Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis and design of microwave devices based on ridge gap waveguide technology

The usage of high frequency microwave devices is rapidly increasing with the advances achieved in the communication systems. However, the standard guiding structures have high losses such as microstrip technology, or difficulty in manufacturing such as in the case of waveguides. The newly developed ridge gap waveguide (RGW) technology resolves the problems above as it has low losses and does not require electrical contacts as required in the waveguides. The concept of RGW is simple as it allows the wave propagations in the guiding part and eliminates the leakage in all other directions. The region that surrounds the ridge consists of two parallel surfaces; one is a perfect electric conductor (PEC) and the second is a perfect magnetic conductor (PMC). The gap between the two surfaces should be less than a quarter wavelength. Periodic conducting nails realize the PMC that practically has a possible bandwidth 2.5:1 and in some cases exceeds 3:1. Usually, the design of these surfaces relies on the unit cell analysis that is based on determining its band gap, the estimation of the band gap is performed numerically. The band gap of the cell is the operating bandwidth of the complete structure. For the first time, we presented a method to measure the band gap from s-parameter measurements. Utilization of the broadband characteristics strongly depends on the proper design of the transition between the RGW and the standard guiding structures and connectors. Most of the available transitions make use of around one-third of the possible bandwidth. Therefore, we present new transitions that utilize the whole possible bandwidth of the RGW. The presented work can be divided into four major parts. Several microwave components are designed based on the RGW such as power divider, hybrid couplers, and a circulator. New methods are presented for efficient and accurate design of these components. One of the main contributions is related to the RGW circulator design; it's an accurate design procedure that can be used with other technologies as well. In addition, a new setup to measure the low relative permittivity of thin materials such as fabrics is presented. An example of a leaky wave antenna using split slot arrays is presented. These studies highlight the RGW advantages and can be considered as a step towards the standardization of this technology.
Characteristics of Sunburn Browning Fruit and Rootstock-Dependent Damage-Free Yield of Ambrosia™ Apple after Sustained Summer Heat Events

The 2021 summer heat waves experienced in the Pacific Northwest led to considerable fruit damage in many apple production zones. Sunburn browning (SB) was a particularly evident symptom. To understand the mechanism underlying the damage and to facilitate the early assessment of compromised fruit quality, we conducted a study on external characteristics and internal quality attributes of SB ‘Ambrosia’ apple (Malus domestica var. Ambrosia) and evaluated the fruit loss on five rootstocks. The cell integrity of the epidermal and hypodermal layers of fruit skins in the SB patch was compromised. Specifically, the number of chloroplasts and anthocyanin decreased in damaged cells, while autofluorescent stress-related compounds accumulated in dead cells. Consequently, the affected sun-exposed skin demonstrated a significant increase in differential absorbance between 670 nm and 720 nm, measured using a handheld apple DA meter, highlighting the potential of using this method as a non-destructive early indicator for sunburn damage. Sunburn browning eventually led to lower fruit weight, an increase in average dry matter content, soluble solids content, acidity, deteriorated weight retention, quicker loss of firmness, and accelerated ethylene emission during ripening. Significant inconsistency was found between the sun-exposed and shaded sides in SB apples regarding dry matter content, firmness, and tissue water potential, which implied preharvest water deficit in damaged tissues and the risk of quicker decline of postharvest quality. Geneva 935 (G.935), a large-dwarfing rootstock with more vigor and higher water transport capacity, led to a lower ratio of heat-damaged fruits and a higher yield of disorder-free fruits, suggesting rootstock selection as a long-term horticultural measure to mitigate summer heat stress.
EFFECT OF DRYING METHODS ON CRAMBE (Crambe abyssinica HOCHST) SEED COAT PIGMENTATION AND ON OIL AND BIODIESEL QUALITY

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different drying methods on seed coat pigmentation and quality of oil and biodiesel extracted from crambe. The experimental design was completely randomized with five treatments and four replications, totaling 20 plots. The treatments consisted of drying with heated air, natural air, ground, in the shade and in the plant. Physical and chemical analyzes were performed to verify the quality of grain, oil and biodiesel. The largest amounts of chlorophyll a and b and green beans and the lowest oil content were found in artificial drying with heated air. It was concluded that the drying in the plant presented grains and oil of better quality, but do not interfering in the quality of biodiesel, which has met the standards required by the ANP.
Prevalence and risk factors for depression, anxiety and stress among foreign construction workers in Singapore – a cross-sectional study

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress among foreign workers in the construction industry in Singapore. Methods This cross-sectional study used convenience sampling to include participants from three construction companies in Singapore that employed blue-collar workers from Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar,Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. The DASS-21 (Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales) questionnaire was used to determine the occurrence of depression, anxiety and stress in the study population and a demographic and work environment questionnaire was used to account for the additional factors that could influence the personal and workplace characteristics. Results The study included 348 participants. About 29% of the study population exhibited moderate to extremely severe levels of depression, 37% showed moderate to extremely severe levels of anxiety and 33% expressed moderate to extremely severe levels of stress. Ethnicity and lack of awareness of job scope were found to be significant predictors of all three parameters studied, namely, depression, anxiety and stress. Regression analyses revealed that older workers were less prone to anxiety and lack of job clarity was correlated to higher levels of anxiety and stress. Conclusions The findings of this study indicate that all three aspects considered in this study, namely, depression, anxiety and stress are widely prevalent among the foreign construction workers in Singapore and effective measures needs to be put in place in order to reduce the same and provide a safe work environment for them. One measure that can be utilized to reduce the mental illness symptoms is to provide clear indications on the workers’ job scope as that was found to be a significant predictor in this study. Further studies need to be done to figure out other possible intervention measures that could be put in place to improve the mental wellbeing of foreign construction workers in Singapore.
An improved ZCS-PWM commutation cell for IGBT's applications

An improved zero current switching pulse width modulation (ZCS-PWM) commutation cell is proposed, which is suitable for high power applications using IGBTs as the power switches. It provides ZCS operation for active switches with low current stress, without overvoltage and PWM operating at constant frequency. The main advantage of this cell is a substantial reduction of the resonant current peak through the main switch during the commutation process. Therefore, the RMS current through it is very close to that observed in hard-switching PWM power converters. Also, small ratings auxiliary components can be used. To demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed ZCS-PWM commutation cell, it was applied to a boost power converter. Operating principles, theoretical analysis, design guidelines and a design example are described and verified by experimental results obtained from a prototype operating at 40 kHz, with an input voltage rated at 155 V and 1 kW output power. The measured efficiency at full load was 97.5%.
Coseismic Rupture Model and Tectonic Implications of the January 7 2022, Menyuan Mw 6.6 Earthquake Constraints from InSAR Observations and Field Investigation

A Mw 6.6 earthquake struck Menyuan, Qinghai, China, on 7 January 2022. To determine the rupture parameters of this event, the coseismic InSAR deformation fields were mapped and further employed to estimate the focal mechanism. The best-fitting solution emphasized that the 2022 Menyuan earthquake ruptured at the junction of the Tuolaishan fault and the Lenglongling fault. Both rupturing faults were dominated by sinistral strike-slip, and the main slip was concentrated on the shallow part of the rupture plane. The latter was the main rupture segment with a strike of 106° and a dip of 86°. The slip mainly occurred at depths of 0–8 km, and the rupture was exposed at the surface. The maximum slip reached ~3.5 m, which occurred mainly at a depth of 4 km. Joint analysis of the optimal slip model, relocated aftershocks, Coulomb stress change, and field observation suggested that the strain energy in the Tuolaishan fault may not have been fully released and needs further attention. Moreover, the 2022 Mw6.6 Menyuan earthquake caused a significant stress loading effect on the western Tuolaishan fault and eastern Lenglongling fault, which implies that the 2022 event increased the seismic hazard in these regions.
Heavy Metals/Metalloids in Soil of a Uranium Tailings Pond in Northwest China: Distribution and Relationship with Soil Physicochemical Properties and Radionuclides

Uranium tailings ponds have a potential impact on the soil ecological environment and human health. In this study, the measurement and spatial distribution characteristics of soil physicochemical properties (pH, EC, TN, TOC, and TP) and heavy metals/metalloids (Cd, Pb, Zn, Cr, and As) in two different profiles (0–5 cm, 5–15 cm) were completed and visualized in a decommissioned uranium tailings pond in Northwest China. The results showed that almost all measured values in the study area were within the background values of China and other countries or regions around the world. The visual spatial distribution map showed that the spatial distribution characteristics of the EC, TP content, Pb content, and Cr content of the soil in the tailings pond and its adjacent area increased with the increase in depth of the vertical profile. The visual correlation heatmap analysis found that, in general, there were significant positive correlations among heavy metals and radionuclides and significant negative correlations among heavy metals, radionuclides, and physicochemical properties. The cluster tree divided environmental factors into two clusters; pH, TP, 40K, Cd, and Zn formed one cluster, which could be related to the similar structures and physicochemical properties of Cd and Zn, and Pb, Cr, 232Th, TN, EC, TOC, As, 238U, and 226Ra formed another cluster of lithophile elements with similar geochemical properties. Based on the analysis results, the uranium tailings pond is in good operation, and no migration and diffusion of heavy metals/metalloids to the surrounding soil ecological environment was found.
The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Serum Magnesium and Calcium Concentration in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize all the existing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evidence and to evaluate the effects of magnesium supplementation on serum magnesium, calcium and urinary magnesium concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes compared with the control. Two independent authors systematically searched online databases including Embase, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science from inception until 30th January 2022. RCTs complying with the inclusion criteria were included in this meta-analysis. The heterogeneity among the included studies was assessed using Cochrane’s Q test and I-square (I2) statistic. Data were pooled using a random-effects model and weighted mean difference (WMD) was considered as the overall effect size. Sixteen trials were included in this meta-analysis. Serum magnesium (mean difference, 0.15 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06 to 0.23; p = 0.001) and urinary magnesium (WMD, 1.99 mg/dL; 95% CI, 0.36 to 3.62; p = 0.017) concentrations were significantly increased after magnesium supplementation when compared with the control group. However, magnesium supplementation did not have any significant effect on serum calcium (WMD, −0.09 mg/dL; 95% CI, −0.27 to 0.08; p = 0.294) level when compared with the control group. This meta-analysis demonstrated that magnesium supplementation significantly increased Serum magnesium levels which may have played an indirect role in improved clinical symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Implementation and Evaluation of a Virtual Reality Simulation: Intravenous Injection Training System

In nursing education, virtual reality simulation (VRS) is recognized as an effective learning method as it overcomes limitations in practical training and positively influences learning ability and satisfaction levels. The purpose of this study was to develop VRS for intravenous (IV) injection and investigate how it affects nursing students’ academic knowledge, performance confidence, and clinical practice competencies. A quasi-experimental control group pretest and post-test design was used. Participants were nursing students who either received a training system for an IV injection through VRS (experimental group; n = 20) or who received an IV arm simulator (control group; n = 20). The results revealed significantly higher knowledge (U = 156.5, p = 0.024) and clinical performance competency (U = 87.5, p = 0.002) with the procedure of using a training system of VRS for IV injection compared to having training via an IV arm simulator. This study verified that VRS for IV injection was more effective than an IV arm simulator for practical training on IV injection. Thus, VRS for IV injection, an effective teaching method used to improve learning ability and satisfaction levels, can be used as a training method in the future.
An Investigation of Interlingual Interference in the use of 'and' as a Syntactic Coordinating Structure by Jordanian EFL Learners

This study is an investigation of performance analysis. It analyses a composition written by a group of Arabic-speaking Jordanian learners of English in order to investigate the carryover of Arabic (L1) syntactic structures into English (L2). The major focus of this study is on the errors committed by these EFL learners in using one English syntactic category, namely, the coordinating conjunction ‘and’, which is equivalent to “wa” in Arabic. This study aims to investigate whether the errors in the use of this syntactic category by Jordanian EFL learners can be attributed to interlingual interference as well as to identify the frequency of these committed errors in their written production. To achieve these objectives, a composition test was utilised in this study. The subjects of the study consisted of 120 students studying English as a FL at Jordanian schools, located in the south of Jordan. The findings of the study suggest, firstly, that the subjects committed a huge number of errors with respect to the coordinating conjunction ‘and’. Secondly, interlingual interference might be the main cause of committing this huge number of these errors. On the basis of these findings, a group of recommendations to further research are suggested and some pedagogical implications which might improve the EFL teaching-learning process are discussed.
Relationship between Aspiration Pneumonia and Feeding Care among Home Care Patients with an In-Dwelling Nasogastric Tube in Taiwan: A Preliminary Study

Home care patients have swallowing dysfunction and rely on an in-dwelling nasogastric tube (NGT) to complement oral food intake, supplement their diet, and maintain adequate nutritional status. This study explored the relationship between aspiration pneumonia (AP) and feeding care among home care patients with an in-dwelling NGT. This preliminary study employed a cross-sectional design. There were 35 patients who relied on an in-dwelling NGT to complement their oral intake of food (NGT-oral feeding) and their primary caregivers participated in this study. All of them developed AP in the past year. Factors involving food intake performance during mealtime of the home care patients and feeding care provided by the caregivers were simultaneously observed and recorded. Among the six risk factors univariately correlated with the incidence of AP, feeding in a noisy environment, using a large spoon to feed the participants, more than 5 mL of food per mouthful, food intake duration lasting > 30 min, swallowing twice for each mouthful of food, and coughing at least once every day remained significant in the logistic regression model (all p < 0.05). Four risk factors for AP were correlated with feeding care; the adjusted risk ratio ranged from 6.17 to 14.96 (all p < 0.05). In addition to each individual’s food intake ability, improper feeding assistance was related to the risk factors for AP among home care patients with NGT-oral feeding. Thus, home caregivers should receive safe oral feeding education and training.
Improving the Transition to College for Twice-Exceptional Students with ASD: Perspectives From College Service Providers

Increasing numbers of academically talented students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are accessing higher education. This is an underserved and understudied cohort of students, as their talents can mask their autism, or their autism can mask their talents. We conducted interviews with 11 professionals who support academically talented students with ASD at 10 very competitive 4-year institutions in the United States. Findings highlighted the significant academic and personal strengths that these students bring to college, factors that can be incorporated into secondary transition planning for twice exceptional ASD students. Suggestions about important concepts that both families and secondary transition personnel should understand regarding the differences between high school and college are also provided. Implications for secondary transition planning are discussed.
Knowledge, Attitude and Practices regarding Contraceptive Pill and Its Side Effects among Women in Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia

Contraception is one of the common methods of family planning. The oral contraceptive pill (OCP) is among the most effective methods of contraception. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of oral contraception use and its side effects among women in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was carried out among adult women 18 years and older in the Jazan region. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to assess their demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, previous experience, and pattern of OCP usage. Descriptive analysis and a logistic regression model were used to analyse data. About 570 questionnaires were distributed and achieved a 98.3% response rate. The majority of women participants were between 18 and 25 years old, and 51.4% of the respondents reported that they had previously used or were using OCP. We found that women had good knowledge and a positive attitude towards OCP, with more than half of the users preferring them over other contraceptive methods. This study indicates that attitude, knowledge, and prior experience of OCP have no significant effect on the usage pattern of OCP among women with relatively high socioeconomic status in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia.
The Clinical Spectrum of Autoimmune-Mediated Neurological Diseases in Paediatric Population

Neurological autoimmune diseases have various origins and pathogeneses. Specific antibodies are associated with paraneoplastic syndromes, other infectious agents, or inherited disorders. We aim to evaluate the relation between the autoantibodies, the chosen symptoms, demographic characteristics, and infection history. We retrospectively analysed 508 children during neurological diagnostics. We investigated serum antineuronal, IgG, IgM anti-ganglioside, and anti-aquaporin-4 in both the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) anti-cell surface and anti-synaptic protein antibodies in 463, 99, 44, 343, and 119 patients, respectively. The CSF polymerase chain reaction detection of Herpesviridae, enterovirus, B19 parvovirus, adenovirus, and parechovirus involved 261 patients. We included available clinical information and electroencephalographic, radiologic, and microbiological results. The IgM anti-ganglioside antibodies increased the risk of tics and positive symptoms (p = 0.0345, p = 0.0263, respectively), the anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase particle of paresis (p = 0.0074), and anti-neuroendothelium of mutism (p = 0.0361). Anti-neuroendothelium, IgM anti-ganglioside, and CSF anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate antibodies were more often associated with consciousness loss (p = 0.0496, p = 0.0044, p = 0.0463, respectively). Anti-myelin antibodies co-occured with Herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2 IgG (p = 0.0415), anti-CV2 with HSV-1 IgM (p = 0.0394), whereas anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein was linked with past Epstein-Barr virus infection. The anti-ganglioside IgM and anti-myelin particles were bilaterally correlated (p = 0.0472). The clinical pictures may overlap, requiring specialistic diagnostics. We noticed the links between the infection aetiology and the specific autoantibody’s positivity.
Role of Mobile Technology in Providing Financial Inclusion to MSMEs of India

The mobile money awareness has increased to 33% in 2020 as compared to 18% in 2019. COVID-19 led a large proportion of mobile money users to use more sophisticated financial services such as credit, savings, and insurance. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of mobile phones in adopting financial technology on registered micro, small, and medium enterprises of India. The study will reveal the respondents' most influential factors for adopting mobile money/e-wallets in their business. The intention of MSMEs is affected by government support, satisfaction, and peer influence.
Effect of weekly versus daily primaquine on Plasmodium vivax malaria recurrences: A real-life cohort study

ABSTRACT Background: Although primaquine (PQ) is indicated for G6PD-deficient patients, data on weekly PQ use in Brazil are limited. Methods: We aimed to investigate malaria recurrences among participants receiving daily and weekly PQ treatments in a real-life setting of two municipalities in the Amazon between 2019 and 2020. Results: Patients receiving weekly PQ treatment had a lower risk of recurrence than those receiving daily PQ treatment (risk ratio: 0.62, 95% confidence interval: 0.41-0.94), using a model adjusted for study site. Conclusions: Weekly PQ use did not increase the risk of malaria recurrence. Further studies with larger populations are warranted.