Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pollinator response to prairie strips in the Iowa agricultural landscape

In recent decades, several families of pollinators have experienced significant population losses in North America, including the Monarch butterfly, honey bee, and a several native bee species. Pollination via honey bees alone is worth over $15 billion per year attracting considerable attention to developing solutions to reverse the current trend. Potential causes for this decline are habitat loss and fragmentation, insecticide use, and pests and diseases. Declining pollinator communities in the Midwest have triggered research on effective conservation methods that can be integrated into an agricultural landscape dominated by corn and soybean row crops. There are many conservation practices with cost-share opportunities for farmers available through the Farm Bill, though many focus primarily on improving water quality while only one was contrived with pollinators as the priority. Our first study was designed to investigate the impacts of one water-quality centered practice, prairie strips, on communities of monarchs, native bees, honey bees, and syrphids in central Iowa. The results of this study could be used to inform policy-makers, conservationists, and agricultural producers alike, providing valuable insight into the multi-faceted effects of prairie strips. Understanding these impacts could assist in targeted conservation, specifically where ecosystem services (i.e. pollination for crop production or apiary location) may be of need. In a second study, we developed spatial analytical methods to explore potential landscape-level effects of land use on abundance and diversity within insect pollinator communities. In addition, we analyzed Conservation Reserve Program’s CP-42 patch acreage and connectivity on the state and county level to better understand the organization of this land cover on the Iowa landscape. The overall aim of this project was to broaden our knowledge of the impacts of native vegetation, specifically prairie
Innovative methods of evaluating business efficiency: a comparative study

This paper evaluates the efficiency level of medical spa businesses operating in Slovakia. The research aims to compile an efficiency ranking of these specific healthcare facilities to apply both methods and analyze their alternative use within the efficiency level measurement. The object of research is the Slovak spa businesses over the years 2014-2018. The study involved the Simplex Method of Linear Programming and the selected Data Envelopment Analysis model. In the study frame, the authors quantified the efficiency of medical spa businesses as the optimization task of SMPL and BCC input-oriented DEA model to identify prosperous businesses from non-prosperous ones. The study applied the Spearman rank correlation to reveal a potential degree of association of business rankings. The calculations were provided by the MS Excel, MS Excel Solver package, and the statistical program Gretl. The findings indicated that the business efficiency measured by SMPL provided similar results to the DEA model. These methods could be considered equivalent. Therefore, their alternative use was confirmed. The obtained results showed that both methods almost equally divided the businesses into two groups: 1) with efficiency score above (10 DMUs) and 2) below the overall achieved average (11 DMUs). According to the average results of both applied methods, the most efficient DMUs were DMU09 (Spa Lúcky, j.s.c.) and DMU03 (Spa Bojnice, j.s.c.), vice versa, the lowest efficiency score was achieved by DMU04 (Spa Brusno, j.s.c.). This research could be considered an important opportunity to identify new gaps in the prior literature and present the need for further development in these specific healthcare facilities, not only in Slovakia. The presented research findings are also beneficial for practice as they may lead to the formulation of recommendations for improvement of the current state of Slovak spa tourism and the spa businesses themselves.
Magnetic activated carbon for efficient removal of Pb(II) from aqueous solution.

Abstract In this work, magnetic based activated carbon (MPSAC) was prepared via a simple one-step method in the presence of K2CO3 and Fe3O4 and further examined as an adsorbent for the removal of Pb(II). MPSAC possessed a well-developed porosity structure with a high surface area of 1,219 m2/g and contained rich carboxylic functional groups on the surface. It can be separated easily from a suspended system. The pHIEP value of MPSAC was notably lower than the pHPZC, suggesting that the negatively charged surface was largely distributed in the external area. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out by varying the initial pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage, initial Pb(II) concentration, and temperature of solution. Results show that adsorption of Pb(II) on MPSAC was dependent on contact time, solution pH, adsorbent dosage, initial Pb(II) concentration, and temperature, especially solution pH having strong effects at pH 2–4. Adsorption kinetic and equilibrium data were well described by the pseudo-second.
Density functional theory investigations of octahedral connectivity in [001] and [111] directional perovskite superlattices

To be able to exploit the magnetic properties of antiferromagnetic transition metal oxide perovskites in spintronic devices, as magnetic random access memory (MRAM) devices, a better understanding of how these magnetic properties may be controlled is crucial. Due to the strong coupling between structure and magnetic properties in such materials, a promising route to control and tune these properties is by means of structural control. An important structural parameter in perovskites is the BO6 octahedron, and structural distortions corresponding to distortions of these octahedra have been the main focus in this master thesis. The octahedral distortions in superlattices of antiferromagnetic LaFeO3 (LFO) and non-magnetic SrTiO3 (STO) has been investigated using density functional theory (DFT). Superlattices with various film layer thicknesses – ranging from one octahedral unit to six octahedral units – and orientation – where both [001] and [111] oriented superlattices have been investigated, – were tested to look at how these factors affected the octahedral distortions in the superlattices. This was done by performing two different calculation methods – phonon mode calculations and structural calculations. In this way, it was also investigation whether the phonon mode calculation method actually could be used to investigate how different factors influenced the structure of the superlattices, or whether the conventional structure calculation method should be used to investigate such effects. The results indicated that the octahedral distortions – corresponding to octahedral rotations, – in the superlattices were affected by both the film layer thicknesses and the superlattice orientation. The film layer thicknesses were found to mainly affect the rotation magnitudes in the different film layers, while the orientation could affect the overall tilt pattern in the film layers. The results were generally consistent for the two different kinds of calculation methods, indicating that phonon mode calculations can be used to investigate how structures in superlattices are affected by different factors. Hence, it was found that octahedral control in superlattices of LFO and STO can be obtained. This control might make it possible to tune the magnetic properties of LFO film layers in such superlattices.
Exploring Teachers' Beliefs About Listening in a Foreign Language

There is a substantial amount of research in the field of language teacher cognition reiterating that teachers' beliefs influence their classroom practices; however, teacher beliefs and practices do not always correspond because of the differences in both researchers' and teachers' conceptualization of beliefs and practices. This study aims to investigate the beliefs and practices of 96 language teachers in Turkey. A mixed-method research design was employed to answer the questions to what extent teachers' beliefs and practices reflect the issues stated in the literature on second language listening, what their beliefs and listening instructional practices are, whether their beliefs and practices converge, and if so, what factors underpin them.
Novel Bromide–Cucurbit[7]Uril Supramolecular Ionic Liquid as a Green Corrosion Inhibitor for the Oil and Gas Industry

Metal corrosion is the largest problem in the oil and gas industry. Therefore, providing metallic materials with corrosion protection is an urgent task in modern research. The use of green corrosion inhibitors for corrosion protection is very important both ecologically and economically. This work is the first to introduce a novel bromide–cucurbit[7]uril (BrCU) supramolecular ionic liquid as an excellent corrosion inhibitor for the oil and gas industry. Its inhibition behaviour for carbon steel in 1 M NaCl saturated with CO2 and H2S was first fully identified through the use of thermodynamic and gravimetric analysis, electrochemical noise (EN), potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), electrochemical frequency modulation (EFM), density functional theory (DFT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X–ray spectroscopy (EDX) methods. The experimental results confirmed that BrCU is an excellent environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitor for the gas and oil industry. Its inhibition efficiency was 97.54% at 100 mg/L/0.06 mM, and it was more stable at high temperature (333 K). A Langmuir isotherm was applied to identify the adsorption character of BrCU on the metal surface. The obtained PDP data suggested that BrCU was a predominantly anodic mixed–type corrosion inhibitor. Theoretical calculations showed good correlation with the experimental results, indicating that the halogen modification in the supramolecular ionic liquid system improved the inhibition performance.
Seasonal potential of Pistia stratiotes in nutrient removal to eliminate eutrophication in Al-Sero Drain (South Nile Delta, Egypt)

Abstract The present study was conducted to investigate the potential of the free-floating macrophytes Pistia stratiotes to remediate nutrients and restore the eutrophic drain (Al-Sero Drain), South Nile Delta, Egypt. Plant and water samples were collected monthly for ten months using three randomly distributed quadrats in each of three sites. Monthly significant variation in all investigated water nutrients was recorded. The plant biomass showed bell-shaped distribution, with the lowest shoot and root biomass during May, while their peaks were during September. The plant shoots accumulated higher concentrations of most nutrient elements, except Mg, than the roots. The order of nutrients concentration (%) in P. stratiotes shoot was K > N > Ca > Na > Mg > P, while in the root was K > N > Na > Ca > Mg > P. Most nutrients standing stock (g/m−2) had the same biomass trend with the minimum during May and the maximum during August–October, which is the potential period for mowing the plant to remediate the highest nutrients and restore the eutrophic watercourses. Most investigated nutrients (except Ca) content in water were significantly correlated to their concentration in the different plant organs, which in turn provide a quantitative assessment of the environmental quality that suggests the potential use of this plant as a biomonitor of nutrient elements in eutrophic watercourses.
The comparison of post-dural puncture headache treatment with acetaminophen-caffeine capsule and intravenous mannitol infusion: A randomized single-blind clinical trial

Background: Post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) is a common problem after spinal anesthesia. Depending on the severity of PDPH, there are both invasive and non-invasive treatments. Caffeine has been used for the treatment of PDPH since 1949, but the administration of mannitol is a novel management to tackle PDPH. This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of acetaminophen-caffeine and mannitol in the treatment of PDPH. Methods: We enrolled 80 patients with PDPH in the present clinical trial and observed them during 72 hours after cesarean section. Participants were randomly and equally allocated to two groups for treatment with intravenous (IV) mannitol or oral acetaminophen-caffeine. The effects of treatment were evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS) questionnaire at hours of 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 48. SPSS software was used. Results: Forty patients in each group completed the study. There was a significant reduction in the pain scores of the both groups after treatment, but the interaction between time and group demonstrated that mannitol administration was superior to acetaminophen-caffeine in pain reduction of the patients undergoing spinal anesthesia (P = 0.028). Patients’ satisfaction in the mannitol group was significantly higher than the caffeine group (P = 0.001). Conclusion: This study suggests that IV mannitol infusion affects faster and earlier for the treatment of PDPH than acetaminophen-caffeine capsule. Mannitol could be probably more effective for treatment of PDPH.
Opłaty lokalne. Niewykorzystane źródło dochodów gmin wiejskich w Polsce?

The article examines the scope of using local fees by Polish rural municipalities in the years 2015–2020. The first section contains a literature review, definitions and functions of local fees. The second one focuses on the powers of the local councils to establish local fees and their construction. Next, the results of the research conducted to verify the hypotheses are presented. The article concludes with recommendations which may encourage municipalities to collect local fees.
Measuring the Productivity of the Foods and Beverages Industries in Indonesia: What Factors Matter?

The foods and beverages industries have shown the largest share of output in the manufacturing sector of Indonesia for more than a decade. This study aims to investigate its performance indicators through the growth of total factor productivity (TFP) and its determinants, such as imported raw materials, exports, absorptive capacity, firm size, market concentration, and capital ownership. This study employed firm-level panel data from 2008–2015 and the Growth Accounting method of Solow residual in addition to the fixed effects model to estimate TFP growth and its determinants. The results show that the foods and beverages industries in Indonesia showed positive TFP growth from 2008–2015. Moreover, variables of absorptive capacity, firm size, and market concentration promote the TFP growth of firms. Meanwhile, import intensity discourages TFP growth. However, within a certain threshold, firms with import activities perform better than non-importer firms. However, imports and exports may entail transfer of technology and knowledge and will be the bridge between the firms and the advanced market. This study recommends that policy makers increase the managerial capabilities of firms through a more massive training program as well as provide incentives to workers in the form of rewards or relief of income tax, while also improve product competitiveness through more intensive programs on the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) and the Domestic Component Level (TKDN).
Assessing the Patterns of Youth Use of Social Media and their Parental Oversight

Background: Social media plays a crucial role in the lives of networked adolescents and take up a great deal of their time. Parental oversight or monitoring is essential at this period to protect against inaccurate, inappropriate or unsafe content and contacts. Aim of the study: Was to assess the patterns of youth use of social media and parental oversight for them. Study design: Descriptive research design was used in this study. Setting: This study was conducted in all governmental 15 secondary schools in Tanta city. Subjects: A convenience sample of 1000 students (6.12%) (483 boys and 517 girls) from 1st grade to 3rd grade of 15 secondary schools were selected by proportional allocation method. Tool of data collection: Structured questionnaire sheet that consisted of five parts: socio-demographic data; availability of social media and internet media; causes of using social media; patterns of using social media; parents' oversight to their adolescents’ social media activities. Results: The results of this study showed that 78.1% and 76.2% of studied males and females respectively use social media for communication and more than half of them use it since more than three years for about 3 times per day. The majority (84.1% and 71.4%) of males and females, their parents did not oversight them. Conclusion: The majority of the studied adolescents use social media for communication since more than three years for about 3 times per day. Lack of parental oversight was prevalent among the studied subjects while using social media. Recommendations: It is essential to design health educational programs to preparatory and secondary school students to improve their inappropriate use of social media and to prevent its hazards. Educate the parents and the families about the importance of their oversight and follow up their adolescents during using social media.
Cadmium accumulation characteristics of floricultural plant Cosmos bipinnata*

ABSTRACT The artificially high soil cadmium (Cd) concentration screening method was used to screen Cd-hyperaccumulators from floricultural plants. Among the five species of floricultural plants screened, Cosmos bipinnata showed the characteristics of Cd-accumulators. A pot experiment was conducted to further study Cd accumulation characteristics of C. bipinnata. The results showed that the biomass, chlorophyll content, superoxide dismutase activity, peroxidase activity and soluble protein content of C. bipinnata first increased and later decreased with the increase in soil Cd concentration, but the carotenoid content and catalase activity of C. bipinnata reduced. Cd contents in roots, stems, leaves and shoots of C. bipinnata increased with increasing soil Cd concentration. When the soil Cd concentration was 50 mg kg−1, the Cd content in shoots was up to 112.62 mg kg−1, which was higher than the Cd-hyperaccumulator critical value. The root and shoot bioconcentration factors exceeded 1 in various Cd treatments, but the translocation factors were less than 1. When the soil Cd concentration was 50 mg kg−1, the Cd accumulation in shoots achieved the maximum of 224.30 μg plant−1. Therefore, considering the tolerance and accumulation of Cd, C. bipinnata is a Cd-accumulator that could be used to remediate Cd-contaminated urban soil.
Linear poly(ethylene imine)s: true molar masses, solution properties and conformation

In-depth characterization of pharmaceutically relevant polymers plays a pivotal role in many areas, including nanoscience, gene therapy, analytical and polymer chemistry etc. Notwithstanding substantial efforts spent in this area, there are still unresolved challenges and one of the most demanding problems is the determination of absolute molar masses of a broad range of biocompatible cationic polymers. Hereby, we present a combined analytical approach for a distinct and self-consistent characterization of a series of linear poly(ethylene imine)s (PEIs) consisting of six in-house prepared PEIs (0.9 kDa < Mtheor < 250 kDa) and three commercially available linear PEIs (Polyscience labeled as 2.5 kDa, 25 kDa, and 250 kDa). The polymers were studied, in 0.2 M NaBr methanol, by the methods of molecular hydrodynamics: analytical ultracentrifugation, intrinsic viscosity and translational diffusion measurements. Absolute values of the molar masses were evaluated by the classical sedimentation-diffusion analysis resulting in the following range: 1.1 kDa < M < 13.9 kDa. It was demonstrated that the molar masses reported by the manufacturer, as well as theoretical and/or molar masses evaluated by common SEC analysis, are significantly overestimated. The complete set of Kuhn–Mark–Houwink–Sakurada scaling relations shows linear trends over the whole range of the molar masses, whilst the determined scaling indices virtually correspond to the homologous series characterized by a coil conformation ([η] = 0.255 × M0.56; s0 = 0.015 × M0.48; D0 = 994 × M−0.52). The conformational characteristics of LPEI, i.e. equilibrium rigidity (the Kuhn segment length) and the diameter of the PEI chains, were evaluated for the first time and constitute A = 1.9 ± 0.6 nm and d = 0.4 ± 0.2 nm, respectively. The presented self-sufficient analytical approach covers an important area of thorough polymer characterization by nowadays alternative but fundamental hydrodynamic methods allowing for complete structural and molecular analysis of almost any macromolecules in solution.
Income Smoothing, Earnings Management and the Credibility of Accounting Information

This study investigated the effect of income smoothing and earning management on the credibility of accounting information of listed manufacturing companies in Nigeria. Data used were extracted from the annual reports and accounts of the selected sixteen (16) firms for a period of 10 years (2010-2019) while content analysis was adopted in measuring accounting information credibility. Multiple linear regression analysis (OLS) method was adopted for the analysis. The result revealed that income smoothing and earnings management had statistically insignificant effect on fundamental qualitative characteristics (FQC), while income smoothing and earnings management had statistically significant effect on enhancing qualitative characteristics (EQC). However, the study obtained that income smoothing and earnings management had positive and significant effect on the credibility of accounting information of the listed manufacturing companies in Nigeria. The study opined that managers should ensure that accounting information is credible, possesses desirable accounting information qualities of relevance, and faithful representation, also verifiable, comparable, understandability, and timeliness. Contribution/Originality: This study is one of very few studies which have investigated how earnings management practices impacted on objectivity of reported financial information and breach of investors’ trust in the management due to information asymmetry.