Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Greater, but not necessarily better: The influence of biochar on soil hydraulic properties

Biochar is recommended as a soil amendment for its positive influence on soil hydrological properties, which results in improved soil fertility and crop yield. Much research in the last decade has been conducted in field and laboratory conditions on the effect of biochar on the hydraulic properties of soil. However, reported results in the literature are substantially inconsistent. Here we performed a meta‐analysis to capture the variations in change in hydraulic properties of arable soils after application of different rates of biochar. The meta‐analysis revealed that high biochar rates (>50 t ha−1) compared to low rates (<20 t ha−1) significantly improved dry bulk density in sandy and clay soils, in field and laboratory experiments. However, field capacity only improved in laboratory experiments on sandy soils. The plant available water, permanent wilting point and saturated hydraulic conductivity did not significantly increase at high rates of biochar application compared to the low rates when applied to different types of soils in both field and laboratory experiments. We discuss possible reasons for this, including hydrophobicity of the biochar with future research directions. We concluded that the current evidence does not support the notion that the application of biochar improves soils' available water capacity.
Study on running deviation mechanism and intelligent control of belt conveyor

In order to improve the stability of the belt conveyor system, its lumped parameters are analyzed and controlled based on the belt conveyor model and the adaptive control algorithm of the fuzzy control. The effect of the parameters on the running deviation mechanism of the belt conveyor is evaluated. Then, the eccentricity of the platen roller (α) is controlled to reduce the horizontal force and horizontal velocity of the belt conveyor. The research results show that the stability of the belt conveyor is greatly influenced by the eccentricity of the platen roller, especially with the high load and velocity of the belt conveyor. Additionally, with the eccentricity of the platen roller controlled by the fuzzy control, both the horizontal force and horizontal velocity are insignificantly changed when increasing the eccentricity of the platen roller, especially at α 0-6°, Therefore, the stability of the belt conveyor system is obviously improved by using the fuzzy control.
Traits explain invasion of alien plants into tropical rainforests

Abstract 1. The establishment of new botanic gardens in tropical regions highlights a need for weed risk assessment tools suitable for tropical ecosystems. The relevance of plant traits for invasion into tropical rainforests has not been well studied. 2. Working in and around four botanic gardens in Indonesia where 590 alien species have been planted, we estimated the effect of four plant traits, plus time since species introduction, on: (a) the naturalization probability and (b) abundance (density) of naturalized species in adjacent native tropical rainforests; and (c) the distance that naturalized alien plants have spread from the botanic gardens. 3. We found that specific leaf area (SLA) strongly differentiated 23 naturalized from 78 non‐naturalized alien species (randomly selected from 577 non‐naturalized species) in our study. These trends may indicate that aliens with high SLA, which had a higher probability of naturalization, benefit from at least two factors when establishing in tropical forests: high growth rates and occupation of forest gaps. Naturalized aliens had high SLA and tended to be short. However, plant height was not significantly related to species' naturalization probability when considered alongside other traits. 4. Alien species that were present in the gardens for over 30 years and those with small seeds also had higher probabilities of becoming naturalized, indicating that garden plants can invade the understorey of closed canopy tropical rainforests, especially when invading species are shade tolerant and have sufficient time to establish. 5. On average, alien species that were not animal dispersed spread 78 m further into the forests and were more likely to naturalize than animal‐dispersed species. We did not detect relationships between the measured traits and estimated density of naturalized aliens in the adjacent forests. 6. Synthesis: Traits were able to differentiate alien species from botanic gardens that naturalized in native forest from those that did not; this is promising for developing trait‐based risk assessment in the tropics. To limit the risk of invasion and spread into adjacent native forests, we suggest tropical botanic gardens avoid planting alien species with fast carbon capture strategies and those that are shade tolerant.
Hybrid Eulerian-Lagrangian Approach for Dense Spray Simulations

In this work, a hybrid Euler-Lagrangian solver for dense spray systems is developed speciﬁcally for cases where ﬁlm creation by accumulation of liquid droplets at the walls plays a crucial role. Euler-Lagrangian solvers are commonly used to describe the spray with predeﬁned spray characteristics. The Lagrangian particles represent liquid drops moving along the continuous gaseous phase. This approach assumes a small particle size compared to the cell size and it is unable to capture the breakup behavior of liquid jets in the presence of instabilities. VOF methods, on the other hand, are not a computationally feasible option when it comes to small droplet sizes as a result of liquid atomization because they have to be fully resolved by the computational mesh. Hence, multiscale simulations are required to bridge the gap between the two methods combining subgrid droplets in Lagrangian approaches and large liquid structures in VOF
Embedded Microbubbles for Acoustic Manipulation of Single Cells and Microfluidic Applications

Acoustically excited microstructures have demonstrated significant potential for small-scale biomedical applications by overcoming major microfluidic limitations. Recently, the application of oscillating microbubbles has demonstrated their superiority over acoustically excited solid structures due to their enhanced acoustic streaming at low input power. However, their limited temporal stability hinders their direct applicability for industrial or clinical purposes. Here, we introduce the embedded microbubble, a novel acoustofluidic design based on the combination of solid structures (poly(dimethylsiloxane)) and microbubbles (air-filled cavity) to combine the benefits of both approaches while minimizing their drawbacks. We investigate the influence of various design parameters and geometrical features through numerical simulations and experimentally evaluate their manipulation capabilities. Finally, we demonstrate the capabilities of our design for microfluidic applications by investigating its mixing performance as well as through the controlled rotational manipulation of individual HeLa cells.
Design Selection and Geometry in OWC Wave Energy Converters for Performance

Although oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converters are arguably one of the most studied technologies, it is not clear which chamber geometry, among all of the available alternatives, would provide the best performance at a site of interest. In this work, a numerical model based on the Navier-Stokes equations for two compressible fluids, using a volume-of-fluid interface-capturing approach, is implemented to determine the best performing OWC geometry in a case study off the Port of Vigo (NW Spain). Four general shapes of OWC are analyzed: classic, stepped-bottom, U-shaped and L-shaped, and geometrical variants are investigated. In total, 18 chamber geometries are studied, considering the same turbine geometry in all of them. It was found that the U-shaped and L-shaped designs are the most easily tuned to resonate at a period of interest. Of these two, the L-shaped performs better. The best performance is achieved for an L-shaped OWC design with a shallow entrance, a high horizontal chamber duct and a wide vertical duct, for which a maximum capture-width ratio of 71.6% was achieved.
Computing frequency response of non‐parametric uncertainty model of MIMO systems using υ‐gap metric optimization

This paper presents the computation of the non-parametric uncertainty model for multi input multi output (MIMO) systems, which is described by normalized coprime factors (NCF) using the frequency response data of the system. This computation is accomplished by minimizing a υ -gap metric criterion. For this purpose, the problem is formulated to a convex optimization context, such that a semideﬁnite programming (SDP) can be imple-mented. Minimization constraints and the normality constraints of coprime factors are converted to linear matrix inequalities (LMI). Thus, by convex optimization algorithms, the semideﬁnite programming will be optimized. The proposed method can also be used for non-square multi input multi output systems in a conservative assumption. So, through the ﬁrst process of optimization, the frequency responses of the normalized coprime factors are derived. Finally, to evaluate the performance of the proposed method in the computation of the normalized coprime factors of a system, the simulated results of this method are compared with those obtained by the other methods for two types of systems.
Gene expression of Tasmanian devil facial tumors differs among host populations

Background Transmissible cancers lie at the intersection of oncology and infectious disease, two traditionally divergent fields for which gene expression studies are particularly useful for identifying the molecular basis of phenotypic variation. In oncology, transcriptomics studies, which characterize the expression of thousands of genes, have identified processes leading to heterogeneity in cancer phenotypes and individual prognoses. More generally, transcriptomics studies of infectious diseases characterize interactions between host, pathogen, and environment to better predict population-level outcomes. Tasmanian devils have been impacted dramatically by a transmissible cancer (devil facial tumor disease; DFTD) that has led to widespread population declines. Despite initial predictions of extinction, populations have persisted at low levels, due in part to heterogeneity in host responses, particularly between sexes. However, the processes underlying this variation remain unknown. Results We sequenced transcriptomes from healthy and DFTD-infected devils, as well as DFTD tumors, to characterize host responses to DFTD infection, identify differing host-tumor molecular interactions between sexes, and investigate the extent to which tumor gene expression varies among host populations. We found minimal variation in gene expression of devil lip tissues, either with respect to DFTD infection status or sex. However, 4,088 genes were differentially expressed in tumors among our sampling localities. Pathways that were up- or downregulated in DFTD tumors relative to normal tissues exhibited the same patterns of expression with greater intensity in tumors from localities that experienced DFTD for longer. No RNA sequence variants were associated with expression variation. Conclusions Expression variation among localities may underly phenotypic variation in the tumor, potentially manifesting in morphological differences that alter ratios of normal-to-tumor cells within biopsies. Phenotypic variation in tumors may arise from environmental variation or differences in host immune response that were undetectable in lip biopsies, potentially reflecting variation in host-tumor coevolutionary relationships among sites that differ in the time since DFTD arrival.
Heterogeneity in Short- and Long-Term Impacts of School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) on Academic Outcomes, Behavioral Outcomes, and Criminal Activity

Abstract To address social and behavioral problems in schools, more than 26,000 schools around the world have implemented School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS). Previous studies have focused on the effects of SWPBS on short-term teacher-rated behavior such as office discipline referrals or academic outcomes, but no study has yet investigated effects on long-term student outcomes. We use population-wide longitudinal register data, including all Norwegian students that are exposed to SWPBS, and examine effects on short- and long-term academic outcomes, as well as long-term school behavior and youth crime. Both when we evaluate average program effects for all students and when looking at at-risk students only, we find no indications that the Norwegian SWPBS affected any of these outcomes.
Directly Synthesized Graphene-Based Photonics and Optoelectronics Devices

In the past two decades, extensive research and studies have been performed on graphene because of its exceptional physical properties. Owing to its ultrahigh carrier mobility, quantum Hall effect and unique optical transmittance, graphene is considered to be a multi-functional component for realizing next-generation optoelectronic and photonic devices. Significant efforts have been made towards efficient synthesis, transfer, and integration of graphene for use in device scale. However, the critical hurdles lie in developing 3D and conformal graphene, which are ideal for integrated hybrid photonic systems. Here, we review different methods of synthesizing graphene, specifically recent advances in the synthesis of direct, conformal, 3D graphene. In addition, we comprehensively summarize the latest progress made towards directly grown, 3D, conformal graphene-based photonic and optoelectronic applications. Finally, several important challenges for large-sale implementation of directly grown graphene-based optoelectronic and photonic devices are discussed.
Four years on the track of Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun, 1986): reconstructing the invasion of the Iberian Peninsula using social networks sites and citizen science.

Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun, 1896) is one of the 100 worst alien invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea, first reported in Venice in 1949. Firstly, the portunid crab colonized the Northern Levantine basin, and half a century later the species spreads rapidly in the Western basin. The general use of social network sites and smart phones have derived in the bloom of citizen science, which enlists the general public in gathering scientific information across large spatio-temporal scales. This research, describes the use of citizen science to unveil the colonization of C. sapidus in the Iberian Peninsula, using the Local Ecological Knowledge of recreational fishermen. Overall, C. sapidus has been detected in more than 300 locations, including a number of Natura2000 areas and 18 rivers. Eventually, recreational fishermen perceived the presence of the portunid crab as detrimental for the ecosystem.
Remote Proctored Exam for Prociency-Testing: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected assessment practice in higher education including a complex planning of supervision. To organise safely and reliably a remote prociency-test for admission to the Advanced Master of General Practice (AMGP), we developed a supervisor app tracking and tracing candidates’ behaviour. Methods: A cross-sectional design was adopted with candidates applying for admission to the AMGP. The supervisor app operated on three levels to register events: recording actions, analysing behaviour, and live supervision. Each suspicious event was given a score. The outcome measures were the number of suspicious events and the exam outcome compared to the past year. To get more insight into candidates’ perceptions about the app, a post-test questionnaire was administered. An exploratory factor analysis was performed to explore quantitative data, while qualitative data were thematically analysed. Results: In total, 472 (79%) candidates used the app in an off campus setting and 121 (20%) were on campus with live supervision. Test results of both groups were comparable. The app detected 22 candidates with a suspicious level >1, mainly due to background noise. All events occurred without fraud purpose. Out of 472 candidates, 304 �lled in the post-test questionnaire. Two factors were extracted from the analysis and identi�ed as candidates’ appreciation of the app and as emotional distress because of the app. Four themes were identi�ed in the thematic analysis providing more insight on candidates’ emotional well-being. Conclusions: A supervisor app registering and recording behaviour to prevent fraud during off-campus exams is e�cient without in�uencing the exam outcome. Although candidates’ perceptions were mixed, increased anxiety was due to the lack of clear guidelines about the app. Future research should compare in a controlled design the cost-benet balance between the supervisor app and candidates’ awareness of being monitored combined with a safe exam browsing plug in.
Forest Greening Increases Land Surface Albedo During the Main Growing Period Between 2002 and 2019 in China

This study is the first to find the unexpected increases in albedo due to forest greening, which has important implications in research of land‐surface energy‐balance and the forest‐climate feedback. We investigated interannual changes of vegetation and albedo for forests and grassland during the main growing period, May to September, between 2002 and 2019 in China using the MODIS‐satellite vegetation index and albedo products. These results indicate significant greening (PMK < 0.01) in all types of forests as well as grasslands in China. However, forests had an increasing trend of shortwave albedo (PMK < 0.01) for evergreen forests, deciduous broadleaf forests, and mixed forests. Grasslands showed a decreasing albedo trend (PMK < 0.01) over the same period. Corroborating statistical analyses revealed a positive correlation (P < 0.01) between Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and albedo for forests on interannual scales. However, EVI and albedo for grasslands had a negative correlation. Forest greening increased the albedo during the main growing period. This contrasts previous results indicating that albedo decreases as annual forest‐cover increases. Developing and analyzing a simple vegetation‐coverage‐based albedo model showed that increasing forest coverage (i.e., forest greening) had increased area of more brightly leafy canopy and decreased area of darker gaps in the forest canopy. In conjunction, these produced the increased overall albedo observed by satellite. Contrastingly, grassland greening and more precipitation produced decreased albedo. Hence, the greening of forests and grasslands, representing dense and scarce vegetation respectively, has contrasting albedo responses.
In Vitro Cultured Melissa officinalis Cells as Effective Ingredient to Protect Skin against Oxidative Stress, Blue Light, and Infrared Irradiations Damages

Skin is being increasingly exposed to artificial blue light due to the extensive use of electronic devices, which can induce cell oxidative stress, causing signs of early photo aging. The Melissa officinalis phytocomplex is a new standardized cosmetic ingredient obtained by an in vitro plant cell culture with a high content of rosmarinic acid. In this study, we examine the activity of the Melissa officinalis phytocomplex to protect skin against blue light and infrared damages, evaluating the ROS (Radical Oxygen Species) level in keratinocyte cell line from human skin (HaCaT) and Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2), elastin, and MMP1 (Matrix Metalloproteinase 1) immunostaining in living human skin explants ex vivo. This phytocomplex demonstrates antioxidant activity by reducing ROS production and thus the oxidant damage of the skin caused by UV and blue light exposure. In addition, it inhibits blue light-induced Nrf2 transcriptional activity, IR-induced elastin alteration, and IR-induced MMP-1 release. This Melissa officinalis phytocomplex is a new innovative active ingredient for cosmetic products that is able to protect skin against light and screen exposure damages and oxidative stress.
Relative Concentration-Based Mathematical Optimization for the Fluctuant Analysis of Multi-Impurity Hydrogen Networks

Hydrogen is a crucial and expensive resource for refineries. Hydrogen network integration is an effective way to conserve fresh hydrogen. On the basis of relative concentration analysis, a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) mathematical model is established to synthesize refinery multi-impurity hydrogen networks. By correlating the hydrogen consumption of a sink with its oil processing throughputs, this model reveals the fresh hydrogen variation tendency caused by fluctuation of each capacity, and determines the key sink(s) of a hydrogen network with multiple impurities on the premise of minimum fresh hydrogen consumption. With a structure matrix variable, practical hydrogen networks can be analyzed through the proposed model. The results show that the novel method in this paper is superior to traditional absolute concentration-based methods in fresh hydrogen conservation under cases of static, fluctuant throughputs, and fluctuant throughputs with restricted network structure. Two cases are employed .
Adsorption-Based Strategies for Removing Uremic Toxins from Blood

Abstract Chronic kidney disease leads to the accumulation of uremic toxins within the blood compartment. Engineered surfaces that adsorb toxins from the blood compartment are a promising approach for clearing uremic toxins not easily removed using membrane-based dialysis techniques. A variety of adsorbent materials have been studied with the purpose of targeting a general group of toxins or a specific uremic toxin. Some of these structures have also been incorporated into toxin clearance systems, including column adsorption and membrane adsorption. This review focuses upon, as much as possible, adsorption studies that included the evaluation of uremic toxin removal. We also discuss certain special adsorbent systems like molecularly imprinted polymer and mixed matrix membranes. The clinical application of several adsorbent systems in uremic toxin removal is also reviewed.
In Vivo Positive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Brain Cancer (U87MG) Using Folic Acid-Conjugated Polyacrylic Acid-Coated Ultrasmall Manganese Oxide Nanoparticles

Ultrasmall nanoparticles are potential candidates for application as high-performance imaging agents. Herein, we present the synthesis and characterization of folic acid (FA)-conjugated polyacrylic acid (PAA)-coated MnO nanoparticles with an average particle diameter of 2.7 nm. FA conferred cancer-targeting ability, while PAA conferred good colloidal stability and low cellular cytotoxicity on the FA-PAA-coated MnO nanoparticles. Further, the nanoparticles exhibited a high relaxivity (r1) value of 9.3 s−1mM−1 (r2/r1 = 2.2). Their application potential as cancer-targeting T1 magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents was confirmed by their enhanced T1 contrast enhancements at the brain cancer (U87MG) site upon intravenous administration to mice tails.
A Global Version of Samuelson’s Dictum

Samuelson’s Dictum refers to the conjecture that there is more informational inefficiency at the aggregate stock market level than at the individual stock level. Our paper recasts it in a global setup: there should be more informational inefficiency at the global level than at the country level. We find that sovereign CDS spreads can predict future stock index returns, GDP, and PMI of their underlying countries. Consistent with the global version of Samuelson’s Dictum, the predictive power for both stock returns and macro variables is almost entirely from the global, rather than country-specific, information from the sovereign CDS market.