Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Potential shielding by the surface water layer in Kelvin probe force microscopy

Kelvin probe force microscopy (KFM) was applied to two-dimensional profiling of silicon pn-structures covered with a 2 nm-thick oxide layer. The surface potential contrast between the p- and n-type regions depended on the hydrophobicity of the oxide surface when KFM imaging was conducted in air with a relative humidity of more than 50%. By decreasing the density of surface hydroxyl groups on the oxide layer through thermal annealing, the potential contrast between the p- and n-type regions increased. While there was no detectable contrast on samples covered with hydrophilic oxide with a water contact angle of almost 0°, contrast increased to greater than 50 mV on the samples covered with hydrophobic oxide with a water contact angle of about 80°. However, when KFM imaging was conducted in a dry nitrogen atmosphere with relative humidity less than 0.6%, a clear potential contrast of about 50 mV could be acquired even on samples covered with the hydrophilic oxide layer. Since samples with less adsorbed water.
Landslide Susceptibility Mapping Using Statistical Methods along the Asian Highway, Bhutan

In areas prone to frequent landslides, the use of landslide susceptibility maps can greatly aid in the decision-making process of the socio-economic development plans of the area. Landslide susceptibility maps are generally developed using statistical methods and geographic information systems. In the present study, landslide susceptibility along road corridors was considered, since the anthropogenic impacts along a road in a mountainous country remain uniform and are mainly due to road construction. Therefore, we generated landslide susceptibility maps along 80.9 km of the Asian Highway (AH48) in Bhutan using the information value, weight of evidence, and logistic regression methods. These methods have been used independently by some researchers to produce landslide susceptibility maps, but no comparative analysis of these methods with a focus on road corridors is available. The factors contributing to landslides considered in the study are land cover, lithology, elevation, proximity to roads, drainage, and fault lines, aspect, and slope angle. The validation of the method performance was carried out by using the area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic on training and control samples. The area under the curve values of the control samples were 0.883, 0.882, and 0.88 for the information value, weight of evidence, and logistic regression models, respectively, which indicates that all models were capable of producing reliable landslide susceptibility maps. In addition, when overlaid on the generated landslide susceptibility maps, 89.3%, 85.6%, and 72.2% of the control landslide samples were found to be in higher-susceptibility areas for the information value, weight of evidence, and logistic regression methods, respectively. From these findings, we conclude that the information value method has a better predictive performance than the other methods used in the present study. The landslide susceptibility maps produced in the study could be useful to road engineers in planning landslide prevention and mitigation works along the highway.
Persistence of perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and cocksfoot following sequential annual sowings: pasture yield, composition and density in three establishment years under cattle grazing in Waikato

Persistence is an important component of perennial pasture-grass productivity. Defining the traits that affect persistence is essential for improving pasture longevity through plant breeding and for identifying criteria that should be included in cultivar ranking indices. Compared with a conventional longitudinal study (a single study monitored over time), repeated annual sowings allow the effects on persistence of sowing year and the ensuing interactions between environment and age of pasture to be identified. An experiment commenced in 2016 in Waikato, in which eight cultivars of perennial ryegrass representing different ploidy, flowering date, and cultivar age, and one each of tall fescue and cocksfoot were sown each autumn in a randomised complete block design with four replicates in autumn 2016, spring 2017 and autumn 2018. This paper reports interim data on pasture yield, composition and density in the autumn following each sowing, and for the 2018 sowing only, in the 6 months after sowing. For the three successive autumn measurements there were significant effects due to cultivar, year of sowing and their interactions for all pasture variables. These differences in establishment may have consequences for the future resilience of these pastures under natural biotic and abiotic stressors.
Intraseasonal Hydrographic Variations and Nearshore Carbonates System Off Northern Chile During the 2015 El Niño Event

Little is known on the El Niño‐related impacts affecting the CO2 dynamic and fluxes in productive Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems (EBUS). Through 35 oceanographic campaigns conducted between January 2015 and April 2016 in the Humboldt EBUS (23°S), intraseasonal (i.e., daily‐to‐bimonthly) hydrographic variations and nearshore changes in surface carbonates system were assessed during the 2015 El Niño event. Collected hydrographic and carbonates system data (sea surface temperature (SST), subsurface temperature, salinity, oxygen, chlorophyll a, pH, total alkalinity (AT) and pCO2), were analyzed and interpreted considering local (i.e., satellite winds and tide gauge sea level) and remote (i.e., equatorial Kelvin waves) forcing. Permanent alongshore wind conditions prompted a relatively deep mixed layer favoring elevated acidity (7.8–7.9 pHT) and CO2 saturated (>450 μatm) conditions throughout most of the study period. Between austral summer‐fall and fall‐winter transitions, intermittent warm events increased water temperature (SST) above the long‐term climatological state (2000–2010), and gave rise to high acidity‐warm conditions. However, despite warm water particularly high in salinity (>35) and AT (>2,300 μmol kg−1) associated with downwelling Kelvin waves activity observed during the developing phase of the 2015 El Niño event, phytoplankton production and CO2 uptake were favored because of the maintenance of mean upwelling conditions. These results are discussed in terms of data limitations, coastal processes adding variability to carbonates system variability, and requirements for a better understanding of hydrographic forcing and responses in the Humboldt EBUS.
Discovering Turkish Generation-Z in the Context of Educational Technology

The main aim of this study was to investigate the new generation in order to identify their distinctive characteristics considering their everyday technology use during their lifespan. The secondary aim was to examine the needs of individuals in the Generation-Z in educational environments equipped with technology. A mixed-method research design was utilized. Data were collected by the New Generation Characteristics Scale (NGCS), and by an interview form. The participants of this study were 882 university students. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential techniques, and the qualitative data using content analysis. As a result, participants’ internet and social media use frequency was found to be related with their NGCS scores. Internet use from childhood was also found to be an important characteristic for Generation-Z. On the other hand, socio economical statuses were not effective in identifying Generation-Z members. In addition, it was seen that interactive technological applications should be included in the courses in which students can work in collaboration. The students preferred interactive technologies and applications, supporting multitasking features of Generation-Z. In addition, the students wanted to see the availability of more flexible environments, such as online discussions and access to materials outside the classroom. In this study, Generation-Z was more open to cooperation, and they had higher communication skills, which is consistent with previous research.
Internationally Educated Nurses and the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses: A Qualitative Test Validation Study of Test-Taker Accounts

This qualitative validation study examines sixteen Internationally Educated Nurses’ (IENs’) accounts of the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN) at two testing centres (Toronto and Hamilton). This study adopts both focus groups and one-on-one interviews to investigate the inferences drawn from the test, and its consequences. Focus groups and interviews were conducted using an adapted interview guide utilized in the TOEFL iBT investigation of test-taker accounts of construct representation and construct irrelevant variance (DeLuca et al., 2013). While construct representation describes the degree of authenticity in the presentation of Canadian English language nursing tasks, construct irrelevant variance refers to potential factors impacting the test-taking experience which might contribute to a score variance that was not reflective of test-taker knowledge of the testing constructs (Messick, 1989, 1991, 1996). In this study, test-taker accounts of construct representation and construct irrelevant variance constituted the data which were coded and analyzed abductively via the sensitizing concepts derived from DeLuca et al., and Cheng and DeLuca (2011) on examining test-takers’ experience and their contribution to validity. Seven themes emerged, answering four research questions: How do IENs characterize their test experience? How do IENs describe the assessment constructs? What, if any, sources of Construct Irrelevant Variance (CIV) do IENs describe? Do IENs feel the language tasks are authentic? Overall, participants reported positive experiences with the CELBAN, while identifying some possible sources of CIV. Given the CELBAN’s widespread use for high-stakes decisions (a component of nursing certification and licensure), further research of IEN-test-taker responses to construct representation and construct irrelevant variance will remain critical to our understanding of the role of language competency testing for IENs.
An exploratory study of teacher buoyancy

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is threefold. Firstly, a new concept, teacher buoyancy, is introduced. Based on the significance to study how teachers bounce back from minor and frequent setbacks (vs. major adversities emphasized in resilience) in their daily work and the research on buoyancy by Martin and Marsh, a dual-component framework to conceptualize this new concept is introduced. Secondly, the development of a new instrument, the Teacher Buoyancy Scale (TBS), to measure it is presented. Thirdly, results of a study using the TBS are reported, which provide insights into how teacher buoyancy can be fostered.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a quantitative design. A total of 258 teachers taking a part-time initial teacher education (ITE) program completed the TBS. Their responses were analyzed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA). In addition to descriptive statistics and reliability coefficients, Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to examine the relationship among the factors.FindingsThe data analysis indicated five factors, namely, Coping with difficulties, Bouncing back cognitively and emotionally, Working hard and appraising difficulties positively, Caring for one's well-being and Striving for professional growth. These factors can be readily interpreted by the dual-component framework. Correlations among the factors further revealed that enabling factors can be subdivided into more proximal personal strengths relating to direct coping, and more distal personal assets pertaining to personal well-being. It is the latter that correlates most highly with perceived teacher buoyancy.Originality/valueThe most original contribution of this paper is the proposal of the new concept of teacher buoyancy which is teachers' capacity to deal with the everyday challenges that most teachers face in their teaching. The delineation between buoyancy and resilience sharpens the focus of the problem domain that is most relevant to teachers. The development of the TBS provides a useful and reliable instrument to examine teacher buoyancy in future studies.
L-carnitine ameliorates immune-metabolic response and improves antioxidant status in goats with pregnancy toxemia

According to the literature, there have been limited studies describing the efficacy of L-carnitine (LC) administration in goats. The present study was designed to evaluate the influence of orally administered LC on some immunemetabolic variables, as well as the redox status in goats with experimentally induced pregnancy toxemia (PT). The study included eighteen clinically healthy Baladi goats at 110 ± 5 days of gestation. The animals were randomly allocated into three equally-sized groups: control, toxemic (PT), and toxemic treated with LC (TLC). On day 110 ± 5 of gestation, the goats in the TLC group received 10 mL of LC given as an oral drench once daily. Administration of LC was continued for 20 consecutive days. At day 130 of gestation, PT was experimentally induced in the animals of the PT and TLC groups by means of feed withdrawal for 72 hours. For biochemical analyses, blood samples were collected from each investigated doe via jugular vein puncture before PT induction (T0), and once daily for five consecutive days (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5). The clinical findings of PT appeared in all the goats of the PT group after 72 hours of feed withdrawal, while the goats of the TLC group did not show any clinical symptoms throughout the study period. Administration of LC elicited initial and sustained low serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and high serum glucose, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and interleukin (IL)-10 at T0 compared with those of the control and PT groups. At T3, goats that received LC showed significantly lower values of β-hydroxybutyric acid, non-esterified fatty acid, triacylglycerols, MDA, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and higher values of total cholesterol, glutathione peroxidase, SOD, and IL-10 than those of the PT group. Our data suggest that orally administered LC could be useful in ameliorating the immune status and improving lipid metabolism in goats with PT. key words: pregnancy toxemia; L-carnitine; cytokine; oxidative stress _____________________________________________________________________________________________ DOI: 10.24099/vet.arhiv. 0706
Psychometric Properties of the Adult Self-Report: Data from over 11,000 American Adults

The first purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure of the Adult Self-Report (ASR) via traditional confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and contemporary exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). The second purpose was to examine the measurement invariance of the ASR subscales across age groups. We used baseline data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. ASR data from 11,773 participants were used to conduct the CFA and ESEM analyses and data from 11,678 participants were used to conduct measurement invariance testing. Fit indices supported both the CFA and ESEM solutions, with the ESEM solution yielding better fit indices. However, several items in the ESEM solution did not sufficiently load on their intended factors and/or cross-loaded on unintended factors. Results from the measurement invariance analysis suggested that the ASR subscales are robust and fully invariant across subgroups of adults formed on the basis of age (18–35 years vs. 36–59 years). Future research should seek to both CFA and ESEM to provide a more comprehensive assessment of the ASR.
Epimeric phenylpropanoid glycosides from inner bark of Paulownia coreana Uyeki

Abstract Three epimeric phenylpropanoid glycosides have been isolated from the aqueous acetone extract of Paulownia coreana inner bark. One compound is new and its structure has been established by spectroscopic methods as R,S-7″′-(3″′,4″′-dihydroxyphenyl)-ethyl-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1″→3′)-β-D-(6′-O-caffeoyl)-glucopyranoside.
Ab Initio Study of the Effect of Mono-Vacancies on the Metastability of Ga-Stabilized δ-Pu

Most experimental studies on metallic Pu are on the room temperature monoclinic α-phase or the fcc Ga stabilized δ-phase. Stabilized δ-phase Pu-Ga alloys are metastable and exhibit a martensitic phase transformation to α’-phase at low temperatures, or applied shear, with concentrations lower than three atomic percent Ga. By using first principles, we explore the metastability of δ-phase by investigating the structural and electronic behavior induced by Ga alloying and by a mono-vacancy point defect. We find that a site substitutional Ga induces a tetragonal distortion in the lattice affected by hybridization of Ga 4p and Pu 6d states. With the addition of a mono-vacancy, a monoclinic or tetragonal distortion forms locally (dependent on its distance from Ga), and decoupling of the Pu 5f and 6d states and broadening of the 6d states occurs. This response enables hybridization of Pu 6d with the Ga 4p states affecting the mono-vacancy formation energy. Thus, stabilization of the fcc lattice correlates with hybridization of Pu 6d states with Ga 4p states, and this becomes more evident in the presence of a mono-vacancy.
Exploring preferences and sustainable attitudes of Airbnb green users in the review comments and ratings: a text mining approach

Abstract The sharing economy platforms for accommodation have emerged as a disruptive model that has revolutionized the tourist lodging sector and modified tourist consumption patterns. Airbnb is the paradigm of this business model, with approximately 300 million users and more than 7 million listings worldwide. However, studies that have attempted to explore the consumer experiences of green Airbnb users are still scarce, especially those using big data approaches. The present study explores the preferences and attitudes of green Airbnb users by analyzing the online review published in Inside Airbnb using text mining and sentiment analysis. Findings reveal six latent aspects among which the “sustainability” predominates in the online opinions of green Airbnb users, situating sustainability in relation to the most positive emotion of the Plutchik model. Moreover, the results of the analysis suggest a positivity bias in the online reviews of green Airbnb users. Managerial implications for sustainability, consumer behavior management, and marketing fields are discussed.
Pathogen Dynamics across the Diversity of Aging

Reproduction, mortality, and immune function often change with age but do not invariably deteriorate. Across the tree of life, there is extensive variation in age-specific performance and changes to key life-history traits. These changes occur on a spectrum from classic senescence, where performance declines with age, to juvenescence, where performance improves with age. Reproduction, mortality, and immune function are also important factors influencing the spread of infectious disease, yet there exists no comprehensive investigation into how the aging spectrum of these traits impacts epidemics. We used a model laboratory infection system to compile an aging profile of a single organism, including traits directly linked to pathogen susceptibility and those that should indirectly alter pathogen transmission by influencing demography. We then developed generalizable epidemiological models demonstrating that different patterns of aging produce dramatically different transmission landscapes: in many cases, aging can reduce the probability of epidemics, but it can also promote severity. This work provides context and tools for use across taxa by empiricists, demographers, and epidemiologists, advancing our ability to accurately predict factors contributing to epidemics or the potential repercussions of senescence manipulation.
Effect of Reduced Atmospheric Pressure on a Diffusional Sampler

All diffusional samplers use the laws of gas diffusion as the basis for the assumption that there is no change in sampling efficiency due to changes in pressure. The objective of this study was to examine experimentally the effect of atmospheric pressure on the collection efficiency of a simple diffusional sampler. The results indicate that the sampler efficiency is actually dependent on atmospheric pressure, with a decrease in efficiency with each decrease in pressure. While this loss in efficiency would be very significant at great altitudes, the loss is less than 7% at 18 000 feet, which would include any altitude likely to be sampled in industrial hygienic practice. This makes a pressure correction unnecessary at or near the earth's surface, but the requirement for correction increases markedly as pressure is greatly reduced. It was also shown that, for a diffusion path of constant diameter, the shorter the path length, the greater the effect of pressure on collection efficiency.
On the instability of Ekman boundary‐layer flow over a rough disk with a wavy surface profile

We apply the method of lines and the backward difference method to solve highly nonlinear governing mean flow equations of the Ekman boundary‐layer flow over a rough disk with a wavy surface profile. These equations are derived using the YHP roughness model that imposes a wavy surface profile in terms of the radial position r, assuming rotational symmetry. Our main interest is to determine the effect of roughness on the local linear convective instability of the Ekman flow, and we solve the local linear stability equations of the disturbances stationary relative to the disk using the Chebyshev polynomials. The crossflow and viscous types of instability modes, the Type I and Type II modes respectively, are analyzed. Our theoretical findings prompts that an adequately designed rough disk can be a useful tool for a passive flow‐control method for the Ekman flow. The underlying physical mechanisms are investigated applying a fundamental energy analysis.
Modernización de la educación virtual y su incidencia en el contexto de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC)

This article intends to carry out a reflective exercise around the modernization of virtual education and its incidence in the context of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). For such purpose, a group of ideas is presented, first taking as a referent the modernization of education in Colombia as a contribution of virtuality. In a second section, the need for an educational reform in the digital age is reflexively addressed, as education needs a change given the influence of ICTs and especially the internet. Finally, there are challenges and possibilities that ICTs face in order to address educational processes.