Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The management success of the invasive late goldenrod (Solidago gigantea Aiton.) in a nature conservation area is strongly related to site, control measures and environmental factors

The late goldenrod (Soldiago gigantea Aiton; Asteraceae) is one of the most abundant invasive species in various types of habitats. Its long-creeping plagiotropic rhizomes enable the plant to build up dense, monospecific stands within a short time. Particularly in nature conservation areas, the invasion of goldenrod can cause severe disruptions in the naturally occuring mutualims between plants, insects and higher trophic levels, subsequently impeding the achievement of nature conservation goals. As management options of goldenrod in nature conservation areas are limited, this three-year study aimed to test the effectiveness of three management treatments (two-time mowing, triticale cultivation, and reverse rotary cutting) on four different sites in the Austrian Donau-Auen National Park. The number and height of goldenrod shoots were recorded three times a year on twelve permanent trial plots on each site to test for the effectiveness of the treatments. In addition, vegetation surveys were performed to observe the recovery potential of native plant species. Even though the three-years mowing and the triticale cultivation reduced goldenrod by 95.6% and 97.2% resp. , we could find no relation between the effectiveness of the treatment and the intensity of disturbance created by the control option. On the contrary, with a reduction of only 5.4% in goldenrod density the most intensive treatment, the rotary cutting, showed the lowest efficiency. The highest positive effect on the re-establishment of native plant species was recorded with two mowing events per year. Even though the study revealed that certain management options have the potential to effectively reduce goldenrod and to simultaneously increase the establishment success of native species, results can only be seen as so-called snapshots. For example, as shown on site EJW one unforeseeable wild boar digging event transformed a 84.5% reduction into a 4.7% increase in goldenrod density. Therefore, a proper and regular monitoring is essential to be able to react to the effects of unpredictable events that can have severe impact on vegetation dynamics.
The Impact of Characteristics of the Board of Directors on the Timelines of Corporate Internet Reporting Index of Companies in Indonesia

The development of information technology supports companies in conveying information to all stakeholders in a timely way. This study examined corporate internet reporting that was influenced by the characteristics of the directors (Size, Indep, Aboard, Fboard, Tenur, Famboard, Gender and Founder) of Indonesian companies. Furthermore, this study used the ordinary least square analysis technique which presented five control variables: firm size, profitability, leverage, liquidity and firm age. The research sample is 513 companies of the 716 companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The results show that board of directors’ size, independent board of directors, tenure, family relations and gender have a significant effect on timeliness of corporate internet reporting (TCIR), while age of president director, foreign director and founder do not have a significant effect. Therefore, firm size, profitability and liquidity are able to be control variables on the use of TCIR through the company’s web, while leverage and firm age are not able to do this. Therefore, it is advisable for companies in Indonesia to pay attention to the composition of the characteristics directors in order to improve the quality of company financial information via the internet. This needs to be done because it can give a positive signal to all stakeholders, which will ultimately increase stakeholder trust in the company.
Micropiles: the state of practice. Part II: design of single micropiles and groups and networks of micropiles

This series of papers summarizes the research project initiated in 1993 by the US Federal Highway Administration to review the state of practice, case studies and design methods of micropile group systems. Following a brief description of the recently adopted classification system for micropile design previously outlined by Bruce et al. (1997) (part 1), this paper (part 2) presents a summary of recommendations for the design of single micropiles and groups and networks of micropiles for selected engineering applications, including direct structural support and in situ soil reinforcement. Preliminary estimates of the ultimate axial and lateral capacity of micropiles, as outlined by different authors, are presented first. Design guidelines which have been developed generally through observations on full-scale testing and field experiences are discussed with regard to cohesionless soils, cohesive soils and rocks. Group and network effects are investigated and preliminary conclusions are presented along with .
Neurotheology, creativity and bipolarity: divergent thinking and hypomanic traits among Arab college students

ABSTRACT The idea of a connection between creativity and psychopathology has been attributed to our earliest human ancestors. It is also a notion that has, historically, been expressed across cultures. Contemporary research exploring the link between creativity and psychopathology, however, is equivocal. More recently, it has been hypothesized that this is only a subset of mental health problems that are linked with creativity; specifically, approach-based psychopathologies, such as mania and hypomania. This study explored the relationship between creativity (divergent thinking) and approach-based psychopathology (hypomanic traits) among Arab college women (n= 218) in the United Arab Emirates. The study used a Web-based version of the Alternative Uses Task to assess creativity. The study also administered the Hypomanic Personality Scale to assess hypomanic traits/bipolar risk. As predicted, there was a positive correlation between hypomanic traits and creativity. These findings broaden support for the idea of a link between approach-based psychopathologies and creativity. By extension, they lend further tentative support to archaeological hypotheses about the co-emergence of theology, creativity and mental illness.
Diagnostic value of bronchoscopy in sputum-negative pulmonary tuberculosis patients and its correlation with clinicoradiological features

CONTEXT: Tuberculosis (TB) remains endemic in Saudi Arabia. Little local data have been reported on bronchoscopic evaluation of sputum-negative pulmonary TB patients, which poses a significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. AIMS: To determine the diagnostic value of bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and its correlation with clinical and radiological features in sputum-negative, culture-confirmed pulmonary TB patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with definite or probable pulmonary TB with overall negative (smear and/or polymerase chain reaction [PCR]) or scanty sputum that had undergone bronchoscopy with BAL over a period of 5 years. Patients' symptoms, radiological features, lung lobe lavaged, BAL acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stain, Mycobacterium TB (MTB)-PCR, and mycobacterial cultures were analyzed. Mycobacterial cultures (either sputum or BAL) were used as a reference standard. RESULTS: Out of 154 patients, 49 (32%) were overall sputum negative and underwent a diagnostic bronchoscopy. Dry cough and fever were the most common symptoms. Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus was the most frequent comorbidity identified in 15 (31%) patients. Fifty-nine percent of the patients had diffuse lung infiltrates, with consolidation being the most common abnormality (41%), followed by cavitation (39%). Right upper lobe was the most frequent lung lobe lavaged (31%), while transbronchial lung biopsies (TBLB) were obtained in 21 (43%). BAL mycobacterial culture and MTB PCR were positive in 35 (71%) and 23 (47%) patients, respectively. Combined BAL MTB PCR and TBLB provided rapid diagnosis in 28 (57%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: An overall diagnostic yield of 90% was achieved with combined use of BAL MTB PCR, culture, and histopathology. Upper lobe lavage and presence of cavities on chest imaging had a higher diagnostic yield.
Microbial Community Composition and Activity in Saline Soils of Coastal Agro–Ecosystems

Soil salinity is a serious problem for agriculture in coastal regions. Nevertheless, the effects of soil salinity on microbial community composition and their metabolic activities are far from clear. To improve such understanding, we studied microbial diversity, community composition, and potential metabolic activity of agricultural soils covering non–, mild–, and severe–salinity. The results showed that salinity had no significant effect on bacterial richness; however, it was the major driver of a shift in bacterial community composition and it significantly reduced microbial activity. Abundant and diverse of microbial communities were detected in the severe–salinity soils with an enriched population of salt–tolerant species. Co–occurrence network analysis revealed stronger dependencies between species associated with severe salinity soils. Results of microcalorimetric technology indicated that, after glucose amendment, there was no significant difference in microbial potential activity among soils with the three salinity levels. Although the salt prolonged the lag time of microbial communities, the activated microorganisms had a higher growth rate. In conclusion, salinity shapes soil microbial community composition and reduces microbial activity. An addition of labile organic amendments can greatly alleviate salt restrictions on microbial activity, which provides new insight for enhancing microbial ecological functions in salt–affected soils.
Multipurpose platform based on LiNbO3 crystals for novel scenarios in soft matter manipulation

La possibilita di manipolare e dosare la cosiddetta “materia soffice” con tecniche che siano versatili ma anche dotate di elevata risoluzione spaziale, e di grande interesse per una vasta gamma di applicazioni. Questo lavoro di tesi si inserisce in questo contesto proponendo una piattaforma di tipo ferroelettrico in cui la polarizzazione spontanea di cristalli quali il niobato di litio (LiNbO3) e sfruttata ad arte per generare forze di tipo elettro-dinamico su scala micrometrica. Tali forze sono in grado di dosare e indirizzare opportunamente piccoli volumi di materiale fluido di tipo polimerico ma anche di tipo biologico. In particolare, i campi elettrici generati tramite effetto piroelettrico integrato su cristallo sono utilizzati qui per diversi tipi di applicazioni. I risultati mostrano come fluidi polimerici possono essere elettro-filati in modo controllato, evitando le instabilita tipiche dell’electrospinning tradizionale. Polimeri con proprieta ottiche opportune possono essere usati per stampare matrici di microlenti plastiche e versatili. L’energia solare puo essere accumulata e sfruttata per sorgenti alternative di campi elettrici. Infine, la morfologia e le proprieta di adesione di cellule di fibroblasti viventi possono essere pilotate tramite le cariche di superficie espresse da tali supporti.
Studying the Suitability of Nineteen Lignins as Partial Polyol Replacement in Rigid Polyurethane/Polyisocyanurate Foam

In this study, nineteen unmodified lignins from various sources (hardwood, softwood, wheat straw, and corn stover) and isolation processes (kraft, soda, organosolv, sulfite, and enzymatic hydrolysis) were used to replace 30 wt. % of petroleum-based polyol in rigid polyurethane/polyisocyanurate (PUR/PIR) foam formulations. Lignin samples were characterized by measuring their ash content, hydroxyl content (Phosphorus Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy), impurities (Inductively Coupled Plasma), and pH. After foam formulation, properties of lignin-based foams were evaluated and compared with a control foam (with no lignin) via cell morphology, closed-cell content, compression strength, apparent density, thermal conductivity, and color analysis. Lignin-based foams passed all measured standard specifications required by ASTM International C1029-15 for type 1 rigid insulation foams, except for three foams. These three foams had poor compressive strengths, significantly larger cell sizes, darker color, lower closed-cell contents, and slower foaming times. The foam made with corn stover enzymatic hydrolysis lignin showed no significant difference from the control foam in terms of compressive strength and outperformed all other lignin-based foams due to its higher aliphatic and p-hydroxyphenyl hydroxyl contents. Lignin-based foams that passed all required performance testing were made with lignins having higher pH, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and aliphatic/p-hydroxyphenyl hydroxyl group contents than those that failed.
The Influence of Heterochronic Non-Myeloablative Bone Marrow Transplantation on the Immune System, Frailty, General Health, and Longevity of Aged Murine Recipients

The stem cell theory of aging postulates that stem cells become inefficient at maintaining the original functions of the tissues. We, therefore, hypothesized that transplanting young bone marrow (BM) to old recipients would lead to rejuvenating effects on immunity, followed by improved general health, decreased frailty, and possibly life span extension. We developed a murine model of non-myeloablative heterochronic BM transplantation in which old female BALB/c mice at 14, 16, and 18(19) months of age received altogether 125.1 ± 15.6 million nucleated BM cells from young male donors aged 7–13 weeks. At 21 months, donor chimerism was determined, and the immune system’s innate and adaptive arms were analyzed. Mice were then observed for general health and frailty until spontaneous death, when their lifespan, post-mortem examinations, and histopathological changes were recorded. The results showed that the old mice developed on average 18.7 ± 9.6% donor chimerism in the BM and showed certain improvements in their innate and adaptive arms of the immune system, such as favorable counts of neutrophils in the spleen and BM, central memory Th cells, effector/effector memory Th and Tc cells in the spleen, and B1a and B1b cells in the peritoneal cavity. Borderline enhanced lymphocyte proliferation capacity was also seen. The frailty parameters, pathomorphological results, and life spans did not differ significantly in the transplanted vs. control group of mice. In conclusion, although several favorable effects are obtained in our heterochronic non-myeloablative transplantation model, additional optimization is needed for better rejuvenation effects.
An Investigation into the National Construction Authority’s Challenges in Regulating Building Contractors: The Case of Mombasa County

Cases of collapse of buildings which lead to subsequent loss of lives and property are prevalent in Kenya. This can be attributed to a variety of reasons which include poor designs and non-compliance, cost cutting and use of sub-standard material, lack of quality control, and use of incompetent contactors (Lidonga, 2014). The NCA is mandated to register and regulate the undertakings of contractors in Kenya. This research aimed at investigating and documenting the challenges of contractor registration and regulation by the NCA. The research adopted a mixed design approach which incorporates both qualitative and quantitative elements of research. A sample population of 89 contractors from Mombasa County and an NCA official were used for this research. Data was collected from contractors using questionnaires and a follow up interview was then conducted with the NCA official in management level. The research concluded that there is a relationship between weaknesses in the NCA regulatory structure and contractor challenges of compliance with regulation since most challenges identified were as a result of human resource constraints in the NCA. These challenges included: Inadequate capacity to detect errant behaviour in contractors by conducting frequent random surveys; Poor enforcement of regulations; Lack of adequate sensitization; and Poor attitude of contractors towards the NCA. The research recommended that the NCA should increase the human capital throughout the country to ensure timely inspections thus getting rid of deterrent contractor behaviour.
Dynamic Response and Damage Regularity of Sandstone with Different Moisture States under Cyclic Loading

In the process of geotechnical engineering excavation, wet and water-filled rock masses are inevitable. To obtain the mechanical properties of these rocks, indoor tests are required, and most of the rock tests rock tests are dry or nearly dry. They cannot really reflect the true nature of the rock, let alone its nature under a dynamic load. The rock was repeatedly impacted during the blasting excavation process. To determine the mechanical response characteristics and damage evolution of rocks with different moisture states under cyclic dynamic loads, rock samples with three saturation levels were prepared. In the experiment, the Hopkinson pressure bar equipment was utilized to perform five cycles of impact with the same incident energy, and the dynamic response of rocks with different impact times was recorded. Nuclear magnetic resonance technology was employed to obtain the change law of the pores of rock specimens after impact, and the cumulative damage rules of rock were combined with the fractal theory. From the experiments, it can be observed that the stress-strain curves of all rock samples are similar, in that they all have stress addition and unloading stages. The peak stress is proportional to the impact time and moisture content, whereas the opposite is true for the peak strain. After the impact, the small and large pores closed and increased, respectively. The porosity and porosity change rate increased with an increase in the impact time. With an increase in moisture content, this trend is more obvious. It can be observed via magnetic resonance imaging that the internal fractures of the water-bearing rock are obvious after multiple impacts. In particular, the saturated rock specimens exhibited severe damage. Fractal analysis of the NMR figures revealed that after three impact times, the fractal dimension change in the water-bearing rock samples was not obvious. This phenomenon indicated that a macro gap appeared. The fractal dimensions of the dry rock samples continued to increase, and the internal damage was less obvious.
Access to basic drinking water and sanitation in Africa: Does financial inclusion matter?

Abstract A major challenge confronting most countries in the world including those in Africa, is lack of access to basic drinking water and sanitation. This has given birth to several studies investigating the factors that influence access to basic drinking water and sanitation. Notwithstanding, while financial inclusion is highly extolled for its welfare-enhancing effects and hence could play a major role in accessing basic drinking water and sanitation services, there is a dearth of empirical evidence in this regard, especially in the African context. This study, therefore, attempts at providing the foremost empirical evidence of the effect of financial inclusion on access to basic drinking water and sanitation in Africa using a sample of 33 countries for the period 2004 to 2018. The random effects and the fixed effects regressions are used as baseline estimation techniques and the Instrumental Variable Fixed Effects (IVFE) regression is employed as a robustness check. Our findings show that, financial inclusion enhances access to basic drinking water and sanitation services, irrespective of the estimator used. The implication is that, expanding financial inclusion can be used as an effective strategy towards enhancing access to basic drinking water and sanitation services in Africa.
MEASURING MALAYSIAN UNDERGRADUATE SKILLS IN READING AND INTERPRETING ENGINEERING DRAWING

Following a survey of representatives from Malaysian manufacturing industry that identified concerns over engineering graduates’ abilities to properly interpret professional manufacturing drawings, a systematic study of relevant undergraduate abilities was initiated. A composite assembly/dimensioned drawing was selected to form the basis of a test that could be presented to students in engineering courses at the Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka. 232 engineering undergraduates at all four levels were tested. The distribution of overall scores from the test fell within the planned range, with some students performing considerably better than others, indicating that the test would be suitable for further use as a pre- and post-test for follow-up investigations of methods for increasing graduate skills. However, student responses for some of the questions were noticeably poor, against initial expectations. A deeper analysis of those questions revealed that respondents required not only an ability to interpret the information presented on the drawing, but an understanding of the engineering technology contained in the drawn artifact.
Within-Firm Productivity Dispersion: Estimates and Implications

This paper develops a flexible recipe for identifying unobserved input allocations, as well as quantity- and revenue-based total factor productivity (TFP) across product lines, for multiproduct producers, using demand- and supply-side information. Applying variants of this recipe to a panel of plants manufacturing machinery in India from 2000–2007 yields sizable within-plant TFP differences. Removing an average plant’s lowest-performing product increases the unweighted average of plant-level revenue-based productivity by 10%–65%. A 1 standard deviation decline in product-level revenue-based TFP generates around a 6 percentage point increase in the probability of dropping that product.
Nutrient Concentrations Induced Abiotic Stresses to Sweet Pepper Seedlings in Hydroponic Culture

The primary goal of this experiment was to investigate the effects of nutrient electrical conductivity (EC) on the growth and physiological responses of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) in hydroponic culture in a greenhouse. The plant growth parameters, leaf photosynthesis, root activity, soluble protein, malondialdehyde (MDA), proline, activities of antioxidant enzymes (AE), and the contents of plant mineral elements (PME) were measured in six different EC treatments. The results showed that very high or low EC treatments clearly decreased the plant height, stem diameter, shoot dry weight, and leaf net photosynthetic rate, while increasing the content of MDA and the activities of ascorbate peroxidase and guaiacol peroxidase. The contents of proline and soluble protein increased gradually from the low to high EC treatments. The root activities decreased significantly, and the main PME clearly did not increase or even decreased at high EC levels. Very high EC treatments suppressed growth even more than those of very low EC. Treatments that were too low or high EC suppressed plant growth, owing to abiotic stress (either nutrient deficiency or salinity), since the plants had to regulate the activities of AE and increase the accumulation of osmolytes to adjust to the abiotic stresses.