Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biochelator Assisted Phytoremediation for Cadmium (Cd) Pollution in Paddy Field

To evaluate the efficacy of biochelators for phytoremediation of cadmium (Cd), effects of biochelators (humic acid, HA; polyaspartic acid, PASP; rhamnolipid, RLs) and synthetic chelator (sodium tripolyphosphate, STPP) on the growth, accumulation, and antioxidant index of Cd were investigated in Iris sibirica L. The results indicated that the addition of HA increased the dry weight of leaves and stems, and the addition of PASP, RLs, and STPP increased the growth of leaves but inhibited the growth of stems. The determination of Cd accumulation indicated that HA decreased the content of Cd in all tissues, while the addition of PASP, RLs, and STPP increased the accumulation of Cd in stems and roots. In addition, the determination of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activities indicated that the treatment of PASP and RLs increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes, which might be beneficial to the resistance of Cd for Iris sibirica L. Overall, these results indicated that biochelators may improve the phytoremediation efficacy of Iris sibirica L. on Cd polluted paddy field. Among the tested chelators, PASP exhibited the best comprehensive efficacy and the highest commercial potential.
ECONOMIC IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION IN RICE FARMING IN SHIVASATAKSHI MUNICIPALITY OF JHAPA DISTRICT, NEPAL

A study was conducted in Shivasatakshi municipality of Jhapa district to assess the economic impact of agricultural mechanization in rice farming in 2020. Altogether, 40 rice farmers were selected randomly and surveyed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Based on the use of machinery, farmers were categorized into mechanized and non-mechanized farmers. Cost and revenue were calculated among both categories. T-test was used to compare the mean cost and revenue between mechanized and non-mechanized rice farmers. The average cost of production of rice was NRs.87,215.50/ha. The cost of human labor was found higher in both categories (more than 40%). The average total cost of production was lower in mechanized farms (NRs.67,191.74/ha) as compared to non-mechanized farms (NRs. 1, 07,239.27/ha). The contribution of rice grain and straw to the overall revenue was 98.53% and 1.46% respectively. The average revenue from production was calculated to be NRs.1, 21,879.25/ha. The average gross revenue was greater in mechanized farms (NRs.1,26,042.90/ha) than non-mechanized farms (NRs. 1, 22,067.00/ha). The benefit-cost ratio was observed higher in the mechanized rice farms (1.898) than non-mechanized farms (1.143). The findings of the study showed that mechanized rice farming reduced the cost of production by lowering down human labor cost and increased the profitability of the enterprise. Therefore, it is recommended to adopt machinery for rice cultivation in Shivasatakshi municipality, Jhapa.
Human Brown Adipose Tissue and Metabolic Health: Potential for Therapeutic Avenues

Obesity-associated metabolic abnormalities comprise a cluster of conditions including dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases that has affected more than 650 million people all over the globe. Obesity results from the accumulation of white adipose tissues mainly due to the chronic imbalance of energy intake and energy expenditure. A variety of approaches to treat or prevent obesity, including lifestyle interventions, surgical weight loss procedures and pharmacological approaches to reduce energy intake and increase energy expenditure have failed to substantially decrease the prevalence of obesity. Brown adipose tissue (BAT), the primary source of thermogenesis in infants and small mammals may represent a promising therapeutic target to treat obesity by promoting energy expenditure through non-shivering thermogenesis mediated by mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). Since the confirmation of functional BAT in adult humans by several groups, approximately a decade ago, and its association with a favorable metabolic phenotype, intense interest on the significance of BAT in adult human physiology and metabolic health has emerged within the scientific community to explore its therapeutic potential for the treatment of obesity and metabolic diseases. A substantially decreased BAT activity in individuals with obesity indicates a role for BAT in the setting of human obesity. On the other hand, BAT mass and its prevalence correlate with lower body mass index (BMI), decreased age and lower glucose levels, leading to a lower incidence of cardio-metabolic diseases. The increased cold exposure in adult humans with undetectable BAT was associated with decreased body fat mass and increased insulin sensitivity. A deeper understanding of the role of BAT in human metabolic health and its interrelationship with body fat distribution and deciphering proper strategies to increase energy expenditure, by either increasing functional BAT mass or inducing white adipose browning, holds the promise for possible therapeutic avenues for the treatment of obesity and associated metabolic disorders.
The Mobile Phone as a Tool in Family Life: Impact on Planning of Everyday Activities and Car Use

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships between aspects of time norms, planning of everyday activities, use of a mobile phone, and the car in families with children. The analysis is based on results from a survey with a random sample of 2000 respondents from families with children in Norway, 2005. The analysis shows that the mobile phone is very important in everyday communication among family members. Short planning time and use of the mobile phone go together. The general level of car use varies with planning horizon and the choice of the medium used for arranging and rearranging appointments. There is a relation between high frequency of car use, a short planning horizon and use of the mobile phone.
Physician perceptions of the types of roles interpreters play in limited English proficient pediatric encounters and how they evaluate the quality of interpretation

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand different roles that interpreters play in a pediatric, limited English proficient (LEP) health care encounter and to describe what factors within each role inform physicians’ assessment of the overall quality of interpretation. Background Language barriers contribute to lower quality of care in LEP pediatric patients compared to their English-speaking counterparts. Use of professional medical interpreters has been shown to improve communication and decrease medical errors in pediatric LEP patients. In addition, in many pediatric encounters, interpreters take on roles beyond that of a pure language conduit. Methods We conducted 11 semi-structured interviews with pediatricians and family medicine physicians in one health system. Transcripts were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We analyzed our data using directed content analysis. Two study team members coded all transcripts, reviewed agreement, and resolved discrepancies. Findings Physicians described four different interpreter roles: language conduit, flow manager, relationship builder, and cultural insider. Within each role, physicians described components of quality that informed their assessment of the overall quality of interpretation during a pediatric encounter. We found that for many physicians, a high-quality interpreted encounter involves multiple roles beyond language transmission. It is important for health care systems to understand how health care staff conceptualize these relationships so that they can develop appropriate expectations and trainings for medical interpreters in order to improve health outcomes in pediatric LEP patients.
Application of MPA to estimate probability of collapse of structures

This paper develops a modal pushover analysis‐ (MPA) based approximate procedure to quantify the collapse potential of structural systems. The computationally demanding incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) of the structural system is avoided by MPA of the structure in conjunction with empirical equations for the collapse strength ratio for the first‐mode single‐degree‐of‐freedom (SDF) system; higher modes of vibration play essentially no role in estimating the ground motion intensity required to cause collapse of the structure. Presented are collapse fragility curves for 6‐, 9‐, and 20‐story regular special moment‐resisting teel frames computed by the exact and approximate procedures, demonstrating that the MPA‐based approximate procedure requires only a small fraction (1% in one example) of the computational effort inherent in exact IDA and still achieves highly accurate results. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Factors affecting international tourists’ intention to use local mobile apps in online purchase

ABSTRACT Previous research investigated factors affecting the intention of international tourists to use smartphone apps in online buying under normal conditions. However, this intention has not yet been examined under different circumstances and in sanction-ridden and crisis-affected destinations. Moreover, previous studies have not examined the differences between different generations using multiple group analysis (MGA) on how the intention of tourists using Smartphone apps affects their buying behavior when the control variables change. This study attempts to fill this gap by surveying 385 international tourists in Isfahan, Iran. This study has both theoretical and managerial implications and introduces directions for future research.
Researches and tests of high-speed circuit breakers for rolling stock and substations in 3 kV DC traction power system

Before placing in service in the railway electrical traction high-speed circuit-breakers shall be the subject of conformity tests with standards. The high-speed circuit breakers are an essential safeguard against the flow of an excessive current in the circuit overhead line and vehicles being powered by it. That is the reason why the circuit breakers must be equipped with systems which allow extinguish the high-energy arc. Additionally, the short circuit currents must be switched off as soon as possible to minimize the risk of damage, protected by circuit breakers, elements of an electric traction power supply system. The main document identifying requirements and a scope of the high-speed DC circuit breaker’s research for traction substation and sectioning cabins is the PN-EN 50123-2 standard. In the case of the onboard high-speed DC circuit breakers, requirements and scope of the research regulates the PN-EN 60077-3 standard. Although, two standards – PN-EN 50123-2 and PN-EN 60077-3 – apply to the same type of electric gear, the symbols and volume and parameter indexes used therein are different, what causes some inconvenience in analysis and results comparison, especially in terms of circuit breaker cooperation (f.e. in ensuring the coordination of short circuit protection in the traction vehicle – traction substation relation). Besides above standards, the requirements for high-speed DC circuit breakers are contained in PN-EN 50388 standard and technical specification for interoperability of the subsystem “Energy” (TSI “Energy”). For most of the test points and high speed D.C. circuit breaker checks, requirements that are contained in standards, testing and results are not problematic. However, part of the research and their result may be the basis of a discussion about real properties and parameters of circuit breakers. These tests and checks are contact life research, switching capacity check, designation and critical currents switching off and coordination of short circuit protection in the traction vehicle – traction substation relation. The data analysis presented by the producers of circuit breakers show that none of them classifies their products as one of the type: H, V or S, that are defined by PN-EN 50123 standard. Based on many measurements performed by Instytut Kolejnictwa it is possible to determine the type of highspeed D.C. circuit breakers designed to 3 kV D.C. system, produced by the leading European
Perception Studies of Vertical Greenery Systems in Singapore

The objective is to discover the current perception of vertical greenery systems and barriers to their widespread adoption in Singapore. It can be concluded that the energy saving property of vertical greenery systems make them suitable for the local conditions as Singapore depends heavily on air conditioning. In addition, vertical greenery systems will also enhance the aesthetic of a building. Moreover, the installation of vertical greenery system is part of the effort to reduce the increasing serious air and noise pollution. Lastly, vertical greenery system is able to bring nature closer to humans. As with all greenery, constant clearing of the residue of dead leaves as well as periodical replacement and trimming cannot be avoided. These may become a barrier in convincing building owners to adopt vertical greenery systems. Furthermore, there is a lack of technical information, maintenance instructions, and information on plants suitable for vertical greenery systems locally. Lastly, there is lack of awareness of the benefits and performance of vertical greenery systems as well as a lack of grants and subsidies for implementation of vertical greenery systems.
An Evaluation of Individualized, Job-Specific Maintenance Training.

Abstract : Individualized, job-specific courses were developed for three organizational-level billets in an A-7E squadron: The TF41 power plant maintenance technician, the structures/hydraulics maintenance technician, and the plane captain. Training was oriented specifically toward the tasks that the graduate would perform in the billet during his first enlistment. Training on the more general or theoretical knowledge needed for a given task was closely integrated with training on the more specific or concrete aspects of the task, instead of being segregated into common-core courses at the beginning of the training pipelines. The courses were supported by the Navy's computer-managed instruction (CMI) system.
Correction of the ΔF508 mutation in the CFTR Gene by CRISPR/Cas9 system

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is one of the most common autosomal recessive genetic diseases. It is caused by mutations in the gene encoding the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). CF causes chronic lung disease including thickened mucus, bacterial infection and inflammation, with a progressive loss of pulmonary function and, ultimately, death. Several clinical trials have been performed to date assessing the potential of gene therapy to limit the progression of CF lung disease. However, a clinically relevant treatment has yet to emerge. The major challenges in gene therapy for CF relate to the limited levels of gene transfer achieved in the lung airway epithelium, and the persistence of transgene expression. Here we are investigating the potential of genome editing to develop a genetic therapy for CF using the CRISPR/Cas system that allows for gene-specific, targeted correction of disease-related mutations to be introduced at the chromosomal level. In particular, we aim to investigate the therapeutic potential for ΔF508 mutation cystic fibrosis, which is the most common CF mutation and affects more than 70% of patients. Initially, multiple guide RNAs were screened for double strand break (DSB), targeting the CFTR gene close to the ΔF508 mutation on the CFBE41o- cell line. The efficient gRNAs were used for the mutation correcting through homology directed repair (HDR) after which the cells were cloned. The correction was confirmed at the molecular level, followed by restoring the electrophysiology function and the mRNA expression. This work was also extended to correct the mutation on primary CFBE cells where the editing was optimized with Cas9 mRNA/gRNA and ribonucleoprotein (RNP) was delivered by Receptor-Targeted Nanocomplex (RTN). To improve the editing efficiency, the homology-independent targeted integration (HITI) strategy as an alternative for HDR, was used to investigate the CFTR exon 10 in CFBE41o- being replaced with wildtype exon. The gene editing in vivo was explored successfully in a mice reporter model to restore tdTomato expression by paired gRNAs excision the stop cassette where targeting nanocomplex was used as a safe and non-immunogenic delivery method.
Prognostic Value of XIAP Level in Patients with Various Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) plays an important role in cancer pathogenesis, which has been found to be overexpressed in multiple human cancers and associated with survival rates. Herein, we performed a meta-analysis to explore the predictive value of XIAP level in patients with various solid tumors. Methods: Relevant articles exploring the relationship between XIAP expression and survival of cancer patients were retrieved in PubMed, PMC, EMBASE and Web of Science published from 2001 to 2018. The combined hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the significance. Results: A total of 6554 patients from 40 articles were included in this meta-analysis. It was shown in 37 studies with 4864 cases that the over-expression of XIAP was associated with poorer overall survival (OS) (combined HR=1.61, 95% CI: 1.33-1.96). Meanwhile, 8 studies with 1862 cases revealed that elevated XIAP level predicted shorter disease-free survival (DFS) (HR=2.17, 95% CI: 1.03-4.59). Subgroup analyses showed that higher XIAP detection was related to worse OS in gastric cancer (HR=1.42, 95% CI: 1.18-1.72) and head and neck cancer (HNC) (HR=2.97, 95% CI: 1.97-4.47). Conclusion: Our results suggested that elevated XIAP level seemed to represent an unfavorable prognostic factor for clinical outcomes in cancer patients. However, there were limited studies describing the association between XIAP expression and clinical prognosis in each different type of tumors. Therefore, concrete roles of XIAP in various cancers need to be further explored.
An overview of hyperspectral image feature extraction, classification methods and the methods based on small samples

Abstract Hyperspectral image (HSI) contains rich spatial and spectral information, which has been widely used in resource exploration, ecological environment monitoring, land cover classification and target recognition. However, the nonlinearity of HSI data and the strong correlation between bands also bring difficulties and challenges to HSI application. In particular, the limited available hyperspectral training samples will lead to the classification accuracy cannot be improved. Therefore, making full use of the advantages of HSI data, through algorithms and strategies to solve the limited training samples, high-dimensional HSI data and effective classification method, so as to improve the classification accuracy. This paper reviews the research results of the feature extraction methods and classification methods of HSI classification in recent years. In addition, this paper expounds five kinds of small sample strategies, and solves the problem of small sample in HSI classification from different angles. Small sample strategy will be the focus of HSI classification research in the future. To solve the problem of small sample classification can greatly promote the application of HSI.
Predicting Transportation Outcomes for LEED Projects

The article first estimates models of mode choice and average trip length for 239 diverse mixed-use developments in six diverse regions. It then applies these models to twelve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) pilot projects to predict approximate vehicle miles of travel (VMT) per person trip. Finally, it compares LEED-ND values to regional average values from the National Household Travel Survey. The VMT per person trip, for LEED-ND projects, ranges from 24 to 60 percent of the respective regional averages. The most urban and centrally located projects tended to achieve the highest alternative mode shares and the lowest private vehicle trip lengths.
Athletic training with minimal footwear strengthens toe flexor muscles

During the propulsive phase of human locomotion, long and short toe flexor muscles (TFM) are exposed to mechanical stimuli caused by ground reaction forces. Further, flexible footwear seems to facilitate increased loading on foot structures. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of high intensity athletic training with minimal footwear on TFM strength. Forty-seven female sport students participated and were randomly divided in three groups: the experimental group (EG; n = 18; 25 ± 5 yrs, 59 ± 6 kg) and the training control group (TG; n = 18; 23 ± 2 yrs, 64 ± 6 kg) performed high intensity athletic training (3 weeks, 5 times per week, 30 min per session) on the forefoot. The EG wore a minimal shoe, the TG performed the exercises with traditional training shoes. The basic control group (CG; n = 11; 27 ± 5 yrs, 63 ± 7 kg) participated in no training programme. To evaluate the training effects on TFM strength, maximum metatarsal phalangeal joint (MPJ) plantar flexion moments during maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) at 0° and 25° MPJ dorsal flexion were measured in a custom made dynamometer before and after the training intervention. The results showed that (1) in 0° MPJ dorsal flexion, MPJ moments were significantly increased in the EG (p < 0.01) and TG (p < 0.05) and differed significantly to the CG (p < 0.05); (2) in 25° MPJ dorsal flexion, TFM strength was significantly increased in the EG (p < 0.01), but not in the TG and CG (p > 0.05). In this joint angle position the EG significantly differed from the TG and CG (p < 0.05). The results of the study show that athletic exercises with minimal footwear strengthen TFM after three weeks intensive training.
Reuse of waste frying oil for production of rhamnolipids using Pseudomonas aeruginosa zju.u1M

In this work, rhamnolipid production was investigated using waste frying oil as the sole carbon source. By culture in shaking flasks, a naturally isolated strain synthesized rhamnolipid at concentration of 12.47 g/L and its mutant after treatment by UV light increased this productivity to 24.61 g/L. Fermentation was also conducted in a 50 L bioreactor and the productivity reached over 20 g/L. Hence, with a stable and high productive mutant strain, it could be feasible to reuse waste frying oil for rhamnolipid production on industrial scale.
Rereading Turkey’s recent history through the lens of rock music: how rock has lost its socio-political edge in neoliberal times

Abstract In presenting the historical development of rock music in Turkey from the early 1960s to the present within a socio-political framework, this study provides (1) a rereading of Turkish politico-economic changes and (2) a correlative cultural critique of rock musicianship and songwriting in the neoliberal age. Two related hypotheses are tested through a content analysis of 67 rock acts, 426 releases and 3452 songs from 1963 to 2019. First, it is argued that as Turkey moved from import substitution industrialisation between 1960 and 1980 to 1980s neoliberalism, the content of rock music lyrics changed from being overtly socio-political to having no relation to such matters or to adopting implicit and indirect language in mentioning them. Second, it is proposed that this lyrical unresponsiveness to social matters grew so powerfully as part of the neoliberal economic rationale that it put individuation, self-realisation and market demands ahead of other forms of social relations. So, today’s rock artists are unequipped to respond through their lyrics to grand events, such as the Gezi Park protests of 2013, the failed coup attempt of 2016, or a two-year state of emergency, terrorism and femicide, in contrast to the rock music of the 1960s and 1970s.