Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Combination of Electron Energy-loss Spectroscopy and Orbital Angular Momentum Spectroscopy. Applications to Electron Magnetic Chiral Dichroism, Plasmon-loss, and Core-loss

Electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) is a powerful technique for measuring the energy state of electrons after scattering. It has had incredible success in measuring the atomic and chemical properties of materials, allowing chemical maps to be recorded with atomic spatial resolution. Energy information alone is often sufficient to obtain information about chemical species, plasmons or even phonon excitations, especially when using high-energy-resolution spectrometers and gun monochromators. However, it is sometimes desirable to add a second dispersion variable, either in the form of momentum and energy double-dispersion EELS, or by acquiring a spectrum for a given momentum transfer.
Molecular Characterization of Water‐Soluble Brown Carbon Chromophores in Beijing, China

High abundance and strong light absorption of atmospheric brown carbon (BrC) have been reported in East Asia, especially in northern China. However, the molecular‐level understanding of BrC chromophores in this area is still limited and quite challenging. In this study, elemental composition of individual BrC chromophores was first investigated in the megacity of Beijing, China, using a powerful platform for the characterization of BrC chromophores, with combination of high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to a UV/Vis absorbance detector and a time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer with an electrospray ionization source. The results from this study showed that S‐containing compounds (e.g., CHOS and CHONS) significantly increased in highly polluted days compared to lightly polluted days, probably due to increased emissions from sources such as coal combustion and favorable conditions for organosulfates formation. It was found that CHON and CHO compounds were the most abundant water‐soluble organic compounds in Beijing especially during the wintertime. Nitroaromatic compounds were the major water‐soluble BrC chromophores, with three major BrC chromophores (e.g., C6H5NO3, C7H7NO4, and C6H5NO4) found under all conditions, while other specific BrC chromophores with CHON‐ and CHO‐containing elemental formulas identified and varied in different seasons and pollution conditions. Overall, the water‐soluble BrC chromophores identified in this study explained about 2%–18% of the bulk BrC absorbance over the wavelength range of 300–400 nm. In‐depth studies on exploring more BrC chromophores as well as their chemical structures, related sources, and formation mechanisms should be conducted in the future.
Pandemic Performance: Women Leaders in the COVID-19 Crisis

Abstract Media outlets have reported that women leaders around the globe are managing the COVID-19 crisis better than their male counterparts, responding faster and communicating better about pandemic policies. In this article, we examine empirical data on the timing of policy responses from the Coronavirus Government Response Tracker to determine whether and how countries led by women reacted differently to the pandemic. Exploring the relationship between the gender of leaders and legislators and the timing of stay-at-home orders, school closures, and coordinated public information campaigns, we find no statistical evidence supporting popular claims in the media. However, we find some evidence that the level of gender equality in legislatures is related to school closures, a policy with clear gendered consequences. These conclusions are an important first step in understanding the potentially gendered nature of the crisis response and identifying new avenues for research.
Cross-cultural adaptation and determining validity and reliability of the Persian revised Buffalo model questionnaire

Background and Aim: The majority of auditory processing guidelines use questionnaires or che­cklists as screening tools. The Buffalo Model Questionnaire (BMQ) is a well-known and sen­sitive questionnaire to be used along with the Buffalo Model diagnostic test battery. The revi­sion for the Buffalo Model Questionnaire-Revised (BMQ-R) implemented to improve the readability of the BMQ, reducing the completion time and increasing the ease of scoring for the audiologist. The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of BMQ-R (P-BMQ-R). Methods: After cross-cultural adaptation of the questionnaire, the validity and reliability were determined, also the norms for the children in age ranges between 7 and 12 were generated. Results: Findings of this study revealed strong content and face validity of the questionnaire. Scores of the test and retest were correlated (r > 0.9) strongly and positively based on Spear­man correlation coefficient. Conclusion: The Persian version of BMQ-R (P-BMQ-R) is a valid and reliable tool and is suitable to use in everyday practice. Keywords: Questionnaire; auditory processing disorder; Buffalo model questionnaire; cross-cultural adaptation; Buffalo model questionnaire-revised
THE POPLAR SAPLINGS SURVIVAL IN RECLAIMED MINELAND DEPENDING ON CLONE AND ROOT TREATMENT

The genus Populus L. is one of the promising energy plants for growing on marginal lands. To assess its potential under steppe conditions, growth morphological parameters of 9 hybrid poplar clones grown over two years on a mix of loess-like loam and red-brown clay have been studied. In the first year, the degree of the sapling survival and the intensity of development were explored. At the end of the year, two clones which showed the best results (Ijzer5 and Robusta), were selected for further breeding and rearing. Researches of the second year were devoted to the effect of biological agents on the survival and growth of these two clones. The treatments with vermicomposting extract (VCE), trichodermin, mycorrhiza and mixture of these agents were applied. The experiment with poplar clones Ijzer-5 showed a positive effect of all bioagents on the growth morphological parameters. The increase of the length and diameter of an annual shoots, leaf area and total assimilation surface from 10 to 38% was revealed. The treatment with vermicomposting extract gave the best result. For clones Robusta, only three agents out of four had a positive effect. The rise in morphological parameters was at the level of 9-55%. The best results were noted in the experiment with a mixture of agents. Treatment with trichodermin caused an inhibitory action on most of the growth characteristics of the clone Robusta. To obtain the wood thermal stability information a comparative thermogravimetric analysis of poplar wood samples grown on different soil types was carried out. A larger value of DTG at all stages was observed in a sample of poplar grown on sod podzolic soil. The difference in the value of the rate of mass loss is explained by the larger content of humus in sod podzolic soils, than in the phytomeliorated mix of rocks.
The End of Our Earth Is Certainly to Come: “When”? and “Why”?

Does the recent pandemic COVID-19 mean a very clear sign to eliminate our Earth? For such a “Living” and “Dying” problem, the answers from both “Atheists” and “Christians” are exactly the same. What we addressed here are of “When”? and “Why”?
One-step cascade detection of glucose at neutral pH based on oxidase-integrated copper(ii) metal–organic framework composites

An integrated system was fabricated from a copper(II) metal–organic framework (Cu-MOF) and glucose oxidase (GOx) for one-step cascade determination of glucose at neutral pH (pH = 7.0). Herein, the Cu-MOF performs dual functions of loading GOx and mimicking peroxidase. The GOx@MOF integrated composites were synthesized under mild conditions. In the integrated system, glucose was oxidized to gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide by GOx in the presence of oxygen. In the presence of the MOF catalyst, hydrogen peroxide, acting as an intermediate product, was immediately converted to ˙OH, which oxidized 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and UV-vis absorbance at 420 nm was observed. The glucose concentration is positively and linearly correlated with absorbance in the range 8–140 μM with a detection limit of 2.67 μM. Our strategy possesses the characteristics of excellent accuracy, easy operation and biological application. It has been successfully applied to the detection of glucose in human serum, and provides a more convenient and sensitive operation platform for biological analysis.
Gaussian based Image Segmentation Algorithm

This study adopted the Gaussian equation to eliminate noisy pixels in a segmented image. The equation was converted into a convolution kernel and the values were normalized to attain a perfect result. In order to preserve every information in the image, the border pixels were padded with zeros before the image was convolved with the designed kernel. A variance was computed from the result obtained from the convolution operation and the pixel that obtained the minimum variance was selected as the threshold. In order to obtain the optimum threshold, the computed threshold was multiplied by the optimization constant which ranges from 0.1 to 1, and the resultant was considered as the final threshold for the segmentation process. The Gaussian algorithm was evaluated with global, Otsu and adaptive algorithms. The performance metrics used were signal to noise ratio (defines the sensitivity of algorithm), mean square error and running time (specifies the execution time of an algorithm). In the first experiment which was made up of 20 noise free images, the adaptive attained the highest rating of 7.117dB. This was followed by the Gaussian algorithm at 5.231dB. The poorest performance was seen in the global at 1.988dB. The second experiment was done with ten noisy images. In the experiment, the Gaussian recorded the highest rating of 3.124dB, while the adaptive scored the poorest at 1.847dB. From the running time, the fastest algorithm was seen in the global at 2.814s. This was followed by the Otsu at 9.814s. There was only a difference of 2.107s between the average execution time of the Otsu and the Gaussian This was due to the noise suppressing mechanism in the Gaussian. The slowest algorithm was the adaptive which recorded a running time of 110.594s The Gaussian algorithm performed better when there was presence of noise in the image. This explains why it recorded sensitivity rate of 3.124dB in the second experiment. However, for noise free images, the adaptive algorithm is the best despite the poor performance in the running time. General Terms Image processing, Algorithms, Segmentation, Gaussian
Challenges and Considerations in Developing and Architecting Large-Scale Distributed Systems

This paper investigates large-scale distributed system design. It looks at features, main design considerations and provides the Netflix API, Cassandra and Oracle as examples of such systems. Moreover, the paper investigates the challenges of designing, developing, deploying, and maintaining such systems, in regard to the features presented. Finally, the paper discusses aspects of available solutions and current practices to challenges that large-scale distributed systems face.
Development and application of the Social Justice Teacher Leader Self-Assessment (SJTLSA) instrument

ABSTRACT This article describes the processes employed in developing the Social Justice Teacher Leader Self-Assessment (SJTLSA), a tool designed to foster teacher leader self-reflection, stimulate collegial dialogue, assess school culture, and direct social justice initiatives. Tool development procedures included examining precedents, developing a prototype, establishing face validity and pilot testing. The resulting SJTLSA offers a procedure for systematic self-evaluation of six dimensions of teacher leadership: Dispositions, Knowledge, Personal Attributes, Personal Experiences, Leadership Skills and School Culture. The final format includes 75 closed-response questions, a self-scoring guide, and reflective questions to help respondents identify a personal focus for action research. When used in multiple contexts, the SJTLSA has been found to increase self-awareness, expand knowledge of social justice and teacher leadership and increase respondents’ identity and agency as teacher leaders. Through its content and structure, the SJTLSA theorizes the knowledge, attributes and dispositions essential for social justice leaders, and the leadership skills, personal experiences and school cultures that support teacher leaders to be effective as change agents. As a practical tool that stimulates reflection and dialogue, the SJTLSA supports practitioners including informal and formal leaders in school systems, graduate program faculty, and facilitators of professional development and leadership development programs.
A Study of the Protocols for Action on Sexual Harassment in Public Universities—Proposals for Improvement

Sexual harassment and harassment on the grounds of sex are social problems that still need to be solved in 2020. Universities are not immune to these issues and they generally determine a set of measures to be implemented, sometimes in the form of a protocol of action, in order to address the problem. After a review of the literature, this work will describe the development of these protocols in Spanish public universities, offering a compilation of the implemented means and procedures, but also others still to be added, creating a diagnosis of the position of Spanish universities, and suggestions about how to manage sexual harassment and harassment on the grounds of sex in a higher education environment.
Effects of the 2008 financial crisis on the linkages among the oil, gold, and platinum markets

Abstract To find out if gold remains to be unlinked with the crude oil market after the 2008 financial crisis, we investigated how long-run price linkages and price causalities among crude oil and gold markets changed before and after the crisis. To have a good reference, we also tested the same issue for the oil-platinum relationship. Using the cointegration methods, we found little evidence that gold began to have a price linkage with the crude oil market after the 2008 financial crisis. Conversely, we identified a long-run relationship between the crude oil and platinum markets after the crisis. Hence, we found that compared to the platinum market, the gold market remained unlinked with the oil market after the 2008 financial crisis indicating that it continued to be independent of the crude oil market.
Detection and molecular characterisation of Potato virus S of weed reservoirs in Iran

Abstract Potato virus S causes destructive disease on the plants. In this research, 44 weed samples symptomless were collected during 2015 from Fars, Razavi Khorasan and Kerman provinces of Iran. The coat protein (CP) and 11 K genes from eight PVS isolates were amplified, cloned and sequenced. PVS was detected in eight weed samples including: one sample of Solanum nigrum, two samples of Chenopodium botrytis, three samples of Chenopodium album and two samples of Amaranthus hybridus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that seven Iranian isolates fell into group I, II near to European isolates and one Iranian isolate formed a separate group. Comparison of coat protein and 11 k nucleotide indicated that all Iranian isolates belonged to Ordinary strain and there were 79–100% identity among the eight Iranian isolates and the world isolates of PVS. The highest identity was between Iranian and Ukraine isolates. Recombination analysis identified four recombinant isolates among eight new Iranian isolates.
Avaliação do papel da subunidade II da ATP sintase na tolerância a estresses abióticos em cana-de-açúcar = Assessing the role in tolerance of the ATP synthase subunit II under abiotic stress in sugarcane

Sugarcane is one of the most important crop plants on the world. Among the various stresses that affect agricultural productivity, drought is the most limiting factor for plant growth. Thus, the development of new sugarcane cultivars that are tolerant to drought becomes an important focus of research. From microarray expression data, the gene that encodes a polypeptide with similarity to the II subunit of ATP synthase was selected and its role under abiotic stresses has been studied in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). Overexpression of this gene conferred tolerance to drought and salt stresses in transgenic tobacco. Considering the previous work done by our group, and the literature as regards on the possible role of the ATP synthase in increase tolerance to abiotic stresses, the goal of this work is to perform a functional study of the sugarcane gene that encodes the ATP synthase II subunit, by sugarcane transgenic plants overexpressing this gene and analyze the responses of these plants when subjected to periods of drought. We also bring an overview of the proteomic of sugarcane chloroplast under drought conditions and new insights in the regulation of photosynthesis under stress by differentially expressed chloroplast proteins.
Boş Zaman Engelleri Ölçeği: Kısa Formunun Yapı Geçerliğinin Test Edilmesi

Bu calismanin amaci bireylerin serbest zaman etkinliklerine katilimini sinirlayan ya da engelleyen faktorlerin degerlendirilmesi icin gelistirilen olcegin (kisa form) psikometrik ozelliklerini incelemektir. Bos Zaman Engelleri Olcegi (BZEO) ilk olarak Alexandris ve Carrol (1997) tarafindan gelistirilmis ve Turk kulturune adaptasyonu Karakucuk ve Gurbuz (2006) tarafindan yapilmistir. BZEO’nin Turkce formu 6 faktor ve 27 maddeden olusmaktadir. Calismaya Turkiye’nin farkli universitelerinden 294 kadin ve 256 erkek toplam 550 ogrenci katilmistir. Olcegin Turkce kisa formunun yapi gecerligini test etmek amaciyla Dogrulayici Faktor Analizi (DFA) yapilmistir. DFA sonuclari, olcegin kisa formunun (BZEO-KF) 6 faktorlu ve 18 maddeden olustugunu ve sinanan modelin oldukca uyum indekslerine sahip oldugunu gostermistir. Olcegin 18 maddelik yapisi icin madde faktor yuk degerleri 0,49 ile 0,89 arasinda degismektedir. Olcegin ic tutarlilik katsayilari α = 0,65 (zaman) ile α = 0,86 (bilgi eksikligi) arasinda degismekte olup elde edilen degerler kabul edilebilir duzeydedir. Sonuc olarak, BZEO-KF bireylerin serbest zaman etkinliklerine katilimlarini engelleyen faktorlerin belirlemede kullanilabilecek gecerli ve guvenilir bir olcme aracidir.
Effects of Exchange Rate Volatility on Trade: Evidence from West Africa

The objective of this paper has been to investigate the impact of exchange rate volatility on trade in the context of exports, imports, and the trade balance in West Africa. Applying the pooled Ordinary Least Square, the fixed effects, and the random effect models, and obtaining robust estimates for export and trade balance models by employing xtgls, panels (correlated) Corr (ar1), and adopting xtscc, fe regression with Driscoll-Kraay standard error to estimate the import model. The empirical results show that the impact of exchange rate volatility on exports and imports is insignificant. However, the result of the trade balance model shows a positive and significant link between exchange rate volatility and the trade balance. Thus, suggesting that traders tend to engage more in export activities with an increase in exchange rate volatility. Also, the analysis suggests that depreciation of the real exchange rate will lead to a decrease in exports. Thereby, confirming the limited production capability and heavy reliance on imported goods and services. Hence, this study recommends diversification of production activities and adopting strategies aiming at reducing dependence on imported goods and services. The empirical result shows a positive association between an increase in domestic economic activities of trading partners and exports of the West African countries. This implies that West African countries must engage in trade with countries that have a high economic growth rate. The result also shows a positive link between inflation rate and imports. This suggests the implementation of effective monetary policies geared towards controlling inflation.
Constructing and testing hypotheses of dinosaur foot motions from fossil tracks using digitization and simulation

Whilst bones present a static view of extinct animals, fossil footprints are a direct record of the activity and motion of the track maker. Deep footprints are a particularly good record of foot motion. Such footprints rarely look like the feet that made them; the sediment being heavily disturbed by the foot motion. Because of this, such tracks are often overlooked or dismissed in preference for more foot‐like impressions. However, the deeper the foot penetrates the substrate, the more motion is captured in the sediment volume. We have used deep, penetrative, Jurassic dinosaur tracks which have been naturally split into layers, to reconstruct foot motions of animals living over 200 million years ago. We consider these reconstructions to be hypotheses of motion. To test these hypotheses, we use the Discrete Element Method, in which individual particles of substrate are simulated in response to a penetrating foot model. Simulations that produce virtual tracks morphologically similar to the fossils lend support to the motion being plausible, while simulations that result in very different final tracks serve to reject the hypothesis of motion and help generate a new hypothesis.
Maintenance Mechanism of Rossby Wave Breaking and Pacific-Japan Pattern in Boreal Summer

To reveal a maintenance mechanism for Rossby wave breaking (RWB) east of Japan and Pacific–Japan (PJ) pattern, which are triggered due to quasi-stationary Rossby wave propagation along the Asian jet, the past 44 RWB cases east of Japan are analyzed using a reanalysis dataset. A comparison between the composites of seven persistent and seven non-persistent cases, which are classified based on the duration of the RWB and PJ pattern, indicates that the persistent case demonstrates stronger and longer-lived quasi-stationary Rossby wave propagation along the Asian jet. The subsequent stronger RWB in the persistent case causes the consequential formation of the more enhanced PJ pattern through the stronger high potential vorticity intrusion toward the subtropical western North Pacific. The persistent case further demonstrates a persistent northward-tilting vertical structure of the anomalous anticyclone east of Japan, accompanied by the enhanced anomalous warm air advection in the lower to middle troposphere north of the anomalously extended North Pacific Subtropical High associated with the PJ pattern. The diagnosis of the Q-vector and partial correlation analysis indicate that the anomalous warm air advection in the middle troposphere is closely associated with dynamically induced anomalous ascent from Japan to the east by an adiabatic process. Enhanced anomalous moisture flux convergence from Japan to the east, which is due to the moisture inflow along the fringe of North Pacific Subtropical High from the subtropical western North Pacific, also causes the anomalous ascent over the region by a diabatic process. A simple correlation analysis reveals nearly equivalent associations of the adiabatic and diabatic factors with the anomalous ascent. The anomalous ascent contributes to enhanced and persistent RWB through a negative vorticity tendency due to vortex squashing in the upper troposphere, which further contributes to the enhanced and persistent PJ pattern in the persistent case.