Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Meteorological Droughts in Abeokuta, Southwestern, Nigeria

Meteorological drought are difficult to avoid but could be monitored, and their adverse impacts could be alleviated. This study investigated invisible drought in Abeokuta, Southwest Nigeria using Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) based on the reconstruction of rainfall events into one and three time scales. The study revealed that although there is an increase in the trend of annual rainfall, large amount of severe drought occurred between January, December, February, November and March, in descending order of frequency. While exceptionally dry periods that were missed in the one month time scale were caught in the 3 months scale for January in 1984, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011. The study concluded that invisible droughts are creeping within the months of December and March in the study area. Policy measures that can support adaptation should be put in place to forestall unexpected crisis while extension services be strengthened to assist the farmers in cushioning these effects.
Source apportionment of arsenic in atmospheric dust fall out in an urban residential area, Raipur, Central India

The components and quantities of atmospheric dust fallout have been reported to be the pollution indica- tor of large urban areas. The multiplicity and complexity of sources of atmospheric dusts in urban regions has put for- ward the need of source apportionment of these sources in- dicating their contribution to specific environmental recep- tor. The study presented here is focused on investigation of source contribution estimates of Arsenic in urban dust fallout in an urban-industrial area, Raipur, India. Source-receptor based representative sampling plan using longitudinal study design has been adopted. Six sampling sites have been iden- tified on the basis of land use for development plan of anthro- pogenic activities and factors related to the transportation and dispersion pattern of atmospheric dusts. Source apportion- ment has been done using Chemical Mass Balance (CMB 8). Good fit parameters and relative source contribution has been analyzed and documented. Dominance of coal fired indus- tries sources on arsenic levels measured at selected ambient residential receptors compared to line sources has been ob- served. Road-traffic has shown highest contribution of dust at indoor houses and out door-street automobile exhaust has shows highest contribution for arsenic. The results of CMB output and regression data of source-receptor dust matrices have shown comparable pattern.
Does eco-certification boost regulatory compliance in developing countries? ISO 14001 in Mexico

Private sector initiatives certifying that producers of goods and services adhere to defined environmental process standards are increasingly popular worldwide. According to proponents, they can circumvent chronic barriers to effective public sector environmental regulation in developing countries. But eco-certification programs will have limited effects on producers’ environmental performance if, as one would expect, they select for those already meeting certification standards. Rigorous evaluations of the environmental effects of eco-certification in developing countries that control for selection bias are rare. We use plant-level data on more than 80,000 Mexican facilities to determine whether ISO 14001 series certification of environmental management systems boosts regulatory compliance. We use propensity score matching to control for nonrandom selection into the program. We find that plants recently fined by environmental regulators were more likely to be certified, all other things equal, but that certified plants were subsequently fined just as often as similar uncertified plants. These results suggest that in Mexico, the ISO 14001 program attracts dirty plants under pressure from regulators—not just relatively clean ones—but does not have a large, lasting impact on their regulatory compliance.
Functional Analysis of BcBem1 and Its Interaction Partners in Botrytis cinerea: Impact on Differentiation and Virulence

In phytopathogenic fungi the establishment and maintenance of polarity is not only essential for vegetative growth and differentiation, but also for penetration and colonization of host tissues. We investigated orthologs of members of the yeast polarity complex in the grey mould fungus Botrytis cinerea: the scaffold proteins Bem1 and Far1, the GEF (guanine nucleotide exchange factor) Cdc24, and the formin Bni1 (named Sep1 in B. cinerea). BcBem1 does not play an important role in regular hyphal growth, but has significant impact on spore formation and germination, on the establishment of conidial anastomosis tubes (CATs) and on virulence. As in other fungi, BcBem1 interacts with the GEF BcCdc24 and the formin BcSep1, indicating that in B. cinerea the apical complex has a similar structure as in yeast. A functional analysis of BcCdc24 suggests that it is essential for growth, since it was not possible to obtain homokaryotic deletion mutants. Heterokaryons of Δcdc24 (supposed to exhibit reduced bccdc24 transcript levels) already show a strong phenotype: an inability to penetrate the host tissue, a significantly reduced growth rate and malformation of conidia, which tend to burst as observed for Δbcbem1. Also the formin BcSep1 has significant impact on hyphal growth and development, whereas the role of the putative ortholog of the yeast scaffold protein Far1 remains open: Δbcfar1 mutants have no obvious phenotypes.
ITCZ Breakdown and Its Upscale Impact on the Planetary-Scale Circulation over the Eastern Pacific

The eastern Pacific (EP) intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is sometimes observed to break down into several vortices on the synoptic time scale. It is still a challenge for present-day numerical models to simulate the ITCZ breakdown in the baroclinic modes. Also, the upscale impact of the associated mesoscale fluctuations on the planetary-scale circulation is not well understood. Here, a simplified multiscale model for the modulation of the ITCZ is used to study these issues. A prescribed two-scale heating drives the planetary-scale circulation through both planetary-scale mean heating and eddy flux divergence of zonal momentum, where the latter represents the upscale impact of mesoscale disturbances. In an idealized scenario where the heating only varies on the mesoscale, key features of the ITCZ breakdown in the baroclinic modes are captured. The eddy flux divergence of zonal momentum is characterized by midlevel (low level) eastward (westward) momentum forcing at subtropical latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere and opposite-signed midlevel momentum forcing at low latitudes. Such upscale impact of mesoscale fluctuations tends to accelerate (decelerate) planetary-scale zonal jets in the middle (lower) troposphere. Compared with deep heating, shallow heating induces stronger vorticity anomalies on the mesoscale and more significant eddy flux divergence of zonal momentum and acceleration–deceleration effects on the planetary-scale mean flow. In a more realistic scenario where the heating also varies on the planetary scale, the most significant zonal velocity anomalies are confined in the diabatic heating region.
Assessing IP vs optical restoration using the open-source Net2Plan tool

Economic sustainability of the ever-increasing traffic requirements is built on the cost reduction of IP-over-WDM backbone networks. These networks are composed of a set of IP routers connected via all-optical circuits (or lightpaths), bypassing intermediate nodes, thanks to reconfigurable optical equipment. Today, traffic survivability is ensured by over-dimensioning the IP layer and using some IP/MPLS fast convergence/reroute mechanism, without making use of the reconfigurability of the optical layer. In this paper, we provide algorithms to dimension an IP-over-WDM network under two different resilience schemes: IP restoration and optical-followed-by-IP restoration. In both cases, the IP routing is controlled by an OSPF-like algorithm. In the optical-followed-by-IP restoration, OSPF reactions to failures are delayed by appropriately setting the OSPF hold-off timer, giving time to lightpath restoration attempts to be completed. We evaluate the performance, in terms of bandwidth requirements and traffic survivability, of these two resilience schemes. Our tests show that optical-followed-by-IP restoration is a cost-efficient alternative to IP restoration, still improving traffic survivability in most cases, without any degree of over-dimensioning. Results were obtained using the open-source Net2Plan tool, and source code is available on the website.
Cholesterol Degradation and Production of Extracellular Cholesterol Oxidase from Bacillus pumilus W1 and Serratia marcescens W8

Cholesterol is a waxy substance present in all types of the body cells. The presence of higher concentration of low density lipoprotein (LDL) is characterized by abnormal cholesterol level and is associated with cardiovascular diseases which lead to the development of atheroma in arteries known as atherosclerosis. The transformation of cholesterol by bacterial cholesterol oxidase can provide a key solution for the treatment of diseases related to cholesterol and its oxidized derivatives. Previously isolated bacteria from oil-contaminated soil were screened for cholesterol degradation. Among fourteen, five isolates were able to utilize cholesterol. Two strains Serratia marcescens W1 and Bacillus pumilus W8 using cholesterol as only carbon and energy source were selected for degradation studies. Several parameters (incubation time, substrate concentration, pH, temperature, and different metal ions) for cholesterol decomposition by the selected bacterial strains were evaluated. Maximum cholesterol reduction was achieved on the 5th day of incubation, 1g/L of substrate concentration, pH 7, in the presence of Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions, and at 35°C. Cholesterol degradation was analyzed by enzymatic colorimetric method, thin layer chromatography (TLC), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Under optimized conditions 50% and 84% cholesterol reduction were recorded with Serratia marcescens W1 and Bacillus pumilus W8, respectively. Cholesterol oxidase activity was assayed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results revealed that Serratia marcescens W1 and Bacillus pumilus W8 have great potential for cholesterol degradation and would be regarded as a source for cholesterol oxidase (CHO).
Toward the integration of personality theory and decision theory in the explanation of economic and health behavior

Toward the Integration of Personality Theory and Decision Theory in the Explanation of Economic and Health Behavior Trait-based personality psychology and economics have taken different approaches to understanding individual differences, with the former emphasizing variables derived from the factor analysis of trait assessments, and the latter emphasizing variables derived from formal decision theory. In a data set on trainee truckers in a large US company, we provide a systematic initial assessment of the empirical pattern of relationships between the elements from these two approaches by comparing the predictive power of measurements derived from personality theory and decision theory for several individual characteristics and outcomes, and relating the two sets of measurements to each other. We show that personality traits have a comparable or stronger predictive power than do economic preferences for several dependent variables, including credit score, job persistence, and heavy truck accidents. They also have strong predictive power for Body Mass Index (BMI) and smoking status. Further, decision theory and personality variables are meaningfully related. For example, we confirm that cognitive ability explains a substantial part of time preferences, and find that Neuroticism and cognitive ability together explain attitudes toward risk. In addition, Agreeableness and cognitive ability explain aspects of other-regarding behavior in a strategic setting. JEL Classification: D83, C72, C93
Suppression of influenza virus infection by the orf virus isolated in Taiwan

Orf virus (ORFV), a member of parapoxvirus, is an enveloped virus with genome of double-stranded DNA. ORFV causes contagious pustular dermatitis or contagious ecthyma in sheep and goats worldwide. In general, detection of viral DNA and observing ORFV virion in tissues of afflicted animals are two methods commonly used for diagnosis of orf infection; however, isolation of the ORFV in cell culture using virus-containing tissue as inoculum is known to be difficult. In this work, the ORFV (Hoping strain) isolated in central Taiwan was successfully grown in cell culture. We further examined the biochemical characteristic of our isolate, including viral genotyping, viral mRNA and protein expression. By electron microscopy, one unique form of viral particle from ORFV infected cellular lysate was demonstrated in the negative-stained field. Moreover, immunomodulating and anti-influenza virus properties of this ORFV were investigated. ORFV stimulated human monocytes (THP-1) secreting proinflammatory cytokines IL-8 and TNF-α. And, pre-treatment of ORFV-infected cell medium prevents A549 cells from subsequent type A influenza virus (IAV) infection. Similarly, mice infected with ORFV via both intramuscular and subcutaneous routes at two days prior to IAV infection significantly decreased the replication of IAV. In summary, the results of a current study indicated our Hoping strain harbors the immune modulator property; with such a bio-adjuvanticity, we further proved that pre-exposure of ORFV protects animals from subsequent IAV infection.
The bulk kinetic power of the jets of GRS 1915+105

We calculate the minimum value of the power in kinetic bulk motion of the galactic superluminal source GRS 1915+105. This value far exceeds the Eddington luminosity for accretion on to a black hole of mass 10 Mo˙. This large value severely limits the possible carriers of the kinetic luminosity at the base of the jet, and favours a jet production and acceleration controlled by a magnetic field, the value of which, at the base of the jet, exceeds 108 G. The Blandford & Znajek process can be responsible for the extraction of the rotational energy of a Kerr black hole, if it lasts long enough to provide the required kinetic energy. The time required, of the order of a day, implies that the process must operate in a stationary, not impulsive, mode.
The Elasticity of Taxable Income over the 1980s and 1990s

Taxable (and broad) income elasticities are estimated using tax return data from 1979 to 2001. Data from the Continuous Work History Survey (CWHS) yield an estimated taxable income elasticity for the 1990s that is about half the corresponding 1980s estimate. Estimates from the full Statistics of Income, which heavily oversamples high-income filers, generally confirm the CWHS results. More sophisticated income control brings the estimates for the two decades closer together—to 0.40 for the 1980s and 0.26 for the 1990s. Work by Kopczuk (2005) implies that the narrowing of the tax base since 1986 could account for 14 to 29 percent of the remaining difference.
An Empirical Performance Comparison of DTN Bundle Protocol Implementations

In recent years, Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN) has received a lot of interest from the networking community. Today the Bundle Protocol (RFC 5050) is the standard communication protocol in DTNs and three major implementations are available. Since DTN is still a young research area, specifications as well as implementations have not yet reached the same state of maturity as e.g. TCP protocol stacks. As of now no quantitative analysis of the different implementation’s performance or a structured evaluation of interoperability has been undertaken. In this paper we present an interoperability check and perform an extensive quantitative performance analysis of the three main Bundle Protocol implementations. While the overall results show that all implementations provide some baseline compatibility with each other, the stability and achieved performance under stress situations varies widely between implementations.
Distribution of Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Facial Esthetic Unit

Background The most common cutaneous malignant masses are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma. The predominant site of a malignant mass is the face, which has many opportunities to be exposed to ultraviolet radiation. However the predilection sites of malignant masses have been equivocal due to the use of general regions, rather than anatomical landmarks, in surveys. A facial esthetic unit is an anatomical site classified as an area of similar facial contour characteristics that can be distinguished from other areas. The purpose of this study is to determine widely accepted anatomical landmarks using the esthetic unit. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 118 cases of malignant masses in our clinic from January 2005 to October 2012. We evaluated the patients' age, gender, and predilection site of the malignant mass by esthetic unit through pathology, medical records and patient photographs. We mapped the occurrence site of the malignant mass on schematic drawings of the esthetic units. Results Most of the malignant masses were BCC. The ratio of males to females was 1:1.41. The frequent predilection site of a malignant mass was on the nasal unit (33.1%), followed by the buccal unit (11.0%). Primary closure was the most common method of repairing a surgical defect (38.9%), followed by a local flap (35.5%). Conclusions This review described the relationship between clinical characteristics and esthetic units by proposing objective predilection sites for malignant masses, which can be used commonly as a framework in the study of malignant masses by unifying equivocal occurrence sites.
Investigating the Role of Task Value, Surface/Deep Learning Strategies, and Higher Order Thinking in Predicting Self-regulation and Language Achievement

This study aims to identify and investigate the role of task value (drawn from expectancy-value theory), surface/deep learning strategies, and critical thinking for predicting language learners’ self-regulation and ultimate language achievement in a single framework. To this end, 190 participants, majoring in English at bachelor’s level at a state university in Iran, were selected based upon convenience sampling. A structural equation model showed that both motivational and cognitive components were significant predictors of language achievement and self-regulation. The results reveal that task value is a positive predictor of deep/surface learning strategies and metacognitive self-regulation, which provides evidence that awareness of the importance and value of a task, directs learners to choose more appropriate self-regulation strategies to monitor their process of learning and structure their own cognitive manners. The findings demonstrated that critical thinking predicts improvement in language achievement. Theoretically speaking, it has been argued that the ability to critically analyze learning materials and evaluate information enables learners with advanced proficiency to actively take part in the learning process, be further dedicated to their tasks, and more effectively and efficiently engaged in learning strategies, therefore making more successful learners. Finally, the implication for teachers and policy makers is discussed.
Advances in Measurement in School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

In recent years, there has been an increased research focus on developing tools to support the design, installation, and evaluation of tiered systems of support. In this special issue, we focus on research validating freely available tools to (a) measure fidelity of implementation of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS), (b) assess staff commitment to implement SWPBIS, (c) inform development of teaching matrices, (d) examine issues of sustainability, and (e) assess school climate.
Transfection with trk restores "slow" NGF binding, efficient NGF uptake, and multiple NGF responses to NGF-nonresponsive PC12 cell mutants

NGF binds to and activates the protein tyrosine kinase gp 140prototrk. Expression of this receptor is required for at least some responses to NGF. Three outstanding issues are addressed in the present work. First, we determined whether expression of gp 140prototrk is required for all neuronal NGF responses. Second, we examined the role of gp 140prototrk in NGF binding and internalization. Third, we addressed the utility of NGF-nonresponsive PC12nnr5 cells for study of the NGF mechanism. In contrast to wild-type PC12 cells, PC12nnr5 cells do not express endogenous gp 140prototrk. We therefore asked whether they possess other defects that compromise NGF signaling pathways. To answer these questions, we transfected PC12nnr5 cells with a cDNA encoding full- length human gp 140prototrk and isolated cell lines permanently expressing the receptor. Introduction of trk rescued all of the many and varied NGF responses assessed, including enhanced protein tyrosine phosphorylation, induction of immediate-early and neural-specific genes, neurite outgrowth and regeneration, maintenance of survival in serum-free medium, and stimulation of AChE activity. In contrast to PC12nnr5 cells, the trk-transfected lines also bind and internalize NGF with wild-type PC12 cell characteristics. These findings indicate that gp 140prototrk is required for many, if not all, responses of neuronal cells to NGF and is necessary for proper NGF binding and internalization. Additionally, as no signaling defect other than the absence of trk expression was revealed in PC12nnr5 cells, this work supports the utility of this line for genetic dissection of the NGF mechanism of action.