Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Circular Economy: A review of definitions, processes and impacts. CEPS Research Report No 2017/8, April 2017

Transforming the linear economy, which has remained the dominant model since the onset of the Industrial Revolution, into a circular one is by no means an easy task. Such a radical change entails a major transformation of our current production and consumption patterns, which in turn will have a significant impact on the economy, the environment and society. Understanding these impacts is crucial for researchers as well as for policy-makers engaged in designing future policies in the field. This requires developing an in-depth knowledge of the concept of the circular economy, its processes and their expected effects on sectors and value chains. This paper reviews the growing literature on the circular economy with the aim of improving our understanding of the concept as well as its various dimensions and expected impacts. On the basis of this review, it attempts to map the processes involved and their application in different sectors. The paper suggests that research on the circular economy is currently fragmented across various disciplines and there are often different perspectives and interpretations of the concept and the related aspects that need to be assessed. This fragmentation is also evident in the available studies that adopt different approaches in calculating the impacts, which makes efforts at comparing the results from different sources very challenging. Finally, this paper suggests that there is limited information on the indirect effects on the economy (e.g. impacts on the value chain and/or changes in consumption spending patterns) as well as the social impacts of the circular economy transition.
Buckling analysis and optimization of blade stiffened variable stiffness panels

A rapid and robust semi-analytical model is developed based on the Rayleigh-Ritz energy method for the buckling analysis of blade stiffened variable stiffness panels. The method includes the often neglected, yet important, stiffener ange in the analysis by not only accounting for the local increase in stiffness but, for the first time in a Rayleigh-Ritz method, allowing the structure to respond in a discontinuous manner at the location of the stiffness discontinuity. This is achieved by discretizing the panel at locations of discontinuities such as ange edges and assigning each region individual shape functions thus preventing a global C1-continuous response in the buckled mode shape. The model is shown to be in excellent agreement with, and computationally efficient when compared to, a commercial FEA package. The model is then used in a genetic algorithm optimization study to design blade stiffened variables stiffness panels by applying practical design and failure constraints. Results are compared with optimized conventional stiffened panels and for the case considered, mass savings over 6% are shown to be achievable when utilising variable stiffness laminates as the skin on stiffened panels.
Experimental research of PS reinforcing earthen architecture

The soils of the ancient Great Wall and ancient city were selected. The mechanical strength and durability of raw and remoulded soil reinforced by PS were studied. The pressive strength,tensile strength,aging test,rain erosion,aeolian erosion and combination test were carried out. The results show that after being reinforced by PS material,the intensity,anti-rain erosion and anti-aeolian erosion ability of the soil are improved obviously. After being reinforced,the pressive strength of ancient Great Wall can be increased to 1.5 times as large as that before being reinforced,and after reinforced three times,its effect is best when consistency of PS is 5%. Cohesion force and internal friction angle can be improved. The penetrability is not affected. The strength of ancient Great Wall soil does not reduce with the aging of time,and it can endure 8 circles of freeze thawing. Comparied with raw soil,strength of ancient city soil reinforced by PS can increase by 1.2-1.8 times,anti-aeolian erosion increases by 6-24 times and the ability of anti-rain erosion and anti-aeolian erosion increases by 6-13 times. PS material has good effect of reinforcement,and it will offer instructive theory and application examples for further optimizing its performance to reinforcement of earthen architecture.
Output Air Temperature Prediction in a Solar Air Heater Integrated with Phase Change Material

Abstract This paper presents a theoretical investigation of output air temperature due to thermal energy discharge process from a phase change material (PCM) unit consists of in-line single row of cylinders contain a compound of paraffin wax with aluminum powder. This system consists of a single-glazed solar air collector integrated with a PCM unit which is divided into cylinders as an absorber-container installed in the collector in a cross flow of pumped air. An indoor simulation supposed that the PCM initially at liquid phase (50˚C) heated by solar simulator while the pumped air over the cylinders at room temperature (28˚C), the mass flow rate, output air temperature, and the freezing time of PCM, represent important factors, eight steps of mass flow rate were started by 0.05 to 0.19kg/s. A Matlab computer program has been developed to compute the air temperature; cylinder by cylinder along the duct, freezing time for each cylinder, and the time required to discharge all the thermal energy. Results show that the air temperature decreases with increasing of mass flow rate, the discharge time take long interval for lower flow rates.
Integrating ICT in Teaching and Learning Geography in a Secondary School: The Lived Experience of Learners

The purpose of the study was to find out learners’ experiences in using ICT to learn geography. Literature has reported that ICT was a tool for learning and teaching. Its effectiveness depended on what the teacher did with it. It was also reported that the use of ICT motivated learners and enhanced their attainment and achievement. There were however, obstacles in the use of ICT for teaching d learning. The study used the qualitative approach to find out learners’ experiences in using ICT to learn geography. Self-reports and observations were used to collect data for the study. Results showed that learners used ICT as a reservoir of geographical information in word, diagrams and maps. They could get most recent information especially weather as it happened. The study concluded that ICT was indeed an important learning tool which if well planned, can enhance learning and achievement. Further studies to establish which aspects of ICT motivated learners and how it enhanced attainment and achievement can be carried out in future.
MRSmatlab — A software tool for processing, modeling, and inversion of magnetic resonance sounding data

ABSTRACTMRSmatlab is a manufacturer-independent software tool for processing, modeling, and inversion of surface nuclear magnetic resonance data. Intended as an open platform, MRSmatlab has been growing over the past few years by connecting researchers and making the latest research available to the community. We have developed insights into yet unpublished numerical implementations of signal processing and complex inversion. In addition, we have evaluated a field example demonstrating the need to carefully inspect all the steps of handling surface nuclear magnetic resonance data. MRSmatlab can be obtained by contacting the authors.
Student journalists exhibit different mindsets but agree on the need for truthful reporting

ABSTRACT This study investigates the ethical orientations journalism students bring to the profession they seek to enter. Using Q methodology to explore the participants’ subjective conceptions of journalism, we map their attitudes and beliefs about journalistic norms and ethics. Participants (n = 54) sorted 28 statements about journalism from ‘most like’ their journalistic mindset to ‘most unlike. ’ Factor analysis identified two distinct mindsets among the participants, one expressing a traditional journalistic mindset, the other embracing a more involved, vocal journalism. Yet both factors expressed strong support for many facets of traditional journalism and embraced an orientation towards the search for truth and the need for truthful reporting.
APPLICATIONS OF NETWORKED UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES TO COOPERATIVE FIRE DETECTION USING GRID-BASED DATA FUSION TECHNIQUES

Abstract The paper presents a system for cooperative fire detection by means of a fleet of networked heterogeneous UAVs. A grid is used to represent the probability of having fire in a certain position within a given area. Different sensors are considered: infrared and visual cameras and a specialized fire sensor. A Bayesian approach is followed for the integration of the sensor readings and the evolution of the grid as new information is available. The paper presents results from actual field experiments of small controlled fires.
Visual tracking algorithm based on grey prediction model and particle filter

In this paper,a visual tracking algorithm is proposed by combining particle filter with grey prediction model.Particle filter does not take into account the guidance of historical prior on the generation of proposal distribution,so that it can not approximate posterior density well.Therefore,the history of state estimation sequence is utilized as prior information to set up grey prediction model for predicting and generating proposal distribution.Through the comparison to particle filter,Kalman particle filter and unscented particle filter,the proposed algorithm exhibits better performance in visual tracking.
Factors Affecting Flushing Distance in Incubating Female Greylag Geese Anser Anser

We studied risk-taking behaviour of breeding greylag geese Anseran-ser in western Poland. Our objectives were to test predictions resulting from theparentalinvestmenttheorybyobservingvariationinflushingdistancefor incubatingfemalesinrelationtoclutchsize,stageofincubation,nesttypeand number of human visits to the nests. We found that the best predictor of flushing distance was the stage of breeding; a negative relationship was observed between the number of incubation days and the observed flushing distance. Hence, females showed more risky behaviour (shortening their flushing distance) in clutches with a higher probability of hatching, i.e. in agreementwiththeparentalinvestmenttheory.Wefoundonlyasmalleffect ofclutchsizeinrelationtoflushingdistanceandnotinthedirectionexpected from the parental investment theory, i.e. females incubating the largest clutchesdemonstratedthelargestescapedistance.Thisfindingmaybedueto unknownageandexperienceofparticularfemaleswhich,atleastpotentially, mayunderlietheobservedvariationinflushingdistance.Wealsofoundthat females adjusted their flushing distance depending on nest location and potentially different concealment. We found no effect of repeated human visits. Flushing distance was nearly significantly shorter in unsuccessful females (whose nests were later destroyed) than in successful females. Hypotheses explaining risk-taking differentiation patterns in greylag geese arediscussed.Ourfindingssuggestthatusingexclusivelyflushingdistance(or anothersinglebehaviouralmeasureofresponsetohumandisturbance)might be misleading and should be used carefully for managing access to wildlife areas.
Comoving frame models of hot star winds-II. Reduction of O star wind mass-loss rates in global models

We calculate global (unified) wind models of main-sequence, giant, and supergiant O stars from our Galaxy. The models are calculated by solving hydrodynamic, kinetic equilibrium (also known as NLTE) and comoving frame (CMF) radiative transfer equations from the (nearly) hydrostatic photosphere to the supersonic wind. For given stellar parameters, our models predict the photosphere and wind structure and in particular the wind mass-loss rates without any free parameters. Our predicted mass-loss rates are by a factor of 2–5 lower than the commonly used predictions. A possible cause of the difference is abandoning of the Sobolev approximation for the calculation of the radiative force, because our models agree with predictions of CMF NLTE radiative transfer codes. Our predicted mass-loss rates agree nicely with the mass-loss rates derived from observed near-infrared and X-ray line profiles and are slightly lower than mass-loss rates derived from combined UV and Hα diagnostics. The empirical mass-loss rate estimates corrected for clumping may therefore be reconciled with theoretical predictions in such a way that the average ratio between individual massloss rate estimates is not higher than about 1.6. On the other hand, our predictions are by factor of 4.7 lower than pure Hα mass-loss rate estimates and can be reconciled with these values only assuming a microclumping factor of at least eight.
Afforestation Subsidy Determination for Haloxylon ammodendron (C.A.Mey.) Bunge in China Based on Cost–Benefit Analysis

Subsidies are an effective instrument to encourage farmers to engage in afforestation which provides many ecosystem services. A scientific and reasonable subsidy level should reflect the demands of various stakeholders so that the subsidy scheme can be accepted by both farmers and the government. This study aimed to establish a framework for designing an afforestation subsidy to attract voluntary participation in a way that seeks to raise both farmers’ and government’s returns while reducing financial expenditure. The framework determines the optimal subsidy level by integrating direct costs, opportunity costs, and ecological benefits to conduct cost–benefit analysis over the period of afforestation. As a case study, we focus on the planting of Haloxylon ammodendron (C.A.Mey.) Bunge in Alxa, Inner Mongolia. The results show that the subsidy level required to motivate farmers is lower than the subsidy level according to the government’s willingness to pay. Under the optimal subsidy level, the government and farmers can reach a balance point that provides effective incentives for afforestation without requiring unreasonable spending. Additionally, the current subsidy is substantially lower than the recommended subsidy; there is still room for improvement in the subsidy policy. The research framework developed herein can help policy and decision makers to design afforestation subsidy schemes and contribute to ecological restoration in
Validation of CD98hc as a Therapeutic Target for a Combination of Radiation and Immunotherapies in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Simple Summary The outcome of patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has not changed for the past decade despite advances in treatment strategies. SLC3A2, which encodes CD98hc, was identified as a putative biomarker for HNSCC radioresistance. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy presents a promising immunotherapy approach for the treatment of different cancer types. Due to the limitations of this system, including a lack of self-control mechanisms, the adapter UniCAR system with a switchable mechanism was developed. This study demonstrated a synergistic effect of the combination of fractionated irradiation and immune targeting of CD98hc. The sequential combination of fractionated radiotherapy and UniCAR-based immunotherapy revealed itself to be a promising approach for the treatment of high-risk HNSCC patients. Abstract Most patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are diagnosed at a locally advanced stage and show heterogeneous treatment responses. Low SLC3A2 (solute carrier family 3 member 2) mRNA and protein (CD98hc) expression levels are associated with higher locoregional control in HNSCC patients treated with primary radiochemotherapy or postoperative radiochemotherapy, suggesting that CD98hc could be a target for HNSCC radiosensitization. One of the targeted strategies for tumor radiosensitization is precision immunotherapy, e.g., the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. This study aimed to define the potential clinical value of new treatment approaches combining conventional radiotherapy with CD98hc-targeted immunotherapy. To address this question, we analyzed the antitumor activity of the combination of fractionated irradiation and switchable universal CAR (UniCAR) system against radioresistant HNSCC cells in 3D culture. CD98hc-redirected UniCAR T cells showed the ability to destroy radioresistant HNSCC spheroids. Also, the infiltration rate of the UniCAR T cells was enhanced in the presence of the CD98hc target module. Furthermore, sequential treatment with fractionated irradiation followed by CD98hc-redirected UniCAR T treatment showed a synergistic effect. Taken together, our obtained data underline the improved antitumor effect of the combination of radiotherapy with CD98hc-targeted immunotherapy. Such a combination presents an attractive approach for the treatment of high-risk HNSCC patients.
Somatotropin Adoption across Major U.S. Dairy Regions

Trends and determinants in the adoption of recombinant bovine somatotropin are examined using data from across the United States. The core findings are: (a) moderate adoption rates and relatively small impacts on national milk production; (b) substantial disadoption, farmers who have tried the technology but stopped using it; (c) no significant differences in characteristics between adopters and disadopters; and (d) major differences between nonadopters and farmers who have tried the technology, with the latter group having significantly higher use rates of complementary, productivity-enhancing technologies and larger herd sizes. This last result holds across states with distinctive herd size distributions. This paper uses data from dairy farmers in seven U.S. states to examine farmlevel factors influencing the adoption of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), a productivity-enhancing hormone injected in cows. As a leading-edge agricultural biotechnology, rBST adoption has been studied extensively preceding and following its commercial release in 1994 (see Barham; Foltz and Chang for entry points to the rBST adoption literature). To date, most studies of rBST adoption determinants use data from a single state or a region within a state (see McBride, Short, and El Osta for an exception). Similarly, companion literature on
Effectiveness of the Use E-Learning: Course on Research Methodology Student of Electrical Engineering Education

This research study focuses on the differences ineffectiveness in the use of media e-learning in the course of research methodology. This type of research is a quasi-experimental research design with a post-test control group design. The populations of this study were all students majoring in electrical engineering education, Faculty of Technic, State University Of Medan, batch 2017 and 2018. Sampling was done by random sampling technique. The research sample of the e-learning Schoology class was 42 students and the e-learning web class was 40 students. From the research data, it was found that there was no difference in learning outcomes between the e-learning Schoology class and the e-learning web. For the effectiveness of using learning media, it was found that web e-learning was considered quite effective compared to e-learning Schoology.
The violence of involuntary resettlement and emerging resistance in Mozambique's Limpopo National Park: The role of physical and social infrastructure

Nature conservation turns violent when it leads to enclosure, dispossession and militarisation, causing suffering among people living in the environment that is to be protected. Resettlement projects are meant to facilitate the process of repossession for dispossessed people as the proponents promise improved housing and physical infrastructure outside the protected area. While scholarly attention has been paid to the violence of dispossession, little is known about the ways in which the post-resettlement built environment turns violent for displaced people as well as people remaining in the protected area. Drawing on field research on water infrastructure in two resettlement villages in Mozambique's Limpopo National Park (LNP), this paper analyses how the violence of resettlement is entrenched in the material, ecological and political framework that shapes the resettlement project. It pays particular attention to the process by which the resettled citizens struggle with the everyday sufferings in their new built environment in order to expose how physical infrastructure and the lack thereof led to new social infrastructure, which have enabled the remaining park residents’ resistance against resettlement. The emerging resistance indicates the urgent need to pay attention to the built environment expanding outside the conservation area in order to address the violence of resettlement as well as to pursue nature conservation itself.
Integrated differentiation of multiple trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene groundwater impacts using spatial concentration, biodegradation indices, chemical fingerprinting and carbon/chlorine isotope patterns

Abstract Conventional testing methods provide sufficient information to evaluate human or ecological risk. However, contaminant concentrations patterns alone provide only limited resolution of important liability issues, such as when and where did contaminant releases originate. Over the past few decades, scientists explored the isotope applications to better identify, delineate, and manage contaminants in the environment. Advanced chemical fingerprinting and isotope technologies revealed important linkages between isotope ratios and contaminant origins (e.g., chemical feedstock and manufacturing process). Studies of environmental weathering distinguished abiotic and biotic changes in the chemical composition and isotope patterns. The combined application of chemical and isotopic fingerprints offers powerful complementary lines of evidence for delineating contaminants, assessing risk, and identifying historical sources. This manuscript provides an integrated forensic approach that systematically links conventional environmental investigation data with specialized chemical fingerprinting and carbon/chlorine isotope methods for identifying the sources of groundwater impacts especially when multiple potential point and non-point sources exist. This paper focusses on chlorinated solvents. Specifically, it features the synoptic use of chemical concentration patterns and compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) as effective tools for confirming organic contaminant sources, characterizing environmental weathering, and answering a growing list of site-specific questions. Unlike conventional isotope methods, which can be both time-consuming and expensive, this paper presents an optimized analytical method for chlorine CSIA using gas chromatography-quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-qMS). Chlorine isotopic composition for multiple analytes (e.g., tetrachloroethylene [PCE], trichloroethylene [TCE], dichloroethylene [DCE], and vinyl chloride [VC]) can be determined in one acquisition thus reducing analysis time and cost. Precise CSIA isotope values were achieved for chloroethylene concentrations between approximately 5 micrograms per liter (ug/l) and 100 ug/l for carbon and between approximately 30 ug/l to 1,000 ug/l for chlorine. The gradual improvement in CSIA methods better addresses the wide concentration range encountered in typical samples collected from groundwater aquifers with significant chlorinated solvent impacts. A case study is presented featuring a tiered forensic investigation using spatial chemistry and isotope patterns to evaluate commingled plumes of PCE and TCE.