Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bioremediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Soil

Environmental pollution with petroleum and petrochemical products has attracted much attention in recent decades. Contamination of the natural environment with oil derivatives causes soil, including arable land, to degrade, while the occurrence of many spots and areas of contamination may result in underground environments. This has been shown to have harmful effects on the environment and human beings at large. Improving our knowledge of the effects and remediation of oil-related pollution therefore is important for the future of developing countries with respect to the sustainable use of the environment. Bioremediation is one of the most popular remediation technologies in use due to the relatively low cost. It is a rapidly developing field of environmental restoration, utilizing natural microbial activity to reduce the concentration and/or toxicity of various chemical substances such as petroleum products and aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. Biodegradation is a natural process carried out by soil and aquatic microorganisms, mostly bacteria and fungi. Certain bacterial strains have a demonstrated ability to break down or transform the chemical substances present in petroleum products. The goal of oil-spill bioremediation methods is to provide favorable conditions of oxygen, temperature and nutrients to maximize biological hydrocarbon breakdown. This paper is a short overview of petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation and bioremediation.
Exploring models for the roles of health systems’ responsiveness and social determinants in explaining universal health coverage and health outcomes

Background Intersectoral perspectives of health are present in the rhetoric of the sustainable development goals. Yet its descriptions of systematic approaches for an intersectoral monitoring vision, joining determinants of health, and barriers or facilitators to accessing healthcare services are lacking. Objective To explore models of associations between health outcomes and health service coverage, and health determinants and health systems responsiveness, and thereby to contribute to monitoring, analysis, and assessment approaches informed by an intersectoral vision of health. Design The study is designed as a series of ecological, cross-country regression analyses, covering between 23 and 57 countries with dependent health variables concentrated on the years 2002–2003. Countries cover a range of development contexts. Health outcome and health service coverage dependent variables were derived from World Health Organization (WHO) information sources. Predictor variables representing determinants are derived from the WHO and World Bank databases; variables used for health systems’ responsiveness are derived from the WHO World Health Survey. Responsiveness is a measure of acceptability of health services to the population, complementing financial health protection. Results Health determinants’ indicators – access to improved drinking sources, accountability, and average years of schooling – were statistically significant in particular health outcome regressions. Statistically significant coefficients were more common for mortality rate regressions than for coverage rate regressions. Responsiveness was systematically associated with poorer health and health service coverage. With respect to levels of inequality in health, the indicator of responsiveness problems experienced by the unhealthy poor groups in the population was statistically significant for regressions on measles vaccination inequalities between rich and poor. For the broader determinants, the Gini mattered most for inequalities in child mortality; education mattered more for inequalities in births attended by skilled personnel. Conclusions This paper adds to the literature on comparative health systems research. National and international health monitoring frameworks need to incorporate indicators on trends in and impacts of other policy sectors on health. This will empower the health sector to carry out public health practices that promote health and health equity.
The timing of aeolian events near archaeological settlements around Heidebos (Moervaart area, N Belgium)

Abstract At the locality of Heidebos (Moervaart area, N Flanders, Belgium), a sedimentary core was taken in the Maldegem-Stekene coversand ridge and dated using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). The study aimed at contributing to an improved understanding of the evolution of the physical landscape around archaeological settlements in this area. The core comprised a 7 m thick series of laminated and massive aeolian sands, in which several organic layers were intercalated. From this sequence, 11 samples were collected for quartz-based SAR-OSL dating; an internally consistent dataset was obtained. The ages of the lowermost 1 m of the sedimentary sequence (15.5±1.1 ka and 17.3±1.3 ka) imply that these sediments may represent the time-equivalent deposit of a deflation phase that occurred during the Late Pleniglacial and led to the formation of a widespread desert pavement, regionally known as the Beuningen Gravel Bed. However, a significant part of the sediments (at least 4 m) was deposited later, i.e. during the Allerød and/or the Late Dryas. As such, the results allow establishing the genesis of the coversand ridge at the Heidebos locality on the basis of direct age information. The relatively high sedimentation rate and the absence of extensive soil formation in the record reflect periods of pronounced aeolian activity and landscape instability during the Late Glacial, which provides part of the environmental framework for human occupation in the area.
Development of Seven New dPCR Animal Species Assays and a Reference Material to Support Quantitative Ratio Measurements of Food and Feed Products

Laboratory testing methods to confirm the identity of meat products and eliminate food fraud regularly rely on PCR amplification of extracted DNA, with most published assays detecting mitochondrial sequences, providing sensitive presence/absence results. By targeting single-copy nuclear targets instead, relative quantification measurements are achievable, providing additional information on the proportions of meat species detected. In this Methods paper, new assays for horse, donkey, duck, kangaroo, camel, water buffalo and crocodile have been developed to expand the range of species that can be quantified, and a previously published reference assay targeting the myostatin gene has been modified to include marsupials and reptiles. The accuracy of this ratio measurement approach was demonstrated using dPCR with mixtures of meat DNA down to 0.1%. However, the limit of detection (LOD) of this approach is not just determined by the assay targets, but by the samples themselves, with food or feed ingredients and processing impacting the DNA yield and integrity. In routine testing settings, the myostatin assay can provide multiple quality control roles, including monitoring the yield and purity of extracted DNA, identifying the presence of additional meats not detected by the suite of species-specific assays and potentially estimating a sample-specific LOD based on measured copy numbers of the myostatin target. In addition to the myostatin positive control assay, a synthetic DNA reference material (RM) has been designed, containing PCR targets for beef, pork, sheep, chicken, goat, kangaroo, horse, water buffalo and myostatin, to be used as a positive template control. The availability of standardised measurement methods and associated RMs significantly improves the reliability, comparability and transparency of laboratory testing, leading to greater confidence in results.
Bivariate One Strain Many Compounds Designs Expand the Secondary Metabolite Production Space in Corallococcus coralloides

The scarcely investigated myxobacterium Corallococcus coralloides holds a large genome containing many uncharacterized biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) that potentially encode the synthesis of entirely new natural products. Despite its promising genomic potential, suitable cultivation conditions have not yet been found to activate the synthesis of new secondary metabolites (SMs). Finding the right cultivation conditions to activate BGCs in the genome remains a major bottleneck, and its full biosynthetic potential has so far not been determined. We therefore applied a bivariate “one strain many compounds” (OSMAC) approach, using a combination of two elicitor changes at once, for the activation of BGCs and concomitant SM production by C. coralloides. The screening was carried out in Duetz-System 24-well plates, applying univariate and bivariate OSMAC conditions. We combined biotic additives and organic solvents with a complex growth medium for univariate conditions and with minimal medium for bivariate conditions. The success in the activation of BGCs was evaluated by determining the number of new mass features detected in the respective extracts. We found synergistic effects in the bivariate OSMAC designs, evidenced by the detection of completely new mass features in the bivariate OSMAC experiments, which were not detected in the univariate OSMAC designs with only one elicitor. Overall, the bivariate OSMAC screening led to 55 new mass features, which were not detected in the univariate OSMAC design. Molecular networks revealed that these new mass features embody potential novel natural compounds and chemical derivatives like the N-acyl fatty amine N-pentyloctadecanamide and possibly sulfur-containing natural products. Hence, the presence of multiple elicitors in the bivariate OSMAC designs successfully activated the biosynthetic potential in C. coralloides. We propose bivariate OSMAC designs with a complex combination of elicitors as a straightforward strategy to robustly expand the SM space of microorganisms with large genomes.
Overexpression of PSAT1 is Correlated with Poor Prognosis and Immune Infiltration in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

PURPOSE Current evidence suggests that phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1) is overexpressed in various tumors. Herein, we investigate the significance of PSAT1 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its correlation with immune infiltration. METHODS The expression profile of PSAT1 in NSCLC patients and related clinical information was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA-NSCLC) databases. In silico and experimental validation were conducted to assess the role of PSAT1 in NSCLC. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to investigate the disparities in biological functions between groups with high and low PSAT1 expression. Additionally, the biological characteristics and immune cell infiltration were compared between these two groups. We also assessed whether PSAT1 expression could predict the sensitivity of NSCLC patients to immunotherapy using the immunophenotype score (IPS) and an anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy cohort (IMvig-or210). Furthermore, the difference in drug sensitivity between PSAT1-high and PSAT1-low expression cell lines was investigated. RESULTS Analysis of transcriptional expression profiles using TCGA data revealed overexpression of PSAT1 in NSCLC tissues correlated with poor overall survival (OS). GSEA results showed enrichment of DNA recombination and repair, nucleotide biosynthesis, and the P53 signaling pathway in the PSAT1-high group. Experimental validation demonstrated that the knockdown of PSAT1 suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of NSCLC. Immune cell infiltration analysis revealed an immune-activated tumor microenvironment in the PSAT1-low group. It was also observed that PSAT1-low cell lines were more likely to benefit from immunotherapy and several chemotherapy drugs. CONCLUSIONS PSAT1 has enormous potential for applications in the prediction of NSCLC patient outcomes and provides the foothold for more precise individualized treatment of this patient population.
A modified mode shape data-based method for beams structural damage detection

Damage detection methods based on changing modal parameters have received considerable attention in engineering applications due to the satisfactory results and the low associated cost compared with other techniques. The Mode Shape Data Based Indicator (MSDBI) is a damage indicator available in the literature, being used to identify damage in beam structures from the mode shape, mode shape slope and mode shape curvature, in the undamaged and damaged configurations of the element under study. However, in some situations, the configuration of the displacement mode shape of the ith mode, of the undamaged structure compared to the damaged one, presents mirroring. The damage identification algorithm could be a better indicator when these situations occur. Them, this paper presents a proposal to modify this method, called MSDBIM. The proposed modified method (MSDBIM) and the traditional method (MSDBI) were applied in two numerical examples that were elaborated in commercial software of finite elements, namely a simply supported concrete beam and a fixed-end steel beam in different single and multiple damage scenarios with sensitivity studies. A new discretization for the fixed-end beam was performed to assess whether there is a direct influence on the damage identification method. The results show that the proposed method (MSDBIM) performs better than the traditional method (MSDBI).
Implications of Housing Corporations’ Capacity on Successful Delivery of Mass Housing Programmes

There has been several ambitious housing policies in Nigeria spanning across pre and post-independence aimed at addressing the growing housing deficit using the concept of Mass Housing Programmes (MHPs), including the recent MHPs in the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan- (NESP) (2021-2025). However, implementation of the policies has not addressed the housing deficit because records confirmed the low performances of MHPs whereby only a fraction of the units intended to be built are delivered. The strategy for implementing the MHP is that, implementation institutions are to utilise Estate Developers (EDs) such as Housing Corporations (HCs) to drive the successful execution of the projects and based on the scale of the MHP in the NESP, the capacity of EDs in general and HCs specifically will have implications on its success. As such, this study was designed to ascertain the implications of HCs capacity towards successful delivery of MHPs in Nigeria. A Case Study Research design was used to collect data from HCs of six North-West states in Nigeria using an interview. Data was analysed using a single case and crosscase technique. Results revealed that the experiences in the practices of HCs in MHPs has the potentials to: reduce project cost; reduce project time; increase clients’ satisfaction; and develop human resource. It was concluded that the HCs in North-West States possess capacity to successfully deliver MHPs such as the NESP and future National Housing Programmes (NHPs). Based on the findings of this research, the study recommends that the vulnerability of HCs should be studied to get a more encompassing picture of performance potentials in successfully delivering MHPs. Furthermore, a more comprehensive study should be undertaken to cover the HCs across Nigeria to get information that could enable their optimal integration into MHPs. The implication of the findings is that, since the HCs demonstrated some capacities to deliver MHPs, EDs can successfully delivered MHPs if other enabling factors that are key to delivery of MHPs such as finance, among others are put in place. The limitation of the study is that the study covers only six HCs, thus, generalisation of the findings could be limited.
Access to telehealth by stroke patients: which are the main barriers and how they are explained by the UTAUT theoretical model? A systematic review

ABSTRACT Stroke is a chronic health condition that requires monitoring. In this sense, telehealth emerges as a tool to enable better access. However, since it is related to use of technology, this modality might face new barriers. Our goal was to identify, with a systematic literature review, the perceived barriers to telehealth access by stroke patients and conceptualize them within the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. The systematic review was carried out in the following electronic databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, SciELO, LILACS, and PEDro; and the combination of descriptors were: “Barriers to Access to Health Care,” “Telerehabilitation,” “Telehealth,” “Stroke,” and “Physical Therapy Modalities. ” The included studies focused on telehealth barriers perceived by stroke patients. Initially, 298 articles were found, 295 via databases search, and three via active search; of these, only six articles were included in this review. Overall, the articles revealed the perception of more than 220 stroke patients, with barriers categorized into eight types, most of them related to the dimensions of Effort Expectancy and Facilitating Conditions of the UTAUT model. The barriers of the Effort Expectation dimension that are related to the knowledge in the use of technologies are likely to be overcome since training can be carried out before the telehealth service. However, the barriers related to the Facilitating Conditions dimension regarding financial aspects, the internet, and home context are difficult to overcome, possibly interfering with user’s acceptance of telehealth.
STUDY OF THE LIV VERTEBRAL BODY LOAD DURING DYNAMIC SIMULATION OF MOVEMENTS IN THE LUMBAR SPINE USING MUSCULOSKELETAL MODELS AFTER POSTERIOR BISEGMENTAL SPINE FUSION PERFORMANCE

One of the risk factors for complications in the spinal motion segments of the thoracic and lumbar regions, as well as in the adjacent segments with spinal fusion ones, is changes in the sagittal vertebral-pelvic balance. Purpose. To determine the effect of muscle changes that occur during the performance of two-segment LIV–SI spinal fusion on the load of adjacent motion segments. Material and methods. The spinal fusion of two spinal motion segments of the lumbar spine was simulated at the LIV–LV and LV–SI levels at different angles of segment fixation in the OpenSim programme. Five models were analysed: 1 (basic) — without changes; 2 — changes in the points of attachment and muscle strength; 3 — normo-lordotic fixation; 4 — hypolordotic; 5 —hyperlordotic. The load on the zone of interest was measured as the magnitude of the projection of the force vector depending on the angle of inclination of the torso as a percentage of the body weight. Results. Simulation of the above configurations of the instrumental spinal fusion (intact, normo-lordotic, hyperlordotic, hypolordotic positions due to a change in the angle of the LIV–SI spinal fusion) showed that the load force of the adjacent segments when bent forward depended on the angle of the instrumental spinal fusion performed. Conclusions. As a result of study of the kinematic model of the lumbar spine using bisegmental spinal fusion of LIV–SI, it was proved that the load force of the adjacent segments when bent forward depended on the angle of the instrumental spinal fusion performed. It was determined that the upper adjacent vertebra of the fixation zone had a relatively insignificant increase in load in the case of fixation in the hyperlordotic position; in the hypolordotic position, the load on the upper segment led to an increase in loads on the upper adjacent segment, and in the hypolordic position, it led to a slight decrease compared to the normo-lordotic fixation. According to the results of the study, minimal muscle damage is expected during the surgical intervention, so the reliability of the model is closer to minimally invasive surgery. The developed kinematic models can be useful in the planning of the transpedicular fixation surgery to prevent complications.
Automated trend reinforcement of aeromagnetic data

Aeromagnetic maps poorly represent lineaments that are at acute angles to the flight‐line direction. Commonly used gridding algorithms cannot cope with local trends, magnetic anomalies at an angle with the main trend of the map, and tend to generate closed contours around the flight lines. By introducing some a priori information, it is possible to add extra data between the flight lines, i.e. trend lines, to reinforce local trends. The proposed automated technique is based on a nearest neighbour search of the maxima and minima in the aeromagnetic map. The resulting map is more realistic and derived maps, such as vertical gradients and analytical signal maps, are greatly improved. Moreover, this automated procedure is user independent and easy to implement. The technique is demonstrated on aeromagnetic data from the Kirkland Lake region, in north‐eastern Ontario, Canada.
U-series isotope data on Lau Basin Glasses: the role of subduction-related fluids during melt generation in back-arc basins

New thermal ionization mass spectrometry U-series disequilibrium data are presented for 24 basaltic to dacitic glasses from active spreading centres in the back-arc Lau Basin (SW Pacific), together with additional inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry trace element analyses and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope data. Valu Fa Ridge samples, adjacent to the arc front, have high U/Th and (230Th/238U) <1, implying a recent (≪350 ka) addition of a U-rich slab-derived fluid. The Valu Fa data can be combined with existing 230Th–238U data for the Central Tonga arc to infer a fluid addition event at ∼50 ka. The similar sources and time scales for fluid transfer beneath the Valu Fa Ridge and beneath the arc itself suggest that the Valu Fa Ridge is propagating into the arc-front region. Central Lau Basin samples, further behind the arc, have lower U/Th and (230Th/238U) ≥1, similar to typical mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB). Within the Central Lau Basin, a water-rich subduction component is seen only in samples closest to the arc, and this fluid does not have the high-U/Th composition of the fluid at Valu Fa. Melt generation in the Central Lau Basin appears to be dominated by normal ridge-type processes, but the relatively low (230Th/238U) for these shallow ridges compared with global MORB could be a consequence of increased melt productivity as a result of the elevated water contents. The transition from 238U to 230Th excesses within the back-arc basin is not a smooth function of decreasing addition of a U-rich fluid moving away from the arc front, but also reflects the complex dynamics between two major mantle domains within the mantle wedge (‘Pacific’ beneath Valu Fa Ridge, ‘Indian’ beneath the Central Lau Basin).
On Indoor Localization Using WiFi, BLE, UWB, and IMU Technologies

Indoor localization is a key research area and has been stated as a major goal for Sixth Generation (6G) communications. Indoor localization faces many challenges, such as harsh wireless propagation channels, cluttered and dynamic environments, non-line-of-sight conditions, etc. There are various technologies that can be applied to address these issues. In this paper, four major technologies for implementing an indoor localization system are reviewed: Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Ultra-Wide Bandwidth Radio (UWB), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and Inertial Measurement Units (IMU). Sections on Data Fusion (DF) and Machine Learning (ML) have been included as well due to their key role in Indoor Positioning Systems (IPS). These technologies have been categorized based on the techniques that they employ and the associated errors in localization. A brief comparison between these technologies is made based on specific performance metrics. Finally, the limitations of these techniques are identified to aid future research.