Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long‐term effect of biochar on physical properties of agricultural soils with different textures at pre‐industrial charcoal kiln sites in Wallonia (Belgium)

Besides its carbon (C) sequestration potential, biochar is being promoted as an amendment to improve soil quality. Burying biochar in soils is known to affect soil physical quality in the short‐term (<5 years), although the intensity of these effects depends on soil texture and biochar concentration especially. However, the long‐term effects of biochar remain largely unknown, yet are important to quantify given biochar's persistency in soils. The objective of this study was therefore to assess the long‐term effect of biochar on physical properties as a function of biochar concentration for soils with differing textures. For this purpose, soil physical properties were measured in the topsoil of three fields (silt loam, loam and sandy loam textures) in Wallonia (southern Belgium) presenting former kiln sites containing charcoal more than 150 years old. Particle density and bulk density slightly decreased as a function of charcoal‐C content but the presence of charcoal in kiln sites did not affect total porosity. The water retention curve measurements revealed that water content was mostly affected in the mesopore range by the century‐old charcoal‐C content. This effect was strongest for the sandy loam. On the other hand, the presence of century‐old charcoal increased the hydraulic conductivity for pF values between 1.5 and 2 for the silt loam, whereas no effect of charcoal was observed for the loamy and sandy loam soils. Results are discussed with respect to biochar characteristics and the various ways in which biochar particles could be distributed within soils. Overall, the present study highlights a limited effect of century‐old charcoal on the pore size distribution (at constant porosity) and on the resulting soil physical properties.
Co-mixing hydrogen and methane may double the energy storage capacity

The use of hydrogen fuel as clean energy is hindered by the low capacity of the storage medium. Although the combustion energy of a CH4 molecule is three times higher than that of H2, the same medium can adsorb much fewer CH4 molecules than H2 due to the much stronger inter-molecular repulsion of the former. Here, we show, from first-principles theoretical calculations, that mixing hydrogen and methane gas may significantly increase the energy storage capacity compared with either pure hydrogen or methane. The repulsion between hydrogen and methane molecules is moderate and the open metal sites on a surface can be effectively used to increase the energy storage capacity. Using two different surfaces (graphene and graphene nanoribbons) decorated with alkali or 3d transition metal atoms, as examples, we show that the energy storage capacity can be approximately doubled by this mixing and an equivalent gravimetric hydrogen density of 14.0 wt% can be obtained. This approach can be applied to most current storage media with open metal sites.
Effects of Waterlogging on Soybean Rhizosphere Microbial Community Profiled Using Illumina MiSeq, LoopSeq, and PacBio 16S rRNA Genes Sequences

Background: Waterlogging on the global environment has led to a significant decline in crop yields. However, the response of plant-associated microbes to waterlogging stress on different soils is not known. Moreover, there are few reports on whether this response is influenced by different sequencing methods. In this study, the effects of waterlogging on soybean rhizosphere microbial structure on two types of soil were examined, using a short reading 16S rRNA sequencing variable region V4 and two full-length 16S rRNA sequencing variable regions V1-V9.Results: The results revealed some similarities and differences in three sequencing methods for soybean rhizosphere microbial response to waterlogging stress. Based on CPCoA analysis, all the sequencing methods showed that waterlogging on both types of soil significantly affected the bacterial community structure of the soybean rhizosphere, and increased the relative abundance of Geobacter. However, the full-length sequencing methods had higher classification resolution than short-read sequencing (except phylum level of all sequencing methods and class level of LoopSeq sequencing). Further, analysis on OTU level and network showed that waterlogging increased the abundance of some microorganisms related to nitrogen cycle using V4 sequencing, and microorganisms related to phosphorus cycling when using two full-length sequencing methods. This is in line with the core microbial analysis. Environmental factors affecting the structure of microbial communities differed among sequencing methods.Conclusions: In summary, this piece of work detected the effects of waterlogging on soybean rhizosphere microbes using three sequencing methods. Some functional microbes were enriched in the rhizosphere, which may benefit soybean in resisting waterlogging stress. On the other hand, there were several differences in results among the three sequencing methods which might affect the response of rhizosphere microbial structure to stress. Our analysis of sequencing methods on various levels provides some useful information on environmental samples sequencing.
Size Control of Carbon Spherical Shells for Sensitive Detection of Paracetamol in Sweat, Saliva, and Urine

We report on a facile strategy for separating carbon spherical shells (CSS) using centrifugation, with which shells were produced with diameter varying from 400 to 500 nm according to scanning and transmission electron microscopies. The shells were made of 79% carbon and 21% oxygen, and their surface was functionalized with carbonyl and hydroxyl groups. The CSS could form a homogeneous film on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode surface and be used in a sensing platform. In electroanalytical experiments, the sensitivity of the GC/CSS electrode for paracetamol increased with decreasing size of CSS. For 400 nm CSS, the sensitivity was 0.02 μA μmol–1 L, and the limit of detection and quantification in sweat, saliva, and urine samples was 120 and 400, 286 and 470, and 584 and 530 nmol L–1, respectively, which represents the highest performance among carbon-based sensors found in the literature. The GC/CSS electrodes were stable, robust against typical interferents, and allowed detection of paracetamol in sweat, sa.
Rapid and Low-Energy Fabrication of Symmetrical Solid Oxide Cells by Microwave Methods

Solid oxide fuel cells are highly efficient, low-emission, and fuel-flexible energy conversion devices that can also run in reverse as solid oxide electrolysis cells, converting CO2 and/or H2O to useful fuels and pure O2. Our team has recently developed a highly promising mixed conducting oxide catalyst (La0.3Ca0.7Fe0.7Cr0.3O3−δ) that can be used at both the anode and cathode in either the fuel cell or electrolysis mode in a lower-cost symmetrical cell. However, there is still a need to improve material processing and cell manufacturing methods in this field. Here, we report, for the first time, fabrication of a symmetrical solid oxide cell, based on our very promising catalysts, using rapid, low-cost, low-energy, and green microwave (MW) processing techniques. These cells were fabricated with MW-sintered powders and were then MW-sintered without the use of any MW susceptors inside the electrode layers or any additional presintering steps. The catalyst layers show very stable nanostructures and do not delaminate, and the cells exhibit reaction rates that are similar to those obtained using normal ceramic processing methods. Importantly, the powder preparation and cell sintering steps, carried out using MW methods, require only ca. 1/3 and 1/9 of the time/energy, respectively, versus those required in traditional furnace methods, thus translating to significant cost savings.
Do Morphological Traits Predict Ecological Guilds of the Mekong Fish Fauna?

Southeast Asian riverine fishes are classified into three guilds (‘black’, ‘white’ and ‘grey’ species) based on their reproductive and migration strategies. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether fish morphology could be used to predict the Mekong fish guilds. Nine dimensionless ratios of fish morphological traits were used to describe the locomotion and food acquisition strategies of 121 fish species. The links between morphological traits and fish guilds were assessed using a principal component analysis (PCA) and a variance partitioning analysis, which revealed a strong morphological overlap between the guilds. Despite the high contribution of intra-guild variability to overall morphological variability (~90%), black and white fish significantly differed in terms of locomotion-related traits. Mekong fish guilds were satisfactorily predicted by using a random forest (RF) model, which produced a percentage of successful classification of ca 50% for each of the three guilds. Caudal propulsion efficiency, pectoral fin vertical position and body elongation were the most significant traits in the RF predictive model. Although the present study provides initial insight into the links between Mekong fish morphology and ecological guilds, further research is needed in order to clarify the relationship between species morphology, migratory status and responses to environmental variation.
Design Procedure to Convert a Maximum Power Point Tracking Algorithm into a Loop Control System

This paper presents a novel complete design procedure to convert a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm into a control system. The MPPT algorithm can be tuned by employing any control system design. In this paper, we adopted Bode diagrams using the criteria of module and phase as the power electronics specialists are habituated with such concepts. The MPPT control transfer functions were derived using the average state equations and small-signal analysis. The control loops were derived for power and voltage control loops. The design procedure was applied to the well-known perturb and observe (P&O) and incremental conductance (IC) algorithms, returning the P&O based on PI and IC based on PI algorithms. Such algorithms were evaluated through simulation and experimental results. Additionally, we showed that the proposed design methodology can optimize energy harvesting, allowing algorithms to have outstanding tracking factors (above 99%) and adaptability characteristics.
Interactions between Plants and Plant-Soil in Functionally Complex Mixtures including Grass Pea, Faba Bean and Niger, Intercropped with Oilseed Rape

Winter oilseed rape (OSR) can be grown intercropped with frost-sensitive service plant mixtures. This practice may reduce weed pressure and contribute to providing N for OSR after service plant freezing. However, there is little knowledge of how plants interact together and with the soil in diverse annual crop mixtures. To assess these interactions, two contrasting legume service plants were selected: faba bean and grass pea, as well as a non-legume, the niger plant. OSR and the legumes were then grown in mesocosms alone or intercropped in mixtures of two to four species. The biomass, N contents, N2 fixation, and soil substrate-induced respiration were measured. A single species mostly drove the total dry biomass and the amount of N accumulated by the cover, OSR and faba bean for dry weight and N contents, respectively. Grass pea was highly sensitive to competition with OSR, and its N2 fixation was lower than that of faba bean. The addition of niger did not lead to additional N2 fixation of legumes or total N accumulation and contributed to reducing OSR biomass. The specific composition of the plant mixture did not explain the soil microorganism activity.
Development of a Comprehensive Conceptual Framework for Biogas Technology Adoption in South Africa

This article focuses on the development of a conceptual framework guiding the adoption of biogas technology in selected rural areas of the Limpopo province. The theoretical framing of the study emanated from the critical evaluation of models and work that privileged the technical design and optimisation of a biogas system over the adoption of the technology at the household level. Based on the empirical evidence, and using logistic regression analysis, the study highlighted that determinants of biogas technology adoption in communities are complex, context-dependent and spatially varied. Hence, the policy of biogas adoption should be tailored based on the principle of fit-for-purpose, instead of using existing unimodal approaches for all settings. Based on the findings, the study developed a robust conceptual framework that harnesses the relationships between the influencing variables that can enhance the adoption of biogas technology.
The Plankton Lifeform Extraction Tool: A digital tool to increase the discoverability and usability of plankton time-series data

Abstract. Plankton form the base of the marine food web and are sensitive indicators of environmental change. Plankton time-series are therefore an essential part of monitoring progress towards global biodiversity goals, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity Aichi Targets, and for informing ecosystem-based policy, such as the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Multiple plankton monitoring programmes exist in Europe, but differences in sampling and analysis methods prevent the integration of their data, constraining their utility over large spatio-temporal scales. The Plankton Lifeform Extraction Tool brings together disparate European plankton datasets into a central database from which it extracts abundance time-series of plankton functional groups, called ‘lifeforms’, according to shared biological traits. This tool has been designed to make complex plankton datasets accessible and meaningful for policy, public interest, and scientificdiscovery. It allows examination of large-scale shifts in lifeform abundance or distribution (for example, holoplankton being partially replaced by meroplankton), providing clues to how the marine environment is changing. The lifeform method enables datasets with different plankton sampling and taxonomic analysis methodologies to be used together to provide insights into the response to multiple stressors and robust policy evidence for decision making. Lifeform time-series generated with the Plankton Lifeform Extraction Tool currently inform plankton and food web indicators for the UK’s Marine Strategy, the EU’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and for the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North- East Atlantic (OSPAR) biodiversity assessments. The Plankton Lifeform Extraction Tool currently integrates 155,000 samples, containing over 44 million plankton records, from 9 different plankton datasets within UK and European Seas, collected between 1924 and 2017. Additional datasets can be added, and time-series updated. The Plankton Lifeform Extraction Tool is hosted by The Archive for Marine Species and Habitats Data (DASSH) at https://www.dassh. ac.uk/lifeforms/. The lifeform outputs are linked to specific, doi-ed, versions of the Plankton Lifeform Traits Master List and each underlying dataset.
What drives modern protected area establishment in Australia?

Protected areas are a fundamental mechanism for ensuring the persistence of biodiversity. The strategic policy objectives set by governments for protected area land acquisition are strong determinants of biodiversity outcomes. An examination of these objectives is necessary to determine those most influential in designing protected area networks and understand why Australia's extinction rates exceed those elsewhere despite actively establishing protected areas over the past several decades. To examine spatio‐temporal trends in policy objectives for protected areas, we evaluated the strategic priorities in Federal, State, and Territory policy documents across Australia between 1992 and 2019 using thematic analysis. We classified priorities into seven themes: adequacy, Indigenous and cultural values; representation of ecosystem and species types; threatened species and their habitat; social and recreational values; unique values and avoiding threatening processes. We found that the representation of ecosystem and species types was the most prevalent theme in policy documents, and the least common theme was social and recreational values. We posit several reasons for this trend and warn that emphasizing extent, in terms of area or representativeness, may diminish the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact for biodiversity outcomes. We found that policies were generally supportive of the strategic identification of particular species or communities that would quantifiably benefit from protection (referred to as avoided loss). Risked‐based approaches to the establishment of protected areas are supported by modern conservation literature to enhance the protected area network's effectiveness. To maximize limited resources, we recommend that governments continue encouraging urgency to avoid species and habitat loss in their strategic priorities. This urgency should be accompanied by clear and consistent funding for on‐the‐ground actions which facilitate the socio‐ecological outcomes that characterize modern protected area policy.
Research on flexural behavior of composite box continuous girder with corrugated steel webs and trusses

A new type of composite structure, the composite box girder with corrugated steel webs (CSWs) and trusses, is proposed recently. In order to investigate the structural behavior under positive and negative bending moments, flexural tests of the continuous girder were carried out, and the failure modes, deformation patterns, strain distribution, and development of the concrete cracks were investigated. Finite element analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of the range of concrete in the steel tube and the thickness of CSWs on the flexural behavior. The experimental and numerical results show that the test beam has a good ductility and integrity under flexural load. The contribution of CSWs to the flexural bearing capacity is very small and can be neglected. Besides, the plane section assumption is still valid when only top concrete slab and bottom steel tubes are concerned. The concrete filled in bottom steel tubes increases the stiffness and the bearing capacity of the girder. Equations to calculate the flexural bearing capacity under positive and negative bending moments were put forward and then verified with experimental results.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Applied to Study Coolant Loss Regimes in Very High Temperature Reactors

The nuclear energy is a good alternative to meet the continuous increase in world energy demand. In this pers-pective, VHTRs (Very High Temperature Reactors) are serious candidates for energy generation due to its inherently safe performance, low power density and high conversion efficiency. However, the viability of these reactors depends on an efficient safety system in the operation of nuclear plants. The HTR (High Temperature Reactor)-10 model, an experimental reactor of the pebble bed type, is used as a case study in this work to perform the thermohydraulic simulation. Due to the complex patterns flow that appear in the pebble bed reactor core CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) techniques are used to simulate these reactors. A realistic approach is adopted to simulate the central annular column of the reactor core. As geometrical model of the fuel elements was selected the BCC (Body Centered Cubic) arrangement. Parameters considered for reactor design are available in the technical report of benchmark issues by IAEA (TECDOC-1694). We obtain the temperature profile distribution in the core for regimes where the coolant flow rate is smaller than recommended in a normal operation. In general, the temperature distributions calculated are consistent with phenomenological behavior. Even without considering the reactivity changes to reduce the reactor power or other safety mechanisms, the maximum temperatures do not exceed the recommended limits for TRISO fuel elements.
A New Approach to the Histogram-Based Segmentation of Synthetic Aperture Radar Images

Radar machine vision is an emerging research field in the mobile robotics. Because Synthetic ApertureRadars (SAR) are robust against weather and light condition, they provide more useful and reliable in formation than optical images. On the other hand, the data processing is more complicated and less researched than visible light images processing. The main goal of our reasarch is to build simple and efficient method of SAR image analysis. In this article we describe our research related to SAR image segmenta tion and attempts to detect elements such as the build ings, roads and forest areas. Tests were carried out for the images made available by Leonardo Airborne & Space System Company.
Anomaly Detection Based on Multiple Streams Clustering for Train Real-Time Ethernet

With the increasing traffic of train communication network (TCN), real-time Ethernet becomes the development trend. However, Train Control and Management System (TCMS) is inevitably faced with more security threats than before because of the openness of Ethernet communication protocol. It is necessary to introduce effective security mechanism into TCN. Therefore, we propose a train real-time Ethernet anomaly detection system (TREADS). TREADS introduces a multiple streams clustering algorithm to realize anomaly detection, which considers the correlation between the data dimensions and adopts the decay window to pay more attention to the recent data. In the experiment, the reliability of TREADS is tested based on the TRDP data set collected from the real network environment, and the models of anomaly detection algorithms are established for evaluation. Experimental results show that TREADS can provide a high reliability guarantee, besides, the algorithm can detect and analyze network anomalies more efficiently and accurately.
Study the Mental Health Status of the Newly Recruited Ayurvedic Medical Practitioners in Sri Lanka

Mental and behavioral disorders are the 13% of the global burden of diseases. Mental health problems are common among children and young people estimated 13.4% affected by any metal disorders. (3) Today mental health problems are emerging more strongly as a public health problems presenting increase of the prevalence of substance and alcohol abuse and the world‘s highest suicide rates. Objective of this survey is study was to identify the mental health status of the newly recruited Ayurvedic medical Practitioners. Descriptive cross sectional survey study was carried out among total population of newly recruited Ayurvedic Practitioners by using self-administered questionnaire. Study conducted at the Institute of Indigenous Medicine. Data collection was carried out by the principal investigator during the period of their training. The response rate was 85.7% (107). The female doctors represented the majority of the participants measured 70.15 (75). Age ranged from 25-45years with mean of 33.1 (SD 2.30). Findings from the study revealed 100 (93.5%) of the respondents are within age range 31-40 yrs. The marital status of the respondents were 82.2% (88) of them are married, unmarried 15.9% (17) and widower 1.9%(2). 95.3% (102) of the respondents are Buddhists and 4.7% (5) are Christians. Also study indicates those 46.7% (50) respondents from semi urban, 42.1% (45) from urban and 11.2% (12) from rural. Nutritional status of the respondents, 56.1% (60) of them are with normal weight, 5.6%(6) of them were underweight and 38.3% (41) overweight. The majority of the respondents 90.7% (97) are with Normal mental health. But 9.3% of the respondents were presented with mild impairment.