Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sustainability discourse in participatory planning: the case of Malaysia

ABSTRACT The uprising of protests around the world in recent years, with protesters retaking the streets and demanding their voices be heard, has highlighted democracy’s disappearance. The crux of this argument centres on the process of governing, seemingly geared at ensuring market values are the only ‘sensible’ logic in planning processes. This study assesses whether the deployment of a transcendental ideal of planning discourse – sustainability – can be directed towards achieving capital accumulation through the transformations of governance practice. In this context, a case study in Malaysia is presented to demonstrate the complex ways in which the social order is regulated, as to what extent and through what processes participation matters in the planning process. The data were drawn from in-depth interviews with planners, members of parliament, local councillors,developers and non-government organisations.The findings highlighted the tensions between competing actors in the planning system and emphasised the imbalance of power under which the public have few options to resist.
The Large Hadron-Electron Collider at the HL-LHC

The Large Hadron electron Collider (LHeC) is designed to move the field of deep inelastic scattering (DIS) to the energy and intensity frontier of particle physics. Exploiting energy recovery technology, it collides a novel, intense electron beam with a proton or ion beam from the High Luminosity--Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC). The accelerator and interaction region are designed for concurrent electron-proton and proton-proton operation. This report represents an update of the Conceptual Design Report (CDR) of the LHeC, published in 2012. It comprises new results on parton structure of the proton and heavier nuclei, QCD dynamics, electroweak and top-quark physics. It is shown how the LHeC will open a new chapter of nuclear particle physics in extending the accessible kinematic range in lepton-nucleus scattering by several orders of magnitude. Due to enhanced luminosity, large energy and the cleanliness of the hadronic final states, the LHeC has a strong Higgs physics programme and its own discovery potential for new physics. Building on the 2012 CDR, the report represents a detailed updated design of the energy recovery electron linac (ERL) including new lattice, magnet, superconducting radio frequency technology and further components. Challenges of energy recovery are described and the lower energy, high current, 3-turn ERL facility, PERLE at Orsay, is presented which uses the LHeC characteristics serving as a development facility for the design and operation of the LHeC. An updated detector design is presented corresponding to the acceptance, resolution and calibration goals which arise from the Higgs and parton density function physics programmes. The paper also presents novel results on the Future Circular Collider in electron-hadron mode, FCC-eh, which utilises the same ERL technology to further extend the reach of DIS to even higher centre-of-mass energies.
Biophysical characterization reveals the similarities of liposomes produced using microfluidics and electroformation

Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs) are a versatile tool in many branches of science, including biophysics and synthetic biology. Octanol-Assisted Liposome Assembly (OLA), a recently developed microfluidic technique enables the production and testing of GUVs within a single device under highly controlled experimental conditions. It is therefore gaining significant interest as a platform for use in drug discovery, the production of artificial cells and more generally for controlled studies of the properties of lipid membranes. In this work, we expand the capabilities of the OLA technique by forming GUVs of tunable binary lipid mixtures of DOPC, DOPG and DOPE. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching we investigated the lateral diffusion coefficients of lipids in OLA liposomes and found the expected values in the range of 1 μm2/s for the lipid systems tested. We studied the OLA derived GUVs under a range of conditions and compared the results with electroformed vesicles. Overall, we found the lateral diffusion coefficients of lipids in vesicles obtained with OLA to be quantitatively similar to those in vesicles obtained via traditional electroformation. Our results provide a quantitative biophysical validation of the quality of OLA derived GUVs, which will facilitate the wider use of this versatile platform.
Sequences of Tridovan and their identities

: This work introduces the so-called Tridovan sequence which is an extended form of the Padovan sequence. In a general definition, this extension adds one more term to the Padovan recurrence relation, considering now the three terms preceding the penultimate one. Studies carried out on the proposed extension reveal properties of the positive and negative integer index, the sum of all, even and odd terms, the obtaining Tridovan Q-matrix and finally the Tridovan initial terms generalization.
Traumatic stress history interacts with chronic peripheral inflammation to alter mitochondrial function of synaptosomes in a sex-specific manner

Background Repeated exposures to chronic stress can lead to long lasting negative behavioral and metabolic outcomes. Here, we aim to determine the impact of chronic stress and chronic low-level inflammation on behavior and synaptosomal metabolism. Methods Male (n = 31) and female (n = 32) C57Bl/6 mice underwent chronic repeated predation stress or daily handling for two rounds of 15 consecutive days of exposure during the adolescent and early adult timeframes. Subsequently, mice were exposed to repeated lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 7.5 x 105 EU/kg) or saline injections every third day for eight weeks. Exploratory and social behaviors were assessed in the open field and social interaction tests prior to examination of learning and memory with the Barnes Maze. Mitochondrial function and morphology were assessed in synaptosomes post-mortem. In addition, expression of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and ROMO1 were examined in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Circulating pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the periphery were assessed following the first and last LPS injection as well as at the time of tissue collection. Circulating ROMO1 was assessed in terminal samples. Results Exposure to repeated predatory stress increased time spent in the corners of the open field, suggestive of anxiety-like behavior, in both males and females. There were no significant group differences in the social interaction test and minimal effects were evident in the Barnes maze. A history of chronic stress interacted with chronic LPS in male mice to lead to a deficit in synaptosomal respiration. Female mice were more sensitive to both chronic stress and chronic LPS such that either a history of chronic stress or a history of chronic LPS was sufficient to disrupt synaptosomal respiration in females. Both stress and chronic LPS were sufficient to increase inflammation and reactive oxygen in males in the periphery and centrally. Females had increased markers of peripheral inflammation following acute LPS but no evidence of peripheral or central increases in inflammatory factors or reactive oxygen following chronic exposures. Conclusion Collectively, these data suggest that while metrics of inflammation and reactive oxygen are disrupted in males following chronic stress and chronic LPS, only the combined condition is sufficient to alter synaptosomal respiration. Conversely, although evidence of chronic inflammation or chronic elevation in reactive oxygen is absent, females demonstrate profound shifts in synaptosomal mitochondrial function with either a history of chronic stress or a history of chronic inflammation. These data highlight that differential mechanisms are likely in play between the sexes and suggest that female sensitivity to neurogenerative conditions may be precipitated by influence of life experiences on mitochondrial function in the synapses.
A CHEBYSHEV SPECTRAL METHOD FOR HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER IN MHD NANOFLUID FLOW WITH SPACE FRACTIONAL CONSTITUTIVE MODEL

In some recent studies, it has been suggested that non–Newtonian fluid flow can be modeled by a spatially non–local velocity, whose dynamics are described by a fractional derivative. In this study, we use the space fractional constitutive relation to model heat and mass transfer in a nanofluid. We present a numerically accurate algorithm for approximating solutions of the system of fractional ordinary differential equations describing the nanofluid flow. We present numerically stable differentiation matrices for both integer and fractional order derivatives defined by the one–sided Caputo derivative. The differentiation matrices are based on the series expansion of the unknown functions using a truncated Chebyshev polynomial of the first kind and interpolation using Gauss–Lobatto quadrature. We show that the proposed technique is highly effective for solving the fractional model equations.
A comparative overview of exercise and health related professions : athletic training, clinical exercise physiology and biokinetics

The world has embraced the salutogenic effect of sport and physical activity in view of its role in promoting thewell-being of mankind. This international consensus has transformed this pastime into a multi-billion dollar/rand enterprise. The lucrative sport and physical activity enterprise provides substantial revenue to aspiring people interested in pursuing a career in the field. The numerous employment opportunities being advertised internationally in exercise and health related professions are actively being pursued by many South African biokineticists. Therefore, the overlap in the scope of practice among the professions of athletic training, clinical exercise physiology and biokinetics needs to be examined. This overview examines the similarities and differences among the most popular tertiary qualified exercise and health related practitioners in the United States of America, Canada, Australia and South Africa. A systemic review of literature following the PRIMSA guidelines from 1959-2016 was undertaken. In total, 931 records associated with athletic training, clinical exercise physiology and biokinetics were identified, but only 18 were included in this review. The National Health and Medical Research Council of Evidence Hierarchy and a modified Down and Black Appraisal Scale were employed to synthesise the literature. This review highlights the admiral position that biokineticists are placed with regards to final phase rehabilitation of patients across the spectrum of healthy (athletes) to diseased and/or disabled individuals. It is hoped that the review will encourage affiliation and international accreditation of the profession of biokinetics with those of Athletic Training and Clinical Exercise Physiology.
Transmit Beamforming Based on 4-D Antenna Arrays for Low Probability of Intercept Systems

This article has developed a new approach to combine transmit beamforming techniques and 4-D antenna array theory for simultaneously improving the detection and low probability of intercept (LPI) capabilities of radar. This new approach enjoys most of the advantages of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and phased arrays, providing excellent detection and LPI capabilities. The essence of the proposed approach is to utilize a 4-D variable to extend the detection dimension and increase the signal uncertainty. Specifically, the flexible choices of a time-modulation scheme can greatly improve the detection and LPI capabilities of radar. The substantial improvements achieved by the proposed method compared with basic MIMO and phased-MIMO arrays are demonstrated by simulations through analyzing the corresponding beampatterns. In addition, a basic experiment with reference to transmit beampatterns of 4-D antenna arrays is presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Financial depth and international trade: evidence from China

Abstract There has been renewed interest in the link between financial development and trade amongst researchers. Financial development is a multifaceted concept that encompasses several dimensions; however, there is very limited empirical work on how these dimensions interact with international trade. This study offers insights into the link between financial depth (a dimension of financial development) and international trade utilising data from China’s trade flows with 145 trading partners between the years 2000 and 2016. Employing the FGLS estimation approach, this study concludes the following: (1) Financial depth significantly influences China’s international trade flows, with the direction of impact depending on the indicator of financial depth employed. (2) Remittances augment financial development in China and significantly influence international trade flows. (3) Banking crises in China’s trading partner economies have a significant negative impact on trade flows. (4) Strategic economic partnerships particularly trade agreements play a positive role in enhancing China’s trade flows.
AnthOligo: Automating the design of oligonucleotides for capture/enrichment technologies

Summary A number of methods have been devised to address the need for targeted genomic resequencing. One of these methods, Region-specific extraction (RSE) of DNA is characterized by the capture of long DNA fragments (15-20 kb) by magnetic beads, after enzymatic extension of oligonucleotides hybridized to selected genomic regions. Facilitating the selection of the most optimal capture oligos targeting a region of interest, satisfying the properties of temperature (Tm) and entropy (ΔG), while minimizing the formation of primer dimers in a pooled experiment is therefore necessary. Manual design and selection of oligos becomes an extremely arduous task complicated by factors such as length of the target region and number of targeted regions. Here we describe, AnthOligo, a web-based application developed to optimally automate the process of generation of oligo sequences to be used for the targeting and capturing the continuum of large and complex genomic regions. Apart from generating oligos for RSE, this program may have wider applications in the design of customizable internal oligos to be used as baits for gene panel analysis or even probes for large-scale comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) array processes. Implementation and Availability The application written in Java8 and run on Tomcat9 is a lightweight Java Spring MVC framework that provides the user with a simple interface to upload an input file in BED format and customize parameters for each task. A Redis-like MapReduce framework is implemented to run sub-tasks in parallel to optimize time and system resources alongside a ‘task-queuing’ system that runs submitted jobs as a server-side background daemon. The task of probe design in AnthOligo commences when a user uploads an input file and concludes with the generation of a result-set containing an optimal set of region-specific oligos. AnthOligo is currently available as a public web application with URL: http://antholigo.chop. edu.
Understanding Distress: An Examination of the Role of Stereotype Threat in Vigilance Tasks

Vigilance tasks are known to be stressful and highly practical tasks present in many workplace environments. Research has examined ways to alleviate this stress but has often failed to include individual difference characteristics that might increase stress. The current research examined potential gender differences in stress after completing a vigilance task. Participants completed a questionnaire pre- and post-task measuring worry, engagement, and distress (Matthews et al., 1999) for a vigilance task. Results showed that women reported more distress after the vigilance task when reminded of a negative stereotype about their gender. Results are discussed in terms of practical implications for research examining distress during vigilance tasks, as well as considerations for future research.
Investigation of the parameters influencing progress of concrete carbonation depth by using artificial neural networks

Carbonation is a deleterious concrete durability problem which may alter concrete microstructure and yield initiation of corrosion in reinforcing steel bars. Previous studies focused on the use of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) for the prediction of concrete carbonation depth and to minimize the need for destructive and elaborated civil engineering laboratory tests. This study aims to provide improved accuracy of simulation and prediction of carbonation with an ANN architecture including eighteen input parameters employing alternative Scaled Conjugate Gradient (SCG) function. After ensuring a promising value of the coefficient of correlation as high as 0.98, the influence of proposed input parameters on the progress of carbonation depth was studied. The results of this parametric analysis were observed to successfully comply with the conventional civil engineering experience. Hence, the employed ANN model can be used as an efficient tool to study in detail and to provide insights into the carbonation problem in concrete.
Accurate Measurement of Handwash Quality Using Sensor Armbands: Instrument Validation Study

Background Hand hygiene is a crucial and cost-effective method to prevent health care–associated infections, and in 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued guidelines to encourage and standardize hand hygiene procedures. However, a common challenge in health care settings is low adherence, leading to low handwashing quality. Recent advances in machine learning and wearable sensing have made it possible to accurately measure handwashing quality for the purposes of training, feedback, or accreditation. Objective We measured the accuracy of a sensor armband (Myo armband) in detecting the steps and duration of the WHO procedures for handwashing and handrubbing. Methods We recruited 20 participants (10 females; mean age 26.5 years, SD 3.3). In a semistructured environment, we collected armband data (acceleration, gyroscope, orientation, and surface electromyography data) and video data from each participant during 15 handrub and 15 handwash sessions. We evaluated the detection accuracy for different armband placements, sensor configurations, user-dependent vs user-independent models, and the use of bootstrapping. Results Using a single armband, the accuracy was 96% (SD 0.01) for the user-dependent model and 82% (SD 0.08) for the user-independent model. This increased when using two armbands to 97% (SD 0.01) and 91% (SD 0.04), respectively. Performance increased when the armband was placed on the forearm (user dependent: 97%, SD 0.01; and user independent: 91%, SD 0.04) and decreased when placed on the arm (user dependent: 96%, SD 0.01; and user independent: 80%, SD 0.06). In terms of bootstrapping, user-dependent models can achieve more than 80% accuracy after six training sessions and 90% with 16 sessions. Finally, we found that the combination of accelerometer and gyroscope minimizes power consumption and cost while maximizing performance. Conclusions A sensor armband can be used to measure hand hygiene quality relatively accurately, in terms of both handwashing and handrubbing. The performance is acceptable using a single armband worn in the upper arm but can substantially improve by placing the armband on the forearm or by using two armbands.
Two phase-change memory (2-PCM) neurons for implementing a backpropagation algorithm

In this paper, we proposed a neuron circuit, i.e. a two phase-change memory (2-PCM) neuron, to implement a backpropagation algorithm for hardware neural networks. PCM devices in the neuron are used for computing and storing signals. One of the PCM devices is used for storing the forward propagation (FP) signal, and the other is used for storing the backpropagation signal. This paper presents a new application of PCM devices in traditional artificial neural networks. With the proposed 2-PCM neuron circuits, the neuron circuits need not to remain powered during the entire process for temporarily storing the FP signals. And it does not require additional memory for storing backpropagation signals. In addition, the two PCM devices share a common read and write driver circuits.
Lateralized Expression of Cortical Perineuronal Nets during Maternal Experience is Dependent on MECP2

Cortical neuronal circuits along the sensorimotor pathways are shaped by experience during critical periods of heightened plasticity in early postnatal development. After closure of critical periods, measured histologically by the formation and maintenance of extracellular matrix structures called perineuronal nets (PNNs), the adult mouse brain exhibits restricted plasticity and maturity. Mature PNNs are typically considered to be stable structures that restrict synaptic plasticity on cortical parvalbumin+ GABAergic neurons. Changes in environment (i.e. novel behavioral training) or social contexts (i.e. motherhood) are known to elicit synaptic plasticity in relevant neural circuitry. However, little is known about concomitant changes in the PNNs surrounding the cortical parvalbumin+ GABAergic neurons. Here, we show novel changes in PNN density in the primary somatosensory cortex (SS1) of adult female mice after maternal experience, using systematic microscopy analysis of a whole brain region. On average, PNNs were increased in the right barrel field and decreased in the left forelimb regions. Individual mice had left hemisphere dominance in PNN density. Using adult female mice deficient in methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2), an epigenetic regulator involved in regulating experience-dependent plasticity, we found that MECP2 is critical for this precise and dynamic expression of PNN. Adult naïve Mecp2-heterozygous females (Het) had increased PNN density in specific subregions in both hemispheres before maternal experience. The laterality in PNN expression seen in naïve Het was lost after maternal experience, suggesting possible intact mechanisms for plasticity. Together, our results identify subregion and hemisphere-specific alterations in PNN expression in adult females, suggesting extracellular matrix plasticity as a possible neurobiological mechanism for adult behaviors in rodents.
Mass‐transport complexes (MTCs) document subsidence patterns in a northern Gulf of Mexico salt minibasin

Mass‐transport complexes (MTCs) dominate the stratigraphic record of many salt‐influenced sedimentary basins. Commonly in such settings, halokinesis is invoked as a primary trigger for MTC emplacement, although the link between specific phases of salt movement, and related minibasin dynamics, remains unclear. Here, we use high‐quality 3D seismic reflection and well data to constrain the composition, geometry and distribution (in time and space) of six MTCs preserved in a salt‐confined, supra‐canopy minibasin in the northern Gulf of Mexico, and to assess how their emplacement relate to regional and local controls. We define three main tectono‐sedimentary phases in the development of the minibasin: (a) initial minibasin subsidence and passive diapirism, during which time deposition was dominated by relatively large‐volume MTCs (c. 25 km3) derived from the shelf‐edge or upper slope; (b) minibasin margin uplift and steepening, during which time small‐volume MTCs (c. 20 km3) derived from the shelf‐edge or upper slope were emplaced; and (c) active diapirism, during which time very small volume MTCs (c. 1 km3) were emplaced, locally derived from the diapir flanks or roofs. We present a generic model that emphasizes the dynamic nature of minibasin evolution, and how MTC emplacement relates to halokinetic sequence development. Although based on a single data‐rich case study, our model may be applicable to other MTC‐rich, salt‐influenced sedimentary basins.