Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Two Sample Preparation Methods for X‐Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry in the Determination of Ni and Cr

Pressed powder pellets and fused beads or glass disks are routinely used in X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry for the determination of major and trace elements, respectively, in geological materials. In order to evaluate the performance of these two sample preparation methods, we determined Ni and Cr concentrations of fourteen RMs from Japan, France and South Africa, and eighty‐five igneous and three sedimentary rock samples from Mexico in both powder pellets and glass beads. We also computed new values of statistical parameters for RMs from an outlier‐based multiple‐test method and compared them with the literature mean and confidence limit values. The results showed that the multiple‐test method provided more reliable central tendency and dispersion parameters for RMs than those obtained previously from the two or three standard deviation method, or from robust methods. The powder pellet and fused bead sample preparation methods provided consistent results for Ni and Cr at concentration levels > 50 μg g−1 in this application; for lower concentration levels, however, these methods showed somewhat greater differences. For quantitative comparisons, both ordinary and weighted least‐squares linear regression models were used to show that the two sample preparation methods provided generally unbiased results.
Does spatial proximity supplant family ties? Exploring the role of neighborly support for older people in diverse, aging cities

ABSTRACT The aging population, coupled with increasing diversification, is currently altering the social fabric of cities worldwide. At the local level, social ties within a neighborhood play a key role in enabling older people to age in familiar surroundings. However, family ties in the neighborhood become less common implying that older people become more dependent on alternative support systems such as friends and neighbors. Drawing from a mixed-method research in Berlin (Germany), focus group discussions (26 participants) and survey data (n= 506), we explore the scope of neighborhood support in later life. Our qualitative findings suggest that women, migrants, and people without families close by primarily provide support to fellow older people. Findings from ordinal regression analysis support this on a larger scale. We conclude that these findings point to a new meaning of spatial proximity for social support in times of weakened family ties and growing diversity in old age.
Spectroscopic charge pumping: A new procedure for measuring interface trap distributions on MOS transistors

An approach to the application of the charge pumping technique is proposed as a tool for the measurement of interface trap energy distributions in small area MOS transistors. The new approach is spectroscopic in nature, i.e., only one energy window is defined, and forced to move through the bandgap by changing the sample temperature. This method has the advantages of addressing a larger part of the bandgap as compared to the classical approach, of reducing the complication in the processing of the data, and of yielding information about the hole and electron capture cross sections separately. Experiments performed on both n-channel and p-channel MOS transistors reveal that, in the temperature (energy) range studied, the interface-trap distribution is slowly varying with energy and that the trap capture cross section is nearly constant over energy and temperature. >
“It's all window dressing:” Canadian police officers' perceptions of mental health stigma in their workplace

PurposeThis study will provide a preliminary, general overview of Canadian police officers' perception of stigma toward mental illness in their workplace culture and its impacts.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a mixed methods approach with two nationwide datasets: a self-report survey (N = 727) and 116 semi-structured interviews with police officers from 31 police services. Results are grounded in theories of stigma, masculinities and organizational culture.FindingsResults indicate that most officers believe stigma toward mental illness in their workplace remains, despite senior management messaging and program implementation. Reporting mental illness was often seen as high risk, both personally and professionally. Policewomen, constables and those on leave reported statistically significant higher levels of perceived stigma and risk. Features of traditional masculinity were commonly reported, influencing the way individuals viewed themselves (self-stigma) and organizational response (structural stigma). Those with lived experience reported the highest levels of self and structural stigmatization, which often negatively impacted their recovery.Originality/valueThis study strengthens our understanding of how organizational culture and structure combine to contribute to the persistent presence of stigma in some Canadian police services (with implications for male-dominated occupations generally). Gender, rank, years of service and lived experience are additional areas of limited scholarship addressed by this study. The findings have important implications for effective program and policy evaluation and development.
Pyrolysis of Waste Paper: Characterization and Composition of Pyrolysis Oil

This article presents the results of an experimental study of waste paper pyrolysis in tubular furnace pyrolysis equipment. Pyrolysis of waste paper has been conducted in different pyrolysis temperatures and heating rates to investigate the product distribution and yields of pyrolysis products. The pyrolysis oil was characterized by elemental analysis and various chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques, which are HPLC, 1H NMR, FTIR, and UV. The results of spectroscopic and chromatographic analysis show that there are four main different compounds in bio-oil: anhydrosugars, carboxyl compounds, carbonyl compounds and aromatic compounds.
Deliberation Enhances the Confirmation Bias in Politics

The confirmation bias, unlike other decision biases, has been shown both empirically and in theory to be enhanced with deliberation. This suggests that limited attention, reduced deliberation, or limited available cognitive resources may moderate this bias. We aimed to test this hypothesis using a validated confirmation bias task in conjunction with a protocol that randomly assigned individuals to one week of at-home sleep restriction (SR) or well-rested (WR) sleep levels. We also used a measure of cognitive reflection as an additional proxy for deliberation in our analysis. We tested the hypotheses that the confirmation bias would be stronger for WR participants and those higher in cognitive reflection on a sample of 197 young adults. Our results replicated previous findings, and both males and females separately displayed the confirmation bias. Regarding our deliberation hypotheses, the confirmation bias results were most precisely estimated for those having thought relatively more about the issue of gun control. Additionally, for the subset of individuals having thought relatively more about gun control, we found evidence that the confirmation bias was stronger for those higher in cognitive reflection and, somewhat less robustly, for those participants who were (objectively) well-rested.
Ecosystem dynamics of crop–pasture rotations in a fifty‐year field experiment in southern South America: Century model and field results

The Century model was used to simulate soil C and N cycling and crop production dynamics in an ongoing field experiment in Uruguay (started in 1963). The model was calibrated using observed data from three treatments (crop or crop–pasture rotations) and validated with a fourth treatment. The model correctly predicted the impact of different treatments on microbial biomass, N mineralization, soil respiration, and crop yields. The model and observed data show that soil respiration, N mineralization, soil C, and crop yields increase with increasing plant-derived C inputs caused by increasing the frequency of pastures in the rotations. This is one of the first papers that show the strong positive correlation of observed soil C with plant C soil inputs to field-observed microbial biomass, soil respiration, and N mineralization. The results also showed that reducing tillage and transitioning to a no-till system increased soil C and reduced soil erosion. The main path of soil C losses was heterotrophic microbial respiration, which accounted for 66% of the total C lost in a continuous crop rotation and no fertilizers, 71% in a continuous crop rotation with fertilizers, and 86% in a crop–pasture rotation with fertilizers. Model results from a degraded cropping system showed that adding grass–clover ( Trifolium spp.) pastures greatly increased plant production and soil C, whereas reducing the frequency of grass–clover pastures in high-fertility cropping systems from 50% of the time to 25% reduces crop yields and soil C. Including cover crops substantially increases crop production and maintains soil C in high-fertility and degraded cropping systems.
Blended Learning: The Effect on Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) in Thermodynamics

This study aims to determine the effect of the application of the blended learning model to improving higher order thinking skills (HOTS) on thermodynamic material. The research method used in this study is quasi-experimental, while the research design used is Non Equivalent Design. Samples were taken using purposive sampling technique, with class XI MIA 1 as an experimental class and XI MIA 2 as a control class. The instrument used in this study was an HOTS test item in the form of multiple choice questions. Data analysis techniques using SPSS software to test hypotheses, and Microsoft Excel to determine the magnitude of the increase in HOTS. The results of the independent sample t-test showed a significance value (2-tailed) of 0.03. Large increase in the experimental class by 0.50 (50%), and by 0.40 (40%) in the control class. This shows that learning using the blended learning model has a better effect in HOTS than learning without blended learning.
A generalized differential quadrature algorithm for simulating magnetohydrodynamic peristaltic flow of blood‐based nanofluid containing magnetite nanoparticles: A physiological application

In this article, the peristaltic flow of blood‐based nanofluid is examined numerically by employing the generalized differential quadrature method. The Casson constitutive model is adopted to depict the flow characteristics in a uniform wavy tube. Besides, the non‐Newtonian nature and heat transfer feature of the nanofluidic medium are also scrutinized properly in the presence of platelet magnetite nanoparticles Fe3O4. After deriving the governing conservation equations, the resulting flow model is modeled successfully under the realistic assumptions of long wavelength and low Reynolds number. Also, the experimentally tested correlations related to the thermophysical properties of nanofluids are incorporated in the conservation equations to explore the effect of adding magnetite nanoparticles in the biofluidic medium. Mathematically, the obtained partial differential equations are transformed into the dimensionless form by utilizing feasible transformations. Furthermore, the impacts of sundry physical parameters on the trapping phenomena, pressure gradient, velocity, wall shear stress, and temperature are discussed thoroughly for the present MHD non‐Newtonian nanofluid flow model via various displays.
Butyrophilin-Like 9 Regulates Immune Infiltration and Serves as a Prognostic Marker in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Background: Butyrophilin (BTN) and butyrophilin-like (BTLN) belong to immunoglobulin superfamily, and also pertain the B7 co-stimulatory molecules family, which has multiple roles in immune modulation. Whether the BTNL9 expression in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) correlates with outcome has not been evaluated.Methods: Oncomine and GEPIA were used to analyze the BTNL9, while its mRNA expression in LUAD and corresponding adjacent tissues was investigated using TIMER. The clinical prognosis of BTNL9 was assessed in the GEPIA, Kaplan-Meier plotter, and OncoLnc. Besides, the correlation between BTNL9 and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TILs) was analyzed using TIMER and GEPIA. The correlation between BTNL9 expression and drug response was analyzed using CARE.Results: BNL9 expression was significantly low in LUAD. Low BTNL9 expression was associated with poor OS, and its expression was found to be regulated by both epigenetic regulation and post-transcriptional modification. BTNL9 expression was significant positively correlated with ImmuneScore and ESTIMATEScore. Moreover, BTNL9 expression was positively correlated with infiltrating levels of B cells, CD4+T, and macrophages, but Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that BTNL9 expression in B cells and DCs was significantly associated with OS. Furthermore, BTNL9 expression has significant positive CARE scores. Conclusions: Low BTNL9 expression can prevent the infiltration of naïve B cells and DCs in the tumor microenvironment and worsen the outcome in LUAD patients. Besides, these findings also suggest the potential role of BTNL9 as a prognostic biomarker and a new immuno-target.
Safety of Live Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery; Results from a Boutique Course Series

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the outcomes and complication rates of patients undergoing retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) at the live surgery events organized as boutique course series. Materials and Methods: Eight RIRS courses were organized between November 2017 and February 2020. Data of 24 patients who were operated in the live surgery events (as LSE group) for renal stone were matched with the data of 24 substitute patients (as control group) who underwent regular RIRS on the same period at the same centers. Results: Stone free status of groups was similar (88% in LSE and 79% in the control group; p=1). There was no significant difference in terms of complication and need for additional procedure rates, operation and fluoroscopy and hospitality times between the two groups (p=1, p=1, p=0.12, p=0.58 and p=0.94, respectively). Fifty-four % (13/24) of LSE operations were performed by guest surgeons. No statistically significant difference was found between the patients who operated by host and guest surgeons. However, the operation times of the operations performed by guest surgeons were longer than those performed by the host surgeons (96.5±28 and 66.5±30 minute, respectively, p=0.07). Conclusion: Our study is the first report on this area. RIRS live surgery can be performed with low complication and high stone-free rates without jeopardizing patient safety. If the surgeon is not familiar with the operating room set-up or staffs, the live surgery must performed by the host surgeon to avoid extended operating time.
THE CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN, ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA: A DYNAMIC CAUSALITY TEST

The main objective of this study is to empirically test whether there exist short run and long run causality between, residential electricity consumption (REC), industrial electricity consumption (IEC) and economic growth in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Time series data for this study spans from 1990 to 2019. The study adopts granger causality and co. Integration analysis to estimate a vector error correction model (VECM). Results from error correction model show that there exist long run co. integration relationship between targeted variables. In addition, VECM results indicates that, industrial electricity consumption is inelastic to the changes in electricity prices with respect to economic growth, while residential electricity consumption shows elastic relationship. Granger causality test indicates there is unidirectional relationship, running from economic growth to industrial electricity consumption, which lead to accept, proactive (conservative) hypothesis. In this case, energy conservative policy will have little or no effect on economic growth. Nevertheless, results proof acceptance of neutrality hypothesis in the case of residential electricity consumption and economic growth. The study therefore, recommends that in Saudi Arabia, policy makers should consider expanding their energy-mix alternatives, in order to cope with the future industrial electricity demand arising from increased economic growth.
Microalgae Cultivation Technologies as an Opportunity for Bioenergetic System Development—Advantages and Limitations

Microalgal biomass is currently considered as a sustainable and renewable feedstock for biofuel production (biohydrogen, biomethane, biodiesel) characterized by lower emissions of hazardous air pollutants than fossil fuels. Photobioreactors for microalgae growth can be exploited using many industrial and domestic wastes. It allows locating the commercial microalgal systems in areas that cannot be employed for agricultural purposes, i.e., near heating or wastewater treatment plants and other industrial facilities producing carbon dioxide and organic and nutrient compounds. Despite their high potential, the large-scale algal biomass production technologies are not popular because the systems for biomass production, separation, drainage, and conversion into energy carriers are difficult to explicitly assess and balance, considering the ecological and economical concerns. Most of the studies presented in the literature have been carried out on a small, laboratory scale. This significantly limits the possibility of obtaining reliable data for a comprehensive assessment of the efficiency of such solutions. Therefore, there is a need to verify the results in pilot-scale and the full technical-scale studies. This study summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of microalgal biomass production technologies for bioenergetic applications.
Hearing the Voice of the Sector and Graduates and Transferring into the Curriculum

Article History: Purpose: The economic and social developments of countries are strictly dependent on the qualified graduates/workforce that they have. The aim of this study was to determine the quality and skill aspects of graduates and their satisfaction level of labour supply and demand in higher education. Research Methods: In this study, the data related to the Foreign Trade Program were collected by the focus group (composed of program graduates and employers) interview technique as one of the qualitative research methods. The data obtained from the interviews were subjected to content analysis and findings were obtained on the areas of quality and skill mismatch between supply and demand through coding and identification of themes. Received: 03 Feb. 2020 Received in revised form: 13 Jul. 2020 Accepted: 18 Nov. 2020 DOI: 10.14689/ejer.2020. 90.8
Effect of volatility of foreign direct investment inflows on corporate income tax revenue volatility

Purpose This paper aims to examine how the volatility of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows affects the volatility of corporate income tax revenue. Design/methodology/approach The study has used an unbalanced panel data set of 129 countries over the period 1981–2016 and the two-step system generalized methods of moment approach to perform the empirical analysis. Findings The main findings are that FDI volatility enhances the volatility of corporate income tax revenue in less advanced economies, but reduces it in relatively advanced countries. The positive corporate income tax revenue volatility effect of FDI inflows is far higher in non-tax haven countries than in tax haven countries. Additionally, FDI volatility exerts a higher positive effect on corporate income tax revenue volatility as countries experience greater dependence on natural resources. Finally, the positive effect of FDI volatility on corporate income tax revenue volatility is further amplified by higher FDI volatility. Research limitations/implications One important limitation of the present analysis is the use of aggregate FDI inflows because of the lack of data over a long period on greenfield FDI inflows and cross-border mergers and acquisitions FDI inflows. Therefore, an avenue for future research could be to explore separately the effect of the volatility greenfield FDI inflows and the volatility of cross-border mergers and acquisitions FDI inflows on the volatility of corporate income tax revenue, when long-time series data (covering many countries) would be available. Practical implications These outcomes particularly shed light on the role of FDI volatility on the volatility of corporate income tax revenue, particularly in countries that are highly dependent on natural resources. Foreign capital flows, notably FDI flows, play an essential role for countries’ economic development through, inter alia, technology transfer, jobs creation and economic growth. Policymakers should aim to attract FDI, while also reducing their volatility, by designing and implementing policies and measures (such as those in favor of business environment improvement, property rights enforcement and political stability) that would assure foreign investors of the continuous high returns of their investments. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first time this topic is being addressed empirically in the literature.
Idealized Model Simulations to Determine Impacts of Storm‐Relative Winds on Differential Reflectivity and Specific Differential Phase Fields

Hydrometeors of varying sizes have different fall speeds; for example, larger raindrops have greater fall speeds than smaller raindrops. The resultant differential sedimentation leads to differences in residence time in a sorting layer where drops can be advected by the storm‐relative winds. The resulting size sorting has an effect on the polarimetric radar variables including specific differential phase KDP and differential reflectivity ZDR. This study uses a simple numerical model of raindrop size sorting to analyze and further elucidate the relationship between the storm‐relative winds and the ZDR and KDP fields. Increased mean storm‐relative winds lead to increased ZDR magnitudes and decreased KDP magnitudes. The separation distance between ZDR and KDP maxima is proportional to the magnitude of the mean storm‐relative wind and the orientation of a vector from ZDR to KDP maxima is aligned with the mean storm‐relative wind over the sorting layer. Further, it is shown that larger values of storm‐relative helicity are associated with greater separation distances and separation orientations approaching orthogonal to the shear vector over the sorting layer.