Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of communities hosting Ionopsidium savianum (Brassicaceae) growing on serpentine and limestone ﻿substrates

We ﻿analysed two different plant communities hosting Ionopsidium savianum (Brassicaceae), a species of EU interest included in the Habitats Directive 92/43/CEE annexes, for which specific studies on the ecology of communities where the species grows are lacking and more in-depth knowledge is needed. We examined two important sites of occurrence of this species in Tuscany with different soil types, ﻿namely limestone (Mt. Calvi) and serpentine (Mt. Pelato), to determine the structural and functional profile of the communities hosting this species in such different contexts. ﻿At each site, we surveyed the plant communities with I. savianum in ten 1 m2 quadrats to determine information on communities' species composition and total plant cover, as well as taxonomic (species richness, and Shannon H’ index), phylogenetic (phylogenetic diversity, mean nearest taxon distance and mean pairwise distance) and functional diversity (focusing on Rao’s Q, leaf functional traits and adaptive strategies community weighted mean). ﻿We took into account site location, soil type, slope aspect and microrelief as plot-level environmental factors. The two communities were highly diverging from multiple points of view. Differences were in species composition, richness and diversity, with Mt. Calvi hosting higher diversity. The indices of phylogenetic diversity were influenced significantly by site and microrelief, allowing the presence of peculiar niches occupied by the fern Asplenium ceterach. From the functional point of view, communities at Mt. Calvi showed a higher functional diversity and a higher specific leaf area. Plant height was influenced by the slope aspect and was higher on north-facing slopes. In terms of Grime’s adaptive strategies, the Mt. Pelato communities resulted to be more stress tolerant than those surveyed at Mt. Calvi. Here, a decrease in stress-tolerant strategy associated with an increase in ruderal strategy was detected in communities on north-facing slopes.
Design of Wideband GNSS Antenna With Wide-Angle Circular Polarization and Anti-Multipath Performance for High Precision Marine Positioning

In the paper, a wideband GNSS antenna with wide-angle circular polarization and anti-multipath performance is proposed. By using the coupled feeding formed by arc-T-shaped patch, wide bandwidth is obtained. Eight short-circuit pins are loaded around the radiation patch for widening the 3-dB axial ratio (AR) beamwidth at the GNSS frequencies and reducing size. Furthermore, two groups of bent metal-branches are loaded on the slotted ground for front-back ratio (FBR) enhancement at the GNSS frequencies. To provide uniform circular polarized (CP) excitation with small occupied area, a compact wideband quadrature feed network with amplitude imbalances within 1 dB and phase imbalances within 5° is designed which covers the GNSS band. For validation, a prototype is fabricated. Measurement results show that an overlapped bandwidth of more than 45% is obtained for 10-dB return loss and 3-dB AR. At the frequencies of 1.207 GHz, 1.227 GHz, 1.247 GHz, 1.561 GHz, 1.575 GHz and 1.602 GHz, the measured 3-dB AR beamwidths and FBRs are all larger than 200° and 20 dB, respectively, which demonstrates the potential of high precision positioning at GPS L1/L2, BDS B1/B2, GLONASS L1/L2, and Galileo L1/E5b bands.
Research on the Impact of Intercustomer Social Support on Customer Engagement Behaviors in Virtual Brand Communities

Customer engagement behavior is a key factor in promoting the sustainable growth of virtual brand communities. Despite the extensive research on the antecedents of customer engagement behaviors, the influence of intercustomer social support remains a neglected area in the context of virtual brand communities. Based on a total of 293 valid questionnaires collected via an online survey, a structural equation model and hierarchical regression analysis are used to examine the effects of intercustomer social support (informational/emotional support) on customer engagement behaviors (customer-oriented/community-oriented engagement behaviors) in virtual brand communities, as well as consider the mediating role of self-efficacy and the moderating role of interdependent self-construal in the above relationships. The empirical finding shows that informational/emotional support significantly affects customer-oriented and community-oriented engagement behaviors. Self-efficacy plays a mediating role in the relationship between informational/emotional support and customer-oriented/community-oriented engagement behaviors. Interdependent self-construal positively moderates the relationship between informational/emotional support and customer-oriented engagement behaviors and positively moderates the relationship between informational support and community-oriented engagement behaviors. This article provides a more comprehensive understanding of the relationships between intercustomer social support and customer engagement behaviors in the context of virtual brand communities, and improves the existing customer engagement behaviors management practices that are beneficial for the companies.
Event-triggered consensus control for singular multi-agent systems based on observers

This paper is devoted to the problem of event-triggered consensus for a class of general linear singular multi-agent systems with undirected topology. Considering that the system states are not measurable, state observers are designed first, and then a new observer-based event-triggered sampling mechanism is proposed, which naturally avoids Zeno behavior. Furthermore, a distributed event-triggered consensus protocol is designed. By employing the Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional method and model transformation approach, sufficient conditions are obtained such that the consensus of the singular multi-agent systems can be achieved, while the explicit dynamic expression of the consensus function is also given. Finally, a numerical example is included to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed results.
Measures Used to Sustain Hospitality and Tourism Industry During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Selected Establishments in the Copperbelt Province in Zambia

Purpose: This study explored sustainability measures used in the hospitality and tourism industry and determined their effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic in selected towns in the Copperbelt Province. Methods: With an interpretative stance, a phenomenology qualitative research was conducted among 15 participants who were purposively selected. Data were collected using interviews and analyzed thematically. Result: We found out that measures are used to sustain the hospitality and tourism industry. The majority of the participants effectively used the measures to sustain their establishments while a few did not. There is a need for preparedness in the industry in case of any adverse changes occurring in the environment Contribution: This research contributes a qualitative interpretation of how the hospitality and tourism industry sustained itself during the COVID-19 era. It provides a basis for informed decision-making in sustaining the industry amidst uncertainties Originality: The study used a qualitative perspective to understand phenomena regarding the sustainability of tourism during the pandemic which was novel in Kitwe District.
Listeria motility increases the efficiency of epithelial invasion during intestinal infection

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a food-borne pathogen that causes severe bacterial gastroenteritis, with high rates of hospitalization and mortality. Lm is ubiquitous in soil, water and livestock, and can survive and proliferate at low temperatures. Following oral ingestion of contaminated food, Lm crosses the epithelium through intestinal goblet cells in a mechanism mediated by Lm InlA binding host E-cadherin. Importantly, human infections typically occur with Lm growing at or below room temperature, which is flagellated and motile. Even though many important human bacterial pathogens are flagellated, little is known regarding the effect of Lm motility on invasion and immune evasion. Here, we used complementary imaging and computer modeling approaches to test the hypothesis that bacterial motility helps Lm locate and engage target cells permissive for invasion. Imaging explanted mouse and human intestine, we showed that Lm grown at room temperature uses motility to scan the epithelial surface and preferentially attach to target cells. Furthermore, we integrated quantitative parameters from our imaging experiments to construct a versatile “layered” cellular Potts model (L-CPM) that simulates host-pathogen dynamics. Simulated data are consistent with the hypothesis that bacterial motility enhances invasion by allowing bacteria to search the epithelial surface for their preferred invasion targets. Indeed, our model consistently predicts that motile bacteria invade twice as efficiently over the first hour of infection. We also examined how bacterial motility affected interactions with host cellular immunity. In a mouse model of persistent infection, we found that neutrophils migrated to the apical surface of the epithelium 5 hours post infection and interacted with Lm. Yet in contrast to the view that neutrophils “hunt” for bacteria, we found that these interactions were driven by motility of Lm—which moved at least ~50x faster than neutrophils. Furthermore, our L-CPM predicts that motile bacteria maintain their invasion advantage even in the presence of host phagocytes, with the balance between invasion and phagocytosis governed almost entirely by bacterial motility. In conclusion, our simulations provide insight into host pathogen interaction dynamics at the intestinal epithelial barrier early during infection.
Food choices among Portuguese teenagers: A case study

The Mediterranean Dietary Pattern (MDP) is currently accepted as being protective against some of the most worrisome chronic non-communicable diseases in today's society. It is important to instil this nutritional pattern in young people as it is at this point in life that healthy eating habits are created and later maintained. Assessing the adherence of students to the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern (MDP). A case study was carried out with 463 students aged between 14 and 20 years old. Parents of the youngsters were also surveyed to find out about the accuracy of the youth's answers and to determine the type of food preparation practiced in the family. Those who participated in this study had an informed consent, previously signed by their parents and voluntarily expressed their willingness to participate, although they could drop out at any time if they so wished. The results showed a good adherence to the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern (MDP) by the respondents (46.47%) and their knowledge about the concept of the Mediterranean Diet can be classified as “good” (39.7%) and “reasonable” (36.6%). The main conclusions of the study are that the students participating in the study have a good knowledge about the Mediterranean Food Pattern and show a high level of adherence to it.
Perspectives of Aboriginal People Affected by Cancer on the Need for an Aboriginal Navigator in Cancer Treatment and Support: A Qualitative Study

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians suffer higher rates of cancer and poorer outcomes than the wider population. These disparities are exacerbated by rurality and remoteness due to reduced access and limited engagement with health services. This study explored the cancer journeys of Aboriginal patients and carers, and their views on the establishment of an Aboriginal Patient Navigator role within the Western Australian healthcare system to support cancer patients and their families. Sixteen Aboriginal participants were interviewed either face to face, by telephone, or via video conferencing platforms. The interviews were then recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed using standard qualitative techniques. Close consultation within the research team enhanced the rigour and robustness of the study findings. Patients and carers identified many gaps in cancer service delivery that made their experiences stressful and unnecessarily complex. Challenges included a lack of stable accommodation, financial burdens, constant travel, being “off-Country”, and miscommunication with health professionals. Key sources of support and strength were the centrality of family and ongoing cultural connectedness. All participants were supportive of an Aboriginal Patient Navigator role that could address shortfalls in cancer service delivery, especially for patients from rural and remote communities. A culturally safe model of support has the potential to increase access, reduce anxiety and improve health outcomes.
Use of computational toxicology models to predict toxicological points of departure: A case study with triazine herbicides

Atrazine simazine and propazine, widely used triazine herbicides on food crops and in residential areas, disrupt the neuroendocrine system raising human health concerns. USEPA developed a PBPK model based on triazine common Mode of Action (MOA)—suppression of luteinizing hormone surge in female rats—to generate human regulatory points of departure (POD: mg/kg/day). We compared triazine Human Administered Equivalent Dose (AEDHuman mg/kg/day) predictions from open access computational tools to the PBPK PODs to assess concordance.
Effects of Ambient Air Pollution on Precocious Puberty: A Case-Crossover Analysis in Nanjing, China

Background: Ambient air pollution is closely related to a variety of health outcomes. Few studies have focused on the correlations between air pollution exposure and children’s sexual development. In this study, we investigated the potential effects of exposure to air pollution on precocious puberty among children using real-world evidence. Methods: We conducted a case-crossover study (n = 2201) to investigate the effect of ambient air pollution exposure on precocious puberty from January 2016 to December 2021. Average exposure levels of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, CO, and O3 before diagnosis were calculated by using the inverse distance weighting (IDW) method. Distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) was used to assess the effect of air pollutants exposure on precocious puberty. Results: The mean age of the children who were diagnosed with precocious puberty was 7.47 ± 1.24 years. The average concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 were 38.81 ± 26.36 μg/m3 and 69.77 ± 41.07 μg/m3, respectively. We found that exposure to high concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 might increase the risk of precocious puberty using the DLNM model adjusted for the age, SO2, NO2, CO, and O3 levels. The strongest effects of the PM2.5 and PM10 on precocious puberty were observed in lag 27 (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.01–2.92) and lag 16 (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.33–2.85), respectively. Conclusion: Our findings supported that short-term exposure to air pollution was the risk factor for precocious puberty. Every effort should be made to protect children from air pollution.
CD3+ and CD8+ T-Cell-Based Immune Cell Score and PD-(L)1 Expression in Pulmonary Metastases of Microsatellite Stable Colorectal Cancer

Simple Summary The lung is the second most common site of metastases in colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of our study was to evaluate the prognostic value of CD3+ and CD8+ T-cell density based immune cell score (ICS) and PD-1/PD-L1 expression in resected pulmonary metastases of microsatellite stable CRC. The T-cell infiltration was higher in the first pulmonary metastases compared to primary tumour. Pulmonary metastases with high ICS had improved survival compared to low ICS after adjusting for confounders. High tumour cell PD-L1 expression was associated with favourable prognosis. Our results might have clinical feasibility in planning future therapies. Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of CD3+ and CD8+ based immune cell score (ICS), programmed death -1 (PD-1) and programmed death ligand -1 (PD-L1) in pulmonary metastases of proficient mismatch repair colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. A total of 101 pulmonary metastases and 62 primary CRC tumours were stained for CD3+, CD8+, PD-1 and PD-L1 expression. The prognostic value of ICS, PD-1/PD-L1 expression in 67 first pulmonary metastases and 61 primary CRC tumour was analysed. Comparative analysis was also performed between primary tumours and pulmonary metastases, as well as between T-cell densities and PD-1/PD-L1 expression. The 5-year overall survival rates of low, intermediate, and high ICS in pulmonary metastases were 10.0%, 25.5% and 47.0% (p = 0.046), respectively. Patients with high vs. low ICS in pulmonary metastases had a significantly better 5-year survival (adjusted HR 0.25, 95% CI 0.09–0.75, p = 0.013). High tumour cell PD-L1 expression in the pulmonary metastases was associated with improved survival (p = 0.024). Primary tumour CD8+ expression was significantly correlated with all T-cell densities in pulmonary metastases. Conclusion: The ICS evaluated from the resected pulmonary metastases of CRC showed significant prognostic value. High PD-L1 expression in pulmonary metastases is associated with favourable prognosis.
Exploring Head Teacher Leadership as Instructional Resource for Staff: Stories from a School of South Asia

At present, head teachers’ role as an instructional resource for the staff has been given a great emphasis to be carried out worldwide. However, a number of false practices of head teachers are often narrated by the school staffs which have hindered the creation of a motivating working environment. Hence, this paper aims at exploring what experiences the head teacher and teacher have assembled in the course of head teacher leadership practices as an instructional resource for the staff. The paper is based on narrative inquiry where a head teacher and the teacher from the same school were selected purposively as research participants for in-depth interview. From prolonged engagement with the participants, this study explored that head teacher leadership practice which was expected to act as an instructional resource for the staff was found counter-practiced though they narrated their awareness about the discourse. These pitfalls were narrated so considering the head teacher leadership’s major engagement in administrative tasks rather than in instruction pedagogy, instruction practice and CAS evaluation and implementation as inculcated by the three indicators of Step II of Effective Instructional Leadership. Moreover, failure of the head teacher to monitor and supervise the team’s performance was also recounted. Hence, the study implies the practices of head teacher leadership as an instructional resource for the staff as inevitable to help school prosper and strive towards excellence in teaching and learning setting.
Laser synthesis of carbon-rich SiC nanoribbons

A nanosecond pulsed laser direct-write and doping (LDWD) technique is used for the fabrication of carbon-rich silicon carbide nanoribbons heterostructure in a single crystal 4H–SiC wafer. Characterization by high-resolution transmission electron microscope and selected area electron diffraction pattern revealed the presence of nanosize crystalline ribbons with hexagonal graphite structure in the heat-affected zone below the decomposition temperature isotherm in the SiC epilayer. The nanoribbons exist in three layers each being approximately 50–60 nm thick, containing 15–17 individual sheets. The layers are self-aligned on the (0001) plane of the SiC epilayer with their c axis at 87° to the incident laser beam. The LDWD technique permits synthesis of heterostructured nanoribbons in a single step without additional material or catalyst, and effectively eliminates the need for nanostructure handling and transferring processes.
Generation of new transgenic SMARCA4‐deficient mouse models results in neuromuscular weakness and paralysis of limbs

Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany Research Institute Children’s Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, Massachusetts, USA Research Group Anatomy, School of Medicine and Health Studies, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
Harmonic supergraphs: Feynman rules and examples

The authors complete the description of the quantisation procedure in the harmonic superspace approach. The Feynmann rules for N=2 matter and Yang-Mills theories are derived and various examples of harmonic supergraph calculations are given. The calculations appear to be no more difficult than those in the N=1 case. The integration over harmonic variables does not lead to any trouble, the non-locality in these disappears on-shell. The important property is that the quantum corrections are always written as integrals over the full harmonic superspace event though the initial action is an integral over the analytic subspace. As a by-product the results imply a very simple proof of the finiteness of a wide class of the N=4, d=2 nonlinear sigma models. The most general self-couplings of hypermultiplets are considered including those with broken SU(2). The duality relations among the N=2 linear multiplet and both kinds of hypermultiplet are established.
Carbonate rocks in northern of West Jiwo Hills Bayat: The indication of thrust belt development in southern Central Java

Bayat, Klaten, Central Java, is one of three locations in Java with complete types of rocks exposed at the earth’s surface. All those rocks are scattered over a short distance in Bayat, revealing past processes of rock deformation (folding, fracturing, and faulting) and present-day processes of rock weathering and erosion. In this study, we present how clastic carbonate rock of the Oyo Formation at northern Jiwo Hills could be separated about ±15 km northern from its platforms as an indication of thrust fault growth. This study uses aerial photography for photogrammetry (drones) combined with structural geology and microfossil analyses (to know the exact formation) from the outcrop observation. Recent studies have certified that drones are one reliable observation tool in various aspects with better resolution, especially in structural geology studies. Aerial photogrammetry is very well done to see the exact condition of a wide area combined with high resolution on an outcrop scale. The result shows that the carbonate rocks are from Oyo Formation (N9–N11) with the Middle Neritic bathymetric zone. The structural geology phenomenon kinematically indicates the impact of the transpressional movement called flower structure. Based on subsurface interpretation, the authors hypothesize this area was the product of an imbrication thrust stack uplifted basement as the result of the thrust fault rather than horst or paleo-basement high.
On a family of photon-added deformed coherent states associated with two-parameter deformed boson oscillator algebra

By introducing a generalization of the (p, q)-deformed boson oscillator algebra, we establish a two-parameter deformed oscillator algebra in an infinite-dimensional subspace of the Hilbert space of a harmonic oscillator without first finite Fock states. We construct the associated coherent states, which can be interpreted as photon-added deformed states. In addition to the mathematical characteristics, the quantum statistical properties of these states are discussed in detail analytically and numerically in the context of conventional as well as deformed quantum optics. Particularly, we find that for conventional (nondeformed) photons the states may be quadrature squeezed in both cases Q = pq 1 and their photon number statistics exhibits a transition from sub-Poissonian to super-Poissonian for Q 1 they are always sub-Poissonian. On the other hand, for deformed photons, the states are sub-Poissonian for Q > 1 and no quadrature squeezing occurs while for Q < 1 they show sup.