Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Marine and terrestrial nitrifying bacteria are sources of diverse bacteriohopanepolyols

Hopanoid lipids, bacteriohopanols and bacteriohopanepolyols, are membrane components exclusive to bacteria. Together with their diagenetic derivatives, they are commonly used as biomarkers for specific bacterial groups or biogeochemical processes in the geologic record. However, the sources of hopanoids to marine and freshwater environments remain inadequately constrained. Recent marker gene studies suggest a widespread potential for hopanoid biosynthesis in marine bacterioplankton, including nitrifying (i.e., ammonia‐ and nitrite‐oxidizing) bacteria. To explore their hopanoid biosynthetic capacities, we studied the distribution of hopanoid biosynthetic genes in the genomes of cultivated and uncultivated ammonia‐oxidizing (AOB), nitrite‐oxidizing (NOB), and complete ammonia‐oxidizing (comammox) bacteria, finding that biosynthesis of diverse hopanoids is common among seven of the nine presently cultivated clades of nitrifying bacteria. Hopanoid biosynthesis genes are also conserved among the diverse lineages of bacterial nitrifiers detected in environmental metagenomes. We selected seven representative NOB isolated from marine, freshwater, and engineered environments for phenotypic characterization. All tested NOB produced diverse types of hopanoids, with some NOB producing primarily diploptene and others producing primarily bacteriohopanepolyols. Relative and absolute abundances of hopanoids were distinct among the cultures and dependent on growth conditions, such as oxygen and nitrite limitation. Several novel nitrogen‐containing bacteriohopanepolyols were tentatively identified, of which the so called BHP‐743.6 was present in all NOB. Distinct carbon isotopic signatures of biomass, hopanoids, and fatty acids in four tested NOB suggest operation of the reverse tricarboxylic acid cycle in Nitrospira spp. and Nitrospina gracilis and of the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle for carbon fixation in Nitrobacter vulgaris and Nitrococcus mobilis. We suggest that the contribution of hopanoids by NOB to environmental samples could be estimated by their carbon isotopic compositions. The ubiquity of nitrifying bacteria in the ocean today and the antiquity of this metabolic process suggest the potential for significant contributions to the geologic record of hopanoids.
The relationship between the degree of brain edema regression and changes in cognitive function in patients with recurrent glioma treated with bevacizumab and temozolomide.

Background This retrospective study aims to assess the impacts on cognitive status and quality of life in recurrent high-grade glioma patients treated with temozolomide (TMZ), either alone or in combination with bevacizumab (BEV), and explore the relationship between the brain edema regression, BEV use, and cognitive status. Methods A total of 125 patients with recurrent high-grade glioma were enrolled in this study, of which 65 patients were treated with BEV (5-10 mg/kg IV every 2 weeks) plus TMZ (200 mg/m2 every 28 days, d1-5), and 60 patients were treated with TMZ (200 mg/m2 every 28 days, d1-5) alone. The treatment response was evaluated using the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria. Tumor-associated edema was evaluated with T2WI magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and quantitative T2 mapping sequence, and an Edema Regression Index was designed to quantify volumetric changes in edema imaging after every treatment cycle. Cognitive intelligence state and quality of life were evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ-C30). Results Radiologically, the partial response rate was 78.5% in the BEV + TMZ group and 38.3% in the TMZ group. After the first cycle of treatment, the mean score of the MMSE was 21.1±2.0 and 24.1±1.4 (P<0.001) in the TMZ group and the BEV + TMZ group, respectively. In the functioning domains of the QLQ-C30, scales of physical functioning, emotional functioning and cognitive functioning were 43.0±7.0 vs. 61.7±12.5 (P<0.001), 44.5±8.8 vs. 63.4±6.9 (P<0.001) and 42.4±8.8 vs. 63.7±12.0 (P<0.001) in the TMZ group and the BEV + TMZ group, respectively. In the BEV + TMZ group, a correlation between the Edema Regression Index and improvement in cognitive status and quality of life was observed. Patients with Edema Regression Index scores higher than 50% gained a 25.6% increase in the mean MMSE score from 19.9±1.6 to 25.0±1.1 (P<0.001). In the BEV + TMZ group, physical functioning, emotional functioning, and cognitive functioning increased by 76.8%, 53.1%, and 81.5%, respectively, while scores of nausea/vomiting decreased by 40.3% to 32.1. Patients with no evident edema observed in the pre-BEV MRI scans were given a prolonged four-cycle course of BEV. No significant improvement was observed in the MMSE score and the QLQ score with additional cycles of BEV. Conclusions A close relationship was observed between Edema Regression Index and a change in cognitive function in patients treated with BEV and TMZ. Compared with TMZ alone, the combination of TMZ and BEV could improve the cognitive function and quality of life of patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas. The Edema Regression Index could be used as a surrogate imaging biomarker to predict patients who may or may not gain cognitive benefit from the combination therapy of TMZ and BEV, which warrants further prospective clinical studies for validation.
Citizenship and Sentencing: Assessing Intersectionality in National Origin and Legal Migration Status on Federal Sentencing Outcomes

Objectives: This study seeks to understand how national origin and legal migration status of noncitizen defendants in federal criminal courts shape incarceration and sentence length decisions. Method: The authors use annual United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) Monitoring of Federal Criminal Sentences (MFCS) datasets (2011–2016) to examine the impact of defendant’s (1) national origin and (2) legal versus illegal migration status on incarceration and sentence length decisions in federal criminal courts. In addition, in order to account for effects of immigration cases, supplemental analyses are conducted for (1) non-immigration offenses and (2) immigration-only offenses. Results: For the incarceration decision, noncitizen defendants have higher odds of incarceration than U.S. citizens, net of other factors. These effects are less consistent in the sentence length decision. These relationships systemically differ across national origin and legal migration status. Conclusions: Punishment disadvantages based on one’s citizenship are particularly pronounced for defendants from Mexico, Latin America, and Africa and especially for those with “illegal” migration status. As noncitizen populations continue to grow in federal courts and in the U.S. more broadly, understanding and addressing these citizenship disparities in punishment will be increasingly important.
Structural characterization of semiconductor multi-layer pad

Structural mechanics and mechanical reliability issues are becoming more and more challenging in the semiconductor industry due to the continuous trend of the device dimensional shrinkage and simultaneous increased operative temperature and power density. As main consequence of the downsizing and more aggressive operative conditions, the mechanical robustness assessment is now having a central role in the device engineering and assessment phase. The risk of mechanical crack in the brittle oxide layers, which are embedded in pad stacks, increases during the device manufacturing processes such as the electrical wafer testing and during wire bonding. This risk increases with the presence of intrinsic mechanical stress in individual layers resulting from the metal grain growth mechanisms, the stack layers’ interfacial mismatches in coefficients of thermal expansion and the temperature stress induced by doping diffusion and film deposition. The current trend of innovation in the electronic industry is going over the semiconductor material itself and it is now impacting the improvement of the Back-End of Line. Key actors are becoming the interactions between the semiconductor die and the device packaging such as adhesion layers, barriers and metal stacks. In the present work, different pad structures have been structurally analyzed and benchmarked. The experimental characterization of the pad structures has been done through a flat punch nano-indentation to investigate on the mechanical strength and the crack propagation. The considered mechanical load reproduces the vertical impact force applied during wire bonding process to create the bond-pad electrical interconnection. The obtained testing results have been compared to finite element models to analyze the stress distribution through the different layers’ stacks. Scope of this work is to demonstrate the validity of the proposed integrated numerical/experimental methodology, showing the impact of the metal connections layouts by the analysis of the stress notch factors and crack propagation behaviour.
Numerical investigation for the effect of deformation and dynamic pressure on the fast drainage of porous materials

Abstract In the case of a fast drainage process, water movements result in a rapid change in capillary pressure and shrinkage of a porous material. Until now the models used to predict the deformation of most porous media are based on the quasi-static behaviour laws, and dynamic effects are completely neglected. In this paper, a fully coupled model with dynamic capillarity effect considered is proposed for unsaturated water-air flow within deforming porous media. Then, this model is validated with respect to documented experiment on investigation of dynamic capillarity effect in unsaturated sand. The Finite Element Method (FEM) and backward Euler method are used for the discrete approximation of the partial differential equations in space and time, respectively. Numerical results provided by dynamic model have high agreement with recorded experiment data. Moreover, numerical results also reveal that dynamic effects on capillary pressure could cause unexpected deformation (shrinkage) for porous media. All investigations suggest that dynamic effects on capillary pressure should be taken into account to predict unsaturated water-air flow and shrinkage for porous media.
Trade, Climate and Energy: A New Study on Climate Action through Free Trade Agreements

Efforts to tackle climate change are taking place on multiple fronts. This includes trade, an increasingly important defining feature of the global economy. In recent years, free trade agreements (FTAs) have become the primary mechanism of trade policy and diplomacy. This study examines the development of climate action measures in FTAs and discusses what difference they can make to tackling climate change. Its primary source research is based on an in-depth examination of FTAs in force up to 2020. This paper is structured around a number of research questions forming around three main inter-related areas of enquiry. Firstly, to what extent are these provisions in FTAs essentially derivative of energy’s connections with climate change, and thus part of a wider trade–climate–energy nexus? Secondly, what kinds of climate action are FTAs specifically promoting, and how effective a potential positive impact may we expect these to have? Thirdly, are certain climate action norms being promoted by trade partners in FTAs and if so, then who are the norm leaders, what is motivating them, and to what extent are they extending their influence over other trade partners? In addressing these questions, this study offers new insights and analysis regarding a potentially important emerging trend in the trade–climate–energy nexus. Its international political economy approach and latest empirical research also provide a further distinctive contribution to knowledge in this inter-disciplinary area, developing new comprehensions of the relationship between trade, climate action and energy.
Towards an On-line Characterisation of Kaolin Calcination Process Using Short-Wave Infrared Spectroscopy

In the production of calcined kaolin, the on-line monitoring of the calcination reaction is becoming more relevant for the generation of optimal products. In this context, this study aimed to assess the suitability of using infrared (IR) spectroscopy as a potential technique for the on-line characterization of the calcination of kaolin. The transformation of kaolin samples calcined at different temperatures were characterized in the short-wave (SWIR) spectra using the kaolinite crystallinity (Kx) index and the depth of the water spectral feature (1900D). A high correlation between the standard operational procedure for the quality control of calcined kaolin and the Kx index was observed (r = -0.89), as well as with the 1900D parameter (r = -0.96). This study offers a new conceptual approach to the use of SWIR spectroscopy for the characterization the calcination of kaolin, withdrawing the need of using extensive laboratory techniques.
Peran Bauran Pemasaran Terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Generasi Milenial: Studi Jajanan Tradisional

This study aims to analyze the effect of the marketing mix of traditional snacks on purchasing decisions. The research method uses multiple regression analysis. The population in this study is the millennial generation in Jakarta. While the sample amounted to 114 respondents. The results of the research partially all the variables of the marketing mix of traditional snacks consisting of product, price, place, promotion, physical facilities, people and processes have a significant effect on purchasing decisions. To reach a large market, traditional snacks must be followed by: (1) Good product quality includes appearance, variety, taste and texture; (2) Price affordability; (3) a strategic place to sell traditional snacks such as in traditional markets, cake shops, school canteens, and food stalls near homes; (4) Advertise traditional snacks on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter; (5) The cleanliness of the place to sell traditional snacks must be paid more attention (6) The service quality of people who sell traditional jayanan products must be better; (7) The processing of traditional snacks is modern so it takes a long time. The suggestion from this research is that the promotion of traditional snacks should be improved, especially in developing social media and traditional snacks innovations. Keywords: Product, Price, Place, Promotion, Physical Facilities, People, Process, Purchase Decision
Predictive ability of problem-solving efficacy sources on mathematics achievement

This study examined the relationship between mathematics achievement and mathematics problem-solving efficacy sources. A cluster sample of 123 first year prospective teachers of a Philippine higher education institution responded to a 30-item problem-solving efficacy scales and took the teacher-made tests in Mathematics in the Modern World course; namely, Non-Routine Problem Solving and Natures and Numbers Pattern Tracing (NRPS-NNPT), Math Language and Symbols (MLS), and Data Management (DM). The research data was analyzed using Descriptive statistics, Pearson-r and Standard Multiple Regression. On the average, the respondents had satisfactory mathematics achievement. They reported a high level of social persuasion and somatic response and a low level of vicarious experience and mastery experience in mathematics problem-solving. Vicarious experience was directly associated with mastery experience while social persuasion and mastery experience were both inversely related to somatic responses. Among the four problem-solving efficacy sources, only social persuasion significantly predicted mathematics achievement specifically in the areas of NRPS-NNPT, MLS, and DM. Thus, becoming a trusted voice of encouragement and designing a persuasive and optimistic learning environment are highly recommended roles of schools to facilitate students’ mathematics achievement.
DO ECONOMIC FORECASTERS BELIEVE THE STOCK MARKET IS EFFICIENT? EVIDENCE FROM GERMANY

The perception of market efficiency is quite different from the reality of market efficiency. We show using a large survey of German market forecasters that few respondents consistently believe that the stock market is currently efficient and will remain so. Past volatility tends to erode the view that the market is efficient and strengthen the belief that the market is inefficient.
Effects of calcium on setting mechanism of metakaolin‐based geopolymer

Geopolymer setting is seen to be substantially accelerated by addition of calcium and the objective of this study was to determine the mechanism for this effect by examining metakaolin geopolymers with and without calcium. Solid-state 27Al NMR tests were used to examine the dissolution extent both qualitatively and quantitatively. Solid-state 29Si NMR tests were conducted to determine the amount and structure of each phase. Prior to the quantitative tests, chemical extractions were used to facilitate assignment of peaks in each spectrum. On addition of calcium, it was found that both the rate and the extent of metakaolin dissolution were enhanced. Accelerating dissolution increases the Al concentration in solution, thus reducing Si/Al available for geopolymer gel formation and further accelerating the gel formation to cause faster setting. Although C-A-S-H was observed in the calcium mix, no evidence indicated that it is directly involved in setting. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Role and performance of Agri-input dealers in extension services in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, India

The present study was designed to study the role and performance of input dealers in extension services and the relationship of farmers and dealers from a farmer perspective. For this study, a survey was taken in the Coimbatore district using a purposive random sampling technique with a well-structured interview schedule. The study found that most dealers had 40-50 farmers as customer per day at peak and offseason. Regarding technical assistance given to farmers, 90.00 per cent of the farmers asked for the brand. Delivery in prime season (1.181) followed by credit period (0.633), company officials behaviour (0.600) are the primary factor in the satisfaction of dealers with the company. Regarding the level of satisfaction of the farmers, Product choice (93.33%), Credit facility and availability of the product (90.00%) were the primary satisfaction criteria of the farmers with input dealers. It was concluded from the study that agro chemical company have field assistant at the block and village level to assess the farmers’ problem. In addition, the company having a strong research unit to develop is a need-based product for farmers. They had proper follow up activities in the farmer’s field. Therefore, Agri-input dealers were the first focus of the farmers at the village level. The Agriculture department could use the Agri-input dealers to transfer technology at farmers level and its reach would be high.
Local calibration of the Hirsch model to determine the degree of blending between aged and virgin asphalt binders

Aged asphalt binder in reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) or recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) blends only partially with the virgin binder. To better understand this state of blending, the asphalt mixtures in this study were designed, mixed, and compacted using different RAP and RAS contents. The asphalt binders were extracted and recovered from RAP and RAS and then blended with different proportions of a virgin binder. The master curves for the asphalt mixtures and asphalt binder blends were then constructed from the measured data. A locally calibrated Hirsch model was developed to estimate master curves for the asphalt mixtures from the corresponding binder-blend data. Pairwise comparison of the master curves for RAP and RAS and virgin binder showed that degree of blending occurred at 50% to 60% for RAP and at 15% to 30% for RAS.
THE INFLUENCE OF FLIGHT CONFIGURATION, CAMERA CALIBRATION, AND GROUND CONTROL POINTS FOR DIGITAL TERRAIN MODEL AND ORTHOMOSAIC GENERATION USING UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES IMAGERY

Abstract: Technological improvement in sensors and the use of computer vision algorithms made possible the generation of high accuracy mapping products (cm level) using data acquired by low-cost Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). However, the procedure to optimally set the aerial block configuration is not well understood for some users mainly due to the popularization of the UAV and its use by non-specialists. This study aims to contribute to this aspect, investigating and highlighting the influence of flight parameters, camera calibration and number of Ground Control Points (GCP) on generating digital terrain models and orthomosaic. To address this issue, several field experiments and data processing were carried out. The quality was assessed by calculating the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) together with a bias evaluation (t-Student test at 90% confidence level). The results suggest that an optimum block configuration for accurate and unbiased products is achieved by surveying at rates of 80%/60% (forward and sidelap, respectively), with an average Ground Sample Distance (GSD) of around 1 cm at a flight height of 31 m, using a pre-calibrated camera and 5 GCP at least.
Culture and sexual differences in impulsivity among university students

The aim of the present study was to examine Culture and sexual differences in impulsivity among university students using The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). In this study we used two samples, one from Egyptian (N = 450) and one from Saudi Arabian (N = 396) university students, to close this gap and to observe differences between sexes and cultures. Cultural differences were found with on average impulsivity in Saudi Arabia than in Egypt. Sex differences differed not only in magnitude but also in direction. Males showed on average higher impulsivity in Saudi Arabia but females in Egypt. Differences were larger between cultures than between sexes. Indications for further research are discussed.
Global change on the roof of the world: Vulnerability of Himalayan otter species to land use and climate alterations

Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (CCVA) prescribes the quantification of species vulnerability based on three components: sensitivity, adaptive capacity and exposure. Such assessments should be performed through combined approaches that integrate trait‐based elements (e.g., measures of species sensitivity such as niche width) with correlative tools quantifying exposure (magnitude of changes in climate within species habitat). Furthermore, as land use alterations may increase climate impacts on biodiversity, CCVAs should focus on both climate and land use change effects. Unfortunately, most of such assessments have so far focused exclusively on exposure to climate change.