Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lignin and Cellulose Contents in Chinese Red Pine (Pinus tabuliformis Carr.) Plantations Varied in Stand Structure, Soil Property, and Regional Climate

The reserve of litter is expected to be reduced on the forest floors of pine plantations dually for the prevention of high risks of forest fires and with a more practical probability of reuse. Lignin and cellulose are the two key constitutive components in litter residues that account for the highest proportion of carbon but are the last to be fully decomposed. The existing trials started examining the mechanisms behind decomposing these two components in response to the combined driving forces of microclimatic factors, forest structure, and stand properties. However, the results were mostly limited to a local-scale ecosystem, and the evidence was reported to be highly scattered across varied conditions globally. Awareness about the combined effects of the driving forces behind the lignin and cellulose contents in the litter of plantations on a large scale is still scarce. In this study, a total of 60 Pinus tabuliformis Carr. plantations (40-year-old) were investigated for their litter quality, regional meteorological factors, soil properties, and stand structure in a provincial area across Liaoning, northeast China. High lignin (40%–43%) and cellulose contents (15%–20%) were found to be located mainly in stands around the biggest city of Shenyang. Rainfall was a key factor that determined the decomposition, but neither the forest structure nor soil nutrient content generated direct effects on the two litter components. The combined factors of low soil pH (~5.8) and high rainfall (~3.0 mm per day) together mainly accounted for the promotion of natural litter decomposition.
Spatio-temporal composition of aquatic birds community in Juluapan Lagoon, Colima, Mexican Central Pacific

Introduction: Aquatic birds (AB) are usually associated with wetlands, which provide refuge, food, and/or nesting sites for resident and migratory species. Despite their ecological importance, there is little knowledge on AB in some tropical environments, such as those found on the Colima coast. Objective: To investigate the spatial and temporal composition of the AB community in Juluapan Lagoon, Colima, Central Mexican Pacific. Methods: Monthly counts were conducted between June 2017 and May 2018 during low-tide conditions to record habitat use by AB. Species richness and bird counts were obtained to compare sampling areas; mean richness and number of individuals were compared between seasons. Results: We detected 53 species and 5 750 individuals. The highest species richness and relative abundance values were obtained in winter at the lagoon area farthest from the connection with the marine system, where anthropogenic activity is lower. Diversity was greater in zones 2 and 3 in spring, summer, and fall. Muddy flats were the most used environment, and the most frequent activity was resting. Nesting activity was only recorded in the middle of the lagoon at the mangrove during spring. Shorebirds and waders were the most dominant groups in the bird community of the Juluapan lagoon. Conclusions: This coastal wetland is a site of great biological importance for aquatic birds; thus, conservation measures should be implemented, and there should be a continuous study of the effects of anthropogenic pressure.
Assessing psychological variables on mobile devices: an introduction to the experience sampling app ESM-Quest

The use of the Experience Sampling Method (ESM), which involves repeated assessments in people’s daily lives, has increased in popularity in psychology and associated disciplines in recent years. A rather challenging aspect of ESM is its technical implementation. In this paper, after briefly introducing the history of ESM and the main reasons for its current popularity, we outline the ESM-Quest experience sampling app which is currently being developed at the University of Vienna. ESM-Quest runs on different operating systems, specifically on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets running either iOS or Android. An internet connection is not necessary during the assessment. Compared to most other ESM apps, ESM-Quest allows event-based random sampling, which is very helpful when assessments need to be collected within specific situations. Currently, ESM-Quest is being utilized at the University of Vienna and will be made available for research groups worldwide upon request. We introduce the technical aspects of ESM-Quest and provide examples of analyses on ESM data collected through this app, such as examining fluctuations in constructs within individuals. Finally, we outline potential next steps in ESM research.
Enzymatic and synthetic regulation of polypeptide folding

Proper folding is essential for the biological functions of all proteins. The folding process is intrinsically error-prone, and the misfolding of a polypeptide chain can cause the formation of toxic aggregates related to pathological outcomes such as neurodegenerative disease and diabetes. Chaperones and some enzymes are involved in the cellular proteostasis systems that assist polypeptide folding to diminish the risk of aggregation. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of chaperones and related enzymes is important for understanding proteostasis systems and protein misfolding- and aggregation-related pathophysiology. Furthermore, mechanistic studies of chaperones and related enzymes provide important clues to designing chemical mimics, or chemical chaperones, that are potentially useful for recovering proteostasis activities as therapeutic approaches for treating and preventing protein misfolding-related diseases. In this Perspective, we provide a comprehensive overview of the latest understanding of the folding-promotion mechanisms by chaperones and oxidoreductases and recent progress in the development of chemical mimics that possess activities comparable to enzymes, followed by a discussion of future directions.
Spatial Variations in PAHs and Nitro-PAHs Bound to Total Suspended Solids in Urban Locations in Taiwan

The concentration of 16 PAHs and 13 nitro-PAHs bound to total suspended particles were evaluated in outdoor environments in three cluster study locations in the western side of Taiwan. Samples were collected based on U.S. EPA, Method 23A, 1996 with XAD-2, GF7. Analysis was performed using a gas chromatograph tandem mass spectrometer (GC-MS/MS) Agilent 7890A GC, USA, equipped with a ZB-EPA-EU 30 m × 0.25 mm × 0.20 µ m, column (Agilent, J&W, USA), coupled to Waters Xevo TQ-S (Waters, UK). The concentrations of PAHs and nitro-PAHs bound to TSP increased southward, whereby the mean ∑ TSP-bound PAHs were 723.2 pg m –3 , 1633 pg m –3 and 1810 pg m –3 , while ∑ TSP-bound nitro-PAHs were 50 pg m –3 , 107 pg m –3 , and 209 pg m –3 , for the study area A in Tainan, B in north Kaohsiung, and C, in south Kaohsiung, respectively. Diagnostic ratios indicate the dominance of combustion processes, especially from diesel engines, in the emission of PAHs and nitro-PAHs compared to petrogenic emissions. The improved understanding gained from this investigation provides a valuable springboard for probing the role of PAHs and nitro-PAHs in diseases of unclear etiology in urban areas.
Formation evaluation: correlation between clay volume and porosity based on well logging data

Formation evaluation that includes porosity, clay volume and water saturation estimation is very important stage in prospecting for reservoir characterization and hydrocarbon reserve. The logging data studied comprises of gamma ray, electric (spontaneous potential, micro spherical focused, laterolog deep and shallow, formation density and compensated neutron log. The gamma ray log is used to determine lithology, reservoir and non reservoir rocks, facies and depositional environment. Electric logs analyze fluid rock type such as hydrocarbon or formation water. Porosity is calculated by both density and neutron log. The research has been carried out by qualitative and quantitative analysis based on schlumberger method. Porosity is obtained from density log and then corrected by clay volume and hydrocarbon fluid content. Water saturation is calculated based on the true resistivity (Rt), clay volume (Vsh) and corrected porosity (i¦c) parameters. As a result, the hydrocarbon is trapped in ten porous zones that have the reservoir thickness vary between 10- 140 feet. The highest hydrocarbon saturation occurred in the reservoir-8 that is 71% with water saturation 29%, formation temperature 163.49 deg F, clay volume 19 %, and porosity 25.4%. Oil water contact (OWC) encountered at the 2358 feet depth and underneath this OWC form the depletion zone. The correlation between clay volume and porosity showed that the increasing of clay volume result in decreasing porosity. The water saturation is strongly influenced by the value of resistivity log, increasing of resistivity will results in decreasing water saturation.
Salvage Radiotherapy for Relapsed Prostate Cancer after Radical Prostatectomy Is Associated with Normal Life Expectancy

Simple Summary Radiotherapy is a treatment option for prostate cancer patients who have increasing prostate-specific antigen values after prostatectomy. However, this treatment has never been compared directly in a single study with the course of untreated relapsed prostate cancer. We analyzed the course of prostate-specific antigen values before and after radiotherapy by calculating prostate-specific antigen doubling times. Prolongation of these values after radiotherapy indicated slower progression with this treatment. The survival analysis also suggests the advantages of salvage radiotherapy. In our analysis, when comparing our cohort with an age-matched cohort from life tables, it was observed that patients had a normal life expectancy after radiotherapy for recurrent prostate cancer following prostatectomy. Abstract In patients with prostate cancer (PCa), salvage radiotherapy (SRT) for biochemical progression (BP) after radical prostatectomy (RP) improves PCa-specific survival. However, no prospective randomized trials have compared the effect of SRT with untreated patients. In this analysis of 151 patients who received SRT for post-RP BP, we compared their overall survival (OS) with virtual, age-matched controls (n = 151,000) retrieved from government life tables. We also investigated the risk factors associated with BP and OS and compared the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) doubling times (DTs) before and after SRT for patients with BP. The median follow-up was 9.3 years for BP and 17.4 years for OS. The risk factors significantly affecting BP were Gleason score (p < 0.001), pre-SRT PSA (p = 0.003), and negative surgical margins (p = 0.003). None of these risk factors were associated with OS. In 93 patients with BP after SRT, the median PSADT was significantly prolonged compared with pre-SRT values (3.7 vs. 8.3 months, p < 0.001). The OS did not differ between patients and controls (p = 0.112), and life expectancy was similar, likely due to the survival benefit of SRT. The prolonged PSADT after SRT further supports the beneficial role of SRT in this patient population. However, subsequent treatments were not systematically recorded, which may have affected the results.
Effectiveness of My Alazka Application Learning Media in Improving Student’ Chemistry Learning Outcomes

Objective: This research aims to determine, analyze, and identify the effectiveness of the My Alazka Application learning media on the chemistry learning outcomes of 10th grade pupils. Method: This study used a quantitative method for experimental research. The subject of this study was a 28 Student in 10th grade, in accordance to the pretest-posttest design with a single group. This research uses instruments such as questionnaires that are used once before the investigation, known as the pre-test, and once after the experiment, known as the post-test. Result: Based on the Descriptive N-Gain Score data output, The data indicates the mean N-Gain score among students in 10th grade is 63.3074 or 0.63 which is included in the "moderate". The use of My Alazka can significantly enhance the effectiveness of the learning process in communicating messages and lesson content, also learning outcomes of chemistry subjects for student in 10th grade. Novelty: My Alazka application can be an alternative solution for educators and students during the implementation of the learning processes to improve chemistry learning outcomes for 10th grade student.
Monitoring of food handlers and their influence on the preparation of ready-to-eat foods

Introduction: Transmission of foodborne pathogens is related to inadequate sanitary conditions, which are derived from either the food preparation process or the person who prepares it. Food handlers are essential to preserve food innocuousness and protect consumer’s health. Objective: To evaluate demographic characteristics, hygiene practices, knowledge, work conditions and the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in food handlers at public school restaurants in Antioquia, Colombia. Materials and methods: The study evaluated 104 food handlers in a municipality in Antioquia. Demographic data and stool samples were collected to identify intestinal parasites, Salmonella spp. , and Staphylococcus aureus. Results: The presence of intestinal parasites (e.g. Entamoeba Complex and Trichuris trichiura) was identified in 61% of female participants. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 49% of food handlers. Conclusion: Infection of food handler was confirmed, making them potential sources of food contamination. They are committed to their work and have the knowledge to preserve basic hygiene conditions. It is highlighted their importance and influence in adequate hygienic practices to minimize the risks of transmission, as well as the need for medical treatment and regular checkups of food handlers to counteract the risk to consumers.
An Anisotropic Damage-Plasticity Constitutive Model of Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Polymers

Accurate structural analyses of continuous fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) are imperative for diverse engineering applications, demanding efficient material constitutive models. Nonetheless, the constitutive modeling of FRPs is complicated by the nonlinear behavior resulting from internal damages and the inherent plasticity. Consequently, this study presents an innovative anisotropic constitutive model for FRPs, designed to adeptly capture both the damage evolution and plasticity. All requisite parameters can be easily obtained through fundamental mechanical tests, rendering the model practical and user-friendly. The model utilizes the three-dimensional Puck criteria to determine damages, initiating the evolution process through a combination of continuum damage mechanics and linear stiffness attenuation methods. This evolution is coupled with a one-parameter plastic model. Subsequently, the numerical implementation method, integrated into ANSYS, is detailed. This emphasizes the Cauchy stress and consistent tangent stiffness solution strategy. Finally, the effectiveness of the developed model is demonstrated through comprehensive verification, encompassing existing biaxial tension and open-hole-tension tests conducted on carbon and glass FRP laminates. The simulation results exhibit a remarkable correspondence with the experimental data, validating the reliability and accuracy of the proposed model.
Predicting colorectal cancer risk: a novel approach using anemia and blood test markers

Background and objectives Colorectal cancer remains an important public health problem in the context of the COVID-19 (Corona virus disease 2019) pandemic. The decline in detection rates and delayed diagnosis of the disease necessitate the exploration of novel approaches to identify individuals with a heightened risk of developing colorectal cancer. The study aids clinicians in the rational allocation and utilization of healthcare resources, thereby benefiting patients, physicians, and the healthcare system. Methods The present study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of colorectal cancer cases diagnosed at the Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University from September 2022 to September 2023, along with a control group. The study employed univariate and multivariate logistic regression as well as LASSO (Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) regression to screen for predictors of colorectal cancer risk. The optimal predictors were selected based on the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. These predictors were then utilized in constructing a Nomogram Model for predicting colorectal cancer risk. The accuracy of the risk prediction Nomogram Model was assessed through calibration curves, ROC curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) curves. Results Clinical data of 719 patients (302 in the case group and 417 in the control group) were included in this study. Based on univariate logistic regression analysis, there is a correlation between Body Mass Index (BMI), red blood cell count (RBC), anemia, Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), platelet count (PLT), Red Cell Distribution Width-Standard Deviation (RDW-SD), and the incidence of colorectal cancer. Based on the findings of multivariate logistic regression analysis, the variables of BMI and RBC exhibit a decrease, while anemia and PLT demonstrate an increase, all of which are identified as risk factors for the occurrence of colorectal cancer. LASSO regression selected BMI, RBC, anemia, and PLT as prediction factors. LASSO regression and multivariate logistic regression analysis yielded the same results. A nomogram was constructed based on the 4 prediction factors identified by LASSO regression analysis to predict the risk of colorectal cancer. The AUC of the nomogram was 0.751 (95% CI, OR: 0.708-0.793). The calibration curves in the validation and training sets showed good performance, indicating that the constructed nomogram model has good predictive ability. Additionally, the DCA demonstrated that the nomogram model has diagnostic accuracy. Conclusion The Nomogram Model offers precise prognostications regarding the likelihood of Colorectal Cancer in patients, thereby helping healthcare professionals in their decision-making processes and promoting the rational categorization of patients as well as the allocation of medical resources.
Foreshock statistics and their possible relationship to earthquake prediction in the Italian region

This study focuses on the foreshocks of earthquake sequences recorded by the Italian national seismological network between 1975 and 1991. We consider as foreshocks events exceeding a given threshold magnitude that follow a period of quiescence and come before a mainshock occurring within a given time-distance range. The total number of potential foreshocks identified by the algorithm depends on the size and the duration of the predefined quiescence area, whereas the number of mainshocks preceded by foreshocks depends also on the size of the area in which the event is expected and the duration of the alarm period. Our aim was to optimize the choice of the parameters defining potential foreshocks as precursors of stronger earthquakes, in order to improve their validity and reliability. A preliminary investigation carried over the whole Italian territory allowed the definition of zones where foreshocks-mainshocks series are likely to occur. One of these zones is an area of about 32,000 km2 in Central Italy including a total of 2671 events of M ≧ 2.5, where there is a significant tendency of moderate shocks to be followed at short distance and in short time by larger shocks. Our method would lead to issuing 63 alarms with the optimal definition of foreshocks as events of magnitude exceeding 3.0 after at least 80 days of quiescence in an area of 140 km radius. The rate of occurrence for mainshocks of magnitude exceeding 4.0 during the following 48 hours, in the specified area of 30 km radius, is 6 of 23 events. The corresponding probability gain is about 150. For comparison, another larger zone (Po Valley) with 453 events of M ≧ 2.5 exhibits only a rate of 1 of 82 precursors. In this area most events are single shocks. Our analysis shows that the foreshock activity can be regarded as a significant earthquake precursor, so suggesting that real time observation of seismicity can be used to improve the quality of an earthquake prediction system.
The Role Of Organizational Commitment In Mediating The Effect Of Employee Well-Being And Workload On Employee Performance: A Case Study Of ABC Company In Medan, Indonesia

Over the last 5 years, ABC company in Medan has been experiencing a financial issue that led to several other problems such as the absence of employee performance appraisal, salary and compensation cuts which also have an impact on employee well-being, as well as the implementation of an early retirement program which has caused a number of employees to take part in the program thus impacting on high workload and decreased employee organizational commitment. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate and elucidate the effect of employee well-being and workload on employee performance through organizational commitment as a mediating variable at ABC Company Medan. Descriptive Quantitative was employed as a research design with Causal Associative as the methodological approach. The present study used both primary and secondary data that were obtained through a list of questionnaire statements and interviews as well as documentation studies. 58 employees of ABC Company Medan were the sample in this study which was selected using the Total Sampling technique or a saturated sampling out of 58 populations. The data analysis techniques using descriptive statistical analysis and path analysis, using Smart PLS. Based on the results, it was figured out that, directly, employee well-being has a positive and significant effect on both organizational commitment and employee performance. Organizational commitment has a positive and significant effect on employee performance. However, workload has a negative and significant effect on both organizational commitment and employee performance. Based on the Sobel Test, indirectly, employee well-being has a positive and significant effect on employee performance and workload has a negative and significant effect through organizational commitment as a mediating variable on employee performance.