Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling and Experimental Investigation of Luminous Coupling in UVLED Driven Optical Fiber Reactors

Photocatalytic oxidation is a promising tool for waste water treatment and decomposition of biologically non digestible substances. Immersed nanoscale catalyst particles from semiconductor materials such as TiO2 and ZnO can be excited by absorbed UV radiation, leading to hydroxyl-ion formation at the surface of the semiconductor and oxidative degradation of pollutants. This contribution deals with reactors equipped with catalyst coated light guides to combine the advantages of immobilized catalysts with nearly homogeneous irradiation. With experimental and theoretical methods the coupling and decoupling of radiation were investigated and the performance of catalyst coated light guides was tested by means of methylene-blue degradation. Radiation models, known from the recent literature, use single ray, parallel ray or multi ray models to approximate the light transmission. These models neglect Fresnel reflection and consider only coupling into the light guide. In this study, the LED was simulated as a Lambertian radiator using 10 4 rays with angle dependent intensities. This well-known model was extended with Fresnelreflection, which predicted the measured coupling efficiencies accurately. The simulations predict the decoupling and catalyst activation at the lateral surface of the light guide for two boundary cases, ideal matt and ideal reflective surfaces. To generate matt surfaces, the light guides were either scratched or coated with TiO2 p25 nanopowder. Sol-gel coating methods were used, to create reflective surfaces. When using matt surfaces, the decoupling rate is very high: 80% of the radiant flux exits the light guide in less than 10 cm. If light guides with reflective surfaces are used, the radiant flux leaving the light guide is low: less than 10% of the radiation exited the light conductor in the first 10 cm. Methyleneblue degradation, seen as a model reaction, was used to determine the reactor performance by comparing the pseudo first order reaction coefficients. Due to the uniform light distribution along the length of the light guides and the resulting even formation of reactive radicals, the quantum yield was increased by a factor of 3, using sol-gel coated light guides, rather than powder coated light guides. The effectiveness of LED driven optical fiber reactors was intensified, if reflective surfaces are used instead of matt surfaces. These surfaces are achieved by sol gel chemistry. However, to use the complete amount of photons, which entered the optical fiber, very long light guides are needed.
Structured light fields 3D imaging with temporal phase unwrapping

The passive depth map recovery based on light field data always suffers from low accuracy and high computational burden due to the noise in sub-aperture images and the narrow disparity between sub-aperture views. To overcome this problem, in this paper, temporal digital fringe projections are used to guide the accurate depth map recovery with light field camera. Since the temporal structured light field casts a set of high signal-to-noise-ratio projections onto the object, the depth map of sub-aperture image can be recovered pixel-by-pixel independently. Therefore, the accuracy of the depth map recovery could be significantly improved. In our propose method, the sub-aperture images with temporal fringe projections are extracted from structured light field information, wrapped phase maps of sub-aperture images are obtained from phaseshifting fringe analysis, the absolute phase map and depth map are recovered from a group of wrapped phase maps with temporal phase unwrapping. In our experiment, when the distance between the light field camera and reference plane is 36 cm, the measurement error of the proposed method is within 0.2 mm. The experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Accuracy and simultaneous selection gains for N-stress tolerance and N-use efficiency in maize tropical lines

Maize plants can be N-use efficient or N-stress tolerant. The first have high yields in favorable environments but is drastically affected under stress conditions; whereas the second show satisfactory yields in stressful environments but only moderate ones under optimal conditions. In this context, our aim was to assess the possibility of selecting tropical maize lines that are simultaneously N-stress tolerant and N-use efficient and check for differences between simultaneous selection statistical methods. Sixty-four tropical maize lines were evaluated for Nitrogen Agronomic Efficiency (NAE) and Low Nitrogen Tolerance (LNTI) response indices and two per se selection indices, Low Nitrogen Agronomic Efficiency (LNAE) and Harmonic Mean of Relative Performance (HMRP). We performed eight selection scenarios: LNAE; HMRP; Additive index; Mulamba-Mock index; and Independent culling levels. The last three was predicted by REML/BLUP single-trait and multi-trait using genotypic values of NAE and LNTI. The REML/BLUP multi-trait analysis was superior to the single-trait analysis due to high unfavorable correlation between NAE and LNTI. However, the accuracy and genotypic determination coefficient of NAE and LNTI were too low. Thus, neither single- nor multi-trait analysis achieved a good result for simultaneous selection nor N-use efficiency nor N-stress tolerance. LNAE obtained satisfactorily accurate values and genotypic determination coefficient, but its performance in selection gain was worse than HMRP, particularly in terms of N-use efficiency. Therefore, because of the superior performance in accuracy, genotypic determination coefficient and selection, HMRP was considered the best simultaneous selection methodology of the scenarios tested for N-use efficiency and N-stress tolerance.
The roles of RFRP in the central control of reproduction : photoperiodic and sex-specific differences

RFRP neurons regulate the reproductive axis, however, their effects depend on species and sex. Here, we aimed at providing a neuroanatomical description of the RFRP system in the Syrian hamster and at investigating the role of RFRP in the daily and seasonal control of female reproduction. We show that besides being regulated by annual changes in photoperiod, the RFRP system is more strongly expressed in females than in males. In line with this, we unveil that RFRP has multiple roles in regulating female reproduction. RFRP neuronal activity is specifically reduced at the time of the pre-ovulatory LH surge and central RFRP-3 administration prior to the surge decreases LH peak levels, altogether pointing towards a daily down-regulation of the inhibitory RFRP signal necessary for proper generation of the LH surge. Moreover, chronic RFRP-3 infusion in sexually inactive females, with endogenous low RFRP expression, completely reactivates the reproductive axis. Taken together, we demonstrate that RFRP is a key component in the seasonal control of reproduction while at the same time specifically regulating cyclic events controlling reproductive activity in females.
Breaking Barriers of Regeneration: Examining the Effectiveness of Bird Perches in Facilitating Seed Dispersal in a Tropical Dry Forest

This project examined the use of bird perches in facilitating seed dispersal to address the lack of seed dispersal and seed rain in degraded tropical forests. The goal of this project was to learn more about this practice in order to derive more realistic expectations of its effectiveness. After four months, significantly more seeds were dispersed into plots containing introduced perches as compared to subplots that lacked perches. Seed rain was dominated by Ficus citrifolia, a mid-level successional species, indicating that introduced artificial perches may influence the regeneration of more mature forests. Seeds recovered from seed traps represented species with close proximity to the plots. Seeds dispersed beneath perches were correlated positively with those occurring in surrounding forests. There were eight bird species recorded utilizing perches. Birds species found utilizing perches were also positively correlated with those found within surrounding forest. These results suggest that bird perches in tropical forests may have a very local effect in that species dispersed may be limited to those found in close range to perch structures, but that the perches are effective at providing a seed rain of those species.
Parasites and endobiotic fungi in digestive gland cryosections of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis in the Northern Adriatic, Croatia

Abstract Histology has been used in the past to investigate the effects of diseases and parasite infections in native mussel populations that are often used as sentinel species in coastal environmental monitoring and as stock in mariculture. This paper presents the first study of parasite diversity using cryosections of the Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819 digestive gland. Mussels were sampled across the annual cycle at two sampling sites: St. Andrew and ACI Marina in the Northern Adriatic (Croatia). The protozoan of the genus Nematopsis Schneider, 1892 (Apicomplexa, Gregarina) was detected in digestive tubules, while the turbellarian (Urastomidae) Urastoma cyprinae von Graff, 1913 was found in the connective tissue at the edge of the digestive gland. The filamentous fungus Alternaria sp. (Fungi, Ascomycota) was detected in epithelial cells of the digestive tubule in cryosections. Nematopsis sp. occurred with the prevalence ranging from 20 to 100%, and the intensity of infection in less than 30 oocysts in most of the cases. U. cyprinae was detected in mussels sampled at St. Andrew and had a prevalence of 20% in September. Conidia of Alternaria sp. were found in mussels sampled at St. Andrew in September and November. Cryosections provide a useful and affordable means for monitoring parasites and endobiotic fungi.
Changes in soil carbon and nitrogen stocks following degradation of alpine grasslands on the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau: A meta‐analysis

Until now, nearly 90% of alpine grasslands on the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau (QTP) have been degraded. However, there is currently no consensus on how soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) stocks vary with the degradation succession of alpine grasslands in this region. Here, a meta‐analysis was conducted to quantify the dynamics of SOC and STN stocks in topsoil (0–30 cm) at different degradation stages of alpine grasslands on the QTP. The results showed that grassland degradation led to average losses of 48 and 39% for SOC and STN stocks, respectively. The changes in SOC and STN stocks following grassland degradation did not differ significantly between grassland types, but were significantly affected by grassland degradation stage. The reductions in both SOC and STN stocks increased with the degradation stage, and the highest reductions were all found at extreme degradation stage. The results indicated that the depletion of SOC and STN pools were aggravated with the degradation succession of grassland. The tightly coupled SOC and STN implied that the depletion of SOC stock was closely related to that of STN stock during the process of grassland degradation. Positive relationships were detected between the dynamics of vegetation coverage and that of SOC or STN stock, indicating that vegetation coverage could not only reflect grassland degradation, but might also be a potential indicator of SOC and STN status. The findings suggest that preventing the degradation succession of alpine grasslands is vital to maintain or promote SOC and STN levels on the QTP.
Causes and consequences of pronounced variation in the isotope composition of plant xylem water

Abstract. Stable isotopologues of water are widely used to derive relative root water uptake (RWU) profiles and average RWU depth in lignified plants. Uniform isotope composition of plant xylem water ( δxyl ) along the stem length of woody plants is a central assumption of the isotope tracing approach which has never been properly evaluated. Here we evaluate whether strong variation in δxyl within woody plants exists using empirical field observations from French Guiana, northwestern China, and Germany. In addition, supported by a mechanistic plant hydraulic model, we test hypotheses on how variation in δxyl can develop through the effects of diurnal variation in RWU, sap flux density, diffusion, and various other soil and plant parameters on the δxyl of woody plants. The hydrogen and oxygen isotope composition of plant xylem water shows strong temporal (i.e., sub-daily) and spatial (i.e., along the stem) variation ranging up to 25.2 ‰ and 6.8 ‰ for δ2H and δ18O , respectively, greatly exceeding the measurement error range in all evaluated datasets. Model explorations predict that significant δxyl variation could arise from diurnal RWU fluctuations and vertical soil water heterogeneity. Moreover, significant differences in δxyl emerge between individuals that differ only in sap flux densities or are monitored at different times or heights. This work shows a complex pattern of δxyl transport in the soil–root–xylem system which can be related to the dynamics of RWU by plants. These dynamics complicate the assessment of RWU when using stable water isotopologues but also open new opportunities to study drought responses to environmental drivers. We propose including the monitoring of sap flow and soil matric potential for more robust estimates of average RWU depth and expansion of attainable insights in plant drought strategies and responses.
Lessons From Other Disciplines About Communication, Human Performance and Situational Awareness While Wearing Personal Protective Equipment

Introduction The spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19) has quickly accelerated into a pandemic. As COVID-19 has swept across the globe, health systems have adapted, including the cessation of routine surgery and the re-deployment of staff to critical care settings. Prompt interventions such as endotracheal (ET) intubation, are deemed essential in patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Intubation requires a coordinated approach and effective teamwork, as it is a high-risk procedure not least because it is an aerosol-generating intervention with increased infection risk. As a result, teams responsible for performing ET intubation are required to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which in turn hinders communication and situational awareness, and can hamper team work. Method This review considers the effects of wearing PPE on performance and situational awareness in a healthcare environment. Drawing on literature from the fire service and military, the review will explore approaches to improving communication and situational awareness for teams who, at times, are unfamiliar with one another. The review will consider human factors and, identify approaches that assist teams, including teams that are unfamiliar with one another, to adapt to new ways of working while performing high-risk procedures. Conclusion Literature indicates that standardisation, pre-brief and training are important elements of developing improved situational awareness and team working in individuals whose senses may be affected by PPE. In addition, checklists provide a useful way of standardising procedures and can form the basis of a structured pre-brief. Checklists exist for both intubation and patient proning, which, alongside simulation-based team training, provide a useful method of preparing an often unfamiliar workforce for their roles during an epidemic or pandemic. The multi-phase nature of most pandemics provides an opportunity to review processes and implement such procedures, and to develop staff using team-based training during the post-peak period.
textnets: A Python package for text analysis with networks

Social scientists increasingly rely on computational tools to make sense of vasts amounts of unstructured data generated in the wake of the ever-expanding digitization of social life. Electronic text, in particular, is a growing area of interest thanks to the social and cultural insights lurking in social media posts, digitized corpora, and web content, among other troves (Evans & Aceves, 2016; Ignatow, 2015).
Assessment of Mandibular Ascending Ramus Cortical Plates for Reconstruction of Atrophic Maxillary Ridges Versus Chin Cortical Plates [A Randomized Clinical Trial]

Aim of the study: Assessment of the quality and quantity of horizontal bone gain upon using the rami cortical blocks versus chin blocks for horizontal augmentation of atrophic maxillary ridges Patients and Methods: Twenty operation sites in 18 patients suffering from partial edentulism in the maxilla with an inadequate bone width to allow favorable implant placement were selected from the outpatient clinic of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University. They were classified after being included in the study into (10 chin group candidate) & (10 ascending ramus candidate). Results: A total of 20 atrophic sites (cases) in 18 patients ranging from 29-54 years old with a mean of 43.4 years were included in the present study (Table 2). The enrolled subjects were randomly divided by alternation into two groups. 10 sites received autogenous block graft harvested from the mandibular symphysis (symphyseal group). Other 10 sites received autogenous block graft harvested from the ascending ramus (ramus group). Conclusion: Thus within the limits of this study the following could be concluded: Ascending ramus onlay blocks showed significant better results than symphyseal onlay blocks regarding both the quality and stability of the grafted volume of bone. Ramus graft harvesting is a more sensitive procedure as compared to symphyseal block graft and requires certain level of surgical skill and experience to be performed successfully.
The impact of political connection and risk committee on corporate financial performance: evidence from financial firms in Malaysia

This study aims to examine the association between the effectiveness of risk committee (RC) and firms’ performance in Malaysian context. It also explores whether political connection has an impact on the relationship. ,This study, using a principle components analysis, derives a factor score for RC attributes to proxy the effectiveness of RC. It also uses both accounting and market performance to measure the company performance. ,Using a sample of financial firms from 2004 to 2018, this study finds that both accounting and market performance are higher for firms with an effective RC. It also finds that the effectiveness of RC in monitoring and management of risks is more pronounced for politically connected firms (PCFs). In further tests, the paper finds that RC attributes (i.e. RC independence, qualification and gender) are positively and significantly associated with accounting performance, while those of RC existence and overlap are positively and significantly related to market performance. The study also finds that RC size (RC diligence) has a positive (negative) impact on financial firms accounting and market performance. The further analysis also shows that PCFs with a separate as well as larger RCs experience both higher accounting and market performance. This study’s results are robust for concerns of endogeneity. ,The findings of this study resolve the ongoing debates surrounding political connection by suggesting financial firms not to have politically connected board members as doing so may deteriorate their performance. This study’s results are also useful for investors, regulators and policymakers. ,To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study, for the first time, introduces on the interaction term between the effectiveness of RCs and political connection to empirically explore how an effective RC may reduce the potential risk of political ties. As such, this study adds to the literature and sheds light on an aspect of risk (i.e. risk stems from establishing close link with the government) that is growing in importance.
Review of the chemistry, metabolism, and dose response of two supplemental methionine sources and the implications in their relative bioefficacy

This review examines the relative bioefficacy of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanoic acid (HMTBA) and DL-methionine (DL-Met) which includes chemical, metabolic, nutritional, and statistical aspects of its bioefficacy. The chemical, enzymatic and biological differences and similarities between these two products are explained and the evidence and reasons for HMTBA relative bioefficacy to DL-Met in monogastric animals are discussed. In addition, appropriate statistical methods for comparing the bioefficacy of these two products for successful use of each product are provided. HMTBA is an organic acid precursor of L-Met. The chemical structure differences between HMTBA and DL-Met leads to differences in how and where the two materials are absorbed, enzymatically converted to L-Met and used by the animal. Because of these differences, when the two compounds are supplemented into animal feeds in graded doses, they do not produce dose response curves of the same form due in part to differences in intake and metabolism at the extremes of the dose response curves. At deficient levels of the response curve, HMTBA fed animals may exhibit lower feed consumption and growth than DL-Met while at requirement levels they may have greater feed consumption and growth. This review provides biological evidence for why these differences in growth response occur and demonstrates that lower growth, whether for DL-Met or HMTBA, does not mean that either product is being converted to methionine inefficiently. Since the two products have different dose response curves, statistically valid methods are provided for unbiased determination of relative bioefficacy across tested dose ranges. Field nutritionists typically feed commercial doses of HMTBA or DL-Met at a total sulphur amino acid dietary level capable of achieving maximum performance. At these commercial levels, and based on the evidence, the full relative bioefficacy of HMTBA relative to DL-Met is discussed.
Targeting IL-17 AND IL-17D receptors of rheumatoid arthritis using phytocompounds: A Molecular Docking study

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune condition of the connective tissue in synovial joints, characterized by inflammation which can lead to bone and cartilage destruction. IL-17 and IL-17D cytokines produced by a number of cell types, primarily promote pro-inflammatory immune responses and negative regulator in fibroblast growth factor signalling. Thus, the promising therapeutic strategies focus on targeting these cytokines, which has led to the identification of effective inhibitors. However, several studies focused on identifying the anti-arthritic potential of natural compounds. Therefore, in the present study we undertook in silico investigations to decipher the anti-inflammatory prospective of phytocompounds by targeting IL-17 and IL-17D cytokines using Patch Dock algorithm. Additionally, IL-17 and IL-17D proteins structure were modelled and validated for molecular docking study. Further, phytocompounds based on anti-inflammatory property were subjected to Lipinski filter and ADMET properties indicated that all of these compounds showed desirable drug-like criteria. The outcome of this investigation sheds light on the anti-inflammatory mechanism of phytocompounds by targeting IL-17 and IL-D for effective treatment of RA.