Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Performance of Secondary Precipitation Products through Statistical and Hydrological Modeling in a Mountainous Tropical Basin of India

This paper investigates the performance of gridded rainfall datasets for precipitation detection and streamflow simulations in Indiaʼs Tungabhadra river basin. Sixteen precipitation datasets categorized under gauge-based, satellite-only, reanalysis, and gauge-adjusted datasets were compared statistically against the gridded Indian Meteorological Dataset (IMD) employing two categorical and three continuous statistical metrics. Further, the precipitation datasets’ performance in simulating streamflow was assessed by using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrological model. Based on the statistical metrics, Asian Precipitation Highly Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation (APHRODITE) furnished very good results in terms of detecting rainfall, followed by Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation (CHIRP), National Centres for Environmental Prediction-Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (NCEP CFSR), Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) 3B42 v7, Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation Gauge Reanalysis v6 (GSMaP_Gauge_RNL), and Multisource Weighted Ensemble Precipitation (MSWEP) datasets which had good-to-moderate performances at a monthly time step. From the hydrological simulations, TRMM 3B42 v7, CHIRP, CHIRPS 0.05°, and GSMaP_Gauge_RNL v6 produced very good results with a high degree of correlation to observed streamflow, while Soil Moisture 2 Rain-Climate Change Initiative (SM2RAIN-CCI) dataset exhibited poor performance. From the extreme flow event analysis, it was observed that CHIRP, TRMM 3B42 v7, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre v7 (GPCC), and APHRODITE datasets captured more peak flow events and hence can be further implemented for extreme event analysis. Overall, we found that TRMM 3B42 v7, CHIRP, and CHIRPS 0.05° datasets performed better than other datasets and can be used for hydrological modeling and climate change studies in similar topographic and climatic watersheds in India.
Synthesis of Mesoporous Silica Nanocomposites for Preparation of Gold Nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) having particle size less than 10 nm can exhibit enhancement of surface area to give high activity such as in catalytic reaction. However, it is hard to synthesize AuNPs with small particle size due to the strong agglomeration. Herein we report that channels of mesoporous silica synthesized via the template sol-gel synthesis can be used to prepare AuNPs by calcination method. Mesoporous silica with an interpore distance of 4.1 nm was successfully fabricated as transparent thin film by using an amphiphilic trinuclear gold (I) pyrazolate complex as a template for the sol-gel synthesis. Upon calcination at 450 °C for 3 h, silica film nanocomposites showed red-shifting of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bands from 518 (AuNPs from the bulk) to 544 nm owing to decreasing of the average particle size. The formation of AuNPs was also supported by the appearance of diffraction peaks of d111 at 2θ = 38.20° having a cubic phase. Moreover, transmission electron microscope (TEM) images and X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks also showed smaller and more homogenous distribution of AuNPs.
Design Methodology for a Novel Bending Pneumatic Soft Actuator for Kinematically Mirroring the Shape of Objects

In the landscape of Industry 4.0, advanced robotics awaits a growing use of bioinspired adaptive and flexible robots. Collaborative robotics meets this demand. Due to human–robot coexistence and interaction, the safety, the first requirement to be satisfied, also depends on the end effectors. End effectors made of soft actuators satisfy this requirement. A novel pneumatic bending soft actuator with high compliance, low cost, high versatility and easy production is here proposed. Conceived to be used as a finger of a collaborative robot, it is made of a hyper-elastic inner tube wrapped in a gauze. The bending is controlled by cuts in the gauze: the length and the angular extension of them, the pressure value and the dimensions of the inner tube determine the bending amplitude and avoid axial elongation. A design methodology, oriented to kinematically mirror the shape of the object to be grasped, was defined. Firstly, it consists of the development of a non-linear parametric numerical model of a bioinspired finger; then, the construction of a prototype for the experimental validation of the numerical model was performed. Hence, a campaign of simulations led to the definition of a qualitatively predictive formula, the basis for the design methodology. The effectiveness of the latter was evaluated for a real case: an actuator for the grasping of a light bulb was designed and experimentally tested.
Buckhorn plantain (Plantago lanceolata) resistant to 2,4-D in Pennsylvania and alternative control options

Abstract Buckhorn plantain populations purportedly resistant to 2,4-D were identified in Pennsylvania following long-term, continual applications of the active ingredient to turfgrass. The research objectives of this study were to 1) confirm 2,4-D resistance with dose-response experiments, 2) confirm field resistance of buckhorn plantain to 2,4-D in Pennsylvania, and 3) evaluate alternative herbicides for 2,4-D-resistant buckhorn plantain. Greenhouse dose-response experiments evaluated the sensitivity of buckhorn plantain biotypes that were resistant or susceptible to 2,4-D, and to halauxifen-methyl, two synthetic auxin herbicides from different chemical families. The resistant biotype was ≥11.3 times less sensitive to 2,4-D than the susceptible biotype and required a 2,4-D dosage ≥4.2 times greater than the standard application rate to reach 50% necrosis. No cross-resistance was observed to halauxifen-methyl because both resistant and susceptible populations demonstrated similar herbicide sensitivity. Field experiments confirmed previous reports of ineffectiveness (≤30% reduction) with 2,4-D and other phenoxycarboxylic herbicides in potentially resistant buckhorn plantain biotypes. Treatments containing halauxifen-methyl resulted in a ≥70% reduction in resistant biotypes. This is the first known report of synthetic auxin herbicide resistance in any weed species in Pennsylvania and highlights emerging herbicide resistance challenges in turfgrass systems. Nomenclature: 2, 4-D; halauxifen-methyl; buckhorn plantain, Plantago lanceolata L. PLALA
Degradation analysis estimates of the time-to-failure distribution of irradiated fuel elements

Failure times of components are traditionally used to evaluate their reliability. An alternate approach is to analyze the degradation data accumulated during the component`s testing or during its normal operation. Degradation analysis is particularly useful when it is not possible to observe a significant number of failures. This is the case for metallic integral Fast Reactor fuel pins irradiated in Experimental Breeder Reactor II, where failures have not taken place under normal operating conditions. A degradation analysis methodology is presented and applied to these pins. The time-to-failure distribution for the fuel pins is estimated based on a fixed threshold failure model. The confidence intervals of the distribution are calculated using a parametric bootstrap method.
Constituency map of the alternative for Germany (AfD) vote in 2017: analysing characteristic differences via multiple correspondence analysis

ABSTRACT The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party achieved a striking success in the 2017 German federal election. Using structural constituency data, this article explores in which constituencies the AfD gained more votes and why. As it transformed from a single-issue, anti-Euro party with populist tendencies into a right-wing populist party, the AfD refined its position and focus. I argue that at the constituency level, the AfD vote was linked to the issue of immigration and the anti-establishment trend. The demands voiced by AfD voters can be linked to certain political and socioeconomic characteristics of their constituencies which made them susceptible to the AfD’s right-wing populist rhetoric. Applying the statistical technique of multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), I examine the relationship between these characteristics and the AfD vote share at the constituency level. The AfD was likely to win more votes in constituencies characterised by an anti-establishment trend and anti-immigrant/refugee sentiment, the latter of which was linked not to the actual immigration rate, but rather to a combination of a low level of education and a high level of macroeconomic development.
Staring Imaging Real-Time Optimal Control Based on Neural Network

In this paper, a real-time optimal attitude controller is designed for staring imaging, and the output command is based on future prediction. First, the mathematical model of staring imaging is established. Then, the structure of the optimal attitude controller is designed. The controller consists of a preprocessing algorithm and a neural network. Constructing the neural network requires training samples generated by optimization. The objective function in the optimization method takes the future control effect into account. The neural network is trained after sample creation to achieve real-time optimal control. Compared with the PID (proportional-integral-derivative) controller with the best combination of parameters, the neural network controller achieves better attitude pointing accuracy and pointing stability.
Can ACEI/ARB prevent the cardiotoxicity caused by chemotherapy in early-stage breast cancer?—a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background Administration of anthracycline-based chemotherapy with or without trastuzumab is recognized as standard care for breast cancer, but it is associated with a decline in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI)/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) might decrease this cardiac dysfunction caused by the anti-cancer therapy. We sought to evaluate the prophylactic effects of the cardioprotective agents ACEI/ARB for early-stage breast cancer. Methods We systematically searched the electronic databases Cochrane, PubMed, and Embase for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of ACEI/ARB. This meta-analysis calculated weighted mean differences with 95% CI, for ejection fraction and pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% CI, for cardiac events. Pooled analyses were used in a random-effect model. The primary endpoint was the change of LVEF in the ACEI/ARB group versus the control group from baseline through completion of the studies. Results our meta-analysis includes 5 studies encompassing 702 early-stage breast cancer patients. There was statistically significant diversity in the magnitude of the change of mean LVEF in patients receiving ACEI/ARB compared with control groups, with a mean difference of 4.08% (95% CI: 0.8% to 7.35%, P=0.01). However, regarding patient outcomes, ACEI/ARB did not significantly reduce the risk of cardiac events (OR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.62 to 1.34, P=0.64) or increase the incidence of hypotension events as compared with controls (OR 2.72, 95% CI: 0.69 to 10.73, P=0.15). Conclusions Our study suggests that ACEI/ARB significantly attenuate the cardiac dysfunction caused by anthracycline-based chemotherapy and/or trastuzumab. Further studies are required to confirm the effectiveness of this cardioprotective agent.
Surface Acidity and Basicity of La2O3, LaOCl, and LaCl3 Characterized by IR Spectroscopy, TPD, and DFT Calculations

Adsorption sites of La2O3, LaOCl, and LaCl3 catalysts were characterized with probe molecules using infrared spectroscopy, temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. Surface acid sites were probed with CO, pyridine, and 2,6-dimethylpyridine (DMP), and basic sites were probed with CO2. Shifts of the CO vibrational frequency at low surface coverage at 77 K suggest that the strength of Lewis acid sites increases with the concentration of Cl in the material; i.e., La2O3 < LaOCl < LaCl3. DFT estimates for CO adsorption energies and LUMO energies were consistent with this ranking. On the basis of a downward shift of the surface OH stretching bands interacting with CO, pyridine, and DMP spectra at room temperature (RT) and TPD results, and confirmed by DFT calculations, the strength of Bronsted acid sites was concluded to increase in the same order. Additional DFT calculations with a frequency analysis were used to elucidate CO2 adsorption modes. DFT calculations a.
Microbial structure of carbon source utilization in rice rhizosphere and non‐rhizosphere soils with different short‐term tillage management

Carbon (C) plays an important role in the activity and diFversity of soil microbial community, but there is still limited information about how C source utilization soil microbial structure responds to soil organic carbon changes under the double‐cropping rice (Oryza sativa L.) system in southern China's paddy fields. Therefore, the effects of short‐term (5‐year) tillage treatments on characteristics of C source utilization microbial structure in both rhizosphere and non‐rhizosphere soils under double‐cropping were investigated by using metagenome sequencing technology. The experiment included four tillage treatments: conventional tillage with crop residue incorporation (return), rotary tillage with crop residue return, no‐tillage (zero‐tilllage) with crop residue return, and rotary tillage with crop residue removed as control. The results showed that relative abundance of Firmicutes, Alphaproteobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria in both rhizosphere and non‐rhizosphere soils was increased by combined application of tillage with crop residue return practice. Regarding the cluster of orthologous groups of proteins categories, the largest group was 'amino acid transport and metabolism' with 0.223% unigenes, followed by 'general function prediction only' (0.205%), and 'nuclear structure' (0.005%) was the smallest group. And the gene ontology categories with different tillage treatments in following decreasing order: biological process (144,229, 42.4%) > cellular component (104,981, 30.8%) > molecular function (91,284, 26.8%). The principal coordinate analysis indicated that different parts of root zone and tillage treatments were the most and the second most important factors affecting the variation of C source utilization bacteria community, respectively. Therefore, the results showed that combined application of tillage with crop residue return practice significantly increased the C source utilization of soil microorganisms in the double‐cropped rice fields.
The Effect of Calcination Temperature on the Surface Microstructure and Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2 Thin Films Prepared by Liquid Phase Deposition

TiO2 thin films were prepared on fused quartz by the liquid-phase deposition (LPD) method from a (NH4)2TiF6 aqueous solution upon addition of boric acid (H3BO3) and calcined at various temperatures. The as-prepared films were characterized with thermogravimetry (TG), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV−Visible spectrophotometry (UV−Vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence spectra (PL), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated by photocatalytic decolorization of methyl orange aqueous solution. It was found that the as-prepared TiO2 thin films contained not only Ti and O elements, but also a small amount of F, N, and Si elements. The F and N came from the precursor solution, and the amount of F decreased with increasing calcination temperature. Two sources of Si were identified. One was from the SiF62- ions, which were formed by a reaction between the treatment solution and quartz .
Cerium Dioxide, NM-211, NM-212, NM-213. Characterisation and test item preparation

In 2011 the JRC launched a repository for Representative Nanomaterials to support both EU and international research projects, and especially the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials that leads an exploratory programme "Testing a Representative set of Manufactured Nanomaterials", aiming to generate and collect data on characterisation and (eco)toxicological properties to understand relevant end-points as well as the applicability of OECD Test Guidelines for testing nanomaterials. The Repository responds to a need for nanosafety research purposes: availability of nanomaterial from a single production batch to enhance the comparability of results between different research laboratories and projects. The present report presents the physico-chemical characterisation of the manufactured nano cerium dioxide, NM-211 and NM212 from the JRC repository, both originating from a single batch of commercially manufactured material. In addition data on a bulk (i.e. macro-sized) CeO2, NM-213, is included, which also originates from a single batch; NM-213 is not in the JRC repository. The studies were performed in close collaboration between the PROSPEcT project, where the partners are the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular and Applied Ecology (Fh-IME, Germany), LGC standards (United Kingdom), the National Research Centre for the Working Environment (NRCWE, Denmark), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO, Australia) and the National Measurement Institute of Australia. In addition, the JRC contributed study results to the characterisation of the materials.
The Effects of the Students’ Hierarchy of Needs in an Indonesian Private Academy on the Intention to Buy in Social Commerce

In line with Internet users’ growth in Indonesia, many people buy and sell goods and services through social networking sites. This activity is social commerce, and it primarily affects the millennials, such as private academy students. The research is conducted to determine the effects of the hierarchy of needs in a private academy in Indonesia on students’ intentions to buy in social commerce. Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp are the used social commerce in the research. The questionnaire is answered by 126 respondents consisting of indicators from Maslow’s hierarchical needs. The analysis technique is Partial Least Square (PLS) with the SmartPLS 3.0 program. Hypothesis test results show that transcendence, self-actualization, cognitive needs, and physiological needs have no significant effect on the intention to buy in social commerce. Meanwhile, esteem needs, safety needs, aesthetic needs, and belonging and love needs affect intention to buy.
Exceptionally Low Arctic Stratospheric Ozone in Spring 2020 as Seen in the CAMS Reanalysis

A reanalysis data set produced by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring service (CAMS reanalysis, 2003 to present day) augmented by ERA5 data for the years before 2003 is used to describe the evolution of the 2020 Arctic ozone season and to compare it with years back to 1979. Ozone columns over large parts of the Arctic reached record low values in March and April 2020 because of an exceptionally strong, cold, and persistent Arctic polar vortex. Minimum ozone columns were below 250 DU for most of March and the first half of April, with the lowest values of 211 DU in the CAMS reanalysis found on 18 March. Such low values are extremely unusual for the Arctic. The previous years with similarly strong Arctic ozone depletion were 2011 and 1997 with minimum values of 232 and 217 DU, respectively. The performance of the CAMS ozone analysis is assessed by comparison with ozonesonde data and found to agree well with the independent observations. We find a clear sign of chemical ozone destruction with ozone severely depleted in a layer between 80 and 50 hPa in late March and early April when partial pressure values below 2 mPa were observed. Profiles from the limb sounders Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment‐Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE‐FTS) and Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) show clear signs of chlorine activation and the presence of polar stratospheric clouds. Monthly mean ozone columns in March 2020 were up to 180 DU or 40% lower than the CAMS climatology (2003–2019) while values for 2011 and 1997 were lower by 31% and 35%, respectively.
Stock Market Asymmetry and Investors’ Sensation on Prime Minister: Indian Evidence

This study empirically examines the growth of return, volatility shocks, market efficiency and investors’ sentiment on prime ministers during their administration as a prime minister. Thus, various volatility forecasting measures are applied. It is observed that BSE return does not follow a random walk and inefficient during their tenures as a prime minister. ARCH measure confirms about volatility clustering. According to the EGARCH measure leverage effect does not exist, but the presence of this effect based on TARCH during the tenure of few prime ministers. Finally, the investors are trustful to those prime ministers who are elected from the Indian National Congress according to the growth of return.
Potassium-bearing species in fertiliser obtained by hydrothermal modification of glauconitic siltstones with calcium hydroxide

The hydrothermal dissolution of a Brazilian glauconitic siltstone, known as Verdete, in the presence of calcium hydroxide was studied using conventional and rotary furnaces. The objective was to assess the behaviour of Verdete, a mixture of micas and K-feldspar, in response to reaction with calcium hydroxide to recover potassium-bearing soluble species. The hydrothermal procedure generated Ca-, Si- and Al-bearing insoluble products with defined crystalline structure (hydrogrossular and tobermorite), resulting from the breakdown of K-feldspar. The use of citric acid as extracting agent led to potassium recoveries up to 300% greater than in cases where the extracting agent was water, due to the formation of an insoluble and amorphous layer (containing mostly K, Mg and Fe) between Verdete and the alkaline solution. Altered feldspar, as well as possibly potassium-substituted tobermorites, may have the potential to release potassium (and other elements) in the long term, while the amorphous layer is responsible for faster release in the short term.
Bio-functional enhancement of plant based-haemagglutinin by fusion with IgMFc

Pham Thi Van, Phan Trong Hoang, Ho Thi Thuong , Nguyen Thu Giang, Pham Bich Ngoc , Vu Huyen Trang , Udo Conrad, Chu Hoang Ha 1,2,  Institute of Biotechnology (IBT), Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam Graduate University of Science and Technology (GUST), Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, Germany