of quality certification and trademark on product innovation. There is a synergistic effect of quality certification and trademark on product innovation. Similarly, firm age and size significantly and positively moderate the link between a trademark and product innovation. Interestingly, in the multi-level estimations, we still find the synergistic effect of quality certification and trademark on product innovation to hold. Our findings provide accommodating arguments for the complementary utilization of trademark and quality certification to support the focal firms’ product innovation. The results also show that firm-level attributes (firm age & size) constitute essential elements for firms to gain from a trademark possession to enhance performance.
The Bioaccumulation and Detoxification Mechanism of Neodymium on the Shoot of Rice Seedlings

Neodymium (Nd) potentially pollutes environment for its wide usage in agriculture and industry. In this study, the chemical forms of Nd and effect of Nd on rice shoots were studied after rice seedlings were exposed with 0, 1, 10, 100 and1000 μM Nd. The higher concentration of Nd inhibited shoot growth, but the lower concentration of Nd induced shoot growth. Six different chemical forms of Nd were present in shoot and the major forms of Nd were the insoluble phosphate and oxalate Nd. The content of Nd was further detected in the soluble fractions, organelles and cell wallsof rice shoot, respectively. Nd was mainly accumulated in the cell wall of shoot. The higher concentration of Nd decreased the content of Ca, K, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn in shoot. Moreover, the activities of antioxidant enzymes and the contents of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) were elevated by Nd treatments. Our results showed that the inactive oxalate or phosphate Nd was the major forms of Nd in rice shoot and the efficient sequestration into cell wall was a key detoxification pattern of Nd in the shoot of rice seedlings.With the wide usage of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in agriculture, the detoxification mechanism of Nd in rice shoot was helpful for assessing the environmental safety of REEs.
Magnetic Nitrogen-doped graphene synthesized from orange peel as highly effective adsorbent for removal of sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate (SDBS) from aqueous solutions

The purpose of the current research is to investigate the adsorption process behavior of magnetic nitrogen doped graphene (MNG) prepared from the orange peel in the adsorption of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) from liquid solution in batch experiments. The characteristics results of VSM, FTIR, SEM, AFM, Raman, elemental analysis and BET surface area analysis revealed the successful synthesis nano adsorbent. The effective factors on adsorption performance were including adsorbent dosage, temperature, contact time, pH and initial concentration of SDBS. The Maximum adsorption capacity for SDBS is computed to be 556 mg/g at 45 ◦C and pH of 3. The adsorption process of SDBS was found that fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic equations. Thermodynamic analysis proved the spontaneous and endothermic nature of the adsorption process. Furthermore, the SDBS can be desorbed from the fabricated nano adsorbent by methanol solution with 88 % desorption efficiency and MNG indicated good reusability after five cycles. The finding from this research, propose that the as-synthesized MNG could be an effective adsorbent for water and wastewater treatment because of its convenient process and magnetic separation.
How weather events modify aerosol particle size distributions in the Amazon boundary layer

Abstract. This study evaluates the effect of weather events on the aerosol particle size distribution (PSD) at the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO). This research combines in-situ measurements of PSD and remote sensing data of lightning density, brightness temperature, cloud top height, cloud liquid water, and rain rate and vertical velocity. Measurements were obtained by a scanning mobility particle sizers (SMPS), the new generation of GOES satellites (GOES-16), the SIPAM S-band radar, and the LAP 3000 radar wind profiler recently installed at the ATTO-Campina site. The combined data allow exploring changes in PSD due to different meteorological processes. The average diurnal cycle shows a higher abundance of ultrafine particles (NUFP) in the early morning, which is coupled with lower concentrations in Aitken (NAIT) and accumulation (NACC) mode particles. From the early morning to the middle of the afternoon, an inverse behavior is observed, where NUFP decreases and NAIT and NACC increase, reflecting a typical particle growth process. Composite figures show an increase of NUFP before, during, and after lightning was detected by the satellite above ATTO. These findings strongly indicate a close relationship between vertical transport and deep convective clouds. Lightning density is connected with a large increase in NUFP, beginning approximately 100 minutes before the maximum lightning density and reaching peak values around 200 minutes later. In addition, the removal of NACC by convective transport was found. Both the increase in NUFP and the decrease in NACC appear in parallel with the increasing intensity of lightning activity. The NUFP increases exponentially with the thunderstorm intensity. In contrast, NAIT and NACC show a different behavior, decreasing from approximately 100 minutes before the maximum lightning activity and reaching a minimum at the time of maximum lightning activity. The effect of cloud top height, cloud liquid water, and rain rate shows the same behavior, but with different patterns among seasons. The convective processes do not occur continually but are modulated by gravity waves in the range of 1 to 5 hours, creating a complex mechanism of interaction with a succession of updrafts and downdrafts, clouds and clear sky situations. The radar wind profiler measured the vertical distribution of the vertical velocity. These profiles show that downdrafts are mainly located below 10 km, while aircraft observations during the ACRIDICON-CHUVA campaign had shown maximum concentrations of ultrafine particles mainly above 10 km. Our study opens new scientific questions to be evaluated in order to understand the intricate physical and chemical mechanisms involved in the production of new particles in Amazonia.
Why are Politically Active People Avoided in Countries with Collectivistic Culture? A Cross-Cultural Experiment

Although most democratic theories assume that political participation other than voting constitutes an essential input to the political process, little is known about the cultural universality of this assumption. Drawing on cultural psychology findings derived from the widely shared framework of collectivism versus individualism, the present study tests the hypothesis that political demonstrators in collectivistic countries are socially avoided because they are perceived to be a threat to harmonious interpersonal relationships. A cross-national experiment in eight countries (US, UK, France, Germany, Japan, China, South Korea, and India) and one region (Hong Kong) indicated that political demonstrators are socially avoided, and this tendency was significantly stronger in collectivistic countries. Moderated-mediation analyses suggested that the social avoidance of political demonstrators in collectivistic countries is mediated by the perception that they are a threat to harmonious interpersonal relationships. The cross-cultural validity of democratic theory is discussed.
Sero-Detection of Avian Influenza A/H7 in Nigerian Live-Bird Markets in Plateau State

Avian influenza has been reported in domestic birds in Nigeria since 2006 and subtype H5 of the Gs/Gg lineage has continued to be detected up till date. It has been suggested that waterfowls and local birds sold in live-bird markets may be natural reservoir and source of reinfection of different subtype of avian influenza in poultry farms. This study aims at serodetection of avian influenza virus in waterfowls and local birds at live-bird markets in Plateau State, Nigeria. A total of three hundred and nine (309) blood samples were collected over a period of three months and two hundred and ninety-two (292) sera were analysed by c-ELISA for influenza A nucleoprotein using standard protocols. Haemagglutination Inhibition (HI) specific for subtypes H5, H9, and H7 was also carried out using standard protocols on ELISA positive samples. The results showed seroprevalence of 5.14% (n=15) for influenza A. Serotype H7 was thereafter detected by HI in 5 of the 15 influenza A positive samples. The H7 positive sera also reacted with H7N3, H7N4, H7N1 and H7N7 virus strains with HI titre ranging between 1:32 to 1:512. This investigation for the first time showed serological evidence of influenza A subtype H7 in local birds and waterfowls sold at the live bird market in Nigeria. Further virological surveillance to isolate the virus is important in order to better understand influenza virus epidemiology in Nigeria and the potential risk that other subtypes of influenza poses to poultry production and public health.
Parathyroidectomy in a patient treated with denosumab: a case report

: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is most common in postmenopausal women, with parathyroidectomy considered to be the only definitive treatment. The risk of osteoporosis is increased in postmenopausal women and osteoporosis may be a sequela of long-term PHPT. Denosumab, a novel human monoclonal antibody, is a Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at high risk of fracture. Multiple reports in the literature have observed markedly elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) after one dose of denosumab. We report our experience of parathyroidectomy in a patient who received a single dose of denosumab two weeks prior to surgery. In that time, the patient’s uncorrected calcium level decreased from 10.6 to 8.5 mg/dL and PTH increased from 209 to 465 pg/mL. On ultrasound immediately prior to surgery, a 1 cm hypoechoic focus was identified at the left thyrothymic ligament, suspicious for parathyroid adenoma. A 402 mg mass was removed at this site, with parathyroid tissue confirmed on frozen pathology review. Following removal, intraoperative PTH declined rapidly before plateauing at 200 pg/mL. After discussion of potential denosumab-induced hyperparathyroidism in the setting of multiglandular parathyroid disease, the remaining glands were explored. Removal of two glands on the right yielded a reduction in PTH to 82 pg/mL, with PTH eventually settling at 53 pg/mL postoperatively. Given the difficulty of interpreting intraoperative PTH kinetics in the setting of denosumab-induced hyperparathyroidism, we recommend administration of denosumab be delayed until after parathyroidectomy and that surgeons factor in its effects before deciding to operate on patients who have already received a dose.
Influence of Flexible Poly(Trimethylene Sebacate) Segments on the Lamellar Twisting Behavior of Poly(Trimethylene Terephthalate) Ring-Banded Spherulites

Ring-banded spherulite is an important morphology of polymer crystals, and its formation mechanism is still under debate. In this study, we synthesized poly(trimethylene terephthalate)-co-poly(trimethylene sebacate) copolyesters (PTT-co-PTS) by melting copolycondensation and studied the influence of PTS segments on the crystallization and ring-banded morphology of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) spherulites by using a moderate etching technology. It is found that he band spacing of PTT-co-PTS spherulites decreased sharply with PTS segments content. It is confirmed by experiments that there are twofold reasons for the sharp decrease of band spacing in PTT-co-PTS ring-banded spherulites. First, PTS segments acted as diluents for PTT molecules, which intensified the unbalanced surface stress at the fold surfaces for the PTT lamellar twisting. Second, incorporation of PTS segments decreased the thickness of PTT lamellae, and the greater the PTS content, the thinner the lamellae. Both these two changes signif.
Denial of service detection using dynamic time warping

With the rapid growth of security threats in computer networks, the need for developing efficient security‐warning systems is substantially increasing. Distributed denial‐of‐service (DDoS) and DoS attacks are still among the most effective and dreadful attacks that require robust detection. In this work, we propose a new method to detect TCP DoS/DDoS attacks. Since analyzing network traffic is a promising approach, our proposed method utilizes network traffic by decomposing the TCP traffic into control and data planes and exploiting the dynamic time warping (DTW) algorithm for aligning these two planes with respect to the minimum Euclidean distance. By demonstrating that the distance between the control and data planes is considerably small for benign traffic, we exploit this characteristic for detecting attacks as outliers. An adaptive thresholding scheme is implemented by adjusting the value of the threshold in accordance with the local statistics of the median absolute deviation (MAD) of the distances between the two planes. We demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method for detecting DoS/DDoS attacks by analyzing traffic data obtained from publicly available datasets.
The importance of wood density in determining the phenology of tree species in a coastal rain forest

The phenology of tree species in tropical dry forests is related to a well‐characterized interaction between functional traits (e.g., wood density) and climatic seasonality (e.g., drought stress), but the existence of these relationships in tropical wet forests is largely unknown. For 12 months, we monitored the vegetative and reproductive phases of 281 individuals of 46 tree species in a coastal rain forest in Northeastern Brazil. We hypothesized that wood density and related tissue water storage would reliably distinguish phenological groups of trees, and that leaf shedding, flushing, and flowering in high wood density species would be closely related to rainfall, due to low tissue water storage capacity in these species. By contrast, we predicted leaf unfolding and flowering of low wood density species would depend exclusively on photoperiod. As predicted, wood density and saturated water content were inversely correlated, and species with either high or low wood density had distinct phenological patterns and levels of synchrony within species. Abiotic variables were not strongly associated with phenological events. Phenophases of leaf unfolding, flowering, and fruiting occurred earlier in low wood density species than in high wood density species, possibly indicating an adaptive strategy for preemptive resource capture.