Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and Optimization of Visible Light Active BiVO4 Photocatalysts for the Degradation of RhB

Monoclinic BiVO4 powders were synthesized via a novel route using potassium metavanadate (KVO3) prepared by calcination of K2CO3 and V2O5 as a starting material and followed by hydrothermal treatment and were investigated for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation. The synthesized BiVO4 particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV-Visible (UV-Vis) light diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry. The synthesis produced pure monoclinic BiVO4 particles with multimorphological features containing flower-like, flake-ball, flake, cuboid-like, and plate-like shapes and exhibited strong absorption in the visible light range. The BiVO4 prepared via KVO3 possessed excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of RhB under visible light. The performance of this catalyst was found to be superior to other BiVO4 photocatalysts prepared via ammonium metavanadate (NH4VO3) using coprecipitation, combustion, and calcination methods reported in literature, respectively.
Ovarian Cancer-Intrinsic Fatty Acid Synthase Prevents Anti-tumor Immunity by Disrupting Tumor-Infiltrating Dendritic Cells

Fatty acid synthase (FASN), the key metabolic enzyme of de novo lipogenesis, provides proliferative and metastatic capacity directly to cancer cells have been described. However, the impact of aberrant activation of this lipogenic enzyme on host anti-tumor immune milieu remains unknown. In this study, we depicted that elevated FASN expression presented in ovarian cancer with more advanced clinical phenotype and correlated with the immunosuppressive status, which characterized by the lower number and dysfunction of infiltrating T cells. Notably, in a mouse model, we showed that tumor cell-intrinsic FASN drove ovarian cancer (OvCa) progression by blunting anti-tumor immunity. Dendritic cells (DCs) are required to initiate and sustain T cell-dependent anti-tumor immunity. Here, our data showed that constitutive activation of FASN in ovarian cancer cell lead to abnormal lipid accumulation and subsequent inhibition of tumor-infiltrating DCs (TIDCs) capacity to support anti-tumor T cells. Mechanistically, FASN activation in ovarian cancer cell-induced the resulting increase of lipids present at high concentrations in the tumor microenvironment. Dendritic cells educated by FASNhigh OvCa ascites are defective in their ability to present antigens and prime T cells. Accordingly, inhibiting FASN by FASN inhibitor can partly restore the immunostimulatory activity of TIDCs and extended tumor control by evoking protective anti-tumor immune responses. Therefore, our data provide a mechanism by which ovarian cancer-intrinsic FASN oncogenic pathway induce the impaired anti-tumor immune response through lipid accumulation in TIDCs and subsequently T-cells exclusion and dysfunction. These results could further indicate that targeting the FASN oncogenic pathway concomitantly enhance anti-tumor immunity, thus offering a unique approach to ovarian cancer immunotherapy.
Short term effects of drought on communal conflict in Nigeria

Despite the surge in quantitative research examining the link between climate variability and conflict, a lot of uncertainty exists concerning whether there is a link. One shortcoming of the current literature is that it focuses mainly on statistical inference in order to establish causation with little attention for the predictive performance of the model. In contrast, this study extends the current literature by focusing on the predictive accuracy of a model linking droughts to communal conflict using data for Nigeria for the period 2006-2014. Using a number of different model specifications and estimation methods to test the robustness of the results, the analysis shows that although the regression results show a positive link between the occurrence of droughts and communal conflict, the predictive accuracy of the model is relatively low. In contrast, accounting for the temporal and spatial dynamics of conflict leads to better forecasts compared to the climate variable.
The Relationship between Organisational Factors and Information Systems Success in the Malaysian Electronic-Government Agencies

Information system success has been widely discussed in the past two decades. As systems and technologies are being improved and developed, discussions on their effectiveness and evaluation on their success have been continuously debated by researchers, scholars and practitioners. Besides the major concern of IS effectiveness, factors influencing IS effectiveness are also important. One of these factors is organisational factor. Using perceptual measures, this study aims to investigate the influence of organisational factors on IS success. Survey questionnaires were gathered from 201 users from four central agencies in Putrajaya, Malaysia. Seven items were identified to influence IS success. They are top management support, decision-making structure, management style, managerial IT knowledge, budgeting method, goal alignment, and resources allocation. The study also identified four IS success dimensions; systems quality, information quality, perceived usefulness, and user satisfaction. The study found that the IS success variables are significantly and highly correlated. The study also found all the organisational factors are significantly correlated to the four IS success factors investigated. Further analyses also found goal alignment as the highest predictor of IS success, followed by management style and centralization. Conclusively, it was clear that the significant relationship between the organisational factors investigated and IS success dimensions evidently indicate the importance of these factors in ensuring successful information systems.
High Frequency of Nucleophosmin Mutations in Thirty Two Iraqi Adult Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Background: Genetic characterization of all AML patients at presentation is nowadays regarded as mandatory to determine treatment choices. In Iraq no previous study on genetic level that determine the frequency of NPM1mutations in adult AML patients was previously done and for this reason the current study was designed. Methods: Thirty two adult AML patients in addition to 15 healthy were enrolled in this study. The AML cases were classified according to the FAB classification. Molecular analysis for nucleophosmin mutations was done using Single Strand Confirmatory Polymorphism- Reverse transcriptase- Polymerase Chain Reaction with specific primers. Results: The NPM1 mutations were found in 46.88% of adult AML patients , whereas the control group showed absence of these mutations. The NPM1mutations were detected non significantly in older age and female gender AML patients, (P>0.05). Furthermore; patients with the NPM1 mutations showed lower blast cell % and higher platelet count as compared to non mutated cases, and were mainly FAB M1and M3, (P>0.05). Moreover, higher failure rate of induction therapy was found in adult AML patients without NPM1 mutations 55.55% as compared to NPM1 mutated patients 44.44% , but this finding was not significant, (P= 0.453). Conclusions: Molecular detection of NPM1 mutations in Iraqi adult AML patients was reported for the first time where the frequency of NPM1 mutations in adult AML patients was higher than that reported in different studies worldwide. NPM1 mutations were associated with good prognostic factors in AML as female gender, lower blast cell percent and higher rate of response to induction therapy thus , this mutation is can be considered in risk stratification of AML patients.
Spatial and Temporal Variability of Canopy Microclimate in a Sierra Nevada Riparian Forest

Past riparian microclimate studies have measured changes horizontally from streams, but not vertically through the forest canopy. We recorded temperature and relative humidity for a year along a two-dimensional grid of 24 data-loggers arrayed up to 40 m height in four trees 2 – 30 m slope distance from a perennial second order stream in the Sierra Nevada. Our objective was to quantify diurnal and seasonal changes in vertical and horizontal microclimate gradients. Our data suggest a dynamic zone of riparian influence on microclimate that fluctuates diurnally and seasonally. Stream influence on microclimate was limited (statistically significant < 5.0 m vertically, < 7.5 m horizontally). In summer and winter, mean daily temperature and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) increased horizontally and vertically from the stream. Maximum absolute differences in temperature and VPD between upland and streamside conditions were greater in summer than winter. Winter diurnal ranges of temperature and VPD were dampened near the stream, increasing with distance, while summer diurnal ranges were greater near the stream and decreased with distance. Microclimate change was markedly greater vertically above the stream than horizontally. Such steep gradients of air temperature and moisture through the vertical forest profile likely affect arboreal habitat conditions that influence epiphytes and their animal communities.
Urban water modelling and the daily time step: issues for a realistic representation

Interest in modelling the total Urban Water Cycle is increasing, due to the realisation of the need for (high-level) flow integration to address issues of recycling, re-use and ultimately sustainability. Urban Water Cycle models are generally operating on a daily time step due to the inherent strategic/planning nature of such work. However, the choice of time step implies (more or less hidden) assumptions which may influence significantly the model’s performance. One such assumption – the way in which water tanks (e.g. rainwater, greywater, greenwater etc) are operated in terms of the sequence between tank overflow (spill) and water extracted from the tank for use (yield) is investigated in this paper. The two alternative sequences are termed here Yield After Spill (YAS) and Yield Before Spill (YBS). The Urban Water Optioneering Tool was used and advantages and disadvantages of these sequences were examined. The paper reviews the differences under a series of technological configurations and draws recommendations for modelling practice. It is suggested that YAS/YBS schemes have different impacts depending on the technological configuration of the case study under investigation, but that under normal operating conditions, daily time step simulations with YBS schemes tend to result in tank sizes that are (marginally) closer to sizes obtained by hourly time-steps. It is however suggested that YAS schemes should be preferred when the parameter of interest is runoff.
A Proposal to Integrate the Management of Electronic Waste into the Curriculum of Primary Schools.

Background:Today’s children are growing up in an environmentally damaged and technology orientated world. Electronic waste (e-waste) has been identified as the fastest growing waste tributary in the world.Materials and methods:The qualitative research approach was followed to investigate participants’ perspectives and experiences on the implementation of environmental sustainable curricula as a compulsory subject for students of Grades four to seven. Education specialists (n= 18), Grades four to seven teachers (n=20) of five primary schools, curriculum specialists (n=8) and technology specialists (n=6) of various institutions in South Africa were randomly selected to participate in the research study. Results:Educating Grade four (nine years old) students on how to handle e-waste could have a major impact on maintaining the environment. Proposed curricula for a compulsory subject based on environmentally sustainability for Grades four to seven were compiled. These curricula should emphasise the development of students’ practical skills that will enable them to handle e-waste.Conclusions:Young learners should be equipped with the values, attitudes, knowledge and skills needed on how to manage e-waste and secure a healthy and a sustainable future for all. The qualitative study proposed curricula for a subject on environmentally sustainability (Grades four to seven).
EDUCATIONAL AWARENESS OF FACTORS REDUCING MATERNAL MORTALITY IN RURAL COMMUNITIES IN OGUN STATE NIGERIA

The study aimed at educational awareness of non–medical factors associated with maternal mortality reduction and to proffer policy guidelines for informed policy intervention. We analyzed secondary data from the 2010 Covenant University project on non-medical determinants of maternal mortality in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, Ogun State. The study employed an informant approach questionnaire design, and information on maternal mortality was recorded from 360 eligible respondents which constituted the sample size and descriptive statistics and regression analysis were further applied. The study shows among others that majority of the respondents married between the ages of 25 and 44 with a proportion of 64.2 percent. As for the deceased spouse, an overwhelming proportion of the deceased spouses got married below 30 years (64.2%). Employment status of respondents showed that those not working registered 22.5 percent and their deceased counter parts in the same working status accounts for higher proportion (39.9). The highest level of education attained by majority of the respondents interviewed was secondary education (48.1%), followed by primary education (28.6%). For the education of their deceased spouses, it was observed that 50% of them had only primary education followed by those who attained secondary school (26.7%) and those who never went to school (19.7%). The educational attainment of the deceased was very poor when compared to their husbands in all categories. Distance is a very important factor in the utilization of health facility. Slightly above three-fourths of respondents (75.2%) have to travel 6 km and beyond to access or avail themselves this facility. T reatment costs was mainly born by the respondents (49.7%) and spouse’s relatives and friends (36.7%) Regression analysis results showed that ‘person who pays the treatment costs’ (p=0.003) and ‘place of consultation’ (p=0.000) were non-medical significant factors influencing maternal mortality reduction. The study recommends empowering and improving the status of women through better education and paid out of home employment in order to reduce maternal mortality and prompt better Safe Motherhood Initiative, Also providing educational awareness of non–medical factors associated with maternal mortality to men is likely to herald positive decision and better treatment to women from men especially during the journey of pregnancy and child birth.
Photochemical stability of CO2 in the Martian atmosphere - Reevaluation of the eddy diffusion coefficient and the role of water vapor

The stability of CO2 in the Martian atmosphere against photodissociation is re-examined. A new one-dimensional model using lower thermospheric temperatures and smaller solar fluxes, which are more appropriate for the time of the Mariner 6/7 experiments, predicts smaller atomic oxygen densities in the upper atmosphere than those predicted by previous investigators. In order to explain the observed O densities in the upper atmosphere (1-2% at 135km), our model requires a vertical eddy diffusion coefficient of -5×107cm2 sec-1, which is much smaller than the previously suggested values (>5×108cm2 sec-1). In the lower atmosphere, catalytic reactions of HOx are essential for reforming CO2 from its dissociation products CO and O. Our results show that the HOx generated by the model using the global average of the observed amount of water vapor (-10μm) catalyzes too much recombination. Diurnal variation in OH densities may help to suppress HOx catalyses, particularly at night. Martian water vapor is highly variable; therefore, the mechanism by which the CO2 level is maintained and its relationship to the water vapor distribution must be considered on a global scale.
Epidemiology , histopathology and aetiology of olive anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum and C . gloeosporioides in Portugal

P. Talhinhas†, C. Mota-Capitão, S. Martins‡, A. P. Ramos, J. Neves-Martins, L. Guerra-Guimarães, V. Várzea, M. C. Silva, S. Sreenivasaprasad* and H. Oliveira Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Technical University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa; Centro de Investigação das Ferrugens do Cafeeiro, Instituto de Investigação Cientı́fica Tropical, Quinta do Marquês, 2784-505 Oeiras, Portugal; and Warwick HRI, University of Warwick, Wellesbourne CV35 9EF, UK
Demand of Fertilizer in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

This study is attempt to examine the factors affecting demand of fertilizer in three selected least developed countries (LDCs); Myanmar, Lesotho and Tanzania by using Ordinary Least Square (OLS) method. The theory of demand function has been applied to the analysis and the model has been transformed to log form for estimation purposes. Several tests have been conducted to detect multicollinearity, autocorrelation and heteroscedasticity. The finding reveals that cereal yield is statistically significant for all countries while price is only statistically significant for Lesotho. It is expected more robust result could be evidenced using larger data set, adding more variables and using other proxies for the variables.
A secure place: attachment patterns and socioeconomic status

Attachment patterns have been studied cross-culturally for decades providing a basis for understanding universal human development. Current attachment research suggests that within-group differences, such as socioeconomic status (SES), may be more significant than differences between cultures in the development of attachment style. Interpersonal attachment styles have been shown to affect cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning across the lifespan. Socioeconomic status has also been related to cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning across the lifespan. Socioeconomic status in the United States involves factors including access to resources such as housing, education, and health care that may be linked to the developmental process of attachment. This literature review includes an examination of the current body of attachment theory research, an exploration of socioeconomic status in the United States, and a discussion of the possible relationship between attachment and SES. The discussion on attachment patterns and socioeconomic status in the United States offers an investigation into remaining questions around how SES impacts attachment and informs the developmental process. The concluding summary considers implications for intervention and suggestions for future research.
Quadrophobia: Strategic Rounding of EPS Data

Abstract Managers’ incentives to round up reported earnings per share (EPS) cause an underrepresentation of the number 4 in the first post-decimal digit of EPS, or “quadrophobia. ” We develop a novel measure of aggressive financial reporting practices based on a firm’s history of quadrophobia. Quadrophobia is pervasive, persistent, and successfully predicts future restatements, Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement actions, and class action litigation. It is more pronounced when executive compensation is more closely tied to the stock price and when the firm anticipates violating debt covenants. Quadrophobia is especially strong when rounding-up EPS allows firms to meet analyst expectations, and investors seem not to see through this behavior.
Antigenic structure of human interferon ω1 (interferon αII1): comparison with other human interferons

Summary Recombinant human interferon (IFN) ω1 (IFN-αII1) was compared with other human IFNs with regard to antigenic structure, using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. Antisera to recombinant IFN-α1 or IFN-α2c cross-neutralized the antiviral activity of other species of IFN-α, but not that of IFN-ω1. Antisera to IFN-β or IFN-γ likewise had no effect on IFN-ω1. Conversely, antiserum to IFN-ω1 did not neutralize any of the other IFNs examined (IFN-α1, -α2c, -α10, -αB, -αF, -β, -γ). None of four monoclonal antibodies to IFN-α, including a broad-spectrum antibody that neutralized all five recombinant species of IFN-α tested, had any effect on the biological activity of IFN-ω1. Various immunoassays for IFN-α did not recognize IFN-ω1. In immunoprecipitation experiments, radiolabelled IFN-α2c was not precipitated by antiserum to IFN-ω1. In contrast, antisera to human leukocyte IFN or ‘lymphoblastoid’ IFN did neutralize IFN-ω1, although with titres significantly lower than those towards the immunogen or recombinant species of IFN-α. In conclusion, human IFN-ω1 is antigenically different from human IFN-α, IFN-β or IFN-γ, but is a component of ‘natural’ mixtures of IFN species produced by virus-induced leukocytes or Burkitt's lymphoma cells.
Dark matter constraints from dwarf galaxies: a data-driven analysis

Dwarf galaxies represent a powerful probe of annihilating dark matter particle models, with gamma-ray data setting some of the best bounds available. A major issue in improving over existing constraints consists in the limited knowledge of the astrophysical background (mostly diffuse photons, but also unresolved sources). Perhaps more worrisome, several approaches in the literature suffer of the difficulty of assessing the systematic error due to background mis-modelling. Here we propose a data-driven method to estimate the background at the dwarf position and its uncertainty, relying on an appropriate use of the whole-sky data, via an optimisation procedure of the interpolation weights. While this article is mostly methodologically oriented, we also report the bounds based on latest Fermi-LAT data and updated information for J-factors for both isolated and stacked dwarfs. Our results are very competitive with the Fermi-LAT ones, while being derived with a more general and flexible method. We discuss the impact of profiling over the J-factor as well as over the background probability distribution function, with the latter resulting for instance crucial in drawing conclusions of compatibility with DM interpretations of the so-called Galactic Centre Excess.
Phenol Adsorption and Photo-Oxidation on Porous Carbon/Titania Composites

Carbon/titania composites with different loadings were prepared and investigated for phenol adsorption and photo-oxidation from dilute aqueous solutions. The rate of phenol adsorption increased when titanium oxide (P25, Degussa) was immobilized on the carbon support due to the porous features of the resulting C/TiO2 composites. The kinetics of phenol adsorption were very fast for samples containing low titanium oxide contents, whereas titania loadings above 20 wt% presented some operational problems that prevented their application in aqueous solutions. Those C/TiO2 composites which exhibited higher adsorption rates in the absence of illumination also showed a more rapid disappearance of phenol from aqueous solution under UV light, together with the formation of lower amounts of intermediates. Removal efficiencies close to 100% were obtained for C/TiO2 composites containing ca. 10–15 wt% titanium oxide, with preferential oxidation of phenol through the formation of catechol.
Ex Ante Effects of Ex Post Managerial Ownership

This paper highlights the trade-off between the need to restructure a company and the need to provide managers with appropriate incentives to run it after the restructuring. In order to provide incentives, it is optimal to let managers acquire equity in the firm. However, the expectations to be able to buy shares in the future may create ex-ante incentives to delay restructuring. This effect is particularly important for events where managers can acquire a substantial number of shares, such as privatizations or MBOs. In equilibrium, the shares are not underpriced, but the delay in restructuring which took place in the period before reduces the value of the company. We report empirical evidence on MBOs and privatizations consistent with the model in this paper.