Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Constraining spatial variability of methane ebullition seeps in thermokarst lakes using point process models

Ebullition is an important but highly heterogeneous mode of methane emission in lakes. Variability in both spatial distribution and temporal flux creates difficulty in constraining uncertainties in whole lake emission estimates. Analysis of short‐ and long‐term flux measurements on 162 ebullition seeps in 24 panarctic lakes confirmed that seep classes, identified a priori according to bubble patterns in winter lake ice, have distinct associated fluxes irrespective of lake or region. To understand the drivers of ebullition's spatial variability and uncover ways to better quantify ebullition in field work, we combined point‐process modeling with field measurements of 2679 GPS‐marked and classified ebullition seeps in three Alaskan thermokarst (thaw) lakes that varied by region, permafrost type, and seep distribution. Spatial analysis of field data revealed that seeps cluster above thawed permafrost soil mounds in lake bottoms. Seep density and clustering, determined from field observations, were used as parameters in a Poisson cluster process model to simulate seeps across entire lake surfaces. Sampling results indicated that (1) applying seep‐class mean flux values to unmeasured seeps counted on ice‐bubble surveys does not compromise accuracy of whole lake flux estimates; (2) three distributed 50 m2 ice‐bubble survey transects more accurately estimate mean lake ebullition than 17 dispersed 0.2 m2 bubble traps; and (3) the uncertainty associated with whole lake mean ebullition estimated by lake‐ice survey transects is inversely related to seep density. Findings suggest that transect field data collected on a large number of widely distributed lakes can be combined to provide a well‐constrained, bottom‐up estimate of regional lake ebullition.
Difficulties and obstacles in integrating students with disabilities in Jordanian schools

Introduction. Integrating students with disabilities into schools may present challenges, but the benefits of doing so are significant. By promoting inclusion and equality, improving academic outcomes, developing social skills, enhancing teacher training, and meeting legal obligations, Jordan can create a more inclusive and supportive educational environment for all students. Study participants and methods. The study's goal was to find out the challenges and barriers that exist in the process of integrating students with disabilities into inclusive schools from the perspective of regular teachers who are currently employed in integration schools. Additionally, the study aimed to determine the requirements for successful inclusion of disabled students from the perspective of school principals who are currently employed in these schools. The descriptive-analytical approach, namely self-report research, was used because of its relevance to the study's objectives. It is based on studying the educational phenomenon and describing it as it is. A total of 152 classroom teachers and 47 school administrators from the same schools made up the study's sample. Results. According to the findings, instructors viewed integration barriers as moderate in the integrated schools with a mean of 3.12, and standard deviation of 0.48. One of the most significant challenges to integration is the need for written duties, while sufficient money comes in last with a mean of 2.27 and standard deviation of 1.10. From the perspective of the principles, successful integration entailed a number of advanced conditions. Funding, well-equipped schools, and easy accessibility were cited as the most important factors in successful integration. Practical significance. The practical significance of the study on integrating students with disabilities into schools is its potential to inform decision-making and policy development in order to create more inclusive and supportive educational environments. By identifying the challenges and barriers to integration, decisionmakers can work towards promoting inclusion and equality, improving academic outcomes, developing social skills, enhancing teacher training, and meeting legal obligations. The study's findings emphasize the importance of addressing funding, well-equipped schools, easy accessibility, and providing support for teachers in order to create successful integration programs.
Environmental, social, and governance disclosure and firm performance: Evidence from firms listed under the FTSE Bursa Malaysia Top 100 Index

This study examines the relationship between ESG and the performance of firms listed in the Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE), Bursa Malaysia Top 100 Index in Malaysia. Specifically, this study examines the effect of each of the ESG pillars, namely, environmental, social, and government disclosure, on firm performance. A content analysis was utilised in this study using a fixed effects model over a 6-year period from 2015 to 2020. This study shows that among the three ESG pillars, government disclosure has a significant positive relationship with firm performance as measured by return on assets. On the other hand, environmental and social factors do not significantly influence the performance of the firms listed in the FTSE, Bursa Malaysia Top 100 Index in Malaysia. The findings of this study shed light on the relationship between each ESG pillar and firm performance in the context of Malaysia as an emerging market and from a developing country perspective. Furthermore, this study makes a valuable contribution by presenting empirical data that supports the notion that ESG recommendations facilitate the entry of enterprises into new markets and the expansion of their presence in current markets. Furthermore, it offers valuable insights into the primary determinants that impact the success of an organisation. This helps companies direct more attention towards this particular component and formulate business plans that empower them to optimise the use of ESG data reporting.
Shifting the pollution problem : recycling plastics in Southern China

“Shifting the Pollution Problem: Recycling Plastics in Southern China” By Kathryn Palko The thesis examines the effectiveness of recycling as a market remedy for the environmental impacts of wastes. A case study of the market for recycled plastic wastes is presented. Data was collected on the North American plastic waste market, and on environmental and labour conditions in nine plastics recycling factories in Guangdong, China, which import plastic wastes from developed nations for processing. Land and air pollution, as well as excessive work hours and occupational health concerns were identified. Findings show that the integration of plastics recycling into a global market has shifted the impacts of plastic waste management from North America to less powerful citizens in China. Additionally, the case study revealed the difficulty of tracing plastic waste as a commodity and thus, in determining accountability within a complex, global trading network. These findings strongly indicate that policies which rely on the market to provide environmental protection, are inadequate. Alternative policy instruments are suggested, which would shift environmental decision-making from the private to public sector. November 18, 2005
Passive Electrical Components Based on Cotton Fabric Decorated with Iron Oxides Microfibers: The Influence of Static and Pulsed Magnetic Fields on the Equivalent Electrical Properties

In this work, environmentally friendly and low-cost passive electrical components (PECs) are manufactured based on composites consisting of cotton fabrics soaked with solutions of silicone oil and different amounts of iron oxides microfibers (μFe). The μFe consists of a mixture of three phases: hematite (α-Fe2O3), maghemite (γ-Fe2O3), and magnetite (Fe3O4). The equivalent electrical capacitance (Cp) and resistance (Rp) of PECs are measured as a function of magnetic flux density B in a static and pulsed magnetic field superimposed on an alternating electric field of frequency 1 kHz. The relative variation in the hysteresis curves for both Cp and Rp are obtained by measuring them in the ascending and then the descending mode of B. We show that all these three quantities are sensibly influenced by the volume fractions of μFe and by the values of B. The main influence on this behavior is attributed to the semiconductor properties of the α-Fe2O3 and γ-Fe2O3 components of the oxide microfibers. In addition, it is found that at B≃ 175 mT, the maximum relative variance of the hysteresis curve is about 3.35% for Cp and 3.18 % for Rp. When a pulsed magnetic field is used, it is shown that Cp and Rp closely follow the variation in the magnetic field. Thus, the resulting electrical properties of PECs, together with the fast response to the application of pulsed magnetic fields, make them useful in the fabrication of various devices, such as electric, magnetic, and deformation fields, or mechanical stress sensors with applications in protection against electromagnetic smog, healthcare monitoring, or for human–machine interfacing.
A Gulf Stream-Derived Pycnocline Intrusion on the Middle Atlantic Bight Shelf

Saline intrusions from the upper slope onto the outer shelf are frequently observed at the pycnocline along the shelfbreak front in the Middle Atlantic Bight during the summer. A brief cruise was conducted in July, 1986 between Baltimore and Washington Canyons to examine along-shelf variability of pycnocline salinity intrusions. A particularly saline intrusion of 35.8 Practical Salinity Units (PSU) was observed between 20 and 40 m in a water depth of 70 to 80 m. The along-shelf extent was at least 40 km. The cooler, sub-pycnocline outer shelf water was displaced 15 km shoreward of the shelfbreak. A Gulf Stream filament was present in the slope region prior to the hydrographic sampling, but was not visible in thermal imagery during the hydrographic sampling. Temperature-salinity characteristics of the intrusion suggest that it was a mixture of Gulf Stream water and slope water, possibly from the filament. The shoreward penetration of saline water was most pronounced at the pycnocline and penetrated the shelfbreak front, with salinities as high as 35.0 PSU reaching as far shoreward as the 35 m isobath. These pycnocline intrusions may be an important mechanism for the transport of Gulf Stream-derived water onto the shelf during the summer. The presence of filaments or other Gulf Stream-derived water on the upper slope may account for some of the along-front variability of the pycnocline salinity maximum that has previously been observed.
Determination of Gastric Water Emptying in Fasted and Fed State Conditions Using a Compression-Coated Tablet and Salivary Caffeine Kinetics

Because of the importance of gastric emptying for pharmacokinetics, numerous methods have been developed for its determination. One of the methods is the salivary tracer technique, which utilizes an ice capsule containing caffeine as a salivary tracer. Despite the ice capsule’s advantage in labeling ingested fluids with caffeine for subsequent salivary detection, its risk of premature melting before swallowing, and its complicated storage and preparation, limit its application, particularly in special populations (e.g., older people). For this reason, here, a compression-coated tablet was developed and validated against the ice capsule in a cross-over clinical trial. The two dosage forms were administered simultaneously to 12 volunteers in an upright position under fasted and fed state conditions. To distinguish the caffeine concentrations in saliva from each dosage form, regular type of caffeine (12C) was added to the tablet, while for the ice capsule 13C3 labelled caffeine was used. The salivary caffeine concentrations showed no statistically significant differences for the pharmacokinetic parameters tmax and AUC0→60 (p > 0.05). Thus, the new formulation is a useful tool for determining gastric emptying that can also be used in special populations.
Role of midazolam on cancer progression/survival - An updated systematic review

Background and Aims: Cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Despite advancements in cancer management, cancer progression remains a challenge, requiring the development of novel therapies. Midazolam is a commonly used adjunct to anaesthesia care for various surgeries, including cancer. Recently, there has been a growing interest in exploring the potential role of midazolam as an anticancer agent; however, the exact mechanism of this linkage is yet to be investigated thoroughly. Methods: Based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline, this systematic review presented aggregated evidence (till November 2022) of the effects of midazolam on cancer progression and survival. All primary research article types where midazolam was administered in vivo or in vitro on subjects with cancers were included. No restrictions were applied on routes of administration or the type of cancer under investigation. Narrative synthesis depicted qualitative findings, whereas frequencies and percentages presented numerical data. Results: Of 1720 citations, 19 studies were included in this review. All articles were preclinical studies conducted either in vitro (58%, 11/19) or both in vivo and in vitro (42%, 8/19). The most studied cancer was lung carcinoma (21%, 4/19). There are two main findings in this review. First, midazolam delays cancer progression (89%, 17/19). Second, midazolam reduces cancer cell survival (63%, 12/19). The two major mechanisms of these properties can be explained via inducing apoptosis (63%, 12/19) and inhibiting cancer cell proliferation (53%, 10/19). In addition, midazolam demonstrated antimetastatic properties via inhibition of cancer invasion (21%, 4/19), migration (26%, 5/19), or epithelial-mesenchymal transition (5%, 1/19). These anticancer properties of midazolam were demonstrated through different pathways when midazolam was used alone or in combination with traditional cancer chemotherapeutic agents. Conclusion: This systematic review highlights that midazolam has the potential to impede cancer progression and decrease cancer cell survival. Extrapolation of these results into human cancer necessitates further investigation.
Construction of Territory Through Cyberspace: A Latin American View of Young People's Perception of Virtual Space

This article presents a balance about the chapter guidelines for teaching construction of the territory concept in schools today, which is part of the doctoral thesis "La construcción del territorio a través del ciberespacio: una mirada latinoamericana de la percepción de los jóvenes frente al espacio virtual. Presented at University of Valencia, Spain. This unit was focused on the construction of guidelines for learning the territory concept in geography, it is set from a comparative analysis between Spain, Colombia and England, in order to reflect the contributions of the Latin American, European and Anglo-Saxon countries, in line with the reconstitution of geographic knowledge at a global level to expand new approaches to the concept. This is in contrast to the policies in charge of regulating education in these countries. In this way, it is intended to make analytical and conceptual contributions of the territory from teachers' point of view in relation to the discussion of the territorial approach given by these institutional spaces to expand and develop a conceptual framework that contributes to generating significant transformations in the daily activity of educators. proposing a shift in the geography learning, which allows re-meaning the concept of territory in accordance with innovations in knowledge.
Cost-Effectiveness of a JAK1/JAK2 Inhibitor vs a Biologic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug (bDMARD) in a Treat-to-Target Strategy for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background: Baricitinib is a janus kinase (JAK1/JAK2) inhibitor developed for the treatment of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Treating RA to the target of remission is current common practice. Cost-effectiveness of different treat-to-target (T2T) strategies, especially ones including new treatments is important for development and preference policy for treatment centers. European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) and American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines are currently unclear about preference between a JAK1/JAK2 versus a biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD). Objective: The main goal of this paper was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of baricitinib versus ﬁ rst biological for methotrexate inadequate responders in a T2T strategy using a Markov model that incorporates hospital costs as well as societal costs. Costs and utilities over ﬁ ve years were compared between the two strategies. Methods: A Monte Carlo simulation model was developed to conduct cost – utility analysis from the societal perspective over 5 years. Health states were based on the DAS28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) categories. Effectiveness of baricitinib was retrieved from randomized controlled trials. Effectiveness of all other treatments, health state utilities, medical costs, and productivity loss were retrieved from the Dutch RhEumatoid Arthritis Monitoring (DREAM) cohorts. Annual discount rates of 1.5% for utility and 4% for costs were used. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was employed to incorporate uncertainty and assess robustness of the results. Results: Probabilistic sensitivity analysis results showed the baricitinib strategy yielded lower costs and higher utility over a 5-year period. Scenario analyses showed the baricitinib strategy to be cost-effective in both the moderate and severe RA populations. Conclusion: Results suggest that the use of a JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor instead of a bDMARD in a T2T approach is cost-effective in csDMARD refractory RA patients.
UV Light Causes Structural Changes in Microplastics Exposed in Bio-Solids

Bio-solids (biological sludge) from wastewater treatment plants are a significant source of the emission of microplastics (MPs) into the environment. Weakening the structure of MPs before they enter the environment may accelerate their degradation and reduce the environmental exposure time. Therefore, we studied the effect of UV-A and UV-C, applied at 70 °C, on three types of MPs, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), that are commonly found in sewage sludge, using three shapes (fibers, lines, granules). The MPs were exposed to UV radiation in bio-solid suspensions, and to air and water as control. The structural changes in and degradation of the MPs were investigated using Attenuated Total Reflectance–Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (ATR-FTIR) and surface morphology was performed with SEM analysis. UV exposure led to the emergence of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups in all of the PP samples. In PE and PET, these groups were formed only in the bio-solid suspensions. The presence of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups increased with an increasing exposure time. Overall, UV radiation had the greatest impact on the MPs in the bio-solids suspension. Due to the surface-to-volume ratio of the tested samples, which influences the degradation rate, the fibers were more degraded than the other two plastic shapes. UV-A was slightly more effective at degrading the MPs than UV-C. These findings show that ultraviolet radiation in combination with an elevated temperature affects the structure of polymers in wastewater bio-solids, which can accelerate their degradation.
Task as Context: A Sensemaking Perspective on Annotating Inter-Dependent Event Attributes with Non-Experts

This paper explores the application of sensemaking theory to support non-expert crowds in intricate data annotation tasks. We investigate the influence of procedural context and data context on the annotation quality of novice crowds, defining procedural context as completing multiple related annotation tasks on the same data point, and data context as annotating multiple data points with semantic relevance. We conducted a controlled experiment involving 140 non-expert crowd workers, who generated 1400 event annotations across various procedural and data context levels. Assessments of annotations demonstrate that high procedural context positively impacts annotation quality, although this effect diminishes with lower data context. Notably, assigning multiple related tasks to novice annotators yields comparable quality to expert annotations, without costing additional time or effort. We discuss the trade-offs associated with procedural and data contexts and draw design implications for engaging non-experts in crowdsourcing complex annotation tasks.
Enriching Multimodal Data: A Temporal Approach to Contextualize Joint Attention in Collaborative Problem-Solving

Collaboration is a complex, multidimensional process; however, details of how multimodal features intersect and mediate group interactions have not been fully unpacked. Characterizing and analyzing the temporal patterns based on multimodal features is a challenging yet important work to advance our understanding of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL). This paper highlights the affordances, as well as the limitations, of different temporal approaches in terms of analyzing multimodal data. To tackle the remaining challenges, we present an empirical example of multimodal temporal analysis that leverages multi-level vector autoregression (mlVAR) to identify temporal patterns of the collaborative problem-solving (CPS) process in an immersive astronomy simulation. We extend previous research on joint attention with a particular focus on the added value from a multimodal, temporal account of the CPS process. We incorporate verbal discussion to contextualize joint attention, examine the sequential and contemporaneous associations between them, and identify significant differences in temporal patterns between low- and high-achieving groups. Our paper does the following: 1) creates interpretable multimodal group interaction patterns, 2) advances understanding of CPS through examination of verbal and non-verbal interactions, and 3) demonstrates the added value of a complete account of temporality including both duration and sequential order.
The Conversational Discourse Unit: Identification and Its Role in Conversational Turn-taking Management

This study investigates how discourse segmentation and turn-taking interact. Mapping syntactic, prosodic and pragmatic units, five types of conversational discourse units (CDU) were identified. Based on this segmentation, associations were examined between the syntactic, prosodic and pragmatic boundaries and turn-taking, as well as the transition speed after each type of CDU. Results show: 1) The relationships between the three linguistic boundaries and the occurrence of turn-taking were significant, and the association was the strongest for the pragmatic boundaries; it was weaker for prosodic boundaries and the weakest for the syntactic boundaries. 2) The type of CDU influenced the transition speed, with the pragmatic-syntax-bound CDU being fastest. The study highlights the importance of meaning-connection and earlier emergence of the utterance gist in timing turn-taking.