Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fault growth and coalescence: insights from numerical modelling and sandbox experiments

Displacement of strata varies along the strike of faults. This has important implications for the hydrocarbon industry, since for example this affects the occurrence and distribution of fractures along faults in a reservoir and can influence the sealing capacity of faults. As faults grow, neighbouring faults will interact with each other and eventually connect or coalesce. Geometrical fault growth models for coalescence are used to explain a large part of the observed spread of one order of magnitude in Length and Maximum Throw in natural examples of fault populations. Numerical modelling indicates that coalesced (merged) faults tend to return to their steady state growth evolution by accumulating displacement more rapidly than increasing in length, if no further coalescence occurs. Therefore, repetitive coalescence leaves faults “under-displaced” and results in a considerable spread in Length and Maximum Throw. To confirm and support these observations, a series of sandbox experiments was performed, which help improve our understanding of fault growth processes. The fault geometries observed in these models reflect geometries in natural examples, for example in the Natih Formation of Al Jabal al Akhdar in Oman. With increasing strain, repetitive coalescence takes place at all scales. After linkage, a new, coalesced fault behaves as a single, linked segment and accumulates more displacement than increasing length during an increment of strain. The slope of the best fit line of Length vs. Maximum Throw data for the fault population, in double logarithmic space, steepens with increasing strain and stabilises at about one.
Endocytic Adaptor Proteins in Health and Disease: Lessons from Model Organisms and Human Mutations

Cells need to exchange material and information with their environment. This is largely achieved via cell-surface receptors which mediate processes ranging from nutrient uptake to signaling responses. Consequently, their surface levels have to be dynamically controlled. Endocytosis constitutes a powerful mechanism to regulate the surface proteome and to recycle vesicular transmembrane proteins that strand at the plasma membrane after exocytosis. For efficient internalization, the cargo proteins need to be linked to the endocytic machinery via adaptor proteins such as the heterotetrameric endocytic adaptor complex AP-2 and a variety of mostly monomeric endocytic adaptors. In line with the importance of endocytosis for nutrient uptake, cell signaling and neurotransmission, animal models and human mutations have revealed that defects in these adaptors are associated with several diseases ranging from metabolic disorders to encephalopathies. This review will discuss the physiological functions of the so far known adaptor proteins and will provide a comprehensive overview of their links to human diseases.
Formation law of hydrocarbon index gases during coal spontaneous combustion in an oxygen-poor environment

ABSTRACT The disaster of coal spontaneous combustion mainly occurs in a concealed oxygen-poor environment in the underground coal mine. The formation law of hydrocarbon index gases can accurately reflect the degree of coal spontaneous combustion. In this paper, the influence of oxygen-poor degree on the formation law of hydrocarbon index gases was investigated by the program heating experiment of coal spontaneous combustion in different oxygen-poor environments. The results reveal that the rising tendency of the alkane index gas volume fraction can be reduced by the increase in oxygen-poor degree. Olefin index gases can predict the disaster of coal spontaneous combustion more reliably than alkane index gases in the oxygen-poor environment. As the optimal predictive index of coal spontaneous combustion in the oxygen-poor environment, the volume fraction ratios of olefins to alkanes can be used which increase steadily with the oxygen-poor degree.
Composite Right/Left-Handed Transmission Line Metamaterial-Inspired Small Antenna Design: Topologies, reconfigurability, and applications

With the development of modern wireless communication systems, the demand for high-performance, multifunctional, low-cost, and compact antennas has been increasing substantially. The greatest challenge when designing this type of antennas is the tradeoff between complexity and performance. More design freedom is therefore highly desired. As an important subtype of metamaterials, composite right/left-handed transmission line (CRLH-TL) metamaterials have paved the way to achieve this compromise. In this review article, first, the possible CRLH-TL topologies that can be used in antenna design are discussed, involving structures based on not only Cartesian but also polar coordinates and 2D CRLH-TLs. The reconfigurability of the CRLH-TLs in terms of operating mechanisms, reconfigurability methods, and control techniques is then reviewed. By applying these structures to electrically small antenna design, considerable extra design freedom can be obtained. In the literature, a whole range of novel antennas with remarkable performances have been reported, holding great potential for various applications, such as wireless body area networks (WBANs), multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO), radio-frequency identification devices (RFIDs), wireless power harvesting, and so on. All of these applications are briefly discussed.
Guanidine-Containing Polyhydroxyl Macrolides: Chemistry, Biology, and Structure-Activity Relationship

Antimicrobial resistance has been seriously threatening human health, and discovering new antimicrobial agents from the natural resource is still an important pathway among various strategies to prevent resistance. Guanidine-containing polyhydroxyl macrolides, containing a polyhydroxyl lactone ring and a guanidyl side chain, can be produced by many actinomycetes and have been proved to possess many bioactivities, especially broad-spectrum antibacterial and antifungal activities. To explore the potential of these compounds to be developed into new antimicrobial agents, a review on their structural diversities, spectroscopic characterizations, bioactivities, acute toxicities, antimicrobial mechanisms, and the structure-activity relationship was first performed based on the summaries and analyses of related publications from 1959 to 2019. A total of 63 guanidine-containing polyhydroxyl macrolides were reported, including 46 prototype compounds isolated from 33 marine and terrestrial actinomycetes and 17 structural derivatives. Combining with their antimicrobial mechanisms, structure-activity relationship analyses indicated that the terminal guanidine group and lactone ring of these compounds are vital for their antibacterial and antifungal activities. Further, based on their bioactivities and toxicity analyses, the discovery of guanidyl side-chain targeting to lipoteichoic acid of Staphylococcus aureus indicated that these compounds have a great potency to be developed into antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Service Innovation: A Knowledge-based Approach

: Service innovation is generally conceptualized as a complex construct, the emergence of which is perceived as heterogeneous, situated and path-dependent on hard-to-replicate intra- and inter-organizational knowledge resources and processes. Due to the multidimensional nature of service innovation, studies in service innovation theory have generally explored the service innovation process by applying the capabilities approach, which focuses on firm-level routines for knowledge reconfiguration and service innovation, or by applying a sociological orientation, where emphasis is placed on investigating the role of human actors and human interactions in knowledge reconfiguration and service innovation. Building on these two approaches, this paper proposes a conceptual model on the service innovation process grounded in a knowledge-based approach. Emphasis in this model is placed on knowledge as a key resource and input to the service innovation process, while through bridging firm-level capabilities with individual-level processes, the multi-levels through which knowledge reconfiguration and service innovation may occur are illustrated.
Solvothermal Synthesis of Ferroelectric BaTiO3 Nanoparticles and Their Application to Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

Cubic BaTiO3 (C-BT) and tetragonal BaTiO3 (T1-BT) nanoparticles were prepared by a solvothermal method with controlling the Ba/Ti precursor ratio. Triethanolamine was additionally employed in the synthesis to obtain ferroelectric BaTiO3 with improved particle size distribution and tetragonality (T2-BT). The prepared nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and second-harmonic generation. Importantly, the BaTiO3 nanoparticles were introduced into the scattering layer of dye-sensitized solar cells and T2-BT showed better power conversion efficiency than C-BT and T1-BT.
North Atlantic Oscillation and Rainfall Variability in Southeastern Nigeria: A Statistical Analysis of 30 Year Period

This study analyzed rainfall variability in Southeast region of Nigeria using graphical models, as well as using statistical approach to investigate any significant relationship between the global North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) Index and the regional rainfall variability in region. The study was conducted in three States of Southeastern Nigeria namely, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States that lie between Latitudes 40 40’ and 80 50’N and Longitudes 60 20’ and 80 50’E. Data for the study included 30 years (1988 - 2017) archival time-series monthly rainfall values for the three study States, acquired from Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), offices in the states, and Standardized values of NAOI (North Atlantic Oscillation Index) for the same period, which were collected from a website, on the NOAA Data Center, USA. In the data analyses, the first method was adopted by using graphs to illustrate mean annual rainfall values for thirty years. Coefficient of variability was employed in evaluating the degree of variability of values from the mean rate. The second analysis was accomplished using correlation models to ascertain any relationship between NAOI and rainfall in Southeast Nigeria. The results showed a significant variability of rainfall in the region from January to December (mean monthly) within the study period. A negative correlation value of 0.7525 was obtained from the correlation analysis, showing that the global NAO index and rainfall variability deviate in the opposite direction. Coefficient of multiple determinations (CMD) subsequently showed value of 0.031%, being the variation in rainfall as influenced by the global teleconnectivity, and this means that the NAO index has zero or no influence on rainfall variability in Southeast region of Nigeria.
Evaluation of an Artificial Potential Field Method in Collision-free Path Planning for a Robot Manipulator

: Path planning with obstacle avoidance has been a major challenge in robotic manipulators which are composed of multiple links especially in the case of complex-shaped obstacles. This paper proposes an improved collision-free path planning algorithm based on the Artificial Potential Field (APF) method to obtain a collision-free path from initial to a desired position and orientation. Firstly, the robot is modelled by the Denavit-Hartenberg DH parameter method. Secondly, the artificial attractive and repulsive force field equations are derived in the case of both spherical and hollow cylindrical obstacles. Then, a poly-articulated cylindrical model for the robot is used for collision detection between all its links and the obstacle. Finally, a virtual torque is generated based on the forces affecting the robot links to produce a suitable motion to approach the final target without collision with the obstacle. The algorithm is evaluated by building a simulation platform using MATLAB R2020b and Robotic Toolbox. Various simulations on the UR5 robot show that the proposed algorithm can plan a free-collision path in the 6D operational space. The simulations also show that the algorithm has a low computational cost, so it can be used for real-time applications.
Anomaly Detection in Multivariate Spatial Time Series: A Ready-to-Use Implementation

: IoT technologies together with AI, and edge computing will drive the evolution of Smart Cities. IoT devices are being exponentially adopted in the urban context to implement real-time monitoring of environmental variables or city services such as air quality, parking slots, trafﬁc lights, trafﬁc ﬂows, public transports etc. IoT observations are usually associated with a speciﬁc location and time slot, therefore they are spatio-temporal collections of data. And, since IoT devices are generally low-cost and low-maintenance, their data can be affected by noise and errors. For this reason, there is an urgent need for anomaly detection techniques that are able to recognize errors and noise on sensors’ data streams. The Spatio-Temporal Behavioral Density-Based Clustering of Applications with Noise (ST-BDBCAN) algorithm combined with Spatio-Temporal Behavioral Outlier Factor (ST-BOF) employs both spatial and temporal dimensions to evaluate the distance between sensor observations and detect anomalies in spatial time series. In this paper, a Python implementation of ST-BOF and ST-BDBCAN in the context of IoT sensor networks is described. The implemented solution has been tested on the trafﬁc ﬂow data stream of the city of Modena. Four experiments with different parameters’ settings are compared to highlight the versatility of the proposed implementation in detecting sensor fault and recognizing also unusual trafﬁc conditions.
Interim Tumor Progression and Volumetric Changes of Surgical Cavities during the Surgery-to-Radiotherapy Interval in Anaplastic Gliomas: Implications for Additional Pre-radiotherapy Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Purpose This study was designed to investigate the incidence of interim disease progression (IPD) and volumetric changes of the surgical cavity (SC) during the surgery-to-radiotherapy interval (SRI), and eventually assess the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the time of radiotherapy (RT) planning in newly diagnosed anaplastic gliomas. Materials and Methods Among 195 anaplastic glioma patients who underwent RT, 121 were evaluable with two separate MRIs during SRI. The presence of IPD was determined using the updated Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology size criteria. In 84 patients who underwent surgical resection, each SC was contoured by a radiation oncologist and the volumetric changes of the SCs were calculated between the two separate MRIs. Daily rate of change in the SC volume was calculated assuming an exponential and linear change. Results Five of 121 patients (4.13%) demonstrated IPD during SRI, and the incidence was significantly higher in patients undergoing biopsy (vs. surgical resection, 12.9% vs. 1.1%, p=0.015) and in patients with remnant contrast-enhancing tumor after surgery (15.8 vs. 2.0%, p=0.027). The mean daily rate of absolute change in SC was 1.06% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.89 to 1.23) and 0.89% (95% CI, 0.77 to 1.02) according to the exponential and linear model, respectively. The expected mean volumetric change at 2 weeks were 16.64% (95% CI, 13.77 to 19.52) and 12.51% (95% CI, 10.77 to 14.26), respectively. Conclusion IPD during the SRI is rare in surgically resected anaplastic gliomas. However, pre-RT MRI is essential for accurate RT-target delineation and disease evaluation for patients initiating RT beyond postoperative 2 weeks and undergoing biopsy, respectively.
Complexation of CXCL12, FGF-2 and VEGF with Heparin Modulates the Protein Release from Alginate Microbeads

Long-term delivery of growth factors and immunomodulatory agents is highly required to support the integrity of tissue in engineering constructs, e.g., formation of vasculature, and to minimize immune response in a recipient. However, for proteins with a net positive charge at the physiological pH, controlled delivery from negatively charged alginate (Alg) platforms is challenging due to electrostatic interactions that can hamper the protein release. In order to regulate such interactions between proteins and the Alg matrix, we propose to complex proteins of interest in this study - CXCL12, FGF-2, VEGF - with polyanionic heparin prior to their encapsulation into Alg microbeads of high content of α-L-guluronic acid units (high-G). This strategy effectively reduced protein interactions with Alg (as shown by model ITC and SPR experiments) and, depending on the protein type, afforded control over the protein release for at least one month. The released proteins retained their in vitro bioactivity: CXCL12 stimulated the migration of Jurkat cells, and FGF-2 and VEGF induced proliferation and maturation of HUVECs. The presence of heparin also intensified protein biological efficiency. The proposed approach for encapsulation of proteins with a positive net charge into high-G Alg hydrogels is promising for controlled long-term protein delivery under in vivo conditions.
Synthesis of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles and Mesocrystals in an Interphase Droplet Reactor

The attractive properties of nanoparticles and nanostructures has driven their integration into a wide range of modern technologies. Synthesis of nanoparticles in droplet flow reactors offers a solution to the shortcomings of batch reactors. The interphase droplet reactor presented in this work maintains the advantages of a droplet flow reactor while accomplishing reagent addition through mass transfer from the continuous phase to the droplet phase. In this work, sodium hydroxide in a continuous phase of 1-octanol diffuses into aqueous droplets containing a metal salt, initiating nanoparticle synthesis. An acid-base titration confirmed that increasing the total flow rate increased the rate of mass transfer. Addition of Triton X-100 surfactant increased the rate of mass transfer while sodium dodecyl sulfate did not. Zinc oxide nanoparticles with controllable sizes between 41 to 62 nm were produced by changing reaction temperature, reagent concentration, droplet volume, and adding surfactants. Operating the interphase droplet reactor at 25 ̊C produced large ZnO sheets and increasing the reaction temperature to 40 ̊C and above produced spherical nanoparticles. Higher inlet sodium hydroxide concentrations transitioned the particle morphology from spherical particles to plates. Decreasing the reactor diameter decreased the mean particle size from 54 nm to 43 nm. The interphase droplet reactor also produced a narrower particle size distribution than a single phase aqueous batch reactor. Low reagent concentrations produced ellipsoidal zinc oxide mesocrystals through oriented attachment. A reaction temperature of 40 ̊C was adequate for mesocrystal production. The presence of Triton X-100 did not prevent oriented attachment while the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate did. The ability of the interphase droplet reactor to synthesize other metal oxides was demonstrated by the synthesis of copper (II) oxide. Copper oxide sheet mesocrystals were formed in the absence of acetic acid. The presence of acetic acid in the droplet phase inhibited oriented attachment and produced copper oxide nanowires.
Improvement of Forage Nutritive Quality of Alfalfa and Red Clover through Plant Breeding

Alfalfa and red clover are important perennial legumes for the production of high-quality fodder. The improvement of the forage quality of legumes is one of the strategic goals of breeding programs. Variation in quality traits (protein content (CP), neutral detergent fiber content (NDF), and acid detergent fiber content (ADF)) and relative feed value (RFV) among seven cultivars and 39 elite breeding populations of alfalfa and red clover was evaluated in the study. Significant differences were determined among the investigated cultivars/populations. Alfalfa populations L-8, 10, 12, 15, and 20 were characterized by a high CP content (up to 23.47%) and/or low NDF and ADF contents. The highest CP content in red clover was recorded in population CD-18 (21.89%), while the lowest NDF and ADF contents were determined in populations CD-19 and CD-4, respectively. High RFV was determined in alfalfa populations L-10, 12, 20, 15, 16, 8, 11, and 17 (prime fodder), and in red clover populations CD-4, 8, 16, 14, and 19 (premium-quality fodder). The identified superior alfalfa and red clover populations will be used to improve the nutritional value of forage crops in our breeding program, which will lead to the release of novel cultivars with improved forage quality.
Knowledge Retention of the NIH Stroke Scale among Stroke Unit Health Care Workers Using Video vs. E-Learning: Protocol for a Web-Based, Randomized Controlled Trial

The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is commonly used to triage and monitor the evolution of stroke victims. Data regarding NIHSS knowledge in nurses and physicians working with stroke patients are scarce, and a progressive decline in specific knowledge regarding this challenging scale is to be expected even among NIHSS certified personnel. This protocol was designed according to the CONSORT-eHealth (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) guidelines. It describes the design of a randomized controlled trial whose primary objective is to determine if nurses and physicians who work in stroke units improve their NIHSS knowledge more significantly after following a highly interactive e-learning module than after following the traditional didactic video. Univariate and multivariable linear regression will be used to analyze the primary outcome, which will be the difference between the score on a 50-question quiz answered before and immediately after following the allocated learning material. Secondary outcomes will include knowledge retention at one month, assessed using the same 50-question quiz, user satisfaction, user course duration perception, and probability of recommending the allocated learning method. The study is scheduled to begin during the first semester of 2022.
Mitofusin 2-Deficiency Suppresses Mycobacterium tuberculosis Survival in Macrophages

Apoptosis is an important host defense mechanism against mycobacterial infection. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating apoptosis during mycobacterial infection are not well known. Recent reports suggest that bacterial infection regulates mitochondrial fusion and fission in various ways. Here, we investigated the role of mitochondria in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)-infected macrophages. Mtb H37Rv (Rv) infection induced mitofusin 2 (MFN2) degradation, leading to mitochondrial fission. Interestingly, Mtb H37Ra (Ra) infection induced significantly greater mitochondrial fragmentation than Rv infection. Mtb-mediated Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, contributed to the degradation of MFN2. To evaluate the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in the production of Parkin during Mtb infection, we analyzed Parkin production in 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA)-pretreated macrophages. Pretreatment with 4-PBA reduced Parkin production in Mtb-infected macrophages. In contrast, the level of MFN2 production recovered to a level similar to that of the unstimulated control. In addition, Ra-infected macrophages had reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) compared to those infected with Rv. Interestingly, intracellular survival of mycobacteria was decreased in siMFN2-transfected macrophages; in contrast, overexpression of MFN2 in macrophages increased Mtb growth compared with the control.