Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Chemical Composition Characteristics and Source of PM2.5 under Different Pollution Degrees in Autumn and Winter of Liaocheng, China

Analysis of chemical composition characteristics of PM2.5 under different pollution degrees can reveal the changes of pollution sources. In order to make clear the evolution process of PM2.5 compositions in autumn and winter, PM2.5 samples were continuously collected and analyzed at Liaocheng city, China. The collected samples were classified as clean days (CLD), mild-moderate pollution days (MMD) and severe-serious pollution days (SSD). It was concluded that with the increase of pollution degrees, the concentrations of water-soluble ions and carbon components increased significantly, while elements only increased slightly. In addition, as the pollution degrees increased, the percentage of NO3−, SO42− and NH4+ increased significantly, from 23.0% in CLD to 49.0% in SSD, while the percentage of other components decreased, especially crust material. The PMF analyzed results showed that secondary transformation (36.7%), combustion sources (20.4%), secondary organic aerosols (SOA) (11.7%), vehicle sources (11%), dust (10.5%) and industrial processes (9.7%) were the main sources of PM2.5 during autumn and winter in Liaocheng. The contribution of secondary transformation reached 57% at the SSD level, which indicated that it was the main reason for the increase of PM2.5 concentrations. The air mass mainly came from five paths to Liaocheng. The secondary transformation contribution of the air mass with short transmission distance was higher, while the contribution of the dust was higher from the long distance.
Investigating the Challenges Faced by the Teacher Educators after Implementation of Pre-Service B.Ed (Hons.) Elementary Four-Year Program in Sindh

The main purpose of this article is to bring up the challenges faced by the teacher educators during the implementation of B.Ed (Hons.) elementary program initiated by the provincial governments and HEC in collaboration with United State Agency for International development (USAID) in Pakistan. In this study two general universities i.e., University of Sindh and Karachi University were included which received the funding from USAID for upliftment of Elementary Education in the Sindh province, where this teacher educators’ program was piloted and later on fully implemented. In-depth semi-structured face to face interview schedule was developed to conduct the survey type qualitative research design. Five teacher educators from each university (N=10) through purposive sampling were selected and interviewed to collect the data. The gathered data were thematically analyzed on the pattern of Braun & Clarke (2006) approach. On the bases of the analyses, it was inferred that the program despite of its successful completion of first round faced many intrinsic problems such as the lack of trained human resources, lack of involvement of the concerned faculty in curriculum decisions, lack of implementation of the modern pedagogies for bringing quality into the program. Moreover, the external factors such as physical resources and the quality of the intake were also slanting the performance of the program to some extent. These finding are in alignment with the previous studies conducted in the similar context to assess the implementation of teacher education programs. However, the administration of the institutes of so far found playing active role in carrying on the program smoothly despite of the challenges. In the light of the findings of the study, it is recommended that the intervention to provide the funds as well as physical facilities at this stage is inevitable. Keywords: B.Ed elementary teacher educator program, implementing program, challenges
Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties of Norway Spruce (Picea abies H. Karst.) and Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière) Cone Extracts

According to recent studies, Norway spruce cones and eastern hemlock cones possess exceptionally high antioxidant capacities; however, the antioxidant efficiency of extractives and their bioactive effects have yet to be investigated in detail. The present article utilizes state-of-the art analytical chemical methodology and chemometric evaluation to reveal cone extractives with the highest antioxidant potential, accounting for possible bioactive effects. Antioxidant properties were determined by the Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and the Folin–Ciocalteu’s total phenol content (TPC) assay. Structure and relative polyphenol concentrations were determined using liquid chromatography/diode array detection/tandem mass spectrometry. The antibacterial testing was conducted using Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli strains. Using correlation analysis and factor analysis, a scoring evaluation was implemented to determine and compare the antioxidant efficiency of extractives. In Norway spruce, piceatannol-O-hexoside and coumaric acid derivatives were found to be the most powerful antioxidants, while in eastern hemlock, kaempferol glycosides were the most powerful. The antibacterial test did not show any promising antimicrobial activity against E. coli, although a visible inhibitory effect on S. aureus strain was observed.
All‐Solid‐State Synaptic Transistor with Ultralow Conductance for Neuromorphic Computing

Electronic synaptic devices are important building blocks for neuromorphic computational systems that can go beyond the constraints of von Neumann architecture. Although two‐terminal memristive devices are demonstrated to be possible candidates, they suffer from several shortcomings related to the filament formation mechanism including nonlinear switching, write noise, and high device conductance, all of which limit the accuracy and energy efficiency. Electrochemical three‐terminal transistors, in which the channel conductance can be tuned without filament formation provide an alternative platform for synaptic electronics. Here, an all‐solid‐state electrochemical transistor made with Li ion–based solid dielectric and 2D α‐phase molybdenum oxide (α‐MoO3) nanosheets as the channel is demonstrated. These devices achieve nonvolatile conductance modulation in an ultralow conductance regime (<75 nS) by reversible intercalation of Li ions into the α‐MoO3 lattice. Based on this operating mechanism, the essential functionalities of synapses, such as short‐ and long‐term synaptic plasticity and bidirectional near‐linear analog weight update are demonstrated. Simulations using the handwritten digit data sets demonstrate high recognition accuracy (94.1%) of the synaptic transistor arrays. These results provide an insight into the application of 2D oxides for large‐scale, energy‐efficient neuromorphic computing networks.
Airborne fine particulate matter (PM2.5) at industrial, high- and low-density residential sites in a Nigerian megacity

Abstract Airborne particulate matter PM2.5 was collected in an industrial, a low-density, and a high-density residential area of Lagos from December 2010 to November 2011, and elemental composition was determined by proton-induced X-ray emission. Across the months, mass concentrations ranged from 13 to 237 µg m−3, exceeding the World Health Organization guideline value of 10 µg m−3. Data on 24 elements were obtained, with maximum values during Harmattan season months; source identification and apportionment studies by positive matrix factorization suggested that petroleum oil combustion (70%) was the major source of PM2.5 and could pose a great hazard to Lagos receptors.
Impact Factor : 5 . 99 Comparative Studies of the Effect of Inorganic and Organic Acid Treatment on Chitosan Property from Shrimp Shells

Hydrochloric acid has been the conventional acid of use in shrimp shell demineralization for chitosan synthesis. This inorganic acid was compared to acetic acid; an organic acid in the demineralization stage. Deproteinization and deacetylation stages were carried out using a sodium hydroxide solution to produce chitosan. Characterization using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) showed the structure and functional groups of the synthesized chitosans, while X-Ray Diffractometry (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to investigate the crystallinity and structural differences respectively. From the analysis, chitosan property was compared at the molecular weight, viscosity, solubility and Degree of Deacetylation (DD) (85% when acetic acid was used, and 87.06% when HCl was used). Experimental analysis indicated that acid type did not significantly affect properties of synthesized chitosan.
Equation of state of solid Ne inter-calibrated with the MgO, Au, Pt, NaCl-B2, and ruby pressure scales up to 130 GPa

ABSTRACT We measured the unit-cell volume of thermally annealed solid Ne at 30–130 GPa, which is loaded together with MgO and Pt or Au in diamond-anvil cells. Laser annealing significantly reduced the deviatoric stress and the data scatter. We fit our data to the 3rd-order Birch–Murnaghan and Vinet equations of state (EOS) with the MgO pressure scale from [Ye Y, Prakapenka V, Meng Y, Shim SH. J Geophys Res. 2017;122:3450] (hereafter MgO-Y17 scale). In order to make consistent comparison, we converted the pressures of the reported datasets for isothermal compression on Ne, so that they are consistent with the MgO-Y17 scale. The discrepancy among different datasets reduces significantly after pressure conversion. We also identified the internally consistent EOSs of Ne, MgO, Pt, Au and NaCl-B2, together with the ruby scale. Our findings contribute to internally consistent comparison of different experimental datasets on the pressure-dependent behaviors of materials.
Re-Building Students’ Post-COVID-19 Confidence in Courses, Curriculum and Careers for Tourism, Hospitality, and Events

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the most significant disruption to education in history (United Nations, 2020), not least in Tourism, Hospitality, and Events (THE). While growing evidence explores the reshaping of higher education in a COVID-19 era, limited discussion exists on the specific impacts for current and future students of THE and the challenges of rebuilding student and wider stakeholder confidence in THE education and careers. This paper advances this discussion by focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on the THE educational experience. A case example approach is adopted to illustrate the responses of four universities in the pre, during, and post phases of students’ educational journey. Common approaches are drawn using lesson drawing, broader implications and issues affecting institutions and students are explored and lessons for the future of THE education are extrapolated. Finally, the paper also suggests avenues for future research.
β-Ga2O3 for wide-bandgap electronics and optoelectronics

β-Ga2O3 is an emerging, ultra-wide bandgap (energy gap of 4.85 eV) transparent semiconducting oxide, which attracted recently much scientific and technological attention. Unique properties of that compound combined with its advanced development in growth and characterization place β-Ga2O3 in the frontline of future applications in electronics (Schottky barrier diodes, field-effect transistors), optoelectronics (solar- and visible-blind photodetectors, flame detectors, light emitting diodes), and sensing systems (gas sensors, nuclear radiation detectors). A capability of growing large bulk single crystals directly from the melt and epi-layers by a diversity of epitaxial techniques, as well as explored material properties and underlying physics, define a solid background for a device fabrication, which, indeed, has been boosted in recent years. This required, however, enormous efforts in different areas of science and technology that constitutes a chain linking together engineering, metrology and theory. The present review includes material preparation (bulk crystals, epi-layers, surfaces), an exploration of optical, electrical, thermal and mechanical properties, as well as device design/fabrication with resulted functionality suitable for different fields of applications. The review summarizes all of these aspects of β-Ga2O3 at the research level that spans from the material preparation through characterization to final devices.
Determination of the stability constants of Pu(VI) carbonate complexes by capillary electrophoresis coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer

Abstract New determination of the stability constants related to the Pu(VI)/carbonate chemical system has been obtained by coupling capillary electrophoresis and ICP-MS at the ionic strength of 0.202 m in NaClO4 and for a temperature of 25°C. The following values have been obtained: log10βPuO2CO3=8.12±0.02,${\log _{10}}{\beta _{{\rm{Pu}}{{\rm{O}}_2}{\rm{C}}{{\rm{O}}_3}}} = 8.12 \pm 0.02,$log10βPuO2(CO3)22−=13.96±0.04,${\log _{10}}{\beta _{{\rm{Pu}}{{\rm{O}}_2}({\rm{C}}{{\rm{O}}_3})_2^{2 - }}} = 13.96 \pm 0.04,$ and log10βPuO2(CO3)34−=18.10±0.03. ${\log _{10}}{\beta _{{\rm{Pu}}{{\rm{O}}_2}({\rm{C}}{{\rm{O}}_3})_3^{4 - }}} = 18.10 \pm 0.03. $ Based on the values selected by AEN/OECD, the interaction coefficients have been re-evaluated as follows: εPuO2CO3=0.02±0.21,${\varepsilon _{{\rm{Pu}}{{\rm{O}}_2}{\rm{C}}{{\rm{O}}_3}}} = 0.02 \pm 0.21,$εPuO2(CO3)22−,Na+=0.12±0.08,${\varepsilon _{{\rm{Pu}}{{\rm{O}}_2}({\rm{C}}{{\rm{O}}_3})_2^{2 - },{\rm{N}}{{\rm{a}}^ + }}} = 0.12 \pm 0.08,$εPuO2(CO3)34−,Na+=0.14±0.18 kg⋅mol−1. ${\varepsilon _{{\rm{Pu}}{{\rm{O}}_2}({\rm{C}}{{\rm{O}}_3})_3^{4 - },{\rm{N}}{{\rm{a}}^ + }}} = 0.14 \pm 0.18{\rm{ kg}} \cdot {\rm{mo}}{{\rm{l}}^{ - 1}}. $
Art in Post-Industrial Facilities—Strategies of Adaptive Reuse for Art Exhibition Function in Poland

Along with the socio-economic changes in Poland after 1989 and the beginning of the industrial restructuring process, many industrial architecture objects lost their original purpose. At present, sustainable processes of reusing the building stock left over from the industrial period are proceeding. One of the possibilities includes adaptation to culture-related goals, where such activities have an established tradition in the world. The aim of the article is to analyze the adaptive reuse of post-industrial facilities in Poland for the functions of art exhibitions, such as museums, galleries, and art centers. The study was based on descriptive qualitative and quantitative research, in the following stages: identification and analysis of adapted objects; developing a typology of adaptive reuse strategies; questionnaire research aimed at institutions located in adapted facilities. The analyses show that the leading group of adapted facilities constitute former power plants, which ensure favorable exhibition conditions. The main result is the recognition of five types of adaptive reuse strategies implemented in Poland, resulting from a diversified approach to the historic substance, such as: the method of extension of an object; placing an exhibition; the character of the exhibition space, along with the type of intervention in the interior of a historic building.
Comparative Characterization of Hot-Pressed Polyamide 11 and 12: Mechanical, Thermal and Durability Properties

Chemically speaking, polyamide 11 (PA11) and polyamide 12 (PA12) have a similar backbone, differing only in one carbon. From an origin point of view, PA11 is considered a bioplastic polyamide composed from renewable resources, compared to oil-based PA12. Each of them has a number of advantages over the other, which makes their selection a challenging issue. Depending on the target application, diverse assessments and comparisons are needed to fulfill this mission. The current study addresses this research gap to characterize and compare PA11 and PA12 manufactured by the hot press technique in terms of their mechanical, thermal and durability properties for the first time, demonstrating their potential for future works as matrices in composite materials. In this regard, different characterization techniques are applied to the hot-pressed polymer sheets, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mechanical performance of the PA11 and PA12 sheets is compared based on tensile tests and shore hardness measurement. The durability behavior of these two polyamides is evaluated in water and relative humidity conditions at different aging times. The experimental results show the ductile behavior of PA12 with respect to the quasi-brittle PA11. Both have a relatively small water and moisture gain: 1.5 wt% and 0.8 wt%, respectively. The higher crystallinity of PA12 (2.1 times more than PA11) with γ-phase is one of the leading parameters to achieve better mechanical and durability properties. The FTIR spectra displayed slight acid hydrolysis. Accordingly, absorbed water or moisture does not cause plasticization; thus, neither hardness nor dimension changes.
Laser Ablation In Situ Silicon Stable Isotope Analysis of Phytoliths

Silicon is a beneficial element for many plants and is deposited in plant tissue as amorphous bio‐opal called phytoliths. The biochemical processes of silicon uptake and precipitation induce isotope fractionation: the mass‐dependent shift in the relative abundances of the stable isotopes of silicon. At the bulk scale, δ30Si ratios span from −2 to +6‰. To further constrain these variations in situ, at the scale of individual phytolith fragments, we used femtosecond laser ablation multi‐collector inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (fsLA‐MC‐ICP‐MS). A variety of phytoliths from grasses, trees and ferns were prepared from plant tissue or extracted from soil. Good agreement between phytolith δ30Si ratios obtained by bulk solution MC‐ICP‐MS analysis and in situ isotope ratios from fsLA‐MC‐ICP‐MS validates the method. Bulk solution analyses result in at least twofold better precision for δ30Si (2s on reference materials ≤ 0.11‰) over that found for the means of in situ analyses (2s typically ≤ 0.24‰). We find that bushgrass, common reed and horsetail show large internal variations up to 2‰ in δ30Si, reflecting the various pathways of silicon from soil to deposition. Femtosecond laser ablation provides a means to identify the underlying processes involved in the formation of phytoliths using silicon isotope ratios.
Investigating if the Financial Markets Performance Affects the Shadow Economy: Additional Evidence From EU Countries

The shadow economy also known as the informal or unobserved or underground economy, is a phenomenon that affects not only emerging markets and developing countries but also advanced economies. In general, this undeclared economic activity is hard to measure given its hidden nature in addition to its relation with unlawful activities. Nevertheless, apart from the legal aspects that may appear, shadow economy has negative implications in terms of tax revenue and social security contributions for the nations. To this end, an extensive literature has explored the measurement issues as well as the root causes of this phenomenon proving that the underground economy constitutes a significant portion of the overall economy in a number of countries. This paper tries to investigate the relationship between the shadow economy and the financial markets. This paper employs a number of panel data regression models to detect the association between the financial market metrics and the shadow economy (as a% of GDP). The outcome of this paper is that it finds evidence that increased market capitalization, GDP per capita and FDI as well as low unemployment and inflation rates contribute to low levels of shadow economy. This can be of value to policy makers and the competent authorities of the countries that wish to find means to contain their shadow economy.
Promoting Children’s Social-Emotional Learning Through Early Education: Piloting the Pyramid Model in Victorian Preschools

Abstract The Pyramid Model (PM) is an evidence-based, early educational framework designed to promote all young children’s social-emotional-behavioural (SEB) learning. The tiered PM early education practice framework, developed in North America, embeds strategies for children with exceptional needs naturally and coherently integrates apparently divergent approaches to promoting young children’s SEB skills. Responsive teaching, which is fundamental to early education practice, is shown to link with positive behaviour support practices by means of incidental and planned intentional teaching. These early education PM practices are intended to promote children’s SEB skills when used together purposefully, consistently, and intensively. The PM’s potential application in Australia was investigated with 4–5-year-olds in 4 Victorian preschools. Quantitative data from the study suggested that after training and subsequent coaching in the PM, there was significant change in intervention educators’ behaviour, which was independently observed and rated using the Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool. Concurrently, the SEB skills of the children in the intervention groups were shown to have developed at a significantly greater rate than the children in the contrast groups as assessed using the Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales.
Efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy for psoriasis: an overview of systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND Acupuncture therapy is a method of piercing needles into acupoints to treat diseases with/without corresponding manipulations, which could serve as a useful supplementary therapy for psoriasis. The present study aimed to outline and sum up current evidence from systematic reviews (SRs)/meta-analyses (MAs) that investigate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture on psoriasis. METHODS A comprehensive search involving eight electronic databases was conducted from the date of inception to July 2021, and grey literatures were manually searched. The research was selected according to prespecified inclusion criteria and relevant data were obtained. The methodological quality of the included SRs was scrutinized using the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2) tool. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was used to appraise the reporting quality of the included SRs. Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews (ROBIS) was selected for the evaluation of bias risk of the included SRs. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was applied to determine the quality of evidence from primary outcome measures. RESULTS After screening, seven SRs/MAs met the inclusion criteria, including two English and five Chinese articles. All of the SRs were published between 2015 and 2020. Based on AMSTAR-2, the quality of all SRs was rated as dangerously low. Using the PRISMA-A checklist, major reporting flaws were observed in the financial statements, protocols, and registrations of the included literature. According to the ROBIS tool, two SRs/MAs were classed as low bias risk. Using the GRADE tool, this review contained 27 outcomes, with only one being classified as high-quality evidence, seven moderate-quality evidences, and 19 as low-quality evidence. The present research results advocated acupuncture therapy as a supplementary treatment for psoriasis patients; however, the evidence should still be treated with caution due to certain limitations. CONCLUSIONS Our overview suggests that acupuncture could be used as a complementary therapy to produce effective clinical result for psoriasis. Nonetheless, considering the poor quality of SRs/Mas that advocate these findings, studies with more rigorous design, larger populations samples and of higher quality are called for to provide stronger evidence for definitive conclusions.