Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PREDICTING MEANDER MIGRATION: EVALUATION OF SOME EXISTING TECHNIQUES

River meanders migrate over time; this migration endangers civil engineering structures in general and highway bridges in particular. Predicting and preventing this migration is part of the responsibility of the hydraulic engineer and of the geotechnical engineer working together. This article describes and evaluates two approaches used to predict the migration of meanders: the empirical approach and the time-sequence maps and extrapolation approach. Empirical methods are based on correlations using data bases of observed behavior, while the time-sequence method uses previously observed movement of a given meander to predict its future migration. Six case histories on four rivers are used to evaluate the precision and accuracy of these methods by comparing the predicted and measured migration. The results show that some empirical methods are conservative, some are unconservative, and none of them are very accurate or precise. The time sequence method gives more information on the meander movement, is relatively precise and accurate to predict the radius of the best-fit circle of the future meander location, but is not precise to predict the migration rate of the center of that circle.
Determination of the Heat Flow in the Sokoto Basin, Nigeria using Spectral Analysis of Aeromagnetic Data

In this study, the Determination of heat flow in the Sokoto Basin North Western Nigeria using spectral analysis of aeromagnetic data was carried out. The study area is bounded by latitude 11.0 o N to 13.5 o N and longitude 3.5 o E to 6.5 o This research is necessitated by the need for renewable alternative sources of energy for use in Nigeria. Depth estimates were made from the spectral analysis of the magnetic anomalies. The Upward continuation filter control was utilized to suppress the short wavelength components in the Sokoto Basin. The continuation was carried out at various heights (2km, 5km, 10km, 15km and 20km). The centriod depth which relates to the point where magnetism is lost in the crust was calculated using the rate of decay of the spectrum. The results from s pectral analysis suggested that in the Sokoto basin the basement is deepest at the north eastern portion toward Niger Republic and varies between 0.61 and 1.54km, while the centriod depth varies from 6.35 to 13.05km. It also suggested that basin is underlain by a Curie-point isotherm of between 11.36 to 22.30km and corresponding gradient and heat flow values varying from 26.18 to 44.62 0 C/km and 52.36 to 98.57mW/m 2 respectively. The maximum heat flow is found around the central area (i.e around Tambuwal). The average heat flow in normal continental region is about 60mW/m 2 , values between 80 and 100 mW/m 2 are good geothermal sources while values greater than hundred is an indication of anomalous condition. Anomalous and good high heat flow for good geothermal sources was observed in the area. These areas with high heat values may be good geothermal sources and therefore are recommended for further investigation. Keywords: Aeromagnetic, spectral energy, geothermal gradient, Curie point, sedimentary
Effect of Flume Width on Bed-Form Characteristics

The dimensions of bed-forms developed in laboratory channels are found to be a function of channel width. A 10-30% reduction is observed in the size of irregularities, (wavelength ~ 4 ft; height ~ 0.2 ft) displayed by a self-formed bed of 0.6 mm diameter sand in a channel of 1.5 ft width, compared to that in a 5.0 ft-wide channel, under closely similar water and sediment discharge conditions. Emphasis is placed on the need to standardize parameters for the dimensional description of bed-form profile, and the adoption of significant form height and the average distance between alternate zero-crossings is advised. The distribution of bed elevations conforms reasonably well with accepted theoretical distributions for water waves provided allowance is made for the greater spectral width values that characterize the bed-form profiles. Because sediment movement occurs as surface creep in this case, the transport, calculated from bed-form celerity and a form height parameter proposed by Mercer, is in close agreement with the measured total transport.
Implications of Conservation Agriculture for Men's and Women's Workloads Among Marginalized Farmers in the Central Middle Hills of Nepal

Abstract Measures of gender-based labor distribution can contribute to understanding the feasibility of agricultural development in mountainous subsistence farming communities. Conservation agriculture (CA) can provide sustained crop yield and improved soil and water conservation in mountain areas prone to degradation and where few inputs are available. This study sought to measure the gendered labor impacts of CA practices and to assess their feasibility in remote farming communities. We surveyed farmers in 3 tribal villages in the Middle Hills of Nepal, where communities consist of smallholder (<2 ha) farmers cultivating highly sloping, marginal lands. Face-to-face interviews and time allocation surveys were used to quantify distribution of labor and to identify engagement in agricultural decision-making in 87% of the households. On-farm plots were used to measure differences between the gender-based labor demands of conventional and CA practices. Results show that women bear a disproportionate burden (53–55%) of on-farm labor. Field trials showed that women would predominantly manage increases in labor demands from CA, particularly where more labor for plowing, sowing, and harvesting is required, yet 51.3% indicated that they have limited control over adoption of new practices. In situations where women are already overburdened, technologies that require additional labor may prove unsustainable. It is crucial to adapt technologies to provide gender-sensitive solutions and meet the needs of the local community. Identifying the gendered constraints of CA is vital to improving understanding of agricultural livelihoods.
Immunotherapy-Related Oral Adverse Effects: Immediate Sequelae, Chronicity and Secondary Cancer

Simple Summary This paper characterizes the immunotherapy-related adverse effects in the oral tissues, in a large series of patients. This includes a description of the severity of oral symptoms, immediate clinical presentation, treatment, chronicity despite holding the immunotherapy, and the development of oral cancer. The management of these patients exemplified new diagnostic tools, detailed clinical presentation that may assist to differentiate between various oral irAEs and outlines unique adjustments in the topical treatment and inclusion of a new treatment modality for these irAEs. Lastly, this paper raises the awareness for second primary oral cancer and possible risk for oral malignant transformation. Abstract (1) Background: Immunotherapy-related adverse effects (irAEs) have been reported to manifest in oral tissues, mainly as lichenoid and non-lichenoid lesions and salivary gland dysfunction; however, the characterization of oral irAEs and their clinical impact is limited. (2) Methods: This is a retrospective clinical chart review of 14 patients with oral irAEs, describing the impact of the oral irAEs in terms of the immediate effect, treatment, chronicity of the irAEs and the development of oral cancer. (3) Results: Common symptoms were pain and dry mouth, causing no-to-severe pain and/or dry mouth sensation. The immediate sequala ranged from sensitivity to certain foods up to elimination of oral intake. Treatment included conventional palliation techniques with or without systemic steroids. Discontinuation of the immunotherapy agents was required in 6 patients. Innovative treatment modalities included photobiomodulation for oral mucosal pain relief, and salivary gland intraductal irrigations for relief of salivary gland hypofunction. Late sequala included the development of proliferative leukoplakia and oral cancer. (4) Conclusions: Patients treated with immunotherapy may develop debilitating oral irAEs. They should be followed for oral involvement so treatment may be initiated when the symptoms are mild to avoid discontinuation of the immunotherapy. Patients that develop oral lichenoid lesions should receive long-term follow-up, as they may have higher risk for oral cancer.
Relationships between the dynamics of two Talitrus saltator populations and the impacts of activities linked to tourism.

The study considered two ecologically similar areas in Tuscany (Italy). One site belongs to a protected natural area and the other one is in front of a camping site. We analysed the impact of human activities, such as trampling and mechanical cleaning, on Talitrus saltator . It turned out that the population density was aﬀected in that it ﬁrst disappeared from the area, then recolonised it once the peak of the tourist season at the camping site had passed. The results conﬁrm the sensitivity of this species and its plasticity in adapting to diﬀerent conditions on the one hand, and the positive eﬀects of diversiﬁcation in resource management on the other hand.
Problems of Cosmology and Stellar Dynamics

1. Introductory chapter 2. General dynamical principles 3. Ellipsoidal configurations of equilibrium 4. The gravitational potential of a distorted ellipsoid 5. Pear-shaped configurations of equilibrium 6. Motion when there are no stable configurations of equilibrium 7. The motion of compressible and non-homogeneous masses 8. The evolution of gaseous masses 9. The evolution of rotating nebulae 10. The evolution of star-clusters 11. The evolution of binary and multiple stars 12. The origin and evolution of the solar system.
The music of Tōru Takemitsu

Acknowledgements Notes on conventions Introduction 1. Pre-history: how Western music came to Japan 2. Music and 'pre-music': Takemitsu's early years 3. Experimental workshop: the years of Jikken Kobo 4. The Requiem and its reception 5. Projections onto a Western mirror 6. 'Cage shock' and after 7. Projections onto an Eastern mirror 8. Modernist apogee: the early 1970s 9. Descent into the pentagonal garden 10. Towards the sea of tonality: the works of the 1980s 11. Beyond the far calls: the final years 12. Swimming in the ocean that has no West or East Notes List of Takemitsu's work Bibliography Index.
The ZooScan and the ZooCAM zooplankton imaging systems are intercomparable: A benchmark on the Bay of Biscay zooplankton

Zooplankton analysis represents a bottleneck in marine ecology studies due to the difficulty to obtain zooplankton data. The last decades have seen the intense development of zooplankton imaging systems, to increase the zooplankton data spatio‐temporal resolution as well as enabling the combination of size, taxonomy, and functional traits in aquatic ecology studies. Here, we propose a benchmark between the ZooScan, a commercially available, laboratory‐based scanner, which analyses zooplankton preserved samples, and the ZooCAM, an in‐flow imaging system designed for on‐board live zooplankton imaging. Sixty‐one zooplankton samples collected over the Bay of Biscay in environments ranging from estuarine to offshore blue waters were imaged with both instruments. Zooplankton Normalized Biovolume‐Size Spectra slopes, mean sizes, abundances, and zooplankton community biogeographical patterns were computed for each instrument and compared at the taxonomic group, the sampling stations and the Bay of Biscay scales. Both instruments produced similar zooplankton variables by stations and by taxa and described similar zooplankton community compositions and biogeographical patterns, on the large mesozooplankton size range, i.e., [0.3–3.39] mm ESD. We conclude that the ZooCAM and the ZooScan data can be combined to generate long term or spatially resolved zooplankton time series. Our study shows that benchmarking imaging instruments or techniques (1) offers a robust assessment of interoperability between instruments, mitigating possible instrumental biases, and (2) may be of great interest in the case of instrumental obsolescence or breakdown, to choose the most conservative replacement solution in a long term time series framework.
POAM III observations of arctic ozone loss for the 1999/2000 winter

[1] During the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE)/Third European Stratospheric Experiment on Ozone (THESEO) campaign, Polar Ozone and Aerosol Measurement (POAM) III sampled in the vortex core, on the vortex edge, and outside the vortex on a near-daily basis from December 1999 through mid-March 2000. During this period, POAM observed a substantial amount of ozone decline. For example, ozone mixing ratios in the core of the vortex dropped from about 3.5 ppmv in mid-January to about 2 ppmv by mid-March at 500 K. The ozone chemical loss indicated by these measurements is assessed using two methodologies. First, the POAM data is used to construct vortex-averaged ozone profiles, which are advected downward using vortex average descent rates. The maximum ozone loss (1 January to 15 March) is found to be about 1.8 ppmv. In a second approach, the REPROBUS 3-D CTM is used to specify the passive ozone distribution throughout the winter. The chemical loss in the vortex is estimated by performing a point-by-point subtraction of the POAM measurements inside the vortex from the model passive ozone evaluated at the time and location of the POAM measurements. Both ozone loss estimates are in general agreement and they agree well with published loss estimates from ER2 and ozonesonde measurements.
Loss of Key EMT-Regulating miRNAs Highlight the Role of ZEB1 in EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor-Resistant NSCLC

Despite recent advances in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), acquired drug resistance to targeted therapy remains a major obstacle. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been identified as a key resistance mechanism in NSCLC. Here, we investigated the mechanistic role of key EMT-regulating small non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) in sublines of the NSCLC cell line HCC4006 adapted to afatinib, erlotinib, gefitinib, or osimertinib. The most differentially expressed miRNAs derived from extracellular vesicles were associated with EMT, and their predicted target ZEB1 was significantly overexpressed in all resistant cell lines. Transfection of a miR-205-5p mimic partially reversed EMT by inhibiting ZEB1, restoring CDH1 expression, and inhibiting migration in erlotinib-resistant cells. Gene expression of EMT-markers, transcription factors, and miRNAs were correlated during stepwise osimertinib adaptation of HCC4006 cells. Temporally relieving cells of osimertinib reversed transition trends, suggesting that the implementation of treatment pauses could provide prolonged benefits for patients. Our results provide new insights into the contribution of miRNAs to drug-resistant NSCLC harboring EGFR-activating mutations and highlight their role as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Long Non-coding RNA Linc01224 Regulates Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Growth Through Interactions with miR-485-5p and IGF2BP3

Increasing evidence illustrates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play significant oncogenic roles, including hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC). The function and mechanism of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC) have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the role of a specific lncRNA, linc01224, in regulating the miR-485-5p/IGF2BP3 axis in HSCC. We confirmed the lncRNA expression profiles in 5 pairs of HSCC and normal tissues by lncRNA sequencing. Another 28 HSCC tissues were further validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). qRT-PCR was also used to detect the expression levels of linc01224, miR-485-5p and IGF2BP3 in HSCC cell lines. Next, functional experiments in vitro and in vivo were applied to determine the effects of linc01224 silencing on tumor proliferation, migration, apoptosis and progression in HSCC. Linc01224 expression was significantly higher in HSCC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. In addition, HSCC patients with low IGF2BP3 expression had good survival. In vitro assays were mechanistically performed to explore whether linc01224 positively regulates IGF2BP3 expression via its competitive inhibition of miR-485-5p. An in vivo animal model also confirmed that linc01224 could promote the occurrence and development of HSCC. Our study first identified that linc01224 plays an oncogenic role in HSCC. It suggests that linc01224 may act as a prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for HSCC.
Identifying Critical Drivers of Mango, Tomato, and Maize Postharvest Losses (PHL) in Low-Income Countries and Predicting Their Impact

Several studies have identified a host of factors to be considered when attempting to reduce food postharvest loss (PHL). However, very few studies have ranked those factors by their importance in driving PHL. This study used the Random Forest model to rank the critical drivers of PHL in maize, mango, and tomato, cultivated in Tanzania, Kenya, and Nigeria, respectively. The study then predicted the maize, mango, and tomato PHLs by changing the levels of the most critical drivers of PHL and the number of farmers at each level. The results indicate that the most critical drivers of PHL consist of pre-harvest and harvest variables in the field, such as the quantity of maize harvested in the maize value chain, the method used to know when to begin mango harvest, and the type of pest that attacks plants in the tomato value chain. Furthermore, changes in the levels of a critical driver and changes in the number of smallholder farmers at a given level both have an impact on PHL, although the impact of the former is much higher than the latter. This study also revealed that the critical drivers of PHL can be categorized as either passive and difficult to manipulate, such as the geographic area within which a smallholder farmer lives, or active and easier to control, such as services provided by the Rockefeller Foundation YieldWise Initiative. Moreover, the affiliation of smallholder farmers to the YieldWise Initiative and a smallholder farmer's geographic location are ubiquitous critical drivers across all three value chains. Finally, an online dashboard was created to allow users to explore further the relationship between several critical drivers, the PHL of each crop, and a desired number of smallholder farmers.
Effect of Eco-Friendly Application of Bee Honey Solution on Yield, Physio-Chemical, Antioxidants, and Enzyme Gene Expressions in Excessive Nitrogen-Stressed Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Plants

Excessive use of nitrogen (N) pollutes the environment and causes greenhouse gas emissions; however, the application of eco-friendly plant biostimulators (BSs) can overcome these issues. Therefore, this paper aimed to explore the role of diluted bee honey solution (DHS) in attenuating the adverse impacts of N toxicity on Phaseolus vulgaris growth, yield quality, physio-chemical properties, and defense systems. For this purpose, the soil was fertilized with 100, 125, and 150% of the recommended N dose (RND), and the plants were sprayed with 1.5% DHS. Trials were arranged in a two-factor split-plot design (N levels occupied main plots × DH– occupied subplots). Excess N (150% RND) caused a significant decline in plant growth, yield quality, photosynthesis, and antioxidants, while significantly increasing oxidants and oxidative damage [hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide (O2•−), nitrate, electrolyte leakage (EL), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels]. However, DHS significantly improved antioxidant activities (glutathione and nitrate reductases, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, proline, ascorbate, α-tocopherol, and glutathione) and osmoregulatory levels (soluble protein, glycine betaine, and soluble sugars). Enzyme gene expressions showed the same trend as enzyme activities. Additionally, H2O2, O2•−, EL, MDA, and nitrate levels were significantly declined, reflecting enhanced growth, yield, fruit quality, and photosynthetic efficiency. The results demonstrate that DHS can be used as an eco-friendly approach to overcome the harmful impacts of N toxicity on P. vulgaris plants.
Factors Influencing Corrected Count Increment After Platelet Transfusion in Thrombocytopenic Patients

Background Platelet transfusion is a life-saving procedure for thrombocytopenic patients. Platelet transfusions can be either prophylactic or therapeutic. Prophylactic platelet transfusion reduces the risk of bleeding before any specific procedure, whereas therapeutic platelet transfusion helps to control active bleeding. Evaluation of the response to platelet transfusion by calculating the corrected count increment (CCI) is important to determine the success of platelet transfusion and to plan subsequent patient management. Methods We conducted a prospective observational study in patients who received at least one unit of platelet concentrate (random donor platelet (RDP) or single donor platelet (SDP)) admitted under or seen by General Medicine. Patients over 60 years, multiparous females, and chemotherapy patients were excluded. The patient's pre-transfusion and post-transfusion platelet counts at one hour and 24 hours were taken, and CCI was calculated. Results We studied 60 patients during the study period, out of which 35 were males (58.33%) and 25 were females (41.67%). The mean age was 36.2 years, and the age range was from 15 to 60 years. The majority of patients were O-Rh positive (41.67%), followed by B-Rh positive (40%), A-Rh positive (11.67%), and least by AB-Rh positive (5%) and only one patient with O-Rh negative (1.67%). The logistic regression analysis showed that sepsis (p=0.025), splenomegaly (p=0.004), COVID-19 (p=0.016), dengue (p=0.028), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (p=0.045), immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) (p=0.003) and fever (p=0.007) significantly contributed to unsuccessful CCI. However, acute leukemia (p=0.238), active bleeding (p=0.147), disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC) (p=0.952), aplastic anemia (AA) (p=0.114), and sickle cell disease (SCD) (p=0.739) did not show any statistical significance. Conclusion Unsuccessful CCI at 24 hours is attributed to non-immunological clinical factors like sepsis, splenomegaly, COVID-19, and fever, whereas immunological clinical factors like SLE, dengue, and ITP resulted in unsuccessful CCI at one hour, as evident by this study.