Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Latrine ecology of nilgai antelope

The use of scent for communication is widespread in mammals, yet the role of scent-marking in the social system of many species is poorly understood. Nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) are native to India, Nepal, and Pakistan. They were introduced to Texas rangelands in the United States during the 1920s to 1940s, and have since expanded into much of coastal South Texas and northern Mexico. The nilgai social system includes the use of latrines or repeated defecation at a localized site. We quantified and described physical and behavioral characteristics of nilgai latrine ecology to investigate drivers of latrine use at three sites in South Texas, during April 2018 to March 2019. Latrines were abundant (2.6–8.7 latrines/ha on unpaved roads, 0.4–0.9 latrines/ha off-roads), with no evidence for selection as to vegetation communities; latrines were dynamic in persistence and visitation rates. We found higher densities of latrines in Spring surveys, just after the peak of nilgai breeding activity, compared to Autumn surveys. Density of nilgai latrines was 3–10 times greater than estimated population densities, indicating individual nilgai must use multiple latrines. Camera traps and fecal DNA analysis revealed latrines were mainly (70%) visited by bulls and defecated on by bulls (92% in photos, 89% for DNA samples). The greatest frequency of visits occurred during the peak in the nilgai breeding season, from December–February; latrines were visited every 2–3 days on average. Body characteristics of photographed individuals and genetic analysis of feces indicated repeated visits from the same individuals. Nilgai cows occasionally used latrines; their use was sometimes followed by bulls showing flehmen responses after a female defecated or urinated on the latrine. We propose that dominant bulls use latrines for territory demarcation to display social dominance to both cows in estrus and subordinate bulls. Cows likely use latrines to communicate reproductive status. This study is the first intensive assessment focused on latrine ecology in nilgai. Our results directly contradict anecdotal descriptions of latrine use and behavior in nilgai but are consistent with predictions of antelope social systems based on body size, feeding type, and group dynamics.
Installation and Operation of a Solar Cooling and Heating System Incorporated with Air-Source Heat Pumps

A solar cooling and heating system incorporated with two air-source heat pumps was installed in Ningbo City, China and has been operating since 2018. It is composed of 40 evacuated tube modules with a total aperture area of 120 m2, a single-stage and LiBr–water-based absorption chiller with a cooling capacity of 35 kW, a cooling tower, a hot water storage tank, a buffer tank, and two air-source heat pumps, each with a rated cooling capacity of 23.8 kW and heating capacity of 33 kW as the auxiliary system. This paper presents the operational results and performance evaluation of the system during the summer cooling and winter heatingperiod, as well as on a typical summer day in 2018. It was found that the collector field yield and cooling energy yield increased by more than 40% when the solar cooling and heating system is incorporated with heat pumps. The annual average collector efficiency was 44% for cooling and 42% for heating, and the average coefficient of performance (COP) of the absorption chiller ranged between 0.68 and 0.76. The annual average solar fraction reached 56.6% for cooling and 62.5% for heating respectively. The yearly electricity savings accounted for 41.1% of the total electricity consumption for building cooling and heating.
Performance of Multiwavelength Laser Utilizing Fabry-Pérot Interferometer in Different Cavity Configuration using Hybrid Raman-EDF Gains

This paper presents on the design of multiwavelength laser for hybrid Raman-erbium doped fiber gains in three different cavities; single pass linear, bidirectional linear and ring laser. Multiwavelength laser has the potential for its simplicity and lower in cost. The 50% arm coupling ratio of ring laser structure with 0.2 nm line width, 20 lasing line and 5 mW lasing threshold is achieved and shown to be the best result for multiwavelength laser design compared to the single pass and bidirectional linear cavity. With an input power of 240 mW (EDFA) and 2000 mW (FRA), a 96% power conversion efficiency is obtained and produced a stable multiwavelength for L-band source with peak power of -10 dBm for ring laser, -25 dBm for single pass linear and -5 dBm for bidirectional linear laser. The lasing threshold obtained at 50% arm coupling ratio for ring laser is also slightly lower than other value reported previously. The interesting features of the proposed laser systems is the low threshold power, high output power, high number of lasing line and high pump conversion efficiency.
Identification of an Immune-Related Prognostic Risk Model in Glioblastoma

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant type of brain tumor. A large number of studies have shown that the immunotherapy of tumors is effective, but the immunotherapy effect of GBM is not poor. Thus, further research on the immune-related hub genes of GBM is extremely important. Methods: The GBM highly correlated gene clusters were screened out by differential expression, mutation analysis, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and proportional hazards model (COX) regressions were implemented to construct prognostic risk models. Survival, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and compound difference analyses of tumor mutation burden were used to further verify the prognostic risk model. Then, we predicted GBM patient responses to immunotherapy using the ESTIMATE algorithm, GSEA, and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) algorithm. Results: A total of 834 immune-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. The five hub genes (STAT3, SEMA4F, GREM2, MDK, and SREBF1) were identified as the prognostic risk model (PRM) screened out by WGCNA and LASSO analysis of DEGs. In addition, the PRM has a significant positive correlation with immune cell infiltration of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and expression of critical immune checkpoints, indicating that the poor prognosis of patients is due to TIDE. Conclusion: We constructed the PRM composed of five hub genes, which provided a new strategy for developing tumor immunotherapy.
Upscaling Hydrological Processes for Land Surface Models With a Two‐Hydrologic‐Variable Model: Application to the Little Washita Watershed

Land Surface Models (LSMs) are key components of Earth System Models, which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change relies on in many of their studies. However, these models either neglect or oversimplify basin‐scale hydrological processes that produce the land surface water balance. Bringing the dominant physical processes from the local scale up to the LSMs presents a significant challenge for improving the models. This article presents an upscaling (or bottom‐up) approach to identify the basin‐scale driving variables that need to be exported into LSMs. The approach is developed on the Little Washita Watershed (OK, USA) using 20‐year hydrology (1993–2013). A physically based 3D model built with HydroGeoSphere first produces a reference simulation. An equivalent hillslope model is then able to capture both 3D simulated water balance and local water table dynamics with reasonable accuracy. The physical analysis of the water balance in the different hillslope compartments leads to the identification of two driving variables: seepage face extension and water table slope. The two variables are then implemented in a conceptual model. Results show a good capacity of this model to capture the water balance of hillslopes having different lengths and slopes. Moreover, the model is able to capture the water balance of the reference simulation with reasonable accuracy. The proposed approach thus reduces the 3D watershed model to a two‐variable conceptual model that constitutes a basis for developing an improved LSM hydrology.
Very-Low-Dose Radiation and Clinical Molecular Nuclear Medicine

Emerging molecular and precision medicine makes nuclear medicine a de facto choice of imaging, especially in the era of target-oriented medical care. Nuclear medicine is minimally invasive, four-dimensional (space and time or dynamic space), and functional imaging using radioactive biochemical tracers in evaluating human diseases on an anatomically configured image. Many radiopharmaceuticals are also used in therapies. However, there have been concerns over the emission of radiation from the radionuclides, resulting in wrongly neglecting the potential benefits against little or any risks at all of imaging to the patients. The sound concepts of radiation and radiation protection are critical for promoting the optimal use of radiopharmaceuticals to patients, and alleviating concerns from caregivers, nuclear medicine staff, medical colleagues, and the public alike.
Effect of Steel Fiber on the Strength and Flexural Characteristics of Coconut Shell Concrete Partially Blended with Fly Ash

The construction industry relies heavily on concrete as a building material. The coarse aggregate makes up a substantial portion of the volume of concrete. However, the continued exploitation of granite rock for coarse aggregate results in an increase in the future generations’ demand for natural resources. In this investigation, coconut shell was used in the place of conventional aggregate to produce coconut shell lightweight concrete. Class F fly ash was used as a partial substitute for cement to reduce the high cement content of lightweight concrete. The impact of steel fiber addition on the compressive strength and flexural features of sustainable concrete was investigated. A 10% weight replacement of class F fly ash was used in the place of cement. Steel fiber was added at 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0% of the concrete volume. The results revealed that the addition of steel fibers enhanced the compressive strength by up to 39%. The addition of steel fiber to reinforced coconut shell concrete beams increased the ultimate moment capacity by 5–14%. Flexural toughness was increased by up to 45%. The span/deflection ratio of all fiber-reinforced coconut shell concrete beams met the IS456 and BS 8110 requirements. Branson’s and the finite element models developed in this study agreed well with the experimental results. As a result, coconut shell concrete with steel fiber could be considered as a viable and environmentally-friendly construction material.
Board Political Superiority and firm performance variability

This study provides empirical evidence that firms with a higher proportion of board directors who are politically more powerful than their CEOs can significantly reduce stock performance variability, but not on accounting performance variability. Our findings show that among independent (female, non-coopted) directors, only those who are politically more powerful than CEOs are effective in their monitoring role. In our additional tests, we show that our findings are not driven by an endogeneity bias. We find some mechanisms through which politically superior boards can mitigate stock performance variability.
The Ability of Nuclease-Resistant RNA Aptamer against Streptococcus suis Serotype 2, Strain P1/7 to Reduce Biofilm Formation In Vitro

Streptococcus suis, a Gram-positive bacterium, is an important swine and human pathogen, with serotype 2 being the most prevalent strain found worldwide. Deafness, meningitis, and death (in severe cases) are observed in S. suis-infected cases. Development of the ligands that can bind to S. suis with high affinity and specificity could be beneficial for the diagnosis and treatment of S. suis infection. Herein, the nuclease-resistant RNA aptamers based on 2′-fluoropyrimidine modification against S. suis serotype 2, strain P1/7, were established using the cell- Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment (SELEX) technique. One of the aptamers, R8-su12, could bind to the S. suis target strain as well as other S. suis serotypes, i.e., 1, 1/2, 9, and 14, but not to other bacteria tested, i.e., S. pneumoniae ATCC 49619, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. Moreover, the R8-su12 RNA aptamer was also capable of inhibiting the biofilm formation of the S. suis target strain, making it potentially useful for the study of biofilm formation and the treatment of S. suis infection in humans and pigs in the future.
Promotion Strategy of Ideological and Political Education Management in Colleges and Universities Using Clustering Techniques

Computer-based technologies have changed our daily lives, such as the way we live, interact, learn, and play. Data collected through these technologies are now being used to support the second round of revolution in all of these areas. Data mining (DM) research has progressed rapidly in recent years, and the information design of educational management systems has also progressed significantly. Using big data technologies, several educational management systems have collected a great deal of information. However, the DM implementation in educational management systems is still in its initial stages. The use of DM techniques in educational management systems is theoretically important and practically useful. With the advancement of information technology (IT) in the field of college education, the present ideological and political theory courses in colleges and universities have gradually developed into information-based teaching, which has increased teaching efficiency and quality. This paper investigates the “work assessment quantitative table” of ideological and political education (IAPE) administration in universities using data mining and clustering technology techniques. In addition, this study utilizes the k-means clustering algorithms to analyze the data from the “work assessment quantitative table” of IAPE of university administration, which successfully overcomes the limitations and inadequacies of standard analysis approaches.
Application of Nondestructive Testing Technology in Quality Evaluation of Plain Concrete and RC Structures in Bridge Engineering: A Review

The development and application of nondestructive testing technology for prestressed reinforced concrete structures in the field of infrastructure construction were summarized in this study via the analysis of relevant literature worldwide. The detection methods, detection principles, and detection instruments in quality evaluation of prestressed reinforced concrete structures were analyzed and compared, based on which, acoustic emission detection technology, impact echo detection technology, ultrasonic detection technology, infrared thermography detection technology, ground-penetrating radar detection technology, piezoelectric transducer detection technology, and X-ray detection technology were summarized. Additionally, the advantages, disadvantages, and application scope of each detection method were focused upon and analyzed comparatively. It is indicated that further improvement in the detection visualization, accuracy, and efficiency for most nondestructive testing technologies is available by optimizing the algorithm and combining artificial intelligence technology with neural network deep learning, precise positioning, and imaging analysis of the quality defects in prestressed reinforced concrete structures. The results of this study can provide technical reference for the further application and research of nondestructive testing technologies in the quality inspection of prestressed reinforced concrete structures.
Lateral stiffness of reinforced concrete moment frames with haunched beams

Tapered elements in general and haunched beams in particular have been traditionally difficult to model in a practical manner. Leading commercial software worldwide for structural analysis such as ETABS or STAADPro started to include them in their element libraries near year 2000; however, often the software ́s manual does not describe the details of the numerical modelling. As many structural engineers worldwide use this software, it is of paramount importance to evaluate how accurate the solutions obtained with commercial software are, particularly for building in seismic zones, where reasonable estimates are crucial for displacement-based design methods. In this paper the approximations obtained with commercial software for a set of RC frames with symmetric haunched beams under lateral loading are reported when compared to those obtained with a traditional beam theory. It is shown that the modelling used in commercial software is in general reasonable, but it leads to an underestimation of the lateral displacements.
Overhead Transmission Line Parameter Reconstruction for UAV Inspection Based on Tunneling Magnetoresistive Sensors and Inverse Models

Overhead transmission lines have played an important role in power transmission and distribution, and real-time monitoring of the line status is essential to maintain the stability and reliability of the power system. As the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has gradually become the novel and effective tool for inspection of transmission lines, the acquisition of dynamic line parameters is also important to keep the UAV's track and safety. In this paper, a novel parameter reconstruction method for overhead transmission lines was proposed. A framework of approximated transmission line inverse problem was constructed, which transformed the problem into a nonlinear optimization problem. Based on the proposed comprehensive algorithm that combined metaheuristic algorithm and interior point method, the position and current parameters of the lines were reconstructed from the magnetic field data. Theoretical simulation indicated that the algorithm avoided the results being stuck in the local optima effectively. In terms of the experimental implementation, a dual-axial tunneling magnetoresistive magnetic field measurement device was prepared. The measurement and calculation results proved the robustness and accuracy of the comprehensive reconstruction algorithm together with the magnetic field measurement device, leading to a more promising approach for real-time transmission line monitoring and UAV trajectory controlling.
Effect of Concentration of Electrolyte Solution on the Electrochemical Stability of Ionogel

Ionogel is an emerging hybrid material where the ionic liquid is immobilized within polymer matrix. Interesting combination of properties has permitted wide applications of ionogel. In this study, a well-known method, sol-gel is used to synthesize ionogel. However, it is intended to identify the optimum concentration of ionic liquid within ionogel which endows the ionogel with the best electrochemical performance. By varying the concentration of ionic liquid, the appearance of ionogel is compared. FTIR is performed to understand the structural changes that occur in ionogel. Linear Sweep Voltammetry is performed to study the electrochemical stability of ionogel.
Compact and Multiband MIMO Dielectric Resonator Antenna for Automotive LTE Communications

A compact and multiband dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) designed for LTE automotive solutions is presented in this paper. The proposed MIMO system is located on the vehicle rooftop within a limited space of 120 mm × 70 mm × 65 mm. To cover all the LTE standard frequency bands used around the world, the antenna is matched around 790 MHz–860 MHz, 1700 MHz–2200 MHz, and 2500 MHz–2700 MHz frequency bands with a ∣S11∣ lower than −6 dB while presenting a minimum total efficiency of 50% with a maximum realized gain better than 1 dB on all these frequency bands. The DRA is then mounted and measured on a real vehicle rooftop in order to see its performances in real operation conditions. Finally, to improve both the quality and reliability of the wireless link, two DRAs are placed within a small area to reconfigure their radiation patterns on each frequency band. Measured performances, which are in good agreement with the simulated results, are used to validate if the antenna design is suitable for LTE MIMO systems to be integrated on an automotive. The MIMO system is evaluated using the envelope correlation coefficient (ECC), and the obtained value for the proposed antenna is lower than 0.25.
Emergence of blaOXA-1- and mph(A)-Producing Vibrio furnissii Isolated from Hospital Sewage

Abstract Cephalosporins and azithromycin are clinical antibiotics used to treat infections. Co-resistance to cephalosporins and azithromycin has been observed in some Enterobacterales, but it has only rarely been reported in Vibrio species. In this study, we isolated a cephalosporin- and azithromycin-resistant V. furnissii strain, VFN3, from hospital sewage. Whole-genome sequencing results showed that the strain VFN3 possesses an IncA/C2 plasmid, pVFN3-blaOXA-193K. This conjugative plasmid carries several clinically relevant drug resistance genes, including mph(A) and blaOXA-1. We also found that in the strain VFN3, mph(A) and blaOXA-1 are surrounded by insertion sequences and class I integrons, respectively. These data suggest that mobile elements mediate the transfer of mph(A) and blaOXA-1. This is the first reported Vibrio species that possesses an mph(A)- and blaOXA-1-bearing conjugative plasmid. The emergence of this conjugative multi-drug-resistance plasmid is of great concern to public health.
Physical and Mechanical Characterization of a Functionalized Cotton Fabric with Nanocomposite Based on Silver Nanoparticles and Carboxymethyl Chitosan Using Green Chemistry

Cotton is the most widely used natural fiber for textiles but its innate capacity to absorb moisture, retain oxygen, and high specific surface area make it more prone to microbial contamination, becoming an appropriate medium for the growth of bacteria and fungi. In recent years, the incorporation of silver nanoparticles in textile products has been widely used due to their broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and low toxicity towards mammalian cells. The aim of the current study is to synthesize and characterize a nanocomposite based on silver nanoparticles and carboxymethyl chitosan (AgNPs-CMC), which was utilized to provide a functional finish to cotton fabric. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) to produce a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) image showed that the nanocomposite presents AgNPs with a 5–20 nm size. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the presence of silver nanoparticles. The concentration of silver in the functionalized fabric was evaluated by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), which reported an average concentration of 13.5 mg of silver per kg of functionalized fabric. SEM showed that silver nanoparticles present a uniform distribution on the surface of the functionalized cotton fabric fibers. On the other hand, by infrared spectroscopy, it was observed that the functionalized fabric variation (compared to control) had a displaced peak of intensity at 1594.32 cm−1, corresponding to carboxylate anions. Similarly, Raman spectroscopy showed an intense peak at 1592.84 cm−1, which corresponds to the primary amino group of carboxymethyl chitosan, and a peak at 1371.5 cm−1 corresponding to the carboxylic anions. Finally, the physical and mechanical tests of tensile strength and color index of the functional fabric reported that it was no different (p ˃ 0.05) than the control fabric. Our results demonstrate that we have obtained an improved functionalized cotton fabric using green chemistry that does not alter intrinsic properties of the fabric and has the potential to be utilized in the manufacturing of hospital garments.