Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of long-term grazing on cryptogam crust cover in Navajo National Monument, Arizona.

The effects of long-term grazing (40 years) on cryptogamic crusts of Navajo National Monument were investigated. Both vascular and nonvascular communities were heavily impacted with the cryptogamic community showing the greatest reduction in cover. Lichens and mosses were the most damaged, while the algae were much more tolerant. Individual cryptogamspeeies were affected in similar patterns with all identifuble species showing reduced cover. Vascuhr plant species were also affected with grassesshowing the greatest reduction under grazing pressure. Throughout desert systems of western North America there is scant ground cover and often extensive open areas between the plants. In such open areas, soils are exposed to powerful erosive impacts. When soils are unprotected, erosion can be extensive and soil losses can be great. Of primary importance in the protection of desert soils are communities of nonvascular cryptogamic plants that grow upon or immediately beneath the soil surface. When well established and undisturbed such plants form a crust which plays an important role in soil stabilization (Fletcher and Martin 1948; Kleiner and Harper 1972, 1977; Loope and Gifford 1972; Anderson et al. 1982a, 1982b). Algae are the primary components of these crusts but they are often accompanied by lichens and mosses (Anderson and Rushforth 1977, Kleiner and Harper 1972). Algae are the most effective in binding the soil particles (Anantani and Marathe 1974, Anderson and Rushforth 1976). Where cryptogam crusts are well developed the soil surface is almost always highly stable. Research has been done on several aspects of the biology of soil crusts and cryptogamic communities. Ecological relationships have been studied by Anderson et al. (1982a) and Anderson et al. (1982b). Species composition and taxonomic relationships of crusts were studied by Anderson and Rushforth (1976). The role of such crusts in nitrogen fixation was studied by Rychert and Skujins (1974) and their effects on infiltrationand sedimentation by Loope and Gifford (1972). However, much is yet to be learned about the role of these crusts in desert ecosystems. The Navajo National Monument boundary (fenceline) provided an excellent opportunity to evaluate the effects of grazing on the cryptogamic soil crusts of the pinyon-juniper zone in northeastern Arizona. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of long-term grazing (40 years) on the cryptogamic soil cover of the pinyon-juniper zone in northern Arizona (Navajo National Monument).
In Vitro Growth of Human Follicles: Current and Future Perspectives

Ovarian tissue cryopreservation is gaining importance as a successful method to restore fertility to girls and young women at high risk of sterility. However, there are concerns regarding the safety of transplantation after ovarian tissue cryopreservation due to the high risk of reintroducing cancer cells and causing disease recurrence. In these cases, the development of culture systems that support oocyte development from the primordial follicle stage is required. Notable achievements have been reached in human follicle in vitro growth in the past decade. Currently, systems for the in vitro culture of ovarian tissue are based on two-dimensional substrates that do not support the survival of follicles or recapitulate the mechanical heterogenicity in the mammalian ovary. Recognition of the importance of special arrangements between cells has spurred research in three-dimensional culture systems, and the provision of a precise culture system that maximizes the diffusion of nutrients and gases through the follicles has raised interest in advanced biomimetic models. The current review critically examines various culture systems employed for the in vitro development of follicles, with a particular focus on solutions utilizing Organ-on-a-Chip (OOC) technology. The emphasis on OOC technology underscores its role as a promising avenue in ensuring the successful cultivation and maintenance of follicular structures during the culture period.
TINGKAT BUDAYA MEMBACA MASYARAKAT (Studi Kasus Pada Masyarakat Di Kabupaten Bandung)

This study aims to determine the level of community reading culture in Bandung Regency West Java Province. By using the sequential exploratory methodand datacollecting through observation, interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaire, the results of the study showed that the level of community reading culture is quite high. It is seen from the results of readingcultureindicator measurement which consist of 1) Availability of facilities which is measured from the availability of school libraries and the availability of public libraries - including the village library andbook corner. 2) Utilization of resources reading measured from the average of holdings of library materials (number and type), reading materialswhich are read, the average visit to the communitylibrary, the collection usage rate, library memberships. and 3) The communityreadinghabit measured from the average duration of reading (per-times reading), the average read frequency (in weeks), and the purpose of reading. Studi ini bertujuan untuk menentukan tingkat budaya baca masyarakat di Kabupaten Bandung Provinsi Jawa Barat. Dengan menggunakan metode eksploratori berurutan dan mengumpulkan data melalui pengamatan, wawancara, diskusi kelompok terfokus, dan kuesioner, hasil-hasil dari riset ini menunjukkan bahwa tingkat budaya baca masyarakat sangat tinggi. Ianya dilihat dari hasil pengukuran indikator budaya baca yang terdiri dari 1) Tersedianya fasilitas yang diukur dari ketersediaan perpustakaan sekolah dan ketersediaan perpustakaan umum - termasuk perpustakaan desa dan sudut buku. 2) penggunaan sumber-sumber membaca diukur dari rata-rata holdings bahan pustaka (jumlah dan jenis), bahan bacaan yang membaca, rata-rata kunjungan ke perpustakaan masyarakat, koleksi tingkat penggunaan, keanggotaan perpustakaan dan 3) kebiasaan membaca masyarakat diukur dari rata-rata durasi membaca (per-kali membaca), rata-rata frekuensi baca (dalam minggu), dan tujuan membaca.
Measuring crosswind using scintillometry

This thesis demonstrates that a scintillometer is able to obtain a path-averaged value of the crosswind (i.e., wind component perpendicular to a path). A scintillometer consists of a transmitter and a receiver spaced a few hundred meters to a few kilometres apart. The transmitter emits light with a certain wavelength, which is refracted by scintillations in the atmosphere (eddies with a different temperature and moisture content than their surrounding). The atmosphere is turbulent, thus the receiver of the scintillometer measures the intensity of the fluctuations of the light. Two scintillometer setup next to each other in principle measure the same eddy field except for a time-shift. It is known that this time-shift is linked to the crosswind: the lower the time shift the stronger the crosswind. This thesis shows that experimental calibration in the field to measure the crosswind with a scintillometer is not necessary. Also we developed two new algorithms, which are able to obtain the crosswind from the scintillometer signal. First, the algorithms were validated with measurements made above a flat grassland field. Later, measurements took place over more complex terrains (i) above the city of Helsinki, Finland and (ii) next to a runway at Schiphol airport, the Netherlands. We highlight that even in these complex terrains the scintillometer was able to obtain the crosswind correctly. At Schiphol airport also other applications of scintillometry were investigated: visibility measurements, and wake vortex detection. To use scintillometers as a visibility sensor, more research is necessary. In contrast, the scintillometer proved to be able to detect wake vortices created by airplanes during the night, when the atmospheric turbulence is low.
The Climate of the Pacific Arctic During the First RUSALCA Decade 2004–2013

The Russian-American Long-term Census of the Arctic (RUSALCA) research program (2004–present) is being conducted during a period of rapid environmental change in the Arctic. With access to both sides of the international convention line, RUSALCA is uniquely positioned to monitor key regions of the Pacific Arctic, including Bering Strait and the western Chukchi Sea. This paper describes the climate context for the first decade of RUSALCA (2004–2013) and provides additional analyses needed to relate observations obtained during three extended research expeditions with seasonal and longer-time-scale variations in sea ice concentration, weather, and ocean temperature patterns in the broader Pacific Arctic region. Results highlight the benefit and continuing need for sustained international and multidisciplinary collaboration in climate research, as exemplified by the RUSALCA program.
Neural-Network-Based Direction-of-Arrival Estimation for Reverberant Speech - The Importance of Energetic, Temporal, and Spatial Information

Direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation is a fundamental task in audio signal processing that becomes difficult in real-world environments due to the presence of reverberation. To address this difficulty, Direct-Path Dominance (DPD) tests have been proposed as an effective approach for detecting time-frequency (TF) bins dominated by direct sound, which contain accurate DOA information. These have been found to be particularly efficient when working with spherical arrays. While methods based on neural networks (NNs) have been developed to estimate the DOA, they have limitations such as the need for a large training database, and often understanding of the system's operation is lacking. This work proposes two novel DPD-test methods based on a model-based deep learning approach that combines the original DPD-test model with a data-driven system. Thus, it is possible to preserve the robustness of the original DPD-test across acoustic environments, while using a data-driven approach to better extract useful information about the direct sound, thereby enhancing the original method's performance. In particular, the paper investigates how energetic, temporal and spatial information contribute to the identification of TF-bins dominated by the direct signal. The proposed methods are trained on simulated data of a single sound source in a room, and evaluated on simulated and real data. The results show that energetic and temporal information provide new information about direct sound, which has not been considered in previous works and can improve its performance.
Synthesis and Properties of Cobalt/Nickel-Iron-Antimony(III, V)-Oxo Tartrate Cluster-Based Compounds

Two types of isostructural iron-cobalt/nickel-antimony-oxo tartrate cluster-based compounds, namely (H3O)(Me2NH2)[M(H2O)6]2[FeII2SbIII12(μ4-O)3(μ3-O)8(tta)6]·6H2O (M = Co (1); Ni (3)), H5/3[Co2.5FeII4/3FeIII3(H2O)13SbV1/3FeIII2/3(μ4-O)2(μ3-O)4SbIII6(μ3-O)2(tta)6]·2H2O (2) and H2[Ni2.25FeII1. 5FeIII3(H2O)14SbV0.25FeIII0. 75(μ4-O)2(μ3-O)4SbIII6(μ3-O)2(tta)6]·2H2O (4) (H4tta = tartaric acid) were synthesized via simple solvothermal reactions. All the clusters in the structures adopt sandwich configurations, that is, bilayer sandwich configuration in 1 and 3 and monolayer sandwich configuration in 2 and 4. Interestingly, the monolayer sandwiched compounds 2 and 4 represent rare examples of cluster-based compounds containing mixed-valence Sb(III, V), whose center of the intermediate layer is the co-occupied [FexSbV1−x]. This is different from that of previously reported sandwich-type antimony-oxo clusters in which the center position is either occupied by a transition metal ion or a Sb(V) alone. Thus, the discovery of title compounds 2 and 4 makes the evolution of center metal ion more complete, that is, from M, MxSbV1−x to SbV. All the title compounds were fully characterized, and the photocatalysis, proton conduction and magnetism of compounds 2 and 4 were studied.
Questioning ‘Feminine Managerial Behavior’ – A European Study Considering Gender Ideology

The concept of a ‘feminine managerial behavior’, which implies that women in managerial positions behave differently to men in similar positions by exhibiting a more supportive management style, is both widespread and controversial. To gain new insight into the debate, this study looks at the role national gender ideology plays in structuring the relationship between sex and perceived managerial support. Based on a representative sample of 22,391 employees from 26 European countries, our findings reveal that, on average, perceived managerial support is higher when supervisors are women. However, if we control for the moderating role of national gender ideology, this difference disappears. Therefore, this article contributes to the nature/nurture debate by showing that gender differences in perceived managerial support stem primarily from persistent gender stereotypes.
Genus bacillus, promising probiotics in aquaculture: Aquatic animal origin, bio-active components, bioremediation and efficacy in fish and shellfish

Abstract Species of Bacillus are spore-forming bacteria that are resistant to aggressive physical and chemical conditions, with various species showing unusual physiological features enabling them to survive in various environmental conditions including fresh waters, marine sediments, desert sands, hot springs, Arctic soils, and the gastrointestinal tract of finfish and shellfish. They are able to rapidly replicate and tolerate a multitude of environmental conditions, giving a wide range of beneficial effects in the aquaculture sector. Application of Bacillus spp. as probiotics in feed or for bioremediation of aquaculture rearing water has great potential for sustainable aquaculture. Species of Bacillus may play a desirable role in removing waste products from aquaculture environments, maintaining optimum water quality, and reducing stress, which can lead to an improved immuno-physiological balance, better growth and enhanced survival in target aquatic animals. Application of probiotic Bacillus spp. can enhance growth and immune function of aquatic organisms. Probiotic Bacillus can also assist in maintaining a higher density of beneficial bacteria and a lower load of pathogenic agents in aquaculture ponds. Much is still unknown, however, about how the probiotic efficacy of specific Bacillus species is affected by different aquatic animal species, age and growth condition, water quality, and diet. Also, the details of mode of actions of Bacillus spp. on the immune-physiological functions of aquatic organisms as well as their functions as bioremediators of water quality need further studies. This review addresses the presence of Bacillus spp. in the gastrointestinal tract of finfish and shellfish, their ability to produce enzymes and antibacterial compounds, and their efficacy and potency as probiotics in aquaculture.
Outlier detection using PCA mix based T2 control chart for continuous and categorical data

Abstract Outliers presence may lead to misdetection on out-of-control observations in Phase II, therefore, they should be cleaned in Phase I. This paper proposes PCA Mix based T2 chart with Kernel Density control limit for mixed continuous and categorical data. Simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the performance of proposed chart in detecting outliers from clean and contaminated data. The proposed chart has better performance than the benchmark in monitoring clean data. For contaminated data, proposed chart has optimal performance in situation when categorical data are generated from multinomial distribution with balanced parameters. This is confirmed by simulated and real dataset. Compared to the conventional and other robust charts, the proposed chart demonstrated a great performance by success to detect more outlier correctly for the higher percentage of outlier added.
Overexpression of tousled-like kinase 2 predicts poor prognosis in HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma patients after radical resection

Background: Tousled-like kinase 2 (TLK2) is integral to DNA repair, replication, and cell cycle regulation, crucial for maintaining genome stability and integrity. However, the expression and prognostic value of TLK2 in hepatitis B viral (HBV) -related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. Methods: We examined TLK2 expression and prognostic implications in pan-cancer by using diverse databases. Subsequently, TLK2 expression in HBV-related HCC tissues and adjacent tissues was assessed using quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. The prognostic value of TLK2 was assessed through ROC curves, time-dependent ROC curves, Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier curve, and decision curve analysis. Additionally, analyses of immune infiltration, protein-protein interactions, key molecules of tumor-related signaling pathways, molecular subtypes, and TLK2-associated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were conducted, along with GO/KEGG and GSEA enrichment analyses. Results: TLK2 expression was significantly higher in HCC tissues compared to adjacent tissues and correlated with gender, AFP levels, albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, microvascular invasion (MVI), maximum tumor diameter, tumor number, and TNM stage. TLK2 overexpression emerged as an independent risk factor for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in HBV-related HCC patients. An integrated OS nomogram model, incorporating TLK2, age, ALBI grade, MVI, and tumor number, displayed enhanced prognostic capability (C-index: 0.765, 95% CI: 0.732–0.798) in predicting OS and has a higher net benefit than the TNM stage. Moreover, TLK2 expression correlated closely with immune cell infiltration and key molecules of signaling pathways. Functional enrichment analyses highlighted significant associations with DNA duplex unwinding, double-strand break repair, DNA replication, cell cycle, E2F targets, G2M checkpoint, and MYC targets V1. Conclusion: TLK2 is notably overexpressed in HBV-related HCC and emerges as a promising prognostic biomarker, necessitating further validation.
Vaccine Hesitancy among European Parents—Psychological and Social Factors Influencing the Decision to Vaccinate against HPV: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Due to low adherence to HPV vaccination programs, the European region struggles with vaccination rates lower than 30% among the targeted population. The present report investigated various socio-demographic and psychological factors influencing European parents’ hesitancy towards vaccinating their children. Methods: As of September 2023, four databases were searched. After applying inclusion criteria, all articles comparing psychological and socio-demographic factors in parents who vaccinate or do not vaccinate their children were included. Results: Twenty-five primary publications met the criteria, totaling 385,460 responders, of which 311,803 want to or have already vaccinated their child, and 73,555 do not wish to do so. Immigrant and employment status, religion, age of parents and the child’s gender seemed to influence their decision to vaccinate their child. Previous experience with vaccines, perceived safety and efficacy and the mother’s previous abnormal CCS results also impacted their decision. The caregivers’ education, gender, civil status, number of children, family history of neoplasia or mother’s CCS attendance did not influence their hesitancy to vaccine. Conclusion: Multiple demographic, social, economic and psychological barriers involved in the parents’ hesitancy to vaccinate their children against the HPV virus were highlighted. Specific at-risk categories that need to be targeted with information, education and vaccination campaigns were identified.
Experiences of childlessness and adoption in marriage among Basotho: A two-cohort phenomenological study

This article reports a two-cohort study conducted among adoptive parents in Maseru and Maputsoe Lesotho, in 2014 and 2019, with African research philosophy underpinning the study. The article reports data collected from 13 adoptive parents (eight parents in Cohort one and five parents in Cohort two) using in-depth interviews and later analysed through a six-step discourse analysis. In this regard, the role of elders in participants’ extended families were taken into account upon the study’s conceptualisation and implementation. The article focuses on participants’ reports of their experiences of both family childlessness and adoption. Women in Cohort one reported being abused by husbands and in-laws and excluded from family decisions. A woman in Cohort two reported being excluded from social activities by her erstwhile friend subsequent to adopting. From a phenomenological standpoint, the participants attributed their treatment from husbands, in-laws, and friends to their family childlessness and adoption that is happening in a Basotho socio-cultural environment where it is not the norm. How to reference using ASWNet style: Thabane S. (2023). Experiences of childlessness and adoption in marriage among Basotho: A two-cohort phenomenological study African Journal of Social Work, 13(3), 136-146. https://dx.doi. org/10.4314/ajsw.v13i3. 2 Visit journal website: https://ajsw.africasocialwork. net
Exceptional and Sustained Response to Belzutifan in Von Hippel–Lindau Disease-Associated Central Nervous System Hemangioblastoma

Von Hippiel-Lindau (VHL) disease is a rare genetic disorder characterized by a variety of benign and malignant neoplastic growths arising in multiple different organ systems. About 60%-84% of patients develop hemangioblastomas, benign tumors comprised of newly formed blood vessels that often occur in the central nervous system (CNS) and retinas. Treatment options for this disease were limited before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of belzutifan, a HIF2α inhibitor. We present a case of a 25-year-old woman with VHL who underwent treatment with belzutifan over 18 months. It was noted that her CNS lesions decreased significantly in size over the course of her treatment, and she had minimal adverse effects. Her excellent and sustained therapeutic response to the treatment highlights the real-world clinical benefit of belzutifan and the possibility that this could play a crucial role in treating VHL by postponing or completely avoiding repeated surgical and radiotherapeutic intervention and their associated comorbidities.
La réforme LMD au département de français Bilan et perspectives

The introduction of the system LMD in Algeria sparked a truly reflection among specialists, shared between enthusiasm and reluctance, ‎ their position is far from unanimous. Unprecedented change is born, which sparked in us a strong desire to explore perceptions and representations of teachers from the French language department in respect of the new system. ‎ It is in this perspective that fits this contribution; ‎ the objective is to ‎ diagnose problems, ‎ better managing tensions and ‎ offer aid operations .
RNA modifications in gynecological cancer: current status and future directions

Currently, more than 170 modifications have been identified on RNA. RNA modification mainly regulates RNA splicing, intracellular transport, degradation, translation, and stability. Gynecologic cancer (GC) mainly includes cervical cancer (CCA), ovarian cancer (OC), Endometrial cancer (EMC), among others, is the leading cause of cancer-related death. At present, there is still a lack of effective means to eradicate such diseases, so it is important to conduct more in-depth research on gynecological cancers. Numerous studies have shown that a series of epigenetic changes occur during the development of gynecologic cancer. This article reviews the latest findings on the functional significance of RNA modification in gynecologic cancer and discusses the therapeutic potential of RNA modification-related inhibitors in the treatment of gynecologic cancer.