Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adsorptive, kinetics and regeneration studies of fluoride removal from water using zirconium-based metal organic frameworks

Fluoride contamination has been recognised as one of the major problems worldwide, imposing a serious threat to human health and affecting the safety of drinking water. Adsorption is one of the widely considered appropriate technologies for water defluorination. The present study describes the preparation of a zirconium-based metal organic framework (MOF-801) adsorbent using a solvothermal method and its adsorption efficiency for removal of fluoride ions from water. The morphology of MOF-801 was characterized by PXRD, FESEM and XPS, and the pore structure and surface area were calculated according to BET. It was found that the synthesized MOF-801 showed the distinguishable octahedral shape particle with a lattice spacing of 0.304 nm, indicative of (011) planes of ZrO2. Adsorption studies were carried out to study the defluorination effectiveness by varying contact time (30–150 min), adsorbent dose (0.3–1.5 g L−1), adsorbate concentration (5–25 mg L−1), as well as kinetics and isotherms. The maximum removal efficiency for fluoride using MOF-801 at equilibrium was found to be 92.3%. Moreover, the adsorption kinetic studies indicate that the overall fluoride adsorption process was best described by pseudo-second-order kinetics. The adsorption data were well-fitted with the Langmuir isotherm model (R2 = 0.9925) with maximum adsorption capacity of 19.42 mg g−1. The synthesized MOF-801 had good reusability and was used in up to four cycles for fluoride removal attaining around 79% removal efficiency after the fourth cycle. All the results suggested that the synthesized MOF-801 has potential to be an excellent adsorbent for wastewater defluorination treatment.
Degradabilidade in situ de silagens de milho confeccionadas com inoculantes bacteriano e/ou enzimático

In situ degradability of corn silages prepared with bacterial and/or enzymatic inoculants. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of the bacterial and/or enzymatic inoculants on corn silage degradation. The in situ technique was used in four adult steers in a 4x4 latin square design. The evaluated treatments were: CS (control silage), SBI (silage with bacterial inoculant), SBEI (silage with bacterial and enzymatic inoculant) and SEI (silage with enzymatic inoculant). There was no difference among treatments i fraction (a), potential degradable fraction (b), fraction b rate of degradation (c), potential degradability (PD) and effective degradability (ED) of DM and OM. The ED of CP was higher in SEI treatment (63.13%) and lower in SBEI treatment (53.69%). The b fraction of NDF was higher for SBEI (74.13%) and lower for SBI (64.07%). The NDF indigestible residue (I) did not show any difference among treatments. The ADF b and I fraction and the c rate values did not show any difference among treatments.
The Dynamics Between Monetary Policy Rate and Inflation in the Philippines

The paper examines the relationship between interest rate and inflation in the Philippines using 204 monthly observations from January 2003 to December 2019. The variables were tested using Vector Autoregression, Granger Causality, Impulse Response Function, Cholesky Variance Decomposition, Johansen Cointegration, and Vector Error Correction. The results confirmed the existence of Fisher Effect and a unidirectional causality function to interest rate from inflation. The immediate response of interest rate to a positive standard deviation shock to inflation was recorded in the second period and inflation accounts for a periodic average of 4.72% forecast error variance of interest rate in the short run. The empirical analysis also validated the existence of significant positive short-run and long-run relationship between the two variables.
Anxiety and Osteoarthritis Disability: Updated Overview and Commentary

Osteoarthritis, a widespread highly painful often incapacitating joint disease continues to impose immense personal and societal challenges among adults of all ages, especially among older adults. In the absence of any effective cure or treatment, it has become essential to explore all correlates of this chronic disabling disease, especially those that might be preventable or modifiable. Anxiety, a potentially remediable state of mental distress found linked to chronically disabling forms of arthritis, in various imperceptible ways, and which may have an immense bearing on the outcomes of osteoarthritis, has not received as much attention in the related literature as other topics, such as surgery.
Estimating PM2.5 in Southern California using satellite data: factors that affect model performance

Background: Studies of PM2.5 health effects are influenced by the spatiotemporal coverage and accuracy of exposure estimates. The use of satellite remote sensing data such as aerosol optical depth (AOD) in PM2.5 exposure modeling has increased recently in the US and elsewhere in the world. However, few studies have addressed this issue in southern California due to challenges with reflective surfaces and complex terrain. Methods: We examined the factors affecting the associations with satellite AOD using a two-stage spatial statistical model. The first stage estimated the temporal PM2.5/AOD relationships using a linear mixed effects model at 1 km resolution. The second stage accounted for spatial variation using geographically weighted regression. Goodness of fit for the final model was evaluated by comparing the daily PM2.5 concentrations generated by cross-validation (CV) with observations. These methods were applied to a region of southern California spanning from Los Angeles to San Diego. Results: Mean predicted PM2.5 concentration for the study domain was 8.84 µg m−3. Linear regression between CV predicted PM2.5 concentrations and observations had an R2 of 0.80 and RMSE 2.25 µg m−3. The ratio of PM2.5 to PM10 proved an important variable in modifying the AOD/PM2.5 relationship (β = 14.79, p ≤ 0.001). Including this ratio improved model performance significantly (a 0.10 increase in CV R2 and a 0.56 µg m−3 decrease in CV RMSE). Discussion: Utilizing the high-resolution MAIAC AOD, fine-resolution PM2.5 concentrations can be estimated where measurements are sparse. This study adds to the current literature using remote sensing data to achieve better exposure data in the understudied region of Southern California. Overall, we demonstrate the usefulness of MAIAC AOD and the importance of considering coarser particles in dust prone areas.
Technical Review on Advanced Approaches for Electric Vehicle Charging Demand Management, Part II: Applications in Transportation System Coordination and Infrastructure Planning

This article proposes a comprehensive technical review on advanced approaches for electric vehicle charging demand management. The survey is divided in two parts. The part II of this survey has two major sections that summarize the charging demand management applications on transportation system coordination and infrastructure planning. The transportation system coordination section discusses the coordinated planning and operation of transportation network and power network, while the infrastructure planning section reviews the charging infrastructure planning and coplanning applications.
Physicochemical Properties of Oat Varieties and Their Potential for Breadmaking

ABSTRACT The breadmaking potential of six oat varieties was compared with and related to their physicochemical properties. The most significant differences in the bread characteristics were found in the crumb structure. The varieties Buggy, Energie, and Zorro resulted in good bread quality with an even gas-cell distribution characterized by a high number of relatively small pores. In contrast, Typhon, Ivory, and Nord 08/311 each had a large hole in the center of the crumb and accordingly poor quality. Breads differed little in specific volume, bake loss, and density. Rheological analysis revealed positive effects of low batter resistance to deformation on oat bread quality. On the basis of the physicochemical characterization, protein and fat contents were identified as key factors responsible for differences observed in bread quality, provided that starch damage and water-hydration capacity were low. Additionally, high setback and final viscosity, as determined by Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) analysis, pos.
Phylogenetic influences on hormone levels across the primate order

Adrenal and gonadal hormone levels were evaluated in representative species from Prosimii, Ceboidea, Cercopithecoidea, and Hominoidea to determine if endocrine activity was influenced by phylogenetic factors. Most small‐bodied New World primates had extremely high levels of cortisol, progesterone, and testosterone when compared with Old World primates. In contrast to the high hormone levels and diversity found in Ceboidea, Old World primates showed a more similar pattern of hormone secretion. Thus, this survey supports earlier reports indicating that the callitricids and smaller cebid monkeys have a distinctive hormone profile. Although higher hormone levels tended to be associated with lower body weight, this effect was not evident in all taxa, and there were many notable exceptions. When species differ from their predicted hormone levels based on phylogenetic heritage and body weight (e.g., titi monkeys), we must look for other biological factors that influence endocrine activity. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Traditional Forest Management and its Application to Encourage Public Participation for Sustainable Forest Management in the Northern Zagros Mountains of Kurdistan Province, Iran

For many years, the Iranian Forest Service has been implementing forest management plans in Zagros forests using a number of different approaches. These have met with limited success owing to conflicts of interest and expectations between the local communities and the forest service. This study, conducted in a village in Kurdistan Province, Iran, evaluated traditional forest management practices and their effects on stand structure to find ways to modify and apply these techniques for developing modified traditional forest co-management plans. Field data on traditional management practices and forest structure were collected using a participatory research approach. The results indicate that traditional forest management can offer sustained yield and can be prescribed for sustainable forest management in northern Zagros with some modifications.
Attribution of historical near-surface permafrost degradation to anthropogenic greenhouse gas warming

Given the current confirmed permafrost degradation and its considerable impacts on ecosystems, water resources, infrastructure and climate, there is great interest in understanding the causes of permafrost degradation. Using the surface frost index (SFI) model and multimodel data from the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), this study, for the first time, investigates external anthropogenic and natural forcing impacts on historical (1921–2005) near-surface permafrost change in the Northern Hemisphere. The results show that anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) forcing produces a significant decrease in the area of near-surface permafrost distribution at a rate of 0.46 × 106 km2 decade−1, similar to observations and the historical simulation (ALL). Anthropogenic aerosol (AA) forcing yields an increase in near-surface permafrost distribution area at a rate of 0.25 × 106 km2 decade−1. Under natural (NAT) forcing, there is a weak trend and distinct decadal variability in near-surface permafrost area. The effects of ALL and GHG forcings are detectable in the observed change in historical near-surface permafrost area, but the effects of NAT and AA forcings are not detected using the optimal fingerprint methods. This indicates that the observed near-surface permafrost degradation can be largely attributed to GHG-induced warming, which has decreased the near-surface permafrost area in the Northern Hemisphere by approximately 0. 21 × 106 km2 decade−1 on average over the study period, according to the attribution analysis.
Within‐patch foraging behaviour of the aphid parasitoid Aphidius funebris: plant architecture, host behaviour, and individual variation

The influence of plant architecture, host colony size, and host colony structure on the foraging behaviour of the aphid parasitoid Aphidius funebris Mackauer (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) was investigated using a factorial experimental design. The factorial design involved releasing individual parasitoid females in aphid colonies consisting of either 10 or 20 individuals of Uroleucon jaceae L. (Homoptera: Aphididae) of either only larval instar L3 or a mixture of host instars, both on unmanipulated plants and on plants that had all leaves adjacent to the colony removed. Interactions between the parasitoid and its host were recorded until the parasitoid had left the plant. The time females spent on the host plant and the number of eggs laid varied greatly among females. Host colony size significantly affected patch residence time and the number of contacts between parasitoids and aphids. Plant architecture influenced the time‐budget of the parasitoids which used leaves adjacent to the aphid colony for attacking aphids. Female oviposition rate was higher on unmanipulated plants than on manipulated plants. No further significant treatment effects on patch residence time, the number of contacts, attacks or ovipositions were found. Oviposition success of A. funebris was influenced by instar‐specific host behaviour. Several rules‐of‐thumb proposed by foraging theory did not account for parasitoid patch‐leaving behaviour.
Investigating the Desirable Assessment Methods of the Performance of the BA Law Students during Internships.

The present study aimed to investigate the desirable assessment methods of the performance of the BA law students during internships, using a mixed methods research approach. The data was collected by using semistructured interviews and questionnaires. In the qualitative part of the study, interviews were conducted with 28 internship experts, lawyers, faculty members from the University of Isfahan, and graduate students, who were purposively selected. In the quantitative part, questionnaires were administered to 114 students from the academic year 2017-2018 and the graduates from 2014-2017 in the field of law. The results of the qualitative part of the study revealed that the interviewees emphasized the professor’s assessment of student performance. The results of the quantitative part of the study revealed that “student performance in simulated settings” and “practical and diagnostic capabilities of students for dealing with client problems” are among the desirable assessment methods of the performance of the BA law students during internships.
Factors affecting home range size and overlap in Calomys venustus (Muridae: Sigmodontinae) in Argentine agroecosystems

Summary In this study, information concerning home range size and overlap of Calomys venustus (Thomas, 1894), in relation to sex, population size, and breeding periods is provided. The present study was carried out on a railway bank in southern Cordoba Province (Argentina), between October 1994 and September 1997, using the capture-mark-recapture method. Home range size in C. venustus depended on breeding period and population size, and was independent of sex. The degree of home range overlap was dependent on breeding and non-breeding periods and overlap type (intra- or intersexual), but was independent of population density. During the breeding period, females showed a small degree of intrasexual home range overlap. In general, male home ranges largely overlapped with females. The conclusion is that differences in home range size of C. venustus could be determined by season and population size. Moreover, the degree of inter- and intrasexual home range overlap during the breeding period suggested that males and females of C. venustus use space differently. Females did not share their home range with other females, while males fully shared it with both sexes, and male spacing is influenced by female distribution.
Assessing Well-Being in Forest Dependent Communities

Summary This paper presents a new approach to the conceptualization and assessment of well-being in forest-dependent communities. Studies of well-being in agrarian communities, boomtowns (communities undergoing rapid growth), and forest-dependent communities are examined to highlight common themes in natural resource-dependent community studies. Social indicators are discussed and a summary of weaknesses presented. The county, a commonly used unit of analysis, is rejected in favor of a more socially relevant unit. This new approach to well-being in forest communities begins with definitions of the terms community and forest dependence. The work of Amartya Sen, whose conceptualization of well-being focuses on the real opportunities people have and their achievements in light of their opportunities, forms the foundation of the new approach proposed here. Sen's conceptualization is broadened by focusing on the community and acknowledging the importance of a sense of place. Methodologically, this new approach adds to the evaluation of social indicators an assessment of community capacity that consists of three components: physical, human, and social capital. It also involves evaluating how residents draw on and develop these aspects of their community to meet local needs and create opportunities. This results in a well-being assessment that includes static as well as dynamic measures of how communities respond to and create opportunities to improve local well-being.
Reproductive cycles in diaptomid copepods: effects of temperature, photocycle, and species on reproductive potential

Periodic changes in the oviducts of Diaptomus characterize a reproductive cycle in which females oscillate between gravid and nongravid conditions. The duration of the nongravid condition sets an upper limit for rates of clutch production. In laboratory studies of Diaptomus leptopus, D. pygmaeus, D. pallidus, and D. dorsalis, the cycle was unaffected by photoperiod but showed a strong temperature dependency. At a given temperature, the four species had a common cycle period but spent different amounts of time in the two phases of the cycle. Interspecific differences in the duration of the nongravid phase produced substantial variation in reproductive potential.
A combined view on precipitation and temperature climatology and trends in the southern Andes of Peru

In the southern Peruvian Andes, communities are highly dependent on climatic conditions due to the mainly rain‐fed agriculture and the importance of glaciers and snow melt as a freshwater resource. Longer‐term trends and year‐to‐year variability of precipitation or temperature severely affect living conditions. This study evaluates seasonal precipitation and temperature climatologies and trends in the period 1965/66–2017/18 for the southern Peruvian Andes using quality‐controlled and homogenized station data and new observational gridded data. In this region, precipitation exhibits a strong annual cycle with very dry winter months and most of the precipitation falling from spring to autumn. Spatially, a northeast–southwest gradient in austral spring is observed, related to an earlier start of the rainy season in the northeastern part of the study area. Seasonal variations of maximum temperature are weak with an annual maximum in austral spring, which is related to reduced cloud cover in austral spring compared to summer. On the contrary, minimum temperatures show larger seasonal variations, possibly enhanced through changes in longwave incoming radiation following the precipitation cycle. Precipitation trends since 1965 exhibit low spatial consistency except for austral summer, when in most of the study area increasing precipitation is observed, and in austral spring, when stations in the central‐western region of the study area register decreasing precipitation. All seasonal and annual trends in maximum temperature are larger than trends in minimum temperature. Maximum temperature exhibits strong trends in austral winter and spring, whereas minimum temperature trends are strongest in austral winter. We hypothesize, that these trends are related to precipitation changes, as decreasing (increasing) precipitation in spring (summer) may enhance maximum (minimum) temperature trends through changes in cloud cover. El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), however, has modifying effects onto precipitation and temperature, and thereby leads to larger trends in maximum temperatures.
Antagonistic effect of two isolates of Trichoderma harzianum against postharvest pathogens of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)

Pathogenicity test of all fungi (14 different isolates) isolated from both infected tomato fruits and the surface wash of other healthy fruits had different pathogenicity rates. The genus Rhizopus sp. was the most pathogenic one followed by Fusarium sp. Trichoderma harzianum isolates (T3 and T4) had a different pattern of antagonism against the tested pathogens. In dual plate test of the antagonistic action of T3 and T24 against the postharvest pathogens, clear zone size ranged between 1 and 4 and 3 and 6 mm by T3 and T24, respectively. The antagonists (T3 and T24) didn't show inhibition zone against Rhizopus sp. , but they could overgrow it by 100% after 9 days of incubation. Mostly, all the other postharvest isolates showed high degree of overgrowth by T3 than T24. The two antagonists failed to overgrow Aspergillus species except for A. niger (3) which was overgrown by T3. Volatile and non-volatile metabolite tests indicated that mycelial growth of Penicillium stekii was significantly inhibited by T3 and T24 more than the other tested pathogens. The inhibition of A. niger (1) was 12% by non-volatile metabolites of T24 produced after 1 day incubation, and reached to 97% inhibition by the metabolites of 3 days. Interestingly, inhibition of Aspergillus sp. by volatile compounds of T3 and T24 was 2% and 20%, respectively, whereas the inhibition of the same pathogen by non-volatile compounds reached 75% and 87%, respectively. The results of slice assay clearly indicate that T. harzianum (T3 and T24) could provide a complete protection to tomato slices from the infection of the tested pathogens. After 3 days of incubation, Trichoderma suppressed the linear growth of these pathogens on tomato slices and the percentage of suppression was significant and ranged between 80 and 100%, except with Rhizopus sp. the suppression reached 33% only.
The spatial and temporal distribution of the grain aphid Sitobion avenae in winter wheat

The spatial and temporal distribution of the grain aphid Sitobion avenae F. (Homoptera: Aphididae) was studied within a field of winter wheat during the summer of 1996. Sampling was done using four nested grids comprising 133 locations. Analysis by Taylor's power law gave results typical for insect populations. Analysis by SADIE (Spatial Analysis by Distance Indices) showed spatial pattern due to edge effects and sampling scale, and positive but mild spatial association, although spatial patterns were ephemeral. Reasons for these findings and the implications for integrated crop management are discussed.