Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fossil fuels markets in the “energy transition” era

The global energy sector is undergoing a global transformation under the influence of technological breakthroughs in several sectors of production and consumption, as well as profound socioeconomic changes in approaches to energy use. This process became known as “energy transition. ” In this paper, the authors investigate the long-term impact of the energy transition and related processes on the markets of key fossil fuels: oil, natural gas, and coal. Research shows that all fossil fuel sectors will face a significant increase in competition, both within traditional markets and from other energy sources, due to the development of inter-fuel competition. At the same time, energy policies and efforts to combat greenhouse gas emissions will mostly determine the energy balances of the largest countries, and will have an even greater impact on the market. Natural gas, as the most environmentally friendly of fossil fuels, with a large potential to supplement the generation of new renewable energy sources (NRES), will be the least impaired by the energy transition. In the next 20 years, its consumption and production are expected to grow significantly. Oil is under serious pressure from environmental legislation and growing inter-fuel competition in the transport sector. It is highly likely that consumption will peak before 2040, yet the depletion of traditional resources is supporting prices. The coal market is set for an almost inevitable reduction in consumption. New technologies for capturing emissions can only partially mitigate the rate of coal use decline.
Almost Global Stability of Nonlinear Switched System with Stable and Unstable Subsystems

This paper presents sufficient conditions for almost global stability of nonlinear switched systems consisting of both stable and unstable subsystems. Techniques from the stability analysis of switched systems have been combined with the multiple Lyapunov density approach - recently proposed by the authors for the almost global stability of nonlinear switched systems composed of stable subsystems. By using slow switching for stable subsystems and fast switching for unstable subsystems lower and upper bounds for mode-dependent average dwell times are obtained. In addition to that, by allowing each subsystem to perform slow switching and using some restrictions on total operation time of unstable subsystems and stable subsystems, we have obtained a lower bound for an average dwell time.
Performance Analysis and Enhancement of Free Space Optical Links for Developing State-of-the-Art Smart City Framework

In this paper, we have investigated and reported the performance of free-space optical (FSO) links operating in adverse atmospheric conditions. Since FSO links share operational similarity with fiber communication; hence, we believe that a cost-effective FSO framework can play a significant role in the transparent integration of high-speed network access backbones with the end-users. Different modulation formats, complemented with spatial diversity techniques, are discussed in this paper to strategize performance optimization of FSO links. Using bit error rate (BER) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as performance metrics, it was found that binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) qualifies as the best technique modulation technique delivering SNR gain of 10 dB over on–off keying (OOK) operating link under similar channel conditions. Further performance optimization was achieved using space diversity reception wherein SNR witnessed a gain of 3 dB gain over the single-channel FSO link. In terms of application, the proposed model can help in developing a citizen-centric smart city ecosystem that can support seamless communication between heterogeneous smart devices.
Mitochondria as a therapeutic target for cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury (Review)

Acute myocardial infarction is the leading cause of cardiovascular-related mortality and chronic heart failure worldwide. As regards treatment, the reperfusion of ischemic tissue generates irreversible damage to the myocardium, which is termed 'cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury'. Due to the large number of mitochondria in cardiomyocytes, an increasing number of studies have focused on the roles of mitochondria in IR injury. The primary causes of IR injury are reduced oxidative phosphorylation during hypoxia and the increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), together with the insufficient elimination of these oxidative species following reperfusion. IR injury includes the oxidation of DNA, incorrect modifications of proteins, the disruption of the mitochondrial membrane and respiratory chain, the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (∆Ψm), Ca2+ over-load, mitochondrial permeability transition pore formation, swelling of the mitochondria, and ultimately, cardiomyocyte necrosis. The present review article discusses the molecular mechanisms of IR injury, and summarizes the metabolic and dynamic changes occurring in the mitochondria in response to IR stress. The mitochondria are strongly recommended as a target for the development of therapeutic agents; however, the appropriate use of agents remains a challenge.
Peoples' response in times of Corona crisis: a survey of indian public

The pandemic now known as COVID-19 crisis, took humanity by surprise. The highly infectious virus designated as SARS-CoV-2, with it epicentre in Wuhan City, crossed international boundaries at an unprecedented pace. Scientific community rose to the occasion, investigated etiology and clinical features, RNA sequence , pathological attributes, prognostic factors, transmission law and preventive measures, etc. of the virus [Harapan et al., 2020]. Usually, the cycle of generation of scientific knowledge, its publication in specialised journals, validation by international community of experts and then dissemination among the public is a time consuming process [Raza, Singh and Shukla, 2009]. The intensity of pandemic and risk involved reduced the time lag between generation of knowledge and its percolation among the lay public. The scientific knowledge generated in laboratories, within a brief period, shaped perceptions and attitude of both the governments and the lay public. Emergent situations, especially life-threatening episodes also invoked myths, superstitions and conspiracy theories [Van Bavel et al., 2020]. Media channels publicised scientific information, myths, superstitions and conspiracy theories with equal zeal. However, the study conducted in India suggests that common citizens rejected myths, superstitions and conspiracy theories. In a short period of time common citizens gathered scientific information through multiple channels of media and used it to increase their health security. The authority of science was never so sharply delineated in a highly religious and traditional society. This article looks at the pandemic’s disruptive nature, sudden changes in scientific knowledge, rapid crystallisation of perceptions and thereby attitudinal transformation and behavioural changes among the public in India. Abstract
Bringing Social Justice into the Statistics Classroom

Social justice is an American Psychological Association (APA) ethical principal which is often taught in content courses (e.g. social psychology, developmental psychology, introductory psychology) but rarely covered in psychological statistics courses. This is problematic, as psychology students may assume that bias is not an issue when implementing statistical tests and interpreting their results if social justice topics are not incorporated into statistics classrooms. The current study evaluated student’s attitudes toward a social justice lecture in a statistics classroom (N = 100 students). Results show students had more favorable attitudes toward social justice and agreed it was important to cover in statistics classrooms. Future research should extend this work by seeking to replicate these findings and evaluating additional pedagogical tools to incorporate social justice into the statistics classroom.
Was motiviert Hausärztinnen und Hausärzte, sich an einem Forschungspraxennetz zu beteiligen?

Eine hochwertige und effektive hausärztliche Versorgung erfordert wissenschaftliche Grundlagen, die die Besonderheiten der Primärversorgung berücksichtigen. Vor diesem Hintergrund fördert das Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung den Aufbau nachhaltiger Forschungspraxennetze in der Allgemeinmedizin. Ziel der vorliegenden Befragung ist es, Motivatoren, Barrieren und Erwartungen für die Teilnahme an einem Forschungspraxennetz zu identifizieren. Auf vier Fortbildungsveranstaltungen (zwei Lehrärztetreffen, Herbsttagung des Thüringer Hausärzteverbandes und Thüringer Tag der Allgemeinmedizin) zwischen Oktober 2019 und Januar 2020 wurden Hausärzte* aus Thüringen um Teilnahme an einer anonymen schriftlichen Befragung mittels eines selbst konzipierten und pilotierten Fragebogens (20 Items) gebeten. Neben soziodemografischen Daten wurden mögliche Formen der Beteiligung sowie empfundene Barrieren und Motivatoren über vorgegebene Antwortkategorien erfragt. Die Auswertung erfolgte deskriptiv. Von 136 anwesenden Hausärzten nahmen 98 an der Befragung teil (72%). Das Durchschnittsalter lag bei 53 Jahren; 61% waren weiblich und 68% in Einzelpraxis tätig. Ein Großteil (84%) kann sich die Beteiligung an einem Forschungspraxennetz vorstellen. Als Hürden für die Umsetzung werden fehlende zeitliche Valenzen (85%), schwierige Integrierbarkeit in den Praxisalltag (42%), Datenschutzprobleme (37%) und eine geringe Patientenmotivation (35%) gesehen. Wichtige Motivatoren für eine Beteiligung sind der Austausch mit hausärztlichen Kollegen (80% Zustimmung), der Zugang zu aktuellen Forschungserkenntnissen (73% Zustimmung) und regelmäßige Fortbildungsveranstaltungen (68% Zustimmung). Die befragten Hausärzte stehen einer Beteiligung an einem Forschungspraxennetz grundsätzlich positiv gegenüber. Bei der Konzeption sollten identifizierte Barrieren und Motivatoren berücksichtigt und insbesondere niedrigschwellige Angebote ermöglicht werden.
Oxygen Isotopic Signatures of Major Climate Modes and Implications for Detectability in Speleothems

Natural and social systems worldwide are impacted by climate modes such as the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), making it imperative to understand their sensitivity to climate change. Paleoclimate studies extend the observational climate baseline, and speleothem records (δ18Ospel) are a common data source. However, relationships between δ18Ospel and climate modes are uncertain; climate models provide a way to test the strength and stability of these relationships. Here, we use the isotope‐enabled Community Earth System Model's Last Millennium Ensemble combined with a forward proxy model to delineate the global expression of modal variability in “pseudo‐stalagmite” (δ18Ospel) records worldwide. The modeled δ18Ospel spatially correlates with modal signatures. However, substantial changes in modal variance only modestly affect individual δ18Ospel variance. A network of δ18Ospel records, particularly one that straddles the Pacific, significantly improves the reconstructability of ENSO variance.
Optimized Design of 1 MHz Intermediate Bus Converter Using GaN HEMT for Aerospace Applications

This paper presents the possibility of using Gallium Nitride (GaN) high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) instead of the conventional silicon metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) to implement a high-frequency intermediate bus converter (IBC) as part of a typical distributed power architecture used in a space power application. The results show that processing the power at greater frequencies is possible with a reduction in mass and without impacting the system efficiency. The proposed solution was experimentally validated by the implementation of a 1 MHz zero-voltage and zero-current switching (ZVZCS) current-fed half-bridge converter with synchronous rectification compared with the same converter using silicon as the standard technology on power switches and working at 100 kHz. In conclusion, the replacement of silicon (Si) transistors by GaN HEMTs is feasible, and GaN HEMTs are promising next-generation devices in the power electronics field and can coexist with silicon semiconductors, mainly in some radiation-intensive environments, such as power space converters. The best physical properties of GaN HEMTs, such as inherent radiation hardness, low on resistance and parasitic capacitances, allow them to switch at higher frequencies with high efficiency achieving higher power density. We present an optimized design procedure to guaranty the zero-voltage switching condition that enables the power density to be increased without a penalization of the efficiency.
Toward thermal stimulation of shape memory polymer composite bistable tape springs

Due to their tailored thermomechanical behavior and functionality, shape memory polymer matrix composites (SMPCs) are attractive as deployable structures in aerospace applications. An analytical model based on the classical laminate theory, together with the principle of minimum potential energy is developed to capture the thermo-viscoelastic behavior of a bistable tape spring (BiTS). These tape springs are known to snap between two stable configurations by different stimulus. Here, a shape memory polymer as the matrix of a fiber-reinforced polymer BiTS is introduced to actuate the snap-back. Experimental characterization was performed to obtain the time-temperature dependent properties of a Polyurethane SMPC. The time-temperature superposition principle was employed to convert the thermal effects to a viscoelastic response. Five BiTSs were manufactured and exposed to two different thermo-viscoelastic cycles to verify the model for long-term and high-temperature behaviors. The results show that the model can estimate the coiling radius and the degree of stability of the BiTS in the coiled configuration. Analytical results, supported by experimental results, show that the temperature could initiate the snap-back in BiTS. However, time-temperature history has a significant effect on the bistability and can convert a monostable tape spring to a BiTS and vice versa.
Spatial survival modelling of business re-opening after Katrina: Survival modelling compared to spatial probit modelling of re-opening within 3, 6 or 12 months

Zhou and Hanson; Zhou and Hanson; Zhou and Hanson (2015, Nonparametric Bayesian Inference in Biostatistics, pages 215–46. Cham: Springer; 2018, Journal of the American Statistical Association, 113, 571–81; 2020, spBayesSurv: Bayesian Modeling and Analysis of Spatially Correlated Survival Data. R package version 1.1.4) and Zhou et al. (2020, Journal of Statistical Software, Articles, 92, 1–33) present methods for estimating spatial survival models using areal data. This article applies their methods to a dataset recording New Orleans business decisions to re-open after Hurricane Katrina; the data were included in LeSage et al. (2011b, Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (Statistics in Society), 174, 1007—27). In two articles (LeSage etal., 2011a, Significance, 8, 160—63; 2011b, Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (Statistics in Society), 174, 1007—27), spatial probit models are used to model spatial dependence in this dataset, with decisions to re-open aggregated to the first 90, 180 and 360 days. We re-cast the problem as one of examining the time-to-event records in the data, right-censored as observations ceased before 175 businesses had re-opened; we omit businesses already re-opened when observations began on Day 41. We are interested in checking whether the conclusions about the covariates using aspatial and spatial probit models are modified when applying survival and spatial survival models estimated using MCMC and INLA. In general, we find that the same covariates are associated with re-opening decisions in both modelling approaches. We do however find that data collected from three streets differ substantially, and that the streets are probably better handled separately or that the street effect should be included explicitly.
Isolation, characterization, and antimicrobial activity of Actinomycetes
isolated from garden soil

Five different strains of Actinomycetes were isolated from rhizosphere soil sample taken from Tulsi gardens of Kayathar, Tuticorin District. Heat treated Tulsi growing rhizosphere soil samples (Kayathar, Tuticorin District) were subjected to serial dilution and plated on starch casein medium, incubated at 37 °C for 7 - 14 days. The isolated strains were subjected to morphological, biochemical and cultural characterisation to study their spore morphology, asexual reproductive spores, substrate mycelial growth and enzyme degradation. Tests were performed as per International Streptomyces Project (ISP). Morphological and cultural characteristics showed that the strains AJ1, AJ2, AJ3, AJ4 and AJ5 belonged to the genus Actinomycete. The cultures showed substrate and aerial mycelial growth and also soluble pigments. Based on their morphology the isolates were subjected to antimicrobial activity against pathogens. Antimicrobial activity was performed against seven clinical isolates. AJ1 was found to show maximum activity against Klebsiella, S.typhi and Enterobacter whereas AJ5 was found to show inhibitory activity against Klebsiella.
Significance of stress assessment: cross sectional study of 1000 pregnant women from India

Introduction: Maternal stress has been believed to have effect on the developing embryo and foetus in womb. Measuring and addressing stress is not yet part of structured antenatal protocols for pregnant women. The current study focuses on the association of perceived stress among pregnant women on maternal and foetal outcome. Materials and Methods: This was an observational cross-sectional study on 1000 pregnant women done during the period Nov 2010 to Nov 2012 at Fernandez Hospital, Hyderabad, India. Associations between maternal stress by PSS score and mode of delivery, duration of labour, and foetal outcomes were assessed. Statistical tools like K-Smirnov test, Fishers exact and KruksalWallis test were used wherever appropriate. Result: Participant mothers ranged in age from 18 to 42 years. 41.4% were postgraduate. 6.6%, 86.6%, 6.8% had preterm, term and post term deliveries respectively. 799, 102, 95 were average for gestational age babies, large for gestational age babies and small for gestational age babies respectively. PSS (Perceived Stress Scale) questionnaire mean score was 30.73 with standard deviation of 2.44. There was no statistical difference with different modes of deliveries and various neonatal outcomes with third trimester PPS stress score in this study. Conclusion: Adequate counselling is essential to reduces the maternal stress at various stages of pregnancy and delivery. Assessment of stress should be an integral part of antenatal care. Keywords: Psychological stress, Neonatal outcome, Pregnant women, Antenatal counselling.
Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) polymorphism and antiproliferative activity of cholecalciferol in cancer cells

Vitamin D (VD) is a steroid hormone with multiple biological functions in the body and its activity requires the binding to the receptor named VDR. VDR polymorphisms seems to be involved in the development of several types of cancer. Herein we performed the genotyping of two VDR polymorphisms (Fok I and Taq I) in MCF-7 breast cancer and U87-MG glioblastoma (GBM) cell lines and investigated the antiproliferative effect of the VD analog cholecalciferol. Polymorphisms were identified by PCR-RFLP and the effect of VD was determined by viability and clonogenic assays. VD inhibited the growth of both tumor cells in Research, Society and Development, v. 9, n. 12, e8991210810, 2020 (CC BY 4.0) | ISSN 2525-3409 | DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.33448/rsd-v9i12.10810 2 vitro. MCF-7 cells were more sensitive than U87-MG cells at concentrations ranging from 0.1nM to 1000nM. The same primer pairs used for PCR amplification of VDR gene in MCF7 failed to amplify a fragment of expected size in the U87-MG cell line. VDR Fok I and Taq I polymorphisms in breast cancer MCF-7 cells were characterized as FF (CC) and TT respectively. The absence of amplification of VDR gene fragment in U87-MG suggests a possible chromosomal rearrangement and/or impairment of gene expression of VDR which could interfere in the sensitivity of this cell line to vitamin D.
Interaction energies of van der Waals and hydrogen bonded systems calculated using density functional theory: Assessing the PW91 model

The performance of density functional theory using the Perdew and Wang’s exchange and correlation functionals (PW91) functional for the prediction of intermolecular interactionenergies is evaluated based on calculations on the neon, argon, methane, ethylene, and benzene dimers, as well as on 12 hydrogen bonded complexes (water, methanol, formic acid, hydrogen fluoride, ammonia, formamide dimers and water–methanol, water–dimethyl ether, water–formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide–hydrogen fluoride, water–ammonia, water–formamide complexes). The results were compared with those obtained from Becke’s exchange and Lee, Yang, and Parr’s correlation functionals (BLYP), Becke’s 3 parameter functional combined with Lee, Yang, and Parr’s correlation functional (B3LYP), second order Mo/ller–Plesset perturbation (MP2), and coupled cluster calculations with single and double substitutions and with non-iterative triple corrections [CCSD(T)] calculations. The calculated interactionenergies show that the PW91 functional performs much better than the BLYP or B3LYP functionals. The error in the computed binding energies of the hydrogen bonded complexes is 20% in the worst case. The most demanding cases are the systems with large dispersion contributions to the binding energy, such as the benzene dimer. In contrast to the BLYP and B3LYP functionals which fail to account for dispersion, the PW91 functional at least partly recovers the attraction. The basis set dependence of the PW91 functionals is relatively small in contrast to the MP2 and CCSD(T) methods. Despite its occasional difficulties with dispersion interaction, the PW91 functional may be a viable alternative to the ab initio methods, certainly in situations where large complexes are being studied.
Low-frequency and temperature-dependent dielectric spectroscopy investigations on polypyrrole nanoparticles

Polypyrrole (PPy) nanoparticles have been synthesized by chemical oxidation method in the presence of anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate). The prepared nanoparticles have a diameter of ~28 nm. The low-frequency and temperature-dependent dielectric properties of these nanoparticles have been studied in the temperature range of 77–350 K. Due to absence of the saturated loss peaks, modulus approach has been used for the further insight on the dielectric properties of prepared nanoparticles. The behaviour of the dielectric modulus suggests the Debye-type behaviour of the prepared nanoparticles, where the measured ac conductivity follows the classical hopping conduction mechanism.