Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE IN STRENGTHENING HOUSEHOLD ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND SUPPORT: BUILDING SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS FOR WORKING CHILDREN’S PARENTS

Child labour studies worldwide have acknowledged the how empowering parents could strengthen household means of support. Hence, it is crucial to investigate the ideas that builds sustainable livelihoods of families to recovered child labourers in Nigeria, given the influence on children’s education, human relations, social and holistic development. This study is qualitative and examines the feedback obtained from social workers on social intervention measures that could strengthen household economic development with a view to addressing the problem of child labour. Using the thematic data analysis, the social workers interviewed put forward various elements of a holistic strategy for improving parents or guardians economic status as well as remediating children involved in child labour, which included; schooling assistance and socio-economic development. Hence, recommendations are made that policies and programmes need to be focused on developing and strengthening household economic sustainability. Social workers as service providers should ensure that support measures are significant to responding to clients’ needs.
Hypermethylation of tumor necrosis factor decoy receptor gene in non-small cell lung cancer

Abnormal methylation of the TNFRSF10C and TNFRSF10D genes has been observed in numerous types of cancer; however, no studies have investigated the methylation of these genes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between TNFRSF10C and TNFRSF10D methylation and NSCLC. Methylation levels of 44 pairs of NSCLC tumor tissues and distant non-tumor tissues were analyzed using quantitative methylation specific PCR and methylation reference percentage values (PMR). The methylation levels of the TNFRSF10C gene in NSCLC tumor tissue samples were significantly higher compared with those in the distant non-tumor tissues (median PMR, 2.73% vs. 0.75%; P=0.013). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that the methylation levels of TNFRSF10C in tumor tissues from male patients were significantly higher compared with those in distant non-tumor tissues (median PMR, 2.73% vs. 0.75%; P=0.041). The levels of TNFRSF10C methylation were also higher in the tumor tissues of patients who were non-smokers compared with their distant non-tumor tissues (median PMR, 2.50% vs. 0.63%; P=0.013). TNFRSF10C methylation levels were higher in the tumor tissues from male patients compared with those from female patients (median PMR, 2.50% vs. 0.63%; P=0.031). However, no significant differences in the methylation levels of the TNFRSF10D gene were observed between the sexes. Using the cBioPortal and The Cancer Genome Atlas lung cancer data, it was demonstrated that TNFRSF10C methylation levels were inversely correlated with TNFRSF10C mRNA expression levels (r=−0.379; P=0.008). In addition, demethylation of lung cancer cell lines A549 and NCI-H1299 using 5′-aza-deoxycytidine further confirmed that TNFRSF10C hypomethylation was associated with significant upregulation of TNFRSF10C mRNA expression levels [A549 fold-change (FC)=8; P=1.0×10−4; NCI-H1299 FC=3.163; P=1.143×10−5]. A dual luciferase reporter gene assay was also performed with the insert of TNFRSF10C promoter region, and the results revealed that the TNFRSF10C gene fragment significantly enhanced the transcriptional activity of the reporter gene compared with that in the control group (FC=1.570; P=0.032). Overall, the results of the present study demonstrated that hypermethylation of TNFRSF10C was associated with NSCLC.
Improvement of Numerical Manifold Method using Nine-node Quadrilateral and Ten-node Triangular Elements along with Complex Fourier RBFs in Modeling Free and Forced Vibrations

In this paper, the numerical manifold method (NMM) with a 9-node quadrilateral element and a 10-node triangular element is developed. Furthermore, complex Fourier shape functions are used to improve the 9-node quadrilateral NMM. Also, the two approaches of higher-order NMM construction are compared, increasing the order of weight functions or local approximation ones; for this purpose, six-node triangular and three-node triangular using second-order and third-order NMM is used. For validation of the suggested method, one free vibration and two forced vibration numerical examples are assessed. The results show that the proposed methods are more accurate than conventional NMM. In addition, the superiority of complex Fourier shape functions compared to classical Lagrange ones in improving accuracy is perceived.
A simplified method for monomeric carbohydrate analysis of corn stover biomass

Constituent determination of biomass for theoretical ethanol yield (TEY) estimation requires the removal of nonstructural carbohydrates prior to analysis to prevent interference with the analytical procedure. According to the accepted US Department of Energy‐National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) method, biomass extractives in corn stover should be removed by a two‐step extraction process. Alternatively, Neutral Detergent Fiber method (NDF) is a fast and cost‐effective method used to determine structural carbohydrates of forage biomass. The objective of this study was to determine whether the NDF method can be used as an alternative to the NREL extraction procedure for corn (Zea mays L.) stover biomass. Arabinan content varied between the two methods. However, glucan, xylan, and TEYs were not statistically different. Furthermore, the average TEYs per unit of mass and unit of area varied by 2.0 and 1.9%, respectively. Additionally, the NDF extraction procedure was faster and less expensive than the NREL procedure.
The effects of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide and temperature on carbon partitioning, source‐sink relations and respiration

Abstract. Herbaceous C3 plants grown in elevated CO2 show increases in carbon assimilation and carbohydrate accumulation (particularly starch) within source leaves. Although changes in the partitioning of biomass between root and shoot occur, the proportion of this extra assimilate made available for sink growth is not known. Root:shoot ratios tend to increase for CO2-enriched herbaceous plants and decrease for CO2-enriched trees. Root:shoot ratios for cereals tend to remain constant. In contrast, elevated temperatures decrease carbohydrate accumulation within source and sink regions of a plant and decrease root:shoot ratios. Allometric analysis of at least two species showing changes in root: shoot ratios due to elevated CO2 show no alteration in the whole-plant partitioning of biomass. Little information is available for interactions between temperature and CO2. Cold-adapted plants show little response to elevated levels of CO2, with some species showing a decline in biomass accumulation. In general though, increasing temperature will increase sucrose synthesis, transport and utilization for CO2-enriched plants and decrease carbohydrate accumulation within the leaf. Literature reports are discussed in relation to the hypothesis that sucrose is a major factor in the control of plant carbon partitioning. A model is presented in support.
Teleconnections and relationship between the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) in reconstructions and models over the past millennium

Abstract. The climate of the Southern Hemisphere (SH) is strongly influenced by variations in the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Southern Annular Mode (SAM). Because of the limited length of instrumental records in most parts of the SH, very little is known about the relationship between these two key modes of variability over time. Using proxy-based reconstructions and last-millennium climate model simulations, we find that ENSO and SAM indices are mostly negatively correlated over the past millennium. Pseudo-proxy experiments indicate that currently available proxy records are able to reliably capture ENSO–SAM relationships back to at least 1600 CE. Palaeoclimate reconstructions show mostly negative correlations back to about 1400 CE. An ensemble of last-millennium climate model simulations confirms this negative correlation, showing a stable correlation of approximately −0.3. Despite this generally negative relationship we do find intermittent periods of positive ENSO–SAM correlations in individual model simulations and in the palaeoclimate reconstructions. We do not find evidence that these relationship fluctuations are caused by exogenous forcing nor by a consistent climate pattern. However, we do find evidence that strong negative correlations are associated with strong positive (negative) anomalies in the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation and the Amundsen Sea Low during periods when SAM and ENSO indices are of opposite (equal) sign.
Phylogeographic structure of a freshwater crayfish (Decapoda : Parastacidae : Cherax preissii) in south-western Australia

Although phylogeographic patterns of freshwater decapods elsewhere in Australia are well documented, little is known of the phylogeography and biogeography of the endemic freshwater fauna of south-western Australia. Here, the phylogeographic structure of a freshwater crayfish, Cherax preissii Erichson, 1846, was investigated to determine contemporary and historical patterns of gene flow and to examined evolutionary and biogeographical scenarios. Allozyme and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I mitochondrial DNA data were collected from 15 populations, sampled across the known C. preissii distribution. Both markers revealed a clear distinction and separation among populations occurring in the north-western and southern portions of the distribution. Inferences of allopatric fragmentation and molecular dating attributed the divergence of the aquatic fauna of these regions to periods of Pliocene–Pleistocene aridity. Connectivity appeared to be greater within each of these regions. Evidence suggested contemporary, but not ongoing, gene flow, particularly within the southern region. This was possibly facilitated by dispersal during pluvial Pleistocene periods or drainage connectivity during episodic marine regressions. The divergence and distributions of these lineages parallels patterns seen in other freshwater crayfish of the region. More explicit investigation of these and further fine-scale phylogeographic studies may contribute to the understanding of biogeography and evolution in the south-west, and may further refine currently recognised biogeographical regions.
Terminological “Communities”: A Conceptual Mapping of Scholarship Identified With Education’s “Global Turn”

This chapter presents an innovative, cross-disciplinary methodological approach to systematically reviewing and comparing large bodies of literature using big data, Natural Language Processing, network analysis, and supplementary qualitative analysis. The approach is demonstrated through an analysis of the literature surrounding four common concepts within the scholarship related to the global turn in education: 21st-century skills, global citizenship, intercultural competencies, and cosmopolitan education. An analysis is made of each network representing the focal concepts. We also undertake a comparative analysis of topics appearing across the scholarship found on the different concepts. Through this analysis we highlight some benefits of the outlined methodology in identifying overarching themes across bodies of literature, locating differences in how topics are approached within the context of each concept, revealing blind spots and caveats in specific areas of scholarship, and being able to outline distinctive characteristics of the literature related to each concept. Limitations and potential uses of the method are subsequently discussed. This review will be of use to researchers from any field who are interested in novel methodological ways of unpacking and analyzing large bodies of knowledge, as well as scholars embarking on research related to the global turn in education, and finally, policymakers looking to identify which concepts to utilize in their work in this area.
A child for every family? Characterizations of “adoptable” foster children in online permanency advocacy publications

Despite the prevalence of children in need of adoption from the U.S. foster care system, only one of every 28 individuals who contact an adoption agency adopt from foster care. In response, adoption professionals create photolistings to maximize the pool of available prospective adoptive families and enhance the visibility of fostered youth. Yet, creating photolistings is challenging because professionals must navigate helping to place children without exploiting or misrepresenting them. Framed by relational dialectics theory, a contrapuntal analysis of 104 photolistings examined the discursive tensions of what it means to be an “adoptable” child. Findings revealed three discourses that constitute meaning: (1) discourse of child as unadoptable, (2) discourse of child as special, and (3) discourse of child as typical. The findings illustrate triadic interplay of all three discourses, wherein framing a child as special and/or typical counters culturally pervasive and damaging assumptions that fostered youth might be unadoptable or less adoptable than other children. Theoretical, methodological, and practical applications are discussed.
Digitalisation challenges and opportunities for subnational governments

The world economy and societies are going through a digital transformation that goes well beyond computerisation and use of information and telecommunications technologies. This transformation is creating opportunities and challenges for all levels of government in the areas of tax and expenditure policy and administration, service delivery and fiscal-financial management, and regulatory practices and policies. However, governments (especially sub-national ones, SNGs) often also face shortages of skills, equipment and physical infrastructure, while having to address emerging challenges in cyber security risk management and data protection. The digital transformation calls for cooperation among the different layers of administration in support of effective and efficient digitalisation of SNGs. This paper reviews and discusses these opportunities and challenges.
Multivariate Analysis of Sites Using Water Invertebrates and Land use as Indicators of the Quality of Biotopes of Mediterranean Relic Plant (Petagnaea gussonei, Apiaceae)

Petagnaea gussonei is a rhizomatous, perennial scapose hemicryptophyte species belonging to a monospecific genus of Apiaceae. It lives only along woodland rivulets and is a Tertiary relic localized in the restricted area of the Nebrodi Mountains (NE Sicily, Italy). Ecological indicators have been employed to understand the status of eight localities (intermittent rivulets) where the species occurs. In order to evaluate both the rivulets' water-quality and landscape use, index of anthropisation (Ia), water fleas bioassay (TU), and analyses of water macroinvertebrates have been employed. The results obtained for the level of toxicity exclude the presence of macropollutants (TU < 0.001), whereas the analyses of the macroinvertebrates showed the occurrence of several microorganisms typical of altered environments. Correlations of the results about macroinvertebrates with those related to index of anthropisation for each site are positive. Levels of Ia range from 1.29 (minimum anthropisation) to 3.01 (maximum .
Intelligent fault diagnosis using an unsupervised sparse feature learning method

Feature learning is an integral part of intelligent fault diagnosis. Sparse feature learning methods have been shown to be effective in learning discriminative features. To learn features with optimal sparsity distribution, an unsupervised sparse feature learning method called variant sparse filtering is developed. Variant sparse filtering uses a sparsity parameter to determine the optimal sparse feature distribution. A three-stage fault diagnosis method based on variant sparse filtering is then developed to identify rotating machinery faults. The method is validated using a rolling bearing dataset and a planetary gearbox dataset and is compared with other diagnosis methods. The results show that the developed diagnosis method can identify single faults and compound faults with high accuracy.
Productivity and water use of wheat under free‐air CO2 enrichment

A free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiment was conducted at Maricopa, Arizona, on wheat from December 1992 through May 1993. The FACE apparatus maintained the CO2 concentration, [CO2], at 550 μmol mol−1 across four replicate 25-m-diameter circular plots under natural conditions in an open field. Four matching Control plots at ambient [CO2] (about 370 μmol mol−1) were also installed in the field. In addition to the two levels of [CO2], there were ample (Wet) and limiting (Dry) levels of water supplied through a subsurface drip irrigation system in a strip, split-plot design. Measurements were made of net radiation, Rn; soil heat flux, Go; soil temperature; foliage or surface temperature; air dry and wet bulb temperatures; and wind speed. Sensible heat flux, H, was calculated from the wind and temperature measurements. Latent heat flux, λET, and evapotranspiration, ET, were determined as the residual in the energy balance. The FACE treatment reduced daily total Rn by an average 4%. Daily FACE sensible heat flux, H, was higher in the FACE plots. Daily latent heat flux, λET, and evapotranspiration, ET, were consistently lower in the FACE plots than in the Control plots for most of the growing season, about 8% on the average. Net canopy photosynthesis was stimulated by an average 19 and 44% in the Wet and Dry plots, respectively, by elevated [CO2] for most of the growing season. No significant acclimation or down regulation was observed. There was little above-ground growth response to elevated [CO2] early in the season when temperatures were cool. Then, as temperatures warmed into spring, the FACE plants grew about 20% more than the Control plants at ambient [CO2], as shown by above-ground biomass accumulation. Root biomass accumulation was also stimulated about 20%. In May the FACE plants matured and senesced about a week earlier than the Controls in the Wet plots. The FACE plants averaged 0.6 °C warmer than the Controls from February through April in the well-watered plots, and we speculate that this temperature rise contributed to the earlier maturity. Because of the acceleration of senescence, there was a shortening of the duration of grain filling, and consequently, there was a narrowing of the final biomass and yield differences. The 20% mid-season growth advantage of FACE shrunk to about an 8% yield advantage in the Wet plots, while the yield differences between FACE and Control remained at about 20% in the Dry plots.
Why brand equity is so important for private healthcare? View from an emerging market

ABSTRACT The main purpose of this study is to investigate the antecedents and outcomes of brand equity in the private healthcare organization based on the Brand Equity Model by Aaker. Using a self-administered survey, convenience sampling was adopted to collect the data. Through intercepts, a total of 271 completed surveys were obtained and proceed for data analysis using SPSS and Smart PLS. There are six antecedents of brand equity proposed in this study. Out of them, three hypotheses are supported. Precisely, perceived quality, brand loyalty, and brand attitude have positively and significantly impacted brand equity. Unpredictably, another three antecedents, namely, the brand image, brand awareness and brand associated have not shown any relationship with brand equity. For the outcome of brand equity, it was confirmed from this study that brand equity positively affects the purchase intention towards health services of Penang private healthcare organizations. This study seeks to address the healthcare services of Penang private healthcare organizations from the brand equity perspectives. There is scant attention that focused on the antecedents and outcomes of brand equity in particular on healthcare. This study attempts to provide significant insights into the marketing of healthcare from the brand equity perspectives.
Oxidation of capsaicin and capsaicin phenolic precursors by the basic peroxidase isoenzyme B6 from hot pepper

The ability of hot pepper peroxidase to oxidize the phenolic precursors of capsaicin biosynthesis [p-coumaric acid (3), caffeic acid (4), ferulic acid (5), vanillin (B), and vanillylamine (7)] was studied. The results showed that hot pepper peroxidase, and especially hot pepper peroxidase isoenzyme B 6 (Prx B 6 ), is capable of oxidizing the phenolic precursors of capsaicin (8), caffeic acid and ferulic acid being the best substrates. Vanillylamine was the only precursor that did not act as substrate for peroxidase-catalyzed oxidations. Since the basic peroxidase isoenzyme B 6 is located in cell walls, it seems plausible that this isoenzyme may be involved in the insolubilization of phenylpropanoid precursors in muro. These results lend weight to the biochemical evidence for supporting the existence of an oxidative competitive sink for phenylpropanoid intermediates of capsaicin biosynthesis, and which probably competes with capsaicin itself to yield lignin-like substances, in the cell wall of Capsicum annuum var. Annuum
Introduction of Integrated Mining Impact Monitoring – i2Mon Development Project

Abstract. Monitoring of mining areas and associanted dam stability, has become increasingly important as the awareness of safety and environmental protection is rising. An appropriate monitoring scheme is necessitated to legally activate, reactivate, or terminate mining operations. The project Integrated Mining Impact Monitoring (i 2 Mon) aims to identify and analyze mining-induced impact, in particular its ground deformation. The monitoring system comprises terrestrial measurement and remote sensing: levelling, GPS, LiDAR scanning, UAV survey, and SAR interferometry. For interpretation and prediction, modelling will be used to simulate local displacements by different factors. The final goal is to launch an interactive GIS-based platform as an early warning and decision making system for mining industry. Currently, the project is proceeding from a preparatory phase. This paper focuses on spaceborne SAR interferometry, whereby we can cost-effectively monitor ground movement at millimeter level over a large area. We introduce the prototype of our InSAR monitoring system. The test result from Sentinel-1 images shows the surface movement during 2018 at a deactivating open-pit coal mine in Germany. We discuss the current status, ongoing works, planned test sites in Poland, and how we integrate data from different sensors and approaches.
Ebola, the Negative Stranded RNA Virus

Ebola virus (EBV) is a deadly virus that has resulted in a number of deaths during its outbreaks in Africa in 2014–2016 and 2018–2019. This virus causes a hemorrhagic fever like other pathogenic viruses of the Filoviridae family with high mortality rate. The exact reservoir of the ebola virus is not known, but different mammal groups are the source from which it is transferred to the human population. The transmission among the human population is through body fluids of patients and also through aersol droplets in the air. The role of different glycoproteins in the budding formation has helped a lot in understanding the physiology of the ebola virus. Most of these viral glycoproteins synthesis and the replication enzymes offer a good inhibitory target for drug design against the ebola virus. Recently, different groups have claimed the development of a successful vaccine for the ebola virus. However, the availability of the vaccines to the poor population of Africa and other parts of the world is still not practical.