Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Covid-19 and Precarity in South Africa’s Minibus Taxi Industry

This article considers covid-19 and precarity in South Africa’s minibus taxi industry. Covid-19 and the resulting national lockdown interrupted the operations of the industry (like other businesses) in South Africa. During the lockdown (from level 5 to level 1), some taxi operators complained that the lockdown resulted in them losing profit. Taxi drivers also complained that they are making less money through taxi fares (noting that each day they give collected fares to taxi owners and keep some of the money for petrol). The labour inspectors of the Department of Employment and Labour (DOEL) continue to find it difficult to exercise their role of inspecting working conditions in the industry. Despite the fact that the DOEL issued a Sectoral Determination for the taxi industry (Basic Condition of Employment Act 95 of 1997, Sectoral Determination 11: Taxi Sector 2005), which specifies basic employment conditions, the industry is still predominantly informal and employees have no job protection. Taxi drivers remain exempt from job-related benefits such as the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), which makes it impossible for them to benefit during difficult times such as Covid-19 and unemployment. Therefore, the virus and the lockdown revealed further the precariousness of taxi drivers and the concerns around making profit by taxi owners.
Graphene Oxide-Templated Synthesis of Hydroxyapatite Nanowhiskers To Improve the Mechanical and Osteoblastic Performance of Poly(lactic acid) for Bone Tissue Regeneration

Central to the design and development of biomedical-adaptive graphene oxide (GO) is functional modification of GO amenable to technologically reliable and economically viable processing. Here we describe a high-efficiency and low-temperature approach to in situ synthesis of hydroxyapatite (HA) nanowhiskers at GO surfaces (HA@GO), strategically involving microwave-assisted mineralization in stimulated body fluid at room temperature. Being preferentially nucleated and accommodated at GO surfaces, the highly crystalline HA nanowhiskers with an average diameter of 20 nm and a length of 150 nm were characterized by coherent bonding with the host nanosheets. The strong GO–HA interactions, combined with the high density of oxygen functional groups, endowed the HA@GO with good exfoliation and dispersion in a poly(lactic acid) (PLA) matrix even at the highest filler content of 30 wt % (HG30). Inheriting the excellent biocompatibility of HA and the remarkable strength of GO, the PLA/HA@GO nanocomposites exhibited a.
Total variation as a metric for complementarity in energy resources time series

Complementarity has become an essential concept in energy supply systems. Although there are some other metrics, most studies use correlation coefficients to quantify complementarity. The standard interpretation is that a high negative correlation indicates a high degree of complementarity. However, we show that the correlation is not an entirely satisfactory measure of complementarity. As an alternative, we propose a new index based on the mathematical concept of the total variation. For two time series, the new index φ is one minus the ratio of the total variation of the sum to the sum of the two series' total variation. We apply the index first to an auto-regressive (AR) process and then to various Colombian electric system series. The AR case clearly illustrates the limitations of the correlation coefficient as a measure of complementarity. We then evaluate complementarity across various space-time scales in the Colombian power sectors, considering hydro and wind projects. The complementarity assessment on a broad temporal and geographical scale helps analyze large power systems with different energy sources. The case study of the Colombian hydropower systems suggests that φ is better than ρ because (i) it considers scale, whereas ρ, being non-dimensional, is insensitive to the scale and even to the physical dimensions of the variables; (ii) one can apply φ to more than two resources; and (iii) ρ tends to overestimate complementarity.
Force Spectroscopy on Cells

In the human body, a vast variety of diff erent molecules is circulating, diff using, and interacting. Cell membranes contain many proteins that are responsible for interacting and communicating with their environment. Some examples are adhesion molecules for cell anchorage or locomotion, membrane pores for molecular exchange, and other receptor molecules. Th e receptor molecules specifi cally screen for information mediated by ligand-molecules (e.g., hormones) that match the binding site. Some cellular receptor molecules act like “noses,” programmed to transduce the event of a bound ligand through the membrane into the cell by a conformational change (e.g., G-protein-coupled receptors). A change in conformation is a synonym for a mechanical deformation of the molecule. Th is oft en triggers a molecular reaction inside the cell by a signaling cascade. A few ligand molecules (e.g., chemokines) might change the behavior of the whole cell, for example, the directed motion along a concentration gradient. For cellular motion, reversible adhesion and force are required. In order to react adequately to external stimuli, a cell can utilize diff erent concepts for tuning its adhesion by directly strengthening the adhesion of an adhesion molecule (affi nity), by increasing the number of available adhesion molecules (avidity), or by altering the properties of the cellular anchor of the adhesion molecule. Additionally, the cell can distribute an external load to its adhesion molecules either in a sequential manner (pealing off from the adhesion site one bond aft er the other at low forces) or in parallel to the grouped adhesion molecules (clustered weak bonds that share the load in parallel and add it up to a very high force). To resolve the concepts behind cellular adhesion, techniques with a single molecular resolution as well as techniques that reveal multi-molecular arrangements are required. Force spectroscopy is a technique that measures forces within or between individual molecules. Performing such experiments on living cells at the level of single molecules not only reveals the strength of a molecular bond but also adhesion strategies and mechanical reactions of cells related to external forces. Like the receptor molecules, the adhesion molecules also scrutinize their environment for specifi c ligands, but they rather aim at mediating motility or anchorage of the cell. Some adhesion molecules also change their conformation if a ligand has bound and trigger molecular reactions inside the cell. With this concept, the cell can sense the mechanical and chemical properties of the environment it adheres to and consequently react to it. In the following chapter, the technique of force spectroscopy is applied to address questions about cell adhesion forces. How strong is the cell’s adherence? What is the maximum force with which a cell can adhere? How does the cell regulate the adhesion strength? What force binds a single adhesion molecule to its ligand? First, we detail the measurement of the cellular adhesion forces by using the atomic force microscope (AFM).
The effects of macroprudential policies on credit growth

In this paper, we assess the effectiveness of macroprudential policies in controlling short- and long-term credit growth. Using a sample of 414 banks located in 61 countries, we document that macroprudential policies manifest a stabilizing effect in the short run, reducing credit growth, with borrower-targeted macroprudential policies being the most effective in taming credit developments. However, in the long-term tight macroprudential policies enhance credit growth. In this case, country-level analysis shows that financial institution-targeted macroprudential policy is more effective than the instruments that target borrowers, whereas at the bank-level the opposite is true. In addition, using a difference-in-difference approach, we emphasize that there is heterogeneity in the relationship among macroprudential policy and credit growth across different types of countries, banking systems, policy regimes and banks. Our findings stress the importance of macroprudential instruments in limiting excessive lending, most notably borrower-based tools.
Characterization of particles and their relation with residual aluminum in water treated with pulsating floc blanket clarifiers and conventional clariflocculators using PACl

A pulsating floc blanket clarifier (PFBC) employing cyclic contractions and rarefactions to a bed of densely concentrated suspension of flocculated particles in fluidized state, was compared with conventional clariflocculator (CC) at pilot scale (8,000 L/day) in continuous mode of operation. For influent turbidity varied from 2 to 20 NTU, coagulation-flocculation behavior exhibited under the two fundamentally different treatment processes with PACl influenced inter-related performance parameters. The residual turbidity was found lower by 74%, flocs and fine colloids in suspension larger by 73 and 75% respectively, and the total and dissolved residual aluminum lower by 50 and 49% respectively on average for PFBC compared to CC. Particulate form comprised major fraction (≈72%) of total residual aluminum for both. PFBC abetted formation of a more consolidated floc structure which rendered the shape, size and morphology such that the settling velocity was 50% to 410% higher than that of the CC flocs. Reaction-limited aggregation (RLA) process and inter-particle bridging were dominant and the resulting floc structure and its formation mechanism have been presented.
College-Bound Figured Worlds: Case Studies of Three Urban High Schools

This qualitative case study explored the unique ways recent college graduates serving as full-time, near-peer mentors supported students along the path to college in three different urban public high schools. By applying the theory of figured worlds to school spaces and practices, this study sought to both define the physical and figurative ways mentors helped students envision and enact college-bound identities and compare and contrast the differences in these spaces across schools. Data and thematic analysis indicate that promoting the development and enactment of college-bound identities requires intentionality about how school culture, people, and policies enable real and figurative spaces for college-bound exploration and support.
THE BRANDING PROCESS: MEDIATOR ROLES OF BRAND SATISFACTION AND BRAND LOYALTY

Markalama sureci cesitli asamalardan meydana gelmektedir. Tuketicinin markayi ilk deneyimledigi andan itibaren baslayan bu surec, markanin sadik musterisi olarak marka savunuculugu yapma asamasi olan marka evangelizmine kadar devam etmektedir. Bu kapsamda calismada, marka evangelizminin olusumun surecinde marka deneyimi, marka memnuniyeti ve marka sadakati kavramlarinin etkisi tespit edilmeye calisilmaktadir. Ayrica, marka deneyiminden marka evangelizmine giden yolda marka memnuniyeti ve marka sadakati kavramlarinin araci rolu degerlendirilecektir. Kolayda ornekleme yontemi ile 400 kisiye anket uygulamasi yapilarak veriler toplanmistir. Analizler sonucunda; marka deneyimi, marka memnuniyeti ve marka sadakatinin marka evangelizmi uzerinde pozitif bir etkiye sahip oldugu tespit edilmistir. Ayrica marka sadakatinin marka deneyimi ile marka evangelizmi arasinda aracilik rolunun oldugu gorulmustur. Veriler SPSS 18 ve AMOS 20 programlari kullanilarak analiz edilmistir.
Contrasting northern and southern European winter climate trends during the Last Interglacial

The Last Interglacial (LIG; 130–115 ka) is an important test bed for climate science as an instance of significantly warmer than preindustrial global temperatures. However, LIG climate patterns remain poorly resolved, especially for winter, affected by a suite of strong feedbacks such as changes in sea-ice cover in the high latitudes. We present a synthesis of winter temperature and precipitation proxy data from the Atlantic seaboard of Europe, spanning from southern Iberia to the Arctic. Our data reveal distinct, opposite latitudinal climate trends, including warming winters seen in the European Arctic while cooling and drying occurred in southwest Europe over the LIG. Climate model simulations for 130 and 120 ka suggest these contrasting climate patterns were affected by a shift toward an atmospheric circulation regime with an enhanced meridional pressure gradient and strengthened midlatitude westerlies, leading to a strong reduction in precipitation across southern Europe.
Fermentation Profile and Probiotic-Related Characteristics of Bifidobacterium longum MC-42

This article presents new data on Bifidobacterium longum MC-42—a strain that has been actively used for the preparation of commercial dairy products in Russia for almost 40 years. It was demonstrated that this strain possesses high activities of β-galactosidase, α-glucosidase, and leucine arylaminidase; inhibits the growth of pathogens such as Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli; and can efficiently remove cholesterol from the cultural medium. The resistance of B. longum MC-42 determined for 15 commonly used antibiotics was in agreement with those previously reported for Bifidobacterium spp. The absence of frequently transmittable antibiotic resistance genes in the genome and the lack of undesirable activity of β-glucuronidase proved the safe use of B. longum МС-42 as a probiotic and starter culture. Additionally, the impact of two growth-promoting additives—yeast extract or milk protein hydrolysate containing supplementation—on the B. longum MC-42 fermentation profile was assessed. The introduction of these additives increases the maximum attainable viable cell count by orders of magnitude, significantly changed the profile of aminopeptidase activities in extracellular extracts, and influenced the antioxidant and antihypertensive properties of the obtained fermented products.
How to use solutions of Advection-Dispersion Equation to describe reactive solute transport through porous media

ResumenLas soluciones de la Ecuación de Advección-Dispersión son usadas frecuentemente para describir el transporte de solutos a través de medios porosos, considerando adsorción en equilibrio, de tipo lineal y reversible. Para indicar algunas sugerencias acerca de este tema, se hizo una revisión de las soluciones analíticas disponibles. Hay soluciones para Problemas con Condiciones de Frontera, de primer y tercer-tipo en la entrada así como de primer y segundo-tipo a la salida. Se analiza el comportamiento de las soluciones equivalentes, para sistemas finitos y semi-infinitos, observando que las soluciones de los sistemas semi-infinitos se aproximan a las correspondientes de los sistemas finitos conforme la condición de frontera de salida en el infinito se aproxima a la ubicación de medición del sistema finito. Solamente se presentan las soluciones analíticas con condiciones de frontera de segundo-tipo a la salida, ya que son iguales a las correspondientes soluciones analíticas con frontera de primer-tipo a la salida, para ambos tipos de condiciones de frontera de entrada usadas. Un análisis paramétrico, basado en el número de Peclet, muestra que todas las soluciones convergen cuando el número de Peclet es mayor que veinte. Los sistemas investigados deben tener un número de Peclet mayor que cinco para usar con confianza las soluciones de la Ecuación de Advección-Dispersión para describir el transporte de soluto en medios porosos.Palabras Clave: Ecuación de Advección-Difusión, Soluciones Analíticas, Transporte de Solutos Reactivos, Medios Porosos.AbstractThe solutions of Advection-Dispersion Equation are frequently used to describe solute transport through porous media when considering lineal and reversible equilibrium adsorption. To notice some warnings about this item, a review of analytical solutions available was done. There are solutions for Boundary Value Problems with first and third-type inlet boundary conditions as well as first and second-type outlet boundary condition. The behavior of equivalent solutions for finite and semi-infinite systems are analyzed, observing that semi-infinite system solutions approximates to the corresponding finite ones as the “infinite” outlet boundary condition approach to the finite measurement location. Because the analytical solutions with a first-type outlet boundary condition are equal to the corresponding analytical solutions with a second-type one, for both inlet boundary condition type used, only the latter is presented. A parametric analysis based on Peclet number shows that all solutions converge for Peclet number greater than twenty. Systems under research must have Peclet number greater than five to use confidently the solutions of Advection-Dispersion Equation to describe reactive solute transport through porous media.Keywords: Advection-Diffusion Equation, Analytical solutions, Reactive Solute Transport, Porous Media.
Differences in Satisfaction? A Meta-Analytic Review of Interracial and Intraracial Relationships

Abstract Empirical investigations on whether there is a difference in relationship satisfaction for partners in interracial compared to intraracial relationships offer contradictory conclusions. The current study reviewed investigations of differences in satisfaction using a meta-analysis to determine whether and under what circumstances there is a difference in relationship satisfaction. Individual, dyadic, environmental, and methodological variations in study participants and designs were explored as potential moderators. Using estimates of effect size d, no overall difference in relationship satisfaction was found between intraracial and interracial relationships. The examination of the moderators revealed that sample size and geographic location of the study impacted whether differences were detected, but most tests for moderation indicated no differences. These conclusions suggest that the current literature on satisfaction in interracial relationships as less satisfied than intraracial relationships may be a reflection of publication bias in which statistically significant differences are published.
Hydrogen adsorption on metal‐functionalized benzene and B‐substituted benzene

Hydrogen storage properties of metal doped benzene complexes vary with positions of boron atom substitution in a benzene ring at MP2/6‐311++g(d,p) level. Two carbon atoms of a benzene (C6H6) ring positioned at 1‐2, 1‐3 and 1‐4 are replaced by two boron atoms and the structures named as BB1‐2, BB1‐3 and BB1‐4, respectively. Further, pristine as well as boron substituted benzene complexes are decorated with Li, Be,Ti and Ca atoms. C6H6Li, BB1‐2Li, BB1‐3Li and BB1‐4Li complexes can interact with three, three, two and three H2 molecules, respectively, with 6.64, 6.82, 4.65 and 6.82 wt% H2 uptake capacities. Only one H2 molecule gets adsorbed on each C6H6Be, BB1‐2Be, BB1‐3Be and BB1‐4Be complexes with respective H2 uptake capacity of 2.26, 2.32, 2.32 and 2.32 wt%. One additional hydrogen molecule gets adsorbed on Ti(Ca) decorated boron substituted benzene than C6H6Ti(C6H6Ca) with respective H2 uptake capacity 7.54(7.98) and 6.02(9.46) wt%. Electron density of metal atom gets altered significantly after adsorption of H2 molecules. The averaged H2 adsorption energies with Gibbs free energy correction ΔEG are found to be negative for all Li‐ and Ca‐doped complexes indicates thermodynamically unfavorable H2 adsorption where ΔEG values are positive for all Ti‐ and Be‐doped complexes at room temperature indicating thermodynamically favorable H2 adsorption. Interaction between H2 molecules and Be‐ as well as Ti‐doped complexes is found to be stronger than Li‐ and Ca‐doped complexes. Be‐doped complexes considered do not satisfy the target set by DOE regarding H2 uptake capacity. Boron substitution improves molecular hydrogen uptake of Benzene‐Ti complex by 1.52 wt% and satisfy the target set by DOE. C6H6Li, BB1‐2Li, BB1‐3Li and BB1‐4Li complexes cannot be used for hydrogen storage since hydrogen adsorption on these complexes is endothermic. Ti‐doped boron substituted complexes are found to more promising H2 storage material because of their higher H2 uptake capacity as well as their strong interaction with adsorbed hydrogen molecules than Li‐, Be‐ and Ca‐doped complexes.
Cyberactivism, Facebook self-efficacy and collective action among peruvian students

The relationship between cyberactivism and collective action has been widely studied. However, there is questioning on how online activism can lead to offline initiatives. The present study proposes that the relationship between cyberactivism and offline collective action is mediated by Facebook self-efficacy to produce collective action. The sample was comprised of 293 undergraduate students (M = 19.93, SD = 1.73, women = 63.8%) from two private universities in Lima - Peru. Results showed that cyberactivism was related with Facebook self-efficacy (r = .29, p < .001) and offline collective action (r = .37, p < .001), while Facebook self-efficacy was also associated with offline collective action (r = .59 p < .001). Furthermore, the findings displayed a partial mediation of Facebook self-efficacy between cyberactivism and offline collective action (B = .19, SE = 0.5, 95%, CI [.11, .29]). The model accounted for (R2) 14% of the explained variance in collective action. Finally, results demonstrated a good adjusted model fit index (CFI = 1.00, SRMR = 0.00). The interplay between the variables can partially be explained through the concept of triadic reciprocal causation of the Social Cognitive Theory
Does Tourism Development Matter for the Economic Growth of Southeast Asian Countries?

Tourism can be a positive trigger to stimulate economic activities and growth. This study examined the relationships between domestic tourism spending, international tourism receipts and the economic growth of eight Southeast Asian countries from 1995-2018 using a Pedroni cointegration test, fully-modified OLS (FMLOS), dynamic OLS (DOLS) and Granger causality tests. The results showed a strong long-term relationship between economic growth, domestic tourism spending and international tourism receipts. Based on the results, Southeast Asian countries should increase tourism development to improve economic growth. Keywords: economic growth, domestic tourism, international tourism, tourism development