Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How Innovative Characteristics Influence Consumers’ Intention to Purchase Electric Vehicle: A Moderating Role of Lifestyle

Electric vehicles have been identified as a viable option for optimization of the energy structure to foster energy conservation and a reduction in emissions, as well as to promote the development of a sustainable economy. Recently, China announced that the financial subsidies for electric vehicles will be gradually withdrawn, and many incentive policies will be revised, indicating that the electric vehicle market has transformed from a policy-driven to a market-driven structure. Therefore, we study the elements affecting consumers’ purchase intention in the early stage of electric vehicle availability to provide a theoretical reference that can be used in China to continue to stimulate market diffusion of electric vehicles based on the innovation diffusion theory and planned behavior theory. The current study explains the associations among the innovation characteristics, perceived risk, and purchase intention in relation to electric vehicles and details the moderating effect of lifestyle on fashion consciousness, environmental consciousness, and price consciousness. This paper investigates 529 potential consumers in Beijing, Shanghai, and other places, and AMOS and SPSS were used to perform quantitative analyses. The results show that innovation characteristics exert an obvious effect on purchase intention based on the mediating variable of perceived risk. Fashion consciousness significantly moderates the relationship between relative advantage and perceived risk, and environmental consciousness has a significant influence on the relationship between technology compatibility and perceived risk. Price consciousness plays the smallest role in this process. In practice, the findings suggest that practitioners can promote electric vehicle consumer purchase intention by using psychological activation techniques to improve the attitude and educational interest in relation to this product. It is also suggested that, as part of the strategy, government services should be improved.
An enhanced high-speed multi-digit BCD adder using quantum-dot cellular automata

The advent of development of high-performance, low-power digital circuits is achieved by a suitable emerging nanodevice called quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA). Even though many efficient arithmetic circuits were designed using QCA, there is still a challenge to implement high-speed circuits in an optimized manner. Among these circuits, one of the essential structures is a parallel multi-digit decimal adder unit with significant speed which is very attractive for future environments. To achieve high speed, a new correction logic formulation method is proposed for single and multi-digit BCD adder. The proposed enhanced single-digit BCD adder (ESDBA) is 26% faster than the carry flow adder (CFA)-based BCD adder. The multi-digit operations are also performed using the proposed ESDBA, which is cascaded innovatively. The enhanced multi-digit BCD adder (EMDBA) performs two 4-digit and two 8-digit BCD addition 50% faster than the CFA-based BCD adder with the nominal overhead of the area. The EMDBA performs two 4-digit BCD addition 24% faster with 23% decrease in the area, similarly for 8-digit operation the EMDBA achieves 36% increase in speed with 21% less area compared to the existing carry look ahead (CLA)-based BCD adder design. The proposed multi-digit adder produces significantly less delay of (N –1) + 3.5 clock cycles compared to the N* One digit BCD adder delay required by the conventional BCD adder method. It is observed that as per our knowledge this is the first innovative proposal for multi-digit BCD addition using QCA.
IMPACT OF PROBLEM-SOLVING AND DISCOVERY STRATEGIES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND ATTITUDE, RETENTION IN GENETIC CONCEPT AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ZARIA METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

This study investigated the impact of problem-solving and discovery strategies on attitude, retention and academic performance in genetic concepts among secodnary school students in Zaria, Nigeria. The research design for the study is Quasi-experimental and control group involving pretest and posttest. The population of the study consists of 527, (264 male and 263 female) students. Simple random sampling technique inform of balloting method was used to select three schools out of five co-educational schools. A sample of three hundred and forty-five (345) secondary school students consisting of 182 male and 163 female students were randomly selected and used for the study. The sample was divided into two groups – experimental and control groups. Both groups underwent pre-test, treatment and post-test. Two instruments were used for gathering data, Genetic Performance Test (GPT) with reliability co-efficient of r=0.87 and Students’ Attitude to Genetics Questionnaire (SAGQ) with reliability co-efficient of r=0.79. One statistical tool – Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used for analysing the data gathered at P ≤ 0.05 level of significance. Findings reveal that students taught by problem-solving and discovery strategies performed better than those taught by conventional lecture method. Also from the mean scores of problem solving have 25.86 while discovery has 26.08 which is greater than the that of problem solving impact in enhancing students academic performance in genetics. The same result was obtained in there retention ability and atitude change however, also gender did not show any difference in performance in all the two teaching strategies. Based on the finding recommendation were made one of which emphases biology teachers to use problem solving and discovery strategies to improved students academic performance in genetics. More especially the use of discovery strategy.
Do communication styles impact safety outcomes? An analysis of Canadian drilling and well servicing rig managers

The oil and gas industry is a challenging and complex environment. As front-line participants, energy service (drilling and well servicing) companies face dangerous work, environmental controversy, poor public image, and volatile commodities markets. The emerging field of health, safety, and environment (HSE) provides an opportunity to manage these associated challenges in a meaningful way by enhancing the ability to attract and retain qualified staff, obtain long term contracts with customers, and generate positive public perceptions. How a drilling or service rig’s manager (RM) communicates HSE messaging is critical to HSE quality. This study explores the relationship between an RM’s communication style (CS) and safety records. A quantitative survey to measure CS was distributed to 87 rig managers working for one energy service company in Canada. The results from 37 successfully completed surveys were crosstabulated with safety records and evaluated in light of existing research. Although findings are not statistically meaningful, they yield several interesting observations between CS variables and safe behaviour. In particular, contrasting with some existing literature, it appears an authoritarian and task-orientated approach to safety messaging specifically may be more effective in delivering better safety results. Findings also suggest expressive rig managers may not be as safe as less expressive ones. Overall, the study reveals areas where the energy service industry would benefit from additional research. Specifically, it provides some practical insight into measuring and evaluating communication style effectively, and suggests that situation and context may play a significant role in relation to achieving outcomes. The study also illustrates a need for industry to re-evaluate safety reporting methods and perhaps introduce standardized protocols. DO COMMUNICATION STYLES IMPACT SAFETY OUTCOMES? 5
Major causes of construction time and cost overruns

In Ghana, the duration of construction projects from inception to completion is becoming a great concern, recently, especially among clients and beneficiaries, because of the rising interest rates, inflation, development plan targets, among other factors. Hence the need to understand the causes of delays and cost overrun in the construction sector has become more important than ever. This study therefore aims to identify the major factors underlying time and cost overruns in projects related to the education sector in Ghana to proffer practical solutions in addressing them. ,The study conducted a survey among clients’ consultants and representatives of the contractors working on about 60 government school projects. A relative importance index was used to determine the relative effects of the factors causing construction time and cost overruns. ,The key factors causing construction time overrun were: financial problems, unrealistic contract durations imposed by clients, poorly defined project scope, client-initiated variations, under-estimation of project cost by consultants, poor inspection/supervision of projects by consultants. Other factors were underestimation of project complexity by contractors, poor site management, inappropriate construction methods used by contractors and delays in the issuance of permits by government agencies. Factors affecting cost overruns were financial difficulty by client, delays in payments of completed works, variations in designs, lack of communications plans, poor feasibility and project analysis, poor financial management on site and material price fluctuations. ,The research was limited to only the educational sector projects. ,Practically, this study highlights for the construction sector the critical factors causing project time and cost overruns in Ghana. Identification of these factors provides the basis for pragmatic solutions to enhance the chances of project success. ,The identification and solutions to project time and cost overruns, especially for educational sector projects, contribute toward making public goods more affordable and accessible to most citizens, particularly in developing countries. ,This study contributes to the debate on factors causing project time and cost overruns in the construction sector especially from a developing country’s perspective.
Comparative soil restoration potential of exotic and native woody plantations on coal mine spoil in a dry tropical environment of India: A case‐study

Overburden excavated during opencast mining has poor soil properties due to non‐salvage and inversion of soil profiles. The soil properties of such overburden are often improved by biological reclamation techniques such as planting suitable plant species; however, the performance of species varies from site‐to‐site. Therefore, this article aims to evaluate the effects of woody plantations on coal mine spoil's physicochemical and biological properties. We synthesised the available data from previous studies conducted on 5‐year‐old plantations in the Singrauli Coalfields of India. These plantations have monocultures of eight species, in which four were exotic (Acacia auriculiformis, Casuarina equisetifolia, Cassia siamea and Grevillea pteridifolia) and four were native species (Albizia lebbeck, Albizia procera, Dendrocalamus strictus and Tectona grandis). We compared the soil properties under exotic and native species plantations to evaluate the effect of species and origin. The Wilcoxon's test showed that the clay content (p = 0.000), ammonium‐nitrogen (p = 0.002), phosphate‐phosphorus (p = 0.000) and microbial biomass nutrients (C, N and P; p = 0.000) were significantly higher under native plantations than the exotic plantations. Further, we observed a significant positive correlation (r = 0.86, p < 0.001) between soil organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon for native species. We also found that microbial biomass nutrients are negatively associated with nitrification rates and positively associated with nitrogen mineralisation rates. Overall, our study suggested that exotic species plantations are not as effective as native species in mine spoil rehabilitation. Thus, native species plantations should be promoted while restoring degraded coal mine habitats in a dry tropical environment.
Impact of Stationary Brush Quantity on Brush Use in Group-Housed Dairy Heifers

Simple Summary Grooming and oral manipulation are motivated natural behaviors for cattle and can be practically facilitated by provision of stationary brushes. It is unknown how many brushes should be provided to a group to allow for ample opportunity for use. Our main objectives were to evaluate the effect of the number of brushes on use and competition in group-housed, weaned dairy heifers naïve to brushes. Brush quantity did not impact overall durations of brush use and competition, but the provision of four vs. two brushes per group of eight heifers resulted in longer bouts, suggesting better opportunity for uninterrupted use. The continued use of brushes over time by all heifers supports the importance of providing appropriate outlets for natural behaviors, such as grooming and oral manipulation, to promote animal welfare. Abstract Our objectives were to evaluate the effect of stationary brush quantity on brush use and competition in weaned dairy heifers naïve to brushes. Sixty-three Holstein heifers (95 ± 5.7 days old) were housed in groups of eight (with the exception of 1 group of 7) with two or four stationary brushes (n = 4 groups/treatment). Brush-directed behaviors of grooming, oral manipulation, and displacements were recorded continuously for all heifers 0–6, 18–24, 120–126 and 138–144 h after brush exposure. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate the effects of brush quantity and exposure duration. Total brush use and competition were not affected by brush quantity, but heifers with access to more brushes used them for longer bouts, suggesting greater opportunity for uninterrupted use. Total brush use was greater in the first and final 6 h observation periods, which was driven by the greatest duration of oral manipulation and grooming in those respective periods. The continued use of brushes by all heifers in the final period indicates the importance of providing appropriate outlets for these natural behaviors to promote animal welfare. The effect of brush quantity on bout characteristics suggests that brush use was less restricted with four compared to two brushes per eight heifers.
Socio-Economic Impact on the Working-Class during the Covid-19: A Comparative Study between Kolkata and Dhaka Cities

This study compares the socio-economic impact on the working-class between Kolkata (West Bengal, India) and Dhaka (Bangladesh) Cities during the period of Covid-19 because the socio-economic characteristics’ are comparatively similar in nature. Workers in diverse sectors have undergone by reason of the closure of businesses, manufacturing and service sectors, and other sectors. This study is based on primary data collected from two cities of two countries using the structured questionnaire. In the course of analysis, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling have been used. Exploratory factor analysis shows that five latent variables in terms of one economic factor, three societal factors and one working-class factor from Kolkata city and six latent variables in terms of two economic factors, three societal factors and one working-class factor from Dhaka city have been identified. The structural equation model demonstrates that both economic and societal factors/variables influence the working class in Kolkata and Dhaka cities during the pandemic situation.
Innovative Affordances for Blind Smartphone Users: A Qualitative Study

Blindness imposes various functional limitations on the blind and visually impaired (BVI) individuals. Anecdotal evidence suggests that BVI use their smartphones in various innovative ways to overcome those limitations. We conduct a qualitative field study with three BVI participants to understand how they use their smartphones to overcome their functional limitations in the personal and professional contexts. We use the lens of theory of affordances to analysis the BVI participants’ use of smartphones. Affordances emerge from the contextually situated interaction between users and technologies to achieve specific objectives. Our analysis reveals many meaningful affordances which can be systematically incorporated in the smartphone design to enable BVI to overcome some of their functional limitations.
Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain in Patients With COVID-19 Infection

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, is an ongoing pandemic that has affected millions globally. Many infected patients have been noted to have cardiovascular damage. Prior to the development of clinical symptoms, the use of transthoracic echocardiography, specifically with measurements of left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS), may provide an additional prognostic marker for patients infected with COVID-19. We sought to determine whether patients with COVID-19 and reduced LVGLS have an increased risk for mortality. The mean LVGLS was determined to be significantly lower in the non-survivors compared to the survivors (−11.6 ± 1.8 vs −15.4 ± 0.74, p<0.05). It should be noted, however, that even those that survived were found to have reduced LVGLS (<−18.5%). A multivariate logistic regression analysis was also performed that demonstrated a relationship between reduced LVGLS and an increased risk for mortality. Overall, our data indicate that COVID-19 patients may have subclinical left ventricular dysfunction, and that critically ill patients may have a greater decline in cardiac dysfunction.
Effectiveness of a Water Intake Program at the Workplace in Physical and Mental Health Outcomes

Introduction Adequate water intake is a low-cost and effectively non-invasive strategy for individual health outcomes. We aimed to demonstrate the efficacy of water intake intervention in intensive-labor and static-type workplaces. Method Smart drinking cups were provided to the participants, and a built-in application (App) associated with the cup was downloaded on their phones. The App collected and recorded the amount of drinking water consumed by the participants set reminders for drinking water and drinking water health education information. We assessed the data, including the amount of and time interval between water intake, sedentary time, the degree of physical and psychological importance of oneself, self-satisfaction, and physical fitness. Results After the intervention, water intake in the two companies significantly increased during the reminder period compared with the non-reminder period. A significant increase was noted in week 3 in the amount of water intake by the participants after using the App, and the total sedentary time considerably decreased. Furthermore, the interval between water consumption decreased compared with the preintervention interval. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased in the participants working at the static-type and intensive-labor workplaces after the intervention, respectively. The participants ' lower limb muscle performance also improved significantly, and the emphasis on self-care was significantly improved. Conclusions The health-promoting effects of the water intake wellness intervention were akin to the butterfly effect. Besides significantly increasing water intake, the intervention improved other health behaviors, thereby benefiting physical and mental health. Hence, promoting water consumption in workplaces till it becomes a habit may benefit the employees.
Essential Oils and Extracts of Juniperus macrocarpa Sm. and Juniperus oxycedrus L.: Comparative Phytochemical Composition and Anti-Proliferative and Antioxidant Activities

In this work, we conducted a comparative phytochemical, chemotaxonomic, and biological study of essential oils (EOs) and extracts (ethyl acetate and methanol) obtained from the leaves of Juniperus macrocarpa and J. oxycedrus. The dominant compounds of J. macrocarpa EO, analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), are α-pinene, sabinene, manoyl oxide, and germacrene D, whereas α-pinene, limonene, (Z,E)-farnesol, β-pinene, and γ-cadinene are the most representative volatiles of J. oxycedrus EOs. A multivariate analysis of EOs, included a selection of literature data comparing our samples to samples of J. oxycedrus/macrocarpa/deltoides from the Mediterranean area, was performed. As evident by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses, apigenin, (−)-epicatechin, and luteolin were abundant in J. oxycedrus extracts, while gallic acid, kaempferol-3-O-glucoside, and protocatechuic acid were the dominant constituents of J. macrocarpa extracts. EOs and extracts have been investigated for their potential antioxidant properties and anti-proliferative activity against lung adenocarcinoma (A549), breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231), and lung large cell carcinoma (COR-L23) human cell lines. The methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of J. oxycedrus exerted the most valuable antioxidant activity and exhibited the most promising activity against the COR-L23 cell line with an IC50 of 26.0 and 39.1 μg/mL, respectively, lower than that obtained with the positive control (IC50 of 45.5 μg/mL). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report highlighting the anti-proliferative activity of J. oxycedrus and J. macrocarpa extracts against this lung cancer cell line. Our results indicate that J. oxycedrus may be considered a source of natural compounds with antioxidant and anti-proliferative effects that could be suitable for future applications.
Cousteau to Cameron: A Quadrant Model for Undersea Marine Research Infrastructure Assessment

Dr. E.C. M. Parsons, Dissertation Director Dr. Patrick M. Gillevet, Committee Member Dr. Joseph A. Maxwell, Committee Member Dr. Esther C. Peters, Committee Member __________________________________ Dr. Albert P. Torzilli, Graduate Program Director __________________________________ Dr. A. Alonso Aguirre, Department Chairperson __________________________________ Dr. Donna M. Fox, Associate Dean, Office of Student Affairs & Special Programs, College of Science ___________________________________ Dr. Peggy Agouris, Dean, College of Science
Lightweight and Flexible Graphene Foam Composite with Improved Damping Properties

As an elastomer, PDMS can effectively suppress vibration in various fields in a certain temperature range by its viscoelastic behavior in the vitrification transition region, but the vibration isolation effect is poor at high temperature. In this paper, a three-dimensional graphene oxide (GO) foam is fabricated by solution processing method and freeze-drying techniques. After sequential infiltration synthesis, a GO-foam-reinforced PDMS nanocomposite (GO/PDMS) is fabricated with improved damping ability. By adjusting the content of GO, the micros-tructure of GO foam can be sensitively changed, which is crucial to the damping properties of composites. In this paper, by the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of pure PDMS and five kinds of GO/PDMS composites, it is proved that the GO/PDMS composites developed in this work have reliable elasticity and viscoelasticity at 25 °C, which is 100 °C higher than the applicable temperature of pure PDMS. The storage modulus can reach 3.58 MPa, and the loss modulus can reach 0.45 MPa, which are 1.87 times and 2.0 times of pure PDMS, respectively. This GO-based nanocomposite is an ideal candidate for damping materials in passive vibration isolation devices.