Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analytical Solution for Density Currents in Settling Basins

Settling basins are extensively used to remove suspended solids from effluents. Experimental information on the magnitude of density currents in settling basins shows that the velocities of sediment-induced density currents near the upstream region of the settling basin are one order of magnitude larger than the flow-through velocities in the basins. Therefore, performance of settling basins is controlled, primarily, by density currents and not by flow-through velocity. An analytical model is described to predict density currents induced by settling solids in rectangular sedimentation basins. The conservation equations for fluid and sediment mass, fluid momentum, and fluid energy, on integration over the flow depth using similarity profiles for concentration and velocity, are reduced to a system of ordinary differential equations solved analytically. Analytical expressions for longitudinal variations of sediment concentration and velocity along the settling basin are presented. The density-induced velocity decreases linearly along the length of the basin for both laminar and turbulent regimes. The decay of sediment concentration is quadratic for laminar flows and cubic for turbulent flows. The analytical results compare reasonably well with the available experimental data.
Scope of an Integrative Neurophysiotherapy Approach in Achieving Gross Motor Milestones in a Child with Meningitis: A Case Report

Meningitis caused by bacteria, which is an inflammation of the meninges affecting the pia, arachnoid, and subarachnoid space, is still one of the leading causes of death and morbidity in infants and young children. Neisseria meningitidis, group B streptococcus (GBS), Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), Listeria monocytogenes, and Streptococcus pneumoniae have been found to be the most frequent causative agents. Infants and children can have modest, fluctuating, non-specific, or even absent clinical signs of bacterial meningitis. They may include bulging fontanelles, vomiting, diarrhea, respiratory distress, hypothermia, lethargy, irritability, poor feeding, and fever in babies. In this case report, an 18-month-old child presented to a local hospital with complaints of multiple episodes of high-grade fever. After 10 days, his symptoms worsened and he experienced two episodes of seizures at one-day intervals at night. He was taken to Acharya Vinoba Bhave Rural Hospital for further management. Blood investigations revealed seropositive results for dengue virus infection. On MRI and CT scan, it was diagnosed as an old case of subdural hematoma in the right frontotemporal region of the brain. The patient was on intravenous ceftriaxone and phenytoin. Gross motor developmental milestones in children with meningitis can be improved with early integrative neurophysiotherapy and a goal-oriented therapeutic regimen that includes mobility exercises, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation techniques, positioning, oromotor retraining, neurodevelopmental techniques, and balance and coordination retraining. A complex case presents with bacterial meningitis, hydrocephalus, and seizure disorder. The bacterial infection inflames the protective membranes of the brain, causing hydrocephalus. Increased cerebrospinal fluid puts pressure on the brain, leading to seizures. Managing these interconnected conditions requires a multidisciplinary approach making it unique, involving infectious disease, neurology, and neurosurgery expertise.
Maximising automation in land cover monitoring with change detection

With the availability of free moderate spatial resolution Landsat satellite data land cover mapping systems are moving away from classifying single date cloud-free images to classifying data time-series. This requires the ability to handle large volumes of data, which in turn requires high levels of automation in data pre-processing, image classification and change detection. This paper reports on the progress made towards the development of a more automated land cover monitoring system for South Africa. We firstly employed a local installation of the Web-enabled Landsat Data (WELD) system to serve as the data "backbone" for pre-processing and storing large amounts of Landsat data sensed over South Africa. A system was developed to rapidly update land cover maps for previous mapped areas using highly-automated, training data generation, scalable random forest classification, accuracy assessment, change detection and rapid, online operator validation. The technology is aimed at assisting government and industry to provide land cover data at a much higher update frequency to address ever-increasing demands for land cover products and services.
Towards meaning-making with interactive visualisations

Learning analytics systems often use interactive visualisations to display information. Interactivity is typically used by visualisation designers to reduce cognitive load for users. However, our research suggests that interactivity holds significant value beyond the reduction of cognitive load. Informed by theories about meaning, perception and experience, we propose that interactive visualisations promote emergent meaning-making processes which should be accounted for in the design of interactive learning analytics visualisations. We present findings from a qualitative study of four teachers engaging with interactive visualisations in an Australian university. The study used a think-a-loud protocol and a semi-structured interview which were coded according to theory-informed constructs of dimensions of meaning and interaction opportunities. Our findings suggest that interactive visualisations that had been designed with regard to meaning-making stimulated users to engage more deeply with the data and explore it at different resolutions, from overview to detail. The interactive visualisations afforded more opportunities for users to gain understanding and insights they found meaningful. While this is a small study, we argue that it opens up promising avenues for further investigation; provides a practical approach to gather further useful data about interactivity and meaning-making; and suggests new principles that may be helpful for designers of interactive learning analytics visualisations.
An Evaluation of Physico-chemical Parameters to Assess Borewell Water Quality from Madyal and Vadgaon Villages of Kagal Tahsil, MS, India

Water of good drinking quality is of basic importance to human physiology and man’s continued existence depends very much on its availability. The assessment of borewell water quality for suitability for drinking and domestic purpose was carried out from Madyal and Vadgaon villages of Kagal Tahsil, Maharashtra. 24 borewell water samples were collected from these villages during March 2013. The physico-chemical parameters like pH, E.C. , total alkalinity, total hardness, calcium hardness, magnesium hardness, chloride, salinity, TDS and DO have been analyzed . The result were compared with WHO, BIS & ICMR drinking water standards. On the basis of hardness, Out of 24 borewell water samples, 8 samples were above 300 mg/l so it causes harmful effect on Human health.
Randomized Adaptive Vehicle Decomposition for Large-Scale Power Restoration

This paper considers the joint repair and restoration of the electrical power system after significant disruptions caused by natural disasters. This problem is computationally challenging because, when the goal is to minimize the size of the blackout, it combines a routing and a power restoration component, both of which are difficult on their own. The joint repair/restoration problem has been successfully approached with a 3-stage decomposition, whose last step is a multiple-vehicle, pickup-anddelivery routing problem with precedence and capacity constraints whose goal is to minimize the sum of the delivery times (PDRPPCCDT). Experimental results have shown that the PDRPPCCDT is a bottleneck and this paper proposes a Randomized Vehicle Decomposition (RVD) to scale to very large power outages. The RVD approach has been shown to produce significant computational benefits and provide high-quality results for infrastructures with more than 1200 needed repairs.
Carboxylic acid-induced freshwater acidification effects on behavior and operculum ultrastructure in the gastropod mollusc Bellamya bengalensis

ABSTRACT Global freshwater acidification, accelerated by rising pCO2, remains a critical ecological concern. Despite the prevalence of carboxylic acids like acetic acid (AA) and benzoic acid (BA) in freshwater, their potential to exacerbate acidification and impact biota is not fully understood. In this study, we examined behavioural disruptions during acute exposures (96 h) and operculum ultrastructure changes during chronic exposures (28 days) to ecologically-relevant concentrations of AA (39.7, 79.5, and 99.4 mg/L) and BA (31.4, 62.8, and 78.5 mg/L) in Bellamya bengalensis. Acute exposures revealed significant behavioural disruption, including reduced activity and impaired escape behaviour. Chronic exposures led to ultrastructural defects in the operculum, with more pronounced effects in BA-exposed groups. Acidification scenarios appeared to impact calcium carbonate crystal formation, compromising opercula structure. Our study underscores the importance of understanding both acute and chronic effects of freshwater acidification on molluscan species, emphasising the need for further research into the underlying mechanisms and thresholds of acidification tolerance.
The Role of EM38 in Land and Water Management Planning on the Tragowel Plains in Northern Victoria

Geonics EM38 instruments have been used extensively in the Tragowel Plains of northernVictoria, Australia, for large-scale root zone soil salinity mapping of irrigation farms. Baseline soil salinity surveys enable landholders to identify the saline areas of their properties, providing key information to guide farm management and investment decisions. EM38 surveying has played a pivotal role in the successful implementation of the Tragowel Plains Land and Water Management Plan, which requires that a soil salinity survey be completed before a landholder can apply for other salinity-management grant schemes administered by the Plan. The Geonics EM38 uses inductive electromagnetic detection of depth-weighted conductivity in the upper 5 metres of the soil profile. Soil conductivity readings are affected by a range of factors in addition to salinity, such as soil moisture content, clay content, clay mineralogy, temperature, and instrument drift. A robust instrument calibration process was developed and implemented, so that readings from different instruments and surveys completed in different years could be directly compared, and so that instrument readings could be directly related to crop responses to soil salinity. A survey methodology was also developed that provided data at appropriate spatial resolution for farm management decisions, that was cost effective, and that trained and employed local people for much of the field work. As a result, EM38 soil salinity surveys have been widely adopted as a fundamental tool for farm management in the Tragowel Plains, and extensive EM38 soil salinity surveying has been undertaken in other irrigation areas of northern Victoria.
Hormonal Status of Transgenic Birch with a Pine Glutamine Synthetase Gene during Rooting In Vitro and Budburst Outdoors

Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is one of the main ways of increasing plant productivity through genetic engineering. The modification of nitrogen (N) metabolism can affect the hormonal content, but in transgenic plants, this aspect has not been sufficiently studied. Transgenic birch (Betula pubescens) plants with the pine glutamine synthetase gene GS1 were evaluated for hormone levels during rooting in vitro and budburst under outdoor conditions. In the shoots of the transgenic lines, the content of indoleacetic acid (IAA) was 1.5–3 times higher than in the wild type. The addition of phosphinothricin (PPT), a glutamine synthetase (GS) inhibitor, to the medium reduced the IAA content in transgenic plants, but it did not change in the control. In the roots of birch plants, PPT had the opposite effect. PPT decreased the content of free amino acids in the leaves of nontransgenic birch, but their content increased in GS-overexpressing plants. A three-year pot experiment with different N availability showed that the productivity of the transgenic birch line was significantly higher than in the control under N deficiency, but not excess, conditions. Nitrogen availability did not affect budburst in the spring of the fourth year; however, bud breaking in transgenic plants was delayed compared to the control. The IAA and abscisic acid (ABA) contents in the buds of birch plants at dormancy and budburst depended both on N availability and the transgenic status. These results enable a better understanding of the interaction between phytohormones and nutrients in woody plants.
Actividad antihelmíntica in vitro de tres especies vegetales utilizadas tradicionalmente en Tabasco, México

En la busqueda de nuevas alternativas para el mejoramiento de la salud animal se evaluo la actividad antihelmintica de tres plantas de uso tradicional (Cydista aequinoctialis L., Heliotropium indicum L. y Momordica charantia L.) en el area rural del estado de Tabasco contra Haemonchus contortus. Los extractos acuosos crudos se obtuvieron del material deshidratado. Cada uno de ellos fue disuelto en agua destilada a una concentracion de 20 mg ml-1 y la actividad antihelmintica se evaluo en placas de ELISA de 96 pozos se colocaron alicuotas de 100 μL de extracto y 50 larvas L3 desvainadas de H. contortus. Como control negativo se utilizo agua destilada y como control positivo Febendazol, evaluando a las 24, 48 y 72 h de exposicion. Los extractos de las tres plantas estudiadas presentaron diferente actividad antihelmintica y la mayor mortalidad se presento con el fruto de M. charantia con 65.5% a las 72 h
Expression of Cry1Ab/2Aj Protein in Genetically Engineered Maize Plants and Its Transfer in the Arthropod Food Web

While transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize provides pest resistance and a reduced application of chemical pesticides, a comprehensive environmental risk assessment is mandatory before its field release. This research determined the concentrations of Bt protein in plant tissue and in arthropods under field conditions in Gongzhuling City, northeastern China, to provide guidance for the selection of indicator species for non-target risk assessment studies. Bt maize expressing Cry1Ab/2Aj and non-transformed near-isoline were grown under identical environmental and agricultural conditions. Cry1Ab/2Aj was detected in plant tissues and arthropods collected from Bt maize plots during pre-flowering, flowering, and post-flowering. The expression of Cry1Ab/2Aj varied across growth stages and maize tissues, as well as in the collected arthropods at the three growth stages. Therefore, representative species should be chosen to cover the whole growing season and to represent different habitats and ecological functions. Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Rhopalosiphum padi (Hemiptera: Aphididae), Heteronychus arator (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), and Somaticus angulatus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) are suitable non-target herbivores. Propylea japonica (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Paederus fuscipes (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), Chrysoperla nipponensis (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), and spiders are suggested predators. Apis cerana and Apis mellifera ligustica (both Hymenoptera: Apidae) represent pollinators and Folsomia candida (Collembola: Isotomidae) decomposers.
Schizophrenia Etiological Factors and Their Correlation with the Imbalance of the Immune System: An Update

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a severe psychiatric disorder associated with a dysregulation of the immune system. Immune-related genes and environmental factors including stress, food, infections, and microbiota, alter the immune system’s homeostasis and play a role in SZ pathogenesis. The most distinctive feature in the pathophysiology of the disease is a shift in the T helper 1(Th1)/Th2 balance toward Th2 dominance in the immune system. Also, microglial and Th17 cell activation cause inﬂammatory responses in the central nervous system (CNS). Antibodies play a role in the pathophysiology of SZ and give more evidence of a link between humoral immune reactivity and the disease. Accordingly, an imbalance in cytokine activities and neuroinflammation has been considered the main contributor to the pathogenesis of the SZ. Overall, the deregulation of the immune system caused by genetic, environmental, and neurochemical effects may all play a role in the etiology of SZ. This review summarized the etiological factors for SZ and discussed the role of immune responses and their interaction with genetic and environmental factors in SZ pathogenesis.
A note on the drawdown, diffusive behavior of fractured rocks

Transients in fractured media are described using a model in which permeability depends on space and time. The motivation for the differential equation used here draws on recent results for diffusion on fractals in the asymptotic regime. The solution proposed is consistent with the scaling arguments for diffusion on fractal structures. Known results for transients in fractured rocks may be extracted from the solution given here.
A location authentication scheme based on proximity test of location tags

In the past few years, location-based mobile social network services, such as Four square and Yelp developed rapidly. To attract more users, the mobile social network service providers provide virtual or real rewards to the user who shares his or her location information in a specific position. This leads some dishonest users provide fake location information to the social network to get the rewards. In this paper, we propose a location authentication scheme based on proximity test of location tags to verify the authenticity of the location information submitted by the users. We generate the location tags by collecting the wireless signals information of the users' current location and use it as a location verification certificate to verify the authenticity of the location information submitted by the users. By security analysis and experimental evaluation, we prove this scheme is effective in preventing location cheating in mobile social networks.
Risk factors and serum parameters associated with xerostomia in cardiac patients – a case-control study

Xerostomia is not a disease in itself but is caused by a change in the amount or composition of saliva or both. Some systemic diseases and the use of some medicines cause this complaint.Considering the high prevalence of cardiac diseases, the present study aimed to examine risk factors and serum parameters associated with xerostomia among hospitalized cardiac patients.In this case-control study, 369 hospitalized cardiac patients were divided into two groups (with and without xerostomia) using a valid FOX questionnaire. Demographic information and laboratory analysis results were extracted from the subjects’ medical records. Finally, data were analyzed using SPSS v. 24 software at a significance level of 0.05. According to the findings, 187 (50.7%) patients were suffering from xerostomia, whose prevalence was significantly higher in patients with a history of hypertension (P = 0.017) and thrombocytosis (P = 0.023). However, no significant relationship was observed between xerostomia and other serum parameters.Xerostomia is associated with a history of hypertension and the use of certain medications, such as nitroglycerin. Other serum parameters seem to be unrelated to xerostomia, except thrombocytosis. Therefore, it is recommended to check the quantity and quality of saliva to evaluate the presence of hyposalivation along with xerostomia more accurately.
Altered cortical and subcortical morphometric features and asymmetries in the subjective cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment

Introduction This study aimed to evaluate morphological changes in cortical and subcortical regions and their asymmetrical differences in individuals with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). These morphological changes may provide valuable insights into the early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods We conducted structural MRI scans on a cohort comprising 62 SCD patients, 97 MCI patients, and 70 age-, sex-, and years of education-matched healthy controls (HC). Using Freesurfer, we quantified surface area, thickness, the local gyrification index (LGI) of cortical regions, and the volume of subcortical nuclei. Asymmetry measures were also calculated. Additionally, we explored the correlation between morphological changes and clinical variables related to cognitive decline. Results Compared to HC, patients with MCI exhibited predominantly left-sided surface morphological changes in various brain regions, including the transverse temporal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, insula, and pars opercularis. SCD patients showed relatively minor surface morphological changes, primarily in the insula and pars triangularis. Furthermore, MCI patients demonstrated reduced volumes in the anterior-superior region of the right hypothalamus, the fimbria of the bilateral hippocampus, and the anterior region of the left thalamus. These observed morphological changes were significantly associated with clinical ratings of cognitive decline. Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that cortical and subcortical morphometric changes may contribute to cognitive impairment in MCI, while compensatory mechanisms may be at play in SCD to preserve cognitive function. These insights have the potential to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of AD.
Spatially constrained inversion for quasi 3D modelling of airborne electromagnetic data – an application for environmental assessment in the Lower Murray Region of South Australia

We present an application of spatially constrained inversion (SCI) of SkyTEM (airborne electromagnetic) data for defining spatial patterns of salinisation in the Bookpurnong irrigation area located in the lower Murray Basin of South Australia. SCI uses Delaunay triangulation to set 3D constraints between neighbouring soundings, taking advantage of the spatial coherency that may be present in the dataset. Conductivity information for individual soundings is linked through the spatial constraints, from well determined parameters to locally poorly determined parameters. For the survey presented here, SCI generated maps detail the spatial variability of floodplain salinisation, the extent of floodplain sediments influenced by lateral recharge and flushing along stretches of the Murray River, and the variable quality of groundwater in deeper semi-confined aquifers of the Murray Group. Available borehole and other ancillary information, such as vegetation density and health patterns, match the observed conductivity variations seen in the SCI results, even at the very near surface (≈2m depth). The SCI provides more accurate and spatially consistent results compared with those from single site inversions. They are also more uniform and detailed than maps obtained with single point Layered Earth Inversions or a laterally constrained inversion. In this example, the SCI provided reliable quasi 3D modelling, that confirmed and improved the hydrogeological knowledge of the area, indicating that the technique would have application with helicopter electromagnetic data in similar settings throughout the lower Murray Basin of Australia.