Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A quasi chemistry-transport model mode for EMAC

Abstract. A quasi chemistry-transport model mode (QCTM) is presented for the numerical chemistry-climate simulation system ECHAM/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC). It allows for a quantification of chemical signals through suppression of any feedback between chemistry and dynamics. Noise would otherwise interfere too strongly. The signal is calculated from the difference of two QCTM simulations, a reference simulation and a sensitivity simulation. In order to avoid the feedbacks, the simulations adopt the following offline chemical fields: (a) offline mixing ratios of radiatively active substances enter the radiation scheme, (b) offline mixing ratios of nitric acid enter the scheme for re-partitioning and sedimentation from polar stratospheric clouds, (c) and offline methane oxidation is the exclusive source of chemical water-vapor tendencies. Any set of offline fields suffices to suppress the feedbacks, though may be inconsistent with the simulation setup. An adequate set of offline climatologies can be produced from a non-QCTM simulation using the setup of the reference simulation. Test simulations reveal the particular importance of adequate offline fields associated with (a). Inconsistencies from (b) are negligible when using adequate fields of nitric acid. Acceptably small inconsistencies come from (c), but should vanish for an adequate prescription of chemical water vapor tendencies. Toggling between QCTM and non-QCTM is done via namelist switches and does not require a source code re-compilation.
On the Interplay between Distortion, Mean Value and Haezendonck-Goovaerts Risk Measures

In the actuarial research, distortion, mean value and Haezendonck–Goovaerts risk measures are concepts that are usually treated separately. In this paper we indicate and characterize the relation between these different risk measures, as well as their relation to convex risk measures. While it is known that the mean value principle can be used to generate premium calculation principles, we will show how they also allow to generate solvency calculation principles. Moreover, we explain the role provided for the distortion risk measures as an extension of the Tail Value-at-Risk (TVaR) and Conditional Tail Expectation (CTE).
Functional Characterization of Cucumis metuliferus Proteinase Inhibitor Gene (CmSPI) in Potyviruses Resistance

Proteinase inhibitors are ubiquitous proteins that block the active center or interact allosterically with proteinases and are involved in plant physiological processes and defense responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. The CmSPI gene identified from Cucumis metuliferus encodes a serine type PI (8 kDa) that belongs to potato I type family. To evaluate the effect of silencing CmSPI gene on Papaya ringspot virus resistance, RNA interference (RNAi) with an inter-space hairpin RNA (ihpRNA) construct was introduced into a PRSV-resistant C. metuliferus line. CmSPI was down-regulated in CmSPI RNAi transgenic lines in which synchronously PRSV symptoms were evident at 21 day post inoculation. Alternatively, heterogeneous expression of CmSPI in Nicotiana benthamiana was also conducted and showed that CmSPI can provide resistance to Potato virus Y, another member of Potyvirus, in transgenic N. benthamiana lines. This study demonstrated that CmSPI plays an important role in resistant function against potyviruses in C. metuliferus and N. benthamiana.
Seroprevalence of Pediatric Malaria in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan

Background Malaria is one of the most devastating protozoal diseases in under developing countries like Pakistan where health facilities are scarce. It is the second most frequently reported disease with 4.5 million suspected cases in Pakistan. The current study was designed to determine the incidence of pediatric malaria in Quetta, Balochistan. Methods The study was conducted at Children Hospital Quetta (CHQ) during July 2011march 2012. Blood samples were collected from 3418 clinically suspected and were evaluated using thin and thick blood films stained with Giemsa stain. Results Out of 3418 total of 230 (6.72%) children were found positive for any of the malarial parasitic infestation. Plasmodium vivax was observed to be more common 54.34% (n= 125/230) than P. falciparum 44.78% (n = 103/230). Male children were 65.21% (150/230) i.e. two times more commonly affected than female 34.78% (80/230) children. The prevalence among age groups was 7.41% (n = 89/1200) in preschool-aged children aged 1-5 years, 7.11% (n = 75/1054) in school-aged children aged 6—10 years while 6.78% (n = 46/678) in 11-15 years-old children, and 6.66% (n = 20/300) in >15 year-olds children. Peak prevalence was noted in summer and mild in winter. Mixed infection of (0.86%: 2/230) P. vivax and P. falciparum was also observed in two cases although no case of P. malariae or P. ovale infection was seen during entire study. Conclusion The results reflect the higher prevalence of malaria in Quetta, Pakistan that poses a significant health threat and requires urgent attention of high-ups to launch programme to control the disease in the area.
The Effect of Human Resource Management Practices on Employees’ Work Engagement and the Mediating and Moderating Role of Positive Psychological Capital

This study proposes and investigates a model of psychological capital as a mediator and moderator in HR practices-employee work engagement relationship. Although there have been a lot of researches on the relationship between HR practices and individual and organizational outcomes, how occur this relationship is still unclear. In order to advance our knowledge about this relationship, there is need to investigate possible mediating and moderating variables that effective on it. To test developed model, we collected data from 590 white-collor employees who are working in private companies from different sectors in Turkey. As a result of this study the effects of motivation and skill enhancing HR practices on work engagement are significantly partial mediated by psychological capital but not moderated. On the other hand the effects of opportunity enhancing HR practices and working conditions on work engagement are significantly partial mediated and moderated by psychological capital at the same time.
Fuzzy Running Average and Fuzzy Background Subtraction: Concepts and Application

Summary Running average method and its modified version are two simple and fast methods for background modeling. In this paper, some weaknesses of running average method and standard background subtraction are mentioned. Then, a fuzzy approach for background modeling and background subtraction is proposed. For fuzzy background modeling, fuzzy running average is suggested. Background modeling and background subtraction algorithms are very commonly used in vehicle detection systems. To demonstrate the advantages of fuzzy running average and fuzzy background subtraction, these methods and their standard versions are compared in vehicle detection application. Experimental results show that fuzzy approach is relatively more accurate than classical approach.
A COGNITIVE EXPERIENTIAL AVOIDANCE MODEL (C-EAM): UNDERSTANDING NON-SUICIDAL SELF-INJURY AS A FORM OF AVOIDANCE

A COGNITIVE EXPERIENTIAL AVOIDANCE MODEL (C-EAM): UNDERSTANDING NON-SUICIDAL SELF-INJURY AS A FORM OF AVOIDANCE Michele Davis Advisor: University of Guelph, 2012 Dr. Stephen Lewis Few theoretical models formally integrate the roles of cognitive and emotional factors in understanding non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). The first study outlines a new model, which considers both emotionality and cognition as predic tors of experiential avoidance. NSSI is proposed to be an experientially avoidant behaviour , used to avoid from or escape unwanted emotional experiences. Specifically, it was propose d that emotion dysregulation would moderate the relation between two cognitive perceptions asso ciated with general forms of self-harm, namely defeat (e.g., “I am rejected/experienced los s/am defeated”) and entrapment (e.g., “I am stuck in this state and there is no way out”). This model, coined the Cognitive-Experiential Avoidance Model (C-EAM) was tested in a sample of 4 64 undergraduate students – a known high-risk population for NSSI. Findings provided pr eliminary support for the model, suggesting that the perception of defeat predicts the percepti on of entrapment more for those with poor emotion regulation skills. Entrapment also predicte d significant variance in experiential avoidance, which varied as a function of NSSI frequ ency group. Logistical regression analyses also demonstrated that entrapment and experiential avoidance predicted NSSI group membership. Those with a history of NSSI reported p oorer emotion regulation skills and higher perceptions of entrapment compared to those without a history of NSSI; however, effect sizes were largest for those with more than four lifetime occurrences of NSSI. The second study evaluated an in-situ measure of experiential avoida nce using a subset of participants from Study 1. Results did not support the proposed hypotheses, a those with a history of NSSI did not opt to discontinue a stressful task earlier than those wit hout a history of NSSI. Findings speak to the importance of considering both cognitive and emotio nal factors in NSSI management. Future research should focus on model replication in other at-risk samples (e.g., youth), using momentary assessments of emotions and cognitions to ascertain the temporal nature of model components, and assessing the role of emotion regul ation as a moderator of other cognitive factors associated with NSSI.
Teachers' Experiences with Computers: A Comparative Study

Findings from two ethnographic studies regarding teachers' uses of computers from 1991 and 2004 are compared to discover how teachers' experiences of computer have changed since the proliferation of computers in schools and how teachers' experiences of computers have remained the same. Despite the tremendous increase in availability of computers in schools and modest progress in teachers' computer use, a comparison of data demonstrates continuing token integration of computers by teachers. Such factors as lack of effective training, and need for collaboration and involvement in planning for computer use which inhibited teachers' computer use in 1991 continued to exist in 2004.
A spectral domain noise model for optical fibre channels

In this paper, we make the first step on encoding information using the spectral amplitudes, which provides a potential of increasing the data rate of N-soliton communication systems. Specifically, we propose a noise model for the magnitudes of the spectral amplitudes. Its statistics are obtained without the Gaussian approximation on the noise distribution when N = 1.
Phenotypic plasticity in two marine snails: constraints superseding life history

In organisms encountering predictable environments, fixed development is expected, whereas in organisms that cannot predict their future environment, phenotypic plasticity would be optimal to increase local adaptation. To test this prediction we experimentally compared phenotypic plasticity in two rocky‐shore snail species; Littorina saxatilis releasing miniature snails on the shore, and Littorina littorea releasing drifting larvae settling on various shores, expecting L. littorea to show more phenotypic plasticity than L. saxatilis. We compared magnitude and direction of vectors of phenotypic difference in juvenile shell traits after 3 months exposure to different stimuli simulating sheltered and crab‐rich shores, or wave‐exposed and crab‐free shores. Both species showed similar direction and magnitude of vectors of phenotypic difference with minor differences only between ecotypes of the nondispersing species, indicating that plasticity is an evolving trait in L. saxatilis. The lack of a strong plastic response in L. littorea might be explained by limits rather than costs to plasticity.
A Kalman-like FIR estimator ignoring noise and initial conditions

A p-shift finite impulse response (FIR) unbiased estimator (UE) is addressed for linear discrete time-varying filtering (p = 0), p-step prediction (p > 0), and p-lag smoothing (p <; 0) of signal models in state space with no requirements for initial conditions and zero mean noise. A solution is found in a batch form and represented in a computationally efficient iterative Kalman-like one. It is shown that the Kalman-like FIR UE is able to overperform the Kalman filter if the noise covariances and initial conditions are not known exactly, noise is not white, and both the system and measurement noise components need to be filtered out. Otherwise, the errors are similar.
Young Chinese Children’s Justifications of Plants as Living Things

ABSTRACT Research Findings: The purpose of this study was to explore how Chinese preschool children categorize plants into either living or nonliving things. The research was framed within the interpretive paradigm and was designed as a descriptive, cross-sectional study. Participants were children 4 to 6 years of age from 3 kindergartens in Jiangsu Province in eastern China (n = 90). In-depth interviews were carried out to explore the justifications children used to classify trees, flowers, and grass as living or nonliving things. Six types of justifications were identified among the participating children. Cross-sectional comparisons of children’s justifications were made both quantitatively and qualitatively. A developmental pathway of children’s justifications of plants as living things was proposed. Practice or Policy: The results indicated that children’s justifications of plants as living things undergo gradual change from 4 to 6 years of age. Moreover, the development of these justifications may be influenced by the accumulation of biological knowledge. Implications for early science instruction on young children’s understanding of plants as living things are discussed.
First Results from Sentinel-1A InSAR over Australia: Application to the Perth Basin

Past ground-based geodetic measurements in the Perth Basin, Australia, record small-magnitude subsidence (up to 7 mm/y), but are limited to discrete points or traverses across parts of the metropolitan area. Here, we investigate deformation over a much larger region by performing the first application of Sentinel-1A InSAR data to Australia. The duration of the study is short (0.7 y), as dictated by the availability of Sentinel-1A data. Despite this limited observation period, verification of Sentinel-1A with continuous GPS and independent TerraSAR-X provides new insights into the deformation field of the Perth Basin. The displacements recorded by each satellite are in agreement, identifying broad (>5 km wide) areas of subsidence at rates up to 15 mm/y. Subsidence at rates greater than 20 mm/y over smaller regions (∼2 km wide) is coincident with wetland areas, where displacements are temporally correlated with changes in groundwater levels in the unconfined aquifer. Longer InSAR time series are required to determine whether these measured displacements are representative of long-term deformation or (more likely) seasonal variations. However, the agreement between datasets demonstrates the ability of Sentinel-1A to detect small-magnitude deformation over different spatial scales (from 2 km–10 s of km) in the Perth Basin. We suggest that, even over short time periods, these data are useful as a reconnaissance tool to identify regions for subsequent targeted studies, particularly given the large swath size of radar acquisitions, which facilitates analysis of a broader portion of the deformation field than ground-based methods or single scenes of TerraSAR-X.
Developing Effective Transition Reports for Secondary Students: A Nationwide Survey of College and University Disability Support Personnel

ABSTRACT This exploratory study analyzes the perceptions of Disability Support Services (DSS) personnel regarding the transition process and documentation requirements to receive services for students with invisible disabilities in postsecondary settings. Invisible disabilities include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities, and traumatic brain injury. DSS personnel from 408 postsecondary institutions across the United States completed the researcher-generated survey online. Results indicated a lack of consistent collaboration with secondary institutions and use of transition plans to determine eligibility for disability services. Participants reported a lackluster view of their usefulness, and analyses of their free responses revealed specific themes for what DSS personnel reported would make transition reports more useful. Results regarding currency requirements, qualified conductors of, responsible parties for, and location of assessments are presented. Applications of the findings of this research are discussed for the preparation of effective transition reports and transition goals.
Using Concrete Scales: A Practical Framework for Effective Visual Depiction of Complex Measures

From financial statistics to nutritional values, we are frequently exposed to quantitative information expressed in measures of either extreme magnitudes or unfamiliar units, or both. A common practice used to comprehend such complex measures is to relate, re-express, and compare them through visual depictions using magnitudes and units that are easier to grasp. Through this practice, we create a new graphic composition that we refer to as a concrete scale. To the best of our knowledge, there are no design guidelines that exist for concrete scales despite their common use in communication, educational, and decision-making settings. We attempt to fill this void by introducing a novel framework that would serve as a practical guide for their analysis and design. Informed by a thorough analysis of graphic compositions involving complex measures and an extensive literature review of scale cognition mechanisms, our framework outlines the design space of various measure relations-specifically relations involving the re-expression of complex measures to more familiar concepts-and their visual representations as graphic compositions.
Pair-Wise Key Management Scheme Based on Master Key Updating and Post Deployment in Wireless Sensor Networks

In this paper, we propose a novel in-situ pair-wise key establishment scheme based on master key updating and knowledge of post deployment for large-scale distributed wireless sensor networks. Our scheme aims at achieving a satisfying key sharing probability among sensors with low memory overhead. Our scheme employs location information of post deployment to compute pair-wise key in-situ. In our scheme, even if the master key is compromised, an adversary can only exploit a very small number of keys nearby the compromised node, while other keys in the network remain safe, which overcomes the flaws of traditional pair-wise key establishment schemes based on global master key in wireless sensor network. Analysis shows that our scheme exhibits strong resilience against node capture attacks and achieves a high key-sharing probability (close to 1) at the expense of a small amount of memory overhead.
Cultural Factors in a Mobile Phone Adoption and Usage Model

In human-computer interaction and computing, mobile phone usage is mostly addressed from a feature-driven perspective, i.e. which features do a certain user group use, and/or a usability perspective, i.e. how do they interact with these features. Although the feature driven and usability focus carry value, it is not the full picture. There is also an alternative or wider perspective: mobile phone use is influenced by demographic, social, cultural, and contextual factors that complicate the understanding of mobile phone usage. Drawing on concepts and models from sociology, computer-supported cooperative work, human-computer interaction and marketing, we researched the influence of culture on mobile phone adoption using interviews and two surveys. The contribution of this research is a model that includes culture as one of the factors that influence mobile phone adoption and usage. The proposed model represents the influence of mediating factors and determining factors on actual mobile phone use. The proposed model has been evaluated from both a qualitative and quantitative perspective.
The Different Mechanisms of Habit and Past Behavior on Evaluations and IS Continuance Intention: An Empirical Investigation

Although much research has examined conscious use, which involves deliberate evaluation and decision making, we know less about automatic use, which occurs spontaneously with little conscious effort. The purpose of this study is to investigate the different underlying mechanisms of habitual usage and past usage in IS context. We tested the proposed hypotheses using 232 cross-sectional responses from actual users of Google search engine. Our results show that as individuals get into the habit of continuously using a system, the predictive power of evaluations on intention will be diluted. Consequently, the more usage is performed out of habit, the less cognitive planning is involved and the relationship between evaluations and intention weakens. In contrast, past behavior, though considered as an indicator or a proxy of habit, demonstrates a dissimilar mechanism from habit. We then discuss important findings that emerged from the study and suggest practical implications.
A Moving Cold Front in the Intergalactic Medium of A3667

We present results from a Chandra observation of the central region of the galaxy cluster A3667 with emphasis on the prominent sharp X-ray brightness edge spanning 0.5 Mpc near the cluster core. Our temperature map shows large-scale nonuniformities characteristic of the ongoing merger, in agreement with earlier ASCA results. The brightness edge turns out to be a boundary of a large cool gas cloud moving through the hot ambient gas, very similar to the "cold fronts" discovered by Chandra in A2142. The higher quality of the A3667 data allows the direct determination of the cloud velocity. At the leading edge of the cloud, the gas density abruptly increases by a factor of 3.9 ± 0.8, while the temperature decreases by a factor of 1.9 ± 0.2 (from 7.7 to 4.1 keV). The ratio of the gas pressures inside and outside the front shows that the cloud moves through the ambient gas at near-sonic velocity, M = 1 ± 0.2 or v = 1400 ± 300 km s-1. In front of the cloud, we observe the compression of the ambient gas with an amplitude expected for such a velocity. A smaller surface brightness discontinuity is observed further ahead, ~350 kpc in front of the cloud. We suggest that it corresponds to a weak bow shock, implying that the cloud velocity may be slightly supersonic. Given all the evidence, the cold front appears to delineate the remnant of a cool subcluster that recently has merged with A3667. The cold front is remarkably sharp. The upper limit on its width, 3. ″5 or 5 kpc, is several times smaller than the Coulomb mean free path. This is a direct observation of suppression of the transport processes in the intergalactic medium, most likely by magnetic fields.