Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Application of kernel principal component analysis for optical vector atomic magnetometry

Vector atomic magnetometers that incorporate electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) allow for precision measurements of magnetic fields that are sensitive to the directionality of the observed field by virtue of fundamental physics. However, a practical methodology of accurately recovering the longitudinal angle of the local field through observations of EIT spectra has not been established. In this work, we address this problem of angle determination with an unsupervised machine learning algorithm utilizing nonlinear dimensionality reduction. The proposed algorithm was developed to interface with spectroscopic measurements from an EIT-based atomic rubidium magnetometer and uses kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) as an unsupervised feature extraction tool. The resulting KPCA features allow each EIT spectrum measurement to be represented by a single coordinate in a new reduced dimensional feature space, thereby streamlining the process of angle determination. A supervised support vector regression (SVR) machine was implemented to model the resulting relationship between the KPCA projections and field direction. If the magnetometer is configured so that the azimuthal angle of the field is defined with a polarization lock, the KPCA-SVR algorithm is capable of predicting the longitudinal angle of the local magnetic field within 1 degree of accuracy and the magnitude of the absolute field with a resolution of 70 nT. The combined scalar and angular sensitivity of this method make the KPCA-enabled EIT magnetometer competitive with conventional vector magnetometry methods. © 2023. All rights reserved.
Work-life balance and job satisfaction among faculty members of management campuses of the Kathmandu Valley

Purpose - This study intends to investigate the connection between work-life balance and job satisfaction among faculty members of management campuses in the Kathmandu Valley. When companies show concern for the satisfaction of employees’ personal lives and jobs, these employees often give back by contributing to the achievement of the organization’s objectives through enhanced performance and higher staff retention. Study design/methodology/approach - A quantitative approach was adopted and a descriptive and causal-comparative research design to measure the status of work-life balance and its connection with job happiness among the faculty members of management campuses in Kathmandu. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire from 147 faculty members, and analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Findings - Results of this research exhibited a strong correlation between work-life balance and job satisfaction among faculty of management campuses in Kathmandu. The majority of faculty members of management campuses was able to manage their work-life responsibilities and expressed a moderate level of job satisfaction. Conclusion - Long hours and intense job pressure made it challenging for faculty to have a positive work-life balance, and an imbalance in these factors made them dissatisfied towards the job. Support from coworkers, flexible work hours, and family-friendly initiatives all contributed to a healthy balance between work-life, which helped faculty members feel more satisfied with their jobs. Implications - Theoretically, this study filled the gap that existed in the area of educational sectors in Nepal. The study is important for academics since it sparks ideas for additional research. Practically, the results of this research help to review the policies and strategies of the educational institutions to implement work-life balance practices which add to the job happiness of faculty and the quality and productivity of the institutions.
High ozone events and attainment demonstrations in Houston, Texas

EVAN A. COUZO: High Ozone Events and Attainment Demonstrations in Houston, Texas. (Under the direction of William Vizuete.) The Houston-Galveston-Brazoria area has had multiple decades of persistent high ozone (O3) values. We have analyzed ten years of ground-level measurements at 25 monitors in Houston and found that peak 1-h O3 concentrations were often associated with large hourly O3 increases. A non-typical O3 change (NTOC) – defined here as an increase of at least 40 ppb/hr or 60 ppb/2hrs – was measured 25% of the time when concentrations recorded at a monitor exceeded the 8-h O3 standard. CAMx model simulations were found to be limited in their ability to simulate NTOCs, under predicted maximum observed rates of O3 increases by more than 50 ppb/hr, and had difficulty simulating spatially isolated, high O3 events measured at monitors that routinely violate the 8-h O3 standard. Our results suggest that this modeling system will be unable to guide the selection of effective control strategies required to meet a more stringent federal 8-h O3 standard.
Difference in boreal winter predictability between two dynamical cores of Community Atmosphere Model 5

This study investigates the sensitivity of the boreal winter prediction skill of Community Atmosphere Model 5 to the choice of the dynamical core. Both finite volume (FV) and spectral element (SE) dynamical cores are tested. An additional FV with the SE topography (FVSE) is also conducted to isolate the possible influence of the topography. The three dynamical core experiments, which ran from 2001/2002–2017/2018, are validated using Japanese 55 year reanalysis data. It turns out that the SE (−4.27 °C) has a smaller cold bias in boreal-winter surface air temperature (SAT) than the FV (−5.17 °C) and FVSE (−5.29 °C), particularly in North America, East Asia, and Southern Europe/Northern Africa. Significant North Atlantic Oscillation-like biases are also identified in the mid-troposphere. These biases affect seasonal prediction skills. Although the overall prediction skills of boreal-winter SAT, quantified by the anomaly correlation coefficient (ACC), and root-mean-square error (RMSE), are reasonably good (ACC = 0.40 and RMSE = 0.47 in the mean values of SE, FV, and FVSE), they significantly differ from one region to another, depending on the choice of dynamical cores. For North America and Southern Europe/Northern Africa, SE shows better skills than FVSE and FV. Conversely, in East Asia, FV and FVSE outperform SE. These results suggest that the appropriate choice of the dynamical cores and the bottom boundary conditions could improve the boreal-winter seasonal prediction on a regional scale.
Comparison Of Sewage And Solid Waste Disposal Methods Among Households In Urban And Rural Local Government Areas Of Anambra State

Improper sewage and solid waste disposal lead to environmental pollution and increased risk of communicable diseases. This study compared the sanitation and solid waste disposal facilities utilized in selected rural and urban local government areas of Anambra State, Nigeria. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1310 households and data was collected from household heads or a designated adult representative using of quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (KII) data collection methods. The independent variables in this study are the sociodemographic variables and the geographical location of the respondents while the dependent variables are the toilet facilities and solid waste disposal methods. Data from the questionnaire was analyzed using the SPSS version 23 and the hypotheses were tested with the inferential statistics of Chi square at 0.05 level of significance. Most respondents lie between the age group of 31-50 years. Most of the respondents in both the urban (84.4%) and rural(65.0%) areas had secondary education and above but a higher proportion in the urban compared to rural have tertiary education(41.9% versus 22.1%). The difference in educational status was statistically significant (p = 0.0001). There were more business men (46.6%) and civil servants (38.8%) in the urban area than the rural area. Most rural respondents were farmers(41.5%). Many urban household use toilet with sewer connection 152(11.7%) while pit latrine with slab is the most commonly used toilet facility 242 (18.6%). Burning was more commonly used by the rural households (n = 266, 20.5%). Open dumping of refuse and disposal into gullies and water ways were commonly done by the urban households. The gaps that exist between rural and urban areas of Anambra state may present serious health risk and environmental degradation . This issues can be addressed through health education, building more sanitary infrastructure to include the rural areas and enforcing sanitation laws.
Association between Dynamic Agrivoltaic System and Cultivation: Viability, Yields and Qualitative Assessment of Medical Plants

This study investigated the comparative cultivation of six medicinal plant species (sage, oregano, rosemary, lavender, thyme, and mint) in a dynamic agrivoltaic (AV) system and a neighboring control plot exposed to full sun (referred to as “T”). Specifically, within the dynamic AV system, two distinct plot areas on the ground were identified due to the rotation of the panels: one consistently in the shade of the solar panels (UP), and another alternately in shade and sunlight (BP). The study involved the measurement of solar radiation, air temperature, and infrared leaf temperature during crop growth in these designated plots. Additionally, a weed survey was conducted at harvest time. The findings revealed that solar radiation, air temperature, infrared leaf temperature, and weed coverage were notably lower in the UP plot compared to both the BP and T plots. Furthermore, the yield of essential oils in sage, thyme, mint, and rosemary plants was higher in both the UP and BP plots than in the T plot. Hence, these factors seemingly positively impacted the performance of specific medicinal crops within the dynamic AV system. This information holds significance for producers and processors concerning crop quality.
Prebiotics Plus Probiotics May Favorably Impact on Gut Permeability, Endocannabinoid Receptors, and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Patients with Coronary Artery Diseases: A Clinical Trial

Abstract While gut‐to‐systemic translocation of pyrogenic endotoxin due to a leaky gut elicits systemic inflammation, at the intestine, the endocannabinoid system (eCB) also plays a major role in modulating the impact of gut dysbiosis on the host system. Therefore, we hypothesized that coadministration of prebiotic inulin with probiotics would improve the eCB system, gut microbial composition, and inflammatory parameters associated with coronary artery diseases (CAD). We designed a randomized, double‐blind trial with 92 CAD patients. Patients were randomly allocated to receive inulin (15 mg/day), LGG capsules 1.9 × 109 colony‐forming unit (CFU) or inulin plus probiotic (synbiotics) supplements, for a duration of 60 days. We assessed gut microbiota composition, expression of cannabinoid receptors (i.e., CB1 and CB2), serum levels of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR‐4), lipopolysaccharides (LPS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA) before and after the supplementation. Probiotic‐inulin cosupplementation significantly decreased IL6, LPS, and TLR‐4 and increased serum TAC concentrations compared with the placebo. While CB1 receptor expression had no difference, significant differences were observed for the CB2 receptor expression among the four treatments. CB2 receptor mRNA expression significantly (p < .05) correlated with serum levels of LPS (r = −.10) and F/B ratio (r = −.407, p = .047). Our data collectively provide preliminary evidence that gut microbiota determines gut permeability through the LPS–eCB system. We also have found that synbiotics improved the eCB receptors, and inflammatory biomarkers more than either of the two supplementations given alone.
Geographic range size and species morphology determines the organization of sponge host-guest interaction networks across tropical coral reefs

Sponges are widely spread organisms in the tropical reefs of the American Northwest-Atlantic Ocean, they structure ecosystems and provide services such as shelter, protection from predators, and food sources to a wide diversity of both vertebrates and invertebrates species. The high diversity of sponge-associated fauna can generate complex networks of species interactions over small and large spatial-temporal gradients. One way to start uncovering the organization of the sponge host-guest complex networks is to understand how the accumulated geographic area, the sponge morphology and, sponge taxonomy contributes to the connectivity of sponge species within such networks. This study is a meta-analysis based on previous sponge host-guest literature obtained in 65 scientific publications, yielding a total of 745 host-guest interactions between sponges and their associated fauna across the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. We analyzed the sponge species contribution to network organization in the Northwest Tropical Atlantic coral reefs by using the combination of seven complementary species-level descriptors and related this importance with three main traits, sponge-accumulated geographic area, functional sponge morphology, and sponges’ taxonomy bias. In general, we observed that sponges with a widespread distribution and a higher accumulated geographic area had a greater network structural contribution. Similarly, we also found that Cup-like and Massive functional morphologies trend to be shapes with a greater contribution to the interaction network organization compared to the Erect and Crust-like morphos. Lastly, we did not detect a taxonomy bias between interaction network organization and sponges’ orders. These results highlight the importance of a specific combination of sponge traits to promote the diversity of association between reef sponges and their guest species.
Synergistic antimicrobial interaction of plant essential oils and extracts against foodborne pathogens

Abstract Essential oils (EOs) and plant extracts have demonstrated inhibitory activity against a wide range of pathogenic bacteria. In this study, the chemical composition of manuka, kanuka, peppermint, thyme, lavender, and feijoa leaf and peel EOs and feijoa peel and leaf extracts were analyzed, and their antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Listeria monocytogenes were determined. The results showed that the major compounds varied among different EOs and extracts, with menthol in peppermint EO, thymol and carvacrol in thyme EO, linalool in lavender EO, β‐caryophyllene in feijoa EO, and flavones in feijoa extract being the most prevalent. The study found that while EOs/extracts had antimicrobial activity alone, no individual EO/extract was highly effective against all tested species. Therefore, their combinations were tested to identify those that could broaden the spectrum of activity and act synergistically. The checkerboard method was applied to assess the possible synergism between the paired combinations of EOs/extract. The peppermint/thyme, peppermint/lavender, and peppermint/feijoa peel extract combinations exhibited a synergistic effect against E. coli and L. monocytogenes, with the peppermint/thyme and peppermint/feijoa peel extract combinations being the most effective against all five pathogens. Time‐to‐kill kinetics assays demonstrated that peppermint/thyme and peppermint/feijoa peel extract combinations achieved complete eradication of E. coli within 10–30 min and L. monocytogenes within 4–6 h. This study provides a promising approach to developing a natural alternative for food preservation using synergistic combinations of EOs/extracts, which could potentially reduce the required dosage and broaden their application in food products as natural preservatives.
Cytological Study of Topical Effect of Azelastine Hydrochloride on the Nasal Mucous Membrane Cells in Various Nasal Rhinitis Types

Previous reports on the benefits of using local therapy with azelastine in rhinitis focus on the assessment of clinical symptoms and the analysis of nasal lavage for the presence of inflammatory cells and the expression of adhesion molecules. Little attention has been paid to studies assessing the effect of azelastine on individual cytotypes of the nasal mucosa, especially epithelial cells, also in the context of inducing morphological changes. The aim of this study was the cytological analysis of swabs taken from the surface of the nasal mucosa of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and nonallergic/vasomotor rhinitis (NAR/VMR) who were subjected to 4 weeks of therapy with azelastine and then comparing the obtained results with the pre-treatment condition. The technique of obtaining materials for cytoanalysis included sampling, staining of smears, microscopic analysis, and preparation of cytograms. Our studies confirmed the therapeutic benefits of azelastine in both study groups. Significant changes were demonstrated, confirming the regeneration of ciliated cells and the induction of autophagy and apoptosis in epithelial cells. Such changes indicate new mechanisms of action of azelastine, which play a significant role in restoring homeostasis in the nasal mucosa. The presented research also results in a detailed description of cytological changes in both studied rhinitis types, which complements the knowledge regarding prognostic indicators.
The methodology of kineto-stratigraphy as applied to glacial geology

Studies of contorted drift sequence in southeastern Denmark have resulted in a fusion of the working methods and principles of glacial-tectonics and lithostratigraphy and in the formulation of a new type of stratigraphy, kineto-stratigraphy, where main emphasis is placed on the study of the directional elements that reflect the movement patterns (kinetics) of former ice sheets. Through studies of principal localities, where deposits and deformation from more than one glacial advance are found, regional kineto­stratigraphic drift units are established, and local glacial deposits are classified accordingly. The relative significance of the various directional elements is discussed, and a brief outline of the new Weichselian kineto-stratigraphy of southeastern Denmark is given.
Iron Competition as an Important Mechanism of Pulcherrimin-Producing Metschnikowia sp. Strains for Controlling Postharvest Fungal Decays on Citrus Fruit

This study identified and tested fruit-isolated Metschnikowia yeasts against three major postharvest citrus pathogens, namely, Penicillium digitatum, Penicillium italicum, and Geotrichum citri-aurantii, and further evaluated the impact of FeCl3 on the biocontrol efficiency of pulcherrimin-producing M. pulcherrima strains. Based on the characterization of the pigmented halo surrounding the colonies and the analysis of the D1/D2 domain of 26S rDNA, a total of 46 Metschnikowia sp. were screened and identified. All 46 Metschnikowia strains significantly inhibited the hyphal growth of Penicillium digitatum, Penicillium italicum, and Geotrichum citri-aurantii, and effectively controlled the development of green mold, blue mold and sour rot of citrus fruit. The introduction of exogenous FeCl3 at certain concentrations did not significantly impact the pulcherriminic acid (PA) production of pigmented M. pulcherrima strains, but notably diminished the size of pigmented zones and the biocontrol efficacy against the three pathogens. Iron deficiency sensitivity experiments revealed that P. digitatum and P. italicum exhibited higher sensitivity compared to G. citri-aurantii, indicating that iron dependence varied among the three pathogens. These results suggested that M. pulcherrima strains, capable of producing high yields of PA, possessed great potential for use as biocontrol agents against postharvest citrus diseases. The biocontrol efficacy of these yeasts is mainly attributed to their ability to competitively deplete iron ions in a shared environment, with the magnitude of their pigmented halo directly correlating to their antagonistic capability. It is worth noting that the level of sensitivity of pathogens to iron deficiency might also affect the biocontrol effect of pulcherrimin-producing M. pulcherrima.
Speech Rate and Sentence Length’s Influence on Perception of Mandarin Tone Sandhi

It is well known that in Mandarin, the first low tone (T3) changes to a Rising tone when two low tones occur in an uninterrupted succession. It was discovered that Mandarin speakers could not distinguish the second tone from the third tone regardless of speech rate. People could not perceive the small pitch difference between the sandhi tone and the underlying tone 2 found in the production experiment. Speech rates at which the phrases were spoken did not affect the identification of the phrases. This study aims to investigate if the speech rate and sentence length really influence the perception of sandhi. A perception test is performed and 15 Mandarin speakers participated in the perception of the material. The identification differences under distinct speech rates and sentence lengths are significant. It is found that the sandhi tone is perceptually indistinguishable from tone 2, and speech rates and sentence length impact the identification of the sandhi.
Acquisition of English relative clauses by native speakers of Kurdish Sorani

Abstract The present study investigates several linguistic factors that might be determinants of differences in the ease of acquisition of relative clauses (RCs) in L2 contexts, using the acquisition of English relative clauses by Kurdish Sorani native speakers. The analysis of 1440 subject and object RCs formed by Kurdish Sorani-speaking learners of English in a sentence combination task and a sentence translation task indicates that the syntactic functions of the noun phrase (NP) relativized in the RC, the position of the RC in the matrix clause (whether centre- or right-embedded), and the properties of RCs in L1 affect the acquisition and the formation of RCs in L2. The study also provides evidence that the syntactic functions of the relativized NP in the matrix clause, and the consistency/inconsistency of word orders in L1 and L2 do not influence the acquisition of RCs in L2.
Integrative Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Landscape during Akebia trifoliata Fruit Ripening and Cracking

Akebia trifoliata fruit is prone to crack after ripening, but little is known about the mechanism underlying the cracking process. This study integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic data, revealing significant changes in 398 metabolites and 8414 genes during ripening and cracking, mainly impacting cell-wall metabolism. Multi-omics joint analysis indicated that genes related to polygalacturonase, pectate lyase, α-amylase, and glycogen phosphorylase were up-regulated after cracking, degrading cell wall and starch. Concurrently, diminished photosynthetic metabolism and heightened phenylpropanoid metabolism suggested alterations in cuticle structure, potentially impacting cell-wall robustness. Numerous auxin and abscisic acid signaling-related genes were expressed, and we assume that they contributed to the promoting peel growth. These alterations collectively might compromise peel strength and elevate expanding pressure, potentially leading to A. trifoliata cracking. Transcription factors, predominantly ethylene response factors and helix-loop-helix family members, appeared to regulate these metabolic shifts. These findings provide valuable insights into A. trifoliata cracking mechanisms; however, direct experimental validation of these assumptions is necessary to strengthen these conclusions and expedite their commercial utilization.