Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Surface modification and adhesion of wood-plastic composite (WPC) treated with UV/ozone

Abstract Because of the surfaces of wood-plastic composite (WPC) materials are enriched in polymers of low surface energy, they exhibit low adhesion properties. UV/ozone is proposed as surface treatment for increasing the surface energy and adhesion of WPC materials made with different polymers (polyethylene, polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride). UV lamp-WPC surface distance and time of UV exposure were varied for optimizing UV/ozone treatment of WPC, and UV dose used ranged between 2.02 × 10−14 and 5.05 × 10−12 J·s/m2. UV/ozone treatment created new carbon-oxygen polar groups in WPC surfaces and increased their surface energy, mainly their polar component. Furthermore, ablation of the outermost WPC surface was produced, more noticeably by reducing the distance between WPC surface and UV lamp and by increasing the duration of the treatment. Noticeable increase in 180° peel adhesion was obtained in the joints made with UV/ozone treated WPC at 10–30 mm distance during 1–5 min (i.e., UV dose between 5.61 × 10−14 and 2.53 × 10−12 J·s/m2). Although 180° peel strength of joints made with acrylic adhesive tape and UV/ozone treated WPC for 10 min and 10 mm distance (UV dose: 5.05 × 10−12 J·s/m2) was not increased because of dominant effect of ablation over creation of polar groups, the cross-hatch adhesion to different coatings was highly improved, irrespective of the polymer used and the wood content of WPC; however, the surface modifications and adhesion of UV/ozone treated WPC were more marked when its wood content was higher and by using UV dose between 0.10 × 10−12 and 2.53 × 10−12 J·s/m2.
Differences in the fecal microbiota of dairy calves reared with differing sources of milk and levels of maternal contact

Graphical Abstract Summary: Dairy calves are typically separated from the dam shortly after birth, but there is growing interest in rearing cows and calves together within dairy systems. Little work to date has evaluated differences in microbiota between conventionally reared and dam-reared dairy calves. We compared the fecal microbiota of 4-wk-old dairy calves reared conventionally and fed waste milk to that of calves reared with the dam. A principal coordinates analysis plot of β diversity, shown on the right, illustrates dissimilarity between the 2 treatment groups. Dam-reared calves showed higher relative abundance of Lactobacillus and lower relative abundance of taxa such as Bacteroides, Sutterella, and Prevotella. Calves permitted maternal contact also showed a predicted increase in l-tryptophan biosynthesis.
Autotrophic ammonia removal from landfill leachate using anaerobic membrane bioreactor

Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (AnMBR) is an innovative high cell density system having complete biomass retention, high reactor loading and low sludge production and suitable for developing slow growing autotrophic bacterial cultures such as ANAMMOX. The Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation (ANAMMOX) process is an advanced biological nitrogen removal removes ammonia using nitrite as the electron acceptor without oxygen. The NH4-N in the landfill leachate that is formed due to the release of nitrogen from municipal solid waste (MSW), when discharged untreated, into the surface water can result in eutrophication, aquatic toxicity and emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) to atmosphere. Besides, NH4-N accumulation in landfills poses long term pollution issue with significant interference during post closure thereby requiring its removal prior to ultimate disposal into inland surface waters. The main objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility and treatment efficiency of treating landfill leachate (to check) for removing NH4-N by adopting ANAMMOX process in AnMBR. The AnMBR was optimized for Nitrogen Loading Rate (NLR) varying from 0.025 to 5 kg NH4-N/ m/ d with hydraulic retention time (HRT) ranging from 1 to 3 d. NH4-N removal efficacy of 85.13 ± 9.67% with the mean nitrogen removal rate (NRR) of 5.54 ± 0.63 kg NH4-N/ m/ d was achieved with nitrogen loading rate (NLR) of 6.51 ± 0.20 kg NH4N/ m/ d at 1.5 d HRT. The nitrogen transformation intermediates in the form of hydrazine (N2H4) and hydroxylamine (NH2OH) were 0.008 ± 0.005 mg/L and 0.006 ± 0.001 mg/L, respectively, indicating co-existence of aerobic ammonia oxidizers (AOB) and ANAMMOX. The free ammonia (NH3) and free nitrous acid (HNO2) concentrations were 26.61 ± 16.54 mg/L and (1.66 ± 0.95) x 10 mg/L, preventing NO2-N oxidation to NO3-N enabling sustained NH4N removal.
Influencing Factors Analysis and Simulation Calibration of Restitution Coefficient of Rice Grain

It is difficult to determine the coefficient of restitution accurately due to the small size, light weight, and complex influencing factors of rice grain. In the study, the experimental principle of restitution coefficient was described by the impact method, and the restitution coefficients of four typical rice varieties in Northeast China were measured. According to the orthogonal experiment, the primary and secondary factors affecting the restitution coefficient of rice grain were collision material, spring compression (initial collision velocity), moisture content, and rice variety. A single factor test was carried out for the significant factors, and the results showed that: The restitution coefficient of rice grain to a Q235 steel plate, plexiglass plate, seed plate, and rubber plate decreased in turn, and the restitution coefficient gradually decreased with the increase of spring compression (initial collision velocity), and with the increase of water content. The restitution coefficient was obtained by a bench test and simulation test, and the results were 0.429 and 0.423, respectively. The reason for the error was discussed and analyzed, which effectively verified the validity of the measurement of the restitution coefficient of small grain size. This study provides a method for the determination of the restitution coefficient of small grain, and provides a reference for the optimization design of threshing and a cleaning device of the combine harvester and high-speed precision seeder.
Revisiting Sulphur—The Once Neglected Nutrient: It’s Roles in Plant Growth, Metabolism, Stress Tolerance and Crop Production

Sulphur plays crucial roles in plant growth and development, with its functions ranging from being a structural constituent of macro-biomolecules to modulating several physiological processes and tolerance to abiotic stresses. In spite of these numerous sulphur roles being well acknowledged, agriculture has paid scant regard for sulphur nutrition, until only recently. Serious problems related to soil sulphur deficiencies have emerged and the intensification of food, fiber, and animal production is escalating to feed the ever-increasing human population. In the wake of huge demand for high quality cereal and vegetable diets, sulphur can play a key role in augmenting the production, productivity, and quality of crops. Additionally, in light of the emerging problems of soil fertility exhaustion and climate change-exacerbated environmental stresses, sulphur assumes special importance in crop production, particularly under intensively cropped areas. Here, citing several relevant examples, we highlight, in addition to its plant biological and metabolism functions, how sulphur can significantly enhance crop productivity and quality, as well as acclimation to abiotic stresses. By this appraisal, we also aim to stimulate readers interests in crop sulphur research by providing priorities for future pursuance, including bettering our understanding of the molecular processes and dynamics of sulphur availability and utilization in plants, dissecting the role of soil rhizospherical microbes in plant sulphur transformations, enhancing plant phenotyping and diagnosis for nutrient deficiencies, and matching site-specific crop sulphur demands with fertilizer amendments in order to reduce nutrient use inefficiencies in both crop and livestock production systems. This will facilitate the proper utilization of sulphur in crop production and eventually enhance sustainable and environmentally friend food production.
Tracking effects on achievement and opportunities of middle-high ability students: a case study in Switzerland

ABSTRACT In Geneva, Switzerland, students in secondary 1 education are grouped into different tracks according to their academic level. The tracking system in Geneva has been reformed recently. Prior to the reform, the tracks were very hierarchical but less selective; following the reform, the tracks are still very hierarchical but the entry criteria are more selective and there is greater flexibility to move from one track to another. Using longitudinal data, this article compares these two types of tracking system and analyses the inequalities produced in terms of the skills acquired by students and the path taken once compulsory education is completed. Our analysis shows that the new tracking system following the reform has a major impact on students of medium ability. They are more likely being assigned to a lower track, which has a significant adverse impact on their learning and subsequent pathway through education.
The effect of distal‐end trimming on
 
 Saccharina latissima
 
 morphology, composition, and productivity

As kelp cultivation increases around the world, so does the need for farm management strategies that produce specific crop characteristics, optimize yield, widen harvesting win-dows, and prevent biomass loss. Distal-end trimming of macroalgae has been recommended as a farm management method addressing these needs. In this study, we trimmed cultivated Saccharina latissima sporophytes grown in the Western Gulf of Maine (WGoM) to 60 cm above the stipe – blade interface. We characterized the effect of trimming on the morphology, tissue nutrient content, stable isotope ratio, and nitrate reductase activity of the kelp. We also evaluated the economic trade-offs of trimming using a simple production model. The results suggest that trimming the blade to 60 cm may have minimal biological consequences. Additionally, the trimming appears to benefit “ short ” kelp blades in proximity to the trimmed blades. Daily yield (% increase in weight day (cid:1) 1 ) after trimming was initially lower than the control, but late-season daily yields and crop-retention gained from kelp farming if price premiums can be exacted for this biomass. was 4% day (cid:1) 1 for the trimmed group and 7% day (cid:1) 1 for the control group. However, when trimming occurred in early to late April, the calculated daily yield was (cid:1) 1 to 3% day (cid:1) 1 for the trimmed groups and (cid:1) 2 to (cid:1) 3% day (cid:1) 1 for the control group. The highest daily yields observed from the trimmed kelp in the present study were measured following trims made before the end of April 2018 and 2019, when the water temperature was between 5 and 6 (cid:5) C. More observations linking water temperature, daily yield, and the timing of distal-end trimming can help to confirm this relationship for the WGoM. naturally lost or dislodged during storms. Our biomass and production model illustrate that the potential economic benefits of this practice are highly dependent on production scale and price premiums for early season kelp, both of which are largely speculative for the present-day European and North American cultivated kelp markets.
Lifestyle modification for weight loss: Effects on cardiorespiratory capacity in patients with class II and class III obesity

The prevalence of obesity has increased worldwide. Obesity affects the lungs and airways, limits peak oxygen uptake, and hampers physical performance; however, objective data are scarce. Does lifestyle modification for weight loss (LM) have an impact on cardiorespiratory capacity (CRC) in patients with class II and class III obesity?
Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) in Wireless Communications Systems and Standards: A Contemporary Survey

Automatic repeat request (ARQ) schemes, and in particular hybrid-ARQ (HARQ) schemes, which jointly adopt forward error correction (FEC) and ARQ, are essential to provide reliable data transmission in wireless communications systems. However, the feedback from the receiver to the transmitter and the retransmission process used in ARQ incurs significant cost in terms of power efficiency, throughput, computational power and delay. Unfortunately, such drawbacks can limit their applications to several current and emerging technologies. More specifically, the increasing number of wireless users has create spectrum scarcity, relying on small-size batteries create power constraints, deployment of real-time applications boost the demand for ultra-low delay networks, and the ultra-small low-cost Internet of Things (IoT) devices has limited signal processing and computation capabilities. Consequently, extensive research efforts have been dedicated to overcome the limitations inherent in HARQ. This survey paper provides an extensive literature review of the state-of-the-art HARQ techniques and discusses their integration in various wireless technologies. Moreover, it provides insights on advantages and disadvantages of particular ARQ types and discusses open problems and future directions.
Evidence for neuropsychological health disparities in Black Americans with HIV disease

ABSTRACT Objective: Black Americans are at high risk for HIV disease and associated morbidity. The impact and clinical correlates of HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment among Black Americans is not fully understood. The current study uses a full factorial design to examine the independent and combined effects of race and HIV disease on neurocognitive functioning, including its associations with everyday functioning and clinical disease markers in Black and White persons with HIV (PWH). Method: Participants included 40 Black PWH, 83 White PWH, 28 Black HIV- and 64 White HIV- individuals. Neurocognition was measured by raw sample-based z-scores from a clinical battery. Everyday functioning was assessed using self- and clinician-rated measures of cognitive symptoms and activities of daily living. HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders were also classified using demographically adjusted normative standards and the Frascati criteria. Results: We observed a significant three-way interaction between HIV, race, and domain on raw neurocognitive z-scores. This omnibus effect was driven by medium and large effect size decrements in processing speed and semantic memory, respectively, in Black PWH compared to other study groups. Black PWH also demonstrated higher frequencies of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders as compared to White PWH. Unexpectedly, global neurocognitive performance was negatively related to everyday functioning impairments for White PWH, but not for Black PWH. Conclusions: Systemic disadvantages for Black Americans may combine with HIV disease to compound some neurocognitive impairments in this under-served population. Prospective studies are needed to identify better ways to prevent, measure, diagnose, and manage HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders among Black Americans.
Response of Salts in Saline Soil Using Different Irrigation Scheduling in Semi-Arid Zone of Pakistan

The salinity of soil is a crucial challenge for growers irrigating in semi-arid zones. To accomplish salinity, growers require information about salt's basis and processes of the salt mobility through the root zone. Soil salinity can be managed by exceptional irrigating farming practices including irrigation scheduling to leach down salts through the root zone. This study aimed at examining the salts movement in saline soil in a semi-arid region in Sindh, Pakistan. This field experiment was conducted during the summer of 2017 on a salt-affected land by using three irrigation treatments of canal water including T1 (7 day irrigation interval), T2 (14 day irrigation interval) and T3 (21 days irrigation interval) under 10, 9 and 8 cm depths of irrigation water, respectively. The texture of soil was silty clay loam having an electrical conductivity (EC) ranging from 7.73 to 20.69 dS/m. However, the pH of the soil ranged from 7.89 to 8.04. The findings of a two-way analysis of variance were consistent with the statistical examination of EC and pH data day- wise (7, 14 and 21 days) and depths-wise (10, 9 and 8 cm). Average reductions in the EC and pH of the soil were observed at 7 days interval and 10cm depth at P<0.05. Overall, the findings exhibited that, compared to the 14 and 21 day intervals, a 7 day irrigation interval was more effective in terms of salt leaching from the soil profile.
Effect of Pre-Treatments on the Proximate Composition of Pumpkin Flour.

Pre-treatments are required to preserve the quality of the product. Studies were carried out to optimize the different pre-treatments for preparation of pumpkin flour. The Pre-treatments included steam blanching, hot water blanching, NaCl blanching, KMS, Citric acid and a combination of blanching followed by sulphitation. Untreated samples served as control. Drying of the samples was performed on a tray drier at 55C for 8 hrs. The dried samples were pulverized and sieved through a standard mesh. Quality characteristics of pumpkin flour viz. moisture, total carotene, colour, ash, crude fibre, protein, minerals like iron and phosphorus, NEB as affected by pre-treatments were studied. Storage study was also carried out for a period of six months by packing in MPE pouches. Changes in carotene, colour and NEB were studied during storage period at room temperature. Pre-treatments did not improve the drying rate of pumpkin flour, but influenced the colour of the final product. The pre-treatment of blanching combined with sulphitation was selected as the best process for retention of carotene and other quality parameters during storage.
The importance and availability of marine certified reference materials

Abstract Traceability and reliable results are the two pillars of analytical methods; certified reference materials (CRMs) meet this requirement. ISO 17034:2016 credentials provide brief information on general requirements for the competence of Reference Material Producers (RMPs). The different types of CRMs have been produced in recent years for chemical analysis in food, water, soil, and sediment matrices in recent years. This review provides a detailed overview of the development of CRMs in the field of marine environment, as matrix CRMs play an important role in the field of environmental monitoring. COMAR database, EVISA database: materials, LGC standards, and JRC catalogs are very helpful online resources to find various types of CRMs according to the application requirements. Highlights The classification of certified reference materials (CRMs) in the field of marine environment is presented; General information about the production and characteristics of CRMs is discussed; Examples of use of existing marine CRMs are described in detail; Importance of CRMs for QA/QC and CRMs development for chemical analysis is presented; The parameters that characterize the CRMs: representativeness, homogeneity, stability, and certified value are provided. Graphical abstract
Rural Households Livelihood Portfolios and Determinates of Livelihood Diversification in North-Western Ethiopia

Background: Regardless of the persistent image of rural areas in Ethiopia as a continent of subsistence farmers, over the past decades, there had been an outstanding tendency of rural economic diversification. Numerous motives prompt households and individuals to expand the range of assets, incomes, and activities. This paper is devoted to characterize rural households’ livelihood portfolios and examine the determinants of income diversification using primary data collected from two agro-ecological zones in north-western Ethiopia. To analyze, the data both descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Levels of household livelihood diversification were measured using Simpson Diversification Index (SDI). Censured regression models were employed to identify determinant factors affecting livelihood diversification. Result: The result confirmed that households in the study area collected a significant portion of their income from the diverse farm and off-farm sources. Diversification into off-farm sources contributed 35% to total household income. The result confirms that factors linked to household livelihood diversification measured in Simpsons Diversification Index (SDI) are significantly determined by household head educational status, access for tanning, age of household head, family size, livestock ownership, ox ownership, land owned, the proportion of infertile land, access for road and agro-ecologies. Conclusion: From these results, therefore due attention should be given to strengthening the role plaid by off-farm income in a rural area to facilitate the countries goal of a transformation. Therefore, policy measures need to be directed towards creating conducive conditions through the provision of education and tanning and improve households’ access to credit and improve access to a road.
Effects of shifting cultivation on soil ecosystems in Sarawak, Malaysia

Abstract Experimental shifting cultivation was conducted at the Balai Ringin (B. Ringin) and Sabal sites in Sarawak, Malaysia. At the sites, plots (10 x 10 m2) were burned with the fuel of aboveground biomass amounting to 0 (control), 100, 200, and 300 Mg ha-1. At the B. Ringin site, the soils were clayey and strongly weathered with a strongly acidic characteristic. Ash addition enabled to alleviate the soil acidity and to increase the amounts of nutrients of the soils, especially the surface soils. It was indicated that 1) N addition from ash to the soils was negligible, 2) the losses of nutrients by runoff water were not substantial compared with the amounts of nutrients contained in ash, 3) ash alkalinity seemed to be consumed for inactivating exchangeable AI mainly in the surface soils, and 4) development of variable negative charges could contribute to the retention of inorganic bases derived from ash. After harvest of upland rice, the soil chemical properties in the plots treated with 100 and 200 Mg ha-1 fuel returned to the levels before burning, indicating the rapid loss of nutrients due to leaching and erosion as well as the uptake by plants. However, the soils treated with 300 Mg ha-1 fuel still showed high contents of exchangeable bases and a low content of exchangeable AI. On the other hand, the soils at the Sabal site were sandy and were characterized by a very low nutrient status. The changes in the amounts of nutrients by ash addition were similar to those at the B. Ringin site. However, the changes in the level of exchangeable AI which were not appreciable were probably due to the low AI content. It was postulated that because of the sandy texture and low CEC of the soils, inorganic bases contained in ash were only suspended in the soil solution. Taking into account the low yield of rice and low level of secondary biomass, it appeared that most of the nutrients were lost downward in soils by leaching.