Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Critical thinking and continuous improvement: a scientific text mining approach

This work aims to propose and argue a new antecedent (critical thinking: CT) of the hard and soft dimensions of continuous improvement (CI) using a text mining perspective. The study employs a proposed methodological framework for scientific text mining (nine steps). The sample consists of 2,213 abstracts of articles that address the interest constructs in this study from the title. Three types of variables are used: investigation, reference, and control. The article presents theoretical and empirical evidence for an original model conformed by six propositions that relate CT, CI, dynamic capabilities that potentiate CI, and the context (academic, business), which place CT as a trigger for CI. The contrast of this model provides useful inputs for teachers, researchers, professionals, students, and leaders so that they can better motivate and argue the need to strengthen CT when CI is taught and applied (classically limited to the use of tools). This article provides two contributions. The first is related to the effect of CT on the development (process and result) of CI. The second consists of providing a framework to contrast structural hypotheses from a scientific text mining approach.
Simultaneous Removal of Arsenate and Chromate from Ground- and Surface- Waters by Iron-Based Redox Assisted Coagulation

Arsenic (As) and chromate (Cr(VI)) contamination of ground and surface waters is a major problem worldwide. Given that a new drinking water limit is anticipated for Cr(VI) and that the limit of arsenic in drinking water is quite low (10 μg/L), there is an urgent need for evaluating technologies that could be efficient for removal of both contaminants simultaneously. In this work, the use of Fe(II) redox assisted coagulation was investigated to simultaneously remove the contaminants of interest. The basic principle of this technology is that Fe(II) could react with Cr(VI) and form Fe(III)-hydroxides and insoluble Cr(III) species, while the freshly formed Fe(III) hydroxides are very efficient adsorbents for As(V). The effect of pH, the water matrix composition, Fe(II) dose, initial contaminant concentrations, NOM presence and phosphate concentration were the examined parameters. The results revealed that with a dose of 2 mg/L Fe(II), residual As(V) and Cr(VI) concentrations were both below 10 μg/L, from initial concentrations of 50 μg/L. Though, this is effective only at circumneutral pH values. This is however not a big obstacle, since most natural waters, especially groundwaters, have near neutral pH values. At these pH values, residual iron concentration was far below 200 μg/L. The presence of phosphate anions inhibited As(V) removal but had no effect on Cr(VI) removal. Increasing Fe(II) concentrations eliminated the effect of phosphate and provided simultaneous phosphate removal. Therefore, Fe(II) coagulation can be applied, with secured results, for simultaneous As(V), Cr(VI) and phosphate removal from waters.
Digital Product‐Service Systems meet Product Line Systems Engineering – The Cart before the Horse?

The use of digital technologies opens the door to new business opportunities for traditional product manufacturing companies thanks to the numerous services that these technologies make possible. This trend, referred to as digital transformation, has taken over the business world in recent years. In this new technology‐enabled opportunity space, the appropriateness of traditional Product Line Systems Engineering (PLSE) practices can be questioned. This paper addresses the different challenges facing the application of PLSE to product‐service systems, including those supported by digital technologies. To meet these challenges, a conceptual framework that extends current PLSE practices in order to define a structured approach for Product‐Service Product Lines (PSPL) is proposed. The fundamental concepts behind the framework include a typology of PSPL and specific methods for architecting and engineering the PSPL (more precisely, for managing the variability of the PSPL), and for aligning the business strategies of classical product lines (i.e. tangible, physical product lines) with those of their corresponding, and less classical, service product lines. The authors believe that the proposed framework can help evolve the practice of PLSE and enhance the foundations of Systems Engineering with useful concepts.
Characterization and Volatile Flavor Components in Glutinous Rice Wines Prepared with Different Yeasts of Nuruks

In order to investigate the effect of different yeasts (La Parisienne (LP), Y18-2, Y54-3, Y90-2, Y90-9 and Y272-7) from nuruks on the quality of Glutinous rice wines, physicochemical properties and volatile flavor components were evaluated. Glutinous rice wines prepared with different yeasts were analyzed for ethanol, pH, total acid, amino acid, soluble solid, coloring degree, UV absorbance, reducing sugar, organic acid, free sugar and volatile compounds. After fermentation for 17 days, the ethanol contents ranged from 13.40 to 14.50%, while the total acid levels were from 0.33 to 0.44%. The amino acid contents in six samples ranged from 0.13 to 0.18%, while soluble solid contents ranged from 12.1 to . The glutinous rice wine prepared with LP showed the highest level of coloring degree, soluble solid and reducing sugar among six samples. Organic acid contents of the glutinous rice wine prepared with LP had the highest levels of lactic acid and acetic acid, while the glutinous rice wine prepared with Y90-9 had the highest level of succinic acid. In all glutinous rice wines tested, the most abundant free sugars were glucose followed by maltose. Volatile flavor components in the glutinous rice wines were identified by using GC-MSD. Nineteen esters, ten alcohols, eight acids, one aldehyde and one miscellaneous compound were identified in the glutinous rice wines. Using relative peak area, it was found that other than ethyl alcohol, hexadecanoic acid ethyl ester was the major component, predominantly found in the range of 2.73-10.41%. Phenylethyl alcohol, isoamyl alcohol, ethyl oleate, ethyl linoleate and tetradecanoic acid ethyl ester were some of the major volatile components present through the fermentation, respectively. Overall, it was shown that different yeast strains from nuruks greatly affected chemical and volatile characteristics of the glutinous rice wines.
Molecular Distinguishness among rice (Oryza sativa L.) landrace of Central India using microsatellite markers

Molecular characterization of the genotypes gives precise information about the extent of genetic diversity which helps in the development of an appropriate breeding program. A total of 16 microsatellite (SSR) markers distributed across the rice genome were used for molecular characterization and discrimination of 100 local landraces of rice. The molecular data revealed a total of 24 alleles in 100 rice accessions, The number of alleles per locus generated by each marker ranged from 1 to 5 alleles with the mean of 1.5 alleles per locus and an average polymorphism information content (PIC) of 0.387. This suggests that these markers could be potentially used for molecular characterization of rice accession from various sources. Microsatellite markers (SSR) are also used to detect the genetic similarity of accessions of rice under study. The genetic similarity coefficient ranged from 0.76-1.00 as revealed by UPGMA cluster analysis using the 16 SSR markers. A total of four distinct groups resulted at a cut-off similarity coefficient of 0.83 among the 100 rice accessions. Allelic variability among the SSR markers was high enough to categorize landraces and to catalogue the genetic variability observed for future use. The information about the genetic diversity will be very useful for proper identification and selection of appropriate parents for breeding programs, including gene mapping, and ultimately for emphasizing the importance of marker-assisted selection (MAS) in rice improvement.
Muropeptide recycling in Bacillus subtilis : beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase NagZ operates by a unique Asp-His catalytic dyad mechanism

We identified a pathway in the Gram-positive bacterial model organism Bacillus subtilis that is destined for recovery of N-acetylglucosamine-N-acetylmuramic acid-peptides (muroepides) derived from the peptidoglycan of the cell wall. The pathway is encoded by a cluster of six genes of which the first three are orthologs of Escherichia coli genes involved in Nacetylmuramic acid (MurNAc) dissimilation, encoding the MurNAc-6-phosphate etherase (MurQ), the MurNAc-6-phosphate-specific transcriptional regulator (MurR) and the MurNAc-specific phosphotransferase system (MurP). Here we characterized two further genes of this cluster. The first was shown to encode a cell wall associated exo-β-Nacetylglucosaminidase (NagZ, formerly YbbD) that cleaves the terminal non-reducing Nacetylglucosamine of muropeptides and also accepts chromogenic/fluorogenic β-Nacetylglucosaminides. The second was shown to encode an amidase (AmiE, formerly YbbE) that hydrolyzes the N-acetylmuramyl-L-Ala bond of MurNAc-peptides but not of muropeptides. Hence AmiE requires NagZ and in conjunction the enzymes liberate MurNAc by sequential hydrolysis of muropeptides. We recognized that NagZ is identical to an enzyme that was partially purified and characterized in the early 1970s. It is non-covalently associated with the cell wall and can be released from particulate wall material with salt. Protein production was induced at late exponential phase and reached some 6-fold higher level in the stationary/autolysis phase. The muropeptide catabolic pathway presented here is the first evidence for cell wall recycling in a Gram-positive organism that proceeds distinct from the cell wall recycling pathway of E. coli and other Gram-negative bacteria.
PAHs accumulation in soil-plant system of Phragmites australis Cav. in soil under long-term chemical contamination

Distribution and level of 16 individual and total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (∑PAHs) were assessed in soils, roots and above-ground tissues of reed (Phragmites australis) on monitoring plots in the city of Kamensk-Shakhtinskyi (Southern Russia, Rostov Region). The total concentration of the 16 PAHs in soil samples ranged between 499.0 to 7177.9 µg kg-1. Samples from the plot no. 4 had the highest PAHs concentrations of 7177.9 µg kg-1. The mean concentration of ∑16PAHs in plot no. 3 was noticeably higher than those in other monitoring sites for both root (363.0 µg kg-1) and above-ground tissues (239.8 µg kg-1). The distribution of PAHs ring size was in the order of 5-6˃4˃3˃2 in soil samples and HMW PAHs fractions represent 57.3% of the total PAHs. The concentrations of 3-4 ring PAHs were higher than HMW PAHs with 5–6 aromatic rings in all P. australis tissues. Diagnostic ratios of PAHs indicated that anthropogenic activities were probably major sources of PAHs. Accordingly, the maximum accumulation was found for phenanthrene among the 16 priority PAHs in the most of the soil and plants samples. More PAHs were accumulated in roots, as reflected by its higher mean concentration of PAHs in each plot. In addition, the BCF and TF values of LMW PAHs with 2- and 3-rings were higher than those of HMW PAHs. Taken together, our results indicated that there were an intensive accumulation of PAHs in the zone of industrial sewage tanks and sludge reservoirs as well as an obvious translocations of PAHs from the polluted soils to plant tissues, therefore, more attention is required to be paid to the PAH contamination in this area.
Negotiating a coach identity: a theoretical critique of elite athletes’ transitions into post-athletic high-performance coaching roles

ABSTRACT There has been a growing trend of elite athletes being fast-tracked into post-athletic high-performance coaching roles in association football and rugby union in England and Wales. This has been facilitated by an increase in bespoke and condensed formal coach education courses that are designed to accelerate current and/or former elite athletes in attaining their coaching accreditation. Hitherto, however, the individual lived experiences of former athletes on this career trajectory during their transition to coaching remains under-investigated. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to analyse how elite male association football and rugby union athletes based in England and Wales (re)created, re-negotiated or transformed their identities when negotiating a fast-tracked career pathway into a post-athletic high-performance coaching role. Fifteen male rugby union (n = 10) and association football (n = 5) athletes were interviewed on two separate occasions over twelve months. Interviews coincided with the start and end dates of the level three coach education course which they were concurrently enrolled on. Interviews focused upon how they (re)created their professional identities upon negotiating the career transition into a post-athletic high-performance coaching role. Data were critically theorised against sociological concepts associated with the theoretical frameworks of Bourdieu, Goffman and Foucault. Results identified how the development of a coaching identity was articulated through the need to define a ‘coaching philosophy’. Upholding a coach identity in an ‘honest’ disposition so athlete to coach respect could be best attained was expressed by all participants and contrasted with Goffman’s concepts of front and backstage impression management. Self-reflexive practices of Foucault’s askesis were engaged to varying levels to create a coach identity. In three cases this resulted in participants' contestation of their respective club’s identity/culture and losing employment as a coach. Finally, recommendations on how coach education structures can further support these coaches in their career transitions are made.
Hydrocarbon-bearing characteristics of the SB1 strike-slip fault zone in the north of the Shuntuo Low Uplift, Tarim Basin

The SB1 strike-slip fault zone, which developed in the north of the Shuntuo Low Uplift of the Tarim Basin, plays an essential role in reservoir formation and hydrocarbon accumulation in deep Ordovician carbonate rocks. In this research, through the analysis of high-quality 3D seismic volumes, outcrop, drilling and production data, the hydrocarbon-bearing characteristics of the SB1 fault are systematically studied. The SB1 fault developed sequentially in the Paleozoic and formed as a result of a three-fold evolution: Middle Caledonian (phase III), Late Caledonian–Early Hercynian and Middle–Late Hercynian. Multiple fault activities are beneficial to reservoir development and hydrocarbon filling. In the Middle–Lower Ordovician carbonate strata, linear shear structures without deformation segments, pull-apart structure segments and push-up structure segments alternately developed along the SB1 fault. Pull-apart structure segments are the most favourable areas for oil and gas accumulation. The tight fault core in the centre of the strike-slip fault zone is typically a low-permeability barrier, whilst the damage zones on both sides of the fault core are migration pathways and accumulation traps for hydrocarbons, leading to heterogeneity in the reservoirs controlled by the SB1 fault. This study provides a reference for hydrocarbon exploration and development of similar deep-marine carbonate reservoirs controlled by strike-slip faults in the Tarim Basin and similar ancient hydrocarbon-rich basins.
COVID-19 Lockdowns and Domestic Violence: Evidence from Two Studies in Argentina

This publication presents two independent and complementary studies on the impact of the mandatory COVID - 19 lockdowns on domestic violence in Argentina. The first study examines the evolution of calls to Linea 137, the domestic violence hotline in the City of Buenos Aires, and finds a significant increase (28 percent) in calls following the introduction of mobility restrictions. The study also finds a large substitution in reporting channels: calls to the hotline received from the police and other institutions fell sharply while direct calls from the victims increased by 82 percent. The second study shows evidence from a victimization survey conducted right after the lockdown came into effect. Comparing women whose partners were exempt from complying with the stay-at-home order with women whose partners were not, the study finds a positive link between lockdown restrictions and intimate partner violence. The combination of these two approaches and analyses delivers consistent and compelling evidence on the impact of the lockdown on domestic violence incidents. The studies highlight the need to complement the mobility restrictions imposed to combat the COVID - 19 pandemic with specific services to respond to the domestic violence that the lockdown generates.
Surplus Free Cash Flow, Stock Market Segmentations and Earnings Management: The Moderating Role of Independent Audit Committee

Management engages in earnings manipulation for different reasons. This article argues that low-growth firms with high free cash flow will opt for income-increasing earnings management in order to obscure the low profits derived from their investments in negative net present value (NPV) projects. On the other hand, we argue that the listed companies might be interested in being listed in the first market due to its privileges and to preserve the competitiveness, through managing their earnings upwardly, so that they can satisfy the condition of achieving a particular earnings limit. This article should advance the body of earnings management literature in the Jordanian context by examining the effect of the moderating role of an independent audit committee (IAC) in the association between surplus free cash flow (SFCF) and income-increasing discretionary accruals (DAC). Further, this is the initial empirical attempt to investigate the moderation effect of IAC between stock market segmentations (SMS) and positive DAC. The results of this current study offer original and beneficial information for the Jordanian government and other countries with a similar institutional environment because the study promotes the application of applying IAC as an efficient tool to constrain management behaviour towards manipulation of the accruals. On top of that, this research offers information concerning the prevailing situation of earnings management practices and corporate governance in Jordan, in which shareholders, local and international investors, policymakers, regulators and academic researchers are interested. Finally, panel data analyses and various statistical techniques are employed to derive conclusions.
Carbon nanotube reinforced poly(l-lactide) scaffolds: in vitro degradation, conductivity, mechanical and thermal properties

ABSTRACT Poly(L-lactide (PLLA), nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) biodegradable scaffolds were produced through thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) and ultrasonically dispersed for use in tissue engineering. The results obtained showed that mechanical properties and conductivity improved with respect to the PLLA to which nanotubes had been added. Scaffolds with a nanotube weight of 1% and 5% showed the best properties, with a very uniform and well-arranged structure. The weight percentage of nanotubes is an essential parameter in determining the formation of agglomerates. Samples with a 10% carbon nanotube (CNT) weight showed aggregates, with the TIPS and ultra-sonication techniques found to be unsuitable for production with such high levels of reinforcement. The degradation process was modulated by morphology and not crystallinity, with the PLLA/nHA samples degrading more readily due to their smaller pores which did not allow degradation products to escape as easily, resulting in autocatalytic degradation. The addition of nanotubes had a significant impact on the dielectric properties of the samples, which ceased to be an insulator and became a conductor. Graphical Abstract
Role of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in the evaluation of breast carcinoma: Indications and pitfalls with illustrative case examples

Whole-body 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) has been used extensively in the last decade for the primary staging and restaging and to assess response to therapy in these patients. We aim to discuss the diagnostic performance of PET/computed tomography in the initial staging of breast carcinoma including the locally advanced disease and to illustrate its role in restaging the disease and in the assessment of response to therapy, particularly after the neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Causes of common pitfalls during image interpretations will be also discussed.
Solar Filaments and Interplanetary Magnetic Field Bz

The direction of the axis of an interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) plays an important role in determining if it will cause a geomagnetic disturbance in the Earth’s magnetosphere upon impact. Long period southward-pointing ICME fields are known to cause significant space weather impacts and thus geomagnetic storms. We present an extensive analysis of CME–ICME directionality using 86 halo-CMEs observed between 2007 and 2017 to compare the direction of the source filament axial magnetic field on the Sun and the direction of the interplanetary magnetic field near the Earth at the L1 Lagrangian point. Excluding 12 cases that were too ambiguous to determine, for the remaining 74 ICMEs, we find an agreement in terms of the northward/southward orientation of Bz between ICMEs and their CME source regions in 85% of cases. Some of the previous studies discussed here have obtained an agreement of 77% and 55%. We therefore suggest that our method can be meaningful as a first step in efficiently predicting geoeffective ICMEs by observing and analyzing the source regions of CMEs on the Sun.
Impact of karst areas on runoff generation, lateral flow and interbasin groundwater flow at the storm-event timescale

Abstract. Karst development influences the hydrological response of catchments. However, such an impact is poorly documented and even less quantified, especially over short scales of space and time. The aim of this article is thus to define karst influence on the different hydrological processes driving runoff generation, including interbasin groundwater flow (IGF) for elementary catchments at the storm-event timescale. IGFs are estimated at the scale of the river reach, by comparing inlet and outlet flows as well as the effective rainfall from the topographic elementary catchment. Three types of storm-event descriptors (characterizing water balance, hydrograph shape and lateral exchanges) were calculated for the 20 most important storm events of 108 stations in three French regions (Cévennes Mountains, Jura Mountains and Normandy), representative of different karst settings. These descriptors were compared and analysed according to catchment geology (karst, non-karst or mixed) and seasonality in order to explore the specific impact of karst areas on water balance, hydrograph shape, lateral exchanges and hydrogeological basin area. A statistical approach showed that, despite the variations with study areas, karst promotes (i) higher water infiltration from rivers during storm events, (ii) increased characteristic flood times and peak-flow attenuation, and (iii) lateral outflow. These influences are interpreted as mainly due to IGF loss that can be significant at the storm-event scale, representing around 50 % of discharge and 20 % of rainfall in the intermediate catchment. The spatial variability of such effects is also linked to contrasting lithology and karst occurrence. Our work thus provides a generic framework for assessing karst impact on the hydrological response of catchments to storm events; moreover, it can analyse flood-event characteristics in various hydro-climatic settings and can help with testing the influence of other physiographic parameters on runoff generation.