Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Scoping Review of Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

The article aims to identify the latest trends in research on renewable energy, sustainability and the environment. A total of 92,873 publications from 123 Scopus sources for 2020–2021 are compared using the scoping review method. The results show that the most cited works in this sample are those by authors from the Asian region. The research of these authors focuses on the security, efficiency and reliability of separate elements in energy systems. Besides, the paper considers the problems regarding COVID disease along with the renewable energy sources, perovskite and organic solar panels, nanostructured materials and high energy density. Finally, the paper analyses applications of computer science methods in research on renewable energy, sustainability and the environment. The findings evidently show that recent advancements in computer science methods were not extensively used in the discussed research domain and give a great room for novel strategies of prognosing, simulation and processes optimisation.
A new cryptic species of the Pristimantis lacrimosus group (Anura, Strabomantidae) from the eastern slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes

With 566 species, the neotropical genus Pristimantis is the most speciose vertebrate genus. As a result of its striking diversity, taxonomic reviews remain a challenge. Herein, we present an updated phylogeny of the Pristimantis lacrimosus group and describe a new species from Llanganates and Sangay National Parks. We also report, for the first time, the phylogenetic position of Pristimantis degener, P. eugeniae, P. katoptroides, and P. petersi. Based on our phylogeny, we add two species to the Pristimantis lacrimosus group. Through the integration of molecular and bioacoustic evidence, we describe a new species which was hidden under “Pristimantis petersi”. Pristimantis petersioidessp. nov. is most closely related to Pristimantis petersi and an undescribed species from Peru. It can be distinguished from P. petersi by its advertisement call and large genetic differences (uncorrected p-genetic distances 7.9% to 8.4% for gene 16S). Moreover, the new species and P. petersi are not sister species. We suggest assigning the new species to the Endangered Red List category because it has a small distribution range with deforestation as result of agriculture and other anthropogenic influences.
Emotional competencies and entrepreneurial intention: An extension of the theory of planned behavior case of Ecuador

Abstract This study analyzes the relationship between emotional competencies and entrepreneurial intention of students from public higher education institutions in Ecuador, supported by an extended model of Ajzen’s Theory of planned behavior. The results are derived from a questionnaire applied to students of last semester of careers with academic business training. To analyze the results, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used. The findings show that emotional competencies are significant factors in the configuration of entrepreneurial intentions and have a direct and positive relationship with the cognitive antecedents of entrepreneurial attitude and self-efficacy. It is suggested that students with a higher degree of emotional competencies cope in a better way with the cognitive bias that can make it difficult to recognize business opportunities. The main contribution of this study was to give generality to the results that have been obtained in the use of emotional competencies to promote the intentionality of entrepreneurship in the context of emerging economies.
A conceptual model of intergroup contact, social capital, and youth civic engagement for diverse democracy

ABSTRACT Civic engagement is a critical component of diverse democracy, and youth have the capacity for meaningful engagement to create a more equitable society for all. Preparing youth for active participation in a diverse democracy entails supporting the development of diverse social relationships with a particular focus on providing experiences that stimulate positive intergroup contact between individuals from different racial and ethnic backgrounds. This paper outlines a conceptual model from which to understand the complex relationships between intergroup contact, social capital, and civic engagement. Of particular interest is the way in which intergroup contact can bring about changes in attitudes and behaviors relevant to youth civic engagement through the mediating factors of cultural awareness, prejudice reduction, awareness of systemic inequality, and social capital. In considering how these factors support one another and interact to encourage a trajectory of civic growth for diverse democracy, one can recognize and demonstrate a higher relational value of youth civic engagement.
Life cycle resolved observation of radiative properties of mesoscale convective systems

The evolution of radiative properties (outgoing longwave radiation, OLR, and albedo at the top of the atmosphere) over Mesoscale Convective System (MCS) life cycle is assessed using five years of Scanner for Radiation Budget (ScaRaB) radiometer onboard the Megha-Tropiques satellites merged with geostationary infrared images. The MCS life cycle is documented using a tracking algorithm. A composite approach is then implemented to document the evolution of radiative properties at each life stage at the scale of the tropical belt, in continental and oceanic regions and in specific regions. Independently of the considered region the composites share similarities with a unique maximum in albedo and a unique minimum in OLR, values of which differ depending on the environment as well as the amplitude of both parameters over the life cycle. The unique precessing orbit of the Megha-Tropiques satellite allows a consideration of the albedo as a function of the local time of observation showing that the magnitude of the albedo signal is mainly controlled by the solar zenithal angle.Sensitivity tests allow to the quantification of the impact of an error in radiative properties showing that even small errors lead to substantial increment on the instantaneous cloud radiative effect. All together these elements point toward the subtle balance between life cycle, cloud radiative properties and phasing within the diurnal cycle to build the atmospheric radiative budget in oceanic or continental regions.
Tor Hidden Services: A Systematic Literature Review

Anonymous communications networks were born to protect the privacy of our communications, preventing censorship and traffic analysis. The most famous anonymous communication network is Tor. This anonymous communication network provides some interesting features, among them, we can mention user’s IP location or Tor Hidden Services (THS) as a mechanism to conceal the location of servers, mainly, web servers. THS is an important research field in Tor. However, there is a lack of reviews that sump up main findings and research challenges. In this article we present a systematic literature review that aims to offer a comprehensive view on the research made on Tor Hidden services presenting the state of the art and the different research challenges to be addressed. This review has been developed from a selection of 57 articles and present main findings and advances regarding Tor Hidden Services, limitations found, and future issues to be investigated.
Mitigating Prediction Error of Deep Learning Streamflow Models in Large Data‐Sparse Regions With Ensemble Modeling and Soft Data

Predicting discharge in contiguously data‐scarce or ungauged regions is needed for quantifying the global hydrologic cycle. We show that prediction in ungauged regions (PUR) has major, underrecognized uncertainty and is drastically more difficult than previous problems where basins can be represented by neighboring or similar basins (known as prediction in ungauged basins). While deep neural networks demonstrated stellar performance for streamflow predictions, performance nonetheless declined for PUR, benchmarked here with a new stringent region‐based holdout test on a US data set with 671 basins. We tested approaches to reduce such errors, leveraging deep network's flexibility to integrate “soft” data, such as satellite‐based soil moisture product, or daily flow distributions which improved low flow simulations. A novel input‐selection ensemble improved average performance and greatly reduced catastrophic failures. Despite challenges, deep networks showed stronger performance metrics for PUR than traditional hydrologic models. They appear competitive for geoscientific modeling even in data‐scarce settings.
Effects of the “Grain for Green” Program on Soil Water Dynamics in the Semi-Arid Grassland of Inner Mongolia, China

The Grain for Green Program (GGP) initiated by Chinese government significantly impacts mitigating environmental degradation. Soil water resources probably constrain large-scale vegetation restoration projects in arid and semi-arid regions. Characterizing soil water dynamics after the GGP’s implementation is essential in assessing whether vegetation restoration can be sustained as part of ecological restoration. In this study, four sites were selected for field investigation: original natural grassland (NG) and grassland that was reconverted from cropland 12 years (12-year site), 8 years (8-year site), and 6 years (6-year site) before. Soil water at five depths was measured continuously at 10 min intervals at four sites. The findings showed that less rainfall infiltrated a deeper soil layer as the time after restoration augmented, and the 12-year site had the shallowest infiltration depth and soil water storage. Younger restored grassland (8-year and 6-year sites) had a higher soil water content than older restored grassland (12-year site) and NG. The soil water content decreased steadily with restoration age after an immediate initial rise, and the highest soil moisture was in the 8-year site. The results suggest that soil water dynamics varied with GGP and a soil water deficit could be formed after the GGP’s implementation for 12 years in semi-arid grassland.
Beyond Good Intentions: The Role of the Building Passport for the Sustainable Conservation of Built Heritage to Behavioural Change

Despite the recognised importance of built heritage for sustainable development, and the multiple tools, recommendations, guidelines, and policies developed in recent years to support decision-making, good sustainable conservation practices often fail to be implemented. Challenges faced by practitioners often relate to external factors, and there is a gap in the understanding of the role of the nature of the designer and the behavioural dimension of the challenges in implementation. This research applies the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to verify how a building passport for sustainable conservation (BPSC) impacts design students’ intentions and actual design decisions towards built heritage conservation. This research aims to ascertain the role of the BPSC to affect attitudes, subjective norms, and intentions and ultimately change conservation behaviours. The results show that this tool has a positive contribution to reinforce existing attitudinal beliefs. Still, no significant changes were found in the overall conservation behaviours, suggesting that beliefs hindering implementation may more often be related to aesthetic reasons, creativity and innovation, and program requirements, than with beliefs regarding the sustainable performance of the building. This study demonstrates that using the TPB to analyse design processes in the context of built heritage is an innovative methodological approach that contributes to a deeper understanding of the psychological factors affecting sustainability and built heritage conservation decisions.
All that glitters is not sold: selling a luxury brand outside a luxury environment

Abstract To reach new clientele, luxury brands make strategic extensions into new product categories with more accessible prices resulting in less selective retail strategies that also feature stores not directly operated by the luxury brands (non-DOS). Entering such stores entails challenges as the luxury brand steps outside its luxury environment and loses direct control of the salesperson that interacts with the end consumer. Furthermore, in a less selective non-DOS, a luxury brand’s sales may get impacted due to image discrepancies in the salesperson’s mind, while the luxury brand competes for the salesperson’s attention. This study proposes several motivational levers that direct the efforts of a salesperson in a less selective non-DOS: the salesperson’s perceived fit between the brand and the store, the level of identification with the luxury brand, and luxury sensitivity. With empirical support in a unique dataset, the authors show that a salesperson’s perceived fit increases effort allocation for a luxury brand, and luxury brand identification strengthens it. Counterintuitively, the results show that a salesperson with a high level of luxury sensitivity is not predisposed to sell luxury outside a luxury environment. Finally, suggestions for performance implications are offered to luxury brand managers and retailers selling luxury brands.
Removal of MTBE From Groundwater Using A PRB of ZVI/Sand Mixtures: Role of Nitrate And Hardness

In this study, the efficiency of the permeable reactive barrier (PRB) in a column reactor using zero-valent iron (ZVI) particles and sand mixture in the removal of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) from aquatic phases was investigated. The main operating parameters influence reactor performance such as pH, reaction time, pollutant content, catalyst load, hydraulic loading rate, and the reaction rate constant was evaluated. The results showed that the efficiency of process decreased with increasing pH, inflow, and pollutant concentration. In this case, the optimal conditions were obtained at pH=7, flow rate=0.23 m3/m2.d and C0=1 mg/L, which achieved a remarkable removal efficiency up to 90.32%. The being of high nitrate and hardness concentrations as intervening factors were led to reduce process efficiency to less than 44.61% and 51.4%, respectively. Lack of interfering factors had a considerable effect on the reaction rate of MTBE reduction that is approximately 2.65 and 4.11 times higher than in the presence of calcium hardness and nitrate, respectively. The PRB can be operated to remediate groundwater containing hydrocarbons based on filling media and hydraulic conditions.
Do competitors benefit from the resignation of politically connected independent directors? Evidence from China

ABSTRACT Using a sample of Chinese listed firms in the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange during the period of 2012–2017, this paper studies the impact of losing political resources on the competitors’ value by exploiting exogenous shock from the 18th decree which forces politically connected independent directors to resign in China. Our empirical results show that competitors of Chinese listed firms with politically connected independent directors react positively to the resignations of politically connected independent directors. Moreover, when politically affiliated independent directors resign in a Chinese listed firm, its competitors exhibit an increase in accounting performance and an ease of access to government subsidies and external finance. In addition, the above relation holds for a subsample analysis of the resignation of politically connected independent directors in Chinese listed non-state-owned enterprises (non-SOEs) and their non-SOE competitors.
Language Standardization ‘from Above’

Language standardization ‘from above’ occurs when language authorities seek to disseminate a standardized variety across a speech and writing community. In the history of many European languages, standardization ‘from above’ is closely tied to the rise of a standard language ideology in the eighteenth century. In this chapter, we take a sociohistorical perspective. We first define the rise of standardization from above, connecting it to changes in eighteenth-century metalinguistic discourse that reflect the changing sociopolitical and language-ideological context (Section 2.2.1). Adopting the Haugen framework, we argue that the crucial aspect of language standardization ‘from above’ is implementation (Section 2.2.2). In Section 2.3, we describe the sociolinguistic situation in Early and Late Modern times, which can be characterized as a state of diaglossia, with fairly local writing practices on one side of the sociolinguistic continuum, supralocal writing traditions on the other side and a wide spectrum of variation in-between. Standardization ‘from above’ can be seen as the top-down effort to reorganize this sociolinguistic condition in terms of standard and non-standard. Many different instruments to implement the standard variety can be found in historical settings, and in Section 2.4, we will describe some of the most well-known top-down initiatives, encompassing both private and official language planning activities such as usage guides, academies, professorships in ‘national’ languages, language laws and educational reforms. Finally, we discuss the issue of effectiveness, whereby we distinguish between discursive effects and linguistic effects (i.e. changing patterns of language use under the influence of standardization ‘from above’; Section 2.5). In particular, we discuss a number of theoretical and methodological considerations relevant to analyses of the effectiveness of implementation. We use examples from the Dutch situation and also incorporate examples from other languages, including English, German, French and Spanish,
Psychological Distress among Adults of an Urban Community of Lalitpur District, Nepal

Introduction: Psychological distress is a widespread indicator of mental health. It is a state of emotional suffering associated with stressors and demands that are difficult to cope with in daily life. The study aimed to identify the prevalence of the psychological distress among adult population. Methods: A cross-sectional house to house survey was conducted in an urban community for four weeks in 2018. Face to face interview was done among 618 adults using Kessler K6 Nepali version interview questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson Chi-square and Pearson correlation) were used for analyzing the data. P value was set at 0.05. Results: We found that 0.3% adults had severe psychological distress, 1.5% had mild to moderate and 98.2% had no psychological distress. Education, past history of mental health problem and occupational status were significantly associated with psychological distress (p-value = < 0.05). Age, alcohol intake and smoking cigarettes were positively correlated with psychological distress (r = 0.12), (r = 0.13), (r = 0.10) respectively and education was significantly negatively correlated with psychological distress (r = - 0.16). Conclusion: Our findings showed low psychological distress among urban community adults. Education, history of mental problem and occupation were associated with psychological distress. Higher the age, positive history of smoking and alcohol were associated with high psychological distress. However, the adults who had high education had low psychological distress. Thus, it suggests that elderly people in an urban community might need psychological support. Key words: Adults, Psychological distress, Urban community.
Clinical profile and outcome of children with congenital heart diseases admitted with acute events in a paediatric tertiary care unit in North Karnataka

Background: Congenital heart diseases are the predominant causes of paediatric morbidity and mortality. This study was done to know the clinical profile, various acute presentations, and risk factors for repeated hospitalizations and their outcome in children with congenital heart diseases.Methods: This prospective observational study of children in the age group of 0 hour-12 years, who were previously diagnosed and or newly diagnosed with congenital heart diseases.Results: A total of 102 children were present during the study period. The most common age group for congenital heart disease was infancy with 46.1% (47 cases) of children. Acyanotic heart diseases were observed in 73.5% (75 cases) of the total, followed by cyanotic CHD with 14.7% (15 cases), complex CHD with 9.8% (10 cases), and the least, valvular diseases with 2% (2 cases). The most usual presenting symptoms in children with CHDs were breathlessness with 66.7% (67 cases), followed by fever with 54.9% (56 cases) and cough with 48% (49 cases. In this study, 23.5% (24 cases) of the children were completely immunized. The protein-energy malnutrition was present in 51% of cases (52 cases). The 16.7% of them (17 cases) have got the motor developmental delay predominantly. The dysmorphic features were present in 19 cases (18.6%) of total cases. The chest X-ray findings were abnormal in 58.8% (60 cases). The most common risk factor(co-morbidity) in children with CHD was noticed to be anaemia in 43 cases (42.2%). Conclusions: The infancy and early childhood are the most common age group for the presentation of CHDs. Most of them had the associated risk factors (co-morbid) like nutritional anaemia, pneumonia, and failure to thrive.
Spatial Analysis as a Tool for Plant Population Conservation: A Case Study of Tamarix chinensis in the Yellow River Delta, China

Saltcedar (Tamarix chinensis) is undergoing population declination and fragmentation due to climate change and human disturbance. The existing restoration strategies usually focus on improving the environmental conditions based on the environment–saltcedar relationship, while they ignore the role of spatial autocorrelation resulting from biological interaction and ecological processes. This oversight limits the efficiency and sustainability of the restoration. Here, we explored the spatial pattern of the saltcedar population in the Yellow River Delta, China, and its relationship with environmental factors, incorporating spatial autocorrelation. The plant and soil parameters were extracted by an airborne LiDAR system integrated with fixed soil environment measurements. The environment–saltcedar relationship incorporating spatial autocorrelation was evaluated with different regression models. Results showed that saltcedars aggregated at small scales (2–6 m), resulting from intraspecific facilitation and wind dispersal of seeds, while intraspecific competition was responsible for the random distribution at large scales (>10 m). The long-distance dispersal of seeds through water explained the significant positive spatial autocorrelation of saltcedars at distances up to 125 m. Consequently, resulting from intraspecific facilitation and seed dispersal, aggregation distribution and positive spatial autocorrelation within the saltcedar population improved the adaptability of saltcedar to environmental stress and thereby reduced the impact of environmental factors on the abundance of saltcedar.