Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pyrolysis of Tibetan Yak Dung for Producing Biochar Pertinent to Agro-environmental Application

ABSTRACT The study was investigated the influence of pyrolysis conditions on the yield and nutrient properties of yak dung-based biochar and its potential of agro-environmental applications. A series of biochars were made by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) under the different atmospheres, such as Nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), processing temperatures (200-300 °C) and residence times (1-2 h). The results showed the yield of yak dung-based biochar ranges from 35.33 wt% to 58.29 wt%. The concentration of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in biochar varied from 28.18 mg·g−1 to 15.54 mg·g−1, 16.23 mg·g−1 to 25.31 mg·g−1 and 0.59 mg·g−1 to 1.02 mg·g−1, respectively. And the contents of micronutrients Zn and Fe varied from 4.6 mg·g−1 to 17.42 mg·g−1, and 15.28 mg·g−1 to 29.22 mg·g−1, respectively. The yield, total carbon (C), N, hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) content of biochar decreased with increasing processing temperature, while the total P and K content, pH and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area increased; moreover, the P and K content of biochar produced in N2 increased more compared with CO2. The heavy metal contents of copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), platinum (Pb) and arsenic (As) all were lower in yak dung-based biochar compare with other manures or sewage sludge-based biochar. Biochar produced in N2 had higher nutrient content indicating the potential of application for fertilizer compared with it in CO2; while the biochar produced in CO2 with larger surface area characteristic and more abundant functional groups showing higher potential of application for the soil amendments and nutrient control materials. Our study provides some new insights for biochar production according to its application.
Can the Heston Model Forecast Energy Generation? A Systematic Literature Review

The ability to predict the price of stock exchange assets has attracted the attention of economists and physicists around the world, as physical models are useful to predict volatility behaviors. Knowing that volatility is crucial for energy sector planning, the research aim was to investigate whether the Heston pricing model is useful to predict energy generation, trough the steps established by the systematic review protocol. In a corpus of 25 documents, it was possible to identify: lots of financial studies, energy and demography researches; a low level of interaction among universities; the largest number of publications from Australia and China; the most important journal; and the advantages of applying Econophysics models to solve volatility problems. In conclusion, the Heston model can be applied to predict energy generation, since it is a closed-form model and capable of modeling the stochastic volatility, reversing it to the predicted value of average energy generation.
Bayesian differential moment tensor inversion: theory and application to the North Korea nuclear tests

Moment tensors are key to seismic discrimination but often require accurate Green’s functions for estimation. This limits the regions, frequency bands, and wave types in moment tensor inversions. In this study, we propose a differential moment tensor inversion (diffMT) method that uses relative measurements to remove the path effects shared by clustered events, thereby improving the accuracy of source parameters. Using results from regular inversions as a priori distribution, we apply Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo to invert the body- and surface-wave amplitude ratios of an event pair for refined moment tensors of both events. Applications to three North Korea nuclear tests from 2013 to 2016 demonstrate that diffMT reduces the uncertainties substantially compared with the traditional waveform-based moment tensor inversion. Our results suggest high percentages of explosive components with similar double-couple components for the North Korea nuclear tests.
TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY ANALYSIS OF THE HANDICAPPED

Handicapped people are one of the neglected minorities of transportation planning. For decades, their needs in transportation have been neglected in favor of the needs of the overwhelming majority. This had meant that, in a society in which mobility is a prerequisite of living, the handicapped are forced to travel very little and either depend on their friends and family for transportation or pay the high cost of special transportation. Handicapped people make up about 11 percent of the population. They are, though, divided by numerous disabilities each of which has its own special limitations. This paper studies the mobility of the handicapped in terms of broad functional classification. In terms of individual personal mobility, a 6-step classification from needing a persons help in moving to no limitations is analyzed. The analysis also includes means of travel, number of trips made, cost of travel, opinions on the adequacy of current conditions, and possible improvements. Handicapped people, especially those with severe handicaps, made fewer trips, depended more on family and friends to drive them, used more expensive travel modes, and were willing to pay more for any new transportation than the average citizen. Furthermore, it was found that improvement in transportation will have to be of at least 3 types: improvements for the ambulatory, improvements for those in wheelchairs who can travel 2 or more blocks (negotiate curbs), and improvements for those in wheelchairs who cannot travel 2 or more blocks. Improvements would range from relatively minor bus modifications, such as lower stairs, to new, special door-to-door services.
Household Water Access, Dietary Diversity and Nutritional Status among Preschoolers in Poor, Rural Areas of Central and Western China

Poor child feeding and childhood malnutrition are major public health problems in rural central and western China, with little evidence about their environmental determinants. This study aimed to investigate whether household water access is associated with dietary diversity and nutritional outcomes. We analyzed the cross-sectional data of 3727 children aged 6 to 59 months in rural central and western China, applying multivariate linear and logistic models to estimate the effect of water access on children’s anthropometric indices, hemoglobin, and dietary diversity. We found that unimproved water access was linked to a lower likelihood of achieving dietary diversity (OR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.98, p = 0.039); lower height-for-age z-score (β = −0.34, 95% CI −0.49 to −0.19, p < 0.001) and hemoglobin concentration (β = −2.78, 95% CI −5.16 to −0.41, p = 0.022); higher odds of stunting (OR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.25, p = 0.047) and anemia (OR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.77, p = 0.037). The associations between water access and nutritional outcomes were not explained by dietary diversity and were stronger in children who did not receive iron supplementation. These findings provide evidence for designing water-based nutritional interventions in China.
Fatigue design of lattice materials: application to stent-like structures

A lattice material is a cellular structure with a periodic arrangement of cells in either two or three dimensions. Lattice materials are attractive candidates for potential use in a broad range of applications, including battery electrodes, vibration insulators, ultra lightweight sandwich panels, and biomedical implants. This thesis focuses on the design of planar lattices for micro-architectured materials and medical devices. Strength of a lattice material degrades under cyclic loading conditions. In this thesis a computational method based on finite element analysis (FEM) is proposed to analyze and design lattice materials and structures for fatigue failure. A comparison with available experimental data contributes to the validity of the method. The effect of the unit cell's architecture on the fatigue resistance of lattice materials is investigated by considering square and hexagonal shapes of unit cells. A shape optimization methodology based on removing the stress concentration caused by the presence of geometrical discontinuities at the inner boundaries of the lattice cell walls is proposed to improve the fatigue resistance of planar lattice materials. The shape optimization method adapted for the fatigue design of a lattice is applied to design intravascular self-expandable characterized by a periodic arrangement of cells, against fatigue failure. In particular, the aim is to improve the fatigue resistance of Nitinol stent grafts with closed-cell, and to design a stent-like device functioning as a protection for an endovascular oxygenator. A parametric study was carried out to assess the effect of different geometrical parameters on the fatigue resistance and radial stiffness of the generated Nitinol stent lattices. Novel stent-like concepts are proposed to protect and guide the state-of-the art intravenous oxygenator developed by ALung Technologies Inc. (Pittsburgh, PA) in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh. The validity of the proposed concepts in protecting the oxygenator was tested in vitro. The structural behavior of the proposed conceptual designs was studied by using FEM, and the level of blood damage caused by catheter rotation is investigated through CFD analysis. Preliminary numerical and experimental observations suggest that the proposed design can put the oxygenator one step closer to the market. %%%%Un materiau en treillis est une structure cellulaire avec une disposition periodique de cellules en deux ou en trois dimensions. Ces structures sont utilisees dans plusieurs applications, y compris les electrodes de la batterie, isolateurs de vibration, panneaux ultra legers en sandwich et implants biomedicaux. Cette these met l'accent sur la conception de reseaux plans pour des materiaux ayant une microarchitecture et pour les dispositifs medicaux. Dans plusieurs applications, la resistance d'un materiau en treillis se degrade dans les conditions de chargement cycliques. Dans cette these une methode numerique basee sur la mecanique de calcul est propose afin d'analyser et de concevoir…
Indonesian Banking Efficiency in the Post-Asian Monetary Crisis

This study examines the determinants of Indonesian banking efficiency in post-Asian monetary crisis. It used a quantitative approach and historical data, where the data used is both time series (2000–2012), and crosssectional (for some commercial banks that meet the requirements of the sample). Conceptually, it will rely upon the concept of efficiency proposed by Farrell (1957). Meanwhile, banking efficiency measurement techniques are used in the DEA with the intermediation approach as the basis for the selection of input and output. In the application of DEA, it will use both CRS models (models CCR) and VRS (BCC models). While in its construction, it will use an input-oriented approach. From here we identify the variables that affect the Indonesian banking efficiency in the post-Asian monetary crisis, by using Tobit Regression Model. Based on the sample of 17 commercial banks, our findings reveal that the efficiency of Indonesian commercial banks via the intermediation approach has been running normally and tends to be efficient in the post-Asian monetary crisis. In addition, banks in Indonesia are significantly affected by Size, State Ownership, Private Ownership, Non-merger, Foreign Ownership, Risk, and Economic Growth. From the study, it appears that the Size and Ownership of both state-private and domestic-foreign are variables that affect the Overall Technical Efficiency (OTE), Pure Technical Efficiency (PTE), and Scale Efficiency (SE). Furthermore, Non-Merger is a variable that affects the Overall Technical Efficiency (OTE), and Scale Efficiency (SE). Meanwhile, Risk affects only Pure Technical Efficiency (PTE), as well as Economic Growth which only affects Overall Technical Efficiency (OTE). Instead, Competition, Inflation, and Global Crisis did not affect all types of efficiency.
COVID-19 Incidence and Death Rates Among Unvaccinated and Fully Vaccinated Adults with and Without Booster Doses During Periods of Delta and Omicron Variant Emergence — 25 U.S. Jurisdictions, April 4–December 25, 2021

Previous reports of COVID-19 case, hospitalization, and death rates by vaccination status† indicate that vaccine protection against infection, as well as serious COVID-19 illness for some groups, declined with the emergence of the B.1. 617.2 (Delta) variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and waning of vaccine-induced immunity (1-4). During August-November 2021, CDC recommended§ additional primary COVID-19 vaccine doses among immunocompromised persons and booster doses among persons aged ≥18 years (5). The SARS-CoV-2 B.1. 1.529 (Omicron) variant emerged in the United States during December 2021 (6) and by December 25 accounted for 72% of sequenced lineages (7). To assess the impact of full vaccination with additional and booster doses (booster doses),¶ case and death rates and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were estimated among unvaccinated and fully vaccinated adults by receipt of booster doses during pre-Delta (April-May 2021), Delta emergence (June 2021), Delta predominance (July-November 2021), and Omicron emergence (December 2021) periods in the United States. During 2021, averaged weekly, age-standardized case IRRs among unvaccinated persons compared with fully vaccinated persons decreased from 13.9 pre-Delta to 8.7 as Delta emerged, and to 5.1 during the period of Delta predominance. During October-November, unvaccinated persons had 13.9 and 53.2 times the risks for infection and COVID-19-associated death, respectively, compared with fully vaccinated persons who received booster doses, and 4.0 and 12.7 times the risks compared with fully vaccinated persons without booster doses. When the Omicron variant emerged during December 2021, case IRRs decreased to 4.9 for fully vaccinated persons with booster doses and 2.8 for those without booster doses, relative to October-November 2021. The highest impact of booster doses against infection and death compared with full vaccination without booster doses was recorded among persons aged 50-64 and ≥65 years. Eligible persons should stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations.
Large herbivores facilitate a dominant grassland forb via multiple indirect effects.

While large herbivores are critically important components of terrestrial ecosystems and can have pronounced top-down effects on plants, our understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving these effects remains incomplete. Large herbivores can alter plant growth, reproduction and abundance through direct effects (predominantly consumption) and through indirect effects via altered interactions with abiotic factors and other species. We know considerably less about these indirect effects than the direct effects. Here, we integrate medium- and small-scale field experiments to investigate how a large vertebrate herbivore, cattle (Bos taurus), affects the aboveground biomass of a dominant forb species, Artemisia scoparia, via diverse direct and indirect pathways in a temperate grassland in northeast China. Although cattle consumed this forb, its biomass increased significantly in response to grazing, due to multiple indirect positive effects that outweighed the direct negative effects of consumption. Cattle preferentially consumed the competing grass Leymus chinensis, and altered Artemisia microhabitats by reducing total plant cover and litter biomass and by increasing the abundance of co-occurring ant species (e.g., Formica spp. and Lasius spp.). This led to additional indirect positive effects on A. scoparia likely due to 1) increased light availability in understory layers and other limiting resources (e.g., soil nutrients and moisture) caused by removal of competitors and plant litter at the soil surface and 2) the changes in resource availability (e.g., soil nutrients and moisture) associated with ant colonies. Our results show that large herbivores can affect plant growth not only via direct consumption, but also via multiple indirect effects. Focusing on the causes and consequences of herbivore-induced indirect effects will not only help us to better understand the influence of these animals in ecological systems, but will also lead to more effective land management and conservation practices in the regions they inhabit.
Analysis of Mid/Long Term Random Characteristics of Photovoltaic Power Generation

In light of the significance of the random characteristics of photovoltaic(PV)power generation to research on power system planning and operation involving PV,an analytic method is proposed for assessing the stochastic characteristics of PV power stations by separating the certainty and uncertainty stochastic parts of PV output time series.The global solar radiation model is adopted first to model the certainty part of the PV output,while the concept of PV output shedding factor is introduced to assess the uncertainty part of PV output to form a complete model description.By means of empirical analysis of real data of PV,the stochastic characteristics of the PV output shedding factor,in terms of the probabilistic distribution and the intermittency are investigated along with the spatial correlation of PV output.
Analysis of the Radiological Changes of the Sinus Membrane Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography and Its Relationship with Dental Treatments. A Retrospective Study

Simple Summary Changes in the sinus membrane, in the form of thickening or opacification, usually pose problems of differential diagnosis between rhinological and odontogenic causes, given the similarity in their clinical behaviour. The interrelation between tooth roots and the possibility of maxillary sinus involvement seems to be a key determinant. Moreover, the role played by iatrogenic factors, especially surgical interventions, such as dental extractions, or impacted teeth, as well as implant treatments, must be considered. The contribution of new imaging procedures, such as conventional computed tomography or cone beam computed tomography, has triggered an increase in the identification of dental aetiology as a cause of the unilateral opacification of the anterior paranasal sinuses with the predominant involvement of the maxillary sinus. Abstract The aim of this study was to identify the most relevant dental factors and iatrogenic causes in the development of pathological changes to the sinus membrane and to analyse their possible influence on the development of odontogenic sinusitis. A descriptive, observational study was designed, with 276 patients who had been evaluated via cone beam computed tomography, analysing possible sinus thickening factors, such as apical infections, endodontic treatments, periodontitis, radicular cysts and impacted teeth, as well as iatrogenic factors caused by implant treatments or the development of oroantral communications produced during tooth extraction manoeuvres. Among the dental factors, periodontitis (47.1%), apical pathology (23.5%) and endodontic treatments (23.1%) were the predominant causes of sinus membrane thickening that most frequently produced an occupancy between 2 and 10 mm. Regarding the implant treatments, the placement of implants through the floor of the maxillary sinus was the main cause (9.8%), followed by sinus elevation techniques (6.2%). Dental extraction was the first cause of oroantral communication (5.0%), being the procedure that caused the greatest thickening of the sinus membrane. This study highlights the importance of dental treatments and iatrogenic factors in sinus pathology, and the need for diagnostic interrelations between the different specialists who address this pathology.
Assessment of COVID-19 Preventive Practice and Associated Factors Among Educators in Vietnam

Background Educators play a critical role in offering knowledge that is vital to preventing the spread of the COVID-19 in educational settings. This study aims to assess the proportion of preventive practices towards COVID-19 and associated factors among educators in Vietnam. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on educators at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City (UMP) using a self-administered questionnaire between June and August 2020. Online surveys and a multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to determine factors associated with practices. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were performed using Stata 14. Results A total of 779 eligible participants were approached, most of them under 50 years (84.1%), around three-fifth were female (61.0%) and lecturers (61.1%), with only 38.1% of them working at hospitals. Overall, the majority of participants had good preventive practices towards COVID-19 (88.6%). Factors identified as being associated with good practices included participants who are lecturers (AOR 1.8, 95% CI: 1.05–2.97), attending training courses related to COVID-19 (AOR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.05–2.87), working at hospitals (AOR 2.5, 95% CI: 1.28–4.76) and having a higher level of knowledge and attitude relating to COVID-19 (AOR 2.8, 95% CI: 1.52–5.17; AOR 2.8, 95% CI: 1.70–4.48, respectively) (all p < 0.05). Conclusion These findings revealed that most educators reported a good level of preventive practices towards COVID-19. However, lower levels of practices still exist towards COVID-19 among participants who were administrative staff and have less access to training courses related to COVID-19, who reported that they did not work at the hospital and had a lower level of knowledge and attitude related to COVID-19. Because of the important role of educators in the education system, this study is expected to help education and health authorities implement suitable interventions to fill the gaps in practices between educators.
Impact of Scaling and Periodontal Treatment during Pregnancy on the Risk of Adverse Birth Outcomes

Background: Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) are associated with periodontal disease owing to the induction of a chronic systemic inflammatory response. Hence, knowledge of periodontal status during pregnancy is important in order to reduce the risk of APOs. The aim of this study was to compare the risk of APOs in women with and without periodontal disease to ascertain whether regular scaling performed prior to pregnancy improves the risk of APOs. Method: This case-control study enrolled1,386,887 pregnant women from the National Health Insurance Research Database who gave birth to their first child between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2014. The study population included mothers who gave birth to low birth weight (LBW) and non-LBW newborns, totaling 86,958 and 1,299,929, respectively. Scaling and periodontal emergency treatment during and before pregnancy were assessed. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the associations between periodontal treatment and LBW risk. Results: Compared with the comparison cohort, the pregnant women who didnot have periodontal emergency treatment or scaling treatment during pregnancy exhibited a significantly increased risk of LBW than those who had treatment. Women who underwent scaling within the2 years before pregnancy or during pregnancy had a lower risk of delivering a LBW baby (odds ratio (OR), 0.93; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.91–0.94). In the normal group, the mothers who had periodontal emergency treatment within the2 years before pregnancy or during pregnancy had a higher risk of delivering a LBW baby (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02–1.08). In those who had scaling treatment, a lower risk of delivering a LBW baby was noted (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.93–0.97). Conclusion: The risk of LBW was significantly increased in women who underwent periodontal treatment, and our findings suggested that periodontal disease is an important risk factor for preterm LBW babies in an East Asian population.