Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Organic Molecules in Space: Insights from the NASA Ames Molecular Database in the era of the James Webb Space Telescope

We present the software tool pyPAHdb to the scientific astronomical community, which is used to characterize emission from one of the most prevalent types of organic molecules in space, namely polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). It leverages the detailed studies of organic molecules done at the NASA Ames Research Center. pyPAHdb is a streamlined Python version of the NASA Ames PAH IR Spectroscopic Database (PAHdb; www.astrochemistry.org/pahdb) suite of IDL tools. PAHdb has been extensively used to analyze and interpret the PAH signature from a plethora of emission sources, ranging from solar-system objects to entire galaxies. pyPAHdb decomposes astronomical PAH emission spectra into contributing PAH sub-classes in terms of charge and size using a database-fitting technique. The inputs for the fit are spectra constructed using the spectroscopic libraries of PAHdb and take into account the detailed photo-physics of the PAH excitation/emission process.
Empowering African scientists - evaluating the CD-based installer for Scubuntu

Open source software (OSS) is software for which the source code is made available under a software license that allows it to be used, modified and redistributed without restriction. As such, OSS is freely available for use and inspection and allows unconstrained customisation and modification for any particular need. For this reason, the South African national R&D strategy clearly identifies OSS as a vehicle for fostering local innovation and economic development. Besides these benefits, the use of OSS for scientific computing can significantly lower the barriers-to-entry for poorly funded research institutions in developing countries, while empowering scientists in those institutions to contribute and collaborate with their peers globally. Linux, an open source operating system, can run scientific tools for almost all scientific disciplines. However, scientific computing on Linux is not widespread, despite its many advantages. Scientific computing on Linux is hindered by a number of challenges. Probably the greatest challenge is that no Linux distribution comes pre-installed with the appropriate scientific software that a researcher may require, and it is required of the researchers to find, select, install and maintain their own software. For most researchers, this is prohibitively difficult, as it require knowledge of the OSS applications that are available as well as technical proficiency on Linux. Furthermore, the processes of selecting, installing and maintaining software can be time consuming, and the results are usually not shared, so effort is unnecessarily duplicated. To address this problem, the Meraka Institute is developing Scubuntu, an Ubuntu-based Linux distribution designed specifically for scientists. The vision of the Meraka Institute is that Scubuntu will become the premier choice of desktop operating system for researchers and scientists. The Scubuntu project seeks to address the problem of finding and installing appropriate software by making scientific packages part of the default distribution and providing tools to ease their discovery, installation and management. The project, with feedback from the user community, continually develops and refines profiles of scientists, based on their computing and software requirements. Based on these profiles, specifications are developed that describe the OSS scientific tools that are most appropriate for that profile.
Optimising remedial outcomes for gas turbines through large scale data analysis

An investigation into approaches to model and predict the costs, risks and outcomes, relating to a common failure mode within a large population of remotely monitored engines will be presented. This investigation will cover the relevant aspects of lifecycle management, customer operating cycle, visibility of classified issues remotely using low sample rate remote monitoring systems and identification of the most appropriate repair regime. Unlike previously identified studies, the datasets used are larger comprising sensor readings from over a 120 gas turbine units (distributed across the world) which total 100 million observations taken across 117 parameters. These are cross referenced with relevant service events (preventative, corrective, fault investigation and observational reports) and service execution data (spares and manpower required) gathered over a period of up-to 11 years. We have now succeeded in identifying behaviours in a particular problem domain using techniques such as K-means, that indicate non-optimal decisions may have been made (with the benefit of hindsight). This indicates that the intended outcome of the overall research to produce of quantitative models of the different strategies and applying them to optimise for the best outcome both in terms of and customer and supplier objectives in a justifiable form is possible.
Finite difference feasibility modelling of time-lapse seismic noise interferometry for CO2 monitoring

Seismic Interferometry (SI) with ambient noise is a recently developed method for subsurface imaging that involves cross-correlating ambient noise from passive seismic data to reveal the earth’s reflection response. Based on this technique, TNO aims at developing a methodology for efficient monitoring of CO2 geological sequestration in Carbon Capture and Storage projects. In 2009, as a collaboration with the CO2SINK research project on CO2 sequestration taking place in Ketzin, Germany, TNO installed a permanent seismic array that has now already been recording passive data for 2 years during the CO2-injection. The correlation of the large real datasets requires a prior assessment on the feasibility of SI with ambient noise for time-lapse monitoring of the C02 storage process. Using a 1D layered acoustic velocity model of the Ketzin storage site as well as the layout of the TNO’s permanent array, we perform passive experiments that involve finite-difference modelling of passive wavefields from random noise sources and the cross-correlation of these passive synthetic data to retrieve reflection responses. By repeating the experiment for base and monitor velocity scenarios from CO2 saturation changes in the reservoir, we study the influence of various noise parameters (the number of sources, the sources’ duration, the spatial distribution) on the retrieved base and monitor reflection responses as well as their induced amplitude differences. We show that, for a sufficient number of sources with sufficient durations, the accuracy of the retrieved reflection responses from the CO2 reservoir are close enough to the reference responses from an active surface shot. More generally, the retrieved reflections are improved when more sources lie at or close to stationary points. In addition, when the sources characteristics are identical for both the base and the monitor passive experiments, the amplitude differences between the retrieved base and monitor reflection responses exhibit clear information on reflection changes from the reservoir. However we show that, when the sources’ characteristics, such as their spatial random distribution only, are not close enough for the base and the monitor passive experiments, the induced amplitude differences are difficult to interpret. Processing of the recorded body-wave noise prior to cross-correlation might be then necessary. We conclude that the repeatability of the passive noise is crucial for time-lapse interpretation. Finally, we choose an ideal noise configuration to enhance repeatability of the passive experiments when using different random distributions of the sources. In this special case, plotting picked amplitudes from the retrieved reflection responses for different velocity scenarios illustrates the potential of monitoring the velocity changes from SI with ambient noise.
On the Thermal Stability of Irradiation-dominated Pre-Main-Sequence Disks

The dusty disks of many young stars are probably heated mostly by absorption of light from the central star. This stellar irradiation can control the vertical structure of the disk, particularly in the outer regions. Because the irradiation heating is sensitive to the disk structure—the disk vertical thickness and the tilt of the disk photosphere relative to the star—the possibility of an unstable feedback is present. To study this problem, we present calculations of the evolution of perturbations in vertically isothermal disks. We find that such disks are generally stable. In outer disk regions of T Tauri stars, linear analysis indicates that the radiative cooling time is so short that temperature perturbations will be damped faster than the disk structure can respond. Using our results for steady "alpha" viscosity disks, we estimate that this is true for distances larger than 2 AU (Ṁ/10-8 M☉ yr-1)7/9(α/0.01)-7/9 for typical T Tauri stars. Inside this radius, if the disk surface tilt ("flaring") is still significant, numerical finite-amplitude calculations show that temperature perturbations will travel inward as they damp. We find that disk self-shadowing has a small effect on the results because the perturbation is damped on a timescale shorter than the time in which the shadowed disk region can respond. Our results help justify steady, smooth treatments of the effects of irradiation on the disks of young stellar objects.
Value chain predictors of milk production on smallholder dairy farms in Western Kenya: a multiple regression analysis

This study was made possible through the cooperation and collaboration of several enumerators, dairy farmers, the county directors and district livestock production officers in Butula and Butere districts and Kenya dairy Board. The study was facilitated by Kenya Agricultural Research Institute and funded by East African Agricultural Productivity Project. This paper is submitted for publication with permission from Kenyatta University.
The Influence of Education Level, Infrastructure and Workplace Environment on Teacher Performance: A Case Study of SMK PGRI Turen Malang

This study has several aims: (1) to describe and to test both simultaneously and partially the influence of the level of education, infrastructure and environment on teachers’ performance at SMK PGRI Turen, (2) to test the variable that has a dominant influence on teachers’ performance at SMK PGRI Turen. There are 42 teachers that are employed as research samples. This analysis technique uses multiple regression analysis as its design. The statistic descriptive results show that the level of education is formed by the teachers’ rank of education and teachers’ suitability of educational background major. The main thing that supports the level of education, which is the rank of education, is reflected on the level of respondents 'ability to develop students' potential. While the infrastructure facilities are in the form of tables and chairs, books or teaching materials and educational rooms. The main thing that develops infrastructure well is books or teaching materials which can be seen from the use of educational guidebooks during the teaching and learning process by respondents. Furthermore, the workplace environment is formed by lighting, air temperature, and safety at the workplace. The primary thing that can improve the workplace environment is the air temperature in the workplace which can be observed from the air circulation in the teacher's room. On the other hand, teachers’ performance is formed by the ability to master teaching material, managing teaching and learning programs, and assessing students’ achievement. The principal thing that can improve the teachers’ performance is their ability of managing teaching and learning programs which can be seen in the quantity of completed assignments by respondents from their effort of managing learners' learning processes. The level of education, facilities and workplace environment are simultaneously influencing the performance of teachers at SMK PGRI Turen, Therefore, it can be stated that the higher the level of teachers’ educational background which is supported by comprehensive workplace facilities, and conducive workplace environment, the better the improvement of the teachers’ performance will be. The level of education, facilities and workplace environment partially influence the teachers’ performance at SMK PGRI Turen. Thus, it can be concluded that teachers’ performance can be improved through an adequate level of teachers’ educational background, comprehensive supporting facilities and infrastructure, and a safe and comfortable workplace environment. In short, it can be stated that to improve teachers’ performance at SMK PGRI Turen, teachers’ level of education, workplace’s air temperature as it can be observed from the circulation in the teacher's room are important.
Anti-Cytokine Activity of Curcumin and Its Binding to a Fragment of AβPP

Since it has been shown that Alzheimer’s disease is accompanied by higher peripheral concentrations of cytokines, we focused on the correction of chronic inflammation causing Aβ excess and aggregation what should have a positive impact. Proinflammatory cytokines action is realized by NF-κB intracellular signals. Curcumin can inhibit activation of the proinflammatory transcription factor NF-κB and is able to be mounted in the amyloid-β fibrils and encourage their disaggregation. To study the influence of anti-inflammatory effect of curcumin and its ability to model complexes with a fragment of AβPP. Investigation was carried out on rats with model of Alzheimer’s disease using nasal therapy with curcumin Concentration of cytokines in cerebral cortex, hippocampus and blood serum, and indicators of conditioned active escape reflex were determined in this study. Methods of molecular dynamics and docking were used to examine the interactions of curcumin with fragment of AβPP. Аβ42_Human in the hippocampus of rats provoked chronic neuroinflammation specifically and primarily at the injection site. Curcumin performance revealed specific depressing effect on cytokines in the cerebral cortex and in the hippocampus it appeared similar to the above, but of lower level. Anti-inflammatory activity of curcumin led to the recovery of memory parameters. Analysis of restriction sites of AβPP has shown that position of curcumin in Site II is energetically more favorable for binding. Our suggestion that curcumin is an effective anti-cytokine factor was confirmed by experimental results obtained in vivo and explain the mechanism describing its effect on NF-κB Curcumin doesn’t block the excision Aβ but binding with its hydrophobic region.
Uncovering Vote Trading Through Networks and Computation

We develop a new methodological framework for the empirical study of legislative vote trading. Building on the concept of reciprocity in directed weighted networks, our method facilitates the measurement of vote trading on a large scale, while estimating the micro-structure of trades between individual legislators. In principle, it can be applied to a broad variety of voting data and refined for various specific contexts. It allows, for example, to study how vote trading in a specific legislative assembly varies over time. We validate our method with a computational model in which we control the level of vote trading. Finally, we demonstrate our framework in an analysis of four decades of roll call voting in the U.S. Congress.
Validation of a community collective efficacy scale in an African context

The aim of this study was to validate a community collective efficacy scale in an African context. An abridged version of the Community Collective Efficacy Scale was validated in a cross-sectional survey design. Participants (N = 1050) from urban (n = 451) and rural (n = 599) areas completed the CCES and other measures of self-efficacy and psychological well-being. Results indicated a Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient of 0.72 and satisfactory inter-item correlations ranging between 0.17 and 0.25. Significant correlations between the CCES and other measures of self-efficacy and psychological well-being indicated good criterion-related validity. Construct validity was supported by confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. Exploratory factor analysis yielded one factor that relates to a sense of “we-ness”. The CCES thus has good reliability and validity in an African context.
Gray Level Image Edge Detection Using a Hybrid Model of Cellular Learning Automata and Stochastic Cellular Automata

The mathematical model that aims at determining points in an image at which the image brightness suddenly changes is called edge detection. This study aims to propose a new hybrid method for edge detection. This method is based on cellular learning automata (CLA) and stochastic cellular automata (SCA). In the first part of the proposed method, statistic features of the input image are hired to have primary edge detection. In the next step CLA and SCA are employed to amplify pixels situated on edge and castrate those pixels which are part of the image background. The simulation results are conducted to prove proposed method performance and these results suggest that the proposed method is more efficient in finding edges and outperforms the existing edge detection algorithms.
GMC Collisions as Triggers of Star Formation. III. Density and Magnetically Regulated Star Formation

We study giant molecular cloud (GMC) collisions and their ability to trigger star cluster formation. We further develop our three-dimensional magnetized, turbulent, colliding GMC simulations by implementing star formation subgrid models. Two such models are explored: (1) “Density-Regulated,” i.e., fixed efficiency per free-fall time above a set density threshold and (2) “Magnetically Regulated,” i.e., fixed efficiency per free-fall time in regions that are magnetically supercritical. Variations of parameters associated with these models are also explored. In the non-colliding simulations, the overall level of star formation is sensitive to model parameter choices that relate to effective density thresholds. In the GMC collision simulations, the final star formation rates and efficiencies are relatively independent of these parameters. Between the non-colliding and colliding cases, we compare the morphologies of the resulting star clusters, properties of star-forming gas, time evolution of the star formation rate (SFR), spatial clustering of the stars, and resulting kinematics of the stars in comparison to the natal gas. We find that typical collisions, by creating larger amounts of dense gas, trigger earlier and enhanced star formation, resulting in 10 times higher SFRs and efficiencies. The star clusters formed from GMC collisions show greater spatial substructure and more disturbed kinematics.
Impact of Management Changes on Loco-Regional Control of Breast Carcinoma: A 30-year Single Institution Experience Breast Cancer: Basic and Clinical Research

Purpose: This institutional-based study aims to reflect changes in diagnosis, surgery, radiotherapy, systemic therapy by retrospectively analysing treatment modalities and outcome during the past 30 years of breast cancer. We hypothesized these changes result in better outcome. Material and methods: 2990 women are included, aged 18–95, no previous cancer, unilateral stage I-III primary breast tumors, breast-conserving surgery (BCS) or mastectomy (ME), postoperative radiotherapy (RT) and where indicated systemic treatment. Patients were divided in 3 cohorts stratified by year of diagnosis: 1984-1991, 1992- 1999 and 2000-2008. The interval of cohorts was based on institutional changes in systemic regimens. Results: Over time, median age at diagnosis was similar, patients >70 year increased (19.5 to 25.7%). Over the 3 cohorts: stage migration is observed, determination of tumor grading became routine, proportions of known ER/PR status increased. Over time an obvious shift to less mutilating surgery is observed. Systemic treatment increased significantly during the observed period. In stage I disease, overall (OS), local control (LC) and disease free survival (DFS) didn’t change. In stage II, a significant increase in 10 years OS and DFS (p= 0.02 and 0.001) is observed. In stage III we noticed a significant increase in 10 years DFS (p=0.04) and trend in increase of 10 years OS (p= 0.06). Local Recurrence free survival (RFS) didn’t change significantly for all stages. Conclusion: This study demonstrated an improved outcome for stage II and III over time in our population with the same local control. This is multifactorial, reflecting changes in diagnostic imaging, surgery and increased use of systemic therapy.
THE NONLINEAR ENSO MODE AND ITS INTERDECADAL CHANGES

In the mid 1970s, an abrupt change in SST and largescale atmospheric circulation over North Pacific was observed (Trenberth 1990; Trenberth and Hurrell 1994). Following the climate shift, many aspects of El Nino notably changed (Wang 1995; Gu and Philander 1995; Wang and Wang 1996; An and Wang 2000). These changes were accompanied by a notable modification in the evolution pattern and spatial structure of the coupled ocean-atmospheric anomalies (Wallace et al. 1998). ENSO prediction skills of the coupled ocean-atmosphere models also exhibit some decadal dependence (Balmaseda et al. 1995; Kirtman and Schopf 1998). Despite a number of hypotheses that have been recently proposed to explain the origin of the decadal variability in ENSO behavior (Gu and Philander 1997; Zhang et al. 1998; Kleeman et al. 1999; Barnett et al. 1999; Pierce et al. 2000), what caused the interdecadal changes of El Nino manner is a still subject of debate. So far, linear methods are used to extract the couple mode from the climate data (Bretherton et al. 1992). A joint singular value decomposition (JSVD) was used to extract the dominant patterns derived for the 1961-75 and 1981-95 periods, respectively (Wang and An 2001). The maximum SST gradient and strongest zonal wind stress anomalies were all displaced eastward about 15 degrees longitude during 1981-95; similar result was mentioned by An and Wang (2000) using the SVD method. Linear assumption implies that the patterns for the wind stress anomalies and SST anomalies during the warm states are strictly symmetric to those during the cold states and both the westerly and easterly anomalies will have an eastward displacement after 1980. However, the atmosphere-ocean coupled mode could be nonlinear. Recently, nonlinear canonical correlation analysis (NLCCA) method was developed via a neural network (NN) approach (Hsieh 2000). This method has been applied to study the relation between the tropical Pacific sea level pressure (SLP) and sea surface temperature (SST) by Hsieh (2001), where nonlinearity was found in both fields and the nonlinearity exhibited some interdecadal dependence. In this work, NLCCA will be used to study the nonlinear air-sea interactions between the wind stress (WS) and the SST fields over the tropical Pacific at various lead/lag times. Also NLCCA will be applied to investigate the interdecadal changes of the ENSO mode by comparing the NLCCA modes before (1961-75) and after (1981-