Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Species of Fungi and Pollen in the PM1 and the Inhalable Fraction of Indoor Air in Homes

Airborne microbial fragments in the PM1 fraction (particles with aerodynamic diameters less than 1 μm) are a cause for concern as they may potentially deposit in the alveoli of the human airways. This study aimed to use qPCR to identify and quantify 24 different species or groups of genera in the PM1 and the inhalation fraction (particles that may enter the mouth or nose during breathing) of indoor air and to relate this to what has previously been found for each species. Results showed that eight fungal species, and Aspergillus/Penicillium/Paecilomyces variotii, as well as Alnus/Corylus and actinobacteria belonging to the Streptomyces genus were detected both in the PM1 and the inhalable fraction. Five fungal species were only detected in the inhalable fraction. A significant effect of season was found on the fungal composition in the PM1 (p = 0.001) and the inhalable (p = 0.017) fraction. This study demonstrated that it is possible to use qPCR to identify and quantify different microbes in the PM1 fraction, and it has improved our understanding of the qualitative and quantitative relationship between the PM1 and the inhalable microbial particles in indoor air. Combined with the literature review it also shows a large variation within and between species in the share of fungi which is present as fragments.
An Efficient Detector for Massive MIMO Based on Improved Matrix Partition

Massive multiple-input multiple-output (M-MIMO) brings better robustness and spectral efficiency but higher computational challenges compared to small-scale MIMO. One of the key challenges is the large-scale matrix inversion, as widely employed in channel estimation and detection. Traditionally, to address the issue, several low-complexity matrix inversion methods have been proposed, including the tri-diagonal matrix approximation (TMA) and the Neumann-series approximation (NSA). Although the previous methods effectively alleviate the computational cost, they all fail to exploit the typical properties of channel matrices, leading to unsatisfactory error-rate performance in some non-ideal scenarios. To solve the issue, in this paper, a two-level and block diagonal based improved Neumann series approximation (TL-BD-INSA) algorithm is proposed, which is suitable for both ideal uncorrelated channels and the correlated channels with multiple-antenna user equipment (MAUE) system. First, a two-level block diagonal iteration based on matrix partition is employed, which exhibits performance comparable to the exact method while having a lower computational load. An improved normalization factor is then introduced to accelerate convergence. Numerical results show that, for <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$128\times 32$</tex-math></inline-formula> MIMO with MAUE non-ideal channel, the proposed algorithm performs only 0.25 dB away from the exact matrix inversion when bit error rate (BER) <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$ = 10^{-3}$</tex-math></inline-formula>. The implementation on Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA and ASIC with TSMC 45 nm shows that the proposed detector can achieve 1731 bps/slices and 0.463 Gbps/mm<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^2$</tex-math></inline-formula> hardware efficiency, respectively, demonstrating that the proposed system can achieve a well trade-off between error performance and implementation efficiency.
In Vitro Regeneration of Onion (Allium cepa L.) Genotypes under Salt Stress Condition

Salinity is a major problem affecting crop production all over the world. Excessive soil salinity can reduce the productivity of many agricultural crops including many vegetables and spices. Onion is one of the most important spices in the Asiatic region which is now in high demand. The experiment was conducted to observe in vitro regeneration of onion (Allium cepa L.) under salt stress condition from September 2016 to July 2017. The experiment was conducted as two factorial (genotype and treatment) Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 3 replications for each treatment. Shoot tip segments of three genotypes namely Faridpuri, Taherpuri and Pusa red (Indian) were cultured in MS (Murashige and skoog, 1962) media supplemented with 25, 50, 75 and 100 mM NaCl. The genotype Faridpuri gave maximum salt tolerance upto 100 mM salinity level with 10.60 cm shoot length and 1.94 cm root length having the highest relative shoot and root growth. Pusa red was found to be salinity sensitive genotype which showing lowest shoot length of 7.03 cm and root length of 0.96 cm at 100 mM NaCl treatment. However, Taherpuri was tolerant up to 100 mM salinity level with 8.14 cm shoot length and 1.25 cm root length. Both the highest fresh weight of root (54.77 mg) and dry weight of root (41.36 mg) was from the genotype Faridpuri with 25 mM NaCl Original Research Article Plabon et al.; ARJA, 14(1): 34-43, 2021; Article no.ARJA. 66183 35 treatment. However, a convenient in vitro regeneration protocol of onion genotypes under different salinity level has been developed and the genotype Faridpuri can be used for further investigation in field condition to evaluate its performance at various salinity levels.
What has driven the growth of Brazil´s residential electricity consumption during the last 19 years? An index decomposition analysis

Abstract Residential electricity consumption in Brazil has been growing during the last few decades, creating a potential opportunity to expand energy efficiency measures. However, the dimension of the sector and its closed relationship with the economic, cultural, and demographic processes causes a certain complexity in the understanding of patterns of consumption, creating additional challenges to energy policies. This study analyzed and decomposed the Brazilian residential electricity consumption between the years of 2000 and 2018, by driving factors through the LMDI-I method and IDA index, on regional level. All the data were obtained by official sources in the country. The main results obtained were: (i) the increase of household numbers was found to be one of the main drivers of consumption growth; (ii) household income showed no control over consumption in hot climate regions, except in low- income households; (iii) tariff showed to impose restrictions on consumption, also mainly in low-income households. Unprecedentedly, the results showed that the electricity consumption in Brazil varies with population age, with a trend of consumption growth up to the age 59, and a sharp reduction from the age of 60. The study presents opportunities to be contemplated in research and in energy policies.
Citizen Scientists Conduct Distributed Doppler Measurement for Ionospheric Remote Sensing

Doppler shift measurement using time standard stations as passive radar beacons is well-established as a means of estimating virtual ionospheric height. A community science experiment in distributed Doppler shift measurement was conducted in October 2019 using the time station WWV, on the event of that station’s centennial. Participants were asked to collect Doppler shift data from the WWV 5-MHz carrier via the open-source software program fldigi. This experiment garnered participation from stations across the country, demonstrating considerable volunteer interest: 45 recordings of WWV’s 5-MHz beacon were collected. The novel element of this study is the use of distributed low-fidelity sensors in this geophysical domain, and the robust participation of the amateur radio community was enabled by inexpensive and readily available instrumentation. In this letter, we present an initial correlation analysis of the resultant data and discuss its implications for future long-term distributed Doppler networks. The data collected are in good agreement and, when examined together, offer some insights into regional trends. Despite the variety of equipment used by the amateur community, this community science approach shows promise for addressing the problem of undersampling in the geospace system.
Synthesis and characterization of a core–shell BiVO4@g-C3N4 photo-catalyst with enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

Novel core–shell structured ellipsoid-like BiVO4@g-C3N4 composites, with different amounts of g-C3N4, have been successfully prepared by a simple hydrothermal-chemisorption method. Their performance as photocatalysts was systematically evaluated during RhB degradation under visible light irradiation. The composite with 7 wt% g-C3N4 was found to be 7 times more efficient as a photocatalyst than pristine BiVO4. Its core–shell structure and activity were also found to be highly stable after it was used for 5 times in RhB degradation. The new composites were examined by various characterization techniques. The core–shell structure enhanced the contact area between the BiVO4 core and g-C3N4 nano-sheet shell, which provided more active sites and strengthened the chemical band interaction. The thin g-C3N4 nano-sheets reduced the charge carrier transfer distance, which further suppressed the recombination of the photo-induced electron–hole pairs and therefore enhanced the photocatalytic activity of the composites. A reaction mechanism of the photocatalytic RhB degradation was proposed and discussed in detail.
The Role of the External Accountant in Business Planning for Starters: Perspective of the Self-Determination Theory

The objective of this study was to gain more insight into the value of business planning for starters and to better understand the role of the external accountant in the planning stage. In particular, survey research was conducted to capture both the quality of the business plan and its effectiveness as perceived by the starter. To unravel the underlying reasons behind the development of a business plan, the framework of the self-determination theory (SDT) was used and adapted to this context. SDT proposes a continuum that distinguishes four types of motivation, ranging from external motivation (i.e., developing a business plan because of a legal obligation) to intrinsic motivation (i.e., developing a business plan because of a personal interest). The results, based on 283 surveys of Belgian starters, showed a relationship between the type of motivation and the quality of the business plan. Entrepreneurs with high introjected or high identified motivation seem to develop a high-quality business plan. This high-quality business plan enables entrepreneurs to increase their effectiveness. Furthermore, entrepreneurs who consulted an accountant during the business planning stage perceived the quality of their business plan as higher than entrepreneurs who did not get advice from an accountant. These findings presuppose an important challenge for external accountants, as their business advice supports entrepreneurs in anticipating “the unexpected”, which subsequently empowers them to monitor their business effectively.
Perceived justice and service recovery satisfaction in a post-transition economy

This paper aims to improve the understanding of outcomes of service recovery in a post-transition context by examining the relationships between four dimensions of perceived justice and service recovery satisfaction (SRS), positive word of mouth (PWOM) and repurchase intentions. Results from a survey of 217 Slovenian telecommunications customers with actual recovery experiences reveal that distributive, informational and interpersonal (but not procedural) justice are positively related to SRS, which acts as a mediator between these three justice dimensions and repurchase intentions and PWOM. Further analysis indicates that duration of customer-firm relationship negatively moderates the link between interpersonal justice and SRS. These findings provide a theoretical explanation of inconsistent findings in previous studies regarding the importance of interactional justice. For managers, our findings indicate that service providers should always pay attention to providing fair compensation, truthful information and fair interpersonal treatment to complainants, while the interpersonal treatment during service recovery matters even more to customers whose relationships with the provider are in the development phase.
Crowdfunding artists: beyond match-making on platforms

This article analyzes the role that crowdfunding plays for artists who create small-scale projects. We find that artists struggle to reach new audiences and, thus, mainly use this funding tool to transform monetary gifts into reputation for their careers. Crowdfunding platforms are believed to lower transaction costs while allowing for more direct engagement between founders and funders. Instead, our study demonstrates that artists use the platform to build distance from their thick relationships and intimate networks where most of their funding originates. They hope that a successful project will help them cross the symbolic boundaries between amateur and professional realms. Despite a high success rate, most of them report not wanting to create crowdfunding campaigns again since they rarely reach other social networks. We develop these arguments to contribute to a socio-economic perspective of online funding platforms as important intermediaries in the career path of users operating at the boundary of amateur and professional production. This article contributes to developing a critical understanding of platforms, especially when users are not typical entrepreneurs or business-oriented agents but artists and do-it-yourself creators searching for funding opportunities.
Necessity requires no decision: carbon source-dependent pattern of antimicrobial activity and gene expression in Pseudomonas donghuensis P482

Pseudomonas donghuensis P482 is a tomato rhizosphere isolate with the ability to inhibit growth of bacterial and fungal plant pathogens. Herein, we analysed the impact of the carbon source on the antibacterial activity of P482 and expression of the selected genes of three genomic regions in the P482 genome. These regions are involved in the synthesis of pyoverdine, 7‑hydroxytropolone (7-HT) and an unknown compound (“cluster 17”) and are responsible for antimicrobial activity of P482. We showed that the P482 mutants, defective in these regions, show variations and contrasting patterns of growth inhibition of the target pathogen under given nutritional conditions (with glucose or glycerol as a carbon source). We also selected and validated the reference genes for gene expression studies in P. donghuensis P482. Amongst ten candidate genes, we found gyrB, rpoD and mrdA the most stably expressed. Using selected reference genes in RT-qPCR, we assessed the expression of the genes of interest under minimal medium conditions with glucose or glycerol as carbon sources. Glycerol was shown to negatively affect the expression of genes necessary for 7-HT synthesis. The significance of this finding in the light of the role of nutrient (carbon) availability in biological plant protection is discussed.
Changes in summer precipitation variability in central Brazil over the past eight decades

Central Brazil hydroclimate is in the core region of the South American monsoon system. Thus, understanding precipitation variability in this area is crucial not only for the prediction of extreme events such as droughts and floods, but also for water resources management. Ocean teleconnections influence central Brazil precipitation from intraseasonal to interdecadal frequencies, in both linear and nonlinear ways, mainly during the austral summer. Pacific Ocean climate modes can influence South American precipitation, but how its variability changes over time is still a theme of scientific debate. Here we examined the influence of Pacific variability on summer precipitation in central Brazil during the last eight decades. We applied nonparametric spectral methods to four different observational datasets, and to AMIP‐type precipitation outputs from the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique zoom model (LMDZ) in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phases 5 and 6 (CMIP5 and CMIP6) contributions of the Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (IPSL) coupled model. Our results showed an increase in amplitude and frequency of summer precipitation variability after the 1970s climate transition. Spectral analysis associated these changes to a transition in Pacific Ocean influence to central Brazil precipitation, from PDO‐ to El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO)‐related variability after the 1970s climate transition. Composite analysis suggests these changes are related to teleconnection patterns between the Pacific Ocean and South America precipitation.
Global Changes in 20‐Year, 50‐Year, and 100‐Year River Floods

Concepts like the 100‐year flood event can be misleading if they are not updated to reflect significant changes over time. Here, we model observed annual maximum daily streamflow using a nonstationary approach to provide the first global picture of changes in: (a) the magnitudes of the 20‐, 50‐, and 100‐year floods (i.e., flows of a given exceedance probability in each year); (b) the return periods of the 20‐, 50‐, and 100‐year floods, as assessed in 1970 (i.e., flows of a fixed magnitude); and (c) corresponding flood probabilities. Empirically, we find the 20‐/50‐year floods have mostly increased in temperate climate zones, but decreased in arid, tropical, polar, and cold zones. In contrast, 100‐year floods have mostly decreased in arid/temperate zones and exhibit mixed trends in cold zones, but results are influenced by the small number of stations with long records, and highlight the need for continued updating of hazard assessments.
Determination of Arsenic in Honey, Propolis, Pollen, and Honey Bees by Microwave Digestion and Hydride Generation Flame Atomic Absorption

ABSTRACT The toxic properties of arsenic are well known. Honey has been widely used for monitoring this element. The present work reports a novel method for the determination of arsenic in honey, bees, pollen, and propolis, based on the coupling of microwave digestion and hydride generation. Method development included the quantitative reduction of arsenic(V) to arsenic(III), the acid used for dilution, and the complete removal of the gases following digestion. The method performance was satisfactory with recoveries between 83% and 111% and corresponding relative standard deviations between 3.1% and 24%. Among the 32 samples of honey, propolis, pollen, and honey bees analyzed, arsenic was detected in four out of six propolis samples at the method limit of detection (0.4 µg g−1). The results indicate that propolis may be an efficient indicator for arsenic.
Zonal‐Scale of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation and Its Propagation Speed on the Interannual Time‐Scale

While no significant long‐term trend in the propagation speed of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) in boreal winter is found during the past decades, pronounced year‐to‐year variability of the MJO phase speed is illustrated by analyzing a century‐long record data set. During the winters when fast MJO propagation is observed, the MJO exhibits a much larger zonal‐scale than that during the winters with slow propagation. A broader extension in MJO circulation effectively induces stronger and broader lower‐tropospheric moistening (drying) to the east (west) of MJO through horizontal moisture advection, prompting a faster MJO phase speed. The larger MJO zonal‐scale during the fast MJO propagation winters is coincident with anomalously increased background sea surface temperatures and precipitable water over both the western Indian Ocean and central/eastern Pacific, reminiscent of an expansion of the Indo‐Pacific warm pool. A fundamental question remains open regarding the key processes that determine the zonal‐scale of MJO organization.
Behavior of Eco-Efficient Insulation Mixtures Under Internal-Arc-Like Conditions

C5-fluoroketone (CF3C(O)CF(CF3)2, abbreviated C5-FK) and C4-fluoronitrile [(CF3)2CFCN, abbreviated C4-FN] mixed with background gases such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, or air are used as alternatives to SF6 as the insulating and switching medium in high voltage gas insulated switchgear (GIS) due to their good switching and dielectric insulation performance and comparably low global warming potential (GWP). Like SF6, C5-FK and C4-FN are chemically stable inside electrical equipment and non-flammable. Like most complex molecules, they decompose exothermically when exposed to sufficiently high temperatures and do not recombine after decomposing. In this work, we use a custom-built test device to experimentally investigate the conditions and gas compositions under which a decomposition reaction can proceed to completion in C5-FK- and C4-FN-based gas mixtures after being initiated by an electric arc. We also present the related theory. The results show that, for properly selected mixtures, even under extreme failure conditions—internal arc faults—complete decomposition of the C5-FK or C4-FN does not occur.
The Impact of Ambiguity-induced Error in Offender Decision-making: Evidence from the Field

Objectives: To invoke behavioral economics theories of ambiguity in the context of offender decision-making, and to test the impact of ambiguity in punishment certainty on offender decisions. Methods: We leverage a quasi-experimental condition among a sample of drunk driving arrestees that are tested for alcohol use and subject to mandatory brief incarceration for a violation. The treatment condition relaxes a zero-tolerance alcohol rule, thereby introducing design-based ambiguity surrounding the certainty of punishment. We use Mahalanobis matching and propensity score weighting methods to estimate the impact of ambiguity on violations. We then interrogate this finding with complementary sensitivity analyses. Results: When facing the ambiguity condition participants are 27–28 percentage points (84–93 percent) more likely to violate program conditions after 30 days of supervision. We demonstrate that a statistical difference in violations due to ambiguity is still detectible at 90 and 180 days of supervision. These results are robust to alternative specifications and falsification tests. Conclusions: This study is the first to examine the impact of ambiguity on criminal justice program compliance using a quasi-experiment from the field. We further demonstrate the unintended costs to persons under supervision and jurisdictions of laxity in program design, which are applicable across criminal justice domains.
Do Firm Growth Models Work in Service Industries in Developing Economies? An Investigation of the Relationship Between Firms’ Growth, Size and Age

Growth models such as Gibrat’s law and Jovanovic’s theory that examine the relationship between the firms’ growth, age and size have either been tested on data from developed economies or from the manufacturing sectors in developing economies. This study checks the suitability of these models in service sectors in developing economies as service sectors have distinct characteristics and developing economies such as India are heavily dependent on this sector. The current study considers three major service sectors contributing to India’s economy vis-à-vis financial services, information technology and real estate for the period 2002–2005. We observed that during 2002–2005, India’s economy was stable without wide fluctuations in economic performance, such as gross domestic product, unemployment or inflation. These sectors not only had a significant impact on economic growth but also had comprehensive microeconomic data. Our results negate both Gibrat’s law and Jovanovic’s theory. We argue that service sectors which are knowledge-intensive will experience different growth patterns compared to manufacturing sectors. We find a definite and significant relationship between firms’ growth and their size and age. Also, we find concluding evidence that younger firms up to 10 years of age struggle a lot more than older firms in the Indian service sector. JEL: D20, D21, D22, D02