Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular Docking Study of Some Nitro Diazo Dye Derivatives as Antiviral Candidates of COVID-19

In this study, the computerized molecular docking method was used to investigate the interactions of five nitro diazo dye derivatives 1-5 with COVID-19, CLpro, RAF and PLpro as very important viral proteins to target the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Among the used diazo dyes, compound 5 Original Research Article Al–Douh et al.; AJACR, 8(2): 8-15, 2021; Article no.AJACR. 66493 9 showed the highest binding free energies and the lowest inhibition constants Ki with all studied proteins, and it exhibits a large effect to inhibit the activities of the RAF and COVID-19. Therefore, compound 5 may be useful as an antiviral candidate that worth more trials for COVID-19 disease. The binding sites of compound 5 with the tested viral proteins were evaluated.
Shrub‐rings used to reconstruct drought history of the central Alxa desert, northwest China

The climate history of the Alxa desert of northwestern China must be sought both in recent instrumental records (dating from 1960) and in high‐resolution proxy data. Climate proxies are scarce in desert areas; however, long‐lived desert shrubs can offer one such proxy. We have used shrub‐ring data from Zygophyllum xanthoxylum, collected in the central Alxa desert, to reconstruct the Self‐calibrating Palmer Drought Severity Index (scPDSI) for the period 1880–2015. The data covers the May–July growth season. When we compared the history constructed from the shrub‐ring data with the instrumental data collected 1960–2015, we found that the reconstructed history explained 41% of the variance in scPDSI data (40% after adjusting for loss of degrees of freedom). The reconstructed history shows that this region has experienced six persistent droughts and four seasons wetter than usual during the period under study. Of note is a severe drought event in 1920s that affected much of northern China (as noted in contemporary documents). The droughts and wet seasons identified in our reconstruction are consistent with reports from other researchers who have studied the climate history or the region. Our study suggests that it is feasible to reconstruct climate history using shrub‐ring data from long‐lived desert shrubs.
Quantized Aging Mode in Metallic Glass-Forming Liquids

Abstract Physical aging exhibits complex off-equilibrium dynamics and its studies are of particular importance for understanding the nature of glassy state. We investigate the aging process of supercooled Cu50Zr50 glass-forming liquid numerically and theoretically. The relaxation time spectra based on molecular dynamics simulations show that the aging dynamics features the superposition of discrete homogeneous dynamic modes. The visiting probabilities of these modes decay toward slower relaxation regime, which is tuned by aging time from the compressed to the stretched exponential manner. Such multi-mode dynamics is found to be accompanied by the quantized hierarchy of mobile clusters with identical size increment. With this finding, we propose an aging model, which describes the aging dynamics as the aging-dependent weighted average over quantized dynamic modes. The two-time correlation functions associated with aging thus are separated into aging-time dependent factor and aging independent relaxation-time term. The model well predicts the heterogeneous dynamics in aging and equilibration of supercooled metallic liquids, and reveals the intrinsic aspects influencing aging process.
Smart city development in Taiwan

This article outlines Taiwan’s experience in developing smart cities, including visions, implementation strategies and application cases. To take global trends and local needs into account, Taiwan has applied a dual development model that combines top ‐ down (theme ‐ based)/bottom ‐ up (needs ‐ based) approaches for a synergy effect in balancing innovations and local needs. Furthermore, a public–private partnership program has been adopted to prompt collaboration between central/local authorities with local businesses. Meanwhile, Taiwan uses a private finance initiative program and a global marketing strategy for strengthening the scalability and sustainability of smart city solutions. Three visions in the project help achieve the transformation to ensure smarter urban governance, more comprehensive industrial business models and better livelihoods of residents. Moreover, this article also presents five application cases in the top ‐ down approach and four application cases in the bottom ‐ up approach with proven track records which covered eight industry sectors: agriculture, healthcare, education, mobility, retail, energy, governance and environment.
Vertical distribution of Bemisia tabaci on soybean and attractiveness of cultivars

The reduction in the number and frequency of insecticide applications in transgenic crops has favored population outbreaks of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in various Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner) soybean cultivars [Glycine max (L.) Merrill; Fabaceae], reflecting the fact that plants have different levels of attractiveness to insects. The identification of Bt soybean cultivars resistant to whitefly represents a viable and effective control alternative. The objective of this study was to characterize the vertical distribution of insects on the plant and to identify Bt soybean cultivars less attractive to B. tabaci. The insects used were collected in tomato crops, and the whitefly population was maintained on leaf cabbage plants. Fifteen soybean cultivars were evaluated to determine attractiveness to whitefly. Soybean plants were stratified into upper, middle, and lower thirds. Multiple‐choice and no‐choice bioassays were carried out with the 15 cultivars. Subsequently, 10 cultivars were selected for a new multiple‐choice assay. The parameters evaluated were the number of adults per leaflet and number of eggs cm−2; the degree of colonization by nymphs was determined only in the multiple‐choice assay. The density and length of trichomes of the 15 cultivars were also characterized. It was shown that the upper third of the plant was the most attractive, having the largest number of adults and colonizing nymphs. The cultivars BRS 9280RR, M 8808, and M 8644IPRO showed low levels of B. tabaci infestation by adults, eggs, and nymphs in the bioassays performed. There was a negative correlation between trichome length and density with the number of adults, eggs, and degree of colonization by nymphs. The vertical distribution and attractiveness of soybean cultivars to whitefly are discussed.
Temporal trends of risk of water contamination by phosphorus from agricultural land in the Great Lakes Watersheds of Canada

van Bochove, E. , Denault, J.-T. , Leclerc, M. -L. , Thériault, G. , Dechmi, F. , Allaire, S. E. , Rousseau, A. N. and Drury, C. F. 2011. Temporal trends of risk of water contamination by phosphorus from agricultural land in the Great Lakes Watersheds of Canada. Can. J. Soil Sci. 91: 443-453. The indicator of risk of water contamination by phosphorus (IROWC_P) was designed to estimate the level of risk of P contamination in water and how the level of risk has changed over 25 yr (1981-2006) in agricultural watersheds of Canada. IROWC_P allows for a qualitative assessment of this risk in comparison with other regions of eastern and western Canada, and the identification of high to very high risk watersheds may require on-site assessment and the development of remedial action plans. This study presents an in-depth analysis of IROWC_P results in the major Great Lakes watersheds of Canada. The risk of water contamination by P remains acceptable (very low to moderate) in most Great Lakes watersheds, but better management practices (e.g., reduced fertilization and manure application rates) and improved control of surface runoff may be required in watersheds which are at increased risk. The Canadian watersheds of the Great Lakes basin showed a 39% reduction in their P applications in excess of crop requirements between 1981 and 2006 bringing the Ontario provincial P balance close to equilibrium in 2006. Vulnerable areas were found south of Kitchener in the Lower Grand River watershed and east of Lake Simcoe.
Component-in-the-Loop Testing of Automotive Powertrains Featuring All-Wheel-Drive

The article is dedicated to the methodology of designing component-in-the-loop (CiL) testing systems for automotive powertrains featuring several drivelines, including variants with individually driven axles or wheels. The methodical part begins with descriptions of operating and control loops of CiL systems having various simulating functionality—from a “lumped” vehicle for driving cycle tests to vehicles with independently rotating drivelines for simulating dynamic maneuvers. The sequel contains an analysis that eliminates a lack of clarity observed in the existing literature regarding the principles of building a “virtual inertia” and synchronization of loading regimes between individual drivelines of the tested powertrain. In addition, a contribution to the CiL methodology is offered by analyzing the options of simulating tire slip taking into account a limited accuracy of measurement equipment and a limited performance of actuating devices. The methodical part concludes with two examples of mathematical models that can be employed in CiL systems to simulate vehicle dynamics. The first one describes linear motion of a “lumped” vehicle, while the second one simulates vehicle’s trajectory motion taking into account tire slip in both the longitudinal and lateral directions. The practical part of the article presents a case study showing an implementation of the CiL design principles in a laboratory testing facility intended for an all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain of a heavy-duty vehicle. The CiL system description is followed by the test results simulating the hybrid powertrain operation in a driving cycle and in trajectory maneuvering. The results prove the validity of the proposed methodical principles, as well as their suitability for practical implementations.
Curiosity in Children and Adolescents

Abstract. This research presents data on the Polish adaptation of the Need for Cognition Scale for Children and Adolescents ( Keller et al., 2016 ; Preckel & Strobel, 2017 ). Two samples of children, mostly from Grade 6 of primary school, were recruited ( N1 > 1,001, N2 > 433), as well as one sample of 130 child–parent pairs. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the nested factor structure suggested in previous studies ( Keller et al., 2016 ) is also replicated in the Polish sample. Scalar measurement invariance with regard to gender has been demonstrated. Scale scores show convergent and discriminant validity with learning/performance goals as well as traits from the Big Five Questionnaire for Children ( Cieciuch et al., 2016 ). Criterion-related validity with measures of leisure time interests in popular science, identification with science, and objectified cultural family capital is shown. Data confirm that the Polish version of the scale is suitable for use; nonetheless, some possible revisions of the scale are also discussed.
Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Yogurt Product Attributes Among Urban Consumers in Kenya

Abstract This paper assesses the preferences of yogurt attributes among urban consumers in Nairobi, Kenya. Data were collected through a survey of 190 urban consumers and analyzed using descriptive statistics and willingness to accept (WTA) regression models. The results show that preference for flavored yogurt was much stronger with fewer consumers (39%) willing to forgo the attribute compared to micronutrient fortification (45%), probiotic (46%), and real fruit yogurt (53%). The results also show that willingness to accept price reductions in order to forgo a preferred attribute was higher for nutrition compared to sensory attributes (such as taste and appearance). The findings indicate that in the face of numerous yogurt brands in the market, there is a need for targeted messaging on the nutritional value of yogurts. The paper uncovers the tradeoffs in preferences between sensory and nutritional attributes, a contribution that has received limited attention in the literature.
The effect of pre-emptive incisional bupivacaine block on postoperative pain after coeliotomy in dogs

PICO question Is there an effect on analgesia following coeliotomy in dogs after a block with local anaesthetics? Clinical bottom line Category of research question Treatment The number and type of study designs reviewed All the available evidence for this PICO question comes from clinical trials and one experimental/pharmacology study. All the studies were randomised; 5/7 were blinded clinical studies and 4/7 studies were prospective Strength of evidence Moderate Outcomes reported It is not clear if the use of a local anaesthetic including bupivacaine or lidocaine as incisional blocks minimises the postoperative pain especially in the first 24 hours, as the results are not statistically significant between the groups Conclusion In conclusion, bupivacaine or lidocaine can minimise the postoperative pain but more clinical trials are needed How to apply this evidence in practice The application of evidence into practice should take into account multiple factors, not limited to: individual clinical expertise, patient’s circumstances and owners’ values, country, location or clinic where you work, the individual case in front of you, the availability of therapies and resources. Knowledge Summaries are a resource to help reinforce or inform decision making. They do not override the responsibility or judgement of the practitioner to do what is best for the animal in their care.
Environmental pollution and emission factors of electronic cigarettes, heat-not-burn tobacco products, and conventional cigarettes

ABSTRACT The increasing popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and, more recently, the new “heat-not-burn” tobacco products (iQOS) as alternatives to traditional tobacco cigarettes has necessitated further documentation of and research into the composition and potential health risks/benefits of these devices. In a recent study, we compared second-hand exposure to particulate metals and organic compounds from e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes, by conducting continuous and time-integrated measurements in an indoor environment, followed by computing the emission rates of these species using a single-compartment mass balance model. In this study, we have used a similar approach to further expand our previous analyses by characterizing black carbon, metal particles, organic compounds, and size-segregated particle mass and number concentrations emitted from these devices in addition to the newly marketed iQOS. Analysis of the iQOS side-stream smoke indicated that the particulate emission of organic matter from these devices is significantly different depending on the organic compound. While polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were mostly non-detectable in the iQOS smoke, certain n-alkanes, organic acids (such as suberic acid, azelaic acid, and n-alkanoic acids with carbon numbers between 10 and 19) as well as levoglucosan were still emitted in substantial levels from iQOS (up to 2–6 mg/h during a regular smoking regimen). Metal emissions were reduced in iQOS smoke compared to both electronic cigarettes and conventional cigarettes and were mostly similar to the background levels. Another important finding is the presence of carcinogenic aldehyde compounds, including formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein, in iQOS smoke, although the levels were substantially lower compared to conventional cigarettes. Copyright © 2017 American Association for Aerosol Research
Outage Analysis of Multi-Source Energy Harvesting in a NOMA assisted Network.

ABSTRACT Most Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) and Internet of Things (IoT) often involve remotely located nodes which are power constrained and can operate with low power and low rate. Such a node can harvest energy from dedicated Radio Frequency (RF) signals to gather the energy required for information transmission. In this paper, we consider the performance analysis of a wireless-powered communication network (WPCN), where a source node harvests energy from two RF sources, which are also the destination or user nodes. Information transmission is accomplished using the power domain Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) technique. The outage analysis of WPCN is carried out under energy harvesting (EH) constraints. We have also developed a closed-form expression for the outage probability and validated the analytical results with simulation results. The effect of various network parameters, such as NOMA power allocation coefficients, EH efficiency and fractional time constant on the outage probability of the network has also been studied.
Comparing pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometry with radiocarbon technique for determination of inorganic carbon fixation in Chlorella vulgaris (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta)

ABSTRACT Integration of pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometry and conventional methods for estimating carbon assimilation in microalgae is important for physiological, ecological and economic purposes. In this study, we compared PAM fluorometry and carbon-14 (14C) uptake techniques to estimate the carbon fixation rate in Chlorella vulgaris under controlled laboratory conditions. The key parameter for this comparison was the electron yield for carbon fixation (Фe ), commonly assumed when converting electron transport rate (ETR) values into the chlorophyll-specific carbon fixation rate (PB ). Additional analyses of maximum (ΦM ) and effective (Φ’M ) quantum efficiency of photosystem II, photochemical (qP) and non-photochemical (NPQ) quenching, and photosynthesis-irradiance response curves demonstrated that the photophysiology of C. vulgaris did not change after a 2-h incubation with NaH14CO3 and Na2CO3 (control). The association of PB obtained through the 14C method (151 ± 8.77 µmol C [mg chl a]–1 h–1) with ETR (411 ± 3.91 µmol e− [mg chl a]–1 h–1) resulted in an average Фe of 0.37 ± 0.02 µmol C [µmol e−]–1, which is higher than theoretical Фe values usually reported in the literature (e.g. 0.20 and 0.25). We attributed this discrepancy to a possible inaccuracy in ETR due to underestimated values of chlorophyll-specific absorption cross-section (a*) and the common assumption that only 50% of total light is absorbed by photosystem II. We here demonstrate the importance of associating chlorophyll fluorescence with other primary production techniques, so that adjustments to calculation procedures can be made in accordance to species-specific physiological traits and particularities regarding culturing conditions.
High performance tunable piezoresistive pressure sensor based on direct contact between printed graphene nanoplatelet composite layers

This article details the development of a thin film piezoresistive screen printed pressure sensor on a flexible substrate using a composite ink based on functionalised graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). The sensor operates through direct interfacial contact between two distinct films of the composite ink deposited over conductive substrates, without requiring any intermediate gap through spacers. The sensors showed consistent results and sensitivity forces ranging between 10 N to 2000 N. The piezoresistive range of the sensor can be tuned with the number of layers deposited per side.
A pre-processing technique to decrease inspection time in glass tube production lines

In case of glass tube for pharmaceutical applications, high-quality defect detection is made via inspection systems based on computer vision. The processing must guarantee real-time inspection and meet increasing rate and quality requirements. Defect detection in glass tubes is complicated by aspects that hamper the efﬁciency of state-of-the-art techniques. This paper presents a pre-processing algorithm which excludes portions of the image where defects are surely absent. The approach decreases the time for defect detection and classiﬁcation phases (any detection algorithm can be applied), as they are applied only in high-probability candidate sub-image. We derive a methodology to get robust values of algorithm’s parameters during production. The algorithm relies on detrended standard deviation and double threshold hysteresis, which solve issues related to the misalignment between illuminator and acquisition camera, and enable a robust detection despite rotation, vibration, and irregularities of tubes. We consider Canny, MAGDDA, and Niblack algorithms. The solution keeps the detection quality of such algorithms and reaches a 4.69 × throughput gain. It represents a methodology to obtain defect detection in time-constrained environments through a software-only approach, and can be exploited in par-allel/accelerated solutions and in contexts where a linear camera is utilized on both ﬂat and uneven surfaces.
The challenges of migrating an active learning classroom online in a crisis

The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has severely crippled our globalized society. Despite the chaos, much of our civilization continued to function, thanks to contemporary information and communication technologies. In education, this situation required instructors and students to abandon the traditional face‐to‐face lectures and move to a fully online learning environment. Such a transition is challenging, both for the teacher tasked with creating digital educational content, and the student who needs to study in a new and isolated working environment. As educators, we have experienced these challenges when migrating our university courses to an online environment. Through this paper, we look to assist educators with building and running an online course. Before we needed to transition online, we researched and followed the best practices to establish various digital educational elements in our online classroom. We present these elements, along with guidance regarding their development and use. Next, we designed an empirical study consisting of two surveys, focus group discussions, and observations to understand the factors that influenced students' engagement with our online classroom. We used the same study to evaluate students' perceptions regarding our digital educational elements. We report the findings and define a set of recommendations from these results to help educators motivate their students and develop engaging digital educational content. Although our research is motivated by the pandemic, our findings and contributions are useful to all educators looking to establish some form of online learning. This includes developers of massive open online courses and teachers promoting blended learning in their classrooms.