Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Innovation Entanglement at Three South African Tech Hubs

This study explores innovation modalities at three South African tech hubs: Bandwidth Barn Khayelitsha and Workshop 17 in Cape Town, and the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in Johannesburg. The study finds that tech start-ups’ability to scale is generally enhanced by their participation in the hubs. Furthermore, it is found that scaling by start-ups, and by the tech hubs hosting them, is enhanced when they actively drive the terms of their “entanglement” with exogenous and endogenous factors and external entities—a conceptual framework first developed in an earlier study of university research linkages (Abrahams, 2016). This present study finds that innovation entanglement by the hubs and their start-ups allows them to work through the adversity and states of complexity prevalent in their innovation ecosystems.
Disentangling the Impact of Catchment Heterogeneity on Nitrate Export Dynamics From Event to Long‐Term Time Scales

Defining effective measures to reduce nitrate pollution in heterogeneous mesoscale catchments remains challenging when based on concentration measurements at the outlet only. One reason for this is our limited understanding of the subcatchment contributions to nitrate export and their importance at different time scales. While upstream subcatchments often disproportionally contribute to runoff generation and in turn to nutrient export, agricultural areas (which are typically found in downstream lowlands) are known to be a major source of nitrate pollution. To examine the interplay of different subcatchments, we analyzed seasonal long‐term trends and event dynamics of nitrate concentrations, loads, and the concentration–discharge relationship in three nested catchments within the Selke catchment (456 km2), Germany. The upstream subcatchments (40.4% of total catchment area, 34.5% of N input) had short transit times and dynamic concentration–discharge relationships with elevated nitrate concentrations during wet seasons and events. Consequently, the upstream subcatchments dominated nitrate export during high flow and disproportionally contributed to overall annual nitrate loads at the outlet (64.2%). The downstream subcatchment was characterized by higher N input, longer transit times, and relatively constant nitrate concentrations between seasons, dominating nitrate export during low‐flow periods. Neglecting the disproportional role of upstream subcatchments for temporally elevated nitrate concentrations and net annual loads can lead to an overestimation of the role of agricultural lowlands. Nonetheless, constantly high concentrations from nitrate legacies pose a long‐term threat to water quality in agricultural lowlands. This knowledge is crucial for an effective and site‐specific water quality management.
How Do They Learn: Types and Characteristics of Medical Student Engagement in the Simulation-Based Learning Environment

Background Student engagement can predict successful learning outcomes and academic development. Expansion of simulation-based medical education will bring about challenges to educators and require them to help medical students to engage themselves in a simulation-based learning environment. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with ten medical students to explore their learning types and characteristics in the simulation-based learning environment. The thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results The interviews were thematically analyzed to form three types of student engagement in the simulation-based learning environment: reflective engagement, performance engagement, and interactive engagement. The analysis also identified eight sub-themes: active, persistent, and focused thinking engagement; self-directed-learning thinking engagement with the purpose of problem solving; active “voice” in class; strong emotional experience and disclosure; demonstration of professional leadership; interaction with realistic learning situations; support from teammates; and friendship-like facilitator-student interaction.Conclusions The findings explain the mechanisms behind student engagement in the simulation-based learning environment from two perspectives: the two-way construction of individuality and space in learning along with the interdependence of the learner and the learning community. That is, expanding the learning space centering around “inquiry” helps strengthen reflective communication and dialogue. It also facilitates imagination, stimulates empathy, and builds an inter-professional learning community. In this way, medical students are expected to learn from the two-way transmission of information, cultivate and reshape the interpersonal relationship, so as to improve engagement in the simulation-based learning environment.
Etching reactions for silicon with F atoms: Product distributions and ion enhancement mechanisms

Spontaneous and ion‐enhanced etching reactions were investigated for the interaction of F atoms with Si(111) using modulated beam mass spectrometry. The F atoms were generated using a microwave plasma source which was compatible with ultrahigh vacuum. An impurity free surface, which was characterized by x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), could be obtained even after long exposures. The atom source and the experimental system are described in detail. It is shown that spontaneous etching at room temperature produces the stable gases SiF4, Si2F6, and Si3F8 with SiF4 being the dominant product. It is suggested that previous mass spectrometric investigations incorrectly ascribed SiF+ and SiF+2 peaks to a significant SiF2 product, whereas these peaks should be assigned to Si2F6 and Si3F8. As the surface temperature is increased, the relative contributions of the etch products SiF4, Si2F6, and Si3F8 decrease while SiF2 increases and eventually becomes the major product. Ion bombardment significantly enhance.
Characterization and mechanism studies of dielectric barrier discharges generated at atmospheric pressure

A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) device operated at ambient air with an ac power supply was designed and examined. The discharge power and active current of DBD were characterized. Experimental results show that the discharge power does not proportionally increase all along with voltage. Through in-depth analysis of typical waveforms of instantaneous applied voltage and discharge current, and images of microdischarges in the gas gap, it is inferred that considerable reduction in charges transferred through discharge channels is most likely due to recombination and attachment to electronegative molecules, nonuniform highly distorted electric fields, and repulse of more homogeneous electric charges.
How Do AI-driven Chatbots Impact User Experience? Examining Gratifications, Perceived Privacy Risk, Satisfaction, Loyalty, and Continued Use

ABSTRACT This study examined how artificial intelligence (AI)-driven chatbots impact user experience. It collected survey data from 1,064 consumers who used any chatbot service from the top 30 brands in the U.S. Results indicated that utilitarian (information), hedonic (entertainment), technology (media appeal), and social (social presence) gratifications obtained from chatbot use positively predicted users’ satisfaction with chatbot services of their selected brand. In contrast, perceived privacy risk associated with chatbot use reduced user satisfaction. Data also demonstrated that user satisfaction positively affected both the continued use intention of chatbot services and customer loyalty. Implications of this study are discussed.
Awareness and Application of Existing Agroecological Practices by Small Holder Farmers in Mvomero and Masasi Districts-Tanzania

A survey study was conducted to assess the level of awareness and application of existing agro-ecological practices by small holder farmers in Mvomero and Masasi districts in Tanzania. The selection of farmers to interview and the villages in the respective districts was based on their long history of producing cassava and maize. A structured questionnaire was used to identify the type of agro-ecological practices, agricultural information sources accessed by farmers, training on agro-ecological practices, type of crops grown in the study areas and kind of livestock kept. Results indicated that the most applied agro-ecological practices were diversification (80.5%), the use of farmer saved seeds (78.2%) followed by intercropping (72.9%) and lastly, agro-forestry (3.2%). The highest percentage of farmers (30.4%) reported to receive information on ecological organic agriculture from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) (SAT, SWISS AID), 27.5% were using own farming experience, 21% reported to receive the information from government extension officers, 13% from friends or neighbours, 4.3% from government institutions (SUA, Agricultural Training Institutes) and 3.6% received information from agricultural input suppliers. Generally, 50% of farmers had received training on agroecological practices indicating the level of awareness. Lack of knowledge among farmers was one of the key factors that hamper the wide application of agroecological practices. There was a need for farmer’s capacity building through training to enhance wider application of agroecological practices hence progressive agricultural production increase.
Family Income and Student Educational and Cognitive Outcomes in China: Exploring the Material and Psychosocial Mechanisms

Leveraging data from a nationally representative school-based adolescent survey, the current study aimed to provide a comprehensive assessment of how family income is associated with multiple cognitive and educational outcomes in China and examine the underlying material and psychosocial mechanisms. We found robust associations of family income with school grades, cognitive ability, and study attitude, but not with homework engagement. Moreover, we found that home amenities, i.e., measuring home-based material resources, played the largest mediating role in explaining family income effects on cognitive ability and study attitude. Among the non-monetary or intangible intervening factors, children’s own and peers’ educational aspirations along with mother-child communication were the most important mechanisms. To a lesser extent, family income effects were also attributable to harmonious parent-child and between-parent relationships. The key take-home message is that home environments constitute a prominent setting outside of school exerting powerful influences shaping school outcomes for Chinese adolescents. Our study contributes to a better understanding of how family economic resources are transmitted to children’s cognitive and educational advantages via home material resources, family non-monetary features, children’s agency, and peer influence. Policy implications and future research are discussed.
Development of a Model Foamy Viscous Fluid

The objective is to develop a model viscous foamy fluid, i.e. below the very wet limit, the rheological and stability properties of which can be tuned. First, the method used for the preparation of foamy fluids is detailed, including process and formulation. Then, experimental results highlight that stable foamy fluids with a monomodal bubble size distribution can be prepared with a void fraction between 25% and 50% (v/v). Their viscoelastic properties under flow and low-strain oscillatory conditions are shown to result from the interplay between the formulation of the continuous phase, void fraction and bubble size. Their apparent viscosity can be described using the Cross equation and zero-shear Newtonian viscosity may be predicted by a Mooney equation up to a void fraction about 40%. The Cox-Merz and the Laun’s rules apply when the capillary number Ca is lower than 0.1. The upper limit of the zero-shear plateau region decreases when void fraction increases or bubble size decreases. In the shear-thinning region, shear stress varies with Ca1/2 , as in wet foams with immobile surfaces. Finally, foamy fluids can be sheared up to Ca about 0.1 without impairing their microstructure. Their stability at rest achieves several hours and increases with void fraction due to compact packing constraints. These constitute, therefore, versatile model fluids to investigate the behaviour of foamy fluids below the very wet limit in process conditions.
A phase‐field lattice Boltzmann method for the solution of water‐entry and water‐exit problems

In this paper, an original phase‐field lattice Boltzmann scheme for a system composed of two immiscible and incompressible fluids interacting with moving solids is developed, presented, and tested for the first time. The proposed approach is benchmarked against experimental data and smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations of four well‐established two‐dimensional problems where a rigid body interacts with the interface between the two fluids. The outlined methodology represents a very good candidate to perform fluid‐structure interaction simulations of hydrodynamic stability problems as well as water‐entry and water‐exit problems.
Children's Socioemotional Development Across Cultures

The development of socioemotional competencies is central for children's development in general. Infants are equipped with basic predispositions to acquire environmental information. However, contexts and cultures differ with respect to their emphasis on particular developmental domains. Two developmental pathways for which research evidence is available have been characterized: the Western middle-class perspective and the perspective of rural traditionally living farming families. Infants have different social experiences with respect to their caregivers, their behaviors, and their social regulation. The developmental focus of Western middle-class children is on individualistic agency, which implies that socioemotional development is subordinated to self-development. The developmental focus of the rural traditionally living farmer child is on social connectedness and social responsibility. Self-development is part of the development of communal agency. This review discusses the ethical implications of regarding the Western middle-class pathway as universal and normative and emphasizes the need to consider different pathways as normative.
Evaluating the Suitability of a Combine Harvester Equipped with the Sunflower Header to Harvest Cardoon Seeds: A Case Study in Central Italy

Cardoon seeds have been proved to thrive in the Mediterranean region, even under low input management and its biomass is suitable for several food and industrial uses. Despite that, a proper value chain has not been set properly and uncertainty still lays among producers and industries, particularly concerning the harvesting stage. The present study supports, via field trials, the hypothesis that cardoon seeds can be harvested using a conventional combine harvester equipped with the sunflower header. Theoretical field capacity (TFC), effective field capacity (EFC), and field efficiency (FE) were 2.36 ha h−1, 2.05 ha h−1, and 1.82 Mg h−1, respectively, while harvesting costs were calculated as 69.52 € ha−1. Seed loss was only 3.2% w/w of the potential seed yield. The machinery’s performance, costs, and seed loss are comparable with sunflower harvesting, underlying the possibility to use the available technology directly to harvest cardoon seeds.
Farmers preferences towards breeding objective for indigenous chickens in different agro-ecologies of Ethiopia

A study was conducted in different agro-ecologies of Ethiopia with the objective of understanding the farmers’ preferences towards breeding objectives in indigenous chickens. For the interview, 245 households (60 from lowland, 100 from midland and 85 from highland) were randomly selected. Farmers in lowland had significantly (p<0.05) lower chicken populations while comparing with the remaining agro-ecologies. The average age of village pullets at first egg was 6.54±0.063 months. There was significantly (p<0.05) higher egg production in midland. There was significant difference (p<0.05) in clutch number among the three agro-ecologies. Among the three agro-ecologies; midland showed significantly (p<0.05) higher number of eggs set/hen. Effective population size of village chickens per household was calculated as 4.43, 7.8 and 7.18 in lowland, midland and highland respectively. Most of the farmers (91%) were practicing culling their chickens for getting old, sickness, brooding frequency and low production for hens and getting old, sickness and fighting each other for cocks. Comparing the preferences of traits, female farmers preferred egg production, unlike the male farmers who gave equal emphasis both for egg and meat. Egg production for sale was prioritized by the farmers, especially for women, followed by live chicken sale. Body weight is the most considered trait to select male chickens for breeding, followed by plumage color, across thee agro-ecologies. For female chickens, brooding frequency is most considered in lowland (48.3%) and midland (37%) unlike in highland where age at first egg (47.1%) is prioritized. This study can be the base to design the breeding strategy of the chicken population in the study sites and beyond. Key words: Agro-ecology, breeding objectives, effective population, farmer preference, inbreeding coefficient, local chickens.
Invasive fish (Gambusia affinis) as an ecological filter for macroinvertebrate colonization of experimental ponds

Invasive predators might serve as ecological filters for prey communities, either through non-consumptive or consumptive effects. The Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis [Baird and Girard, 1853]) is an invasive non-native fish that affects native aquatic communities, potentially because of effects on oviposition or initial colonization of habitats (non-consumptive effects), post-colonization effects (i.e., consumptive effects), or a combination of both non-consumptive and consumptive effects. We conducted a mesocosm experiment to examine non-consumptive and consumptive effects of G. affinis on colonization of experimental ponds by native macroinvertebrates. We predicted that, if G. affinis affects macroinvertebrates through non-consumptive effects, there would be lower abundances in both the non-lethal (caged G. affinis) and lethal (free-ranging G. affinis) treatments compared to the control (no G. affinis), whereas, if the effect of G. affinis is primarily due to consumptive effects, there would be lower abundances of macroinvertebrates in the lethal treatment compared to the non-lethal and control treatments. Most macroinvertebrate taxa (dytiscid beetles, baetid Ephemeroptera, corixid and gerrid hemipterans, libellulid odonates) were less abundant, or even absent, in the presence of G. affinis in the lethal treatment compared to their abundance in the non-lethal G. affinis treatment; however, notonectids were not affected by treatment. The invasive fish predator, G. affinis, therefore, can act as an ecological filter for macroinvertebrates in invaded aquatic habitats, primarily through lethal consumptive effects.
A complete basis set model chemistry. III. The complete basis set‐quadratic configuration interaction family of methods

The major source of error in most ab initio calculations of molecular energies is the truncation of the one‐electron basis set. A family of complete basis set (CBS) quadratic CI (QCI) model chemistries is defined to include corrections for basis set truncation errors. These models use basis sets ranging from the small 6‐31 G°° double zeta plus polarization (DZ+P) size basis set to the very large (14s9p4d2f,6s3p1d)/[6s6p3d2f,4s2p1d] atomic pair natural orbital basis set. When the calculated energies are compared with the experimental energies of the first‐row atoms and ions and the first‐row diatomics and hydrides H2, LiH, Li2, CH4, NH3, H2O, HF, LiF, N2, CO, NO, O2, and F2, two very promising new model chemistries emerge. The first is of comparable accuracy, but more than ten times the speed of the G1 model of Pople and co‐workers. The second is less than one‐tenth the speed of the G1 model, but reduces the root‐mean‐square (rms) errors in ionization potentials (IPs), electron affinities (EAs), and D0’s t.
Teaching Creative and Practical Data Science at Scale

Abstract–Nolan and Temple Lang’s Computing in the Statistics Curricula (2010) advocated for a shift in statistical education to broadly include computing. In the time since, individuals with training in both computing and statistics have become increasingly employable in the burgeoning data science field. In response, universities have developed new courses and programs to meet the growing demand for data science education. To address this demand, we created Data Science in Practice, a large-enrollment undergraduate course. Here, we present our goals for teaching this course, including: (1) conceptualizing data science as creative problem solving, with a focus on project-based learning, (2) prioritizing practical application, teaching and using standardized tools and best practices, and (3) scaling education through coursework that enables hands-on and classroom learning in a large-enrollment course. Throughout this course we also emphasize social context and data ethics to best prepare students for the interdisciplinary and impactful nature of their work. We highlight creative problem solving and strategies for teaching automation-resilient skills, while providing students the opportunity to create a unique data science project that demonstrates their technical and creative capacities.
Sustainability Assessment of Smallholder Agroforestry Indigenous Farming in the Amazon: A Case Study of Ecuadorian Kichwas

In the Amazon, the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve (YBR) is considered a natural and cultural diversity hotspot. It is populated by several indigenous groups, including the Kichwa, who are characterized by their traditional systems of production, which are a means of subsistence and socio-ecological integration. The objective of this research was to evaluate the sustainability of small farmers who use a traditional agroforestry system (chakra) within the buffer, transition, and core zones of the YBR. We conducted 133 interviews with Kichwa heads of households. The socio-demographic structure and distribution were identified, and the response-inducing sustainability evaluation (RISE) methodology was used to evaluate chakra sustainability according to social, economic, and ecological dimensions, expressed using 10 indicators from 50 parameters, valued from 0 (worst case) to 100 (best case). The results are expressed in a polygon, defined by the areas: (1) good performance, (2) medium performance, and (3) poor performance. We employed the multivariate classification hierarchical cluster technique and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to identify dissimilarities between groups of chakras and the existence of statistical differences, respectively. Among the studied indigenous Kichwas, a pyramidal structure progressive type was identified, which is characteristic of young populations and the nonexistence of significant differences between the RISE indicators and chakras. The lowest-scoring indicators using the RISE guidelines were: use of materials and environmental protection, animal production, economic viability and chakra administration. We provide suggestions for decision makers who support Kichwa populations in socio-productive management with sustainability goals. We to taking actions on the indicators identified with high priority to improve the sustainability in the chakras and sociodemographic dynamics.