Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experimental studies of salt powder efficiency at convective cloud modification for precipitation enhancement

The studies of an effect of convective clouds seeding with salt powder (NaCl) for precipitation enhancement are made in (Drofa et al., 2010). The experimental results supported by the results of numerical simulation showed that the use of the salt powder has numerous advantages in the effect of modification and in the consumption of the agent against hygroscopic particles generated by pyrotechnic flares (Cooper et al., 1997). The given paper presents the results of experimental studies of the efficiency of a polydisperse salt powder developed at RPA 'Typhoon' (Obninsk, Russia) for stimulating precipitation from convective clouds. Experimental studies of a salt powder seeding effect on a cloud medium were performed in the Big Cloud Chamber (BCC) of RPA 'Typhoon'. The BCC is designed for modeling convective or stratified clouds and fogs of different origin under the conditions close to those in the real atmosphere. The chamber is a steel airtight cylinder of 18-m height and 15-m diameter. The total volume of the chamber is 3200 m 3. The process of convective cloud medium formation in the BCC is made through air expansion. For this external air is pumped into the chamber. As a result the air pressure in it is increased to the level of 1300 hPa. The air pressure decrease is made by opening holes in the upper part of the chamber. The air discharge from the chamber through the holes of different cross sections makes it possible to regulate the rate of pressure decrease in the chamber, thus setting a certain velocity of air updraft in the atmosphere during the formation of a convective cloud. Air temperature, pressure, humidity and the chamber wall temperatures are basic parameters for setting thermodynamic conditions in the BCC. These parameters are continuously measured during the experiments in the BCC. In the efforts described in this paper the pressure decrease in the BCC was made with the velocity of air mass updraft in the atmosphere of 1.3 m/s. Relative humidity of air in the chamber before the pressure drop is usually 90 – 96%. The air temperature is 22 – 25ºC. At such values of meteorological parameters a cloud medium in the BCC is formed in 2 – 3 min after the beginning of the pressure lowering. During ≈15 min the process of cloud medium formation in the BCC may be considered adequate to the process of convective cloud formation in the real atmosphere. …
Review : Humic and Fulvic Acids . A Practical Approach

INDEX 1. General description and basic chemistry of humic and fulvic acids 2. Methods of extraction of humic and fulvic acids. 3. Sources and characteristics of products from different sources. 4. Chemical characteristics 5. Physical characteristics 6. Biological characteristics and soil biological activity 7. Product claims and facts 8. Dosage response and optimal dosages 9. Registration requirements and registration 10. Practical guidelines for farmers 11. What questions should farmers ask 12. Conclusion 13. References 1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND BASIC CHEMISTRY Waksman defined humus as "a complex aggregate of brown to dark colored amorphous substances, which have originated during the decomposition of plant and animal residues by microorganisms, under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, usually in soils, composts, peat bogs, and water basins". Soil Organic Matter or humic substances (HS) which are the largest constituent of soil organic matter (∼60%) and are considered as a key component of sustainable agricultural practices and terrestrial ecosystems since they are responsible for many complex chemical reactions in soil 1. HS are often divided into humic and non-humic substances. In soil, one of the most important characteristics of HS is their ability to interact with metal ions, oxides, hydroxides, mineral and organic compounds, 2 also toxic pollutants 16-18 and to form water-soluble and insoluble complexes. Accumulation of such complexes in soil can contribute to a reduction of toxicity, e.g., of aluminium (Al), 19,20 or removal of heavy metals like Cr from aqueous solutions. 25 HS can interact with xenobiotic organic molecules such as pesticides 15,23,24 and enhance nutrient availability (N, S, P), especially of those nutrients present at a very low concentration. 8,14,22 The latter being directly involved to negate various morphological, physiological and biochemical effects on higher plants 27-29 that impacts on yield and quality. Non-Humic Substances can be defined as organic chemical compounds that can be categorized in one of the known classified compounds such as amino acids (Fig 1), sugars (Fig 2), fats and organic acids like citric acid (Table 1). Fig 1: Peptide bond between amino acids Fig 2: Typical sugar molecules showing carboxylic acid, hydroxyl and aliphatic groups
chapter thirty-two Restoring longleaf pine forest ecosystems in the southern

32.1 Southern forest environment . 50 2 32.2 Longleaf pine ecology. 502 32.2. 1 Longleaf pine ecosystems . 50 2 32.2. 2 Ecological significance . 50 . 32.3 History of longleaf pine ecosystems. 505 32.4 Social and political context . 50 6 32.5 Restoration perspectives. 507 32.6 Restoration methods . 50 7 32.6. 1 Restoration framework . 50 7 32.6. 2 Selecting techniques . 508 32.6. 3 Restoration prescriptions. 508 32.6. 3.1 Xeric and subxeric sandhills dominated by longleaf pine with native understory . 50 g 32.6. 3.2 Xeric and subxeric sandhills dominated by other trees with native understory . 50 9 32.6. 3.3 Xeric and subxeric sandhills without a native understory . 510 32.6. 3.4 Flatwoods and wet lowlands dominated by longleaf pine with native understory. 512 32.6. 3.5 Flatwoods and wet lowlands dominated by other trees with native understory . 512 32.6. 3.6 Upland and montane sites dominated by longleaf pine with native understory . 512 32.6. 3.7 Upland and montane sites dominated by other species . 513 32.7 Costs and benefits associated with restoration . 513 32.7. 1 Estimating restoration costs . 513 32.7. 2 Benefits of restored longleaf pine ecosystems . 514
A Harris-Todaro agent-based model to rural-urban migration

The Harris-Todaro model of the rural-urban migration process is revisited under an agent-based approach. The migration of the workers is interpreted as a process of social learning by imitation, formalized by a computational model. By simulating this model, we observe a transitional dynamics with continuous growth of the urban fraction of overall population toward an equilibrium. Such an equilibrium is characterized by stabilization of rural-urban expected wages differential (generalized Harris-Todaro equilibrium condition), urban concentration and urban unemployment. These classic results obtained originally by Harris and Todaro are emergent properties of our model.
VoIP Capacity Analysis in Cognitive Radio System with Single/Multiple Channels

In this letter, the voice over IP (VoIP) capacity in Cognitive Radio system is studied with single and multiple channels. A special Cognitive Radio (CR) system is used, the Cognitive radio system adopt the frequency of near 700M Hz, a wireless channel can be modeled as a two-dimensional discrete-time Markov chain. The traffic of a single VoIP user is described as a Markov modulated Poison process (MMPP). Two kinds of systems is considered: single-channel system-in which VoIP data will be transmitted in a single channel; multi-channels system-VoIP data will be transmitted in several channels together, performance of both of the systems will be simulated in our CR system, and give a comparison. We obtained the packet dropping probability and the average throughput, after analysis these results, we give the conclusion.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Security Analyst Monitoring Activity, and Firm Value

In this study we examine the complementary monitoring activity that takes place via the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) and its effect on security analyst monitoring activity and firm value of large and small public firms. Our findings indicate that security analyst monitoring activity has decreased post-SOX while firm value has increased post-SOX for both large and small firms. We also find that the increase in firm value is more pronounced for the group of small firms. Given these results, we surmise that the complementary monitoring activity provided by SOX is effective enough to have a positive impact on firm value.
On the Minimax Risk of Dictionary Learning

We consider the problem of learning a dictionary matrix from a number of observed signals, which are assumed to be generated via a linear model with a common underlying dictionary. In particular, we derive lower bounds on the minimum achievable worst case mean squared error (MSE), regardless of computational complexity of the dictionary learning (DL) schemes. By casting DL as a classical (or frequentist) estimation problem, the lower bounds on the worst case MSE are derived following an established information-theoretic approach to minimax estimation. The main contribution of this paper is the adaption of these information-theoretic tools to the DL problem in order to derive lower bounds on the worst case MSE of any DL algorithm. We derive three different lower bounds applying to different generative models for the observed signals. The first bound only requires the existence of a covariance matrix of the (unknown) underlying coefficient vector. By specializing this bound to the case of sparse coefficient distributions and assuming the true dictionary satisfies the restricted isometry property, we obtain a lower bound on the worst case MSE of DL methods in terms of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The third bound applies to a more restrictive subclass of coefficient distributions by requiring the non-zero coefficients to be Gaussian. Although the applicability of this bound is the most limited, it is the tightest of the three bounds in the low SNR regime. A particular use of our lower bounds is the derivation of necessary conditions on the required number of observations (sample size), such that DL is feasible, i.e., accurate DL schemes might exist. By comparing these necessary conditions with sufficient conditions on the sample size such that a particular DL technique is successful, we are able to characterize the regimes, where those algorithms are optimal in terms of required sample size.
The Influence of a Lilly Endowment Grant to Recruit and Retain Part-Time Faculty in a Community College System.

This qualitative study examines the influence of a grant from the Lilly Endowment to recruit and retain intellectual capital of part-time faculty in a community college system. Through the use of grant funds, the college used in this study developed and implemented nine college-wide initiatives. This study examined adjunct faculty members‟ awareness of the grant and the nine initiatives, as well as examined the influence the grant had on their experience. Qualitative data on the lived experiences of adjunct faculty were collected and analyzed. Based upon the analysis of data, five themes emerged in this study: (a) limited awareness of the grant; (b) limited knowledge of the nine initiatives developed and implemented under the grant; (c) lack of formal communication regarding the grant and its initiatives; (d) the adjunct faculty experience was significantly influenced by orientation to the position; and (e) mentoring had a significant influence on their experience. The findings of this study resulted in implications for institutions of higher education, as well as generated recommendations for future practice and research.
Comparing Possible Proxies of Corporate Bond Liquidity

We consider eight different proxies (issued amount, coupon, listed, age, missing prices, yield volatility, number of contributors and yield dispersion) to measure corporate bond liquidity and use a five-variable model to control for interest rate risk, credit risk, maturity, rating and currency differences between bonds. The null hypothesis that liquidity risk is not priced in our data set of euro corporate bonds is rejected for seven out of eight liquidity proxies. We find significant liquidity premia, ranging from 9 to 24 basis points. A comparison test between liquidity proxies shows limited differences between the proxies.
, 3-dioxygenase ( IDO )-producing dendritic cells : too much ado about IDO ? Regulation of human auto-and alloreactive T cells by indoleamine

Although dendritic cells (DCs) strongly stimulate the immune response, they can also induce unresponsiveness. Recently, a human monocyte-derived DC subpopulation was described which constitutively expresses IDO. These DCs were defined as non-adherent, CD123, CCR6 cells, which suppress the allogeneic T-cell response. In the present study we generated non-adherent, mature DCs from human blood monocytes. As expected, in addition to the classical markers, these cells expressed CD123 and CCR6. RT-PCR, however, did not show IDO-gene transcription, nor did we detect enzymatic IDO-activity. Treating the cells with IFN-γ resulted in significant IDO production. Subsequently, we studied the regulatory properties of IDO-producing DCs on autologous and allogeneic T-cell responses. Neither OKT3-stimulated T cells of healthy donors nor myelin basic protein (=MBP)-specific T cells of patients with multiple sclerosis (=MS) were suppressed by autologous IDO-DCs. However, whereas IDO DCs supported further stimulation of pre-activated MBP-specific T cells of an MS patient, IDO DCs had lost this capacity. The allogeneic T-cell response was only marginally suppressed by IDO-DCs. Our findings show that non-adherent, CD123, CCR6 human DCs do not constitutively express IDO and, even if they express the enzyme after IFNγ treatment, posses only limited T-cell regulatory function. only. For personal use at PENN STATE UNIVERSITY on February 20, 2013. bloodjournal.hematologylibrary. org From
The Impact of Education on Subjective Discount Rate in Ugandan Villages

Heterogeneity in time discounting may reinforce the existing barriers to save and invest faced by rural populations in developing countries. We elicit a subjective discount rate for a varied sample of Ugandan villagers. In accordance with other studies, we have found the discount rate to decrease with education. We examine this correlation further by testing the causal effect of education and exploit two different sources of its variation: school frequency across villages and the number of the respondents’ school‐going years that overlap with the era of the dictator Idi Amin’s rule. For men, we find that education has a significant impact on their discount rate, similar in magnitude for both types of instruments and robust to observable characteristics. This finding highlights the importance of education in development.
Acute Effect of Different Combined Stretching Methods on Acceleration and Speed in Soccer Players

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effect of different stretching methods, during a warm-up, on the acceleration and speed of soccer players. The acceleration performance of 20 collegiate soccer players (body height: 177.25 ± 5.31 cm; body mass: 65.10 ± 5.62 kg; age: 16.85 ± 0.87 years; BMI: 20.70 ± 5.54; experience: 8.46 ± 1.49 years) was evaluated after different warm-up procedures, using 10 and 20 m tests. Subjects performed five types of a warm-up: static, dynamic, combined static + dynamic, combined dynamic + static, and no-stretching. Subjects were divided into five groups. Each group performed five different warm-up protocols in five non-consecutive days. The warm-up protocol used for each group was randomly assigned. The protocols consisted of 4 min jogging, a 1 min stretching program (except for the no-stretching protocol), and 2 min rest periods, followed by the 10 and 20 m sprint test, on the same day. The current findings showed significant differences in the 10 and 20 m tests after dynamic stretching compared with static, combined, and no-stretching protocols. There were also significant differences between the combined stretching compared with static and no-stretching protocols. We concluded that soccer players performed better with respect to acceleration and speed, after dynamic and combined stretching, as they were able to produce more force for a faster execution.
The Learning Effect of Uninformed Traders in Limit Order Markets

We examine the effect of learning of uninformed traders in a dynamic limit order market with asymmetric and short-lived information. We show that the learning is effective and valuable with respect to information acquisition, forecasting and buy-sell decision accuracies, and profit opportunity for uninformed traders. It improves market information dissemination efficiency and liquidity and makes informed traders submit more limit orders and less market orders. It becomes more effective and valuable with longer information lag, higher volatile in fundamental value, and less informed traders.
The development and validation of the emotion labor in families scale: Associations with emotion regulation, feeling caught, and relational satisfaction in parent-child relationships

In this study, we developed and validated a new inventory that assesses emotion labor in parent-child relationships. Participants included 230 young adults who reported on the frequency with which they engaged in emotion labor with both parents. Results produced a 24-item inventory that assesses young adults’ surface acting, deep acting, and emotional effort when having conversations with their mother and father, labeled the Emotion Labor in Families (ELF) scale. Tests of concurrent and discriminant validity supported the construct validity of the ELF scale, although the dimension of emotional effort was largely unassociated with the validity measures included in this report.
Transfusion of autologous late-outgrowth endothelial cells reduces arterial neointima formation after injury.

AIMS Late-outgrowth endothelial cells (OECs) exist in blood and other organs. We aimed to explore whether and how OECs participate in re-endothelialization and prevent vascular neointima formation after injury. METHODS AND RESULTS Rabbit bone marrow OECs were cultured for 4 weeks to increase their numbers. Transfusion of autologous OECs (2 × 10⁶-1 × 10⁷/kg) soon after rabbit ear central artery injury reduced the increase in intima area and the decrease in lumen area observed at days 14 and 28. Transfusion of autologous OECs (1 × 10⁷/kg) ameliorated some early (days 2 and 7) inflammatory and angiogenic responses (local and systemic) to the injury. Red fluorescence was seen within 7 days after transfusion of 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine-labelled acetylated low-density lipoprotein (Dil-acLDL)-incorporated OECs, and 1 h after perfusion of the isolated rabbit ear with Ringer-Locke solution containing Dil-acLDL-incorporated OECs, in the injured rabbit ear central artery. After transfusion of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporated autologous OECs, BrdU-positive cells appeared in the injured artery intima at day 3 and were present in the rescued artery endothelium at day 28. The OECs, ranging from 5%-15% of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and the OEC-conditioned medium (5-15%) both inhibited VSMC proliferation and migration in vitro and regulated the arrangement of VSMCs. The VSMCs were helpful for OECs to form tubes in vitro. CONCLUSION Circulating OECs participate in re-endothelialization directly and inhibit VSMC migration and proliferation by a paracrine pathway; transfusion of large numbers of autologous OECs soon after vascular injury may prevent neointima formation.
Abiotic and oxidative stress-dependent regulation of expression of the thioredoxin h multigenic family in grape Vitis vinifera

Thioredoxins (Trxs) are small ubiquitous oxidoreductases that participate in dithiol-disulphide exchange reactions. They are present in all organisms from prokaryotes to higher eukaryotes and involved in a variety of cellular processes in higher plants. The expression pattern of the multigenic family of grape Trxsh was analysed in different tissues by semiquantitative RT-PCR. The grape Trxh genes were approximately expressed in all tissues, but with different expression patterns than each other. The in silico analysis of the promoter regions of grape Trxs h demonstrated the presence of a number of potential cis-acting elements to respond to environmental signals, suggesting that Trxsh may respond to a variety of environmental signals, including dehydration, salinity, heat, cold, heavy metals, light, pathogens, and plant hormones. The grape Trx h genes were also found to be differentially induced under abiotic stress conditions due to the presence of different putative regulatory elements in their promoters. Collectively, the distinct expression patterns and different responses to environmental stress conditions suggest that each isoform of the multigenic family of VvTrxh may have a specific and non-redundant function in grape.
OPTIMIZING CRITICAL THINKING SKILL THROUGH PEER EDITING TECHNIQUE IN TEACHING WRITING

The objective of the research was to know the description of how critical thinking skill can be optimized in teaching writing using peer editing technique. Critical thinking skill should be strengthened in writing class to elicit the writing class problem. Applying peer teaching technique was assumed can optimize the critical thinking skill in writing class. This research used descriptive qualitative method. It was conducted to the students of English Education Department students in paragraph based writing class. The writer took one of six classes as the sample of the research. The researcher used observation and documentation to know the description of the class situation. The data which was collected are in form documentation, observation and interview result and students writing and peer editing form which is analyzed descriptively. After the research conducted it can be drawn a conclusion that teaching writing using peer editing can optimize the students’ critical thinking skill. It was proven with the minimal error that was produced in the next writing produced and the increasing score of students’ writing. The mean score in the pre-research was 68.62, after the treatment conducted the mean score increased up to 72.90.