Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EFFECT OF ZINC OXIDE NANOPARTICLES ON GERMINATION, GROWTH AND YIELD OF MAIZE (Zea mays L.)

Effect of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Germination, Growth and Yield of Maize (Zea mays L.) Name of student Major Guide Pankaj Kumar Tiwari Dr. K. P. Patel Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry B. A. College of Agriculture Anand Agricultural University, Anand – 388 110 ABSTRACT The present investigation was undertaken to investigate the effect of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on seed germination, growth and yield of maize. The study included four sequential experiments: (1) synthesis and characterization of ZnO NPs; (2) effect of different concentrations of ZnO NPs on germination of maize seeds; (3) effect of seed treatment with ZnO NPs on growth and yield of maize; and (4) effect of foliar application of ZnO NPs on growth and yield of maize under microplot conditions. In first experiment, ZnO NPs were synthesized, using oxalate decomposition method and characterized by XRD, TEM, SEM, DLS, TGA and UV-vis spectroscopy analysis. The instrumental analysis results clearly indicated that synthesized ZnO NPs were of 65 nm particle size, nanorods, monodispersed, highly pure, and stable. The particle size estimated by XRD and DLS were in good agreement with TEM, SEM and UV-Vis spectroscopy results. Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) results confirmed the calcination temperature as more than 400 °C. Synthesized ZnO NPs were tested for their efficacy for seed treatment of maize in second experiment where in 3 levels each of ZnO NPs and bulk ZnO concentration (500 ppm, 1000 ppm and 2000 ppm) along with ZnO slurry were repeated thrice in completely randomized design (CRD). Seed germination test was carried out by paper towel method of seed incubation for 9 days following standard protocol. Soaking time for maize seeds with different Zn treatment was optimized at 2 hrs as there was no significant difference from 4 hrs soaking with respect to seed vigour. Results revealed that ZnO NPs at 1000 ppm concentration significantly increased seed germination, root length and seedling vigour index over no Zn. However, higher concentration of ZnO nanoparticles i.e. 2000 ppm reduced the root length and seed vigour.
Aerosol size distribution measurement of electronic cigarette emissions using combined differential mobility and inertial impaction methods: Smoking machine and puff topography influence

Abstract A combination of a real-time high resolution aerosol differential mobility spectrometer (DMS500) and an electrical low pressure impactor (used as a traditional impactor) was applied to simultaneously collect real-time data and analyze particle size by weighing the mass of the aerosol collected on the impactor stages. Nonrefillable fixed-power as well as refillable and power adjustable e-cigarettes (e-cigs) were tested at various puffing flow rates. Two types of smoking machines were used: a smoke cycle simulator that provides instantaneous straight sample delivery to the analyzer and a Human Profile Pump that utilizes two synchronized pistons and operates by sample pull–push mode. Chemical analysis of the major components of e-liquid (propylene glycol, vegetable glycerol, water, and nicotine) was made using a proton nuclear magnetic resonance method. Limited amounts of samples collected on impactor stages were analyzed by liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass-spectrometry to find newly formed semi- or low-volatile organic compounds in e-cig aerosol and by transmission electron microscopy to check for the presence of nanoparticles in e-cig emissions. Differential mobility and inertial impaction methods showed comparable particle size results. Method of aerosol generation (type of the smoking machine) as well as puffing topography affected the e-cig particle size. Newly formed semi- or low-volatile organic compounds as well as metal nanoparticles were found in e-cig aerosol. Copyright © 2018 American Association for Aerosol Research
The impact of regional specialization on wages of women and men in ICT sector in Poland in 2012-2016

The aim of the presented study is to demonstrate the impact of regional specialization on total remuneration, disaggregated by gender in the ICT sector in Poland in 2012-2016. The first part of the article presents the general characteristics of the Polish ICT industry and shows (using the location quotient) regions in Poland that could be treated as areas of high concentration of specialization in this field; in the second part, the wages of men and women in the ICT sector are compared for the years 2012-2016; the third part presents the results of a statistical analysis of the impact of regional specialization on wages disaggregated by gender. The study ends with a summary and conclusions. The estimation of the parameters of the equations used in the analysis shows that the values of the location quotient (as a measure of regional specialization) largely explains the variation in total wages and the gender distribution with the following relationships the greater the regional specialization, the higher the average wage and vice versa. However, the location quotient values do not explain the differentiation of the gender pay gap and it is not possible, on the basis of the analysed data, to claim any dependencies between regional specialization and the gender pay gap existing in a given voivodeship.
Selected ‘Starter Kit’ energy system modelling data for Venezuela (#CCG)

Energy system modelling can be used to assess the implications of different scenarios and support improved policymaking. However, access to data is often a barrier to energy system modelling, causing delays. Therefore, this article provides data that can be used to create a simple zero order energy system model for Venezuela, which can act as a starting point for further model development and scenario analysis. The data are collected entirely from publicly available and accessible sources, including the websites and databases of international organizations, journal articles, and existing modelling studies. This means that the dataset can be easily updated based on the latest available information or more detailed and accurate local data. These data were also used to calibrate a simple energy system model using the Open Source Energy Modelling System (OSeMOSYS) and three stylized scenarios (Fossil Future, Least Cost and Net Zero by 2050) for 2020–2050. The assumptions used and results of these scenarios are presented in the appendix as an illustrative example of what can be done with these data. This simple model can be adapted and further developed by in-country analysts and academics, providing a platform for future work.
Digital Assessment Literacy: The Need of Online Assessment Literacy and Online Assessment Literate Educators

Creation of reliable online assessments have always been a concern by educators, this research article provides an idea for providing professionals training development for creating online assessments for the inexperienced assessment literate teachers. The research has placed the importance on the training of the educators in the assessment literacy with a proposed model of utilization of Educational framework to create digital online assignments using IT integrated tools. This paper uses mixed method research and examines the need of training for the creation of reliable assessments and assessment literate educators which will caters to the different students’ abilities. To further explore and understand the training needs of the assessment literacy, this research provides an insight of the year 2020 result analysis, as it might add a new dimension towards the professional development for the online assessment literacy skills. The collected data was used as descriptive, inferential data which was further analyzed and compared to the pretest and the current collected primary data. The purpose of this study shows the importance of the online assessment literacy and the need of assessment literate trained educators who might support in identifying the training needs of online assessment with help of Bloom’s Model in connection with the digital Bloom’s taxonomy. As some experienced educators lack the need of literacy training skills in the online assessments, this proposed model would be beneficial for the educators, and could prepare them as future trainers.
A Comparison between Moist and Dry Tropical Cyclones: The Low Effectiveness of Surface Sensible Heat Flux in Storm Intensification

Recent numerical modeling studies demonstrate that dry tropical cyclones can be stably sustained via supply of surface sensible heat flux. This raises questions of whether surface sensible heat flux (SHX) and latent heat flux (LHX) have the same effect on the intensity evolution of tropical cyclones. An estimation of equivalent potential temperature budget in the boundary layer shows that LHX leads to larger increase in equivalent potential temperature than SHX even when they possess the same magnitude. By formulating these two kinds of surface heat fluxes with the same mathematical framework, the simulated intensifications of moist and dry tropical cyclones are compared, with the former driven exclusively by LHX and the latter by SHX. Results show significantly larger intensification rates for the tropical cyclone driven by LHX than that by SHX, revealing low effectiveness of SHX in the intensification of tropical cyclones. The diabatic heating in the moist tropical cyclone occurs accompanying the convection, while it is merely pronounced near the surface in the dry tropical cyclone and is decoupled from the dry convection. A new surface pressure tendency equation is proposed, without incorporating implicit pressure tendency term on the right-hand side. The budget analysis indicates that the SHX is less effective than LHX in lowering surface central pressure and therefore in tropical cyclone intensification. A series of sensitivity experiments suggest that the threshold of energy input required for spinning up a tropical cyclone is lower in the form of LHX than that of SHX.
Forwarding of Messages Via WhatsApp: The Mediating Role of Emotional Evocativeness

Abstract WhatsApp facilitates easy communication as users can send messages, images, videos, and group conversations instantly. Forwarding the messages received is one of the desires of WhatsApp users. Hence, it is imperative to understand the key determinants of this phenomenon. This study examine the level of influences of infotainment, purposive value, social identity, and emotional evocativeness on the decision to forward received messages via WhatsApp. Using a random sampling method, primary data was obtained from 342 respondents from a Private University in Cyberjaya, Malaysia. The data was analyzed through Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPls. Findings show that infotainment does not affect the decision to forward WhatsApp messages; however, purposive value, social identity, and emotional evocativeness have significant effects. Similarly, while emotional evocativeness mediates between purposive value, social identity, and the decision to forward WhatsApp messages, it does not mediate between infotainment and the decision to forward WhatsApp messages. These findings will help users to understand the key elements that should be implemented to achieve virality for WhatsApp messages and other social media. Limitations, future study opportunities, practical and theoretical implications were also discussed.
Oxygen Depletion Testing of Metals

The altered nature of archaeological metals means they deteriorate at much lower relative humidity (RH) conditions than historical metals. The study of deterioration for such materials is hampered by their complexity, variability and difficulties in measuring deterioration. Placing an object in a sealed container, controlling the RH and pollutant gases and measuring any decrease in oxygen concentration is an accessible method to measure the deterioration rate. It has been used for research into suitable environmental conditions to manage the deterioration rates of such artefacts, including the differences in the response of artefacts from different excavation sites. Some objects need the careful control of RH to low values; this is expensive to maintain and poses risks to other artefacts displayed together. Many objects are actually stable up to quite high RH values, and oxygen depletion testing has been used to identify those that can be safely displayed with minimal environmental control. The accelerated corrosion ‘Oddy’ test is frequently used to sift out unsuitable display materials. T the visual assessment is widely recognized to be subjective. the test container has been modified and oxygen depletion appears to give good quantitative measurements of corrosion that correspond with both visual comparison and corrosion loss measurement with linear stripping voltametry or chemical stripping for copper, lead and steel but not for silver.
MORAL DECISION MAKING IN SPORTS: A CASE STUDY ON BEHAVIOURS AMONG JOHOR SUKMA ATHLETES

Unethical decision-making among athletes has become a much-discussed topic in the sports world today. This practice is definitely caused by the lack of emphasis on sportsmanship and an overemphasis on the mentality of “winning at all cost” that motivates them to commit unethical conduct. The main objectives of this study were to determine the differences of the moral decision – making on behaviours among Johor SUKMA athletes based on gender. This study was carried out on 214 of Johor SUKMA athletes. The data were obtained through a questionnaire containing 24 items which was administered to measure the domains of athletes’ moral decision-making in sports which covered acceptance of cheating, acceptance of gamesmanship and keeping winning in proportion. The Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient value of the instrument was above 0.70 for each domain. The data was analysed using inferential analysis (Mann-Whitney Test). The findings showed that “keeping winning in proportion” was the main domain for the athletes’ moral decision-making in sports and that there is no significance different in the mean score for the moral decision-making based on gender for the two domains which are “acceptance of cheating proportion” (p = 0.68 > 0.05) and “keeping winning in proportion” (p = 0.18 > 0.05). Meanwhile there is a significance different in “acceptance of gamesmanship” based on gender (p = 0.02 < 0.05). Thus, understanding about the moral decisionmaking among Johor SUKMA athletes may help Johor National Sports Council (MSNJ) and coaches to encourage a more positive decision-making towards sportsmanship conduct among athletes.
Marine Mammal Noise Exposure Criteria: Assessing the Severity of Marine Mammal Behavioral Responses to Human Noise

Major progress has been made since the publication of noise exposure criteria by Southall et al. (2007) in addressing the probability and severity of marine mammal behavioral responses to measured noise exposures. New methodological developments for studying behavioral responses have broadened the spatial, temporal, and population scales of potential disturbance studies and expanded scientific data on responses of marine mammals (or lack thereof) to various human noise exposure scenarios. Experimental and observational studies have substantially expanded the resolution, parameters, and contexts for understanding individual and group responses to discrete noise events. The combined data strongly suggest that efforts to derive simple all-or-nothing thresholds for single noise exposure parameters (e.g., received noise level) and behavioral responses across broad taxonomic and sound categories can lead to significant errors in predicting effects that are fundamentally inconsistent with the probabilistic nature of responses. Differences between species, among individuals, across situational contexts, and with the temporal and spatial scales over which exposures occur lead to variability in the probability and severity of behavioral responses. Studies that account for such factors and the variability they cause can provide far more accurate probability functions for predicting effects and can reduce variabilities related to exposure level and response. To that end, several new approaches are developed here for evaluating response severity in laboratory and field conditions in terms of effects on vital rates. These are applied to selected studies of marine mammal behavioral response to demonstrate their application in more consistently addressing acute exposure contexts for individuals or discrete groups. Needs for new approaches and transparent processes are identified for addressing sustained and/or repeated noise exposures on population scales.
Chlorophyll a Concentration of Fresh Water Phytoplankton Analysed by Algorithmic based Spectroscopy

Phytoplankton are microscopic single-celled plants that play an important role in the ecosystem as a major primary producers through photosynthesis. The main objective of this study is to investigate properties of reflection and chlorophyll a concentration of phytoplankton in fresh water. The reflection of phytoplankton is taken using spectroradiometer to observe the relationship between the reflectance and the wavelengths of phytoplankton. Tasik Harapan is selected as a study area. This lake is located in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang, Malaysia. In this study, the water samples collected are filtered using phytoplankton net and analyzed in the laboratory to determine the reflectance and chlorophyll a concentration of phytoplankton. The water samples taken were prior to culture in the medium known as Bold’s Basal Medium (BBM) before the reflections are taken so that accurate reflection measurements of phytoplankton can be acquired. Two spectrometers are used in this study, firstly, spectroradiometer, which was used to measure the reflectance of phytoplankton and secondly, spectrophotometer, which was used to measure the concentration of chlorophyll a. The algorithms that related between chlorophyll a concentration and reflectance of phytoplankton are used. In this study, three regions also are focused, which are the red band, green band and blue band. These bands are related in analyzing phytoplankton. Reflectance of each band specified referred to the concentration of chlorophyll a for calibration algorithm. Finally, three wavelengths of 438 nm, 550 nm and 675 nm were selected. The selection of these three wavelengths were found to be strongly correlated to phytoplankton and chlorophyll a. The water sampling for validation was also taken from the same lake and was analyzed using the same algorithm. The best results are obtained in this study, which are evidenced by the good correction coefficient, R2 in the analysis results using the developed algorithm.
QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION OF PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS' VIEWS ON INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

In this study, pre-service teachers' views on inclusive education were evaluated from a quantitative research perspective. The survey model, one of the quantitative research designs, was used. The sample of the study consists of 482 prospective teachers studying at the same state university. The "Opinions Related to Mainstreaming Scale" was used to evaluate the views of pre-service teachers about inclusion. In the study, frequency and percentage values for each item were calculated for the data obtained from the study. In addition, Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to determine whether there was a relationship between the sub-dimensions of the scale depending on the data collected. Although the results of the research are generally positive, the opinions of the pre-service teachers about inclusive education are inconsistent with each other, indicating that the knowledge and skill levels of the pre-service teachers about students with special needs are insufficient. It is important for a qualified inclusive education that teacher candidates who will start working in schools in the future develop positive attitudes towards inclusive education and have high levels of knowledge and skills. Article visualizations:
Subgrid variations of the cloud water and droplet number concentration over the tropical ocean: satellite observations and implications for warm rain simulations in climate models

Abstract. One of the challenges in representing warm rain processes in global climate models (GCMs) is related to the representation of the subgrid variability of cloud properties, such as cloud water and cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC), and the effect thereof on individual precipitation processes such as autoconversion. This effect is conventionally treated by multiplying the resolved-scale warm rain process rates by an enhancement factor (Eq) which is derived from integrating over an assumed subgrid cloud water distribution. The assumed subgrid cloud distribution remains highly uncertain. In this study, we derive the subgrid variations of liquid-phase cloud properties over the tropical ocean using the satellite remote sensing products from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and investigate the corresponding enhancement factors for the GCM parameterization of autoconversion rate. We find that the conventional approach of using only subgrid variability of cloud water is insufficient and that the subgrid variability of CDNC, as well as the correlation between the two, is also important for correctly simulating the autoconversion process in GCMs. Using the MODIS data which have near-global data coverage, we find that Eq shows a strong dependence on cloud regimes due to the fact that the subgrid variability of cloud water and CDNC is regime dependent. Our analysis shows a significant increase of Eq from the stratocumulus (Sc) to cumulus (Cu) regions. Furthermore, the enhancement factor EN due to the subgrid variation of CDNC is derived from satellite observation for the first time, and results reveal several regions downwind of biomass burning aerosols (e.g., Gulf of Guinea, east coast of South Africa), air pollution (i.e., East China Sea), and active volcanos (e.g., Kilauea, Hawaii, and Ambae, Vanuatu), where the EN is comparable to or even larger than Eq, suggesting an important role of aerosol in influencing the EN. MODIS observations suggest that the subgrid variations of cloud liquid water path (LWP) and CDNC are generally positively correlated. As a result, the combined enhancement factor, including the effect of LWP and CDNC correlation, is significantly smaller than the simple product of Eq⋅EN. Given the importance of warm rain processes in understanding the Earth's system dynamics and water cycle, we conclude that more observational studies are needed to provide a better constraint on the warm rain processes in GCMs.