Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the synthesis and characterization of La doped MgB2 superconductor

We report the synthesis of La doped MgB2 superconductors with nominal compositions Mg1‐xLaxB2 (with x = 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07) by solid state reaction at ambient pressure. A special encapsulation technique has been used by us to prepare high quality superconducting MgB2 samples. The bulk polycrystalline samples possess superconducting transition temperature Tc(R=0) ranging between 36‐39 K. It has been found that transport critical current density Jc of the samples change significantly with the doping level of La. A high transport (Jc) value ∼1.9 x 103 A/cm2 at 15 K has been achieved for Mg0.97La0.03B2 sample. The XRD and TEM investigations indicate that the samples prepared by encapsulation method are devoid of MgO, which is generally found when synthesis of MgB2 is done through sintering of Mg and B powders. The detailed microstructural investigations of Mg0.97La0.03B2 specimens by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveal the presence of partial dislocation network, moiré fringes and superlattice structure in the as synthesized samples. The higher transport critical current density observed in Mg0.97La0.03B2 superconductor has been attributed to the partial dislocations which are capable of providing pinning centres. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Pyridinyl Conjugate of UiO-66-NH2 as Chemosensor for the Sequential Detection of Iron and Pyrophosphate Ion in Aqueous Media

A new chemosensor UiO-66-N-Py (Py = 2-methinepyridine, N = imine nitrogen) based on isoreticular UiO-66 (University of Oslo) Metal–Organic Framework (MOF) containing 2-methinepyridine functionalized organic linker was solvothermally synthesized and characterized. This UiO-66-N-Py was very selective and sensitive for detecting the Fe3+ ion and sequential detection of the pyrophosphate (PPi) anion. The limits of detection for the Fe3+ ion and PPi were calculated to be 10 ppb (0.19 μM) and 50 ppb (0.3 μM), respectively. The quenching constant Ksv for Fe3+ and the binding constant for PPi were 1.4 × 105 M−1 and 1.7 × 105 M−1, respectively. The functionalization of UiO-66-NH2 with 2-methinepyridine enhanced its fluorescence emission properties and introduced more binding sites for the analytes. We additionally studied the interaction of the sensor and the analytes with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). This chemosensor also demonstrated a regenerative emission property without loss in the detection ability for six consecutive cycles.
A climatological analysis of the monsoon break following the summer monsoon onset over Luzon Island, Philippines

This study investigates the climatology of the monsoon break following the onset of the summer rainy season over Luzon Island (120–122.5°E, 13–22°N) in the Philippines from 1979–2017. The first post‐onset monsoon break is remarkable in stations located over the north and central Luzon Island and occurs climatologically in early June. Composite analysis of the large‐scale circulation features during the monsoon break period shows that this break is associated with the westward extension of the western North Pacific Subtropical High (WNPSH), which weakened the monsoon southwesterlies and induced enhanced low‐level divergence over Luzon Island. The westward extension of the WNPSH may be facilitated by the phase change of the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO). About 59% (23/39) of the monsoon break cases occurred when suppressed convection, associated with the dry phases of the BSISO, is apparent over the western North Pacific. This suppressed convection favours the westward expansion of the WNPSH.
Antibacterial Activity of Ciprofloxacin‐Loaded Poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid)‐Nanoparticles Against Staphylococcus aureus

The formation of bacterial biofilms on material surfaces is a recurrent problem in public health. Antibacterial nanoparticles (NPs) are promising because pathogens have not yet developed resistance mechanisms and encapsulation of the drug can protect it from the surrounding medium and improve pharmacokinetics. Biocompatible and biodegradable particles of various sizes (nano‐ and micro‐scale) based on poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) are elaborated using a simple and free toxic nanoprecipitation process. Particles are poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐ylated in order to reduce unwanted interactions with biological fluids, or loaded with the large spectrum antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP). NPs are studied against Staphylococcus aureus in planktonic and biofilm modes. Empty NPs with smallest size (60 nm) are able to totally eradicate planktonic culture after 24 h, even in the presence of serum proteins. CIP‐loaded NPs present slightly lower antimicrobial activity against planktonic microorganisms compared with the free antibiotic, due to progressive release of CIP over time. In biofilm mode, CIP‐loaded NPs show a very good antibiofilm activity, much better than free CIP, thanks to NPs penetration within the polymer matrix and a consequent release of the antibiotic close to the embedded bacteria. The present results open the way for widespread applications of PLGA‐NPs in the pharmaceutical or medical fields.
The Role of Vitamin C as Adjuvant Therapy in COVID-19

Background and objective The anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin C (VC) and the promising results it has shown in the treatment for common cold have prompted clinicians to use it as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to find out the role of VC as adjunctive therapy in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methodology This study was conducted from March to July 2020 in the COVID-19 unit of a tertiary care hospital in Karachi. In this randomized controlled trial (RCT), one group received the intervention [50 mg/kg/day of intravenous (IV) VC] along with the standard therapy, and the other group received standard therapy only. Data such as age, gender, vitals, and biochemical values as well as outcomes including the number of days required for treatment, hospital stay, need for ventilation, and mortality were compared between the two groups and recorded using a self-structured questionnaire. Results COVID-19 patients who received IV VC became symptom-free earlier (7.1 ± 1.8 vs. 9.6 ± 2.1 days, p-value: <0.0001) and spent fewer days in the hospital (8.1 ± 1.8 vs. 10.7 ± 2.2 days, p-value: <0.0001) compared to those who received standard therapy only. However, there was no significant difference in the need for mechanical ventilation (p-value: 0.406) and mortality (p-value: 0.31) between the two groups. Conclusion VC can significantly improve clinical symptoms in patients affected with COVID-19; however, it had no impact on mortality and the need for mechanical ventilation. More large-scale studies are required to further assess the role of VC in the treatment of COVID-19.
The Role of the Short Coherence Length in Unconventional Superconductors

A short coherence length is a distinctive feature of many cases of unconventional superconductivity. While in conventional superconductors, it is many orders of magnitude larger than the basic inter-particle distance, a short coherence length is common to superconductors as diverse as the cuprates, the picnites and granular superconductors. We dwell particularly on the last, because their simple chemical structure makes them a favorable material for exploring fundamental phenomena such as the Bardeen-Cooper Schrieffer (BCS)-to-Bose–Einstein condensation cross-over and the effect of the vicinity of a Mott metal-to-insulator transition.
Volatile Components of Annona muricata L.

ABSTRACT GC/MS analysis of the leaf, peel and fruit pulp oils of Annona muricata L. showed the presence of 68 compounds of which 59 were identified. The main components of the leaf oil were β-caryophyllene (31.4%) and other sesquiterpenes, while the fruit oil contained essentially aliphatic acids and esters, in particular, methyl (E)-2-hexenoate (39.8%).
A snap of your true self: How self-presentation and temporal affordance influence self-concept on social media

This study examined how self-presentation on social media influences the way people view themselves. It also examined whether that varies with sites using two temporal features: posts which have a short life (ephemeral) and those which live indefinitely (permanent). Drawing on both the notion of public commitment and self-symbolizing, our experiment provided a critical test of two rival theory-driven hypotheses—one suggesting a greater internalization of presented self on permanent rather than ephemeral social media and the other suggesting the opposite pattern. Supporting the self-symbolizing perspective, those who publicly presented themselves on ephemeral social media internalized their portrayed personality. Also, such a difference in internalization between the two conditions was triggered by an introverted self-presentation. Results suggest that ephemerality enhances self-symbolizing efforts and the subsequent internalization by affording nonstrategic self-presentation and reducing impression management concerns. Implications for understanding self-concept change in social media contexts are discussed.
The General Solution of the Secular Equation of Second Degree, with Application to the Class A1 Vibrations of the Symmetrical Triatomic Molecule

Various solutions of the secular equation of second degree, giving the force constants, normal coordinates, and potential energy distributions in terms of the fundamental vibration frequencies and molecular constants, have been found and their significance discussed. General formulas are obtained for certain critical solutions and illustrative numerical results given for a series of eight symmetrical triatomic molecules, with curves covering all possible solutions in three typical cases. The solution in which the ratios of the contributions to the potential energy from the two square terms in the valence‐force potential energy expression are mutually reciprocal in the two normal modes is shown to be universally applicable; that in which the normal coordinate for the vibration of higher frequency is identical with the corresponding valence‐force symmetry coordinate is also quite satisfactory. Both always give real results. Alternative solutions are suggested for use when the difference in frequency of the .
Spectrum Characteristics Analysis and Recognition of CHD Heart Sound in Five Auscultation Locations

Cardiac Auscultation is widely used in the diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) due to its non-invasive and cost-effective procedure. Heart sound analysis can provide effective auxiliary diagnosis information and aid in automatically screening patients. However, there are different signal spectrum characteristics in different auscultation locations, and there are no unified standards in the selection of auscultation locations during the heart sound analysis. This paper addresses the problem of auscultation locations and the selection of spectrum characteristics in the heart sound identification of CHD patients. 385 cases of normal and CHD heart sound signals were used to extract three groups of representative spectral features: Power Spectral Density (PSD), Mel-Frequency Cepstrum Coefficients (MFCCs) and Instantaneous Frequency Cumulative(IFC) from five different auscultation locations which are Aortic area(A), Pulmonic area(P), Tricuspid area(T), Mitral area(M), and Second aortic valve area(E). Significance detections based on p-value and Gaussian kernel support vector machine (SVM) were used to test these spectrum characteristics in five auscultation locations. The results show that the spectrum energy and the difference of auscultation areas concentrated within the frequency range of 20-150Hz. There is no statistical significance in terms of the spectrum characteristics of CHD in area A (p>0.05) compared with the statistical significance in other auscultation areas (p<0.01). The classification performance of the SVM method that uses spectrum characteristics of area E was the best overall. The experiment and analysis results show that, in CHD heart sound recognition, E-area signals have the best recognition effect, signals from TMP areas could be used as a reference, and A-area signals should be used with cautions. This discovery provides a practical guide to the clinical auscultation and signal processing of Congenital Heart Disease.
MatMouse: A Mouse Movements Tracking and Analysis Toolbox for Visual Search Experiments

The present study introduces a new MATLAB toolbox, called MatMouse, suitable for the performance of experimental studies based on mouse movements tracking and analysis. MatMouse supports the implementation of task-based visual search experiments. The proposed toolbox provides specific functions which can be utilized for the experimental building and mouse tracking processes, the analysis of the recorded data in specific metrics, the production of related visualizations, as well as for the generation of statistical grayscale heatmaps which could serve as an objective ground truth product. MatMouse can be executed as a standalone package or integrated in existing MATLAB scripts and/or toolboxes. In order to highlight the functionalities of the introduced toolbox, a complete case study example is presented. MatMouse is freely distributed to the scientific community under the third version of GNU General Public License (GPL v3) on GitHub platform.
Influence of Varieties and Organic Fertilizer in the Elaboration of a New Poplar-Straw Pellet and Its Emissions in a Domestic Boiler

Pollutants resulting from domestic combustion would have harmful effects on public health, causing disturbances in the atmosphere chemistry and the climate. In this work, the emissions from the combustion of pellets made of 80% poplar (organically fertilized) and 20% cereal straw (Triticum aestivum) have been analysed. Poplar wood from I-214 and AF-8 clones was obtained from fertilized and non-fertilized plots (CONTROL). Dairy wastewater treatment (MUD) and dehydrated sewage sludge (BIOSOLIDS) were the fertilizers employed. BIOSOLIDS-I214 pellets had lower quality standards, so its combustion was omitted. A flue gas sample was sampled together with the particles emitted. The I-214 MUD sample had the highest emitted CO value (1505 mg/MJ). Regarding HCl emission factors, there was a homogeneity in the results linked with the Cl content present in the raw material. A higher particle emission was associated with pellets with higher ash content. Particles were composed mainly for elemental carbon (26–80 mg/MJ), except I-214 MUD. I-214 pellets had the indicators of incomplete combustion and, therefore, major contaminants emission and major environmental impact. Thus, both the poplar clone and the organic fertilizer influenced the parameters and emissions analysed. Therefore, special attention must be paid to both characteristics.
“They’re not bad parents. They’ve just made bad choices.”: Mental health clinicians’ perspectives of parents involved with child protective services

Although psychotherapeutic treatment (e.g., counseling and therapy) is often offered to clients involved with child protective services (CPS), the existing literature includes few voices of mental health clinicians regarding their work and clients in the child welfare system. The current study seeks to address this gap by exploring clinicians’ views on the issue of child maltreatment and CPS-involved parents’ parenting. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews revealed that clinicians acknowledged the strengths of CPS-involved parents as well as the challenges that may have made their parenting difficult. For strengths, clinicians identified parents’ desire to care for their child, motivation to improve their parenting, and commitment to their child. Identified challenges included a lack of parenting knowledge, substance use, and limited resources and support. Overall, clinicians in this study presented a balanced perspective that attended to both the “good” and the “bad” in their clients’ parenting. They viewed CPS-involved parents as more than the sum of their problematic parenting behaviors and understood incidents of child maltreatment within the parents’ contexts. At the same time, their interviews noted that a variety of individual and sociostructural challenges faced by CPS-involved parents must be addressed in order to resolve child maltreatment and prevent parents’ repeated involvement in the child protection system.
Effect of an initial gas content on thermal EOR as applied to oil sands

This paper discusses the results of a number of physical model experiments on thermal EOR. Seven experiments were performed, three in which a ''dead'' heavy oil was used, and four in which the oil sand was saturated with methane. For oils without an initial gas content, coinjection of CO/sub 2/ with steam was capable of improving oil recovery over that obtained with steam alone. When an initial dissolved gas was present, coinjection of CO/sub 2/ was not beneficial. Injection of CO/sub 2/ or CH/sub 4/ slugs just before steam injection was beneficial in increasing oil recovery for experiments where an initial dissolved gas was present.
Catalytic Cracking of n-Hexadecane Using Carbon Nanostructures/Nano-Zeolite-Y Composite Catalyst

Zeolite-based catalysts are usually utilized in the form of a composite with binders, such as alumina, silica, clay, and others. However, these binders are usually known to block the accessibility of the active sites in zeolites, leading to a decreased effective surface area and agglomeration of zeolite particles. The aim of this work is to utilize carbon nanostructures (CNS) as a binding material for nano-zeolite-Y particles. The unique properties of CNS, such as its high surface area, thermal stability, and flexibility of its fibrous structure, makes it a promising material to hold and bind the nano-zeolite particles, yet with a contemporaneous accessibility of the reactants to the porous zeolite structure. In the current study, a nano-zeolite-Y/CNS composite catalyst was fabricated through a ball milling approach. The catalyst possesses a high surface area of 834 m2/g, which is significantly higher than the conventional commercial cracking catalysts. Using CNS as a binding material provided homogeneous distribution of the zeolite nanoparticles with high accessibility to the active sites and good mechanical stability. In addition, CNS was found to be an effective binding material for nano-zeolite particles, solving their major drawback of agglomeration. The nano-zeolite-Y/CNS composite showed 80% conversion for hexadecane catalytic cracking into valuable olefins and hydrogen gas, which was 14% higher compared to that of pure nano-zeolite-Y particles.
The Impact of External Personnel Marketing Strategy on Brand Awareness of Customers

This research analyzes the impact of external personnel marketing strategy using 7ps on brand awareness of students in the technological universities in Egypt. Two questionnaires were prepared and distributed. The research was applied on 254 faculty members of the whole technological universities in Egypt (Cairo, Quesna, and Beni Suef) and 280 students of these universities. The results indicated that there is a positive significant effect of external personnel marketing strategy using 7Ps (individually and collectively) on brand awareness. The study proposed a number of recommendations.
Characterization of Native Alginates of Common Alginophytes from the Red Sea Coast of Sudan

The objective of this investigation was to investigate the content, viscosity, and major functional groups of the native alginates extracted from 4 alginophytes collected from the Red Sea coast of Sudan in order to evaluate the quality of the polymer for potential applications. The content of the polymer ranged from 7.99±2.60% to 19.1±1.62% based on dry weight in the 4 seaweeds. The peak characteristics of the major functional groups of alginates were identified between 3469.70 cm -1 to 451.31 cm -1 . These peaks specify the presence of hydroxyl (OH), carbonyl (C=O), and carboxyl (COOH) groups, respectively. The M/G ratios of the alginate extracted from the Sudanese brown macroalgae are ≤ 1 indicating that the proportion of guluronic acid is slightly greater than the mannuronic acid. The alginate with highest viscosity was that of Padina pavonica (Linnaeus) Thivy (190.7±1.14 mPa.s) followed by Dictyota dichotoma (Hudson) J.V. Lamouroux (146.96±1.2 mPa.s), Turbinaria ornata (Turner) J.Agardh (140.1±1.14 mPa.s), and Hormophysa cuneiformis (J.F.Gmelin) P.C. Silva (109±0.6 mPa.s). The values of the parameters of the native alginates extracted from the Sudanese macroalgae are comparatively in conformity with values reported for some species from similar geographical regions. These values indicated that the present biopolymer is of a potential with regard to pharmaceutical and industrial applications.
The Statistical Mechanical Theory of Surface Tension

A general statistical mechanical theory of interfacial phenomena is developed and expressions are derived relating the surface tension and other superficial thermodynamic functions to the potential of intermolecular force and molecular distribution functions. On the basis of a reasonable approximation to the superficial density of molecular pairs, the Lennard‐Jones potential and the Eisenstein‐Gingrich radial distribution function, the surface tension, surface energy, and the superficial density of matter, referred to the surface of tension, are calculated for liquid argon at 90°K and compared with experiment. The positive value which is obtained for the superficial density, referred to the surface of tension, confirms the results of Tolman's quasi‐thermodynamic theory and leads to the conclusion the surface tension of small drops decreases with increasing curvature.
Constructing Playful Talk through Translanguaging in English Medium Instruction Mathematics Classrooms

Recent studies on English-Medium-Instruction (EMI) classroom interaction have begun to look at the role of translanguaging as a pedagogical practice in supporting participants to exploit multilingual and multimodal resources to facilitate content teaching and learning. The present study contributes to this growing body of literature by focusing on playful talk in multiple languages and modalities in EMI mathematics classrooms in a secondary school in Hong Kong. Based on the data collected from a linguistic ethnography, we analyze how the teacher constructs playful talk in order to achieve various pedagogical goals including building rapport, facilitating content explanation and promoting meaningful communication with students. The analysis demonstrates that translanguaging appears to be a critical resource and that several social factors, including the teacher’s personal belief, history, sociocultural, and pedagogical knowledge, play a role in constructing playful talk. The playful talk transforms the classroom into a translanguaging space, which in turn allows the teacher and students to perform a range of creative acts and experiment with a variety of voices to facilitate the meaning making and knowledge construction processes.