Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Global Size Pattern in a Group of Important Ecological Indicators (Diptera, Chironomidae) Is driven by Latitudinal Temperature Gradients

Simple Summary The size of animals is a result of the complex interactions between the evolution of a group, the environment in which the animal lives, and its physiology. It has been known for a long time that warm-blooded animals (such as birds or mammals) become larger in colder climates. This phenomenon is called “Bergmann’s rule”, and it is caused by the necessity of the animals to produce and preserve their heat in colder climates. This is easier for larger animals, as they have a lower ratio of body surface area to body volume. In cold-blooded animals, such as insects, similar patterns have been found in some cases, but their origin is less clear. In this paper, we show a strong negative relationship between size and temperature in a large group of aquatic insects (non-biting midges). We found that wings of non-biting midges are shorter by 32.4 µm for every 1 °C of mean annual temperature increase. This finding is important for use of non-biting midges in monitoring aquatic ecosystem health and tracking global climate change. Abstract Size is one of the most outwardly obvious characteristics of animals, determined by multiple phylogenetic and environmental variables. Numerous hypotheses have been suggested to explain the relationship between the body size of animals and their geographic latitude. Bergmann’s Rule, describing a positive relationship between the body size of endothermic animals and their geographic latitude, is especially well known. Whether or not insects exhibit a similar pattern has long been a subject for debate. We hypothesize that latitudinal size gradients are coupled to temperature variation affecting the metabolic rate of these merolimnic insects. We showcase a strong latitudinal size gradient in non-biting midges (Diptera: Chironomidae), based on the examination of 4309 specimens of these midges from around the world. Although phylogenetic position was a key predictor of wing length, we also found that wing length decreases by 32.4 µm per every 1 °C of mean annual temperature increase. This pattern was found across different taxa and could be detected in 20 of 24 genera studied. We discuss the reasons for this pattern origin and its palaeoecological implications.
Toward a holistic understanding of performance in Lean Manufacturing: a discussion on the relevance of its indicators

Purpose This study aims to propose a novel approach to select and prioritize performance indicators in Lean Manufacturing depending on whether they are influencing or being influenced by others, thereby assisting in the decision-making process for improving overall performance. Design/methodology/approach The methodology comprises two stages. First, a literature review was conducted to identify the performance indicators, and then their interrelationships were analyzed by means of the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method. Findings The results provide a comprehensive visualization of the performance indicators in Lean Manufacturing, with a total of 50 identified indicators. Among these, 29 were categorized as causal, meaning that their results mainly influence the others, and 21 as influenced, with their results mostly being influenced by others. Among the causal indicators, those related to the human factor (eight indicators) were the most predominant. However, the most-cited performance families in the literature do not stand out as being causal, but rather as mostly influenced. Practical implications This study can help managers improve and analyze performance more effectively, while focusing on the importance of choosing causal over influenced indicators. Originality/value Performance measurement plays a crucial role for organizations, but because of the increasing number of metrics, there lacks an established framework. This exploratory study thus opens the discussion on relevance to determine a group of coherent and connected indicators that could help measure performance in a more comprehensive manner, rather than in several isolated parts.
North American Clovis Point Form and Performance III: An Experimental Assessment of Knife Cutting Efficiency

ABSTRACT This study is an experimental assessment of Clovis knife use. This work is the third contribution in a series of experiments aimed at shedding light on the functional performance of distinct Clovis “point” forms. Here, we used seven replica Clovis point forms, representing the average and extremes of observed Clovis form, in two cutting tasks: rope cutting and clay cutting. Statistical comparison of cutting time, our measure of cutting efficiency, indicated differences among the knife forms in both tasks. These results, especially when considered with previous penetration and durability studies, are largely consistent with the hypothesis that selection of functional attributes contributed to Clovis point variability and evolution across North America. We also show that better knives serve as poorer points, and vice versa, but better knives are more durable than poorer knives. We conclude with discussion of knife use, allometry, and knife use in other time periods.
Increased Risk of Aortic Dissection with Perlecan Deficiency

Perlecan (HSPG2), a basement membrane-type heparan sulfate proteoglycan, has been implicated in the development of aortic tissue. However, its role in the development and maintenance of the aortic wall remains unknown. Perlecan-deficient mice (Hspg2−/−-Tg: Perl KO) have been found to show a high frequency (15–35%) of aortic dissection (AD). Herein, an analysis of the aortic wall of Perl KO mice revealed that perlecan deficiency caused thinner and partially torn elastic lamina. Compared to the control aortic tissue, perlecan-deficient aortic tissue showed a significant decrease in desmosine content and an increase in soluble tropoelastin levels, implying the presence of immature elastic fibers in Perl KO mice. Furthermore, the reduced expression of the smooth muscle cell contractile proteins actin and myosin in perlecan-deficient aortic tissue may explain the risk of AD. This study showed that a deficiency in perlecan, which is localized along the elastic lamina and at the interface between elastin and fibrillin-1, increased the risk of AD, largely due to the immaturity of extracellular matrix in the aortic tissue. Overall, we proposed a new model of AD that considers the deficiency of extracellular molecule perlecan as a risk factor.
Massive crop expansion threatens agriculture and water sustainability in northwestern China

Northwestern China (NWC) is among the major global hotspots undergoing massive terrestrial water storage (TWS) depletion. Yet driver(s) underlying such region-wide depletion remain controversial, i.e. warming-induced glaciermelting versus anthropogenic activities. Reconciling this controversy is the core initial step to guide policymaking to combat the dual challenges in agriculture production and water scarcity in the vastly dry NWC toward sustainable development. Utilizing diverse observations, we found persistent cropland expansion by >1.2 × 104 km2 since 2003, leading to growth of 59.9% in irrigated area and 19.5% in agricultural water use, despite a steady enhancement in irrigation efficiency. Correspondingly, a substantially faster evapotranspiration (ET) increase occurred in crop expansion areas, whereas precipitation exhibited no long-term trend. Counterfactual analyses suggest that the region-wide TWS depletion is unlikely to have occurred without an increase in crop expansion-driven ET even in the presence of glaciermelting. These findings imply that sustainable water management is critically needed to ensure agriculture and water security in NWC.
Esophageal Cancer Stem-like Cells Resist Ferroptosis-Induced Cell Death by Active Hsp27-GPX4 Pathway

Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a subpopulation of cancer cells responsible for tumor initiation and treatment failure, are more susceptible to ferroptosis-inducing agents than bulk cancer cells. However, regulatory pathways controlling ferroptosis, which can selectively induce CSC death, are not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that the CSCs of esophageal squamous carcinoma cells enriched by spheroid culture have increased intracellular iron levels and lipid peroxidation, thereby increasing exposure to several products of lipid peroxidation, such as MDA and 4-HNE. However, CSCs do not reduce cell viability until glutathione is depleted by erastin treatment. Mechanistic studies revealed that damage from elevated lipid peroxidation is avoided through the activation of Hsp27, which upregulates GPX4 and thereby rescues CSCs from ferroptosis-induced cell death. Our results also revealed a correlation between phospho-Hsp27 and GPX4 expression levels and poor prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer. Together, these data indicate that targeting Hsp27 or GPX4 to block this intrinsic protective mechanism against ferroptosis is a potential treatment strategy for eradicating CSC in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
The Managerial and Supervisory Competency Levels of Public Elementary School Principals

The aim of this study was to assess the managerial and supervisory competency levels of public elementary school principals in Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta Province. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 90 public elementary school principals. The data were analysed using a quantitatve approach. The results showed that the managerial competency level of these school principals was good. Continuing professional development (CPD) programs for principals are needed to further improve their competency levels. In addition, these CPD programs should focus on leadership rather than school management skills as the characteristics of the principal job have changed significantly. Keywords: school principals, principal managerial competency, principal supervisory competency
Human Head Portrait Feature Extraction Based on SIFT

As the number of students who attend the arts exams has been growing, each admission institutions need to score the human head portraits of art sketch with the number of ten thousand and even 100 thousand. Thus it is an innovative research on how to conduct image recognition with the help of advanced computer technology. Image Recognition Technology is to give the computer the intelligence of human vision, so that the computer can quickly and accurately recognize the object on the input images. However, in the recognition process such factors as light, rotation and shield increase the difficulty of identifying the human head portrait images. In order to get better recognition performance, this paper studies the feature extraction of human head portrait based on SIFT (Scale Invariant Feature Transform). From the practical application, it can be seen that the approach proposed in this paper is feasible and is of good recognition performance.
Physiology and modulation factors of ovulation in rabbit reproduction management

Rabbit is an induced ovulatory species, so ovulation takes place after mating. Traditionally, exogenous and synthetic hormonal factors (administered by intramuscular and intravaginal route) such as GnRH and analogues, or different physical procedures (i.e. stimulation by intravaginal cannula) have been used to induce ovulation in females when artificial insemination is applied in rabbit farms. Restriction and public rejection of the use of hormones is leading to the study of the seminal plasma components with potential action on ovulation induction. The aim of the present review is to collect and summarise the strategies used in recent years to trigger ovulation and improve rabbit fertility management with respect to more animal-friendly manipulation methods. Furthermore, special attention has been paid to the use of a semen component (as endogen molecule) such as beta nerve growth factor (β-NGF) in male and female rabbit reproductive physiology. This neurotrophin and its receptors (TrKA and p75NTR) are abundantly distributed in both male and female rabbit reproductive tracts, and it seems to have an important physiological role in sperm maturation and behaviour (velocity, apoptosis and capacitation), as well as a modulatory factor of ovulation. Endogen β-NGF is diluted in the seminal doses with the extenders; hence it could be considered an innovative and alternative strategy to avoid the current exogenous (by intramuscular route) and stressful hormonal treatments used in ovulation induction. Their addition in seminal dose could be more physiological and improve animal welfare in rabbit farms.
Teaching Spoken English at Junior High School: A Comparison of TPR and PPP

This article reports on an experimental methods-comparison study, which was undertaken with beginner level junior high school students (aged 12 and 13) in Japan. The study aimed to investigate which type of teaching, Total Physical Response (TPR) or Present Practice Produce (PPP), was more effective in developing productive and receptive knowledge of a set of collocations. Results showed that both types of teaching had a significant impact upon the development of understanding and using the target language. However, there were no significant differences between the effectiveness of TPR and PPP, apart from a short-term benefit for PPP in terms of receptive knowledge. This shows that both types of teaching can have a positive impact upon learners of this age and level and that there is a need for further research to investigate the effectiveness of these communicative methodologies in this context.
Antenna beam steering technique using dielectric wedges

A technique is described for steering an antenna beam from boresight using a pair of dielectric wedges. The technique has been developed particularly for the application of a direct broadcast satellite television receive antenna, but would also be usable in other applications. A practical version has been designed and constructed, and the measured performance of this is compared with predictions.
Rapid Prototyping of Organ-on-a-Chip Devices Using Maskless Photolithography

Organ-on-a-chip (OoC) and microfluidic devices are conventionally produced using microfabrication procedures that require cleanrooms, silicon wafers, and photomasks. The prototyping stage often requires multiple iterations of design steps. A simplified prototyping process could therefore offer major advantages. Here, we describe a rapid and cleanroom-free microfabrication method using maskless photolithography. The approach utilizes a commercial digital micromirror device (DMD)-based setup using 375 nm UV light for backside exposure of an epoxy-based negative photoresist (SU-8) on glass coverslips. We show that microstructures of various geometries and dimensions, microgrooves, and microchannels of different heights can be fabricated. New SU-8 molds and soft lithography-based polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chips can thus be produced within hours. We further show that backside UV exposure and grayscale photolithography allow structures of different heights or structures with height gradients to be developed using a single-step fabrication process. Using this approach: (1) digital photomasks can be designed, projected, and quickly adjusted if needed; and (2) SU-8 molds can be fabricated without cleanroom availability, which in turn (3) reduces microfabrication time and costs and (4) expedites prototyping of new OoC devices.
THE IMPACT OF REMITTANCES ON ECONOMIC GROWTH IN WESTERN BALKANS – A PANEL APPROACH

The migration is one of the constitutive features of Western Balkans’ historical specificity, which significantly changed Balkan societies in the last two centuries. One crucial effect of intensive emigration is high remittances. Cross-country analyses and evidence from household surveys suggest that migration and remittances reduce poverty in the origin communities. In addition, remittances lead to increased investment in education, health, and small businesses. The diaspora can be a source of capital, investment, knowledge, and technology transfer. The inflow of remittances can contribute to the economic development of the remittance-receiving country, provided that the country can use these funds to finance investments that will enable it to produce export or investment goods to replace imports. This paper examines the impact of remittances on economic growth in the Western Balkans (North Macedonia, Serbia, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina) last two decades. The relationship between economic growth, remittances, final household consumption, domestic investments, and trade is examined through a panel approach. The paper uses annual data obtained from the World Bank World Development Indicators. The results of the empirical analysis help determine the relationship between remittances and economic growth and provide a solid base for policymakers to direct remittances into productive investments. The general conclusion for the region is the need to implement policies that will strengthen the financial system to enable a more significant positive impact of remittances from migrants on economic growth.
EFFECT OF PARAMETER UNCERTAINTY ON DRAINMOD PREDICTIONS: II. NITROGEN LOSS

Reducing nitrate levels in sensitive coastal waters has become a national priority. Agriculture has been targeted as a significant contributor to this problem. Controlled drainage is recognized as one way to reduce nitrate losses from agricultural fields requiring subsurface drainage. The computer–based hydrology model DRAINMOD can be used to predict the effect of drainage design on the rate of subsurface drainage and the water quality related to nitrates in these waters. An uncertainty analysis of the model was conducted to quantitatively assess the variability in the model predictions for average annual nitrate loss through subsurface drainage, surface runoff, and denitrification caused by parameter uncertainty. First–order approximation and Monte Carlo simulation were used to estimate the effect of the uncertainty in the most sensitive parameters (dispersivity, bulk density, % nitrogen uptake by corn, mineralization rate constant, and denitrification rate constant) on the uncertainty in the model objective functions. The denitrification rate constant accounted for greater than 70% of the uncertainty in terms of the variance for all objective functions under both conventional and controlled drainage. Reducing the uncertainty in influential parameters can reduce the uncertainty in DRAINMOD predictions for nitrate loss.
Securing an IoT Medical System Using AI and a Unidirectional Network Device: Application to a Driver

Security in systems and networks has always been a major issue for IT administrators. When it comes to medical applications, this concern is much more important due to the sensitivity of data and the risks that may be caused due to alteration or falsification of such critical information. The proposed paper presents a solution to assure the best security possible in such an environment. Thus, based on an application that monitors a driver’s health while driving his car, a data diode will be implemented in order to assure security of the system by forcing unidirectional flow of network data to the healthcare provider side. Added to that, an AI-based program will be developed to verify the confidentiality, the integrity and the availability of the exchanged data and to check the patient health for abnormalities. Every sub-part of the system has been tested separately and results have shown that falsified data has been filtered out of the received end, e.g. the healthcare provider side.
Design of Miniaturized Incident Angle-Insensitive 2.45 GHz RF-Based Energy Harvesting System for IoT Applications

Using a license-free industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) frequency band as 2.45 GHz, a miniaturized incident angle-insensitive RF energy harvester design for Internet of Things (IoT) applications is proposed. For incident angle insensitivity of ambient RF energy and a low-profile compact design, the proposed harvester is used to a two-layer printed circuit board (PCB) substrate which consists of orthogonally deployed antennas with a LC balun, impedance matching and Dickson charge pump circuits at each layer. The dual-polarized antenna for miniaturized design uses bowtie-shaped meander dipole antenna having orthogonal arrangement. By measuring the efficiency of each diode stage of the rectifier circuit, a two-stage Dickson charge pump circuit with optimal efficiency was selected, and the DC outputs of the two rectifier circuits are connected in parallel. This rectifier circuit has a conversion efficiency of up to 71.4% and harvests approximately 1.6 times more power than a single polarized circuit from any incident ambient RF signal. Due to its compact size and improved harvesting power at various incident angles, the proposed energy harvester can act as a power source, such as many kinds of ultra-low power consumption systems such as IoT sensors, medical applications, etc.
Effect of geological and technological parameters on the convergence in a stope

Purpose. To study regularities in changes in convergence of wall rocks along a setting line of the powered props depending upon the sandstone availability within the roof, mining depth, as well as its position relative to the coal seam along the length of the extraction column based on the results of numerical experiments and forecast probable zones of rigid settlement of the powered support units according to a longwall length at any moment of a stope arrangement along the extraction pillar in accordance with changes in geological and technological parameters. Methodology. The paper represents numerical experiments based upon 3D computer modelling of incremental stope advance within a layered transverse and isotopic rock mass while applying Solid Works Simulation 2019 software. Findings. The research results, concerning the nature of wall rock distribution value within a stope, are given. The results were obtained using incremental computer modelling of the longwall advance within a layered transverse and isotopic rock mass within the area of initial caving of the main roof. Originality. In the context of the Western Donbas mines, regularities of convergence value of wall rock distribution have been determined depending upon certain changes in such a system of geological and technological parameters as: availability of sandstone with 5 and 30 m thickness both within the immediate rock and at 30 m distance as well as nonavailability of sandstone within a roof; 215, 260 and 305 m changes in longwall length; 150, 300 and 450 m changes within a zone of initial caving of the main roof (1545 m) with 10 m increment of longwall distancing from an installation chamber at 1050 m distances. Practical value. The identified regularities of changes in convergence value make it possible to forecast probable zones of rigid settlement of the powered support units depending upon the longwall length at any moment of a stope location along the extraction pillar irrespective of mining depth. The abovementioned helps optimize the parameters of seam extraction for the conditions of the Western Donbas mines if required.