Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Interrelationship between the COVID-19 Pandemic and Conflict Behavior: A Survey

We survey the literature in economics and related fields on the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and conflict behavior. We cover the effects of the pandemic on micro-level conflict (among individuals), macro-level conflict (interstate, intrastate, and extra-state), and the effect of existing conflict on the spread of the pandemic. We find an increase in intimate partner violence, a spillover between work-family conflict and domestic violence, and a spike in the anti-East-Asian crimes. While there was an initial drop in the macro-level conflict count, it eventually returned to the pre-pandemic level. Deteriorating economy and food insecurity associated with the pandemic were major drivers of conflict in the developing countries, but appropriate state stimulus reduced such conflicts. The existing history of conflict has a heterogeneous effect in different societies in terms of the spread of the pandemic. We conclude by pointing out the future research avenues.
Olfactory Training in Post-COVID-19 Persistent Olfactory Disorders: Value Normalization for Threshold but Not Identification

(1) Background: Persistent post-viral olfactory disorders (PPVOD) are estimated at 30% of patients one year after COVID-19 infection. No treatment is, to date, significantly effective on PPVOD with the exception of olfactory training (OT). The main objective of this work was to evaluate OT efficiency on post-COVID-19 PPVOD. (2) Methods: Consecutive patients consulting to the ENT department with post-COVID-19 PPVOD were included after completing clinical examination, the complete Sniffin’ Stick Test (TDI), the short version of the Questionnaire of olfactory disorders and the SF-36. Patients were trained to practice a self-olfactory training with a dedicated olfactory training kit twice a day for 6 months before returning to undergo the same assessments. (3) Results: Forty-three patients were included and performed 3.5 months of OT in average. We observed a significant TDI score improvement, increasing from 24.7 (±8.9) before the OT to 30.9 (±9.8) (p < 0.001). Based on normative data, a significant increase in the number of normosmic participants was observed only for the threshold values (p < 0.001). Specific and general olfaction-related quality of life improved after the OT. (4) Conclusions: Olfactory function appeared to improve only in peripheral aspects of post-COVID-19 PPVOD after OT. Future controlled studies must be performed to confirm the OT role and justify new therapeutic strategies that may focus on the central aspects of post-COVID-19 PPVOD.
Beyond Mum and Dad: Gendered Assumptions about Parenting and the Experiences of Trans and/or Non-Binary Parents in the UK

Abstract Within UK society, there are gendered assumptions about mums and dads and what they do. Existing research has explored the experiences of parents who diverge from such assumptions, but limited research has focused on trans and/or non-binary (TNB) parents specifically. Research on non-parent TNB populations suggests that individuals with different gender identities may have different experiences. This study therefore aimed to understand the way in which gendered assumptions about parenting shape the experiences of TNB parents, paying particular attention to the distinct experiences of parents with different gender identities (i.e. trans men, trans women and non-binary parents). Reflective thematic analysis was conducted on interview data from 13 TNB parents within the UK. Three themes were identified: ‘Motherhood: essential and exclusionary’; ‘Fathers as uninvolved parents: negotiating fatherhood’ and ‘Mum, Dad and nothing in between: parenting beyond the binary’. Parents with different gender identities were impacted differently by gendered assumptions, and generally, parents negotiated with and transcended restrictive norms. Findings highlight the analytical benefit of distinguishing between parenting identity (e.g. mum/dad/parent) and parenting practice (e.g. mothering/fathering/parenting). The findings expose the limitations of such terms as participants were found to go ‘beyond mum and dad’, in both their identities and practice.
Computational perspectives on Bell Inequalities and many-body quantum correlations

The predictions of quantum mechanics cannot be resolved with a completely classical view of the world. In particular, the statistics of space-like separated measurements on entangled quantum systems violate a Bell inequality [Bell1964]. We put forward a computational perspective on a broad class of Bell tests that study correlators, or the statistics of joint measurement outcomes. We associate particular maps, or functions to particular theories. The violation of a Bell inequality then implies the ability to perform some functions, or computations that classical, or more generally, local hidden variable (LHV) theories cannot. We derive an in�finite class of Bell inequalities that establish a link to so-called "non-local games" [Cleve2004]. We then make the connection between Raussendorf and Briegel's formulation of Measurement-based Quantum Computing (MBQC) [Raussendorf2001], and these non-local games. Not only can we show that a quantum violation implies a computational advantage in this model, we show that adaptive measurements are required to perform all quantum computations. Finally, we explore post-selection of data in Bell tests from both a practical and conceptual point-of-view, with particular consideration to so-called "loopholes". Loopholes allow LHV theories to simulate quantum correlations through post-selection. We give a computational description of how loopholes can emerge in diff�erent post-selection scenarios. This motivates us to �find a form of post-selection that does not lead to loopholes. Central again to this discussion is the description of LHV theories in terms of computations. Interestingly, quantum correlators can be made more "non-classical" with this loophole-free post-selection. This method of post-selection also can simulate information processing tasks, such as MBQC, that have time-like separated components. This opens up new avenues for the study of time-like tasks studied within the space-like separated scenario of the Bell test.
3D Plotting of Calcium Phosphate Cement and Melt Electrowriting of Polycaprolactone Microfibers in One Scaffold: A Hybrid Additive Manufacturing Process

The fabrication of patient-specific scaffolds for bone substitutes is possible through extrusion-based 3D printing of calcium phosphate cements (CPC) which allows the generation of structures with a high degree of customization and interconnected porosity. Given the brittleness of this clinically approved material, the stability of open-porous scaffolds cannot always be secured. Herein, a multi-technological approach allowed the simultaneous combination of CPC printing with melt electrowriting (MEW) of polycaprolactone (PCL) microfibers in an alternating, tunable design in one automated fabrication process. The hybrid CPC+PCL scaffolds with varying CPC strand distance (800–2000 µm) and integrated PCL fibers featured a strong CPC to PCL interface. While no adverse effect on mechanical stiffness was detected by the PCL-supported scaffold design; the microfiber integration led to an improved integrity. The pore distance between CPC strands was gradually increased to identify at which critical CPC porosity the microfibers would have a significant impact on pore bridging behavior and growth of seeded cells. At a CPC strand distance of 1600 µm, after 2 weeks of cultivation, the incorporation of PCL fibers led to pore coverage by a human mesenchymal stem cell line and an elevated proliferation level of murine pre-osteoblasts. The integrated fabrication approach allows versatile design adjustments on different levels.
The Cenomanian–Turonian Boundary Event (CTBE) as recorded in the northern margin of Africa: palaeoceanography of the Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE-2), North-Central Tunisia

ABSTRACT Samples spanning the Cenomanian–Turonian transition at Guern Halfaya Section of North-Central Tunisia were analysed for elemental and isotopic chemostratigraphic characterization of the OAE-2 global anoxic event. Comparison with other published sections of the same age was achieved. These geochemical analyses, which cover the local Bahloul Formation, add new insights into the palaeoceanographic evolution of the southern Tethyan margin during the Cenomanian–Turonian transition. The use of discrete redox-sensitive and primary productivity-sensitive trace element data coupled to isotopic and biostratigraphic events is shown as leading proxies for the determination of prevailing warming palaeoceanographic conditions, in terms of productivity and climate, during the OAE-2 in the northern margin of Africa. Such event is believed to have generated one among the most significant source rocks of the region.
Advances in practical optimal coalition structure algorithms

This thesis presents a number of algorithms for forming coalitions among cooperative agents in pragmatic domains where traditional cooperative game theory solution concepts do not apply due to bounded rationality of agents. While previous work in coalition formation in multi-agent systems research operated on relatively small number of agents, e.g. less than 30 agents, this work explores coalition formation among 100 agents, this is due to limited computational resources not the performance of the our algorithms. We explore a bestfirst search centralized algorithm for optimal coalition structures which is based on a novel idea of deciding what is the best coalition to put into coalition structure being generated. Empirical results show that the solution reaches optimality quickly and terminates quickly in pragmatic domains. We further explore on optimal coalition structures with distributed algorithms in linear and non-linear domains. For the linear domains, we explore linear production and integer programming. For the non-linear domains we explore logistic providers. Based on existing algorithms, we explore a novel environment of forming coalitions in supply networks involving buyers, sellers and logistics providers agents. In this setting, buyers form coalitions to increase their negotiation power while sellers and logistics providers form coalitions to aggregate their supply power and optimize their resources usage.
Assessment of Dynamic Knee Valgus between Lateral Step-Down Test and Running in Female Runners with and without Patellofemoral Pain Using Two-Dimensional Video Analysis

Dynamic knee valgus (DKV) is a frontal plane knee kinematic alteration that has been associated with patellofemoral pain (PFP) in female runners. DKV is commonly assessed in clinical practice by measuring frontal plane knee projection angle (FPPA) during squat tests. However, it remains unclear whether the DKV observed in these tests is similar to or correlates with that observed during running in female runners. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to correlate and compare DKV, by measuring FPPA values, in a lateral step-down (LSD) squat test and running in female runners with and without PFP. A two-dimensional (2D) video analysis of the LSD test and running was carried out for 21 asymptomatic female runners and 17 PFP female runners in order to determine FPPA values. A Pearson correlation test and a factorial ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc correction were used for statistical analysis. The FPPAs recorded in the LSD test were significantly higher than those recorded during running in the asymptomatic (16.32° ± 5.38 vs. 4.02° ± 3.26, p < 0.01) and PFP groups (17.54° ± 7.25 vs. 4.64° ± 3.62, p < 0.01). No significant differences were found in FPPA values between asymptomatic and PFP runners during the LSD test (16.32° ± 5.38 vs. 17.54° ± 7.25, p = 0.55) and running (4.02° ± 3.26 vs. 4.64° ± 3.62, p = 0.58). There was a small (r < 0.3) and non-significant (p > 0.05) correlation in FPPAs between the LSD test and running in both groups. According to our results, DKV was not similar during the LSD test and running, and there was no significant correlation in FPPA values between the LSD test and running in both groups. Therefore, clinicians and therapists should be aware of these findings when using the LSD test in clinical practice to evaluate DKV in female runners with or without PFP.
On the relationship between tropical Chinese rainfall and the Indian summer monsoon

We explore the relationships between monthly tropical Chinese rainfall (TCR) and June-September Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR) for the 35-year period from 1954 to 1988. The largest positive correlations between the TCR and the ISMR occur during the months of May and September, with the May correlation exceeding the 99* level of significance. The TCR between June and August, the most intense period of rainfall in tropical China, shows no apparent relationship with the ISMR. Similar behavior is found in composite anomaly patterns of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR). Repeating the rainfall computations for four subdomains in tropical China supports these results. The significant correlation between the May TCR and the ISMR suggests that the May TCR may be a precursor of the ISMR, consistent with the westward migration of the onset of the Asian summer monsoon seen in climatological mean patterns of OLR.
Adaptive Fuzzy Asymptotic Tracking for Nonlinear Nonstrict-feedback Systems With Input Quantization

This article investigates an adaptive fuzzy tracking control problem for the nonlinear nonstrict-feedback systems with quantized input. The control signal has a new transformation since a time varying auxiliary signal and a hyperbolic tangent function are introduced to the controller. Moreover, a novel adaptive fuzzy control scheme is proposed such that input quantization can be solved by applying hysteresis quantizer in the case of unknown quantization parameters. For traditional adaptive quantization control schemes with nonstrict-feedback form, current studies have shown that the tracking error can only converge to a small neighborhood of the origin. Based on the proposed control method, all the signals in the closed-loop system are bounded, and the tracking error can converge to zero asymptotically. Finally, the effectiveness of the presented method is shown via the numerical simulation results.
RENARKS ON REWEAKLY COMMUTING MAPPONGS AND COMMON FIXED POINT THEOREMS

It was the turning point in the "fixed point arena" when the notion of weak commutativity was introduced by Sessa [9] as a sharper tool to obtain common fixed points of mappings. As a result, all the results on fixed point theorems for commuting mappings were easily transformed in the setting of the new notion of weak commutativity of mappings. It gives a new impetus to the studying of common fixed points of mappings satisfying some contractive type conditions and a number of interesting results have been found by various authors. A bulk of results were produced and it was the centre of vigorous research activity in "Fixed Point Theory and its Application in various other Branches of Mathematical Sciences" in last two decades. A major break through was done by Jungck [3] when he proclaimed the new notion what he called "compatibility" of mapping and its usefulness for obtaining common fixed points of mappings was shown by him. There-after a flood of common fixed point theorems was produced by various researchers by using the improved notion of compatibility of mappings. of compatibility of mappings.
Evaluation of Some Rhodes Grass (Chloris gayana) Genotypes for Their Salt Tolerance, Biomass Yield and Nutrient Composition

The livestock productivity in Ethiopia is seriously constrained by the shortage of fodder due to increasing soil salinization. Therefore, restoration of salt-affected lands into productive soils through salt-tolerant forages and improved irrigation and crop management practices is crucial for enhancing the productivity of the livestock sector in Ethiopia. In this three-year study, pot trials were conducted to evaluate the impact of five different soil salinity levels (i.e., 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 dS m−1) on plant growth, biomass production, and nutrient quality attributes of three Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) genotypes (ILRI-6633, ILRI-7384, CV-massaba). Increasing soil salinity negatively affected germination percentage (GP) and mean germination time (MGT) of all genotypes. For all salinity levels, the highest GP was observed for ILRI-6633 and the lowest for CV-massaba. Plant height and chlorophyll content for ILRI-6633 was higher than the other two genotypes. The crude protein (CP) content was higher in low dry matter-producing genotype (ILRI-7384). The performance of ILRI-6633 at all salinity levels was superior to the other two genotypes. CV-massaba genotype performed better under low to medium soil salinity conditions. Therefore, ILRI-6633 and CV-massaba genotypes have excellent potential to increase forage production in salt-affected areas of Ethiopia.
Dative microvariation in African Varieties of Portuguese

Inthis paper we compare ditransitive dative structures in nativized andnativizing urban varieties of Portuguese spoken in Angola, Mozambique and SãoTomé and Príncipe using a corpus-based approach. It is shown that theexpression of the Recipient exhibits considerable variation within and acrossthese varieties, as well as at intraspeaker level. Despite the use ofnon-canonical patterns, namely prepositional structures with em and paraanddouble object constructions, the canonical European Portuguesepattern with Case marker a is predominant in our data. Moreover, thepronominalized counterparts of these different realizations show much lessvariation and strong convergence toward dative clitic lhe(s). To accountfor the data, we propose a Larsonian VP-shell in which Recipients as extendedDPs occur internally to a K(ase) projection whose functional head can bespelled out as a, em or para. Recipient in double objectconstructions, on the other hand, are treated as plain DPs which maypronominalize as dative clitics or, less commonly, as strong pronouns. Overall,our hypothesis weakens the role of language contact, which has often beenassumed as a critical factor in the literature, but still allows for(individual) grammars that show evidence of being substrate-induced.
Understanding Police Agencies’ Explanations for Racial and Ethnic Disproportionality in Vehicle Stops

Extant literature on traffic stops indicates that disparate enforcement of traffic laws is pervasive, violative of individuals’ constitutional liberties, and can have a lasting impact on the psyches of those subjected to it. This issue takes center stage in Missouri, a state that has often been alleged to engage in racial profiling, because disproportionality has persisted despite legislation to address it. To this point, several quantitative investigations of Missouri traffic stop data have answered many important questions regarding the existence and prevalence of disparities. However, there is a dearth of qualitative research that focuses on police agencies’ reactions to the data outcomes. The current study addresses this gap by analyzing written responses from Missouri agencies submitted with stop statistics. Findings reveal that agencies use responses to provide several types of justifications, excuses, and mitigating circumstances to explain existing disparities.
Validity and Utility of Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing for Copy Number Variations and Microdeletions: A Systematic Review

Valid data on prenatal cell-free DNA-based screening tests for copy number variations and microdeletions are still insufficient. We aimed to compare different methodological approaches concerning the achieved diagnostic accuracy measurements and positive predictive values. For this systematic review, we searched the Scopus and PubMed databases and backward citations for studies published between 2013 and 4 February 2022 and included articles reporting the analytical and clinical performance of cfDNA screening tests for CNVs and microdeletions. Of the 1810 articles identified, 32 met the criteria. The reported sensitivity of the applied tests ranged from 20% to 100%, the specificity from 81.62% to 100%, and the PPV from 3% to 100% for cases with diagnostic or clinical follow-up information. No confirmatory analysis was available in the majority of cases with negative screening results, and, therefore, the NPVs could not be determined. NIPT for CNVs and microdeletions should be used with caution and any developments regarding new technologies should undergo strict evaluation before their implementation into clinical practice. Indications for testing should be in correlation with the application guidelines issued by international organizations in the field of prenatal diagnostics.
The Moderating Effect of Sex on the Association between Education and Cognitive Impairment in Older Koreans: Analysis of Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing Data

Objectives: In traditionally developed countries, the protective role of higher education on cognitive impairment differed between men and women. This study investigated the moderating impact of sex on the relationship between cognitive function and educational level in older Koreans, who may have experienced inequality in access to educational opportunities in the past.Methods: This study used data from the 2018 Korean Longitudinal Study on Aging (KLoSA), a nationwide panel survey of community-dwelling older adults. Cognitive impairment was defined as a Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) score below 24. In univariate analyses, the χ2 test was used to examine the relationship between MMSE and each of sociodemographic and behavioral variables. Multiple logistic regression models were implemented to examine the association between MMSE score and educational level controlling for covariates. Multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.Results: A total of 5,793 respondents were analyzed; 31.53% received no or only primary education. Individuals with up to primary education were more likely than those with college or higher education to have cognitive impairment (OR = 3.31, 95% CI = 3.29-3.34, p< 0.001). The association between lower educational level and cognitive impairment was stronger for women than for men; OR was 4.58 for women (95% CI = 4.52-4.65) and 2.98 for men (95% CI = 2.95-3.00). Conclusions: Lower education was associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment and the protective role of education in cognitive function was stronger in women than in men.