Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On Directional Dendritic Growth and Primary Spacing—A Review

The primary spacing is intrinsically linked with the mechanical behavior of directionally solidified materials. Because of this relationship, a significant amount of solidification work is reported in the literature, which relates the primary spacing to the process variables. This review provides a comprehensive chronological narrative on the development of the directional dendritic growth problem over the past 85 years. A key focus within this review is detailing the relationship between key solidification parameters, the operating point of the dendrite tip, and the primary spacing. This review critiques the current state of directional dendritic growth and primary spacing modelling, briefly discusses dendritic growth computational and experimental research, and suggests areas for future investigation.
Effects of organizational culture on strategy implementation in water boards in Kenya

The main objective of the research study was to determine the effects of organizational culture on success of strategy implementation in Water Boards in Kenya. Descriptive statistics data analysis method was applied to analyze data and presented in frequencies, percentage mean, standard deviation, and chi-square results. Finally, multiple linear regression model was employed to establish the significance of the independent variables on the dependent variable. The findings are presented using tables and charts. The study findings showed that in overall the organization culture influences 73% of change in strategy implementation in the water boards in Kenya. This means that there is a significant relationship between the strategy implementation and the culture of waterboards. Study recommends that; there is need for the waterboards management to encourage employees work together and they need to involve employees in the decision making, organization need to create room for creativity and does not follow rules because although it gives results it also limits the employee’s decision making capacity and there is need for employees to be encouraged to be creative and innovative in taking risks. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee SSBFNET, Istanbul, Turkey. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Residential Mobility, Social Leisure Activity, and Depressive Symptoms among Chinese Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Longitudinal Analysis

Abstract The residential mobility of Chinese middle-aged and older adults is rising due to the continuous advancement of urbanization, economic growth, and the continuation of intergenerational support. Residential mobility, as a source of social disruption, has been associated with depression among adults in developed countries. However, the impact of residential mobility on depression in later life remains underexplored in China. The current study retrieved data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011, 2013, and 2015 waves), a nationally representative longitudinal survey on adults of 45 years and above. Panel regression models revealed that residential mobility was significantly associated with depressive symptoms in Chinese middle-aged and older adults, and such association was moderated by social leisure activity participation. The current study highlights the protective role of social leisure activity in the moving-depression relationship.
Effect of slow release fertilizers on growth and fruiting of Khalas date palm

The current investigation was carried out during 2018 and 2019 seasons to study the effect of some fertilizer practices on yield, fruit quality and some mineral content of Khalas date palm grown in a private farm, Luxor Governorate, Egypt. Results showed that significant improved due to use slow release fertilizers as well as comparing total soluble fertilizers in terms of vegetative growth and nutritional status yield, bunch weight and fruit quality during both seasons. Using 600 g of N and 300 g of K via slow release fertilizers form had improved the growth and nutrient status of date palms as well as increase the fertilization efficiency. Also, it could be suggested that fertilizing by 60 to 75 of RDN and RDK via slow release fertilizers to improve the nutrient status of palm and gave the high bunch weight and consequently high yield/palm. Moreover, these fertilization treatments via slow release form gave high yield with good fruit quality compared with using 100% of RDN and RDK via mineral source during both studied seasons. On the light of previous results, it could be concluded that Fertilizing the palm by 60 to 75% of recommended doses of fertilization via slow release form to get high yield with good fruit quality. In addition, reduce the environmental pollution and increase the fertilization efficiency.
Candidate resources rather than ethnic voting: explaining the underrepresentation of Afro-Brazilians

ABSTRACT The parliamentary underrepresentation of disadvantaged ethnic groups is typically explained with a preference of the voters of the dominant ethnic group for co-ethnic candidates. This research note adds to the literature that calls into question the relevance of the voter preferences relative to resources of the candidates for the demographic underrepresentation of disadvantaged ethnic groups. It does so by providing important new evidence on a debate between scholars that argued for or against the importance of ethnic voting for the lower vote shares of the Afro-Brazilian relative to the white candidates in Brazil. We show that in the 2014 election in Brazil the direct effect of ethnicity on vote choice was limited and that other factors such as the candidates’ campaign expenditure, party affiliation, incumbency status and education were more important to explain the lower vote share of Afro-Brazilian relative to white candidates. We make use of a dataset including all candidates, which is merged with census and election data at the municipality level and apply fixed effects models.
New soluble, transparent and heat-resistant poly(ether amide)s based on 10,10-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)-3-methylphenyl]-9(10H)-anthrone

10,10-Bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)-3-methylphenyl]-9(10H)-anthrone, as a new aromatic diamine, was synthesized from 9(10H)-anthrone by three-step procedure. Low-temperature polycondensation of this diamine with various aromatic dicarboxylic acid dichlorides produced a series of new cardo poly(ether amide)s with moderate to high inherent viscosities of 0.86–1.43 dL g−1 while the weight-average and number-average molecular weights were in the range of 48,600–59,800 and 29,800–35,600 g mol−1, respectively. All the polymers were readily soluble in polar solvents such as N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), N,N-dimethylformamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, dimethyl sulfoxide, and pyridine, and afforded transparent, flexible, and strong films upon casting from DMAc solvent. These polymers had glass transition temperatures of 254–297°C, 10% weight loss temperatures of 493–505°C, and char yields of 61–64% at 800°C in nitrogen. All polymers were amorphous and their films exhibited tensile strength of 80.7–101.4 MPa, elongation at break of 8.0–12.8%, and tensile modulus of 1.9–2.6 GPa. These polymers had low moisture uptake in the range of 2.13–4.02% and high transparency with an ultraviolet–visible absorption cutoff wavelength in the 322–375 nm range.
Outcomes of Idiopathic Flexible Flatfoot Deformity Reconstruction in the Young Patient

Background: Operative correction of flatfoot deformity has been well studied in the older population. There is a subset of younger patients without congenital foot deformity that also develop a collapsing flatfoot. However, assessment of outcomes across age groups is limited, especially in the young demographic. The purpose of our study was to compare operative outcomes of flatfoot reconstruction between these 2 age groups. Methods: Seventy-six feet (41 left, 35 right) in 71 patients who underwent flexible flatfoot reconstruction were divided into 2 groups based on age: ≤30 years (n = 22) and >30 years (n = 54). Exclusion criteria included congenital causes of flatfoot (tarsal coalition, vertical talus, overcorrected clubfoot). Average age was 20.8 years (range, 14-30) and 55.4 years (range, 35-74) in the younger and older cohorts, respectively. Preoperative and minimum 2-year postoperative Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information Systems (PROMIS) scores were compared. Five radiographic parameters were assessed pre- and postoperatively: talonavicular coverage angle, lateral talo–first metatarsal angle, lateral talocalcaneal angle, calcaneal pitch, and hindfoot moment arm. Procedures performed and incidence of minor (removal of symptomatic hardware) and major (revision) reoperations were compared. Results: Younger patients were less likely to undergo flexor digitorum longus transfer, first tarsometatarsal fusion, spring ligament repair, and posterior tibial tendon repair (all P < .05). Both younger and older cohorts demonstrated significant improvement in multiple PROMIS domains at an average follow-up of 30.6 (range, 24-44) and 26.8 (range, 24-45) months, respectively (P = .07). Younger patients demonstrated significantly higher pre- and postoperative Physical Function (mean difference postoperatively, 4.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-7.8; P = .03). There were no differences in radiographic parameters postoperatively. There were 8 (36.4%) reoperations (all minor) in the younger group, and 21 (38.9%) reoperations (6 major, 15 minor) in the older group (P = .84). Conclusion: Our data suggest that age may play a role in clinical outcomes, procedures indicated, and subsequent corrective reoperations. Younger patients maintained greater physical function with comparable radiographic correction, with less frequent indication for tendon transfers, arthrodesis, and additional corrective surgeries. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study.
Reasons for the Use of Health Care in Elderly Persons Undergoing Consultation in the University Clinic of Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology of the Hubert Koutoukou Maga National Hospital and University Center (CNHU-HKM) of Cotonou

Introduction: The progressive ageing of the population from southern Sahara is leading to an increase in health needs among the elderly. The purpose of this study was to output an overview about the reasons why the elderly come for consultation in the internal medicine department of the HKM-NHUC in Cotonou. Methodology: This was a retrospective, descriptive, and analytical study, which included all patients aged 65 years and over, who came for the first time for consultation in the Internal Medicine Department of the CNHU-HKM between January 1st and December 31st, 2017. Results: Among the 680 new patients received in internal Medicine consultations during the study period, 118 people were aged 65 and over, representing a hospital frequency of 17.35%. The sex ratio was 0.9 with a mean age of 73 ± 7 years. Hypertension was the main comorbidity of the patients (69%). Cough (11.3%) and low back pain (8.2%) dominated the reasons for consultation. The three main nosological groups of pathologies were, in descending order, diseases of the osteo-articular system (17.5%), diseases of the respiratory system (16.5%) and diseases of the circulatory system (12.4%). Pneumonia (11.3%) and lumbosacral spondylarthrosis (10.3%) were the most frequent pathologies in patients whose health needs remain quite varied. Conclusion: The elderly become gradually an important part of the population in southern Sahara. A better understanding of the health needs of this category of the population is necessary to deal effectively with the health challenges that will accompany this phenomenon.
Abatement of Toluene Using a Sequential Adsorption-Catalytic Oxidation Process: Comparative Study of Potential Adsorbent/Catalytic Materials

A novel strategy for toluene abatement was investigated using a sequential adsorption-regeneration process. Commercial Hopcalite (CuMn2Ox, Purelyst101MD), Ceria nanorods, and UiO-66-SO3H, a metal–organic framework (MOF), were selected for this study. Toluene was first adsorbed on the material and a mild thermal activation was performed afterwards in order to oxidize toluene into CO2 and H2O. The materials were characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption analysis, H2-TPR and TGA/DSC. The best dynamic toluene adsorption capacity was observed for UiO-66-SO3H due to its hierarchical porosity and high specific surface area. However, in terms of balance between storage and catalytic properties, Hopcalite stands out from others owing to its superior textural/chemical properties promoting irreversible toluene adsorption and outstanding redox properties, allowing a high activity and CO2 selectivity in toluene oxidation. The high conversion of toluene into CO2 which easily desorbs from the surface during heating treatment shows that the sequential adsorption-catalytic thermal oxidation can encompass a classical oxidation process in terms of efficiency, CO2 yield, and energy-cost saving, providing that the bifunctional material displays a good stability in repetitive working conditions.
Definitional skills and preferred definition types according to age, gender, educational level and career orientation

The purpose of this study was to empirically investigate the definitional skills and the preferred definition type of school-age children, university students and adults and to examine the effect of variables such as, age (preschool, elementary, secondary and university), gender, adult educational level and career orientation (humanities vs science). The sample consisted of 322 individuals, who were asked to define 16 words orally. Deﬁnitions were scored on a ﬁve-point scale along a continuum that reflects the developmental path of the definitions. The results indicated that deﬁnitions tend to conform to the conventional rules of the Aristotelian format so that, with increasing age, females outperform males, science students outperform students in humanities, and adults with university education outperform adults without university education. The implications of these findings for lexicography and education are also discussed. This study expands the extant literature on definitional skill development.
Activity of Soil Enzyme and Microorganisms in Rhizosphere Soil of Maize (Zea mays L.) as Influenced by Different Weed Management Practices

Among the cereals grown in India, maize is gaining significant importance on account of its growing demand for diversified uses, especially as animal feed and industrial raw material. Maize crop has multiple uses. The kernel contains about 77 per cent starch, two per cent sugar, nine per cent protein, two per cent ash on water free basis. Maize oil has higher poly unsaturated fatty acid content and low in linoleic acid (0.7%) and contains high level of natural flavor.
The role of the entrepreneurial university in building an entrepreneurial ecosystem in a post conflict economy: An exploratory study of Rwanda

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of the entrepreneurial university in supporting the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in a post conflict, transitional economy. We developed a cross case analysis to identify common themes and patterns in the data. Our findings demonstrate that in a post conflict, transitional economy entrepreneurial universities entrepreneurial ecosystem development is constrained by a number of institutional factors including, structures , systems , leadership , strategies , and culture . We further identify that, when an entrepreneurial ecosystem system has been destroyed during conflict, these constraints present significant challenges to the evolution of the entrepreneurial ecosystem post conflict. Second, in a departure from other studies, our findings also outline the role of the entrepreneurial university in the unique evolution of the post conflict entrepreneurial ecosystem in Rwanda. We identify that the entrepreneurial ecosystem evolves through a number of stages including, embryonic , destruction , formation , and capacity building stages .
Examining the Most and Least Changeable Elements of the Social Representation of Giftedness

Giftedness and high abilities have been broadly defined and this fact has led to many problems related to the detection and educational response given to gifted or highly able pupils due to the stereotyped social representations of the concepts. However, the main misconceptions might be changed with the aim of solving the mentioned problems. For this purpose, the aims of this study are to explore the main misconceptions of giftedness and to identify which among them seem to be most and least changeable. A questionnaire with the most extended myths and stereotypes about giftedness was applied in a sample of 824 participants. The items’ analyses were carried out by first studying item-test discrimination indices (test classical theory), and secondly, the a and b parameters of items (item response theory). The results show that there are items that would be easily changeable (9 items) and others less malleable (4 items). Therefore, it might be concluded that the social representation of giftedness would have peripheral elements that could be changed, while there would be less malleable central elements. Thus, different strategies to foster the change of the social representation of giftedness should be considered, which will have social and educational implications.
2. Scientific literacy in a digital world

Social media have increased the need for a critical approach to the information at hand. Since scientific literacy is important when fake is to be separated from fact, it is our responsibility as researchers to assist in fostering this ability among the citizens. Due to the schism between the scientific world and the lifeworld of the citizens, this is a daunting task. Through the concept of responsible research and innovation, and in particular the governance-pillar, an approach that benefits both the public at large and science can be established. SAMANDRAG Sosiale mediar har auka behovet for ei kritisk tilnærming til informasjonen vi får. Sidan vitskapleg forståing er viktig når ein skal skilje sant og usant, bør vi som forskarar bidra til bygging av vitskapleg forståing i befolkninga. Grunna skiljet mellom den vitskaplege verda og livsverda til innbyggjarane, er dette ei utfordrande oppgåve. Gjennom konseptet ansvarleg forsking og innovasjon, og særleg governancepillaren, kan ein utvikle ei tilnærming som både tener innbyggjarane og vitskapen.
EFFICACY OF FEAR APPEALS ON ADOPTION OF COVID-19 PREVENTIVE MEASURES: A CASE OF BODA BODA RIDERS IN NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA

This study was an investigation of the effectiveness of fear appeals on the adoption of COVID-19 preventive measures among boda boda riders in the Nairobi County, Kenya. The problem of the study was that little or no research has been conducted on fear appeals and adoption of COVID-19 preventive measures, hence a gap that demands specific studies to be undertaken to fill it. This study draws from the Health Belief Model (HBM). Case study research design was used because the study focused only on boda boda riders operating in the seventeen constituencies in Nairobi County. Convenience sampling was used to identify the riders who were available and willing to participate in the study. The main data collection tool was telephone interviews. Findings of this study revealed that fear appeals were effective in making boda boda riders in Nairobi County adopt the COVID-19 preventive measures. The boda boda riders’ felt that they were susceptible to the coronavirus disease, police arrests, fourteen days mandatory quarantine, motorcycles being impounded and payment of fines, if they did not adopt the COVID-19 preventive measures. Moreover, the riders believed that the virus posed a more serious threat to their health and lives. The operators perceived susceptibility to the threats, elicited high levels of fear. The COVID-19 preventive measures, also, provided the riders with an effective method of changing behavior which they believe will protect them from contracting the virus. This study recommended that in order to motivate the boda boda riders to continue practicing the COVID-19 preventive measures, the government should frequently give the riders masks and hand sanitizers. Further, more communication campaigns should be developed and conducted on COVID-19 awareness and prevention among boda boda riders.
Competition and demography rather than dispersal limitation slow down upward shifts of trees’ upper elevation limits in the Alps

Species range limits are expected to be dramatically altered under future climate change and many species are predicted to shift their distribution upslope to track their suitable conditions (i.e. based on their niche). However, there might be large discrepancies between the speed of the upward shift of the climatic niche and the actual migration velocity of the species, especially in long‐lived organisms such as trees. In fact, most studies did not find any significant upward shift of the distributional limits of temperate forest trees over the last decades. It therefore beckons the questions why trees are moving upslope much slower than their bioclimatic envelope and what are the implications for ecosystem functioning. Here, we compared the simulations of the upslope displacement of the bioclimatic envelope of 16 tree species inhabiting temperate mountain forests under ongoing and future climate change obtained by correlative species distribution models (SDMs) to those from a dynamic forest model accounting for dispersal, competition and demography. We then partitioned the discrepancy in upslope migration velocity between the SDMs and the dynamic forest model into different components by manipulating dispersal limitation, interspecific competition and demography. Tree species in the dynamic forest model migrated only slowly upslope in contrast to the SDMs. Most of the difference in migration velocity can directly be attributed to tree's demography (long life cycle), followed by effects of competition and only a marginal contribution of dispersal limitation. Additionally, lower elevation species (‘non‐treeline’) shifted slower upslope than high elevation species (‘treeline’) indicating a strong effect of interspecific competition at their leading edge. Synthesis. Forests have a high inertia to climate change because of their longevity and ability to acclimatize to high climatic fluctuations. Lower elevation tree species (deciduous) only slowly establish in stands at higher elevation where coniferous species dominate and likely profit from facilitation by disturbance events. Therefore, forest ecosystems seem to persist, even if climate becomes unfavourable, until they approach a tipping point at which an extreme event (e.g. drought, storm or insect attack) leads to a large dieback and resource change enabling new suitable species to spread and establish.
“Newsrooms need the metoo movement.” Sexism and the press in Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria

ABSTRACT The metoo and timesup movements aim to raise awareness of several gender inequalities across many sectors in many countries. In newsrooms, issues include sexist attitudes, gendered norms, and various forms of sexual harassment and abuse. This survey focused on news personnel from Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria to identify ambivalent sexism, perceptions of newsroom equality, and personal experiences of sexual harassment. Nigerian participants had the highest levels of hostile (antipathy for women) and benevolent (belief in traditional gendered roles) sexism. Overall, men had higher levels of hostile sexism and perceived newsroom equality. Experienced newsroom sexual harassment was: 77.5% of women and 29.7% of men in Kenya, 57.5% of women and 11.4% of men in South Africa, and 38.1% of women and 10% of men in Nigeria.