Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Use of Geodetic Leveling For Crustal Motion and Deformation Studies: A 30-Year Case Study in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

This paper examines the stability of some benchmarks on the main campus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and reports the deformation studies of the area around the University dam. This dam serves as the main storage reservoir for the water supply to the University and surrounding communities. In order to study the deformation around the University dam and the stability of benchmarks, several surveys were carried out between 1976 and 2006. Within the period under review, it was revealed that the maximum downward displacement (settlement) of 96.44mm was recorded between 1976 and 2006 for a monitoring station (CP4) situated centrally along the embankment of the dam. The maximum upward displacement (uplift) of 8.03mm was recorded between 1976 and 2002 at a ground point (CP12) located in a roundabout in front of Faculty of Medicine of the University. The monitoring Station CP4 had the greatest average absolute displacement of 3.22mm per annum over the period of thirty years. Detailed results and analysis will be discussed in this paper. The Information Manager Vol. 7 (2) 2007: pp. 28-39
Dispersion control of orbital angular momentum mode using a ring core with graded-index profile

We propose an orbital angular momentum (OAM) photonic crystal fiber (PCF) that can control the dispersion of OAM mode by using a ring-core to which a graded-index profile is applied. Using the full-vectorial finite element method (FEM), the properties of the proposed OAM PCF were analyzed. We found that when the thickness of the ring-core to which the graded-index profile was applied is reduced, the dispersions of the modes guided to the core decrease overall.
EFFECT OF STRAND BLANKETING ON PERFORMANCE OF PRETENSIONED GIRDERS

BLANKETING BY PLASTIC TUBING IS USED TO PREVENT BOND BETWEEN STRAND AND CONCRETE NEAR THE ENDS OF PRETENSIONED PRESTRESSED GIRDERS. TESTS OF FIVE 34-FT. T-BEAMS INDICATED THAT THE BONDED EMBEDMENT LENGTH REQUIRED BY SECTION 2611 OF THE 1963 ACI BUILDING CODE IS INADEQUATE FOR BLANKETED STRAND. TWICE THIS ANCHORAGE LENGTH IS NEEDED TO DEVELOP THE ULTIMATE FLEXURAL AND SHEAR STRENGTH OF GIRDERS WHEN BLANKETING IS USED. /AUTHOR/
Finding "retro" places in Japan: crowd-sourced urban ambience estimation

Understanding the ambience of an area is essential for making various geographical decisions. This kind of ambience (e.g., "beautiful," "quiet," "happy," "retro," etc.) is due to not only physical features, such as scenery and functionality, but also subjective information based on people's perceptions and experiences. Although scholars in various fields have attempted to quantitatively measure subjective human experiences, the amount of location-based subjective data varies depending on the area. Thus, we have proposed a method to quantify individuals' perceptions of urban ambiences, as well as a means to anticipate these perceptions from landscape images. In this study, we have focused on the "retro" ambience of old Japanese cities. First, we used crowdsourcing to assign ambience scores to the cities of Nara and Kyoto, the ancient capitals of Japan, based on the level of perception of retro people in the landscape images. Further, we trained a deep learning model to estimate the ambience score of unknown landscape images using previously labelled data. Finally, we discussed the utility of our method for routing applications and exploring its generalizability across different cities.
Progress in English Language Teaching Through Continuous Professional Development—Teachers’ Self-Awareness, Perception, and Feedback

This research aimed to investigate the various aspects of EFL teachers’ professional development through Continuous Professional Development (CPD). Hence a study involving 83 EFL teachers from different socio-economic, multi-cultural, educational, and disciplinary backgrounds was conducted to ascertain their attitudes, perceptions, and feedback on CPD. The sample population was random, and the data collection was through a questionnaire. The results showed that teachers take charge of their CPD, but for better outcomes, they need professional development through shared experience, reflective teaching, and have a sense of community among them to stay at par with the global standards of the education system. Through this research, the concept of CPD and its significance in teaching English are made available. This study also proposes higher achievement in education through teacher professional development programs. Moreover, the analysis demonstrated that teachers are confident in what they do because of their positive belief in their own CPD. From the results, it was clear that every EFL teacher should take charge of their professional development to become better teachers and help students achieve their goals.
An Empirical Model for Assessing the Impact of Air Quality on Urban Residents’ Loyalty to Place of Residence

There has been a growing interest in the impact of environmental awareness on ‘green’ or ‘environmentally friendly’ consumption patterns, and this has been the subject of much research by environmental psychologists. However, the effect of environmental awareness on residents and their attachment to their homes and their environment has received little attention and is worthy of closer examination. Outdoor air quality can be considered one of the most critical environmental factors impacting the value of a residential location. This research investigates how air pollution-related environmental factors influence residents’ attachment to the place of residence and their willingness to move. It defines the structural relationship between air pollution awareness parameters, which are later employed in the proposed structural equation model (SEM), to explain ‘district loyalty’. A survey was carried out in Almaty, Kazakhstan, one of the most populated and polluted cities in Central Asia. A total of 550 respondents responded. Based on the overall model’s test results, the factors relating to district loyalty explained the 17.5% variation in the samples, which suggests that the perception of residents to their district air quality has a low-level impact on loyalty to their place of residence. The power of perceived environmental risks appears to have little relation to district loyalty. The most influential factor on the model is environmental behaviour parameter, which is about adopting attitudes and behaviours aimed at minimizing negative impacts on the environment. When the perceived environmental risk increased, their place attachment levels only slightly decreased. However, the obtained results do not confirm that district loyalty significantly correlates with their readiness/unreadiness to move to another residence in order to enjoy improved air quality. To sum up, environmental awareness of local air quality seems not to directly affect residents’ attachment to place. Nevertheless, indirect effects can be presented in research relating to urban residents’ place attachment. Research, policy and sectoral implications of the findings are addressed and discussed in detail.
New Phylogenetic Markov Models for Inapplicable Morphological Characters

This paper proposes new Markov models for phylogenetic inference with anatomically dependent (inapplicable) morphological characters. The proposed models can explicitly model an anatomical dependency in which one or several characters are allowed to evolve only within a specific state of the hierarchically upstream character. The new models come up in two main types depending on the type of character hierarchy. The functions for constructing custom character hierarchies are provided in the R package rphenoscate. The performance of the new models is assessed using theory and simulations. This paper provides practical recommendations for using the new models in Bayesian phylogenetic inference with RevBayes.
The mycobacterial mutasome: composition and recruitment in live cells

A DNA damage-inducible mutagenic gene cassette has been implicated in the emergence of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis during anti-tuberculosis (TB) chemotherapy. However, the molecular composition and operation of the encoded “mycobacterial mutasome” – minimally comprising DnaE2 polymerase and ImuA′ and ImuB accessory proteins – remain elusive. Following exposure of mycobacteria to DNA damaging agents, we observe that DnaE2 and ImuB co-localize with the DNA polymerase III β subunit (β clamp) in distinct intracellular foci. Notably, genetic inactivation of the mutasome in an imuBAAAAGG mutant containing a disrupted β clamp-binding motif abolishes ImuB-β clamp focus formation, a phenotype recapitulated pharmacologically by treating bacilli with griselimycin and in biochemical assays in which this β clamp-binding antibiotic collapses pre-formed ImuB-β clamp complexes. These observations establish the essentiality of the ImuB-β clamp interaction for mutagenic DNA repair in mycobacteria, identifying the mutasome as target for adjunctive therapeutics designed to protect anti-TB drugs against emerging resistance.
Tunneling nanotubes provide a novel route for SARS-CoV-2 spreading between permissive cells and to non-permissive neuronal cells

SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells is mediated by the binding of its spike glycoprotein to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, highly expressed in several organs, but very low in the brain. The mechanism through which SARS-CoV-2 infects neurons is not understood. Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), actin-based intercellular conduits that connect distant cells, allow the transfer of cargos, including viruses. Here, we explored the neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV-2 and whether TNTs are involved in its spreading between cells in vitro. We report that neuronal cells, not permissive to SARS-CoV-2 through an exocytosis/endocytosis dependent pathway, can be infected when co-cultured with permissive infected epithelial cells. SARS-CoV-2 induces TNTs formation between permissive cells and exploits this route to spread to uninfected permissive cells in co-culture. Correlative Cryo-electron tomography reveals that SARS-CoV-2 is associated with the plasma membrane of TNTs formed between permissive cells and virus-like vesicular structures are inside TNTs established both between permissive cells and between permissive and non-permissive cells. Our data highlight a potential novel mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 spreading which could serve as route to invade non-permissive cells and potentiate infection in permissive cells.
Tuning spherical cells into kinking helices in wall-less bacteria

In bacteria, cell shape is determined and maintained through a complex interplay between the peptidoglycan cell wall and cytoplasmic filaments made of polymerized MreB. Spiroplasma species, members of the Mollicutes class, challenge this general understanding because they are characterized by a helical cell shape and motility without a cell wall. This specificity is thought to rely on five MreB isoforms and a specific fibril protein. In this study, combinations of these five MreBs and of the fibril from Spiroplasma citri were expressed in another Mollicutes, Mycoplasma capricolum. Mycoplasma cells that were initially pleomorphic, mostly spherical, turned into helices when MreBs and fibrils were expressed in this heterologous host. The fibril protein was essential neither for helicity nor for cell movements. The isoform MreB5 had a special role as it was sufficient to confer helicity and motility to the mycoplasma cells. Cryo-electron microscopy confirmed the association of MreBs and fibril-based cytoskeleton with the plasma membrane, suggesting a direct effect on the membrane curvature. Finally, the heterologous expression of these proteins, MreBs and fibril, made it possible to reproduce the kink-like motility of spiroplasmas without providing the ability of cell movement in liquid broth. We suggest that other Spiroplasma components, not yet identified, are required for swimming, a hypothesis that could be evaluated in future studies using the same model.
Dynamic biasing for true low-voltage CMOS class AB current-mode circuits

This paper presents a dynamic biasing approach for continuous-time CMOS class AB current-mode circuits. The method allows low voltage circuits to be implemented whose supply requirements are restricted to one threshold voltage plus two saturation voltages. Fundamental limitations of the approach are analyzed and found to be compatible with a wide spectrum of analog applications, some of which are briefly discussed. A complementary current mirror, a current comparator, and a current amplifier were designed using the proposed technique. SPICE simulations using a 0.8-/spl mu/m process are provided, which confirm the overall performance of these circuits especially in terms of low-voltage capability and speed without compromising linearity.
IFITM dependency of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

We have recently shown that a SARS-CoV-2 strain isolated in the Netherlands in February 2020 (NL-02-2020) hijacks interferon-induced transmembrane proteins, especially IFITM2, as entry cofactors for efficient infection. Here, we examined whether SARS-CoV-2 “variants of concern” (VOCs), including the currently dominating delta variant, maintained the dependency on IFITMs for efficient replication. Depletion of IFITM2 reduced viral RNA production from 31- (B.1.1.7) to 755-fold (P.1). In comparison, silencing of IFITM1 had little effect, while knock-down of IFITM3 resulted in an intermediate phenotype. Strikingly, silencing of IFITM2 generally reduced infectious virus production in Calu-3 cells to near background levels. An antibody directed against the N-terminus of IFITM2 inhibited SARS-CoV-2 VOC replication in iPSC-derived alveolar epithelial type II cells. In conclusion, endogenously expressed IFITM proteins (especially IFITM2) are important cofactors for replication of genuine SARS-CoV-2 VOCs, including the Delta variant.
Resistance profiling of Aspergillus fumigatus to olorofim indicates absence of intrinsic resistance and unveils the molecular mechanisms of acquired olorofim resistance

Olorofim (F901318) is a new antifungal currently under clinical development that shows both in vitro and in vivo activity against a number of filamentous fungi including Aspergillus fumigatus. In this study we screened A. fumigatus isolates for intrinsic olorofim-resistant A. fumigatus and evaluated the ability of A. fumigatus to acquire an olorofim-resistant phenotype. No intrinsic resistance was found in 975 clinical A. fumigatus isolates. However, we found that isolates with increased olorofim MICs (> 8 mg/L) could be selected using a high number of conidia and olorofim exposure under laboratory conditions. Assessment of the frequency of acquired olorofim resistance development of A. fumigatus was shown to be higher than for voriconazole but lower than for itraconazole. Sequencing the PyrE gene of isogenic isolates with olorofim MICs of >8 mg/L identified various amino acid substitutions with a hotspot at locus G119. Olorofim was shown to have reduced affinity to mutated target protein dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) and the effect of these mutations were proven by introducing the mutations directly in A. fumigatus. We then investigated whether G119 mutations were associated with a fitness cost in A. fumigatus. These experiments showed a small but significant reduction in growth rate for strains with a G119V substitution, while strains with a G119C substitution did not exhibit a reduction in growth rate. These in vitro findings were confirmed in an in vivo pathogenicity model. Importance Olorofim represents an important new treatment option for patients with difficult to treat invasive fungal infections, including triazole-resistant A. fumigatus infection. Our study provides insights into one resistance mechanism and the potential dynamics of olorofim resistance, which will help to prevent and manage resistance selection. Such insights are critical to antifungal stewardship and to safeguard its prolonged use in clinical practice.
Chromatin fiber breaks into clutches under tension and crowding

The arrangement of nucleosomes inside chromatin is of extensive interest. While in vitro experiments have revealed the formation of 30 nm fibers, most in vivo studies have failed to confirm their presence in cell nuclei. To reconcile the diverging experimental findings, we characterized chromatin organization using a near atomistic model. The computed force-extension curve matches well with measurements from single-molecule experiments. Notably, we found that a dodeca-nucleosome in the two-helix zigzag conformation breaks into structures with nucleosome clutches and a mix of trimers and tetramers under tension. Such unfolded configurations can also be stabilized through trans interactions with other chromatin chains. Our study supports a hypothesis that disordered, in vivo chromatin configurations arise as folding intermediates from regular fibril structures. We further revealed that chromatin segments with fibril or clutch structures engaged in distinct binding modes and discussed the implications of these inter-chain interactions for a potential sol-gel phase transition.
Recent Zoonotic Spillover and Tropism Shift of a Canine Coronavirus Is Associated with Relaxed Selection and Putative Loss of Function in NTD Subdomain of Spike Protein

A recent study reported the occurrence of Canine Coronavirus (CCoV) in nasopharyngeal swabs from a small number of patients hospitalized with pneumonia during a 2017-18 period in Sarawak, Malaysia. Because the genome sequence for one of these isolates is available, we conducted comparative evolutionary analyses of the spike gene of this strain (CCoV-HuPn-2018), with other available Alphacoronavirus 1 spike sequences. The most N-terminus subdomain (0-domain) of the CCoV-HuPn-2018 spike protein has sequence similarity to Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus (TGEV) and CCoV2b strains, but not to other members of the type II Alphacoronaviruses (i.e., CCoV2a and Feline CoV2-FCoV2). This 0-domain in CCoV-HuPn-2018 has evidence for relaxed selection pressure, an increased rate of molecular evolution, and a number of unique amino acid substitutions relative to CCoV2b and TGEV sequences. A region of the 0-domain determined to be key to sialic acid binding and pathogenesis in TGEV had clear differences in amino acid sequences in CCoV-HuPn-2018 relative to both CCoV2b (enteric) and TGEV (enteric and respiratory). The 0-domain of CCoV-HuPn-2018 also had several sites inferred to be under positive diversifying selection, including sites within the signal peptide. Downstream of the 0-domain, FCoV2 shared sequence similarity to the CCoV2b and TGEV sequences, with analyses of this larger alignment identifying positively selected sites in the putative Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) and Connector Domain (CD). Recombination analyses strongly implicated a particular FCoV2 strain in the recombinant history of CCoV-HuPn-2018 with molecular divergence times estimated at around 60 years ago. We hypothesize that CCoV-HuPn-2018 had an enteric origin, but that it has lost that particular tropism, because of mutations in the sialic acid binding region of the spike 0-domain. As selection pressure on this region was reduced, the virus evolved a respiratory tropism, analogous to other Alphacoronavirus 1, such as Porcine Respiratory Coronavirus (PRCV), that have lost this region entirely. We also suggest that signals of positive selection in the signal peptide as well as other changes in the 0-domain of CCoV-HuPn-2018 could represent an adaptive role in this new host and that this could be in part due to the different spatial distribution of the N-linked glycan repertoire for this strain.
Field Procedures for Real-World Measurements of Emissions from Diesel Construction Vehicles

Construction vehicles are a source of nonroad mobile air pollutant emissions. Emissions from construction vehicles are typically quantified based on steady-state modal engine dynamometer tests using uninstalled stationary engines. However, these tests do not represent real-world activity. Therefore, there is a need to quantify energy use and air pollutant emissions from construction vehicles based on in-use measurement methods. The purpose of this paper is to outline standard procedures for field data collection for construction vehicles. This methodology is based on second-by-second measurement of in-use activity and air pollutant emissions using a portable emissions measurement system. The field data collection methodology includes the development of a study design, installation and use of instrumentation, and field measurements. After the field data collection, the raw data undergo a quality assurance procedure to check for and correct the synchronization between the engine data and emission data. This.
An experimental study of mobility enhancement in ultrathin SOI transistors operated in double-gate mode

In this paper, we report an experimental investigation of electron mobility in ultrathin SOI MOSFETs operated in double-gate mode. Mobility is measured for silicon thickness down to approximately 5 nm and for different temperatures. Mobility data in single- and double-gate mode are then compared according to two different criteria imposing either the same total inversion charge density or the same effective field in the two operating modes. Our results demonstrate that for silicon films around 10 nm or thinner and at small inversion densities, a modest but unambiguous mobility improvement for double-gate mode operation is observed even if the same effective field as in the single-gate mode is kept. Furthermore, we also document that the mobility in double-gate mode can improve markedly above single-gate mobility when the comparison is made at the same total inversion density. This latter feature of the double-gate operating mode can be very beneficial in the perspective of very-low voltage operation.
Spreading sequences for multi-carrier CDMA systems

The paper contains an analysis of the basic criteria for the selection of spreading sequences for the multi-carrier CDMA (MC-CDMA) systems with spectrum spreading in the frequency domain. It is shown that the time-domain crosscorrelation function between the spreading sequences is not a proper interference measure for the asynchronous MC-CDMA users. Therefore the spectral correlation function is introduced and, together with the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) and the dynamic range of the corresponding multi-carrier waveforms, is used for the evaluation of MC-CDMA sequences. Some well-known classes of sequences, such as Walsh and Gold sequences, as well as orthogonal Gold and Zadoff-Chu (1972) sequences, are evaluated with respect to the aforementioned basic criteria. It is also shown that the multi-carrier spread spectrum waveforms based on the (multilevel) Huffman sequences have the lower PAPR than a single sine wave.
On wafer thermal characterization of miniature gallium arsenide microcoolers with thermal loading from DC probes

Miniature aluminium gallium arsenide/gallium arsenide (AlGaAs/GaAs) coolers were fabricated on wafer, enabling different contact geometries to be realized in the same process run. To individually DC bias the microcooler, microprobes were used leading to thermal loading of the cooler. A simple experimental technique was developed to verify the temperature difference (ΔT) between the cold cathode and hot anode contacts is due to cooling rather than heating of the cooler. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2699–2700, 2014
Annular ring coupled circular patch with enhanced performance

An annular ring loaded circular microstrip patch antenna is presented which reduces the excitation of surface waves. This configuration, as compared to a conventional circular patch, is no more difficult to fabricate, has a greater impedance bandwidth, much higher surface wave efficiency and higher gain. Both impedance behaviour and radiation characteristics of the modified patch are considered. Very good agreement between experiment and theory is achieved.