Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Koopman-von Neumann type theorem on the convergence of Cesàro means in Riesz spaces

We extend the Koopman-von Neumann convergence condition on the Cesàro mean to the context of a Dedekind complete Riesz space with weak order unit. As a consequence, a characterisation of conditional weak mixing is given in the Riesz space setting. The results are applied to convergence in L 1 L^1 .
The Predictive Validity of the IELTS Test and Contribution of IELTS Preparation Courses to International Students’ Subsequent Academic Study: Insights from Vietnamese International Students in the UK

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores have been widely used as the language entry requirements for international students in many English-medium universities. However, research on the predictive validity of IELTS on subsequent academic performance has been inconclusive. Additionally, despite the proliferation of IELTS preparation courses, very few attempts have been made to explore the extent to which these courses support course takers’ development of knowledge and skills needed for their subsequent university study. This paper investigated (a) the predictive validity of IELTS results on the subsequent academic performance of Vietnamese international students at UK universities, and (b) the extent to which an IELTS preparation course in Vietnam supported its course takers in their subsequent academic study in the UK. Questionnaires with 80 Vietnamese international students from 31 universities across the UK showed that there was a positive significant correlation between these students’ IELTS scores and their academic results. Follow-up interviews with two undergraduates and two postgraduates who had previously studied in the same IELTS preparation course, but were studying different academic disciplines at different institutions in the UK, and analysis of the materials used in their IELTS preparation course and university courses revealed that the course positively supported these students’ subsequent academic study, but certain skills and knowledge needed in their academic study were not effectively covered in the IELTS preparation course.
Development of Adhesive, Bioactive and Antibacterial Titania Sol-Gel Coating on Titanium Substrate by Dip-Coating Technique

The sol-gel method provides a wide variety of applications in the medical field. One of these applications is the formation of coatings on the metal implants. The coatings containing specific additive can enhance or improve the existing surface properties of the substrate. In this work, titania sol-gel coatings were doped with two forms of silver (AgNO3, Ag3PO4) and synthetic hydroxyapatite and applied on the titanium samples by dip-coating technique. After drying and slow firing, all coatings were characterized with scanning electron microscopy. Thin coatings were successfully prepared with excellent adhesion to the substrate (measured by ASTM D 3359-2), despite cracks. Coatings containing silver and hydroxyapatite demonstrated a 100% antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli after 24 h. The bioactivity of the coatings containing hydroxyapatite tested in modified simulated body fluid under static-dynamic conditions was confirmed by bone-like hydroxyapatite precipitation. To better understand the interaction of the coatings with simulated body fluid (SBF), changes of Ca2+ and (PO4)3− ions concentrations and pH values were studied.
Kinodynamic planning with reachability prediction for PTL maintenance robot

This article presents a novel method—Dynamic Environment Rapid Search Tree—for power transmission line maintenance robot, which is based on the learned field function of reachability and the genetic best-first policy. Dynamic Environment Rapid Search Tree uses a priori information to optimize the node selection strategy in the rigid–flexible coupling environment with slight perturbation and generates the joint path in the configuration space. While the search tree rapidly extends toward the goal configuration, it effectively avoids the obstacles and greatly reduces the expansion of the irrelevant region. Finally, the joint trajectory considering the dynamic constraints and cost function is given, which provides the reference positions and torques for the robot controller. Traditional planning algorithms are compared with our proposed method under two different operation modes, and the planner is demonstrated on the robot under real settings. The experiment results verify the feasibility and adaptiveness of the proposed algorithm and planner, even in slightly and continuously varying environment.
Synthesis, Characterization and Application of Platinum(II) Complexes Incorporating Racemic and Optically Active 1-Phenyl-1,2,3,6-Tetrahydrophosphinine Ligand

An efficient resolution method was elaborated for the preparation of (+)-4-chloro-5-methyl-1-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophosphinine oxide using the acidic Ca2+ salt of (–)-O,O-di-p-toluoyl-(2R,3R)-tartaric acid. Crystal structure of the diastereomeric complex was evaluated by single crystal X-ray analysis. Beside this, the absolute P-configuration was also determined by a CD spectroscopic study including theoretical calculations. The tetrahydrophosphinine oxide was then converted to the corresponding platinum complex whose stereostructure was investigated by high level quantum chemical calculations. The Pt-complex was tested as catalyst in the hydroformylation of styrene.
NMR study of changing pore size and tortuosity during deactivation an decoking of a naphtha reforming catalyst

X. -H. Ren, M. Bertmer, H. Kuhn, S. Stapf, D. E. Demeo, B. Blumich, C. Kern, A. Jess Institut fUr Technische Chemie und Makromolekulare Chemie, RheinischWestflilische Technische Hochschule, Worringerweg }, D-52056 Aachen, Germany Proton, J3C, and J29Xe NMR were applied for characterizing the change of the tortuosity, the chemical structure of the coke, as well as the pore size during the deactivation and decoking of a commercial naphtha reforming catalyst (PtlRe-AhOJ). All experimental evidence indicates that a full recovery of the activity of the clean catalyst is not achieved by the regeneration process, and that the quality of regeneration depends on the coke content reached during the deactivation/regeneration cycle.
Designing Immersive Stories for Health: Choosing Character Perspective Based on the Viewer’s Modality

ABSTRACT This study investigates how different character perspectives (a main vs. supporting character) impact story-consistent attitudes and beliefs and how that effect varies as a function of modality (mobile phone vs. VR headset) in an immersive story for preventing binge drinking. Results of a controlled experiment (N = 147) showed that participants assuming the perspective of a binge drinker (the main character) reported less negative attitudes toward binge drinking and less perceived severity of binge drinking than those assuming the perspective of a non-binge drinking friend (the supporting character). Moreover, participants who watched the story in VR headsets (vs. phones) reported greater perceived susceptibility of binge drinking. A moderated mediation effect was found, suggesting that psychological reactance significantly mediated the effect of perspective on attitudes when the immersive story was viewed in phones. This study highlights the importance of character perspective and viewer’s modality when designing immersive stories for health.
Top quark pair reconstruction using an attention-based neural network

For many top quark measurements, it is essential to reconstruct the top quark from its decay products. For example, the top quark pair production process in the all-jets final state has six jets initiated from daughter partons and additional jets from initial or final state radiation. Due to the many possible permutations, it is very hard to assign jets to partons. We use a deep neural network with an attention-based architecture together with a new objective function for the jet-parton assignment problem. Our novel deep learning model and the physics-inspired objective function enable jet-parton assignment using jet-wise input variables while the attention mechanism bypasses the combinatorial explosion that usually leads to intractable computational requirements. The model can also be applied as a classifier to reject the overwhelming QCD background, showing increased performance over standard classification methods.
Electrode architectures for enhanced lithium ion battery performance

Increasing prevalence of portable electronic devices and growing concern over the consumption of fossil fuels have led to a growing demand for more efficient energy storage options. Lithium ion chemistry has grown to dominate the battery market, but still requires improvement to meet the increasing need for smaller, cheaper, better performing batteries. The use of nanomaterials has garnered much attention in recent years as a potential way of improving battery performance while decreasing the size. However, new problems are introduced with these materials such as low packing density and high reactivity with the electrolyte. This research focuses on the development of an electrode architecture using nanomaterials which will decrease lithium ion transport distance while enhancing electrical conductivity within the cell. The proposed architecture consists of a stacked, 2D structure composed of layers of carbon nanotubes and active material particles, and can be applied to both the anode and the cathode. The process also has the advantage of low cost because it can be performed under normal laboratory conditions (e.g. temperature and pressure) and easily adapted to a commercial scale.
The FA1–xMAxPbI3 System: Correlations among Stoichiometry Control, Crystal Structure, Optical Properties, and Phase Stability

The FA1–xMAxPbI3 solid solution has been carefully investigated in terms of the MA/FA stoichiometry, crystal structure, and optical properties. This work allowed for the determination of reliable correlations between the amount of protonated amine and the physicochemical properties. The deleterious effect of aging on the mixed MA/FA composition was observed by diffraction and optical measurements, showing progressive phase separation within the samples.
Effect of the Inclusion of Photovoltaic Solar Panels in the Autonomy of UAV Time of Flight

Photovoltaic technology and unmanned aerial vehicles are both alluring areas with a lot of potential to explore. Consequently, they have an ability to adapt and progress when faced with new challenges, hence their wide range of applications. An auspicious combination between the two is born from the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles’ (UAVs) inability to to overcome some of its problems, namely the autonomy one. This article springs from the need to vanquish the problem, finding a more permanent solution. Its aim consists in the installation of solar photovoltaic panels in the structure of a UAV, with the objective of studying being its influence on the vehicle’s time of flight. To accomplish this, a theoretical study will be made, encompassing all the potential variables together with its influence. In order to verify the credibility of these claims, a prototype, based on the original aerial vehicle structure form and material, is constructed, using a finite element tool. Later, the prototype is used to evaluate possible harsh circumambient air to structure interactions, modeled by the fluid motion describer Navier–Stokes equations. For a smooth approach involving lighter computational power, a RANS model is used to asses the equations. Based on its results the chosen solar technology credibility is evaluated. A simulation of solar cells will also be carried out, accepting as input previously studied parameters which will modify its performance. Bearing in mind the produced results, it is concluded that the solar panels can only significantly augment the time of flight in very specific conditions.
Can Servitization Enhance Customer Loyalty? The Roles of Organizational IT, Social Media, and Service-Oriented Corporate Culture

While customer loyalty is among the underlying reasons for servitized firms, the servitization–customer loyalty link is underexplored. In this article, informed by organizational information processing theory, we study the servitization–customer loyalty link and explore the joint effects of organizational practices on the link. We characterize servitization as services supporting products (SSP) and services supporting clients’ actions (SSC), and conceptualize organizational practices as organizational information processing capabilities comprising the use of different information technology (IT) tools, which include organizational IT (OIT) and social media (SM), and individual service-oriented cognition, which is manifested in service-oriented corporate culture (Culture). Based on a sample of 207 Chinese manufacturing firms, we find that while servitization does not necessarily enhance customer loyalty, successful servitization implementation depends on proper combinations of IT tools and Culture. Specifically, the SSP–OIT–Culture interaction and SSC–SM–Culture interaction are positively associated with customer loyalty. Our findings not only provide evidence against the conventional intuition that customer loyalty can be achieved by adopting servitization, but also explicitly show how to enhance customer loyalty by proper organizational practices, which provide new insights into both servitization and organizational information processing theory.
Z-score standard growth chart design of toddler weight using least square spline semiparametric regression

Underweight is a nutritional status of toddlers characterized by a lack of weight based on anthropometric index weight-for-age. In Indonesia, the anthropometric index is recorded on a KMS (Card Towards Health) which refers to WHO-2005 Standard Growth Chart (WHO-2005 SGC). The toddler samples used by WHO-2005 SGC, i.e., from Ghana, Oman, Norway, the USA, Brazil, and India, are physically different from the Indonesian toddlers. This research aims to design Z-Score Standard Growth Chart (Z-Score SGC) of weight-for-age based on sample toddlers from East Java by using least square spline estimator in semiparametric regression model. The obtained Z-Score SGC would be used to assess the nutritional status of toddlers in East Java. Results showed that the highest average weight gain was achieved at interval of age 0 ≤ t < 6 for about 0.7045 kg, and growth of toddler boys was higher than girls with a difference of 0.4 kg. Also, Z-Score SGC gave a lower reference than WHO-2005 SGC such that percentage of malnutrition and less-nutrition status categories provided by Z-Score SGC was also lower than those by WHO-2005 SGC.
Molecular structures: perception, autocorrelation descriptor and sar studies: system of atomic contributions for the calculation of the n-octanol/water partition coefficients

On presente un systeme de contributions atomiques additives pour le calcul des LogP. Les contributions prennent en compte la nature des atomes et leur environnement. Ce systeme permet de calculer le LogP de la plupart des molecules organiques avec une precision de 0,4 unites et permet d'evaluer la distribution de la lipophilicite sur la structure moleculaire
Bacteriological Profile of Endotracheal Aspirates from Patients with Lower Respiratory Tract Infections and Their Antibiotic Resistance Pattern

BACKGROUND Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in mechanically ventilated patients are associated with high mortality and morbidity. Therefore, identification of the causative agents and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern play a key role in selecting the suitable antibiotics thus improving the condition of the patient. We wanted to study the bacteriological profile of endotracheal aspirate from patients with LRTI and their antibiotic resistance pattern. METHODS A total of 100 samples of endotracheal aspirates from patients with LRTI was cultured as per standard microbiological technique. Organisms were identified and antibiotic resistance pattern was studied. The gram-negative isolates were subjected for detection of extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) and metallo beta lactamase (MBL). Methicillin resistance was checked for S. aureus as per Central Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) guidelines. In this study acinetobacter species (27.3 %) and klebsiella species (27.3 %) were the predominant organisms that were multidrug resistant. Extended spectrum β lactamase production was reported in 78.12 % of klebsiella species, 66.67 % of E. coli , 50 % of acinetobacter spp and 37.5 % of citrobacter species; MBL production was detected in 57.14 % of P. aeruginosa . A total of 26 % S. aureus isolates were methicillin resistant. producing gram negative bacilli (GNBs) or methicillin resistant S. aureus .
Employing multivariate analysis to determine the drivers of productivity on the North Kenya Bank and in Kenyan territorial waters

A complex mix of natural processes exist in nearshore and offshore waters which influence coastal and marine ecosystem productivity. An understanding of the biogeochemical processes involved is a key element in interdisciplinary studies of primary production, oceanic flux and storage of carbon dioxide. Water circulation in the East African region is influenced by coastal currents driven by monsoon winds. There are four oceanic currents influencing Kenya’s coastal waters; namely the East African Coastal Current, the Somali Current, the Southern Equatorial Current and the Equatorial Counter Current. The Kenyan fishing industry is slowly embracing offshore fishing grounds, and the North Kenya Bank is emerging as the next fishery frontier. This study aims to provide insight on the processes driving the productivity of Kenya’s territorial waters. The variable Si* (the difference between available silicate [Si(OH)4] and nitrate [NO3-]) was employed as a proxy of upwelling. It was highly positively correlated to chlorophyll-a, indicating that upwelling is a major phenomenon driving productivity in Kenyan territorial waters. Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) exhibited a lesser positive correlation with chlorophyll-a, implying that remineralization also has some influence in the productivity of the area.
Physicochemical drivers of managed river and agricultural drainage channel macroinvertebrate communities

Artificial channels are common features in lowland agricultural catchments, and are a potentially significant habitat for aquatic species. Recent studies have suggested communities in managed rivers and artificial channels are broadly similar, but with some compositional differences. However, because relatively few studies have considered how artificial channels may contribute to supporting aquatic communities, their physicochemical condition and suitability for aquatic fauna remain poorly characterised. Therefore, this study explores the role of physicochemical variables in driving macroinvertebrate community differences between intensively managed rivers and artificial channels in a highly arable catchment. Aquatic macroinvertebrates were sampled in intensively managed rivers and artificial channels. Physicochemical water quality variables were also recorded, and used to identify macroinvertebrate community responses. Both intensively managed rivers and artificial channels had spatiotemporally stable communities, with no significant differences in richness, abundance, effective diversity or Berger–Parker dominance detected between sampling months or channel types. Macroinvertebrate composition in intensively managed rivers and artificial channels was significantly different, and driven by the relative abundance of taxa present, not the number of taxa unique to each channel type. Compositional differences between intensively managed rivers and artificial channels were partially driven by conductivity, dissolved oxygen and temperature. Identifying remaining sources of compositional variance may support tailored management strategies that accentuate compositional differences between rivers and artificial channels, increasing overall diversity in intensively farmed arable catchments.
Humility and Relational Spirituality as Predictors of Well-Being among Christian Seminary Students

The present study investigated the unique contributions of relational spirituality and humility factors to seminary students’ eudaimonic well-being in a diverse sample (n = 111) of urban seminary students. Hypotheses were developed in conversation with this research on humility, seminary student formation, and virtue ethics. As hypothesized, the relational spirituality factors of differentiation of self and quest exploration each made a significant independent contribution in predicting students’ well-being over and above impression management. In addition, humility-cultivating practices and dispositional humility were modestly correlated and each made a significant independent contribution in predicting well-being over and above relational spirituality factors and impression management. Implications for future research and for seminary student formation are discussed.
Historical soil amendment with charcoal increases sequestration of non‐charcoal carbon: a comparison among methods of black carbon quantification

We have shown previously that soil with historical (> 150 years) applications of charcoal had larger recent (C4‐maize derived) carbon content than adjacent soil; however, we could not determine whether there was an effect on older, C3‐plant‐derived, soil organic carbon (SOC). Therefore, we assessed the effect of historical additions of charcoal on the sequestration of recent and older SOC with a combination of δ13C analysis and different quantification techniques for black carbon (BC): dichromate oxidation (Cr2O7), chemo‐thermal oxidation (CTO‐285) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Topsoils cropped with maize (Zea mays) under former charcoal production sites (N = 12) were identified in the field as black spots and had a larger (3.5%, P < 0.05) percentage of organic carbon (OC) contents than adjacent soil outside these spots (2.0%). The charcoal content varied with the detection technique used as follows: CTO‐285 > DSC > Cr2O7. Black spots contained 1.6–1.7 times more (P < 0.05) maize‐derived OC content than adjacent soil, irrespective of the BC quantification technique. The content of non‐charcoal OC was 1.0–1.4 times larger in black spots than in adjacent soil, but differences were significant only for the Cr2O7 method. Soil physicochemical fractionation showed that at charcoal production sites more OC was recovered in the particulate organic matter and silt and clay fractions. The δ13C analysis suggested that additional maize‐OC in black spots was in the physically more protected silt and clay fraction. Overall, this study shows that historical charcoal amendment in soil enhances the accumulation of recent maize‐derived OC in a temperate climate without replacing the older C stocks.