Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Symptoms and Stereotypes: Perceptions and Responses to Covid-19 in Malawi and Zambia

A large literature documents Covid-19’s health and economic effects. We focus instead on its political impact and its potential to exacerbate identity divisions, in particular. Psychologists argue that contagious disease increases threat perceptions and provokes policing of group boundaries. We explore how insider-outsider status and symptoms of illness shape perceptions of infection, reported willingness to help, and desire to restrict free movement of an ailing neighbor using a phone-based survey experiment administered three times in two neighboring African countries during different stages of the pandemic: Malawi, from May 5 to June 2, 2020 (n = 4,641); Zambia, from July 2 to August 13, 2020 (n = 2,198); and Malawi again, from March 9 to May 1, 2021 (n = 4,356). We study identities that are salient in Malawi and Zambia but have not induced significant prior violence, making our study a relatively hard test of disease threat theories. We find that symptoms more strongly shape perceptions and projected behavior than insider-outsider status in both countries and across time, suggesting that there are limits to the ability of pandemics to independently provoke identity politics de novo.
Conventional and Novel Diagnostic Tools for the Diagnosis of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants

Accurate identification at an early stage of infection is critical for effective care of any infectious disease. The “coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)” outbreak, caused by the virus “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)”, corresponds to the current and global pandemic, characterized by several developing variants, many of which are classified as variants of concern (VOCs) by the “World Health Organization (WHO, Geneva, Switzerland)”. The primary diagnosis of infection is made using either the molecular technique of RT-PCR, which detects parts of the viral genome’s RNA, or immunodiagnostic procedures, which identify viral proteins or antibodies generated by the host. As the demand for the RT-PCR test grew fast, several inexperienced producers joined the market with innovative kits, and an increasing number of laboratories joined the diagnostic field, rendering the test results increasingly prone to mistakes. It is difficult to determine how the outcomes of one unnoticed result could influence decisions about patient quarantine and social isolation, particularly when the patients themselves are health care providers. The development of point-of-care testing helps in the rapid in-field diagnosis of the disease, and such testing can also be used as a bedside monitor for mapping the progression of the disease in critical patients. In this review, we have provided the readers with available molecular diagnostic techniques and their pitfalls in detecting emerging VOCs of SARS-CoV-2, and lastly, we have discussed AI-ML- and nanotechnology-based smart diagnostic techniques for SARS-CoV-2 detection.
The past and current distribution of native and non-native fish in the Kowie River catchment, Makhanda, Eastern Cape

Freshwater ecosystems show substantial loss of biodiversity as a result of anthropogenic induced stressors. In this study, we evaluated the distribution of freshwater fishes in the Kowie River catchment using historic fish distribution records supplemented by field survey data. Fishes were collected using a multi-method approach: seine nets, fyke nets and gill nets. Historic fish distribution data showed that 22 freshwater fishes from 11 families historically occurred, while in this study, we recorded a total of 16 freshwater fish species from 9 families. Overall, a decrease in the number of native species was recorded with a total of five species absent and two new non-native species recorded during the current survey. Coptodon rendalli constituted a new record in the Kowie River catchment while Clarias gariepinus was recorded for the first time in the mainstem of the Kowie River. The presence of these two non-native species in the Kowie River catchment may have implications for the conservation and management of the freshwater diversity in the catchment.
The influence of greenfluencer credibility on green purchase behaviour (Influencia de la credibilidad del greenfluencer en el comportamiento de compra de productos verdes)

ABSTRACT The communication of environmental awareness through social media can act as a mechanism for adopting more responsible consumption patterns. Therefore, the aim of this research was to analyse the impact of greenfluencer credibility on attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control, as well as the effect these have on purchase intentions and of the latter on green purchase behaviours. Quantitative, non-experimental, explanatory, cross-sectional research was conducted on 201 Mexican subjects between the ages of 15 and 60, all followers of environmental influencers on Facebook. The results shows that the credibility of greenfluencers had a positive effect on attitude, subjective norms and behavioural control. In addition, both attitude and perceived behavioural control positively impacted purchase intentions, although subjective norms did not. Finally, purchase intentions had a significant effect on the actual purchase of green products. Further exploration would be useful on the role of greenfluencers in the adoption of sustainable lifestyles.
Low to Zero Concentrations of Airborne Bacterial Pathogens and Indicator E. coli in Proximity to Beef Cattle Feedlots in Imperial Valley, California

This study characterized the effect of distance from beef cattle feedlots, environmental factors, and climate on the occurrence of airborne bacterial indicators and pathogens. Three hundred air samples were collected over 6 months from five feedlots, with each air sample comprising 6000 L of air. Air samples were processed onto TSB-enriched air filters, qPCR-screened, and then qPCR-confirmed for suspect positive colonies of E. coli O157, non-O157-Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), Salmonella, and E. coli. Direct enumeration of E. coli was also collected. Although no bacterial pathogens were qPCR-confirmed for the 300 samples, E. coli was detected in 16.7% (50/300) of samples, with an overall mean concentration of 0.17 CFU/6000 L air. Logistic regression analyses revealed a higher odds of E. coli for samples in close proximity compared to >610 m (2000 ft) distance from feedlots, along with significant associations with meteorological factors, sampling hour of day, and the presence of a dust-generating activity such as plowing a field or nearby vehicular traffic. The lack of bacterial pathogen detection suggests airborne deposition from nearby feedlots may not be a significant mechanism of leafy green bacterial pathogen contamination; the result of our study provides data to inform future revisions of produce-safety guidance.
Combined Degradation and Soiling With Validation Against Independent Soiling Station Measurements

Operation and maintenance (O&M) is needed to limit losses caused by soiling and degradation in PV power plants, but accurate estimates of both mechanisms are necessary to inform decisions made by the O&M team. In the present work, we propose a novel performance metric, <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\boldsymbol{CP}}{{\boldsymbol{R}}}_{{\boldsymbol{soiling}}}$</tex-math></inline-formula>, that can be used as input to algorithms that estimate soiling and degradation, e.g., combined degradation and soiling (CODS), stochastic rate and recovery (SRR), and the year-on-year (YOY) method, from performance time series data. We show that the proposed metric is robust even for locations with much cloud-cover where a clear-sky filter would remove too much of the data for the CODS algorithm to be effective. <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\boldsymbol{CP}}{{\boldsymbol{R}}}_{{\boldsymbol{soiling}}}$</tex-math></inline-formula> values have been calculated with daily resolution using 3-years of data acquired from a 150+ MWp utility-scale solar power plant located in a semiarid landscape with a tropical wet and dry climate (“<italic>As</italic>” in the Köppen–Geiger climate classification system). Estimates of the daily soiling ratio obtained from the SRR and CODS algorithms have been compared with independent measurements carried out with 12 soiling stations and the results are in very good agreement. The average soiling rate for the soiling stations is <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$ - 0.07$</tex-math></inline-formula>%/day, and the corresponding estimate is <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$ - 0.09$</tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$ - 0.11$</tex-math></inline-formula>%/day with the SRR and CODS algorithms, respectively. With CODS, the distribution of degradation rates is centered at <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$ - 0.12$</tex-math></inline-formula>%/year, is less dispersed, and has fewer values outside the range reported in the literature for the “<italic>As</italic>” climate in comparison with the other state-of-the-art algorithms.
Three-Step Latent Class Analysis with Inverse Propensity Weighting in the Presence of Differential Item Functioning

Abstract The integration of causal inference techniques such as inverse propensity weighting (IPW) with latent class analysis (LCA) allows for estimating the effect of a treatment on class membership even with observational data. In this article, we present an extension of the bias-adjusted three-step LCA with IPW, which allows accounting for differential item function (DIF) caused by the treatment or exposure variable. Following the approach by Vermunt and Magidson, we propose including treatment with its direct effect on the class indicators in the step-one model. In the step-three model we include the IPW and account for the fact that the classification errors differ across treatment groups. DIF caused by the confounders used to create the propensity scores turns out to be less problematic. Our newly proposed approach is illustrated using a synthetic and a real-life data example and is implemented in the program Latent GOLD.
Distribution of Multidrug-Resistant Invasive Serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae during the Period 2007–2021 in Madrid, Spain

After the systematic use of conjugate vaccines, the invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) was included into the Madrid Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System through an Epidemiological Surveillance Network. Furthermore, Streptococcus pneumoniae was included in the Spanish Plan of Antibiotic Resistance. The aim of this study was to analyse the multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotype distribution among invasive strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated during 2007–2021 from usually sterile clinical samples in Madrid, Spain. A total number of 7133 invasive pneumococcal isolates were studied during the period from February 2007 to December 2021. Serotyping was characterised using the Pneumotest-Latex and by the Quellung reaction. Antibiotic susceptibility testing to penicillin (PEN), erythromycin (ERY), and levofloxacin (LVX) was performed using the E-test according to the EUCAST guidelines and breakpoints. Combination of non-susceptibility to PEN at standard dosing regimen (PNSSDR), resistance to ERY (ERYR) and to LVX (LVXR) was considered to be multidrug-resistant at standard dosing regimen of penicillin (MRPSDR), whereas the combination of resistance to PEN (PENR), ERYR, and LVXR was considered multidrug-resistant (MDR). The number of MDRPSDR and or MDR strains in the entire population (n = 7133) during the complete period (2007–2021) were 51 (0.7%) and 6 (0.1%), respectively. All MDRPSDR and/or MDR strains belonged to nine serotypes: 19A (n = 13), 15A (n = 12), 9V (n = 12), 14 (n = 7), 24F (n = 3), 15F (n = 1), 19F (n = 1), 6B (n = 1) and 6C (n = 1). Only two serotypes (9V and 19A) were found among MDR strains, and most of them (5/6) belonged to serotype 9V. Only 12.4% of the strains typified as serotype 9V were MDRPSDR and only 5.2% as MDR. The levels of pneumococcal MDRPSDR and/or MDR in this study were low and all six MDR strains were isolated between 2014 and 2018. These results reinforce the importance of monitoring the evolution of non-susceptible serotypes including those with MDR in the coming years, especially after the introduction of new conjugate vaccines of a broader spectrum.
Experimental Supersonic Hydrogen Combustion Employing Staged Injection Behind a Rearward-Facing Step

An experimental investigation of a Mach 2 combustor has been conducted in order to characterize flow properties in a supersonic reacting flowfield. Hydrogen was injected transversely as staged, underexpanded jets behind a rearward-facing step into a ducted Mach 2 air freestream. The effects of the chemical reaction on the supersonic flowfield was investigated using shadowgraphs, broadband flame emission photography, and planar laser-induced fluorescence of OH. The shadowgraphs indicated that the wave pattern in the combustor along with flowfield unsteadiness was strongly affected by the heat release. The broadband flame emission photographs revealed large regions of no combustion in the vicinity of the fuel injectors where fuel/air mixing was insufficient to support combustion. These regions decreased in size as the freestream stagnation temperature was decreased for fixed hydrogen mass flow rate, consistent with an increase in the effective g-ratio with combustion. The size of the zones containing OH in the planar fluorescence images also increased as the main flow stagnation temperature was decreased. Reaction zones were found in the planar fluorescence images away from regions containing inject ant in a nonreacting study of the same geometry, indicating that the pressure rise associated with the reaction forced a large redistribution of the fuel.
An analysis of interviewer effects on screening questions in a computer assisted personal mental health interview

This article is concerned with the explanation of unexpectedly low prevalence rates in the course of an epidemiological mental health survey. It is assumed that the probability of the endorsement of important screening questions is at least partially responsible for this, since it decreases in the course of the work of the interviewer. First the decrease in the probability of the screening variable is demonstrated by means of a conditional fixed within model, and then the probability of the screening variable is analysed by a mixture logistic regression within latent classes. Twomodels with 4 and 5 classes are estimated and compared with respect to the difference in interviewer behaviour. It is shown that only a small segment of the set of interviewers is responsible for the effect of the sequence of interviews on the probability of the screening variable and that the experience with the CAPI system is moderately associated with the latent classes. By means of this model, those interviewers could be identified who are responsible for the artefact under study.
Powerful Automodulation Oscillations in a Gyrotron With a Complicated Cavity

In this article, the possibility of obtaining an automodulation output signal in a powerful (megawatt-level) gyrotron is investigated. Self-modulation of the output power can be provided in a highly efficient (tens of percent) gyrotron-type regime using complicated operating cavities with special axial irregularities (phase correctors).
Hydrogen induced tunnel emission in Pt/(BaxSr1−x)Ti1+yO3+z/Pt thin film capacitors

The leakage current density–applied field (J−EA) characteristics of (BaxSr1−x)Ti1+yO3+z (BSTO) thin film capacitors with Pt electrodes that have been annealed in forming gas (95% Ar 5% H2 or D2) were investigated over the temperature range from −60 to +60 °C. Forming gas annealing significantly increased the leakage current density. The J–EA characteristics exhibited features that could not be fully explained by either a simple thermionic emission or tunneling (Fowler–Nordeim) formalism. Using the general charge transport theory of Murphy and Good, we show that the J–EA characteristics can be successfully interpreted in terms of tunneling of electrons through the interfacial Schottky barrier with the peak in energy distribution of the incident carriers strongly dependent on applied field. At high applied fields the energy distribution of incident carriers is peaked near the Fermi level in the electron injecting metal electrode at all temperatures considered in this study, leading to almost temperature ind.
Ram Semen Cryopreservation for Portuguese Native Breeds: Season and Breed Effects on Semen Quality Variation

Simple Summary This study mainly aimed to evaluate the seasonal and breed effects on spermatozoa (SPZ) traits of ten Portuguese sheep breeds, cryopreserved and stored in the Portuguese National Germplasm Bank. The mean volume and SPZ concentration of the ejaculate was 0.77 mL and 5039 ± 51 × 106/mL, respectively, and were affected by breed but not by season. The viability (alive SPZ), individual motility, and abnormal morphology of fresh semen were 63.2 ± 0.2%, 61.41 ± 0.2%, and 10.1 ± 0.1%, respectively. A significant decrease of 28.5% of the viability and 35.5% of individual motility, as well as an increase of 54.5% in the SPZ abnormal morphology was observed in thawed semen. An effect of breed, but not of season, was observed on these SPZ traits. Nonetheless, breed × season interactions influenced individual motility and abnormal morphology, except for tail defects. Overall, the effect of season on ejaculate and SPZ traits was not significant and local rams are able to be SPZ donors for cryopreservation during the whole year in our latitudes. Abstract The semen quality is one of the determinant factors of ram semen cryopreservation. The present retrospective study aimed to characterize the seasonal ram pattern during the year for ten Portuguese local sheep breeds, hypothesizing that the breed and season had low effects on the main spermatozoa traits. A total of 1471 ejaculates were used and evaluated (fresh semen) from 85 rams between 2004 and 2020 and re-evaluated after thawing (thawed semen). The effect of breed, season, and sperm cryopreservation on nine semen traits were evaluated. The volume per ejaculate, spermatozoa (SPZ) concentration, and total number of SPZ per ejaculate, were affected by breed (p < 0.001) but not by season (p > 0.05). As expected, the semen processing was the most significant (p < 0.001) factor of variation on seminal parameters. Moreover, breed and interactions between breed × semen processing, modulated the response of alive SPZ, abnormal morphology, head, and intermediate piece defects. In fresh semen, season only affected the intermediate piece defects due to the highest percentage observed between February and April period in some breeds. Overall, and despite the mentioned particularities, there were similarities among the ten local breeds. We also concluded that the seasonal effect on ejaculate and SPZ traits is not significant in our region. These local ram breeds have low seasonality and can be employed in natural mating as well as semen donors for cryopreservation and assisted reproductive biotechnologies during the whole year at our latitude.
Coiling of viscous jets

A stream of viscous fluid falling from a sufficient height onto a surface forms a series of regular coils. I use a numerical model for a deformable fluid thread to predict the coiling frequency as a function of the thread's radius, the flow rate, the fall height, and the fluid viscosity. Three distinct modes of coiling can occur: viscous (e.g. toothpaste), gravitational (honey falling from a moderate height) and inertial (honey falling from a great height). When inertia is significant, three states of steady coiling with different frequencies can exist over a range of fall heights. The numerically predicted coiling frequencies agree well with experimental measurements in the inertial coiling regime.
On an Asymptotically Consistent Unsteady Interacting Boundary Layer

AbstractThis paper develops the asymptotic matching of an unsteady compressible boundarylayer to an inviscid ⁄ow. Of particular importance is the velocity injection or transpirationboundary condition derived by this theory. It is found that in general the transpiration willcontain a slope of the displacement thickness and a time derivative of a density integral.The conditions under which the second term may be neglected, and its consistency withthe established results of interacting boundary layer are discussed. Introduction A variety of viscous/inviscid interaction schemes have been developed for a steady or un-steady boundary layer coupled with steady or unsteady inviscid ⁄ow. For various reasons (e.g.expediency, robustness, e¢ ciency), engineering codes have frequently combined unsteady invis-cid and steady boundary layer ⁄ow solvers. In such cases the coupling typically is treated asquasi-steady. The attempt will be made here to show that under the correct circumstancesthis approach is approximately valid. The larger question is the proper way to derive the invis-cid velocity boundary condition imposed by an unsteady boundary layer. Heuristic treatmentsappeal to the similarity between the displacement thickness slope derived from boundary layertheory and the surface slope derived from thin airfoil theory. Based on this similarity, a timederivative of the displacement thickness is sometimes added to the viscous/inviscid coupling.This formulation has shown up from time to time, as for example a viscous-inviscid interactionmodel for cascades, [1] or as a recent publication apparently illustrates. [2] In contrast to thisapproach, the attempt will be made here to show that the method of matched asymptotic ex-pansions applied to an unsteady interacting boundary layer (IBL) yields only a time derivativedue to the density variation through the boundary layer. This result was –rst presented byLeBalleur, [3] and later by Bartels [4] [5] [6], and Epureanu [7]. The paper will derive the transpiration boundary condition for an unsteady compressiblelaminar boundary layer. The same form will be shown to apply to an unsteady turbulentboundary layer. The transpiration boundary condition will be derived for a surface with timeandspatiallyvaryingheight usingthe Prandtl transposition. Reducedforms of the transpirationcondition will be shown in the limits of incompressibility and steady state, which are then shownto merge with other well known interacting boundary layer results. Finally, its relation to theIBL theory of boundary layer separation and other IBL methods will be discussed.1
Further studies of propellant sloshing under low-gravity conditions

ABSTRACTA variational integral is formulated from Hamilton's principle and is proved to be equivalent to theusual differential equations of low-gravity sloshing in ellipsoidal tanks. It is shown that for a zero-degreecontact angle the contact line boundary condition corresponds to the "stuck" condition, a result that is dueto the linearization of the equations and the ambiguity in the definition of the wave height at the wall.The variational integral is solved by a Rayleigh-Ritz technique. Results for slosh frequency when thefree surface is not "bent-over" compare well with previous numerical solutions. When the free surface is"bent over," however, the results for slosh frequency are considerably larger than those predicted byprevious finite-difference, numerical approaches; the difference may be caused by the use of a zero degreecontact angle in the present theory in contrast to the nonzero contact angle used in the numericalapproaches.iii