Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Ganoderma Lucidum and Assessment of Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activity

There is an increasing interest these days in the green route of synthesis of metal nanoparticles using plant extract, fungus and bacterial- mediated eco-friendly materials. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized using an intracellular extract of Ganoderma lucidum, a mushroom from Nepal then characterization of silver nanoparticles was performed. The Ag-NPs thus formed show surface plasmonic resonance with a maximum absorption band at 420 nm. Their crystalline nature was confirmed as a face-centered cubic structure by the XRD, Furthermore, SEM revealed that they were in the size range of 10-30 nm and were spherical in shape. The possible biomolecule involved in the reduction and stabilization of Ag-NPs were believed to be oxidized polyphenol, and carbonyl group, amino acid residue. Ag-NPs exhibit good antioxidant activity but showed low antioxidant in comparison to the fungal extract alone, which was studied using DPPH antioxidant assay. The effect of the colloidal silver nanoparticles solution against six human pathological bacteria was carried out by Disc diffusion method. The zone of maximum inhibition was seen in Bacillus subtilis (17.0 ± 0.13 mm) and least effective against Escherichia coli (10.1 ± 0.2 mm). Further, the results showed that Ag-NPs in combination with antibiotics have better antibacterial effect as compared with Ag-NPs alone. The maximum effect with a 3.2 and 5.3 fold increase was seen in Gentamicin and Streptomycin respectively providing the synergistic role of Ag-NPs. The results of antimicrobial studies indicated that the Ag-NPs are the metal of choice and can be effectively used in combination with antibiotics in order to improve their efficiency against various pathogenic microbes. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 5(4): 523-531
Transient Electron Donor Concentration Experiments for the Determination of Dehalogenation Rate and Kinetic Parameter Shifts in an Anaerobic Microbial Culture

approved: _____________________________________________________________________ Lewis Semprini Trichloroethene (TCE) is a common groundwater contaminant. Bioremediation, or the enhancement of natural microbial processes for the transformation of toxic compounds in soil and groundwater, is an effective solution to this widespread problem. The organisms that transform TCE in the subsurface are sensitive to environmental conditions, especially to the presence of an electron donor, which is required in the form of hydrogen (H2) for the microbial processes to occur. This study explored the effects of electron donor concentration on TCE transformation rates of the anaerobic bacteria, Dehalococcoides mccartyi. Degradation rates of TCE and its transformation products were monitored for nine months following an increase in electron donor concentration within reactors maintaining mixed cultures of D. mccartyi at Oregon State University. Kinetic parameters representative of microbial transformation abilities were also monitored to develop conclusions regarding the community dynamics within the reactors.
Effect of soil application of nickel on growth, micronutrient concentration and uptake in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grown in Inceptisols of Varanasi

ABSTRACT A pot experiment was conducted in a glass house on low nickel containing alluvial soil in the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, during 2012–13 and 2013–14, to study the response of barley to soil application of nickel (Ni). There were ten treatments of Ni (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 mg kg−1) studied with recommended dose of fertilizers nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur (N:P:K:S :: 40:30:30:20 mg kg−1). The results showed a significant increase in plant height, number of tillers, chlorophyll content, straw and grain yield, and 1,000 grains weight with application of 10 mg Ni kg−1 soil during both years of study. The micronutrient concentration and uptake in straw and grain increased with application of <15 mg Ni kg−1 soil and beyond that declined significantly. Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-extractable micronutrient iron, manganese, copper, zinc and nickel (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Ni) content in soil increased with increasing level of Ni. The maximum urease activity in post-harvest soil was noticed with application of 40 mg Ni kg−1 soil. The microbial population viz. bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes were higher with 5, 30 and 10 mg Ni kg−1 soil, respectively.
Global Supply Chains and Voluntary Disclosure

Reliance on global supply chains (GSCs) has become an economic imperative for many major corporations worldwide, but at the same time, it has brought substantial risks and complexities to these firms. This study examines whether global outsourcing of goods or services shapes U.S. corporate disclosure policies. Our main results suggest a negative impact of GSC exposure on voluntary disclosure, and several identification tests further support this baseline evidence. We find that the adverse effect on disclosure is more pronounced when institutional differences are more significant between the U.S. and foreign suppliers’ countries and when U.S. firms face higher litigation risks. However, the effect weakens when investors and stakeholders demand more information. Collectively, from an information disclosure perspective, our study provides new insights into the potential costs of outsourcing globally, leading to a reduction in forward-looking information provided to capital markets.
ACAV100M: Automatic Curation of Large-Scale Datasets for Audio-Visual Video Representation Learning

The natural association between visual observations and their corresponding sound provides powerful self-supervisory signals for learning video representations, which makes the ever-growing amount of online videos an attractive source of training data. However, large portions of online videos contain irrelevant audio-visual signals because of edited/overdubbed audio, and models trained on such uncurated videos have shown to learn suboptimal representations. Therefore, existing self-supervised approaches rely on datasets with predetermined taxonomies of semantic concepts, where there is a high chance of audio-visual correspondence. Unfortunately, constructing such datasets require labor intensive manual annotation and/or verification, which severely limits the utility of online videos for large-scale learning. In this work, we present an automatic dataset curation approach based on subset optimization where the objective is to maximize the mutual information between audio and visual channels in videos. We demonstrate that our approach finds videos with high audio-visual correspondence and show that self-supervised models trained on our data achieve competitive performances compared to models trained on existing manually curated datasets. The most significant benefit of our approach is scalability: We release ACAV100M that contains 100 million videos with high audio-visual correspondence, ideal for self-supervised video representation learning.
Revocable Deep Reinforcement Learning with Affinity Regularization for Outlier-Robust Graph Matching

Graph matching (GM) has been a building block in various areas including computer vision and pattern recognition. Despite recent impressive progress, existing deep GM methods often have obvious difficulty in handling outliers, which are ubiquitous in practice. We propose a deep reinforcement learning based approach RGM, whose sequential node matching scheme naturally fits the strategy for selective inlier matching against outliers. A revocable action framework is devised to improve the agent's flexibility against the complex constrained GM. Moreover, we propose a quadratic approximation technique to regularize the affinity score, in the presence of outliers. As such, the agent can finish inlier matching timely when the affinity score stops growing, for which otherwise an additional parameter i.e. the number of inliers is needed to avoid matching outliers. In this paper, we focus on learning the back-end solver under the most general form of GM: the Lawler's QAP, whose input is the affinity matrix. Especially, our approach can also boost existing GM methods that use such input. Experiments on multiple real-world datasets demonstrate its performance regarding both accuracy and robustness.
Prepared for submission to JINST Horizontal Position Reconstruction in PandaX-II PandaX Collaboration

Dual-phase noble-gas time projection chambers (TPCs) have improved the sensitivities for dark matter direct search in past decades. The capability of TPCs to reconstruct 3-D vertexes of keV scale recoilings is one of the most advantageous features. In this work, we develop two horizontal position reconstruction algorithms for the PandaX-II darkmatter search experiment using the dual-phase liquid xenon TPC. Both algorithms are optimized by the 83mKr calibration events and use photon distribution of ionization signals among photomultiplier tubes to infer the positions. According to the events coming from the gate electrode, the uncertainties in the horizontal positions are 3.4 mm (3.9 mm) in the analytical (simulation-based) algorithm for an ionization signal with several thousand photon electrons in the center of the TPC.
A Human-in-the-Loop Approach based on Explainability to Improve NTL Detection

Implementing systems based on Machine Learning to detect fraud and other Non-Technical Losses (NTL) is challenging: the data available is biased, and the algorithms currently used are black-boxes that cannot be either easily trusted or understood by stakeholders. This work explains our human-in-the-loop approach to mitigate these problems in a real system that uses a supervised model to detect Non-Technical Losses (NTL) for an international utility company from Spain. This approach exploits human knowledge (e.g. from the data scientists or the company’s stakeholders) and the information provided by explanatory methods to guide the system during the training process. This simple, efficient method that can be easily implemented in other industrial projects is tested in a real dataset and the results show that the derived prediction model is better in terms of accuracy, interpretability, robustness and flexibility.
Novel Pretilt Angle Measurement Method for Twisted-Nematic Liquid-Crystal Cells by Apparent Retardation Measurement

We have proposed a novel pretilt angle measurement method for twisted-nematic (TN) liquid-crystal (LC) cells. In this method, the dependence of the apparent retardation of the TN cell on the cell rotation angle is analyzed by the simple mathematic equations derived here to determine the pretilt angle and the gap. This method can be applied to the TN LC display panel. The necessary range of the cell rotation angle is from -3° to 3°. This provides an advantage for both constructing a compact measurement system and measuring a small-size pixel.
Effect of Cu on microarc oxidation coated Al–xCu alloys

Microarc oxidation (MAO) coatings were produced on the Al–Cu alloys at different oxidation times. Surface morphologies, phase composition and residual stress, and wear resistance were analysed by SEM and a laser scanning confocal microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and reciprocating friction and wear tester, respectively. Increases in surface roughness, porosity, cracks, thickness, and α-Al2O3 content were found in the MAO coatings on Al–4.5Cu alloy. Presence of intermetallic Al2Cu in the Al–4.5Cu alloy improved wear resistance and induced residual compressive stress formation in the coatings. Heat accumulation of intermetallic Al2Cu was the key factor that led to the differences in coating microstructure and nature of residual stress. In addition, mechanical properties of the coated samples were slightly changed compared to that of bare Al–Cu alloys. Presence of intermetallic Al2Cu was advantageous to wear resistance and oxide film formation of MAO coated Al–Cu alloys.
Creative Factors and Psychotherapeutic Insight: Effects of Novelty and Appropriateness

ABSTRACT Novelty and appropriateness have long been considered as the two fundamental elements of creativity; however, whether these two can separately affect creativity or its related processes remains unclear. In the present study, the authors focused on psychotherapeutic insight to identify the different effects of novelty and appropriateness. Three experiments were conducted (total N = 452) using a micro-counseling dialogue (MCD) paradigm, which can induce stable and differential insights by providing different types of solutions to mental distress problems (Experiment 1) and negative descriptions (Experiment 2). Further, in Experiment 3, the authors improved the study by employing a group of high school students with test anxiety (assessed using the Test Anxiety Inventory), which was more ecological. Across the three experiments, higher insightfulness and pleasantness were induced by high novelty (experiments 1 and 2) and appropriateness (experiments 1 to 3). In Experiment 3, the effect of test anxiety was found, wherein the low-test anxiety group generated higher insightfulness compared to the high-test anxiety group, and this effect was stronger in the inappropriateness condition. The results provide evidence that novelty and appropriateness are key factors in inducing psychotherapeutic insightfulness.
Impact of the Covid-19 Shock on Banking and Corporate Sector Vulnerabilities in Indonesia

Indonesia’s economic contraction eased and its Covid-19 handling improved in the first quarter of 2021, with at least 13% of the targeted population receiving their first vaccination by the third week of June. The economic improvement was driven by external sectors, but the pace of the recovery differed considerably across sectors. This Survey looks at the balance sheets of corporations and the banking sector in the midst of the pandemic. We find that the worsening of corporate balance sheets may require government intervention to prevent liquidity problems from turning into solvency problems. While the banks’ capital position remains adequate, the deterioration of loan quality, reflecting real sector conditions, is worse than it appears. Recent stress testing of the banking sector confirms the potential vulnerabilities in the sector. We end the article by highlighting policies the government could consider to position Indonesia for a post-pandemic future, particularly over the next two years.
The blank ballot crisis: a multi-method study of fraud in the 2006 Italian election

ABSTRACT Among European democracies, Italian elections have usually seen high levels of protest voting. Then in the 2006 election the number of blank ballots suddenly dropped by one million following the adoption of a new electoral system. This unprecedented change in electoral behaviour, and a margin of victory of 25,000 votes, raised suspicions of electoral fraud. Given that electoral fraud is more commonly associated with voter turnout than with protest voting, it is surprising that the academic literature has neglected this election. A lack of statistical assessment makes this unforeseen event exceptionally suited to the elaboration of a more universal approach to the investigation of voter fraud. For this purpose, this study applies a combination of Benford’s law, distributional tests and regression modelling to the Italian data. Three levels of disaggregation along regional and partisan lines are used to increase the homogeneity in the data. The results are compelling, showing widespread statistical anomalies in the 2006 election, and effect sizes large enough to alter the political outcome. This article concludes that the possibility of regional-level fraud cannot be ruled out, and that the evidence supplements the scholarly work on electoral manipulation in democracies.
Use and selection of roost sites by Eurasian Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus in Bulgaria

ABSTRACT Capsule Roosting behaviour during the pre-breeding season is an important part of the Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus life cycle. We demonstrate the importance of roost site selection and its relation to the breeding distribution of the Griffon Vulture. Aims To quantify the distribution, population size, age structure and roosting site selection of the Eurasian Griffon Vulture in the Eastern Rhodopes, Bulgaria during the pre-breeding season. Methods We used correlation analysis and generalized linear mixed models to examine the relationship between the vultures use of roost sites and their distribution in relation to topographic variables. We additionally used GPS telemetry data from 25 birds to study and compare the use of roosting cliffs. Results During the 14-year survey period the number of roosting Eurasian Griffon Vultures gradually increased from 25 birds in 2005 to 201 in 2018. We recorded 16 cliffs used by 124 ± 51 (sd) vultures for roosting. The number of non-adult vultures increased by 25% and reached 41% of all the recorded birds in the last year of the survey. We found that the number of breeding pairs correlated positively with the number of roosting vultures (r = 0.85) and that roosting cliff selection was determined by cliff length and height, distance to the nearest feeding site, and whether the cliff was used for breeding. Conclusions Cliffs regularly used by vultures in the pre-breeding season, were afterwards used for breeding. Thus, cliffs used in the pre-breeding season for roosting could be used as an index for the breeding distribution of the species, and should be protected to sustain the species in and out of the breeding season.
Exploring the mental health and wellbeing of professional academy footballers in England

ABSTRACT The mental health and wellbeing of elite footballers is beginning to receive much needed attention in research and practice terms. However, to date much of the knowledge generated and initiatives designed to improve provision for elite footballers’ mental health and wellbeing is centred on adults. The mental health and wellbeing of junior footballers attached to elite development programmes have largely been overlooked. In England, this is particularly concerning given an estimated 12,500 young professional academy footballers are attached to such systems. Semi structured interviews were conducted to explore the extent to which social ties and interactions with significant others shaped the mental health and wellbeing of twelve professional academy footballers based in four category one football academies in England . Drawing on concepts derieved from symbolic interactionism, the analysis of the findings highlighted; i) the demands and expectations of their role often negatively affected emotions, ii) concealment of mental health and wellbeing issues to significant others in primary and secondary social networks, and ii) portrayals of the self-intended to foster positive relations with significant others to avoid stigmatization. Future research and practice should seek to inform and promote more effective interventions and models that more adequately support the mental health and wellbeing of professional academy footballers.
Comparative analysis of stalked and acorn barnacle adhesive proteomes

Barnacles interest the scientific community for multiple reasons: their unique evolutionary trajectory, vast diversity and economic impact—as a harvested food source and also as one of the most prolific macroscopic hard biofouling organisms. A common, yet novel, trait among barnacles is adhesion, which has enabled a sessile adult existence and global colonization of the oceans. Barnacle adhesive is primarily composed of proteins, but knowledge of how the adhesive proteome varies across the tree of life is unknown due to a lack of genomic information. Here, we supplement previous mass spectrometry analyses of barnacle adhesive with recently sequenced genomes to compare the adhesive proteomes of Pollicipes pollicipes (Pedunculata) and Amphibalanus amphitrite (Sessilia). Although both species contain the same broad protein categories, we detail differences that exist between these species. The barnacle-unique cement proteins show the greatest difference between species, although these differences are diminished when amino acid composition and glycosylation potential are considered. By performing an in-depth comparison of the adhesive proteomes of these distantly related barnacle species, we show their similarities and provide a roadmap for future studies examining sequence-specific differences to identify the proteins responsible for functional differences across the barnacle tree of life.
Mathematical study of a system of multi-dimensional non-local evolution equations describing surfactant-laden two-fluid shear flows

This article studies a coupled system of model multi-dimensional partial differential equations (PDEs) that arise in the nonlinear dynamics of two-fluid Couette flow when insoluble surfactants are present on the interface. The equations have been derived previously, but a rigorous study of local and global existence of their solutions, or indeed solutions of analogous systems, has not been considered previously. The evolution PDEs are two-dimensional in space and contain novel pseudo-differential terms that emerge from asymptotic analysis and matching in the multi-scale problem at hand. The one-dimensional surfactant-free case was studied previously, where travelling wave solutions were constructed numerically and their stability investigated; in addition, the travelling wave solutions were justified mathematically. The present study is concerned with some rigorous results of the multi-dimensional surfactant system, including local well posedness and smoothing results when there is full coupling between surfactant dynamics and interfacial motion, and global existence results when such coupling is absent. As far as we know such results are new for non-local thin film equations in either one or two dimensions.
Lifetime reproductive benefits of cooperative polygamy vary for males and females in the acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)

Cooperative breeding strategies lead to short-term direct fitness losses when individuals forfeit or share reproduction. The direct fitness benefits of cooperative strategies are often delayed and difficult to quantify, requiring data on lifetime reproduction. Here, we use a longitudinal dataset to examine the lifetime reproductive success of cooperative polygamy in acorn woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus), which nest as lone pairs or share reproduction with same-sex cobreeders. We found that males and females produced fewer young per successful nesting attempt when sharing reproduction. However, males nesting in duos and trios had longer reproductive lifespans, more lifetime nesting attempts and higher lifetime reproductive success than those breeding alone. For females, cobreeding in duos increased reproductive lifespan so the lifetime reproductive success of females nesting in duos was comparable to those nesting alone and higher than those nesting in trios. These results suggest that for male duos and trios, reproductive success alone may provide sufficient fitness benefits to explain the presence of cooperative polygamy, and the benefits of cobreeding as a duo in females are higher than previously assumed. Lifetime individual fitness data are crucial to reveal the full costs and benefits of cooperative polygamy.