Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heat and Mass Transfer Through a Porous Media of MHD Flow of Nanofluids with Thermal Radiation, Viscous Dissipation and Chemical Reaction Effects

The flow problem presented in the paper is a study on boundary layer flow of a nanofluid through a porous medium subjected to a magnetic field, thermal radiation, viscous dissipation and chemical reaction effects. The effects of porosity, thermal radiation, magnetic field, viscous dissipation and chemical reaction to the flow field were thoroughly explained for various values of the governing parameters. Copper (Cu) and Alumina ( ) water nanofluids were considered. The partial differential equations appearing in the governing equations of the problem were transformed into a couple of nonlinear ordinary differential equations with the help of similarity transformations. The transformed equations were solved numerically by the Keller Box method. For selected values of the parameters involved in the governing equations like nanofluid volume fraction ∅, the porous medium parameter , magnetic parameter , Eckert number , Schmidt number , Soret number , thermal radiative parameter and chemical reaction parameter , numerical results of velocity field, temperature distribution, concentration, Skin friction coefficient, Nusselt number and Sherwood number were obtained. The results were analysed and discussed with the help of graphs and tables. Comparisons with previously published works were performed and they are found in excellent agreement. Original Research Article American Chemical Science Journal, 4(6): 828-846, 2014 829 keywords: Heat and mass transfer; MHD flow; nanofluids; porous media; thermal radiation; viscous dissipation; chemical reaction.
Enhancing Student Interest to Promote Learning in Science: The Case of the Concept of Energy

This paper presents an intervention aiming to promote students’ learning by enhancing their interest in the concept of energy. Junior high school students’ learning and interest is evaluated after engaging in activities on work and energy. The intervention integrated hands-on and simulated experiments included a structured series of guided investigative tasks and whole-class discussions. The intervention was delivered to an experimental group consisting of 110 junior high school students. The control group consisted of 96 students of the same grade level, where students were taught about energy in the traditional sense, i.e., via the standard textbook. Written tests were then handed to all students to assess their learning outcomes. The results showed that the learning outcomes of students in the experimental group were significantly better than those of students in the control group. A notable increase in interest from students in the experimental group compared to that of the control group was also observed. Findings also showed a significant positive correlation between interest and academic achievement. This study reconfirms that enhancing interest could lead to better learning outcomes and its evidence-based methodology can be equally applied when introducing students to other difficult concepts of science.
Metacommunity resilience against simulated gradients of wildfire: disturbance intensity and species dispersal ability determine landscape recover capacity

effect of size and intensity. These results not only illustrate the mechanisms shaping the studied metacommunity but also more generally stress the strong role of metacommunity mechanisms and landscape structure in biodiversity resilience. Finally, this study highlights the importance of using theoretical approaches rooted in empirical data to determine metacommunity dynamics and the need to preserve and build connected and heterogeneous landscapes to address future disturbance scenarios.
In situ High-Temperature Experiments

When Frank Hawthorne (1988) edited the Reviews in Mineralogy volume on “Spectroscopic Methods in Mineralogy and Geology,” all the experiments presented had been performed at room pressure and room temperature because, at that time, vibrational and X-ray techniques were already quite difficult at ambient conditions so more sophisticated sample environments were not a priority. However, it has now become somewhat easier to perform experiments in situ at high temperatures (HT), high pressures (HP) or under combined high temperature and pressure (HP-HT). These types of experiments are becoming routine on crystals, glasses and liquids (see Shen and Wang 2014, this volume). High-temperature experiments are important because most of the physical properties of high-temperature liquids, such as magmas and melts, are related to their atomic structure. Consequently, it is important to probe the local environment of the atoms in the sample under the conditions noted above (e.g., HT). However, at very high temperatures (~≥ 1200 °C) it is difficult to use conventional furnaces because of a number of experimental difficulties associated with their use: temperature regulation, thermal inertia and spatial obstruction of the sample. Due to the progress made in the development of lasers and X-ray, neutron and magnetic sources it is now possible to perform experiments in situ at HT, HP and HT-HP on samples of millimeter or micron size. In this chapter, we discuss some of these noncommercial methods used in performing experiments at HT, and outline the best choices for heating systems with regard to the experimental requirements. Different commercial heating systems are available such as the systems available from Linkam® ( http://www.linkam.co.uk/ ) or Leica® ( http://www.leica-microsystems.com/ ) for example. These two systems are well adapted to performing experiments at HT including Raman (Neuville et al. 2014, this volume) and IR spectroscopy (Della Ventura et al. 2014, this volume) …
Theory of photo-injection of hot plasmonic carriers in metal-semiconductor nanostructures

We investigate theoretically the effect of injection of plasmonic carriers from an optically-excited metal nanocrystal to a semiconductor contact or to attached molecules. The distributions of optically-excited hot carriers are dramatically different in metal nanocrystals with large and small sizes. In large nanocrystals, most carriers have very small energies and the hot carrier distribution resembles the case of a plasmon wave in bulk. In nanocrystals smaller than 20nm, the carrier distribution extends to larger energies and occupies the whole region E_{F}<E<omega. The physical reason for the above behaviors is non-conservation of momentum in a nanocrystal. Because of the above properties, nanocrystals of small sizes are most suitable for designing of opto-electronic and photosynthetic devices based on injection of plasmonic electrons and holes. The central parameter of the problem is DeltaN=omega/q_{L}*v_{F}, where q_{L} is the momentum transfer and v_{F} is the Fermi velocity. In gold nanocrystals, when DeltaN<7, the high-energy hot-electron generation is efficient. For larger parameters DeltaN, the number of high-energy electrons is greatly reduced. Another important factor is the polarization of the exciting light. For efficient excitation of carriers with high energies, the electric-field polarization vector should be perpendicular to a prism-like nanoantenna (slab or platelet) with a small width ~ 10-20 nm. We also show the relation between our theory for injection in plasmonic nanocrystals and the Fowler theory of injection from a bulk metal. Along with a prism geometry (or platelet geometry), we consider cubes. The results can be applied to design both purely solid-state opto-electronic devices and systems for photo-catalysis and solar conversion.
Phoenix Dactylifera L. Date Fruit By-products Outgoing and Potential Novel Trends of Phytochemical, Nutritive and Medicinal Merits

ABSTRACT Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L., Arecaceae) is a valuable fruit tree for many populations living in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, and the Middle East, and to play significant role in its economy. Asides from its well-known edible fruit, date palm tree also provides numerous by-products which have yet to be fully capitalized upon commercially. All parts of the date palm tree are of value to include: seeds (pits and oil), date pollen and the leaves. Date palm seed is a by-product of the fruit industry being discarded, and used as animal feed or for human consumption as non-caffeinated coffee. Date pollen is used traditionally for the treatment of infertility. This review aims to introduce a holistic overview on the phytochemical composition, nutritional, economical and potential health benefits of date by-products. Prioritization of date palm by-products for a desired added value or production of certain economically valued products is presented.
Impact of Obeticholic acid Exposure on Decompensation and Mortality in Primary Biliary Cholangitis and Cirrhosis

Obeticholic acid (OCA) is approved for the treatment of patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) who are partial responders or intolerant to ursodeoxycholic acid. Reports of serious liver injury have raised concerns about its safety in cirrhosis. We investigated the effects of treatment with OCA on hepatic decompensation and liver‐related mortality or transplantation in a cohort with compensated PBC cirrhosis. This was a retrospective cohort study using national data of US veterans with PBC and cirrhosis. We performed a propensity score model using variables associated with OCA prescription to control for baseline risk of decompensation. New OCA users were matched to nonusers. We identified 509 subjects with compensated PBC cirrhosis. We developed a propensity score model using variables associated with OCA prescription; 21 OCA users were matched with 84 nonusers. Over 569 and 3,847 person‐months, respectively, of follow‐up, 5 (23.8%) OCA users and 22 (26.2%) OCA nonusers decompensated. The C‐statistic of the propensity score model was 0.87. On multivariable analysis, after adjusting for potential confounders, OCA use was associated with an increased risk of hepatic decompensation (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.33‐11.57; P = 0.01). There was no association between OCA use and liver‐related mortality or transplantation (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 0.35‐5.21; P = 0.66). Conclusion: OCA use was associated with an increase in hepatic decompensation but not liver‐related mortality or transplantation in patients with compensated PBC cirrhosis. Additional studies are recommended to prospectively investigate these findings.
The Impact of Peer Feedback on EFL Learners’ Writing Performance and Writing Anxiety

The present study aimed at investigating the effect of peer feedback (PF) on EFL learners’ writing performance and writing anxiety. To this end, two intact classes including 48 intermediate EFL learners were selected and assigned into two groups of experimental and control (24 learners in each). This study had a quasi-experimental design including pre-test, treatment, and post-test to assess the students’ overall writing performance before and after the PF sessions. For data collection, the researchers used pre-test, post-test, 7 writing topics, and Cheng’s (2004) Second Language Writing Anxiety Inventory (SLWAI). The results of paired sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U Test revealed that the experimental group outperformed the control group due to the implementation of PF. Moreover, the researchers conducted Cheng’s SLWAI questionnaire at the end of the study. The findings indicated that the anxiety level of the experimental group receiving PF decreased to a significant extent. The implications are discussed in terms of writing instructors’ use of PF into writing classes to make the environment safer and more comfortable for the language learners to flourish their ideas.
Dual careers and academic achievements: does elite sport make a difference?

ABSTRACT In the literature on Dual Careers (DC) there has been an ongoing debate on whether there is a trade-off between being an elite athlete and achieving academically. Is the time needed to compete at the highest level a barrier to academic achievement? Or can knowledge and expertise obtained from an elite sporting career be transferred into academic performance? In this paper, we aim to answer these questions using a unique database on talented young athletes enrolled in the Danish high-performance program covering the period from 2010 to 2019. Comparing high school graduation grades from a full national sample of non-athlete high school students and elite athletes who also attend high school – and controlling for relevant covariates – our results suggest that student-athletes perform better than their fellow students who are not engaged in elite sport. We also test whether DC support initiatives make a difference in this regard. Results and implications of the study are discussed.
Divergent responses of biomass accumulation and its allocation to the altered precipitation regimes among different degraded grasslands in China

Purpose Climate models predict shifts in precipitation patterns characterized by increased precipitation amount and decreased frequency for semi-arid grasslands in northeast China. However, under these novel climatic conditions, potential differences in plant biomass and its allocation among different degraded grasslands remain unclear.Methods We conducted a mesocosm experiment to test the effects of higher precipitation amount (increased by 50% from the long-term mean) and lower frequency (decreased by 50%) on plant biomass and allocation in the lightly degraded (LDG), moderately degraded (MDG), and severely degraded grasslands (SDG). Results Lower precipitation frequency promoted belowground biomass (BGB), while reducing aboveground biomass (AGB) allocation through enhancing soil water variability. Higher precipitation amount enhanced AGB in LDG and MDG, but not in SDG due to less soil inorganic nitrogen. Lower precipitation frequency weakened the positive effects of higher precipitation amount on biomass. Under altered precipitation, adjustment of AGB vs. BGB allocation was the primary biomass allocation strategy in LDG and SDG. However, to maintain water acquirement, plants in MDG preferred to adjust root vertical distribution, and allocated more roots to the deep soil layer where had a relatively stable water source. This strategy was driven by the changes in plant community composition of the dominant species in MDG.Conclusions The findings of this research emphasized the importance of considering the degradation level of grasslands when predicting the responses of the ecosystem functions to the projected changes in precipitation regime. These findings are critical for making feasible decisions for the sustainable management of degraded grasslands.
Bending and Unbending of Tools by New Caledonian Crows (Corvus Moneduloides) in a Problem-Solving Context

New Caledonian crows (NCCs) are proficient tool manufacturers and flexible problem solvers. A study reporting innovative hook bending by a captive individual in 2002 (Weir et al., 2002), has since been cited as a remarkable case of causal reasoning in animals. Recently, however, tool bending has been found to form part of the species’ natural behavioral repertoire. Yet, further studies examining the flexibility of this behavior in controlled novel problem-solving contexts are lacking. We tested 17 captive NCCs, in one tool bending and three unbending problem-solving experiments. In the first study, two groups of five subjects were trained to select inflexible straight or hooked tools respectively for retrieving food from an apparatus. In the subsequent test, the crows were supplied with the wrong, but now pliable, type of tool. Three subjects made hooks while one subject straightened tools consistently. In the second study, 13 subjects, including five from Study 1, were tested. Ten subjects received an unbending task with a Z-shaped tool without prior training. Both angles needed to be straightened for the tool to become sufficiently long for reward retrieval. Four subjects solved the task at least once, and two did so consistently. Eight subjects, including the previous solvers, were challenged with yet another apparatus, requiring novel unbending behavior. One crow succeeded in both unbending tasks consistently. Our results show that NCCs can flexibly bend or unbend pliant material to create tools for solving novel tasks. The underlying cognitive mechanisms seemingly varied across individuals although trial-and-error learning prevailed.
Fault-Tolerant Active Disturbance Rejection Control of Plant Protection of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Based on a Spatio-Temporal RBF Neural Network

This paper presents a fault-tolerant flight control method for a multi-rotor UAV under actuator failure and external wind disturbances. The control method is based on an active disturbance rejection controller (ADRC) and spatio-temporal radial basis function neural networks, which can be used to achieve the stable control of the system when the parameters of the UAV mathematical model change. Firstly, an active disturbance rejection controller with an optimized parameter design is designed for rthe obust control of a multi-rotor vehicle. Secondly, a spatio-temporal radial basis function neural network with a new adaptive kernel is designed. In addition, the output of the novel radial basis function neural network is used to estimate fusion parameters containing actuator faults and model uncertainties and, consequently, to design an active fault-tolerant controller for a multi-rotor vehicle. Finally, fault injection experiments are carried out with the Qball-X4 quadrotor UAV as a specific research object, and the experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed self-tolerant, fault-tolerant control method.
GROWTH, NUTRIENT STATUS AND YIELD OF LE-CONTE PEAR TREES AS INFLUENCED BY SOME ORGANIC AND BIOFERTILIZER RATES COMPARED WITH CHEMICAL FERTILIZER

This investigation was carried out during the 2006 and 2007 growing seasons on a 3 year old Le-Conte pear trees (Pyrus communis L. X Pyrus pyrifolia N. ) grafted on Pyrus betulaefolia rootstock and planted at 5 × 5 meters apart (169 trees / faddan ) in sandy soil under drip irrigation system, at El-Kassasien Horticultural Research Station, Ismailia Governorate. One source of organic fertilizers (compost) plus natural rocks (rock phosphate + feldspare), with or without biofertilizers (phosphorein and biogein) plus humic acid plus compost tea, were compared with chemical fertilization. Application of compost with biofertilizers plus humic acid plus compost tea gave a better effect on all vegetative characteristics (growth rate of trunk diameter, shoot diameter, shoot length, number of leaves per shoot and leaf area) and chemical leaf constituents (leaf pigments, macro and micro elements, total carbohydrates, C/N ratio, protein contents) and yield compared to other organic treatments. Also vegetative growth, nutritional status and yield were significantly increased from the first till the second season indicating the accumulation effect of organic manure plus biofertilizers plus humic acid plus compost tea. Chemical fertilizer gave the highest vegetative and yield characteristics and leaf chemical contents compared to all organic rates with or without biofertilizers, humic acid and compost tea in the two seasons of study.
Effects of Ant (Formica subsericea) Nest Development on Physical and Hydrological Properties in a Coarse-Textured Soil

Abstract Ants may compose a large portion of the total biomass in an ecosystem and can play a significant role in soil turnover and nutrient cycling. Monitoring ant nest architecture and growth in the field can be difficult because of the destructive nature of casting ant nests. To examine nest effects on soil hydrology during different stages of development, 828 Formica subsericea workers were placed in each of two large (1.0 × 1.0 × 0.1 m) formicaria and allowed to excavate for 82 days in a coarse-textured soil collected from the field. Photographs and transparencies were used to record nest structure for five different time steps during development. After the fifth time step on Day 82, the nest was cast with dental plaster and the formicarium media were sampled. The development of the nest was associated with an increase in saturated conductivity of the soil. Backfilled entrances and vertical galleries contributed to decreasing saturated conductivity as worker numbers declined toward the end of the experiment. The presence of nests was associated with an increase in water flux through the soil material, although the effect was not as dramatic as in soils with a naturally lower saturated hydraulic conductivity.
Repurposing NASVAC, a hepatitis B therapeutic vaccine, for pre- and postexposure prophylaxis of SARS-CoV-2 infection

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the subsequent coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) have led to tens of millions of cases and millions of deaths around the world. Although more than a year has passed since the emergence of COVID-19, more waves of the pandemic, with new variants of the deadly virus, have been reported. It seems that the virus will continue to infect people for years or decades to come and thus lead to more illnesses and deaths. The experiences last year regarding limiting the transmission of the virus indicate that one or more traditional methods of containment may not be effective; further, even vaccination may not give immunity to society. On the other hand, eliminating the virus using drugs capable of eradicating SARS-CoV-2 from the infected host may not be an achievable goal. Based on these realities and after exploring the mechanism underlying the acquisition of the virus and pathogenesis of COVID-19, we assumed that immune therapy may be a practical option for the containment of SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we repurposed an immune modulator containing two antigens of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) (termed NASVAC, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, CIGB, Havana, Cuba), to gain insight into its role against SARS-CoV-2. NASVAC induced cytokines of innate immunity following nasal administration and prevented all 20 volunteers from being diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 during the two weeks of usage. Four volunteers were infected with SARS-CoV-2 two weeks after the end of NASVAC administration; three of them showed almost no symptoms and recovered without any intervention, and one with several comorbidities attended a hospital for four days and recovered completely. In conclusion, the administration of NASVAC to subjects at risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection was safe. The pattern of cytokine responses and absence of infection or mild COVID-19 infection of the subjects involved in the study are preliminary evidence indicating that this product may prevent or suppress SARS-CoV-2 infection at the initial stages of SARS-CoV-2 acquisition and/or replication and deserve further exploratory trials to confirm the capacity of NASVAC as pre/postexposure prophylaxis or pre-emptive therapy in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection.