Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sovereignty alignment process: strategies of regime survival in Egypt, Libya and Syria

Abstract Sovereignty is an ambiguous concept. It is always saturated with multiple meanings, especially as other concepts are either defined in terms of it or depend on it for their own meanings. It gets more ambiguous as scholars, especially those adopting constructivism as a theory of politics and international relations, move onto divergent paths, creating a gap between theory and practice. The article proposes the sovereignty alignment process as a two-level approach that can clarify sovereignty and its components, including territoriality. The internal level of the alignment process includes disaggregating meanings into frames before aggregating them into master frames that can identify, group and organise different – even contradictory – facets of sovereignty. The external level traces how these sets of meanings interact with the outside world, having its own meaning and discursive opportunity, which can consolidate the actor’s repertoire of meanings on sovereignty. The outside world can also be material, helping to enact or operationalise the articulated meanings by other means, including the use of force or diplomacy. The approach has been devised to analyse the developments of the Arab uprisings, examining how state leaders redefined their identities and interests to survive the sweeping waves of protests against their regimes in 2011 and afterwards.
Network Attack Classification in IoT Using Support Vector Machines

Machine learning (ML) techniques learn a system by observing it. Events and occurrences in the network define what is expected of the network’s operation. It is for this reason that ML techniques are used in the computer network security field to detect unauthorized intervention. In the event of suspicious activity, the result of the ML analysis deviates from the definition of expected normal network activity and the suspicious activity becomes apparent. Support vector machines (SVM) are ML techniques that have been used to profile normal network activity and classify it as normal or abnormal. They are trained to configure an optimal hyperplane that classifies unknown input vectors’ values based on their positioning on the plane. We propose to use SVM models to detect malicious behavior within low-power, low-rate and short range networks, such as those used in the Internet of Things (IoT). We evaluated two SVM approaches, the C-SVM and the OC-SVM, where the former requires two classes of vector values (one for the normal and one for the abnormal activity) and the latter observes only normal behavior activity. Both approaches were used as part of an intrusion detection system (IDS) that monitors and detects abnormal activity within the smart node device. Actual network traffic with specific network-layer attacks implemented by us was used to create and evaluate the SVM detection models. It is shown that the C-SVM achieves up to 100% classification accuracy when evaluated with unknown data taken from the same network topology it was trained with and 81% accuracy when operating in an unknown topology. The OC-SVM that is created using benign activity achieves at most 58% accuracy.
Adsorption of Acetone Vapor by Cu-BTC: An Experimental and Computational Study

We report an experimental and theoretical study of acetone adsorption in the metal–organic framework (MOF) compound Cu-BTC. The isosteric heat of adsorption could be derived experimentally and was found to be −60 kJ mol–1. This value matches the theoretical data obtained by DFT-based methods at zero coverage. In situ DRIFT measurements allowed us to precisely describe the adsorption steps from zero coverage to saturation. Two main adsorption sites were determined for the adsorption of acetone. The small cavities were found to interact through van der Waals interaction with acetone, while the Cu(II) site was found to interact with the carbonyl function of acetone. On the basis of the in situ infrared experiments, it was demonstrated that the small cavities were first in interaction with acetone. DFT proved consistent with these findings by giving the energy of interaction in the different sites explored but also by providing calculated infrared spectra of adsorbed acetone in Cu-BTC. Using acetone as a prob.
Heating performance of swimming pool incorporated solar assisted heat pump and underground thermal energy storage tank: A case study

In this study, utilizing a renewable energy system was proposed to eliminate conventional sources used for swimming pool heating applications. The proposed configuration mainly consisted of a private swimming pool, ground source heat pump, buried energy storage tank, and solar collectors. The solution of transient heat transfer around the storage tank and energy equations for the other configurations are integrated with MATLAB software to develop an analytical model. Analytical model was used to detect the most suitable swimming pool heating system parameters offering a reasonable heating performance year‐round as well as to evaluate different performance parameters of the system. The typical meteorological data of Gaziantep city was embedded into the developed computer program to find reasonable water temperatures, solar collector area, suitable tank volume, and time to arrive at periodic conditions. The results showed that when the area of the pool was simulated at 50 m2, the underground thermal energy storage tank volume equated to 300 m3, while the collector area became 100 m2, and the periodic operation was equal to 6 years. Finally, the results showed that the swimming pool heating system derived the majority of its total energy requirement from solar energy (being 86.18%), in addition to utilizing the heat pump (being 13.82%), during the first year of operation.
Microscopic characterization of acidic paper manuscripts

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the effect of acidity on the morphology of archeological paper, especially in the presence of colors and whether natural pigments play a role in the process of degradation. Design/methodology/approach The morphological changes in the cellulosic fibers of the manuscripts because of acidity were investigated using environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM). Ten historical samples were collected from different manuscripts suffering from acidity. X-ray diffraction was used to identify the inks and pigments that were used in some samples. Additionally, Fourier transform infrared microscopy was used to identify the binding medium. Findings The results confirmed that carbon ink, ultramarine, cinnabar and gold pigments were applied to some manuscripts with Arabic gum. As for ESEM investigation, the results proved that acidity badly affected the integrity of the cellulosic fibers resulting in their embrittlement. The micrographs showed differences in fiber degradation according to pH value. The presence of inks and pigments increased the degradation extent resulting from acidity. Originality/value This paper addresses a specific need to study the behavior of degradation in paper manuscripts, thus helping the conservators find solutions to the phenomenon.
Imperfection sensitivity of unstiffened cylindrical shells under external pressure

The design rules for cylindrical shells subjected to uniform external pressure can be found in corresponding codes and recommendations, e.g. in EN 1993‐1‐6 (2007) or European Recommendation ECCS EDR5 (2008). Although the buckling strength of thin‐walled shells is highly dependent on the imperfections caused by various fabrication or manufacturing processes, the sensitivity of the buckling resistance of an imperfect shell to the amplitude of the geometric imperfections is not taken into account in design rules of standards.
Calcareous Nannofossil Size and Abundance Response to the Messinian Salinity Crisis Onset and Paleoenvironmental Dynamics

Dwarfism is a common feature affecting organisms across extreme events that characterized the Earth history, frequently referred as the result of “stressed conditions. ” To date, no study addressed the morphological and biometric changes across the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC), one of the most recent and impacting event occurred in the Mediterranean Sea, historically interpreted as characterized by hypersaline conditions. Here we focus on morpho/biometric changes affecting calcareous nannofossils (CN) toward the MSC onset in order to better constrain the paleoenvironmental dynamics and the loosely defined “stressed conditions” characterizing this interval. Size characterization and absolute abundance of selected CN taxa were performed in the Perales (Spain, Western Mediterranean) and in the Banengo and Pollenzo sections (Italy, Northern Mediterranean). We also tested whether size changes and orbital cyclicity were related through analyzing size and calcite mass of Reticulofenestra minuta using an automated image analysis system of CN recognition (SYRACO). We recorded a significant size reduction affecting the CN taxa involved in the MSC onset bioevent, related to the restriction of the Mediterranean Basin that resulted in increased productivity and enhanced environmental variability, stimulating CN growth rate and decreasing their platelet sizes. Reticulofenestra minuta size and mass correlate with the orbital cyclicity with minimum values during periods of enhanced environmental variability, coinciding with the diatomite deposition in the Sorbas Basin. Our finding reveals that the size change recorded across the MSC onset coincided with the instauration of a productive and highly variable environment, linked to the restriction of the paleo Gibraltar Strait.
Mesoscopic finite element analysis on dynamic direct tensile failure of lightweight aggregate concrete and corresponding size effect

A comprehensive finite element analysis at the mesoscopic level has been conducted into the complex topic of size effect coupling dynamic strain-rates. Taking the lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) dumbbell-shaped samples as the object of numerical investigation, the influence of strain-rate (with the range of 10−5/s ∼ 100/s) on direct-tensile failure of LWAC (including different lightweight aggregate volume fractions V agg = 40%, 30% and 20%) was discussed. Subsequently, the structure size of LWAC samples was further expanded (width W = 100, 200 and 300 mm) and the dynamic size effect on direct-tensile strength was investigated. Numerical results show that both the direct-tensile strength and its corresponding size effect of LWAC exhibit a strain-rate dependent behaviour. The increasing strain-rate can gradually weaken the size effect of LWAC and direct-tensile strength would be independent to the structure size as the strain-rate reaches the critical strain-rate. The increasing lightweight aggregate volume fraction can reduce direct-tensile strength. Furthermore, a dynamic size effect model establishing the direct link between the strain-rate effect and size effect was proposed, which can quantitatively predict the dynamic direct-tensile strength of LWAC.
CO2 Responses of Winter Wheat, Barley and Oat Cultivars under Optimum and Limited Irrigation

Field crop production must adapt to the challenges generated by the negative consequences of climate change. Yield loss caused by abiotic stresses could be counterbalanced by increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration, but C3 plant species and varieties have significantly different reactions to CO2. To examine the responses of wheat, barley and oat varieties to CO2 enrichment in combination with simulated drought, a model experiment was conducted under controlled environmental conditions. The plants were grown in climate-controlled greenhouse chambers under ambient and enriched (700 ppm and 1000 ppm) CO2 concentrations. Water shortage was induced by discontinuing the irrigation at BBCH stages 21 and 55. Positive CO2 responses were determined in barley, but the CO2-sink ability was low in oats. Reactions of winter wheat to enriched CO2 concentration varied greatly in terms of the yield parameters (spike number and grain yield). The water uptake of all wheat cultivars decreased significantly; however at the same time, water-use efficiency improved under 1000 ppm CO2. Mv Ikva was not susceptible to CO2 fertilization, while no consequent CO2 reactions were observed for Mv Nádor and Mv Nemere. Positive CO2 responses were determined in Mv Kolompos.
Moodle Quizzes as a Continuous Assessment in Higher Education: An Exploratory Approach in Physical Chemistry

The use of Moodle quizzes as a continuous assessment and an integral part of the educational methodology in higher education has been analyzed in a case study of physical chemistry subject. Two types of quiz designed with different item types and different settings, called basic quiz (BQ) and thematic block quiz (TBQ), were elaborated making use of a question bank with more than 450 items. BQ has true/false items, while TBQ has randomly mixed items (multiple choice, numerical and matching). The effect of the type of quiz on the student scores is analyzed according to statistical and psychometric data such as the degree of participation, the facility index and the discrimination index of each item, and the average score, calculated according to the classical test theory. This allows us to discern which type of quiz has an enough quality to use it as an assessment tool. Moreover, the effect of this educational activity, developed during the last six academic years from 2014 to 2020, just before of the pandemic situation, is evaluated considering the scores of the students in the Ordinary Calls of exams and comparing them with previous courses taught with a traditional education based on master classes. The statistic results indicate that TBQs are more discriminative than BQs and could be used as an assessment tool, while BQs could be only useful as formative activity. Moodle quizzes turn out to be a reliable strategy for learning of contents in scientific matter, with a high participation in the knowledge tests, with good marks in the average score and a greater number of pass degrees in the Ordinary Calls.
Assessing the Role of Soils When Developing Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems Focused on Achieving the UN-SDGs and the EU Green Deal

The general concept of sustainable development has been specified in terms of goals, targets, and indicators by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, adopted in 2015, followed by the Green Deal of the European Union in 2019. The focus on targets and indicators does, however, not address the issue as to how these goals can be achieved for land-related SDGs in the real world, and attention in this paper is therefore focused on how land management can contribute to providing ecosystem services in line with the aims of the SDGs and the Green Deal. Agricultural production systems should at least produce healthy food (SDG2 and 3), protect ground- and surface water quality (SDG6), mitigate climate change (SDG13), avoid soil degradation, and support biodiversity (SDG15). The corresponding ecosystem services are discussed with particular emphasis on the role of soils, which are characterized in terms of soil health, defined as: contributing to ecosystem services in line with the SDGs and the Green Deal. Appropriate management, as developed and proposed by researchers working jointly with farmers in living labs, can only be realized when it is part of sound long-term business plans, supported by independent advice that is focused on farmers’ concerns based on the requirements for adaptive management. The research effort in living labs, addressing “wicked” problems, needs to be judged differently from classical linear research. As the development of successful ecosystem services requires an interdisciplinary research effort based on a systems analysis, SDG-oriented soil research in the future should be focused on: (i) presenting suitable data to the interdisciplinary effort beyond standard data to be found in existing databases; (ii) using soil types as “carriers of information” to allow extrapolation of results; (iii) providing data with a comparable degree of detail when analyzing the various ecosystem services, and (iv) revisit past experiences in soil survey and soil fertility research when contact with farmers was intense, as is again needed in future to realize ecosystem services in line with the SDGs and the Green Deal.
Tensile, thermal, and antibacterial characterization of composites of cellulose/modified Pennisetum purpureum natural fibers with in situ generated copper nanoparticles

Abstract Eco-friendly all cellulose composites were developed using cellulose as matrix and nanocomposite (in situ generated copper nanoparticles modified Napier Grass Fibers (NGFs)) as fillers for the antibacterial applications. The content of the nanocomposite filler was increased from 1 wt. % to 5 wt. % in the cellulose matrix. All these composites were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Tensile, Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), and antibacterial tests. SEM-EDX analysis revealed the in situ generation of copper nanoparticles on the surface of the films. Further, all cellulose composites showed good thermal stability. A minimum of 30% increase in char residue was observed in all cellulose nanocomposites compared to matrix. Antibacterial analysis indicated an excellent clear zone formation against both Gram Negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram Positive (Staphylococcus) bacteria. Hence, all these cellulose nanocomposite films can be considered as antibacterial packaging and dressing materials in medical field.
Nurses’ Experiences on End-of-Life Care for Older Patients in Long-Term Care Hospitals: Focusing on the Process of Practice and Barriers

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the practical process and barriers of end-of-life nursing practice for older patients in long-term care hospitals by exploring nursing experts’ actual experiences.Methods: Qualitative data were collected through focus group interviews with 9 nurses in 3 different long-term care hospitals from April to May, 2019. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the content analysis method.Results: Five themes and 14 sub-themes emerged for nurses’ perception regarding end-of-life nursing practice in long-term care hospitals, whereas three themes and 10 sub-themes emerged for the barriers of end-of-life nursing practices. The results show that the end-of-life nursing practice is currently considered an additional area beyond nurses’ existing work in long-term care hospitals and the area of performance is focused almost exclusively on physical care. The care is especially lacking in psychological and spiritual areas. Moreover, aspects of practice vary by institutions, day or night shifts and individuals. Various factors that hinder nurses’ performances of end-of-life care are identified in the areas such as ignoring patients’ dignity, an underdeveloped system and lack of supportive environment.Conclusion: Findings of this study suggest the need to establish standardized protocols for end-of-life nursing care in long-term care hospitals and develop educational programs based on those protocols.
A q-Gradient Descent Algorithm with Quasi-Fejér Convergence for Unconstrained Optimization Problems

We present an algorithm for solving unconstrained optimization problems based on the q-gradient vector. The main idea used in the algorithm construction is the approximation of the classical gradient by a q-gradient vector. For a convex objective function, the quasi-Fejér convergence of the algorithm is proved. The proposed method does not require the boundedness assumption on any level set. Further, numerical experiments are reported to show the performance of the proposed method.
Microencapsulation of Purple Cactus Pear Fruit (Opuntia ficus indica) Extract by the Combined Method W/O/W Double Emulsion-Spray Drying and Conventional Spray Drying: A Comparative Study

The aim of this study was to microencapsulate an optimized extract of purple cactus pear fruit (Opuntia ficus indica), rich in phenolic compounds (PC), betacyanins (BC), and betaxanthins (BX), with antioxidant capacity (AC), by two methodologies: combined water-in-oil-in water double emulsions-spray drying (W/O/W-SP) and conventional spray drying, studying the effect of spray drying (SP) on PC and AC. Optimal extraction conditions for bioactive compounds were: 52 °C, for 30 min, using aqueous ethanol (40%) as the solvent, with a 0.85 desirability function, obtaining 17.39 ± 0.11 mg GAE/gdw (gallic acid equivalents per gram of dry weight) for PC, 0.35 mg BE/gdw (betanin equivalents per gram of dry weight) for BC, and 0.26 mg IE/gdw (indicaxanthin equivalents per gram of dry weight) for BX. The best combination of temperatures for conventional SP and W/O/W-SP was 160–80 °C obtaining the highest retention and encapsulation efficiencies for PC. For conventional SP, results were: 107% and 100% PC and AC retention efficiencies (RE-PC and RE-AC), respectively, with 97% of PC encapsulation efficiency (EE-PC), meanwhile for the W/O/W-SP results were: 78% and 103% RE-PC and RE-AC, respectively, with 70% of EE-PC. Microcapsules obtained with W/O/W-SP maintained their structure and integrity and showed a considerable reduction in globule size in the reconstituted W/O/W emulsions due to the spray drying stress. Despite having lower EE-PC than conventional SP, spray dried W/O/W emulsions seems to be a promising controlled-delivery vehicle for antioxidant compounds.
Agricultural characteristic performance of local and exotic okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) genotypes in Bangladesh

PurposeTwenty genotypes of okra including hybrids and open pollinated varieties both from local and exotic sources were evaluated in the field to study their yield performance and disease response.Research methodExperiment was conducted following randomized complete block design with three replications.FindingsAnalysis of variance indicates significant variation among the okra cultivars for all the characters’ studied except days to first germination. The highest number of fruits per plant (19.98) and maximum yield of green fruits per plant (279.59 g) and maximum yield (1.33 kg/m2) was obtained in the genotype G4 (F1-hybrid) followed by G7 and G18. The maximum edible fruit length was observed in G7 followed by G19 and G15. The maximum number of seeds perfruit was recorded in G4.The highest 100-seed weight was found in G4 followed by G17. On the contrary, the lowest seeds per fruit, 100-seed weight, and green fruit yield per plant were obtained from G6. The highest incidence of yellow vein mosaic virus (YVMV) was observed in the genotype G6 and the lowest in the genotype G19 followed by G8, G2, G4, G17 andG12. The cluster analysis grouped 20 genotypes into five cluster and maximum number of genotypes included in cluster 5. Strong positive correlation was observed between yield per plant and days to 50% germination, germination percentage, number of seeds per fruits and 100-seed weight (g). Limitations: No significant limitation to the report.Originality/Value: The results help to identify the suitable okra genotypes and generate breeding materials.