Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Potential for Sustainable Urban and Peri-Urban Agricultural Practices in Nairobi County

The study examined the sustainable potential of urban and peri-urban agricultural practices in Nairobi. The study employed purposive, stratified and random sampling methods to select 149 respondents. Frequencies, means and standard deviations were used to analyse data. Findings indicate that the most popular urban and peri-urban practices were composting (221), open field farming (212), vegetable nurseries (155) and various forms of irrigation (140). Animal based practices were not found to be very popular. Majority of the practices were concentrated in the peri-urban areas. Popular practices were not found to be the most profitable. The most profitable practices were cattle rearing raising approximately Ksh.650,000, mushroom farming (Ksh.500,000), chicken rearing (Ksh.500,000), and hydroponics production (Ksh.450,000). These unpopular practices required expensive inputs, specialised technological and management skills and a controlled agricultural Creative Commons User License: CC BY-NC-ND Journal of Agricultural Extension Abstracted by: EBSCOhost, Electronic Journals Service (EJS), Vol. 25 (1) January, 2021 Google Scholar, Journal Seek, Scientific Commons, ISSN(e): 24086851; ISSN(Print); 1119944X Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), CABI and Scopus http://journal.aesonnigeria.org http://www.ajol. info/index.php/jae http://eoi.citefactor. org/10.11226/v25i1 Email: editorinchief@aesonnigeria.org 32 environment for production and efficient use of resources. These requirements qualified them to contribute towards the economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainability. There is need for a transformation from the current popular, less profitable and environmentally unfriendly practices categorized as uncontrolled environment agriculture practices to the controlled environment agriculture practices. This can be achieved through the provision of subsidised inputs and specialised technological and management skills to the farmers by the county government and other relevant stakeholders. This change with policy support will contribute to using sustainable agricultural practices that ensure food security and contribute to a sustainable food system in the city.
Selecting Program Material by Audio Features for Low-Frequency Perceptual Evaluation of Loudspeakers

The program material is of great importance for the results of the listening tests on loudspeakers, while the process of how to select the program material remains ambiguous. This paper investigates the criterion for selecting programs suitable for low-frequency perceptual evaluation based on the audio features of the program. A listening test was conducted to identify the more discriminating and revealing programs in the low-frequency range. Based on the listening test results, various characteristics of the programs, including dynamic, timbral, rhythmic, and spectral features, were extracted. Their relationships with the program’s discrimination ability are discussed. The results suggest that programs with a slow and clear rhythm and a smooth and even spectrum in the whole band are more discriminating in detecting the spectral differences in the low frequencies. By using these significant features, a discriminant analysis was performed to predict the ability of the program to reveal the spectral irregularities. The predictive accuracy of the derived discriminant function was 95% in separating the discriminating and undiscriminating programs.
Phenological Analysis of Sub-Alpine Forest on Jeju Island, South Korea, Using Data Fusion of Landsat and MODIS Products

Climate change poses a disproportionate risk to alpine ecosystems. Effective monitoring of forest phenological responses to climate change is critical for predicting and managing threats to alpine populations. Remote sensing can be used to monitor forest communities in dynamic landscapes for responses to climate change at the species level. Spatiotemporal fusion technology using remote sensing images is an effective way of detecting gradual phenological changes over time and seasonal responses to climate change. The spatial and temporal adaptive reflectance fusion model (STARFM) is a widely used data fusion algorithm for Landsat and MODIS imagery. This study aims to identify forest phenological characteristics and changes at the species–community level by fusing spatiotemporal data from Landsat and MODIS imagery. We fused 18 images from March to November for 2000, 2010, and 2019. (The resulting STARFM-fused images exhibited accuracies of RMSE = 0.0402 and R2 = 0.795. We found that the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) value increased with time, which suggests that increasing temperature due to climate change has affected the start of the growth season in the study region. From this study, we found that increasing temperature affects the phenology of these regions, and forest management strategies like monitoring phenology using remote sensing technique should evaluate the effects of climate change.
Hyperhomocysteinemia And Pathogenetic Mechanisms Of Ischemic Stroke

The article is intended to give basic information and the role of homocysteine in the human body. The amino acid homocysteine is a product of methionine demethylation. When the level of homocysteine increases, it damages the tissue structures of the arteries, initiating the release of cytokines, cyclins and other inflammatory mediators. Its accumulation leads to loosening of the arterial walls, the formation of local defects in the endothelium, which, in turn, leads to the deposition of cholesterol and calcium on the vascular wall. Hyperhomocysteinemia as a consequence of impaired homocysteine metabolism is considered an independent risk factor for stroke in humans. The role of neuroprotective therapy in interrupting or slowing down the sequence of damaging biochemical and molecular processes that can cause irreversible ischemic brain damage is shown.
First‐Cycle Oxidative Generation of Lithium Nucleation Sites Stabilizes Lithium‐Metal Electrodes

Although lithium‐metal electrodes have very high capacities, their use as negative electrodes in batteries is associated with stability and safety problems due to formation of dendrites, mossy as well as dead lithium. These problems generally result from the difficulty to ensure that the deposition and stripping of lithium occur homogeneously on the entire electrode surface. As a result, the lithium‐metal electrode is gradually transformed into a thick, porous, and poorly performing electrode. It is therefore essential to develop approaches that facilitate the attainment of homogeneous (i.e., 2D) lithium nucleation and growth. It is also important to note that if the lithium electrode is oxidized on the first half‐cycle, the formed oxidation pits will control the subsequent lithium deposition step. Herein, it is shown that the performance of lithium‐metal electrodes can be straightforwardly improved by introducing a short (e.g., 1 s long) potentiostatic pulse so that the first oxidation step takes place more homogeneously on the lithium surface. This surface activation step gives rise to a large number of preferential lithium nucleation sites facilitating the subsequent attainment of a uniform lithium deposition step. The experimental results indicate that this straightforward pulse approach can significantly increase the lifetime of lithium‐metal electrodes.
Anisotropic Nd-Fe Ultrafine Particles with Stable and Metastable Phases Prepared by Induction Thermal Plasma

Both stable Th2Zn17-type and metastable TbCu7-type phases of anisotropic Nd-Fe ultrafine particles are prepared selectively by controlling the cooling rate using the low-oxygen induction thermal plasma (LO-ITP) process. The cooling rate is controlled by introducing the additional Ar gas at the end of the plasma flame. Moreover, numerical calculations based on a binary aerosol formation-growth model clarifies the alloying mechanism during rapid cooling wherein Nd-Fe vapor solidifies. The metastable Nd-Fe alloy ultrafine particle is formed in the cooling rate of 5×105 K/sec via the alloy droplet which is formed after the Fe and Nd vapors convert simultaneously into the liquid phase. The mean particle sizes of obtained ultrafine alloy powders without and with quenching are 76.3 ± 24.2 nm and 37.0 ± 12.5 nm, respectively. Electron microscopy observation reveals that the obtained particles are single crystalline. The Nd concentration of Nd-Fe particles shows a distribution in the range of 10.1–12.6 at%. X-ray diffraction and magnetic measurement demonstrate that the obtained particles are anisotropic and can be aligned by external magnetic field. Therefore, this process paves the way to achieve a new-generation anisotropic permanent magnet.
A ‘new’ hierarchy of English teachers: the ‘half-native’ English teacher as a neoliberal, racialized and gendered subject

ABSTRACT This article challenges binary-oriented approaches to understanding the issue of the native English-speaking teacher (NEST) and the non-native English-speaking teacher (NNEST). It unpacks a novel terminology called the ‘half-native English-speaking teacher’ (HNEST) that appears on the website of an online English school for Japanese students. The article also examines the privilege–marginalization experiences of three HNESTs. The analysis of the website shows that the multimodal representations tacitly generate a ‘new’ hierarchy of English teachers, with presupposed NEST, HNEST and NNEST categories arranged from top to bottom. While this hierarchy appears ‘new’ on the surface, it reinforces old and restricting discourses of idealization and essentialization. The analysis of the participants’ interviews, meanwhile, suggests that privilege–marginalization is not uniformly and categorically experienced. This complex fluidity of privilege–marginalization is dynamically interwoven in broader discourses of neoliberalism, race and gender.
Influence of the Manufacturing Parameters in Selective Laser Melting on Properties of Aluminum Alloy AlSi7Mg0.6 (A357)

Various selective laser melting (SLM) configurations (8 in all) were tested on aluminum alloy AlSi7Mg0.6 by making single tracks on parallelepipeds specimens. We used an energy balance as a means of connecting the machine parameters (power, speed, etc.) of the 8 configurations to the morphology (geometry) of the single tracks. On this basis, we correlated the width, depth and especially the section area of the melt pool (single track) to the linear energy density. We were also able to assess the absorption coefficient of the aluminum alloy AlSi7Mg0.6 as a function of the temperature. The study was then focused on the microstructure and the possible impacts on the material properties including on the mechanical characteristics and the anisotropy observed in literature based on the build direction. Evidence suggests that the Hall-Petch relation can be used to explain this anisotropy. The thermal analysis highlighted two laser operating modes: the keyhole mode and the conduction mode. These modes have also been described via the morphology of the single tracks. Finally, a comparison between Rosenthal’s theoretical model (in the case of the conduction mode) and actual conditions was proposed by the obtained geometry of the single tracks as well as the cooling speeds calculated and measured using the dendrite arm spacing (DAS). The maximum temperatures achieved were also assessed by Rosenthal’s theoretical model which made it possible to explain the evaporation of some chemical elements during the manufacturing of the aluminum alloy through SLM.
Arabis alpina: A perennial model plant for ecological genomics and life‐history evolution

Many model organisms were chosen and achieved prominence because of an advantageous combination of their life‐history characteristics, genetic properties and also practical considerations. Discoveries made in Arabidopsis thaliana, the most renowned noncrop plant model species, have markedly stimulated studies in other species with different biology. Within the family Brassicaceae, the arctic–alpine Arabis alpina has become a model complementary to Arabidopsis thaliana to study the evolution of life‐history traits, such as perenniality, and ecological genomics in harsh environments. In this review, we provide an overview of the properties that facilitated the rapid emergence of A. alpina as a plant model. We summarize the evolutionary history of A. alpina, including genomic aspects, the diversification of its mating system and demographic properties, and we discuss recent progress in the molecular dissection of developmental traits that are related to its perennial life history and environmental adaptation. From this published knowledge, we derive open questions that might inspire future research in A. alpina, other Brassicaceae species or more distantly related plant families.
Critical Level of Magnesium for Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] in Ultisols of Kerala

Background: Ultisols are characterized by low pH, low cation exchange capacity and low base saturation due to dominance of kaolinite and oxides and hydrous oxides of iron and aluminium. Among the basic cations, magnesium has smaller ionic size and larger hydrated radius which limits binding of Mg to soil exchange sites. As a result the deficiency of magnesium is a common nutritional disorder in these soils due to leaching of bases under humid tropical conditions. The determination of critical level of magnesium in soil and plant helps to manage the nutrient deficiency and will help to avoid crop loss.Methods: A pot culture experiment was conducted to determine the critical level of magnesium for cowpea in Ultisols of Kerala during January 2019. Graded doses of magnesium were applied @ 5 mg kg-1 to 80 mg kg-1 of soil as magnesium carbonate along with recommended dose of fertilizers to evaluate the effect of applied magnesium on soil pH, available magnesium in soil, magnesium content in plant, crop uptake and yield.Result: Soil pH and available magnesium in soil recorded at flowering and harvest was highest where magnesium was applied @ 80 mg kg-1 of soil. Magnesium content in stem and leaves was found to increase with the levels of magnesium added. No significant variation in the content of magnesium in pods was recorded. Crop uptake (66.62 mg g-1) of magnesium and yield per plant (79.33 g plant-1) was highest in the treatment (T5) where magnesium was applied @ 10 mg kg-1 of soil. The critical level of magnesium determined by Cate and Nelson graphical method was found to be 75 mg kg-1 of available magnesium in soil and 0.38% in leaves of cowpea during flowering.
Analytic expressions for the isosteric heat of adsorption from adsorption isotherm models and two‐dimensional
 SAFT‐VR
 equation of state

Funding information DAIP-University of Guanajuato (Mexico), Grant/Award Numbers: CIIC 1143/2016, CIIC 348/2019; Royal Academy of Engineering Newton Research Collaboration Program (3)-NRCP1516/1/124 Abstract The isosteric heat of adsorption is an important thermodynamic property used to characterize and optimize adsorption processes. In this work, analytic expressions for isosteric heats of adsorption are derived for a collection of commonly used isotherm models and a two-dimensional molecular equation of state based on the SAFT-VR approach. The use of these expressions is presented with an example of adsorption of nitrous oxide, N2O, on biochar, which is a waste biomass charcoal that exhibits high adsorption potential. The results show that accurate fitting of the adsorption isotherms leads to consistent results obtained with different approaches; however, the predicted isosteric heat of adsorption exhibits strong variations in the regions where experimental data is insufficient such in the region of low pressure/low coverage. Convergence on the prediction of the isosteric heat of adsorption by the different models is only observed in the region where no extrapolation of experimental data is needed.
Cohabitation and Its Consequences in Ghana

Although largely considered an unconventional form of domestic partnership, cohabitation is a growing phenomenon in Ghana. The lived experiences of cohabiting couples have, however, received little scholarly attention. Drawing on in-depth interviews conducted with cohabiting couples in Accra, Ghana, this study focuses on the implications of cohabitation on cohabitees. The data showed that cohabitees often face pressures from their families, churches, friends, and neighbors to either convert their unions to marriage or end the relationships. The relationships are also characterized by intimate partner violence and poor relationship quality. Women, more than men, tend to suffer these consequences of cohabitation. The study’s general conclusion is that the implications of cohabitation are mostly negative, and the gendered nature of the experiences reflects the sociocultural landscape of the Ghanaian society and how men and women are viewed differently in terms of their marital status.
Lithiation mechanism of antimony chalcogenides (Sb2X3; X = S, Se, Te) electrodes for high‐capacity all‐solid‐state Li‐ion battery

All‐solid‐state Li‐ion batteries are considered as next‐generation batteries, which provide safer operation by replacing the flammable liquid electrolyte by solid electrolyte. Developing these batteries using high capacity anode materials is warranted with the increasing demand of the energy sector. Among all the anode materials, alloying‐type anode materials are very attractive due to their high gravimetric as well as volumetric capacities, but they show large volume expansion which can be buffered by mixing different materials. Herein, all‐solid‐state Li‐ion batteries were prepared using Sb chalcogenide composites as electrode materials, and the detailed electrochemical reaction mechanism for the lithiation/delithiation has been established using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical charge–discharge profiling, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The lithiation reaction for all the composites was found to be conversion reaction in the first step (Sb↔ Li2X and Sb) followed by alloying reaction in the second step (Sb ↔ Li3Sb), which is similar to that for liquid electrolyte case. All the composites showed the high volumetric capacity of >4000 mAh/cm3 in the first cycle, which reduced down to ~1500‐2000 mAh/cm3 after 100 cycles. This 50% retained capacity is higher in comparison to conventional carbon electrode as well as previously reported works on similar materials. The coulombic efficiency for all the composites was found nearly 99% after initial 10 cycles. The highest energy density was found as 344 Wh/kg for Sb2S3 composite after 100 cycles (765 Wh/kg in the first cycle), which nearly equals to the target values and makes these composites suitable for the future Li‐ion battery.
miR-3934 suppresses basophil apoptosis and secretion of inflammatory cytokines by targeting RAGE in asthma

Background Several miRNAs are now known to have clear connections to the pathogenesis of asthma. The present study focused on the potential role of miR-3934 during asthma development. Results miR-3934 was down-regulated in the basophils of asthmatic patients. The expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8 and IL-33 was enhanced in basophils from asthmatic patients, and this effect was partially reversed by transfection of miR-3934 mimics. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristics analysis showed that miR-3934 levels can be used to distinguish asthma patients from healthy individuals. miR-3934 partially inhibited advanced glycation end products-induced increases in basophil apoptosis by suppressing expression of RAGE. Conclusion Our results indicate that miR-3934 acts to mitigate the pathogenesis of asthma by targeting RAGE and suppressing TGF-β/Smad signaling.
Effect of levels of phosphate and organic manures on phosphate supplying capacity and P-kinetics in wheat grown in a Typic Haplustept soil

A pot experiment with wheat (WH 542) as test crop was conducted in screen house on a Typic Haplustept surface (0-15 cm) soil of Haryana Agricultural University Farm, Hisar. Initial laboratory studies showed that around 30.4 to 63.2% of added P was found to retain by the soil and phosphate sorption (x/m) increased progressively with increase in solution P concentrations. Phosphate supplying capacity (PSC) based on quantity-intensity relationship over the days of wheat growth was found to increase significantly with increase in levels of added P. The decrease of PSC upto 30 days and variations thereafter, towards higher values upto 90 days at P 50 and P 100 levels of P application all throughout the growing periods of wheat growth was observed. FYM always showed significantly highest PSC over that of green manuring treatment. First order kinetic equations showed higher values of P content at 0 day (intercept) of crop growth and found to increase progressively with increasing levels of P along with organic manures. However, reverse trend was observed in second order kinetic constants. Strong and significant positive correlation between cumulative P desorbed and t 1/2 reflected that rate of release of P was synchronizing with time or rather a good state of equilibrium was achieved in relation to crop condition. Significantly highest dry matter yield and P uptake in the treatment receiving P @ 100 mg/kg soil was observed and indicated that phosphate utilization by the crop was solely governed by the process of diffusion. FYM towards dry matter yield and P uptake was significantly higher over that of green manures suggested that green manures could not be an alternate source of FYM towards better P uptake and dry matter yield in wheat crop.
Perpetration and Victimization of Emotional Abuse and Controlling Behaviors in a Sample of Batterer Intervention Program’s Participants: An Analysis of Stressors and Risk Factors

The study employs a sample of 584 men and women referred to a multisite BIP and investigates IPV risk factors and stressors. The study also identifies unique risk factors and stressors in association with both IPV perpetration and IPV victimization. The findings show that women in the sample were more likely than men to report IPV victimization but the difference between the two groups is only marginally significant. Criminal thinking shows the most robust findings and is significantly associated with both IPV perpetration and IPV victimization. Mental health problems are consistently associated with both IPV perpetration and IPV victimization. The study’s findings are particularly relevant for the design and implementation of BIP that address participants’ needs based on gender.
Universal Domain Adaptation in Fault Diagnostics With Hybrid Weighted Deep Adversarial Learning

In the past years, the practical cross-domain machinery fault diagnosis problems have been attracting growing attention, where the training and testing data are collected from different operating conditions. The recent advances in closed-set domain adaptation have well addressed the basic problem where the fault mode sets are identical in the source and target domains. While some attempts have also been made on the partial and open-set domain adaptations, no prior information of the target-domain fault modes can be usually available in the real industries, that forms a challenging problem in transfer learning. This article proposes a universal domain adaptation method for fault diagnosis, where no explicit assumption is made on the target label set. A hybrid approach with source class-wise and target instance-wise weighting mechanism is proposed for selective adaptation. By using additional outlier identifier, the proposed method can automatically recognize the unknown fault modes while achieving class-level alignments for the shared health states, without knowing the target label set. Experiments on two rotating machine datasets validate the proposed method, which is promising for practical applications under strong data uncertainties.