Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in Properties of Composting Rice Husk and Their Effects on Soil and Cocoa Growth

The worldwide production of rice husk, a by‐product and agrowaste that causes serious environmental problems, may reach 116 million t y−1. The objectives of this study were (i) to determine the physicochemical changes of rice husk and its structural chemistry during composting using 13carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR) and (ii) to determine the effect of the composted rice husk (CRH) on the properties of Oxisol and cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) growth under glasshouse conditions. Results showed an active composting phase occurred at the first 53 days as revealed by high carbon dioxide (CO2)‐C (40–71 µg g−1 h−1) production, followed by a matured composting phase occurring at 54–116 days as revealed by decreasing in CO2‐C production (10 µg g−1 h−1). The active composting was accompanied by increases in electrical conductivity (EC), pH, ammonium (NH4 +), and nitrate (NO3), whereas during the matured composting phase, the EC and cation exchange capacity increased but pH, NH4 +, and NO3 −1 decreased. The ash of the produced compost contains mainly calcium (Ca), potassium (K), sulfur (S), magnesium (Mg), and phosphorus (P) as essential nutrients. The CP/MAS 13C NMR spectra before and after various composting times indicated the dominance of sharp and well‐resolved signal peaks at O‐alkyl C and di‐O‐alkyl C regions (67–73%), which are characteristic of cellulose. The percentage of N‐alky/methoxyl was 23–26% whereas phenolic, carboxyl, and alkyl C types were less than 3% each. The application of the CRH to an Oxisol significantly increased soil pH and Ca, Mg, K, sodium (Na), and silicon (Si) ions of in situ soil solution but decreased the amounts of toxic ions [aluminum (Al), manganese (Mn), and iron (Fe)]. The CRH was found to increase cocoa growth up to 37%.
Knowledge, anxiety and the use of hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis among health care students and professionals regarding COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION Data regarding knowledge and attitude about COVID-19, the prevalence of acceptance of hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis and anxiety amidst COVID-19 pandemic among health care students/professionals in India is scarce. MATERIAL AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted during May 2020, using an online survey via Google forms. A self-administered validated structured questionnaire was applied, which comprised 28 questions among health care students/professionals at a tertiary care centrein North India. RESULTS A total of 956 respondents were included (10.2% nurses, 45.2% medical students, 24.3% paramedical students, 11.7% resident doctors and 8.6% consultant doctors). Overall knowledge score was 9.3/15; the highest for preventive practices (4/5), followed by clinical knowledge (2.7/5) and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) (2.6/5). The overall score was the highest in consultant doctors (10.8) while the lowest in nurses (8.5) and paramedical students (8.4) (p < 0.001). Less than half of the respondents had knowledge about the correct sequence of doffing PPE and the use of N95 mask. About 21.8% of the participants experienced moderate to severe anxiety; higher among nurses (38%), followed by paramedical students (29.3%); and anxiety was higher when knowledge score was low (27.6% vs 14.7%); both factors were independent predictors on multivariate analysis (p < 0.001). Only 18.1% of the respondents applied HCQ prophylaxis - the highest proportion constituted consultants (42.7%), and the least - paramedical students (5.2%); (p < 0.001) and HCQ use was more frequently used if they had a family member of extreme age group at home (23.3% vs 12.2%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The knowledge about correct PPE usage is low among all groups of HCWs and students, and there is a high prevalence of anxiety due to COVID-19. The lower COVID-19 knowledge scores were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of anxiety and inadequate use of HCQ prophylaxis. The appliance of HCQ prophylaxis had no significant association with anxiety levels of the respondents.
Fracture Behavior of Irradiated Zircaloy-4 Cladding under Simulated LOCA Conditions

Laboratory-scale experiments were performed with Zircaloy-4 fuel cladding, irradiated to 39 and 44 GWd/t at a PWR, for evaluating high burn-up fuel rod behavior in a loss-of-coolant accident. Short test rods, fabricated with the cladding were heated, isothermally oxidized at 1,303 to 1,451 K in steam flow, and quenched with water flooding. Two cladding specimens, oxidized to about 26 to 29% ECR, were fractured during the quench, while four cladding specimens, oxidized to about 16 to 22% ECR, survived the quench. Threshold of fracture is comparable with that of unirradiated cladding specimens which are hydrided to the same level. Accordingly, in the burnup level of the present study, differences were not significant between irradiated and unirradiated cladding specimens in terms of threshold of fracture during quenching, though the threshold is reduced as initial hydrogen concentration increases.
Abundance and isotopic composition of noble gases in metal and graphite of the Bohumilitz IAB iron meteorite

Abstract— Abundances and isotopic compositions of noble gases in metal and graphite of the Bohumilitz IAB iron meteorite were measured. The abundance ratios of spallogenic components in metal reveal a 3He deficiency which is due to the diffusive loss of parent isotopes, that is, tritium (Tilles, 1963; Schultz, 1967). The diffusive loss likely has been induced by thermal heating by the Sun during cosmic‐ray exposure (∼160 Ma; Lavielle et al, 1999). Thermal process such as impact‐induced partial loss may have affected the isotopic composition of spallogenic Ne. The 129Xe/131Xe ratio of cosmogenic components in the metal indicates an enhanced production of epi‐thermal neutrons.
Biochemical profile of milk thistle (Silybum Marianum L.) with special reference to silymarin content

Abstract The main objective of current study was to evaluate the antioxidant potential and nutritional composition of milk thistle with special reference to silymarin. For the purpose, different varieties of milk thistle were procured from three different cities of Pakistan. The study was comprised of three different phases. In 1st phase, nutritional composition, that is, moisture, fat, protein, fiber, and nitrogen free extract, was determined according to their respective methods. Moreover, antioxidant potential and quantification of silymarin content were explored in 2nd phase. Furthermore, in last phase, milk thistle seeds tea was developed and evaluated for nutritional and sensorial characteristics. At last, data obtained from each parameter was subjected to appropriate statistical design to determine the level of significance. Results showed significant difference in the nutritional and chemical composition of different milk thistle varieties as well as locations. Moreover, moisture content, ash content, fat content, fiber content, protein content, and NFE varied from 6.27% to 5.01%, 2.37 to 1.25%, 23.19 to 19.74%, 7.4 to 4.39%, 30.09 to 20.74%, and 45.42 to 34.13%, respectively. Furthermore, silymarin content quantified though HPLC ranged from 1669.5 mg/g to 1607.6 mg/g for soxhlet extract whereas, 1,840.6 mg/g to 1765.9 mg/g for microwave‐assisted extraction extract. Conclusively, it was depicted from the results that in case of variety, Blue was the best than White whereas, Islamabad was best in case of location.
Thermal Isomerization of Cohumulone1

Thermal isomerization is a key step in converting α-acids into iso-α-acids during the kettle boiling process. In an effort to understand the nature of this reaction in order to produce iso-α-acids more efficiently, we studied the thermal isomerization reaction of α-acids under more closely controlled conditions in the absence of acids, bases, metal catalysts, oxygen, and light. Cohumulone was synthesized as the starting compound and thermally isomerized in nonaqueous solutions under a dark, nitrogen environment. We found that mainly cis-isocohumulone was very inefficiently produced, which might be followed by a nonconcerted reaction. The stereochemical assignment of cis- and trans-isocohumulones was reinvestigated using 13C NMR techniques, including the nuclear Overhauser effect, off-resonance decoupling, and integration using chromium acetylacetonate.
Food Pantry Use and Its Association with Food Environment and Food Acquisition Behavior among Urban Adults

ABSTRACT Population-based survey data of 2,022 adults in Schenectady, NY were analyzed to identify determinants of food pantry use. A logistic regression model that controlled for socioeconomic variables demonstrated that food insecurity, government nutrition assistant program participation, use of a soup kitchen, living in a low supermarket access neighborhood, shopping at a corner store and a dollar store were positively associated with food pantry use, while shopping at an ethnic market was inversely associated with food pantry use. This study suggests neighborhood food environment and secondary (non-supermarket) shopping venues are independent determinants of food pantry use among urban, racially diverse adults.
Recycling of mercury from the atmosphere-ocean system into volcanic-arc–associated epithermal gold systems

Photochemical processes generate mass-independent fractionation (MIF) of mercury (Hg) isotopes in the atmosphere-ocean system, and the subduction of marine sediments or hydrated oceanic crust may recycle the resultant Hg isotope signature into the volcanic-arc environment. This environment typically hosts epithermal gold deposits, which are characterized by a specific Hg-Sb-As metal association. We investigated the Hg isotopic composition of seven volcanic-arc–related epithermal gold deposits in northeast China and revisited the isotopic composition of Hg in hydrothermal ore deposits in circum-Pacific and Mediterranean volcanic arcs. The gold ore samples in northeast China mostly display positive Δ199Hg values (0.11‰ ± 0.07‰, 1σ, n = 48) similar to those observed in the Pacific Rim (0.07‰ ± 0.09‰, 1σ, n = 182) and the Mediterranean Cenozoic volcanic belt (0.09‰ ± 0.08‰, 1σ, n = 9). Because Hg in marine sediments and seawater has positive Δ199Hg, we infer that Hg-bearing epithermal deposits in active continental margin settings receive most Hg from recycled seawater in marine sediments, through the release of Hg by dehydration from the subducting oceanic slab. However, negative to near-zero Δ199Hg values were observed in Hg-bearing deposits in the South China craton (−0.09‰ ± 0.05‰, 1σ, n = 105) and in the intraplate magmatic-hydrothermal Almadén Hg deposit in Spain (−0.02‰ ± 0.06‰, 1σ, n = 26), which are considered to relate to basement and mantle sources, respectively. Hg isotopes have the potential to trace lithospheric Hg cycling.
Characteristics of liquid electrode plasma for atomic emission spectrometry

Liquid electrode plasma atomic emission spectrometry (LEP-AES) is a recently developed elemental analysis method that uses microplasma. LEP forms in a vapor bubble generated inside a narrow-center microchannel by using high-voltage DC pulse power. We studied the characteristics of LEP and atomic emission of lead (Pb), as an example element, which has not been described in detail. We estimated the plasma parameters and observed the expansion and shrinkage of a vapor bubble with discharge as well as the time course and spatial distribution of the atomic emission of Pb (405.78 nm). The applied voltage was 2.5 kV and the pulse width was less than 3 ms, which produced a current of about 100 mA. We found that the excitation temperature was about 8000 K and the electron density was about 1 × 1015 cm−3. We also found that two quite different emission phases occurred separately during the time course. The first emission phase corresponds to the first expansion and shrinking of the bubble around atmospheric pressure and the second emission phase corresponds to the re-expansion of the bubble and emission at reduced pressure with higher atomic and lower background emissions. Maximum atomic and background emissions were observed at the narrowed center of the microchannel, but there was an additional local maximum atomic emission region at the anode side bubble–liquid interface where the background emission was very low, which would be a better condition for sensitive measurement. The limit of detection determined in our experiment was 4.0 μg L−1 for Pb.
Hydrogen Bond-Assisted Supramolecular Self-Assembly of Doubly Discotic Supermolecules Based on Porphyrin and Triphenylene

Hydrogen bonding is a powerful driving force for the supramolecular self-assembly of discotic mesogens, and molecular shape also plays an important role in such systems. To study these effects, doubly discotic supermolecules have been synthesized by linking a meso-tetraphenylporphine-4,4′,4′′,4′′′-tetracarboxylic acid (Py) core with four triphenylenes (Tp) arms via either amide or ester bonds. The spacer length between the Py core and Tp disks was C6 and C10, and the alkyl arm length in the Tp disks was C5 and C12, respectively. Compared to the ester-linked Py(Tp)4 supermolecules, the amide-linked samples exhibited rich crystalline and liquid-crystalline phases, suggesting that the intracolumnar hydrogen-bonding among trans amide bonds was the primary driving force for the self-assembly. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to understand the supramolecular self-assembly of the amide-linked Py(Tp)4 doubly discotic supermolecules. When the spacer length was no shorter than or similar to the triphenylene alkyl a.
Latino Student Retention: A Case Study in Perseverance and Retention

This qualitative single case study explored the lived experience of a first-generation Latino college student in a four-year higher education setting, who despite obstacles, persisted in college. The study revealed the need for a supportive system, both in and out of school, with an understanding and respect for the culture. Moreover, the findings revealed the need to “burst the bubble” leaving the comfort zone, to grow academically and personally. The results of this study offer a valuable perspective to the experiences of a Latino students.
Studies on the Reaction Engineering of Combustion and Carbonization of Indian Coals, Depolymerized Coals and Residual Coal Obtained After Organo-Refining

Abstract Kinetics of the combustion of original and depolymerized Assam, Raniganj and Talcher coals and Neyveli lignite has been studied under non-isothermal conditions in a thermogravimetric analysis apparatus by employing Coats and Redfern kinetic modeling. Depolymerization of coals through acidic phenoation was found to improve the reactivity of the coals for combustion. Similarly, depolymerization reaction also led to the improvement in the pyrolysis behavior of coals. The order and activation energy of the reactions have been reported. The kinetics studies of the residual coal obtained after the successive solvent extraction of coal has also been studied. The present studies on the reaction engineering of coal conversion and utilization technologies may help in the reactor design and in the process development engineering.
Fast Preconditioner Computation for BICGSTAB-FFT Method of Moments with NURBS in Large Multilayer Structures

Fast computation of the coefficients of the reduced impedance matrix of the method of moment (MM) is proposed by expanding the basis functions (BFs) in pulses and solving an equivalent periodic problem (EPP) for analyzing large multilayer structures with non-uniform rational basis spline (NURBS) modeling of the embedded layout. These coefficients are required by the computation of sparse approximate inverse (SAI) preconditioner, which leads an efficient iterative version of the MM. This reduced coefficient matrix only considers the near field part of the MM matrix. Discrete functions of small sizes are required to implement the pulse expansion and EPP. These discrete functions of small size lead to discrete cyclic convolutions that are computed in a very fast way by fast Fourier transform (FFT)-accelerated matrix–vector multiplication. Results obtained using a conventional laptop show an analysis of very large multilayer structures with resonant layouts, as whole reflectarrays of electrical size 40 times the vacuum wavelengths, where the iterative MM with a SAI preconditioner can be 22.7 times faster than the pure iterative MM without any preconditioner.
Fertiliser requirements of spring oilseed rape

Because of the increasing importance of oilseed rape in the United Kingdom, 26 field experiments were done on the fertiliser requirements of the spring-sown crop in the years 1973 to 1975. Seed and oil yield were increased by nitrogen in 23 of the 26 experiments, though oil content was reduced somewhat. On average, the crop required 187 kg/ha of N for optimum yield and there was little difference in yield between seedbed and split N applications. Response to P was small on average, varied between years and was not well correlated with soil analysis; a 2 tonne/ha crop removes about 32 kg/ha P2O5. Mean response to K was very small and a 2 tonne/ha crop removes about 15 kg/ha K2O; spring oilseed rape appears to require no applied K, except perhaps on soils of low K status. The crop did not respond at all to application of S.
Growth, stress, and acclimation responses to fluctuating temperatures in field and domesticated populations of Manduca sexta

Abstract Diurnal fluctuations in temperature are ubiquitous in terrestrial environments, and insects and other ectotherms have evolved to tolerate or acclimate to such fluctuations. Few studies have examined whether ectotherms acclimate to diurnal temperature fluctuations, or how natural and domesticated populations differ in their responses to diurnal fluctuations. We examine how diurnally fluctuating temperatures during development affect growth, acclimation, and stress responses for two populations of Manduca sexta: a field population that typically experiences wide variation in mean and fluctuations in temperature, and a laboratory population that has been domesticated in nearly constant temperatures for more than 300 generations. Laboratory experiments showed that diurnal fluctuations throughout larval development reduced pupal mass for the laboratory but not the field population. The differing effects of diurnal fluctuations were greatest at higher mean temperature (30°C): Here diurnal fluctuations reduced pupal mass and increased pupal development time for the laboratory population, but had little effect for the field population. We also evaluated how mean and fluctuations in temperature during early larval development affected growth rate during the final larval instar as a function of test temperature. At an intermediate (25°C) mean temperature, both the laboratory and field population showed a positive acclimation response to diurnal fluctuations, in which subsequent growth rate was significantly higher at most test temperatures. In contrast at higher mean temperature (30°C), diurnal fluctuations significantly reduced subsequent growth rate at most test temperatures for the laboratory population, but not for the field population. These results suggest that during domestication in constant temperatures, the laboratory population has lost the capacity to tolerate or acclimate to high and fluctuating temperatures. Population differences in acclimation capacity in response to temperature fluctuations have not been previously demonstrated, but they may be important for understanding the evolution of reaction norms and performance curves.
Association between aspirin use and lung cancer incidence depends on high-frequency use, bodyweight, and age in U.S. adults

Background Chemoprevention of cancer with aspirin is controversial as a primary prevention strategy. We sought to investigate the association between aspirin frequency and risk of lung cancer in The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial. Methods Using data from 101,722 participants in PLCO, we used a Cox regression model coupling with propensity score to detect the association between aspirin frequency and lung cancer risk. Results High-frequency aspirin use significantly increased risk of lung cancer by 28% compared to no use (HR =1.28; 95% CI, 1.14–1.45; P=3.37×10−5), especially for current smoker (HR =1.30; 95% CI, 1.07–1.57; P=6.82×10−3). However, the increased lung cancer risk due to high-frequency aspirin use significantly decreased with increasing bodyweight (HRinteraction =0.96; 95% CI, 0.94–0.99; P=1.26×10−2). Further, for participants with bodyweight <80 kg, high-frequency aspirin use showed an elevated risk at <76 years of age (HRage<76 =1.47; 95% CI, 1.25–1.73; P=3.81×10−6). Our study used propensity score under various confounding and stratification analyses by cardio-cerebrovascular status, which all presented similar evidences. Conclusions High-frequency aspirin use is associated with the increased risk of lung cancer. Current smoker or people with age <76 years and bodyweight <80 kg should be more cautious to high-frequency aspirin use for lung cancer chemoprevention. This study provides a new insight for lung cancer chemoprevention.
Baseflow Age Distributions and Depth of Active Groundwater Flow in a Snow‐Dominated Mountain Headwater Basin

Deeper flows through bedrock in mountain watersheds could be important, but lack of data to characterize bedrock properties limits understanding. To address data scarcity, we combine a previously published integrated hydrologic model of a snow‐dominated, headwater basin of the Colorado River with a new method for dating baseflow age using dissolved gas tracers SF6, CFC‐113, N2, and Ar. The original flow model predicts the majority of groundwater flow through shallow alluvium (<8 m) sitting on top of less permeable bedrock. The water moves too quickly and is unable to reproduce observed SF6 concentrations. To match gas data, bedrock permeability is increased to allow a larger fraction of deeper and older groundwater flow (median 112 m). The updated hydrologic model indicates interannual variability in baseflow age (3–12 years) is controlled by the volume of seasonal interflow and tightly coupled to snow accumulation and monsoon rain. Deeper groundwater flow remains stable (11.7 ± 0.7 years) as a function mean historical recharge to bedrock hydraulic conductivity (R/K). A sensitivity analysis suggests that increasing bedrock K effectively moves this alpine basin away from its original conceptualization of hyperlocalized groundwater flow (high R/K) with groundwater age insensitive to changes in water inputs. Instead, this basin is situated close to the precipitation threshold defining recharge controlled groundwater flow conditions (low R/K) in which groundwater age increases with small reductions in precipitation. Work stresses the need to explore alternative methods characterizing bedrock properties in mountain basins to better quantify deeper groundwater flow and predict their hydrologic response to change.