Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Inexpensive and Simple Experimental Approach for the Estimation of Solute Import into Groundwater and Subsequent Export Using Inflow/Outflow Data

In agricultural catchments where groundwater (GW) base flow discharge contributes substantially towards stream flow, the information linking GW inflow/outflow with contaminant import/export is scarce. However, this information is essential to address aquatic ecosystem health hazard/risk associated with nitrate export and subsequent loading in sensitive surface water bodies (SWB). The objectives of this study were to assess the temporal dynamics of (i) rain water inflow/outflow behaviour in three agricultural catchments in the humid tropics of far-northeast Queensland of Australia, (ii) solute import via inflow and subsequent export in outflow, and (iii) the association between GW inflow/outflow and solute import/export. Approximately 71% of the average seasonal rainfall percolated (inflow) into the porous basaltic regolith of the Johnstone River Catchment (JRC) compared with 44% into the alluvial regolith in the Mulgrave River Catchment (MRC) and 29% into the metamorphic regolith in the Tully River Catchment (TRC), respectively. The outflows from the basaltic, alluvial, and metamorphic regoliths were 56%, 36%, and 55% of the inflows, respectively. The cumulative nitrate import per season was 25 k/ha in the JRC compared with 11 kg/ha in MRC and 34 kg/ha in TRC. The corresponding exports were 24 kg/ha, 8 kg/ha 26 kg/ha in JRC, MRC, and TRC, respectively. The total dissolved solute (TDS) exports were 82%, 77%, 75%, of the corresponding imports in JRC, MRC, and TRC, respectively. Simple correlations indicated that nitrate export was positively correlated with the outflow in each one of the regolith and similar trends were observed between inflow and import. The import/export mass balance for nitrate shows that 73% to 96% of the imports were exported during the same rainy season, suggesting the potential for nitrate associated ecosystem health hazard/risk in sensitive SWB receiving the outflows.
Relationship of Work-family Conflict, Work-life imbalance, and Work-related Stress With Employee Performance of Married Women in Indonesia: A Cross-sectional Study

Objectives This study aims to assess the relationship of work-family conflict (WFC), work-life imbalance, and work-related stress with the performance of working women in Indonesia. Methods This is a quantitative cross-sectional study using structural equation modeling. The participants were 404 married female workers in Indonesia. A research-made questionnaire was used to collect data. The data were analyzed in Smart PLS software version 3. Results The results showed that WFC had a significant relationship with work-related stress (P<0.001), and work-life imbalance had a significant relationship with work-related stress (P<0.001). The WFC had no significant relationship with employee performance (P=0.690). The work-life imbalance had no significant relationship with employee performance, either (P=0.137). Finally, work-related stress had a negative significant relationship with employee performance (P=0.003). Conclusion Organizational and managerial support can help working women achieve an effective harmony between work and family roles.
Romanian Wild-Growing Chelidonium majus—An Emerging Approach to a Potential Antimicrobial Engineering Carrier System Based on AuNPs: In Vitro Investigation and Evaluation

Novel nanotechnology based on herbal products aspires to be a high-performing therapeutic platform. This study reports the development of an original engineering carrier system that jointly combines the pharmacological action of Chelidonium majus and AuNPs, with unique properties that ensure that the limitations imposed by low stability, toxicity, absorption, and targeted and prolonged release can be overcome. The metabolite profile of Romanian wild-grown Chelidonium majus contains a total of seventy-four phytochemicals belonging to eight secondary metabolite categories, including alkaloids, amino acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, fatty acids, sterols, and miscellaneous others. In this study, various techniques (XRD, FTIR, SEM, DLS, and TG/DTG) were employed to investigate his new carrier system’s morpho-structural and thermal properties. In vitro assays were conducted to evaluate the antioxidant potential and release profile. The results indicate 99.9% and 94.4% dissolution at different pH values for the CG-AuNPs carrier system and 93.5% and 85.26% for greater celandine at pH 4 and pH 7, respectively. Additionally, three in vitro antioxidant assays indicated an increase in antioxidant potential (flavonoid content 3.8%; FRAP assay 24.6%; and DPPH 24.4%) of the CG-AuNPs carrier system compared to the herb sample. The collective results reflect the system’s promising perspective as a new efficient antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory candidate with versatile applications, ranging from target delivery systems, oral inflammation (periodontitis), and anti-age cosmetics to extending the shelf lives of products in the food industry.
Water deficits in the water economics complex of Crimea

In recent years, the natural and economic situation in the Republic of Crimea has developed in such a way that the amount of available water resources is less than the amount of water necessary for the socio-economic development of the peninsula. This article considers one of the main water management hazards for the territory of Crimea: a lack of water. The aim of this study was to assess the water deficit and determine ways to minimize the impact of risk exposures on the population, the economy and the ecosystem as a whole. Options are provided to ensure that (1) the water economic complex supplies water to consumers in sufficient quantity and quality, and (2) the ecological status of water bodies is maintained at a high level. For example, local wastewater treatment and desalination of sea water can be used in agro-industry and the water economic complex both for individual agricultural producers and for large enterprises. The economic efficiency of the use of technologies to reduce the environmental threats of the water economic complex was assessed using technologies to increase water availability. The analysis of the quality of water resources is given, and options for improving the indicators of raw water-pipe water are proposed.
Does A 'Blue Revolution' Help the Poor? Evidence from Bangladesh

The rapid growth in aquaculture production, globally and in Bangladesh is well documented. Over 2000-2010, per capita production of aquaculture grew 76%, while the consumer price of fish declined 45%. Previous studies have suggested pro-poor effects of aquaculture based on fish production and consumption patterns. This study attempts to quantify the contribution of aquaculture to income growth and poverty reduction in Bangladesh, using household survey data and a micro-simulation approach based on an expanded version of Deaton s (1989) concept of net benefit ratio. We estimate that aquaculture s contribution to income growth between 2000 and 2010 was 2.1 percent, including both price and quantity effects. This income growth was translated into poverty reduction of 1.7 percentage points. Although these estimates seem small, they represent almost 10 percent of the overall poverty reduction in Bangladesh during the first decade of the 21st century. Put differently, of the 18 million Bengalis who escaped poverty during 2000 2010, about 1.8 million of them managed to do so because of the rapid growth in aquaculture, which contributed to rural income while making fish more accessible to consumers. Acknowledgement :
Design, realization of a fixed bed downdraft gasifier and conduction of preliminary gasification tests with balanites aegyptiaca hulls, rice husk and charcoal

This work is focused on the design and testing of a co-current fixed bed gasifier with two air injections. The electric power of the gasifier was set at 10 kW. The design is based on experimental data relating to specific gas production rate, engine power efficiencies, biomass flow rate, pyrolysis and reduction time etc. The gasification tests were conducted with rice husk, hulls of balanites aegyptiaca and charcoal. The realized gasifier has a diameter of the grid and a total height of 14 and 87 cm, respectively. A mass of 6.7, 17.9 and 10.8 kg were respectively gasified for rice husk, hulls of balanites aegyptiaca and charcoal. The highest temperatures (968°C in the oxidation zone) were obtained during charcoal gasification with a reaction time of 244 min. the temperature of 625°C in the oxidation zone and a reaction time of 114 min were obtained for the gasification of the hulls of balanites. Key words: Gasification, design, rice husk, balanites aegyptiaca hulls, charcoal.
Prevalence and risk factors of metabolic syndrome among female university students: A cross-sectional study

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) encompasses various metabolic abnormalities linked to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The study is aimed to assess the prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) among female university students, by gathering anthropometric data including Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist Circumference (WC), and Blood Pressure (BP) and evaluating biochemical data including total Cholesterol (TC), Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG), High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL), and Triglycerides. This study done at Legacy University Okija assessed MetS prevalence among female students, gathering anthropometric (BMI, waist circumference (WC), blood pressure (BP)) and biochemical data (total cholesterol (TC), fasting plasma glucose (FBS), HDL, triglycerides) after an 8-hour fast. The tests were done using standard laboratory procedures. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess differences in BMI groups and MetS components. The results showed that 2(2.9%) students were underweight, 49(70%) had ideal body weight, 12(17.1%) were overweight and 7(10%) were obese. The prevalence of the risk factors were: 7.1% for obesity according to WC, 7.1 % (high) and 1.4%(very high) for systolic BP, 18% for diastolic BP, 48.6% for triglyceride, and 7.1%(pre-diabetic) and 1.4%(diabetic) for FPG. Low HDL-C was absent. The highest prevailing risk factor was triglyceride. The variables with statistical significance were WC(p<0.05), FPG(p<0.05), and diastolic BP(p<0.05). Overall MetS prevalence was 1.4%. MetS is present, especially among the obese, but risk factors are also evident in other groups.
Cerebellar degeneration in gluten ataxia is linked to microglial activation

Abstract Gluten sensitivity has long been recognized exclusively for its gastrointestinal involvement; however, more recent research provides evidence for the existence of neurological manifestations that can appear in combination with or independent of the small bowel manifestations. Amongst all neurological manifestations of gluten sensitivity, gluten ataxia is the most commonly occurring one, accounting for up to 40% of cases of idiopathic sporadic ataxia. However, despite its prevalence, its neuropathological basis is still poorly defined. Here, we provide a neuropathological characterization of gluten ataxia and compare the presence of neuroinflammatory markers glial fibrillary acidic protein, ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1, major histocompatibility complex II and cluster of differentiation 68 in the central nervous system of four gluten ataxia cases to five ataxia controls and seven neurologically healthy controls. Our results demonstrate that severe cerebellar atrophy, cluster of differentiation 20+ and cluster of differentiation 8+ lymphocytic infiltration in the cerebellar grey and white matter and a significant upregulation of microglial immune activation in the cerebellar granular layer, molecular layer and cerebellar white matter are features of gluten ataxia, providing evidence for the involvement of both cellular and humoral immune-mediated processes in gluten ataxia pathogenesis.
Reduced Volume Approach to Evaluate Biaxial Bubbled Slabs’ Resistance to Punching Shear

The bubbled slab, a type of reinforced concrete (RC) slab with plastic voids, is an innovative design that employs a biaxial distribution of voiding formers within the slab to reduce the slab’s self-weight while preserving a load-carrying capacity that is approximately comparable to that of solid slabs. This paper presents a new approach for figuring out the effective critical shear perimeter of voided slabs using the reduced-volume concept of concrete. This approach aims to reduce the coefficient of variation of the current design standards, namely the ACI 318-19 and Eurocode 2, for assessing the slabs’ resistance to punching shear. Our experimental program investigated the impact of voiding former patterns and the location of an opening near a column on the punching shear resistance of biaxial hollow slabs. The factors under consideration included the opening’s size, location, and distance from the loaded area, as well as the voiding formers’ placement concerning the critical shear boundaries. The results of experiments on 10 full-scale, 2000 × 2000 × 230 mm, reinforced concrete biaxial voided slabs with an opening are presented in this study. Two design expressions were used to estimate the biaxial hollow slabs’ shear strength. These expressions take into account the reduced volume of concrete and the distribution of voiding formers up to the section 4d from the periphery of the column. The proposed approach to determine the effective punching shear perimeter has the lowest coefficient of variation among the methods suggested by these standards. This indicates the validity of our proposed expressions. The coefficient of variation of the proposed expressions does not exceed 0.057.
Evidence for a Holocene Climatic Optimum in the southwest Pacific: A multiproxy study

The early Holocene sea surface temperature (SST) gradient across the subtropical front (STF) to the east of New Zealand was ~2°C (measured between core sites MD97-2121 and MD97-2120): considerably less than the ~6°C modern gradient between the two core sites. We document the surface ocean temperatures east and south of New Zealand during the early and middle Holocene, to test and expand upon this reconstruction. This new study samples a latitudinal transect of seven sediment cores from 37°S to 60°S in the southwest Pacific from subtropical waters north of New Zealand to polar waters in the Southern Ocean. Our compilation of SST proxies consists of 525 SST estimates from five different methods and includes 243 new data points. We confirm that an early Holocene warm peak in this region was mostly restricted to the area immediately south of the STF, which resulted in a lower temperature gradient across the STF than in modern times. However, there is no change in Holocene SST south of the polar front. Faunal assemblages suggest an early Holocene meridional expansion of fauna characteristic of the modern subtropical front in the Bounty Gyre. We suggest that such an expansion could be achieved by a reduced inflow of Subantarctic Surface Water into the Bounty Gyre. Results from a modern-analog matching platform called the Past Interpretation of Climate Tool (PICT) suggest that the early Holocene SST is most consistent with reduced westerly winds in the New Zealand sector of the Southern Ocean.
Enhancement of Wear Resistance of High-Load Pressing Screw in Smokeless Charcoal Production by Using Genetic Algorithm and Discrete Element Method

During the production of smokeless charcoal, the pressing screw of the sawdust compressor is exposed to the effects of friction and elevated temperature, resulting in rapid wear. This phenomenon not only diminishes productivity but also exerts adverse influences on the final product's quality. Consequently, the pursuit of research endeavors aiming at prolonging the lifespan of the pressing screw holds significant importance, not only in reducing production costs but also in enhancing the product's overall quality. This paper adopts an innovative approach by integrating theoretical calculations, numerical simulations with practical experiments to ascertain the optimal profile for the pressing screw. This methodology employs Genetic Algorithm and Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations in conjunction with the EDEM software to simulate the working process and provide the optimal profile of the pressing screw. The analysis and simulation results indicate a substantial enhancement in the wear resistance of the pressing screw while ensuring the efficient movement of discrete materials during the pressing process. The results of this study not only indicate the main wear locations on the pressing screw but also suggest the optimal profile, providing a basis and control for wear assessment. Furthermore, the results of this research not only identifies the principal areas that are susceptible to wear on the pressing screw but also proposes optimal profile, threreby establish a solid foundation and methodology for wear assessment. These results will be pragmatically implemented in smokeless charcoal production factories, concurrently pave the way for further research and applications in this field.
The distribution of Cyrtosperma senegalense (Schott) Engl. in a seasonal wetland in Akwa Ibom State

The distribution of Cyrtosperma senegalense (Schott) Engl. in relation to soil properties was conducted in a seasonal wetland in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Soil physicochemical properties were determined alongside identification of co-habiting plant species within study area. Ten plant species were encountered of which Cyrtosperma senegalense was the most abundant with density value of 9500±150.63 st/ha and highest frequency of 85% while Alchornea cordifolia had the least density value (300±43.54 st/ha.). Percentage organic carbon and total nitrogen, available phosphorus and potassium were relatively low in the soil. Abundance of exchangeable bases followed this order: Ca> Mg> Na. Similarly, the structure of heavy metals followed this order: Mn> Zn > Cu >Pb> Cd. The regression analysis showed that the density of C. senegalense associated positively with pH (r 2 = 0.9087), organic carbon (r 2 = 0.8574), available phosphorus (r 2 = 0.2831) and potassium (r 2 = 0.9292) and negatively with total nitrogen (r 2 = 0.6926) and calcium (r 2 = 0.8033). The result obtained from this study shows that plants adapt to different soil and could be used as baseline information on monitoring the state of wetlands within the province. Consequently, constant monitoring of the edaphic properties of this ecosystem will guard against the infiltration of pollutants and deleterious substances in future. Key words : Cyrtosperma senegalense, seasonal wetland, soil properties, aquatic macrophytes
Social and geographical disparities in Twitter use during Hurricane Harvey

ABSTRACT Social media such as Twitter is increasingly being used as an effective platform to observe human behaviors in disastrous events. However, uneven social media use among different groups of population in different regions could lead to biased consequences and affect disaster resilience. This paper studies the Twitter use during 2017 Hurricane Harvey in 76 counties in Texas and Louisiana. We seek to answer a fundamental question: did social-geographical disparities of Twitter use exist during the three phases of emergency management (preparedness, response, recovery)? We employed a Twitter data mining framework to process the data and calculate two indexes: Ratio and Sentiment. Regression analyses between the Ratio indexes and the social-geographical characteristics of the counties at the three phrases reveal significant social and geographical disparities in Twitter use during Hurricane Harvey. Communities with higher disaster-related Twitter use in Harvey generally were communities having better social and geographical conditions. These results of Twitter use patterns can be used to compare with future similar studies to see whether the Twitter use disparities have increased or decreased. Future research is also needed to examine the effects of Twitter use disparities on disaster resilience and to test whether Twitter use can predict community resilience.
Do Global Risk Factors Matter for International Cost of Capital Computations

International financial markets are becoming integrated. Hence, global risk factor are increasingly important for portfolio selection and asset pricing. The recent empirical finance literature has confirmed that both the global market portfolio and exchange rate risk factors constitute important determinants of asset returns. We show, however, that global risk factors do not importantly affect estimates of the cost of equity capital for a remarkably wide variety of companies. We analyze almost 3,300 stocks from nine industrialized countries over the period 1980-1999. Incorporating global factors into cost of capital estimations leads to an adjustment of roughly 50 basis points per annum on average for the U.S. and 70 to 100 basis points for the other countries. Adjustments of this magnitude easily fall inside the margin of error associated with actual cost of capital computations. Specifically for U.S. companies, the amendment of the cost of capital estimate is generally very small. This suggests that global risk factors do not really matter for computing the cost of capital of U.S. firms.
Systematics and macroevolution of extant and fossil scalopine moles (Mammalia, Talpidae)

Scalopini is one of the two fully fossorial mole tribes in the family Talpidae, with remarkable adaptations to subterranean lifestyles. Most living Scalopini species are distributed in North America while a sole species occurs in China. On the other hand, scalopine fossils are found in both Eurasia and North America from upper Oligocene strata onwards, implying a complex biogeographical history. The systematic relationships of both extant and fossil Scalopini across North America and Eurasia are revised by conducting phylogenetic analyses using a comprehensive morphological character matrix together with 2D geometric–morphometric analyses of the humeral shape, with a specific emphasis on Mioscalops, a genus commonly found in North America and formerly known as Scalopoides. Our phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of the tribe Scalopini as well as a proposed two‐subtribe‐division scenario of Scalopini (i.e. Scalopina and Parascalopina), although Proscapanus could not be assigned to either subgenus. Our geometric–morphometric analyses indicate that the European Mioscalops from southern Germany should be allocated to Leptoscaptor, which in turn implies that Mioscalops may be endemic to North America and never arrived in Europe. Examination of biogeographical patterns does not unambiguously determine the geographical origin of Scalopini. Nevertheless, it does support multiple transcontinental colonization events across Asia, Europe and North America. Scapanulus oweni, distributed in central China, is the only remaining representative of one of those out‐of‐North‐America migrations, whereas scalopine moles are common in North America nowadays with up to five species.