Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reexamination of ASTM C 1202 : Standard test method for electrical indication of concrete's ability to resist chloride ion penetration

The electrolytic processes in the ASTM C 1202 chloride penetration test method have been reexamined both theoretically and experimentally. The analyses show that hydroxyl (OH−) ion generated at the cathode during testing carries a substantial part of the current and that chloride (Cl−) ion is not the sole current carrier. Attention has also been drawn to the implication of the experimental results on the determination of the Cl− ion diffusivity by the ASTM C 1202 experimental setup.
Mineral Concentration, Sugar Content and Yield of Iranian ‘Khatooni’ Melon Affected by Grafting, Pruning and Thinning

Macroelements in leaves and fruits, sugar of fruits, and yield of ‘Khatooni’ melon were compared with melons grafted onto rootstocks cvs. ‘Ace’, ‘Shintozwa’, and ‘ShintoHongto’, and trained into three methods: T1) no pinching and fruit thinning; T2) pinched to produce two lateral branches; and T3) pinched to two branches and all flowers and lateral branches from lower nodes thinned. Concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) increased in leaves onto ‘Shintozwa’, whereas opposite trends observed for magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca). N, P, and K in leaves were significantly higher by 21.5%, 17.2%, and 18.6%, respectively in grafted. N, P and K in fruits onto ‘Ace’ and ‘Shintozwa’ were higher, with exception of Ca and Mg in non-grafted. ‘Ace’ and ‘Shintozwa’ resulted in significant increase in Khatooni yield. T3 showed the highest yield. Soluble solids concentration (SSC) was higher in non-grafted fruits. T2 produced fruits with the highest SSC.
Characterization of Gas Diffusion Layers for PEMFC

In proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), gas diffusion layers serve as current collectors that allow ready access of fuel and oxidant to the anode and the cathode catalyst surfaces, respectively. Critical properties of five commercial and one in-house gas diffusion layers have been characterized and compared to determine factors limiting the oxygen transport in the cathode gas diffusion layer where there is no oxygen consumption. These properties are the limiting current, electronic resistivity, fraction of hydrophobic pores, gas permeability, pore size distribution, and surface morphology. Polarization curves using air and neat oxygen were collected to determine the air-limiting currents at three operating conditions: 80°C/75% relative humidity (RH) cathode inlet, 100°C/70% RH cathode inlet, and 120°C/35% RH cathode inlet, all at atmospheric pressure. Linear empirical relationships for permeability coefficient vs. limiting current were found at all three conditions. Characterization of the gas diffusion layers by porosimetry measurement provides the pore size distribution for the gas diffusion layers, which helps in understanding the correlation between the permeability coefficient and the limiting current at the temperatures and relative humidity tested.
Rental Market of Pump-sets in the Central and Western Parts of Nepal Plains

Using data collected from the central and western parts of Nepal plains, we examine the extent of rental market of pump-sets therein, and identify the factors affecting the decision of farm households to purchase the service of pump-sets. Further, the article investigates whether cropping intensity and extent of crop diversification for non-users, owner users and rental users of pump-sets are significantly different. Our analysis suggests that there exist rental markets of considerable sizes in the field study locations. Access to extension service, proportion of high yielding varieties in total cropped land, availability of pump-sets, caste and locational characteristics have been identified as the determinants of the decision to purchase the service of pump-sets. Cropping intensity and extent of crop diversification for the rental users have been found to be higher than those of the non-users and the owner users, and this finding establishes the positive impact of the rental market.
Changes in Population Size and Clustering Behavior of Hibernating Bats in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan After Arrival of White-Nose Syndrome

Abstract - We examined populations of bats hibernating in 50 abandoned mines in Michigan during the 3 years before and 4–6 years after arrival of the fungal disease white-nose syndrome. Overall size of the regional population fell by 89.9%. Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown Bat), which represented 90% of the pre-epidemic population, declined by 89.9%. Myotis septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Bat) and Perimyotis subflavus (Tricolored Bat) decreased by 98.5% and 93.9%, respectively, and both species appear threatened with regional extinction. Eptesicus fuscus (Big Brown Bat), in contrast, increased by 11.7%. The disease also impacted social patterns, with the proportion of Little Brown Bats that were solitary during hibernation in 10 of the mines increasing from 23% to 46% after onset of the disease.
“A Part of the People”: Human-Dog Relationships Among the Northern Coast Salish of SW British Columbia

Abstract. Many Indigenous People value dogs as hunting aides, draft animals, sources of fiber and food, protectors, and as companions. To better understand the close human-dog relationship among the Northern Coast Salish Tla'amin, we bring together several lines of evidence, including ethnographic information, interviews, and ancient DNA of archaeological dog burials. All indicate that dogs were an important part of ancestral Tla'amin culture and society. Local knowledge, including oral traditions, reflects the long-term social importance of dogs in mundane and ritual spheres. Tla'amindog relationships were focused on special breeding and training practices that enhanced the hunting skill of dogs and reinforced the bond between dog and owner. Ancient DNA analysis of 17 skeletal dog remains (3500–430 BP) from six archaeological sites confirmed that domestic dogs have a long and continuous history in Tla'amin territory, culture, and identity. DNA analysis of the D-loop region of mitochondrial DNA revealed haplotypes that were shared across broad regions and others that were unique to more localized culture areas, reflecting gene flow between dog populations via ancient social networks. Our study highlights the value of integrating archaeological data, genetic studies, and local knowledge to achieve a fuller understanding of the close relationship between dogs and humans.
Problematic Internet Use and Psychosocial Well-being: Role of Mindfulness Mediated by Self-Control and Negative Affect

With the growing concern about excessive Internet use and accompanying adverse psychosocial outcomes, unveiling the underlying mechanisms related to problematic Internet use has become an important topic to study. The present study examines the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and psychosocial well-being through problematic Internet use. An attempt has also been made to investigate whether negative affect and self-control are useful in explaining the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and problematic Internet use or not. The data was derived from a questionnaire survey of 246 postgraduate management students from a leading business school (approximately 48% females) and structural equation modelling technique was used for data analysis. The results suggest that higher mindfulness is associated with lower problematic Internet use, and the relationship is partially mediated by negative affect and self-control. Problematic Internet use partially mediate the relationship between mindfulness and depression/loneliness (indicators of psychosocial well-being). The study outcomes may prove helpful in empirical understanding of previously unidentified mediating mechanisms through which mindfulness may impact problematic Internet use, which further influences psychosocial well-being. Limitations and future directions, as well as potential implications, are also discussed.
Human-Dog Relationships across Communities Surrounding Ranomafana and Andasibe-Mantadia National Parks, Madagascar

Abstract. Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are estimated to be one of the most globally abundant invasive carnivores that threaten wildlife. Madagascar is home to large populations of free-roaming dogs and is a highly diverse and anthropogenically threatened environment, making it one of the world's top conservation priorities. Comparatively little is known about human-dog relationships in developing countries such as Madagascar. We surveyed non-dog owners and dog owners visiting free mobile veterinary clinics in their communities around Ranomafana National Park (RNP) and Andasibe-Mantadia National Park (AMNP) to understand human-dog relationships, gain insight on free-roaming dog behavior, and to assess the feasibility of humane population control measures. Amongst dog owners, the vast majority of respondents reported owning their dog for protection and a significant number had dogs for companionship. Our results indicate that free-roaming (owned, unconfined) dogs may be an underappreciated threat to endemic wildlife in the National Parks of Madagascar, as nearly half of dog owners reported that their dog killed at least one wild animal a month. Most dog owners in surveyed communities approve of spay/neuter/vaccine programs and state that they would use them if freely available, indicating that veterinary intervention can be an important tool in humanely controlling free-roaming dog populations in these regions.
A Comparative Analysis of the Government and NGOs in Delivering Quality Services for the Rural People of Pakistan: Community Perspectives

Often the government and the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are criticised for their poor performances in delivering services particularly in rural areas. However, there has been limited research on the assessment of their relative performances in service delivery as well as on the perceptions of people on the quality of such service delivery. This study examines the relative performances of NGOs and the governmental development interventions that provide basic services including public health, education, drinking water and sanitation. The study explains the impact of agricultural extension services and infrastructure such as access to roads and markets on the rural people and measures the satisfaction level of the rural community. For this purpose, 225 households (HHs) in 8 villages of Phalia Tehsil, district Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, Pakistan were first surveyed in 2010 and then in 2014 using a structured questionnaire. The findings reveal different satisfaction levels of HHs, with most of them expressing less satisfaction on government service delivery compared with NGOs. They reveal satisfaction over the performance of NGOs in health, drinking water supplies and agriculture extension services. Further, the study shows an increasing satisfaction of people on access to road, transport, agri-market and price of agri-commodities by the government.
The Relationship Between Electronic Word-of-Mouth and Consumer Engagement: An Exploratory Study

There has been a significant shift in the purchase of media by brands in the last decade. Brands have moved from spending money on the ever-present television and print media to the ubiquitous digital media of today. Consumers, however, are wary of marketing communications from companies and prefer reviews and opinions from friends or other consumers. In the new hyperconnected world, they are online reviews (i.e., electronic word-of-mouth or eWOM). Consequently, it has become imperative for marketers to measure and manage eWOM, and several companies today rely on social media command centres (SMCCs) for this. Companies use SMCCs to unearth fans and reveal influencers. The prevalent thinking is that by actively interacting with these influencers, eWOM can be positively impacted, which, in turn, may enhance the engagement of prospective customers with the brand. The present study proposes a model for the relationship between eWOM and consumer engagement (CE). Additionally, it details a comprehensive classification framework of CE and reveals both the experts’ and consumers’ perspectives in this field by adopting a grounded theory–content analysis approach. The findings suggest that eWOM leads to CE.
Contamination and source assessment of metals, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban soils from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Urban areas in developing countries are facing vast environmental problems as a result of rapid urbanization and industrialization. Of major concern is the contamination of soils which are increasingly becoming sinks for environmental pollutants. However, to date only little is known about the pollution in the megalopolises of developing countries. The aim of this study was to assess the contamination and potential sources of metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the urban environment of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The investigation revealed the presence of most of the analyzed pollutants in soil and sediment samples with total concentrations (dry wt) of PAHs ranging from 186 to 3150 µg kg−1, PCBs from 0.4 to 19 µg kg−1, Cu from 14 to 173 mg kg−1, Zn from 36 to 440 mg kg−1, Pb from 9 to 700 mg kg−1, and Ni from 16 to 72 mg kg−1. In addition, polyaromatic sulfur heterocycles, typical for oil and petrol residues, were detected in several soil samples. Source identification approaches revealed that Pb, Zn, and Cu are most likely derived from pyrolytic sources, with elevated values in samples related to waste combustion and traffic emissions. Ni is most probably of geogenic origin. For PCBs it is indicated that they are derived from a single source. However, correlations with technical PCB mixtures were inconsistent. PAHs originate from the combustion of biomass, vehicular exhausts, and petrogenic sources.
Properties of the Latent Roots of a Matrix: The Estimation of π‐Electron Energies

The eigenvalues λi of an Hermitian matrix A of order n satisfy the inequality ∑ i = 1n | λi | ≤ n1/2N, where N is the Frobenius norm of A. Let n and ν be, respectively, the numbers of atoms and bonds in the conjugated system of a hydrocarbon, and let E be the corresponding Huckel matrix. Then the Huckel π‐electron energy is nα + eβ, where [2ν + n(n − 1)| detE |2/n]1/2 ≤ e ≤ (2nν)1/2. Analogous bounds are obtained for π‐electron energies calculated by Wheland's method. An approximation for the Huckel π‐electron delocalization energy (DE) in the closed‐shell ground state of a hydrocarbon is DE / β = an1/2 − n + r, where a ≈ 1.30, and r = 0 or 1, according as n is even or odd.
CONSTRUCTING THE ‘URBAN PROFILE’ OF AN ANCIENT GREEK CITY: EVIDENCE FROM THE OLYNTHOS PROJECT

This article argues that a holistic approach to documenting and understanding the physical evidence for individual cities would enhance our ability to address major questions about urbanisation, urbanism, cultural identities and economic processes. At the same time we suggest that providing more comprehensive data-sets concerning Greek cities would represent an important contribution to cross-cultural studies of urban development and urbanism, which have often overlooked relevant evidence from Classical Greece. As an example of the approach we are advocating, we offer detailed discussion of data from the Archaic and Classical city of Olynthos, in the Halkidiki. Six seasons of fieldwork here by the Olynthos Project, together with legacy data from earlier projects by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens and by the Greek Archaeological Service, combine to make this one of the best-documented urban centres surviving from the Greek world. We suggest that the material from the site offers the potential to build up a detailed ‘urban profile’, consisting of an overview of the early development of the community as well as an in-depth picture of the organisation of the Classical settlement. Some aspects of the urban infrastructure can also be quantified, allowing a new assessment of (for example) its demography. This article offers a sample of the kinds of data available and the sorts of questions that can be addressed in constructing such a profile, based on a brief summary of the interim results of fieldwork and data analysis carried out by the Olynthos Project, with a focus on research undertaken during the 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Genotype-phenotype correlations in patients with de novo KCNQ2 pathogenic variants

Early identification of de novo KCNQ2 variants in patients with epilepsy raises prognostic issues toward optimal management. We analyzed the clinical and genetic information from a cohort of patients with de novo KCNQ2 pathogenic variants to dissect genotype-phenotype correlations.Patients with de novo KCNQ2 pathogenic variants were identified from Italy, Denmark, and Belgium. Atomic resolution Kv7.2 structures were also generated using homology modeling to map the variants.We included 34 patients with a mean age of 4.7 years. Median seizure onset was 2 days, mainly with focal seizures with autonomic signs. Twenty-two patients (65%) were seizure free at the mean age of 1.2 years. More than half of the patients (17/32) displayed severe/profound intellectual disability; however, 4 (13%) of them had a normal cognitive outcome.A total of 28 de novo pathogenic variants were identified, most missense (25/28), and clustered in conserved regions of the protein; 6 variants recurred, and 7 were novel. We did not identify a relationship between variant position and seizure offset or cognitive outcome in patients harboring missense variants. Besides, recurrent variants were associated with overlapping epilepsy features but also variable evolution regarding the intellectual outcome.We highlight the complexity of variant interpretation to assess the impact of a class of de novo KCNQ2 mutations. Genetic modifiers could be implicated, but the study paradigms to successfully address the impact of each single mutation need to be developed.
Time-dependent quantum-mechanical methods for molecular dynamics

The basic framework of time-dependent quantum-mechanical methods for molecular dynamics calculations is described. The central problem addressed by computational methods is a discrete representation of phase space. In classical mechanics, phase space is represented by a set of points whereas in quantum mechanics it is represented by a discrete Hilbert space. The discretization described in this paper is based on collocation. Special cases of this method include the discrete variable representation (DVR) and the Fourier method. The Fourier method is able to represent a system in phase space with the efficiency of one sampling point per unit volume in phase space h, so that, with the proper choice of the initial wave function, exponential convergence is obtained in relation to the number of sampling points. The numerical efficiency of the Fourier method leads to the conclusion that computational effort scales semilinearly with the volume in the phase space occupied by the molecular system. Methods of time propagation are described for time-dependent and time-independent Hamiltonians. The time-independent approaches are based on a polynomial expansion of the evolution operator. Two of these approaches, the Chebychev propagation and the Lanczos recurrence, are also compared. Methods to obtain the Raman spectra directly by using the Chebychev propagation method are shown. For time-dependent problems unitary short-time propagators are described: the second-order differencing and the split operator. Consideration of all these methods has led to scaling laws of computation. The conclusion from such scaling laws is that, for simulations of complex molecular systems, approximation techniques have to be employed which reduce the dimensionality of the problem. The time-dependent self-consistent field (TDSCF) is suggested. Finally, a brief description is presented of current applications of the time-dependent method.
Extensive Microbial Processing of Polysaccharides in the South Pacific Gyre via Selfish Uptake and Extracellular Hydrolysis

Primary productivity occurs throughout the deep euphotic zone of the oligotrophic South Pacific Gyre (SPG), fueled largely by the regeneration of nutrients and thus recycling of organic matter. We investigated the heterotrophic capabilities of the SPG’s bacterial communities by examining their ability to process polysaccharides, an important component of marine organic matter. We focused on the initial step of organic matter degradation by measuring the activities of extracellular enzymes that hydrolyze six different polysaccharides to smaller sizes. This process can occur by two distinct mechanisms: “selfish uptake,” in which initial hydrolysis is coupled to transport of large polysaccharide fragments into the periplasmic space of bacteria, with little to no loss of hydrolysis products to the external environment, and “external hydrolysis,” in which low molecular weight (LMW) hydrolysis products are produced in the external environment. Given the oligotrophic nature of the SPG, we did not expect high enzymatic activity; however, we found that all six polysaccharides were hydrolyzed externally and taken up selfishly in the central SPG, observations that may be linked to a comparatively high abundance of diatoms at the depth and location sampled (75 m). At the edge of the gyre and close to the center of the gyre, four of six polysaccharides were externally hydrolyzed, and a lower fraction of the bacterial community showed selfish uptake. One polysaccharide (fucoidan) was selfishly taken up without measurable external hydrolysis at two stations. Additional incubations of central gyre water from depths of 1,250 and 2,800 m with laminarin (an abundant polysaccharide in the ocean) led to extreme growth of opportunistic bacteria (Alteromonas), as tracked by cell counts and next generation sequencing of the bacterial communities. These Alteromonas appear to concurrently selfishly take up laminarin and release LMW hydrolysis products. Overall, extracellular enzyme activities in the SPG were similar to activities in non-oligotrophic regions, and a considerable fraction of the community was capable of selfish uptake at all three stations. A diverse set of bacteria responded to and are potentially important for the recycling of organic matter in the SPG.