Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Robust traffic grooming and infrastructure placement in OTN-over-DWDM networks

The advent of next-generation networks has revolutionized modern networking practices through its improved service capability as well as its numerous emerging use cases. Coupled with the increasing number of connected devices, 5G and beyond (5G$+$) network traffic is expected to be increasingly diverse and high in volume. To address the large amount of data exchanged between the 5G$+$ core and external data networks, optical transport networks (OTNs) with dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) will be leveraged. In order to prepare for this increase in traffic, network operators (NOs) must develop and expand their existing backbone networks, requiring significant levels of capital expenditures. To this end, the traffic grooming and infrastructure placement problem is critical to supporting NO decisions. The work presented in this paper considers the traffic grooming and infrastructure placement problem for OTN-over-DWDM networks. The dynamicity and diversity of 5G$+$ network traffic are addressed through the use of robust optimization, allowing for increasing levels of solution conservativeness to protect against various levels of demand uncertainty. Furthermore, a robust traffic grooming and infrastructure placement heuristic (RGIP-H) solution capable of addressing the scalability concerns of the optimization problem formulation is presented. The results presented in this work demonstrate how the tuning of the robust parameters affects the cost of the objective function. Additionally, the ability of the robust solution to protect the solution under demand uncertainty is highlighted when the robust and deterministic solutions are compared during parameter deviation trials. Finally, the performance of the RGIP-H is compared to the optimization models when applied to larger network sizes.
Impact Assessment of Ri-Lajong FPO on the Livelihood of Farmers in Ribhoi District, Meghalaya

The study was carried out on Ri-Lajong Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO), Nongpoh, Ribhoi district, Meghalaya with the objective of examining the factors’ influence on the annual income of member farmers of FPO during the year 2021-22 and primary data consisted of 65 members collected from Ri-Lajong FPO. The Heckman two-stage selection model was applied. Results showed that FPO significantly influenced the income of farmers by providing various facilities to conduct activities crop production, forest products, piggeries, and fish farming. All farming activities except piggeries showed a positive response to increase the income of members of the FPO. The factors such as farmers’ education and training provided by FPO showed positive influence while hired labour had influenced negatively to the income of farmers. Therefore, the study concluded that educated youth of the state should join the FPO and attend the training program organised by the FPO as it will be helpful in income enhancement and reduce the unemployment level of the state.
Creation of Artificial Luciferase 60s from Sequential Insights and Their Applications to Bioassays

In this study, a series of new artificial luciferases (ALucs) was created using sequential insights on missing peptide blocks, which were revealed using the alignment of existing ALuc sequences. Through compensating for the missing peptide blocks in the alignment, 10 sibling sequences were artificially fabricated and named from ALuc55 to ALuc68. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the new ALucs formed an independent branch that was genetically isolated from other natural marine luciferases. The new ALucs successfully survived and luminesced with native coelenterazine (nCTZ) and its analogs in living mammalian cells. The results showed that the bioluminescence (BL) intensities of the ALucs were interestingly proportional to the length of the appended peptide blocks. The computational modeling revealed that the appended peptide blocks created a flexible region near the active site, potentially modulating the enzymatic activities. The new ALucs generated various colors with maximally approximately 90 nm redshifted BL spectra in orange upon reaction with the authors’ previously reported 1- and 2-series coelenterazine analogs. The utilities of the new ALucs in bioassays were demonstrated through the construction of single-chain molecular strain probes and protein fragment complementation assay (PCA) probes. The success of this study can guide new insights into how we can engineer and functionalize marine luciferases to expand the toolbox of optical readouts for bioassays and molecular imaging.
Un nouvel algoritme pour la simulation DNS et LES des ecoulements cavitants

Le couplage diphasique-turbulence est une propriete cle des ecoulements cavitants, qui est un frein important a l’amelioration des modeles de cavitation et de turbulence. Realiser des simulations directes (DNS) est le moyen propose ici pour s’affranchir du modele de turbulence et obtenir des informations nouvelles sur les phenomenes mis en jeu. Ce type de simulation est exigeant sur le plan numerique, et requiert le developpement d’un solveur specifique integrant les specificites des modeles de cavitation. Cela inclue notamment des schemas de discretisation d’ordre eleve, un solveur direct, et une resolution multi-domaines associee a une parrallelisation efficace. Une discretisation par differences compactes finies s’avere etre le meilleur choix. La contrainte de rapidite et de parrallelisation impose un algorithme ou les systemes resoudre n’impliquent des multiplications des variables implicites que par des coefficients invariants au cours du calcul. Un nouvel algorithme reunissant ces criteres a ete developpe durant cette these, a partir de la combinaison de la methode de Concus & Golub et d’une methode de projection, qui permet de resoudre les equations associees a la modelisation homogene de la cavitation. Une nouvelle approche de verification de ce nouvel algorithme est egalement proposee et mise en œuvre sur la base de la methode des solutions manufacturees (MMS).
Untargeted Analysis of Serum Metabolomes in Dogs with Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Simple Summary Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is a digestive disorder in dogs resulting from insufficient secretion of digestive enzymes from the exocrine pancreas. EPI is treated with oral pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), but the persistence of clinical signs, especially diarrhea, is common after treatment. We sought to develop new insights into EPI using untargeted metabolomics analysis, a method that can measure hundreds of biochemicals (metabolites) in a sample. We analyzed 759 serum metabolites and identified 114 that varied significantly between dogs with EPI and healthy controls. Differences in fatty acid and amino acid metabolites were consistent with a state of malnourishment, and decreased vitamin B and C metabolites were suggestive of micronutrient deficiencies in dogs with EPI. Disturbances in gut microbial metabolites indicated the altered composition of the intestinal microbiome in dogs with EPI. Increased kynurenine, a tryptophan metabolite, in dogs with EPI may be associated with intestinal inflammation. As an exploratory study, causation cannot be determined from these results, but our findings have generated new data that can be used to inform future investigations of gastrointestinal and metabolic disturbances underlying the persistence of clinical signs in dogs with EPI treated with PERT. Abstract Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is a malabsorptive syndrome resulting from insufficient secretion of pancreatic digestive enzymes. EPI is treated with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), but the persistence of clinical signs, especially diarrhea, is common after treatment. We used untargeted metabolomics of serum to identify metabolic disturbances associated with EPI and generate novel hypotheses related to its pathophysiology. Fasted serum samples were collected from dogs with EPI (n = 20) and healthy controls (n = 10), all receiving PERT. Serum metabolomes were generated using UPLC-MS/MS, and differences in relative metabolite abundances were compared between the groups. Of the 759 serum metabolites detected, 114 varied significantly (p < 0.05, q < 0.2) between dogs with EPI and healthy controls. Differences in amino acids (arginate, homoarginine, 2-oxoarginine, N-acetyl-cadaverine, and α-ketoglutaramate) and lipids (free fatty acids and docosahexaenoylcarnitine) were consistent with increased proteolysis and lipolysis, indicating a persistent catabolic state in dogs with EPI. Relative abundances of gut microbial metabolites (phenyllactate, 4-hydroxyphenylacetate, phenylacetyl-amino acids, catechol sulfates, and o-cresol-sulfate) were altered in dogs with EPI, consistent with disruptions in gut microbial communities. Increased kynurenine is consistent with the presence of intestinal inflammation in dogs with EPI. Whether these metabolic disturbances participate in the pathophysiology of EPI or contribute to the persistence of clinical signs after treatment is unknown, but they are targets for future investigations.
The transition of Chilean adolescents from the child welfare system to the adolescent justice system: a continuation or an accumulation of adverse factors?

Research on juvenile delinquency and adolescent maladjustment indicates that the beginning of these processes is found in the relationship between multiple risk factors at the individual, family and community levels in this population. The objective of this research was to analyze the risk factors related to the transition from the child welfare system to the adolescent justice system in a group of Chilean male adolescents (n = 108), aged 14–18 years, grouped according to their membership in the child welfare system, the adolescent justice system or both systems. Through a quantitative methodology, variables associated with risk factors were examined by means of the Risk and Resource Evaluation Form FER-R and the Risk and Criminogenic Needs Inventory IRNC instruments. Logistic regression analysis found that the adolescent population within the child welfare system was more likely to enter the adolescent justice system if the following risk factors were present: weak family supervision, consumption of drugs, socially maladaptive peer relationships, and risky free time. These results emphasize that child welfare system interventions should focus on parental support and the management of socio-community networks to prevent re-entry of the adolescent population into the justice system.
The effects of climate and soil properties on the magnitude of the visual soil quality indicators: a logistic regression approach

Understanding how different climates and soil properties affect the soil processes requires quantifying these effects. Visual soil quality indicators have been proposed to assess the robustness of the soil processes and infer their ability to function. The scores of the visual soil quality indicators covary with climate features and soil properties, and their magnitude is different in acid-to-neutral and alkaline soils. These variables show collinearities and interactions, and the assessment of the individual effect of each variable on the scores of the visual indicators and the selection of the best set of explanatory variables can only be made with a definite set of variables. Logistic regression was used to calculate the effects of six climate variables and four soil properties, and their interactions, on the scores of eight visual soil quality indicators. Simple models featuring climate and soil variables explained a substantial part of the variation of the visual indicators. Models were fitted for each visual indicator for acid-to-neutral and alkaline soils. The sample size needed was calculated, and the method and its validity were discussed. For two possible outcomes, the sample size using the events per variable (EPV) criterium ranges between 62 and 183 observations, while using one variable and a variance inflation factor, it ranges between 22 and 234. Except for the model of soil structure and consistency for acid-to-neutral soils, with a C statistic of 0.67, all others had acceptable to excellent discrimination. The models built are adequate, for example, for the large-scale spatial outline of the soil health indices, to couple with soil morphological-dependent pedotransfer functions, and so on. Future models should consider (test) other explanatory variables: other climate variables and indices, other soil properties and soil management practices.
Woody species diversity and assemblage in different forest management stands of central Nepal

Various forest management strategies are in place for the conservation of forest ecosystems across the globe. Nepal is also implementing different forest management and restoration practices and has various impacts on vegetation characteristics. This study aims to compare the richness and diversity of woody plant species, and variability in abundance of woody species assemblages in different forest management stands, viz. restored stands inside Buffer Zone Community Forest (BZCF), natural stands of BZCF and core stands of Parsa National Park. Thirty sampling plots of 30 m × 30 m were laid on each stand, maintaining at least 50 m distance between the plots, where woody plant species having height 1.5 cm was identified and their DBH measured. Species composition was assessed comparing Importance Value Index (IVI) of woody plant species across the forests. Similarly, species diversity and structural diversity across stands were determined using Shannon Diversity index and basal areas of the plant species were calculated. The study showed Shorea robusta and Lagerstroemia parviflora with highest frequency (>80%) in all the sites, and the species diversity was highest in the core stands inside the national park followed by the natural stands of BZCF, and the restored stands of BZCF. Basal area of overall species and density of S. robusta were, however, highest on the restored stands of BZCF, whereas overall density was highest in the natural stands of the BZCF. The study revealed that the forest management practices need improvement in enhancing the plant species diversity of the ecosystems. We recommend to assess the functional attributes of the different forest management stands to evaluate the effectiveness of forest management strategies.
Do Shadow Banking Depositors Discipline the Market?

The shadow banking sector comprises non-bank financial institutions that do not have a deposit guarantee and are barely supervised by the regulator. Efforts to monitor shadow banking must be done well, in both developed and developing countries. Regulators in several countries however have not been fully effective in supervising shadow banking financial institutions, particularly in developing countries such as Indonesia. Therefore, the public's role—in this case, depositors—is essential to supervise shadow banking through the practice of market discipline. However, some factors may cause the market discipline practice to fail, such as low financial literacy. This research aims to examine the influence of financial literacy on the performance of market discipline. This study's research method is a survey of 255 lecturers who have savings accounts in the shadow banking sector in Indonesia. The multivariate analysis method used in this study is partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). This study provides evidence that financial literacy and its variables significantly affect market discipline's effectiveness in shadow banking. By showing that market discipline plays a role in building a sustainable financial ecosystem, this research contributes to depositors, investors, the financial industry, and regulators. Promoting market discipline is an important duty of regulators and other financial institutions. Likewise, promoting financial literacy among depositors and investors, especially in developing countries with low literacy levels, is a challenge to overcome when seeking to create a sustainable financial system.
Trends in Graphene-Based E-Skin and Artificial Intelligence for Biomedical Applications—A Review

Electronic skin (e-skin) mimics human skin and is an indispensable part of wearable technology with widespread applications ranging from robotics to health care. Designing and fabricating e-skins equipped with multifunctionality is the focus of current research that amalgamates materials with a variety of structures and unique properties. Several attempts toward various mechanisms and materials that make e-skin flexible, stretchable, and sensitive have been reported. At the material level, graphene is the most suitable material for e-skin owing to its excellent electronic, electrical, and mechanical properties. Although remarkable progress has been made in this field over the years, fabricating multifunctional smart e-skin is still a challenge. This perspective article explores the recent advances in e-skin through graphene as a material example and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in wearable technology. In this study, an emphasis has been laid on the applications of AI in wearable devices along with a brief insight into the advantages, and limitations of AI and ML in the field of medicine.
Galactoside-Based Molecule Enhanced Antimicrobial Activity through Acyl Moiety Incorporation: Synthesis and In Silico Exploration for Therapeutic Target

In this study, a series of galactoside-based molecules, compounds of methyl β-d-galactopyranoside (MDGP, 1), were selectively acylated using 2-bromobenzoyl chloride to obtain 6-O-(2-bromobenzoyl) substitution products, which were then transformed into 2,3,4-tri-O-6-(2-bromobenzoyl) compounds (2–7) with various nontraditional acyl substituents. The chemical structures of the synthesized analogs were characterized by spectroscopic methods and physicochemical and elemental data analyses. The antimicrobial activities of the compounds against five human pathogenic bacteria and two phyto-fungi were evaluated in vitro and it was found that the acyl moiety-induced synthesized analogs exhibited varying levels of antibacterial activity against different bacteria, with compounds 3 and 6 exhibiting broad-spectrum activity and compounds 2 and 5 exhibiting activity against specific bacteria. Compounds 3 and 6 were tested for MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) and MBC (minimum bactericidal concentration) based on their activity. The synthesized analogs were also found to have potential as a source of new antibacterial agents, particularly against gram-positive bacteria. The antifungal results suggested that the synthesized analogs could be a potential source of novel antifungal agents. Moreover, cytotoxicity testing revealed that the compounds are less toxic. A structure-activity relationship (SAR) investigation revealed that the lauroyl chain [CH3(CH2)10CO-] and the halo-aromatic chain [3(/4)-Cl.C6H4CO-] in combination with sugar, had the most potent activity against bacterial and fungal pathogens. Density functional theory (DFT)-calculated thermodynamic and physicochemical parameters, and molecular docking, showed that the synthesized molecule may block dengue virus 1 NS2B/NS3 protease (3L6P). A 150 ns molecular dynamic simulation indicated stable conformation and binding patterns in a stimulating environment. In silico ADMET calculations suggested that the designed (MDGP, 1) had good drug-likeness values. In summary, the newly synthesized MDGP analogs exhibit potential antiviral activity and could serve as a therapeutic target for dengue virus 1 NS2B/NS3 protease.
Preterm pigs for preterm birth research: reasonably feasible

Preterm birth will disrupt the pattern and course of organ development, which may result in morbidity and mortality of newborn infants. Large animal models are crucial resources for developing novel, credible, and effective treatments for preterm infants. This review summarizes the classification, definition, and prevalence of preterm birth, and analyzes the relationship between the predicted animal days and one human year in the most widely used animal models (mice, rats, rabbits, sheep, and pigs) for preterm birth studies. After that, the physiological characteristics of preterm pig models at different gestational ages are described in more detail, including birth weight, body temperature, brain development, cardiovascular system development, respiratory, digestive, and immune system development, kidney development, and blood constituents. Studies on postnatal development and adaptation of preterm pig models of different gestational ages will help to determine the physiological basis for survival and development of very preterm, middle preterm, and late preterm newborns, and will also aid in the study and accurate optimization of feeding conditions, diet- or drug-related interventions for preterm neonates. Finally, this review summarizes several accepted pediatric applications of preterm pig models in nutritional fortification, necrotizing enterocolitis, neonatal encephalopathy and hypothermia intervention, mechanical ventilation, and oxygen therapy for preterm infants.
Reducing forward voltage and enhancing output performance of InGaN‐based blue light‐emitting diodes using metal dot‐embedded transparent p‐type finger

We investigated the effect of transparent ITO/Ag/ITO multilayer p‐type finger on the light output performance of blue GaN‐based light emitting diodes (LEDs). The electrical and optical properties of IAI multilayers were characterised as a function of ITO layer thickness. The IAI (30 nm/18 nm/30 nm) multilayers had a transmittance of 94.6% at 450 nm, a sheet resistance of 4.49 Ω/sq and a Haacke's FOM of 128.15 × 10−3 Ω−1. LEDs fabricated with reference (Cr/Ni/Au) contact had a forward‐bias voltage of 3.72 at an injection current of 50 mA and a series resistance of 19.8 Ω. On the one hand, LEDs with ITO/Ag/ITO (30 nm/18 nm/30 nm), 2.5‐μm metal‐dots embedded ITO/Ag/ITO and 8‐μm metal‐dots embedded ITO/Ag/ITO p‐fingers, respectively, had forward voltages of 3.74, 3.69, 3.56 V at 50 mA and series resistances of 18.4, 19.7 and 16.1 Ω. LED with the 8‐μm metal‐dots embedded ITO/Ag/ITO p‐finger yielded 3.37% higher light output at 100 mA than the reference LED. The higher light output is attributed to the combined effect of the better current injection and current spreading due to the metal‐dot embedded transparent p‐type finger.