Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Formation of Various Nanocarbon and Composite Structures by Laser Ablation

Nanocarbon and composite materials have attracted considerable research attention due to their unique properties and potential applications. Laser ablation of graphite or graphite containing a small amount of metals can produce various nanocarbon structures such as single-walled (SW) (Guo et al., 1995) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) (Hirahara et al., 2000), SW carbon nanohorn (CNH) aggregates (Iijima et al., 1999) and polyhedral graphite (PG) particles (Kokai et al., 2003). In this chapter, we describe a simple method to form various nanocarbon and composite structures using laser ablation in highpressure Ar gas up to 0.9 MPa, with particular focus on the composite nanostructures. Graphite targets containing metals or compounds (Si, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ag, B4C, Y2O3, La2O3, and Gd2O3) were used as source materials. To effectively form nanocarbon and composite structures by laser irradiation onto the targets at room temperature, we used a continuous wave Nd:YAG laser to eject C and other species with relatively low kinetic energies into the high-pressure Ar gas. As a result, hot C and metal species are confined in a space surrounded by Ar gas. For example, the initial temperature of the vaporized C species was ~5000 °C estimated for laser irradiation from emission spectroscopy (Kokai et al., 2001). In addition, emission imaging and shadowgraphic studies implied that vaporized species had low expansion velocities of 102–103 cm/s (Kokai et al., 1999) due to the high-pressure Ar gas restricting their expansion. Unlike a laser ablation method combined with an electric furnace for SW and MWCNT growth, where vaporized C and metal species kept at 800–1300°C are essential for an efficient CNT growth (Gorbunov et al., 1999), the heat sources available for the growth of various nanocarbon and composite structures in this study are laser-ablated C and metal species themselves confined by high-pressure Ar gas. The control of the resident densities and the maintenance of high-temperature of laser-ablated C and metal species, based on adjusting the metal content in graphite and the Ar gas pressure, results in various composite nanostructures with high yields in the deposits. The nanostructures were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, and Raman spectroscopy. Depending on the type and content of metals and compounds, characteristic nanocarbon and composite structures such as hybridized SWCNH particles and Cuor SiC-filled one-dimensional (1D) structures were formed. We discuss the metaldependent growth of the various nanocarbon and composite structures with an emphasis on graphitization processes such as thermal graphitization, catalytic graphitization and vapor-
Antibacterial activity of some lactic acid bacteria isolated from a local fermented milk product (pendidam) in Ngaoundere, Cameroon.

Fermented milk products are known to have potential activity against gastro-intestinal infections, food-borne pathogens and food-borne spoilage micro-organisms. The objectives of this study were to isolate lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as ferments present in pendidam (a locally fermented milk product), evaluate the antibacterial activity of the isolates against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and partially characterise substances of the cell-free supernatant responsible for antibacterial activity. Twenty (20) strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from 3 of 5 samples of pendidam collected from the locality of Wakwa (Ngaoundere), were identified based on their morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics and were screened for their antibacterial activity using the well diffusion method on agar medium. A total of 16 Lactobacillus spp. and 4 Streptococcus species were identified. All the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were active against Staphylococcus aureus whereas 6 of them were not active against Escherichia coli. The most active strains against both pathogens were L18 for E. coli and L19 for S. aureus, all belonging to Lactobacillus species and having a maximum inhibition zone of (4.5±0.1) mm. The inhibitory effect of neutralised cellfree supernatants of 10 isolates and thermal sensitivity of the supernatants of five active strains were studied. The results obtained did not show the complete loss of antibacterial activity of the extracts. This is an indication that the tested lact ic acid bacterial strains secreted substances responsible for the antagonistic action observed on the pathogens and which will be further identified. This preliminarily work shows the potential application of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria or related substances to improve foods preservation.
Therapeutic effect of beniseeds extract and fermented liquor in treatment of diarrhoea in albino rats infected with Bacillus cereus

The therapeutic efficacy of fermented beniseed liquor and the methanol extract in treating diarrhoea in albino rats infected with selected diarrhoeagenic bacteria was assessed. At the end of the experiment, haematological, biochemical and liver functioning tests were performed on the blood from the animals. The results showed that the selected organism have high infectivity dose, caused a significant reducing effect on the weight of the albino rats and negative effect on the hematological and biochemical parameters assessed. Treatment of infected animals with the fermented liquor and methanol extract of beniseeds showed that both caused a significantly quick recovery of the infected animals from diarrhoea within five days of treatment. However, the rate of recovery was faster with the group of infected rats treated with the fermented beniseed liquor than the extract. The results obtained from these analyses showed that beniseed have therapeutic properties and that the fermented form is more effective and can be used to treat diarrhoea caused by the selected bacteria used in this study in albino rats.
Do Marine Protected Areas in the Red Sea Afford Protection to Dugongsand Sea Turtles

Dugongs (Dugong dugon) and most sea turtles are threatened by gill nets and other human activities worldwide. In the Red Sea these animals are potentially isolated from populations in other areas of the world. This isolation would make recovery following major population decline in the Red Sea unlikely. Protected areas are promoted as a management tool to safeguard these animals from human activities. Elba National Park, Egypt, supports populations of dugongs and sea turtles, as well as a growing fishing industry. We undertook a survey of fishers to determine if dugongs and sea turtles formed bycatch in Elba National Park. Specifically, we quantified the proportion of fishers operating in Elba National Park who had caught these animals as bycatch in fishing nets and the proportion of fishers who perceived that sea turtle eggs were still collected. This study indicates that at least one protected area in the Red Sea is not achieving conservation objectives relating to these animals. Nine and eighty percent of fishers reported having caught dugongs and sea turtles in nets, respectively. Seven percent of fishers perceived that people still collected turtle eggs. Elba National Park is failing to protect these animals for reasons including: it is managed solely as an IUCN Category VI Protected Area; fishers lack awareness of laws pertaining to these animals; and fishers are highly resource dependent. Potential management strategies to reduce bycatch include the establishment of IUCN Category 1a Protected Areas in important dugong and sea turtle habitat, encouraging fishers to adopt fishing gear that poses less risk to megafauna and raising awareness among fishers of the protected status of dugongs and sea turtles.
Scanning electron microscopy analysis of adhesive bond of glass-ionomer cement restorations

Introduction. Lack of proper adhesion is one of the most common problems in modern restorative dentistry and the main cause of the occurrence of microcracks at the interface between materials and hard dental tissue. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of bond between two types of glass-ionomer cement (GIC) class V restorations and hard dental tissues by SEM. Materials and Methods. This clinical study included 20 intact teeth (premolars and molars) recently extracted for orthodontic reasons in patients of both genders and different ages. Class V cavity with rounded walls was prepared on vestibular and oral surfaces of all teeth (3x2x2 mm). Conventional GIC Fuji II was applied on vestibular surface of teeth whereas on oral surface resin-reinforced glass ionomer Fuji II LC was placed. The bond between fillings and hard dental tissue was assessed by SEM. Results. Both materials showed microcracks, however, microleakage was lower with Fuji II LC than with Fuji II. Microcracks were observed in 65% of cases (13 restorations) restored with GIC Fuji II and 35% (7 fillings) restored with GIC Fuji II LC. The size of microcracks for Fuji II LC was 9 μm while this value for Fuji II was 17 μm. The difference was statistically significant. Conclusion. Better bond between material and hard dental tissue was achieved with the material of new generation, resin modified GIC.
Long-Run Information Diffusion Processes in the Perth Housing Market: 1988–2000

Abstract In the period since the influential studies by Case and Shiller (1989, 1990), it has been established that housing markets are characterised by information diffusion patterns determined by informational inefficiencies. In Australia, little work has been completed on the long-term patterns of these inefficiencies. This paper examines a rich data set of transactions for the Perth housing market in the period 1988-2000. The results confirm some significant long-term patterns for real house price changes and some close relationships between these patterns and changes in real interest rates.
Waste Plastics Mixture of Polystyrene and Polypropylene into Light Grade Fuel using Fe 2 O 3 Catalyst

Polypropylene and polystyrene waste plastic mixture to light grade fuel recover was under laboratory scale at temperature range was 180 - 430 oC. Light grade fractional fuel collection column temperature was 65 oC. Pyrex glass reactor and Pyrex fractional column was use in the experiment. Polypropylene 125gm and polystyrene 125 gm waste plastics mixture sample was use in the experiment. For experimental purpose total 250 gm sample was use by weight and Ferric Oxide catalyst was use 5% by weight. Total experiment run time was 5.25 hours. Product fuel density is 0.72 g/ml and fuel color is light yellow and fully transparent. GC/MS and FT-IR analytical tools were use for light grade fuel analysis purpose. GC/MS chromatogram analysis result showed product fuel hydrocarbon compounds range C4 to C15. FT-IR spectrum 100 analysis results showed product functional group such as C-CH3, C-C= - C-C= -CH, CH3, -CH=CH2 and so on. Product fuel has aromatic related hydrocarbon compounds such as Benzene (C6H6), Toluene (C7H8), Ethylbenzene (C8H10), Styrene (C8H8), and so on. Light grade fuel can use internal combustion engines and its can produce electricity or feed for refinery industry. Copyright © IJRETR, all rights reserved.
Effects of atmospheric light scattering on spectroscopic observations of greenhouse gases from space. Part 2: Algorithm intercomparison in the GOSAT data processing for CO2 retrievals over TCCON sites

This report is the second in a series of companion papers describing the effects of atmospheric light scattering in observations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) by the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT), in orbit since 23 January 2009. Here we summarize the retrievals from six previously published algorithms; retrieving column‐averaged dry air mole fractions of CO2 (XCO2) during 22 months of operation of GOSAT from June 2009. First, we compare data products from each algorithm with ground‐based remote sensing observations by Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON). Our GOSAT‐TCCON coincidence criteria select satellite observations within a 5° radius of 11 TCCON sites. We have compared the GOSAT‐TCCON XCO2 regression slope, standard deviation, correlation and determination coefficients, and global and station‐to‐station biases. The best agreements with TCCON measurements were detected for NIES 02.xx and RemoTeC. Next, the impact of atmospheric light scattering on XCO2 retrievals was estimated for each data product using scan by scan retrievals of light path modification with the photon path length probability density function (PPDF) method. After a cloud pre‐filtering test, approximately 25% of GOSAT soundings processed by NIES 02.xx, ACOS B2.9, and UoL‐FP: 3G and 35% processed by RemoTeC were found to be contaminated by atmospheric light scattering. This study suggests that NIES 02.xx and ACOS B2.9 algorithms tend to overestimate aerosol amounts over bright surfaces, resulting in an underestimation of XCO2 for GOSAT observations. Cross‐comparison between algorithms shows that ACOS B2.9 agrees best with NIES 02.xx and UoL‐FP: 3G while RemoTeC XCO2 retrievals are in a best agreement with NIES PPDF‐D.
Trade Credit: Suppliers as Debt Collectors and Insurance Providers

This article examines how in a context of limited enforceability of contracts suppliers may have a comparative advantage over banks in lending to customers because they are able to stop the supply of intermediate goods. Suppliers may act also as liquidity providers, insuring against liquidity shocks that could endanger the survival of their customer relationships. The relatively high implicit interest rates of trade credit are the result of insurance and default premiums that are amplified whenever suppliers face a relatively high cost of funds. I explore these effects empirically for a panel of UK firms.
Coupled fluid-flow and magnetic-field simulation of the Riga dynamo experiment

Magnetic fields of planets, stars, and galaxies result from self-excitation in moving electroconducting fluids, also known as the dynamo effect. This phenomenon was recently experimentally confirmed in the Riga dynamo experiment [ A. Gailitis et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 4365 (2000) ; A. Gailitis et al., Physics of Plasmas 11, 2838 (2004) ], consisting of a helical motion of sodium in a long pipe followed by a straight backflow in a surrounding annular passage, which provided adequate conditions for magnetic-field self-excitation. In this paper, a first attempt to simulate computationally the Riga experiment is reported. The velocity and turbulence fields are modeled by a finite-volume Navier-Stokes solver using a Reynolds-averaged-Navier-Stokes turbulence model. The magnetic field is computed by an Adams-Bashforth finite-difference solver. The coupling of the two computational codes, although performed sequentially, provides an improved understanding of the interaction between the fluid velocity and magnetic fields in the saturation regime of the Riga dynamo experiment under realistic working conditions.
Securities Trading by Banks and Credit Supply: Micro-Evidence

We analyze securities trading by banks during the crisis and the associated spillovers to the supply of credit. We use a proprietary data set that has the investments of banks at the security level for 2005–2012 in conjunction with the credit register from Germany. We find that—during the crisis—banks with higher trading expertise (trading banks) increase their investments in securities, especially in those that had a larger price drop, with the strongest impact in low-rated and long-term securities. Moreover, trading banks reduce their credit supply, and the credit crunch is binding at the firm level. All of the effects are more pronounced for trading banks with higher capital levels. Finally, banks use central bank liquidity and government subsidies like public recapitalization and implicit guarantees mainly to support trading of securities. Overall, our results suggest an externality arising from fire sales in securities markets on credit supply via the trading behavior of banks.
OXIDATIVE STRESS GENERATED BY CARCINOGENS IN SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE ALLOWS THEIR DETECTION WITH A SHORT-TERM TEST

Furfuryl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran and tert-butylhydroquinone are widely used in industry and preparation of human food. Although they are not detected in any short-term genotoxicity assay, their carcinogenic potential has been proved in long-term experiments with rodents. We found that furfuryl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran and tert-butylhydroquinone activate the mobility of Ty1 transposon in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells to positive values of the Ty1 transposition assay. This assay is a short-term test for detection of carcinogens based on induction the transposition of an oncogene-like Ty1 genetic element. Upon treatment with furfuryl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran or tert-butylhydroquinone the Ty1 transposition rate in tester cells increases in a concentration and time-dependent manner and the increased mobility is due to de novo Ty1 transposition. We also found that the studied carcinogens are powerful ROS generators in yeast cells and provide evidence for causality between the increase of ROS level and the activated mobility of Ty1 transposon. The oxidative stress raised by the carcinogens is modified by the intrinsic antioxidant properties we found for furfuryl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran and tertbutylhydroquinone using in vitro and in vivo assays for measuring antioxidant capacity. High in vitro and moderate in vivo antioxidant activities were determined showing that the studied carcinogens except being chemical reductors are also biological antioxidants able to modulate the redox state of S. cerevisiae cells. The consequences of the interplay between oxidative and antioxidant properties of furfuryl alcohol, tetrahydrofuran and tert-butylhydroquinone for cellular physiology are discussed.
Effectiveness of the reserve option mechanism as a macroeconomic prudential tool: evidence from Turkey

This article assesses the effectiveness of a novel macroprudential tool – the reserve option mechanism (ROM) – which Turkey’s central bank developed during the post-2008 period and has employed to control the risk associated with excessive capital flows. We assess how capital flows have affected economic variable changes since the introduction and usage of the ROM. Empirical evidence gathered from Turkey suggests that the tool decreases the effect of capital flow on capital flow (positive shock to capital flow dies out faster or becomes less persistent) and diminishes the effects of capital flow shocks on exchange and interest rates.
Cartridge-Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test ( Cbnaat ) For Diagnosis Of Pulmonary Tuberculosis In Hiv : Results From Madurai District , Tamilnadu

Background: Compared to sputum smear microscopy, which has limited utility among People Living with HIV(PLHIV) CBNAAT is able to detect more TB cases regardless of HIV status. Limited studies exist to study this in rural population. Methods: The study objective was to assess the proportion of CBNAAT being positive for mycobacterium tuberculosis and there in rifamycin sensitivity among the HIV infected patients attending Tuberculosis clinic at a tertiary care hospital (receiving huge rural population), at Madurai, Tamilnadu. The Demographic, and CBNAAT results data of all HIV infected patients attending Pulmonology Out patient clinic at Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai during the period between January 2017 to June 2017 were collected and analysed. Results: Data on a total of 428 patients was obtained from the period of January 2017 to June 2017, who fit into the inclusion criteria. Out of this total, 64%(n=272) were males. Among the total 428 patients, 56 patients(13%) were detected positive for mycobacterium tuberculosis. Gastric juice and FOB did not yield any positive results for TB in all positive, among the M.TB detected patients, 55 were sensitive to Rifampicin and only one patient was reported as resistance to Rifampicin. Conclusion: Fairly good proportion of M.TB detection is possible, when we use CBNAAT for detecting TB in HIV infected, even when the patients have with limited duration of respiratory symptoms -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Date of Submission: 08 -08-2017 Date of acceptance: 23-08-2017 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Job demands–resources: a gender perspective on employee well-being and resilience in retail stores in China

Abstract Organisational resilience can be promoted through human resource management (HRM) practices that enhance individual employees’ well-being and ability to cope with adversity. However, the extant literature tends to neglect the influence of gender on employee well-being and resilience. Shop floor employees in retail stores often undertake demanding roles, characterised by considerable pressure and low pay, and attendant high levels of employee turnover. Drawing on the job demands–resources model, by analysing data collected from 697 employees at foreign-invested retail stores in China, this paper found that workload and employee participation in decision-making had a similar impact on the well-being of both male and female employees. However, the impact of job security and emotional demands on employees differed by gender. This paper extends the job demands–resources model by articulating the influence of gender on employee well-being. Additionally, its empirical insights, drawn from an emerging economy context, enable a contribution to the literature on employee well-being and resilience. Relevant implications for HRM and resilience are discussed.
Bird communities in remnant woodland on the New England Tablelands, New South Wales

We provide a geographic and landscape context for ongoing studies on bird communities in eucalypt woodland remnants on the New England Tablelands, New South Wales. We draw together several surveys that have not been published in the scientific literature, and integrate them with previously published material. A total of 142 woodland bird species, including 12 threatened species, was recorded in remnant woodland in the area above 900 m elevation from 50 km SSE to 100 km NNW of Armidals. There was a positive relationship between remnant size and bird species richness. Woodland reserves >300 ha supported significantly more species than remnants <100 ha on private land. Intensively surveyed reserves also had more species than remnants surveyed more casually. Threatened and other declining species occurred mainly in medium-sized (100-300 ha) and large reserves; foraging guilds of small to medium-sized, ground and above-ground insectivores were impoverished in degraded medium-sized and small remnants on private land. Almost the full range of woodland bird species was found at one or more sites, indicating their conservation value. However, some species were found in few sites or were only vagrants at a site. Active management will be needed to retain the current diversity of bird species in such heavily cleared landscapes.
Corporate Governance and the Determinants of Investment

We use investment-cash flow regressions to show that both asymmetric-information and agency problems are more severe in Continental Europe than in the Anglo-Saxon countries leading to too little investment by firms with attractive investment opportunities and too much by those with poor investment opportunities. Legal systems, accounting standards, and ownership structure systematically affect the investment-cash flow sensitivity. Cash flow coefficients are largest for family-controlled firms in Europe.