Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adopting Specially Designed Balconies to Achieve Substantial Noise Reduction for Residential Buildings

Noise from road traffic is a major environmental problem encountered in metropolitan cities including Hong Kong where housing developments would need to be located next to heavily trafficked roads due to scarcity of land supply. Conventional mitigation measures such as building setback, building design, podium and architectural fins would usually be considered but are inadequate for some really difficult sites. Hence, it is necessary to explore innovative mitigation designs for inclusion into housing development designs. Balconies with special designs would be promising in view of the high-rise residential buildings in Hong Kong. This paper outlines a literature review on how balconies can be used for noise mitigation. It also provides some practicable examples in Hong Kong on the use of specially designed balconies with different noise insulation strategies. Noise benefits of these specially designed balconies were estimated or measured. Though the noise benefits may only be applicable to the particular sites and under the particular situations, the examples illustrate that adopting suitable noise insulation strategy or a combination of them in a balcony design could be an effective noise mitigation solution for difficult residential sites.
Stellar Collisions and the Interior Structure of Blue Stragglers

Collisions of main-sequence stars occur frequently in dense star clusters. In open and globular clusters, these collisions produce merger remnants that may be observed as blue stragglers. Detailed theoretical models of this process require lengthy hydrodynamic computations in three dimensions. However, a less computationally expensive approach, which we present here, is to approximate the merger process (including shock heating, hydrodynamic mixing, mass ejection, and angular momentum transfer) with simple algorithms based on conservation laws and a basic qualitative understanding of the hydrodynamics. These algorithms have been fine-tuned through comparisons with the results of our previous hydrodynamic simulations. We find that the thermodynamic and chemical composition profiles of our simple models agree very well with those from recent SPH (smoothed particle hydrodynamics) calculations of stellar collisions, and the subsequent stellar evolution of our simple models also matches closely that of the more accurate hydrodynamic models. Our algorithms have been implemented in an easy-to-use software package, which we are making publicly available. This software could be used in combination with realistic dynamical simulations of star clusters that must take into account stellar collisions.
Decaying Neutrinos and Large-Scale Structure Formation

We study the growth of density perturbations in a universe with unstable dark matter particles. The mass (mν) range 30 eV ≤ mν ≤ 10 keV with lifetimes (td) in the range 107 s ≤ td ≤ 1016 s are considered. We calculate the COBE normalized matter power spectrum for these models. We find that it is possible to construct models consistent with observations for masses mν > 50 eV by adjusting td so as to keep the quantity mν2(keV)td(yr) constant at a value around 100. For mν ≤ 1 keV, the power spectrum has extra power at small scales that could result in an early epoch of galaxy formation. We do not find any value of td that gives a viable model in the mass range mν ≤ 50 eV. We also consider the implications of radiatively decaying neutrinos—models in which a small fraction B ≪ 1 of neutrinos decay into photons—that could possibly ionize the intergalactic medium (IGM) at high redshift. We show that the parameter space of decaying particles that satisfies the IGM observations does not give viable models of structure formation.
Spider is not special comparing with other animals in human early visual attention : Evidence from event-related potentials

It has long been believed that both snakes and spiders are archetypal fear stimuli for humans. As to snakes, it has been assumed as stronger threat cue even for nonhuman primates. However, it is still unclear whether spiders hold a special status in human perception. The presented study aimed to explore whether spider is special threatening target when comparing with insects similar to spiders in human early visual attention by means of early posterior negativity (EPN). To measure the EPN, participants watched a random rapid serial presentation of pictures, which consisted of two conditions: spider condition (spider, wasp, bumblebee, beetle) and snake condition (snake, bird). EPN amplitudes revealed no significant difference among spider, wasp, bumblebee, and beetle pictures, whereas EPN amplitudes were significantly larger for snake pictures relative to bird pictures. In addition, EPN amplitudes were significantly larger for snake pictures relative to spider pictures. These results suggest that the early visual attentional capture of animate objects is stronger for snakes, whereas spiders do not appear to hold special early attentional value.
Conserved Citrullinating Exoenzymes in Porphyromonas Species

Porphyromonas gingivalis is one of the major oral pathogens implicated in the widespread inflammatory disorder periodontitis. Moreover, in recent years, P. gingivalis has been associated with the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis. The peptidylarginine deiminase enzyme of P. gingivalis (PPAD) is a major virulence factor that catalyzes the citrullination of both bacterial and host proteins, potentially contributing to production of anticitrullinated protein antibodies. Considering that these antibodies are very specific for rheumatoid arthritis, PPAD appears to be a link between P. gingivalis, periodontitis, and the autoimmune disorder rheumatoid arthritis. PPAD was thus far considered unique among prokaryotes, with P. gingivalis being the only bacterium known to produce and secrete it. To challenge this hypothesis, we investigated the possible secretion of PPAD by 11 previously collected Porphyromonas isolates from a dog, 2 sheep, 3 cats, 4 monkeys, and a jaguar with periodontitis. Our analyses uncovered the presence of secreted PPAD homologues in 8 isolates that were identified as Porphyromonas gulae (from a dog, monkeys, and cats) and Porphyromonas loveana (from sheep). In all 3 PPAD-producing Porphyromonas species, the dominant form of the secreted PPAD was associated with outer membrane vesicles, while a minor fraction was soluble. Our results prove for the first time that the citrullinating PPAD exoenzyme is not unique to only 1 prokaryotic species. Instead, we show that PPAD is produced by at least 2 other oral pathogens.
A secreted factor represses cell proliferation in Dictyostelium

Many cells appear to secrete factors called chalones that limit their proliferation, but in most cases the factors have not been identified. We found that growing Dictyostelium cells secrete a 60 kDa protein called AprA for autocrine proliferation repressor. AprA has similarity to putative bacterial proteins of unknown function. Compared with wild-type cells, aprA-null cells proliferate faster, while AprA overexpressing cells proliferate slower. Growing wild-type cells secrete a factor that inhibits the proliferation of wild-type and aprA- cells; this activity is not secreted by aprA- cells. AprA purified by immunoprecipitation also slows the proliferation of wild-type and aprA- cells. Compared with wild type, there is a higher percentage of multinucleate cells in the aprA- population, and when starved, aprA- cells form abnormal structures that contain fewer spores. AprA may thus decrease the number of multinucleate cells and increase spore production. Together, the data suggest that AprA functions as part of a Dictyostelium chalone.
Functoriality of Rieffel's Generalised Fixed-Point Algebras for Proper Actions

We consider two categories of C*-algebras; in the first, the isomorphisms are ordinary isomorphisms, and in the second, the isomorphisms are Morita equivalences. We show how these two categories, and categories of dynamical systems based on them, crop up in a variety of C*-algebraic contexts. We show that Rieffel's construction of a fixed-point algebra for a proper action can be made into functors defined on these categories, and that his Morita equivalence then gives a natural isomorphism between these functors and crossed-product functors. These results have interesting applications to non-abelian duality for crossed products.
Three Essays on the generalizability of experimental results in economics

Although few economists today dismiss the use of the laboratory experiments, it would be a mistake to think that experimental methodology no longer represents a controversial issue in economics. One of the major criticisms is represented by the external validity of experimental data and concerns the transferability of results obtained in laboratory to the real world. The aim of this thesis is to tackle the issue of external validity focusing in particular on one aspect: the possible lack of representativeness of standard subjects pools usually used in economic research. The first experimental study compares the choices of undergraduates and subjects representative of population in different treatments and with different reward dimensions by exploiting the experimental design used by Pelligra and Stanca (2013) to investigate social preferences in a field experiment. Our results show that two samples follow a common behavioral pattern with the only exception of a significant difference in choices where self-interest may play a prominent role. In the second study we use a between-subjects design to compare the behavior of experienced and inexperienced subjects. We investigate whether the laboratory experience, built through repeated participation in experimental sessions, biases subjects’ behavior in a set of representative simple games used to study social preferences. Our main finding shows how subjects having a high level of experience in lab experiments do not behave in a significantly different way from novices.
Searching stack overflow for API-usage-related bug fixes using snippet-based queries

Project-specific bugs are related to the misunderstanding or incomplete implementation of functional requirements. API-usage-related bugs are independent of the functional requirements. Usually they cause an unexpected and wrong output or behavior because of an incorrect usage of an API (Application Programming Interface). We propose an approach to find fixes for API-usage-related bugs, which is based on matching snippets being debugged against related snippets in a Q&A website (Stack Overflow). We analyzed real code excerpts from OHLOH Code Search containing API method calls that may lead to API-usage-related bugs depending on how they are used by developers. We conducted a study with these excerpts to verify to what extent the proposed approach provides proper information from Stack Overflow to fix these potential API-usage-related bugs. The results are encouraging: 66.67% of Java excerpts with potential API-usage-related bugs had their fixes found in the top-10 query results. Considering JavaScript excerpts, fixes were found in the top-10 results for 40% of them. These results indicate that our approaches (i.e., lsab-java and lsab-js combined with the keyword filter) outperform Google and Stack Overflow in searching for API-usage-related bug fixes.
The Factor Structure of the Chinese Adaptation of Self-Concealment Scale in Middle School Students

The psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Self Concealment Scale (SCS) were assessed in this study.SCS and Coping Style Scale for Middle School Students (CSSMSS) were administrated to 513 middle school students.The results indicated that the Chinese version of SCS had good construct validity and good criterion validity as well as good reliabilities.It was showed that male students got significantly higher scores of SCS than female students and the middle school students got significantly higher scores of SCS than college students.
The effects of Environmental Enrichment on Some Physiological and Behavioral Parameters of Broiler Chicks

ABSTRACT This study aims to examine the effects of environmental enrichment (EE) practices on some physiological and behavioral parameters of broiler chicks. A total of 280 one-day old Ross 308 mixed-sex broiler chicks with an average initial body weight of 44.5±0.37 g were used in a 42-d trial. Broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 20 pens composed of 14 birds in 1x1.4m sized floor area. Each of the EE treatment consisted of 5 replicate pens (70 chickens per treatment). The treatments were 1) control; 2) perch for EE; 3) ball for EE; 4) mirror for EE; and 5) dust for EE. Final body weights, tonic immobility test results, and rectal temperatures were recorded. Spleen, liver, and bursa fabricius weights were measured. The blood biochemistry of birds was analyzed at the end of the experiment. Besides, gait score test was applied on the 42 ndday of experiment. Body weight gain, lymphoid organ weights and rectal temperature values of broilers were not affected by EE treatments on the 21st
SilSketch: automated sketch-based editing of surface meshes

We introduce an over-sketching interface for feature-preserving surface mesh editing. The user sketches a stroke that is the suggested position of part of a silhouette of the displayed surface. The system then segments all image-space silhouettes of the projected surface, identifies among all silhouette segments the best matching part, derives vertices in the surface mesh corresponding to the silhouette part, selects a sub-region of the mesh to be modified, and feeds appropriately modified vertex positions together with the sub-mesh into a mesh deformation tool. The overall algorithm has been designed to enable interactive modification of the surface --- yielding a surface editing system that comes close to the experience of sketching 3D models on paper.
Type 2 Diabetes Restricts Multipotency of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Impairs Their Capacity to Augment Postischemic Neovascularization in db/db Mice

Background This study tested the hypothesis that type 2 diabetes restricts multipotency of db/db mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), promotes their terminal differentiation into adipocytes rather than endothelial cells, thereby promotes adipocytic infiltration into ischemic muscles, and reduces their capacity to participate in postischemic neovascularization. Methods and Results To test this hypothesis, we transplanted MSCs from db/db or wild-type (WT) mice into WT recipients after induction of hind limb ischemia. WT recipients of db/db MSCs demonstrated adipocyte infiltration of ischemic muscle and impaired neovascularization; WT recipients of WT MSCs showed no intramuscular adipocyte infiltration and had significantly enhanced neovascularization (P<0.05; n=6). Confocal microscopy showed that the percentage of MSCs that differentiated into an adipocyte phenotype was greater and into an endothelial cell was less in WT recipients transplanted with db/db MSCs than those transplanted with WT MSCs (P<0.05; n=6). In vitro, db/db MSCs exhibited greater oxidant stress, greater adipocyte differentiation, and less endothelial differentiation than WT MSCs, and these differences were reversed by treatment with N-acetylcysteine or Nox4 siRNA (P<0.05; n=6). Insulin increased Nox4 expression, oxidant stress, and adipocyte differentiation in WT MSCs, and these insulin-induced effects were reversed by Nox4 siRNA (P<0.05; n=6). Reversal of db/db MSC oxidant stress by in vivo pretreatment with Nox4 siRNA before transplantation reversed their impaired capacity to augment postischemic neovascularization. Conclusions Type 2 diabetes–induced oxidant stress restricts the multipotency of MSCs and impairs their capacity to increase blood flow recovery after the induction of hind-limb ischemia. Reversal of MSC oxidant stress might permit greater leverage of the therapeutic potential of MSC transplantation in the setting of diabetes.
Air Pollution , Health Spending and Willingness to Pay for Clean Air in China

Understanding the health impact of air pollution and consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for clean air is critical for understanding the benefit of environmental regulations. Based on the universe of credit and debit card transactions in China from 2013 to 2015, this paper provides to our knowledge the first analysis of the impact of PM2.5 on healthcare costs for the entire population of a developing country. To address potential endogeneity in pollution exposure, we construct an instrumental variable by modeling the spatial spillovers of PM2.5 due to longrange transport. We incorporate the IV method into a distributed-lag model estimated with B-splines to flexibly capture the effect of past air pollution. Our analysis shows that PM2.5 has significant impacts on health spending in both the short and medium term and that consumers exhibit avoidance behavior in spending. The annual reduction in national health spending from complying with the World Health Organization’s annual standard of 10 μg/m3 would amount to over $40 billion, nearly 7% of China’s total health spending in 2015. Our estimates suggest a lower bound of annual household WTP of $9.25 for a 10 μg/m3 reduction in PM2.5.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: The Effect of Passive Investors on Activism

We analyze whether the growing importance of passive investors has influenced the campaigns, tactics, and successes of activists. We find activists are more likely to seek board representation when a larger share of the target company’s stock is held by passively managed mutual funds. Furthermore, higher passive ownership is associated with increased use of proxy fights, settlements, and a higher likelihood the activist achieves board representation or the sale of the targeted company. Our findings suggest that the recent growth of passive institutional investors mitigates free-rider problems and facilitates activists’ ability to engage in costly, value-enhancing forms of monitoring. Received September 28, 2016; editorial decision August 18, 2018 by Editor Andrew Karolyi.
The Moral Limitations of the Rational-Monistic Model: A Revision of the Concept of Rationality and Rational Action

This chapter proposes a rational-pluralistic model for decision making in organizations. The authors developed this model as a potential solution to the negative moral implications (such as alienation from the workplace) that the formal rational decision making model has on organization employees. The negative moral implications are due to the fact that the formal rational model is monistic, limited by the considerations of the organization’s utility, and neglects moral values and non-utility values that are related to the employee. The rational-pluralistic model is based on a revision of the concept of rationality and rational action. The basic assumption of this model is that there is a range of values other than the utility value that are involved in rational decision making. The more extended definition of rationality makes it possible to avoid a situation in which employees are only the means for organization goals, rather than ends in themselves.
Comparative studies of diurnal and nocturnal rodents: Differences in lifestyle result in alterations in cortical field size and number

In this study we examine and describe the neuroanatomical organization of sensory cortex in four rodents: laboratory Norway rats (Long Evans; Rattus norvegicus), wild‐caught Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus), wild‐caught California ground squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi), and wild‐caught Eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis). Specifically, we examined the myeloarchitecture and cytochrome oxidase reactivity for several well‐identified areas in visual cortex (areas 17, 18, and 19), somatosensory cortex (areas S1, S2 and PV), and auditory cortex [areas A1 + AAF (R) and TA] and compared the percentage of dorsolateral cortex devoted to each of these areas. Our results demonstrate that squirrels have a larger mean percentage of dorsolateral cortex devoted to visual areas than rats. The difference is due to the greater percentage of cortex devoted to known areas such as area 17 and area 18 and not simply to a difference in the number of visual areas, which ultimately makes this distinction even more pronounced. Furthermore, both rat groups have a larger percentage of the dorsolateral cortex devoted to somatosensory and auditory cortical areas. Differences within groups were also observed. The arboreal squirrel had a larger mean percentage of dorsolateral cortex devoted to areas 17 and 18 compared with the terrestrial squirrel. The laboratory Norway rat had a larger percentage of dorsolateral cortex devoted to both somatosensory and auditory areas than the wild‐caught Norway rat. Our results indicate that differences in sensory apparatus, use of sensory systems, and niche are reflected in the organization and size of cortical areas. J. Comp. Neurol. 518:4491–4512, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Methodological issues in the spatiotemporal analysis of environmental equity

L'A. presente les conceptions de l'equite environnementale developpees par T. Yandle et D. Burton. Il montre comment ces deux chercheurs ont mis en evidence le caractere discriminatoire, a l'encontre des populations les plus defavorisees, en ce qui concerne la repartition des lieux de stockage de dechets dans les regions metropolitaines du Texas. Il estime que l'objet d'etude de Yandle et Burton : les lieux de stockage de dechets est heterogene. Il considere que leur echantillonnage et leurs analyses n'ont pas pris en compte les enquetes menees au niveau national ou dans d'autres regions des Etats-Unis. Il met en doute le bien-fonde des zones spatiales etudiees : les regions metropolitaines. Il affirme qu'une etude de l'equite environnementale doit proposer des analyses comparatives et des analyses longitudinales
Corporate Governance, Board Gender Diversity And Corporate Performance: A Critical Review Of Literature

This paper aims to critically review the existing literature on the relationship between the Corporate Governance aspect of board gender diversity, and its influence on corporate performance. This review specifically evaluates theoretical and empirical literature related to board gender diversity and corporate performance with an aim of establishing areas of gaps for further research. In particular the paper identifies some of the important theoretical, operational, measurement, contextual and methodological drawbacks in previous researches and literature that restrict generalization of results to particular contexts, sectors and larger populations. Additionally, several research avenues are proposed for in- depth understanding of the relationship between board gender diversity and corporate performance. Finally, the implication of the study on policy, theory and practice are discussed.