Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Network Structure: Doubly Stacking Broad Learning Systems With Residuals and Simpler Linear Model Transmission

While broad learning system (BLS) has demonstrated its distinctive performance with its solid theoretical foundation, strong generalization capability and fast learning speed, a relatively large network structure (<italic>i.e</italic>., a large number of enhancement nodes) is often required to assure satisfactory performance especially for challenging datasets, which may inevitably deteriorate its generalization capability due to overfitting phenomenon. In this study, by stacking several broad learning sub-systems, a doubly <underline>s</underline>tacked <underline>b</underline>road <underline>l</underline>earning <underline>s</underline>ystem through <underline>r</underline>esiduals and <underline>s</underline>impler linear model <underline>t</underline>ransmission, called RST&BLS, is presented to enhance BLS performance in network size, generalization capability and learning speed. With the use of shared feature nodes and simpler linear models between stacked layers, the design methodology of RST&BLS is motivated by three facets: 1) analogous to human-like neural behaviors that some common neuron blocks are always activated to deal with the correlated problems, an enhanced ensemble of BLS sub-systems is resulted; 2) rather than a complicated model, human prefers a simple model (as a component of the final model); 3) extra overfitting-avoidance capability between shared feature nodes and the remaining hidden nodes from the second layer can be assured in theory. Except for performance advantage over the comparative methods, experimental results on twenty-one classification/regression datasets indicate the superiority of RST&BLS in terms of smaller network structure (<italic>i.e.,</italic> fewer adjustable parameters), better generalization capability and fewer computational burdens.
Lung evolution in vertebrates and the water-to-land transition

A crucial evolutionary change in vertebrate history was the Palaeozoic (Devonian ~400 million years ago) water-to-land transition, allowed by key morphological and physiological modifications including the acquisition of lungs. Nonetheless, the origin and early evolution of vertebrate lungs remain highly controversial, particularly whether the ancestral state was paired or unpaired. Due to the rarity of fossil soft tissue preservation, lung evolution can only be traced based on the extant phylogenetic bracket. Here we investigate, for the first time, lung morphology in extensive developmental series of key living lunged osteichthyans using synchrotron X-ray microtomography and histology. Our results shed light on the primitive state of vertebrate lungs as unpaired, evolving to be truly paired in the lineage towards the tetrapods. The water-to-land transition confronted profound physiological challenges and paired lungs were decisive for increasing the surface area and the pulmonary compliance and volume, especially during the air-breathing on land.
Spatial and Temporal Analysis on Agricultural Drought under Double Cropping System in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Plain area

Drought is a severe natural hazard in agricultural production in Beijing Tianjin Hebai Plain Area (BTHPA) in the North China Plain. A new agricultural drought index (CSDI) expressed by a relative yield was introduced, and spatial and temporal variations of agricultural drought in this rainfed area were analyzed. Through analysis of the CSDI values of 18 representative spots distributed in BTHPA from the year of 1961 to 1990, four types of agricultural drought in this area can be concluded. According to the severity of agricultural drought, the area could be divided into four regions, i.e. the northeast coastal plain with light drought, the north plain and east coastal plain with medium drought, the central plain and west plain with heavy drought, and Hei Long Gang area with extreme severe drought. Risk analysis on agricultural drought further revealed the possibility of drought stricken in agricultural production in the area.
Nexus Between Macroeconomic Factors and Economic Growth in Palestine: An Autoregressive Distributed Lag Approach

All the countries are trying their best to achieve maximum economic prosperity through employing efficient economic strategies. Such countries seem to be conscious of various factors that can potentially affect economic growth. Given that, the current study examines the impact of various macroeconomic factors on the economic growth of Palestine. By employing the large range of quarterly data spanning from 2001 to 2020, the statistical outputs of the ARDL model show that government debt, donations, government expenditures, and unemployment rate adversely impact economic growth. However, other factors including credit facilities, inflation, and total investments positively impinge upon the economic growth of Palestine. Such dynamic impact of various macroeconomic factors displays the detrimental and growth promising role of macroeconomic factors in determining economic prosperity. Our analysis suggests various policy implications to economic policy officials regarding the effectiveness of various factors for economic health. It is further recommended to international agencies working in aid and donations intensive countries to design efficient economic policies that can help such economic in coming out from economic distress.
Introduction

The rumen degradation characteristics and effective degradability (ED) of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) of nine roughages were studied in four adult bulls fitted with rumen cannulaee using the nylon bag technique for rapid screening of some of the promising fodders and to develop a prediction equation for estimation of ED of DM and CP from chemical composition of different tested roughages. Roughages used are: 1Berseem hay 3 cut (BH); 2Pea vine hay (PVH); 3Peanut vine hay (PNVH); 4Dried sugar beet tops (DSBT); 5Elephant grass (EG); 6Fodder millet (FM); 7Fodder sorghum (FS), 8Whole corn plant silage without additives (WCPS); 9Corn stover silage prepared by addition 0.5% urea and 5% molasses at ensiling time (CSS). Samples from each roughage were incubated in the rumen of each animal for 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24 and 48 hrs, respectively. The disappearance rates of N or DM were used to calculate the rapidly soluble fraction ("a" value), potentially degradable fraction ("b" value) and the fractional degradation rate of "b" ("c" value) the effective degradability of N and DM was then estimated assuming a ruminal outflow rate of 0.02, 0.05 and 0.08/h (P0.02, P0.05 and P0.08). The results indicated high positive relationships between CF content and its fractions (NDF and ADF). There were significant differences for immediately degradable fraction "a" among the different kinds of roughages. Moreover, effective degradability of DM decreased with increase in outflow rates. The degradability of N was consistently greater than DM. The data showed low relationship between N degradability rate and CF content and its fractions (ADF, NDF and ADL) for a variety of roughages. The results also indicated that, for prediction of the P0.02, P0.05 and P0.08 of N using CP or NFE concentration as a predictor produced greater r values than using ADF, NDF or ADL. The regression equation showed that OM, NDF, ADF and water soluble DM "a" were well correlated with in sacoo ED of DM while for ED of CP the best correlation was with NFE and the water soluble protein "a" fraction.
Non-Darwinian Molecular Biology

With the discovery of the double helical structure of DNA, a shift occurred in how biologists investigated questions surrounding cellular processes, such as protein synthesis. Instead of viewing biological activity through the lens of chemical reactions, this new field used biological information to gain a new profound view of how biological systems work. Molecular biologists asked new types of questions that would have been inconceivable to the older generation of researchers, such as how cellular machineries convert inherited biological information into functional molecules like proteins. This new focus on biological information also gave molecular biologists a way to link their findings to concepts developed by genetics and the modern synthesis. However, by the late 1960s this all changed. Elevated rates of mutation, unsustainable genetic loads, and high levels of variation in populations, challenged Darwinian evolution, a central tenant of the modern synthesis, where adaptation was the main driver of evolutionary change. Building on these findings, Motoo Kimura advanced the neutral theory of molecular evolution, which advocates that selection in multicellular eukaryotes is weak and that most genomic changes are neutral and due to random drift. This was further elaborated by Jack King and Thomas Jukes, in their paper “Non-Darwinian Evolution”, where they pointed out that the observed changes seen in proteins and the types of polymorphisms observed in populations only become understandable when we take into account biochemistry and Kimura’s new theory. Fifty years later, most molecular biologists remain unaware of these fundamental advances. Their adaptionist viewpoint fails to explain data collected from new powerful technologies which can detect exceedingly rare biochemical events. For example, high throughput sequencing routinely detects RNA transcripts being produced from almost the entire genome yet are present less than one copy per thousand cells and appear to lack any function. Molecular biologists must now reincorporate ideas from classical biochemistry and absorb modern concepts from molecular evolution, to craft a new lens through which they can evaluate the functionality of transcriptional units, and make sense of our messy, intricate, and complicated genome.
Chronic Urogenital Schistosomiasis among In-School Adolescents in Sokoto, North-Western Nigeria

Aims: To assess the prevalence, intensity, associated factors and predictors of chronic urogenital schistosomiasis among in-school adolescents in Sokoto. Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional survey. Place and Duration of Study: Secondary Schools in Sokoto metropolis, Sokoto State, Nigeria, between January and April 2018. Methodology: A total of 590 apparently healthy secondary school students aged between 10 and 19 years in Sokoto metropolis were selected using multi-stage random sampling technique. Designed pretested semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain relevant socio-demographic and clinical information. Urine specimen was obtained and subjected to urine analysis and microscopy for ova of Schistosoma haematobium. Data was analyzed using IBM-SPSS version 25.0. Results: Mean age of subjects was 15.1 ±2.6 years. There were 334 (56.6%) males and 256 (43.4%) females. Majority 371 (62.9%) attended public secondary schools, most 264 (44.7%) were of middle socio-economic family status, and 300 (50.8%) were from rural community setting. The commonest source of water for domestic use was pipe-borne 203 (34.4%), and swimming was the predominant 55(9.3%) recreational water- related activity. The overall prevalence of chronic urogenital schistosomiasis was 22.9%, significantly (p<0.001) higher among males, with age group category 15-17 years mostly 59 (29.6%) affected. All 135 (100%) of the infected subjects had microscopic haematuria, 119 (88.2%) had proteinuria, and 108(80.0%) had leucocyturia. Age group category 15-17 years (p=0.027), male gender (p<0.001), low and middle social classes (p<0.001) respectively, and residence in rural community setting were independent predictors of chronic urogenital schistosomiasis infection. Majority 81(60.0%) of the infected respondents had light infection. Male gender was the only predictor (p=0.003) of intensity of infection. Conclusions: Chronic urogenital schistosomiasis is prevalent among the subjects. Middle adolescence, male gender, swimming, rural community setting and low-middle socio-economic classes were independent predictors of infection.
School strike for climate: A reckoning for education

Abstract In this article framing the special issue on the global school strikes for climate, we ask: what if education is not the solution, but part of the system young people want to change? In conversation with school strikers and reflecting on the contributions to this issue, we argue that the strikes pose a reckoning for education. Five key themes emerge from this special issue: (1) students are striking because of the affective weight of climate injustice; (2) students learn through their participation in striking, in contrast to the often insufficient climate change education taught in schools; (3) young people are becoming climate change educators through their roles as strikers; (4) strikers are patronised through paternalistic structures (including schooling) that ostensibly exist to protect them; and therefore (5) we need to reimagine education. We then advance four propositions for education in response to young people’s modest demands for a liveable future: (1) young people are in and of the collapsing climate; (2) youth voices need to be taken seriously, without excusing adult and collective responsibilities; (3) multigenerational, more-than-human, intercultural collaborations must be practiced in education for climate justice; and (4) we must learn to navigate ontological uncertainty and attend to ethical complexity.
Isoniazid Preventive Therapy for Tuberculosis in People Living with HIV: A Cross Sectional Study in Butebo, Uganda

Background Despite evidence that isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) can reduce the risk of tuberculosis (TB) disease among People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV), uptake of IPT is low in many resource-limited settings. This study determined the level of IPT uptake and its associated factors amongst PLHIV. Materials and Methods This was a retrospective quantitative study amongst PLHIV who do not have active TB and enrolled in 2019 - 2020 for anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in Butebo district, Uganda. Data related to demographic factors (age, sex, religion, marital status, employment status, education level, area of residence, household density), health facility factors (pre-IPT counseling), community factors [distance from Health Center (H/C), incurred costs to reach H/C], and IPT drug-related factors [frequency of Isoniazid (INH) refill, INH stock-outs] were collected from four health facilities using a checklist. The data was analyzed into descriptive statistics and relationships determined using Chi-square tests. Results Among eligible PLHIV (272), 34.2% achieved IPT uptake. The mean duration between HIV diagnosis and the start of IPT was 4.31 years, with IPT Uptake among males (37.0%), females (32.8%), married (39.5%), and Christians (35.4%). Factors that affect the rate of IPT uptake include employment, education, residence, costs to reach H/C, and pre-IPT counseling. The IPT completion rate was 97.8%. All the cases who had regular INH refill completed IPT compared to 60.0% with the irregular refill, while 97.8% did not experience INH stock-outs and completed IPT. Conclusion Pre-IPT counseling was the most significant contributing factor for IPT uptake. IPT uptake may be scaled up by integrating IPT services in routine HIV care, enhancing counseling for IPT and supervision and monitoring, training of health workers, and improving logistical supplies at the health centers.
The Impact of Whole-Body Vibration Training on Bone Minerals and Lean Mass in Children and Adolescents with Motor Disabilities: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Whole-body vibration training (WBVT) offers a potential auxiliary treatment method for the rehabilitation of motor disabilities to address a reduction in bone minerals and lean mass caused by motor-disability rehabilitation. The aim of this review was to analyze the efficacy of WBVT in muscle–bone rehabilitation. In order to investigate the potential effect of WBVT on children and adolescents with motor disabilities, a meta-analysis was carried out. From January 2006 to June 2021, studies that met certain criteria were searched for in the Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and EBSCO databases. An analysis of standardized mean differences was performed using the STATA 15.1 software with a 95% confidence interval (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021258538). Eight studies were selected that included 179 male and 139 female children and adolescents suffering from motor disabilities. The results of the meta-analysis showed that WBVT significantly improved femur bone-mineral density ((p < 0.01, z = 2.66), standardized mean difference (SMD) (95% CI) = 0.41 (0.11, 0.72)), total body–bone mineral content ((p < 0.01, z = 3.08), SMD (95% CI) = 0.26 (0.10, 0.43)), and lean mass ((p < 0.01, z = 2.63), SMD (95% CI) = 0.22 (0.06, 0.39)). In addition, there was no significant effect of WBVT on lumbar spine bone mineral density in the disabled children and adolescents ((p = 0.21, z = 1.25), SMD (95% CI) = 0.17 (−0.10, 0.43)). WBVT can improve femur bone density, total body bone mineral content, and lean mass in children and adolescents suffering from motor disabilities, while there is no effect on lumbar-spine bone density. WBVT can be used as a potential program to improve bone minerals in children and adolescents with motor disabilities.
Healing from recurrent suicide attempts: the impact of being a peer facilitator

ABSTRACT This paper presents findings of a phenomenological study entitled: Healing from Recurrent Suicide Attempts: The Impact of Being a Peer Facilitator. The study examined the impact of being a peer facilitator (PF) in the Skills for Safer Living: A Psychosocial/Psychoeducational Intervention for People with Recurrent Suicide Attempts (SfSL/PISA) group on the PFs’ healing journey. Using eight semi-structured interviews, the study privileged the lived experience of participants. The results identified four themes in survivors’ healing: new identity formation, navigating stigma, developing agency in the activation of personhood, and achieving personal mastery: skills and competencies.
“We Can’t Say This Won’t Happen to Me”: Parent-Child Communication About Anti-Latino Discrimination

In recent years, discrimination toward Hispanic/Latino Americans has escalated, threatening the health of Hispanic/Latino families and children. Previous research in African American families demonstrates the importance of parent–child communication in interrupting the pathway between childhood discrimination and poor health outcomes, but parent–child communication regarding discrimination has not been well-studied in Hispanic/Latino families. This study uses the minority child development model to explore how Hispanic/Latino parents discuss anti-Latino and anti-immigrant discrimination, bias, and unfair treatment with their children. In-depth interviews were performed with Hispanic/Latino immigrant parents (N = 14) of 25 children ages 5–17 years. Interviews were analyzed using phenomenological thematic analysis. Seven major strategies utilized by Hispanic/Latino parents emerged: (1) champion success; (2) comfort and encourage; (3) advocate, appeal, and defend; (4) understand, ignore, and accept; (5) learn from it; (6) teach tolerance; and (7) prepare for bias. The development of resources to enhance parent skills in this area is discussed.
Measurements Of Oil Spill Spreading In A Wave Tank Using Digital Image Processing

In this work, an experimental study of spreading of crude oil is carried out in a wave tank. The tests are performed by spilling different volumes and types of crude oil on the water surface. An experimental measurement technique was developed based on digital processing of video images. The acquisition and processing of such images is carried out by using a video camera and inexpensive microcomputer hardware and software. Processing is carried out by first performing a digital image filter, then edge detection is performed on the filtered image data. The final result is a file that contains the coordinates of a polygon that encloses the observed slick for each time step. Different types of filters are actually used in order to adequately separate the color intensities corresponding to each of the elements in the image. Postprocessing of the vectorized images provides accurate measurements of the slick edge, thus obtaining a complete geometric representation, which is significantly different from simplified considerations of radially symmetric spreading. The spreading of the oil slick was recorded for each of the tests. Results of the experimental study are presented for each spreading regime, and analyzed in terms of the wave parameters such as period and wave height.
The Epidemiology of Sudden Oak Death Disease Caused by Phytophthora ramorum in a Mixed Bay Laurel-Oak Woodland Provides Important Clues for Disease Management

Epidemiological models are important for the understanding of disease progression in plants and for the design of control strategies. Phytophthora ramorum, the pathogen responsible for the disease known as Sudden Oak Death, causes lethal infection on several oaks but relies on California bay laurels for transmission. Here, repeated surveys of bay laurels and oaks indicated that bay laurel disease incidence was positively correlated with rainfall, bay laurel density, and an eastern aspect, and negatively correlated with bay laurel basal area. Oak infection only occurred in years when rainfall was higher than the 30-year average, and although infection rates were greater among larger trees, mortality was greater among smaller trees. Additionally, larger oaks closer to infected bay laurels exhibited greater infection rates. Disease incidence differed among sites, and only a fraction of bay laurels were disease superspreaders, while even fewer individuals were refugial trees harboring active infections during dry periods. Based on this study, reducing bay laurel density in denser stands and the number of superspreaders or refugial trees in less dense stands may reduce disease incidence. However, the selective removal of bay laurel trees 0–10 m from oaks is likely to be more effective in preventing infection of specific oaks.
Foamquake: A Novel Analog Model Mimicking Megathrust Seismic Cycles

In the last decades, seismotectonic analog models have been developed to better understand many aspects of the seismic cycle. Differently from other lab‐quake experiments, seismotectonic models mimic the first order characteristics of the seismic cycle in a scaled fashion. Here we introduce Foamquake: A novel seismotectonic model with a granular frictional interface that as a whole behaves elastoplastically. The model experiences cycles of elastic loading and release via spontaneous nucleation of frictional instabilities at the base of an elastic foam wedge, hereafter called foamquakes. These analog earthquakes show source parameters (i.e., moment‐duration and moment‐rupture area) scaling as great interplate earthquakes and a coseismic displacement of few tens of meters when scaled to nature. Models with two asperities separated by a barrier can be performed with Foamquake given the 3D nature of the setup. Such model configuration generates sequences of full and partial ruptures with different recurrence intervals as well as rupture cascades. By tuning the normal load acting on individual asperities, Foamquake reproduces superimposed cycles rupture patterns such as those observed along natural megathrusts. The physical properties of asperities and barriers affect model seismic behavior. Asperities with similar properties and low yield strength fail preferentially in a simultaneous manner. The combination of all those characteristics suggests that Foamquake is a valuable tool for investigating megathrust seismicity and seismic processes that depend on the 3D nature of the subduction environment.