Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Long-Run Effects of Disruptive Peers

A large and growing literature has documented the importance of peer effects in education. However, there is relatively little evidence on the long-run educational and labor market consequences of childhood peers. We examine this question by linking administrative data on elementary school students to subsequent test scores, college attendance and completion, and earnings. To distinguish the effect of peers from confounding factors, we exploit the population variation in the proportion of children from families linked to domestic violence, who have been shown to disrupt contemporaneous behavior and learning. Results show that exposure to a disruptive peer in classes of 25 during elementary school reduces earnings at age 24 to 28 by 3 percent. We estimate that differential exposure to children linked to domestic violence explains 5 percent of the rich-poor earnings gap in our data, and that each year of exposure to a disruptive peer reduces the present discounted value of classmates’ future earnings by $80,000. (JEL I21, I26, J13, J24, J31)
A Bayesian DSGE Model of Stock Market Bubbles and Business Cycles

We present an estimated DSGE model of stock market bubbles and business cycles using Bayesian methods. Bubbles emerge through a positive feedback loop mechanism supported by self-fulfilling beliefs. We identify a sentiment shock which drives the movements of bubbles and is transmitted to the real economy through endogenous credit constraints. This shock explains more than 96 percent of the stock market volatility and about 25 to 45 percent of the variations in investment and output. It generates the comovements between stock prices and macroeconomic quantities and is the dominant force in driving the internet bubbles and the Great Recession.
Modelling of Arc Faults in 48 V Automotive Power Supply Systems

As a new voltage level, 48 V has been introduced to automotive power supply systems. As a consequence, new critical phenomena, arcs, may arise. These arcs can cause serious damages, even fire. In this paper, arcs in 48 V automotive power supply systems are investigated and a full model is developed and parameterised. Electrical models are required to clarify the connection between the arc characteristics and the power net components itself. Conditions promoting arcs and inhibiting arcs can be developed. Model based arc detection strategies demand for accurate models, too. Transient phenomena as well as operation points are considered. Additionally thermal investigations of arcs are carried out to evaluate the severity of different arcs. Methods for burn time prediction based on dissipation power of arcs are presented.
Real-Time Fashion-Guided Clothing Semantic Parsing: A Lightweight Multi-Scale Inception Neural Network and Benchmark

Currently two barriers exist that sabotage clothing semantic parsing research: existing methods are time-consuming and the lack of large publicly available dataset that enables parsing at multiple scales. To mitigate these two dilemmas, we hereby embrace deep learning method and design a lightweight multi-scale inception neural network which is at both inside and outside multi-scale inception during training. Moreover, atrous convolution block is involved to enlarge the ﬁeld of view while bringing neither extra computation cost nor parameters. Then the pre-trained model is further pruned and compressed by ﬁne-tuning on a lightweight version of the same network used earlier, in which the inactive feature response and connections below a pre-deﬁned threshold are directly removed. Besides, we construct so far the largest fashion guided clothing semantic parsing dataset(FCP) which contains a total of 5,000 clothing images and each image associates with both pixel-level, object-level and image-level annotations. All clothing in the dataset are recommended by fashion experts or trendsetters and contains as many as 65 common clothing items, accessories. We organize the dataset as Wordnet tree structure so that it enables fashionably parsing hierarchically. Finally, we conduct extensive experiments on three currently available datasets. Both quantitative and qualitative results demonstrate the priority and feasibility of our method, comparing with several other deep learning based methods. Our method achieves 35 FPS in a single Nvidia Titian X GPU with only minimal accuracy loss.
A Projected Inverse Dynamics Approach for Multi-Arm Cartesian Impedance Control

We propose a model-based control framework for multi-arm manipulation of a rigid object subject to external disturbances. The control framework, based on projected inverse dynamics, decomposes the control law into constrained and unconstrained subspaces. Unconstrained components accomplish the motion task with a desired 6-DOF Cartesian impedance behaviour against external disturbances. Meanwhile, the constrained component enforces contact and friction constraints by optimising for contact forces within the constrained subspace. External disturbances are explicitly compensated for without using force/torque sensors at the contact points. The approach is evaluated on a dual-arm platform manipulating a rigid object while coping with unknown object dynamics and human interaction.
Tissue Engineering Using Human Mineralized Bone Xenograft and Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Allograft in Healing of Tibial Fracture of Experimental Rabbit Model

Background Bone healing and its reconstruction in fractures, especially in long bones are of particular importance in regenerative medicine. This study compares the bone healing rate after a human xenograft of mineralized bone and together with an allograft of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in an experimental tibial bone fracture rabbit model. Methods In fall 2009, twenty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into 2 equal groups. In both groups, a 5 mm segmental defect was created in the right tibia. In group A, a scaffold pin was seeded with allogenic rabbit MSCs and was placed in the defect area and in group B, the defect was filled with an unseeded pin human mineralized bone xenograft. An untreated defect was induced in the left tibia of all animals serving as the control. After 4-8 weeks, the segmental defects were histologically evaluated and also by a compressive test. Results In groups A and B, healing and formation of new bony tissue were significantly more than the control group and with a significant less inflammation. Conclusion Tissue engineering of mineralized bone xenograft and MSCs allograft may be significant steps in bone healing and regenerative medicine.
Effects of Genistein on the Polyamine Metabolism and Cell Growth in DLD-1 Human Colon Cancer Cells

Polyamines and their rate-limiting enzyme, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), are actively involved in cell growth and differentiation. The phytoestrogen genistein has been demonstrated to possess antitumor properties by influencing proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of genistein at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 100 μM on the polyamine biosynthesis, cell proliferation, and apoptosis in the estrogen receptor-positive DLD-1 human colon cancer cell line. Polyamine levels and ODC activity were evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography and radiometric technique, respectively. The proliferative response was estimated by [3H]-thymidine incorporation and the colorimetric 3-(4,5 di-methylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide test. Apoptosis was investigated by DNA fragmentation. Bax and Bcl-2 gene expressions were evaluated by multiplex-polymerase chain reaction. At concentration ≥1 μM, genistein decreased significantly the ODC activity and the polyamine levels. At the same concentration, genistein also increased significantly Bax mRNA expression, but not Bcl-2 mRNA expression. Higher concentrations (≥10 μM) were needed to obtain a significant inhibition of cell proliferation and DNA fragmentation. The results of this study suggest that genistein can affect growth of DLD-1 cells by both decreasing polyamine biosynthesis and inducing apoptosis. However, further studies are required to assess the true ability of a soy rich diet in modifying colon cancer risk.
Factors affecting Campsis radicans seed germination and seedling emergence

Abstract The effects of environmental factors on germination and emergence of Campsis radicans seeds were examined in laboratory and greenhouse experiments. Campsis radicans pods produced numerous, papery, and small seeds (696 seeds/pod; 4 mg/seed). Seeds exhibited dormancy that was relieved (74% germination) after 2 wk of prechilling. Fluctuating temperatures and a 12-h photoperiod were required for maximum germination. Optimum conditions for C. radicans seed germination (74%) were 35/25 C (day/night, 12/12 h) with a 12-h photoperiod. Temperatures below 25/15 C or above 40/30 C were unfavorable for germination. Germination in constant temperatures or in continuous darkness was less than 15%. More than 59% of C. radicans seeds germinated at pH 5 to 9, but at pH 4 or 10 seed germination was totally inhibited. Germination was totally inhibited at osmotic stress higher than −0.2 MPa. Germination was 60% at 40 mM NaCl and 20% at 160 mM NaCl. Emergence was maximum (68%) for seeds that were placed on the soil surface, but no seedlings emerged from a soil depth at 4 cm. About 10% of seeds were still viable even after 20 wk of prechilling. Each pod contained about 700 seeds and each plant produced 20 to 40 pods. These results suggest that the spread potential of C. radicans by seeds would be at least 1,400 to 2,800 seeds plant−1. However, only seeds near the soil surface would be able to germinate. Nomenclature: Trumpetcreeper; Campsis radicans (L.) Seem. ex Bureau CMIRA.
A Flexible Impact of Affective Feelings on Priming Effects

Four experiments found that positive and negative affect dictated whether primed social categories and trait concepts led to assimilation or contrast. This influence was further found to be flexibly responsive to the momentary activation of a global or local focus. When a global focus was dominant, positive affect resulted in assimilation to primed traits and social categories, and negative affect resulted in contrast. But, when a local focus was dominant, the opposite pattern of assimilation and contrast as a consequence of positive and negative affect was observed. These results are consistent with the more general view that positive and negative affect signal the value of currently accessible response tendencies and are, therefore, flexibly responsive in their influence cognition to changing situations and mental contexts.
Evaluation of Pathogenic Variability Based on Leaf Blotch Disease Development Components of Bipolaris sorokiniana in Triticum aestivum and Agroclimatic Origin

Leaf blotch of wheat caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana is a major constraint to wheat production, causing significant yield reduction resulting in severe economic impact. The present study characterizes to determine and compare pathogenic variability exist/not based on components of leaf blotch disease development and level of aggressiveness due to agroclimatic condition of B. sorokiniana in wheat. A total of 169 virulent isolates of B. sorokiniana isolated from spot blotch infected leaf from different wheat growing agroclimate of Bangladesh. Pathogenic variability was investigated on a susceptible wheat variety ‘kanchan’ now in Bangladesh. A clear evidence of positive relationship among the components was recorded. From hierarchical cluster analysis five groups were originating among the isolates. It resolved that a large amount of pathogenic diversity exists in Bipolaris sorokiniana. Variation in aggressiveness was found among the isolates from different wheat growing areas. Most virulent isolates BS 24 and BS 33 belonging to High Ganges River Flood Plain agro-climatic zones considered by rice-wheat cropping pattern, hot and humid weather, high land and low organic matter content in soil. Positive relationship was found between pathogenic variability and aggressiveness with agro-climatic condition.
Monitoring and Managing Fatigue in Basketball

The sport of basketball exposes athletes to frequent high intensity movements including sprinting, jumping, accelerations, decelerations and changes of direction during training and competition which can lead to acute and accumulated chronic fatigue. Fatigue may affect the ability of the athlete to perform over the course of a lengthy season. The ability of practitioners to quantify the workload and subsequent fatigue in basketball athletes in order to monitor and manage fatigue levels may be beneficial in maintaining high levels of performance and preventing unfavorable physical and physiological training adaptations. There is currently limited research quantifying training or competition workload outside of time motion analysis in basketball. In addition, systematic research investigating methods to monitor and manage athlete fatigue in basketball throughout a season is scarce. To effectively optimize and maintain peak training and playing performance throughout a basketball season, potential workload and fatigue monitoring strategies need to be discussed.
Controlled clinical trial addressing teeth whitening with hydrogen peroxide in adolescents: a 12-month follow-up

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the colorimetric change in incisors and canines of adolescents aged 12 to 20 years submitted to at-home whitening and to evaluate satisfaction, sensitivity and discomfort during the procedures through a questionnaire. METHOD: Thirty adolescents were randomly assigned to the following groups: 1) 6.0% hydrogen peroxide (White Class with calcium – FGM); 2) 7.5% hydrogen peroxide (White Class with calcium - FGM); 3) 10% hydrogen peroxide (Oral B 3D White – Oral-B); 4) Control group – placebo. Assessments were performed prior to treatment as well as at 7, 30, 180 and 360 days after treatment. Friedman’s ANOVA was used to analyze color. The Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn’s post hoc test was used to compare the groups at the different evaluation times. Answers on the questionnaires were ranked, and non-parametrical tests were employed. The groups were compared in each period using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls test. Categorical data were analyzed using Fisher's exact test, and the Wilcoxon test was used for the analysis of different periods. P-values were corrected using the Hyan-Holm step-down Bonferroni procedure. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01998386. RESULTS: Similar results were obtained one month after treatment with both tooth whitening gels and whitening strips. Patients were partially satisfied with the treatment after the first and second weeks and would recommend it. All products demonstrated color stability after 12 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The bleaching procedure was efficient, and the patients could perceive its result. Further investigations are needed to determine the effects of bleaching on young teeth.
Porous Silicon for Light Management in Silicon Solar Cells

In the present work possibilities of utilizing porous silicon (PS) to enhance absorption in silicon solar cells are investigated. Silicon solar cells produce energy by converting the incoming solar radiation to electricity and the efficiency of this technology will naturally depend on the amount of light that can be absorbed by the solar cell. Antireflection coatings are used on the surface of solar cells to increase the fraction of light that enters the cell. In addition texture and rear side reflectors can be used to ‘trap’ the light within the cell. PS is a versatile, nanostructured material commonly made by electrochemical etching of silicon. The porosity of PS can be controlled by the etching parameters applied during formation, and because the porosity is closely related to the refractive index, PS is a highly interesting material for optical applications. In this work we show that thin, complex multilayer PS structures can be tailored to give very low reflectances over a broad wavelength range. The versatile optical properties of PS are also utilized to fabricate a variety of colored coatings that retain very low reflectance. Therefore, PS could be an exiting material for use in efficient designer cells, desirable for applications where the visual impression is important. PS can also be used to make highly reflective structures simply by altering the electrochemical etching parameters. Such structures can be used as rear side reflectors in solar cells. This work also presents detailed investigations of the fabrication process, structure, optical properties, and oxidation of the multilayered PS structures. In particular, spectroscopic ellipsometry is extensively utilized in the characterization of these multilayers, providing accurate in-depth modeling of optical and structural properties. In addition, reflectometry, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is utilized in order to unveil the secrets of this complex material.
Long Wave Flow Interaction with a Single Square Structure on a Sloping Beach

In the context of dam breaks, tsunami, and flash floods, it is paramount to quantify the time-history of forces by the rapidly transient flow to vertical structures and the characteristics of the induced flow patterns. To resemble on-land tsunami-induced flow, a free-surface-piercing structure is exposed to long leading depression waves in a tsunami flume where long waves run up and down a 1:40 smooth and impermeable sloping beach after its generation by a volume-driven wave maker. The structure and its surrounding were monitored with force transducers, pressure gauges and cameras. Preparatory steady-state experiments were accomplished to determine the drag force coefficient of the square cylinder at various water depths. The flow during wave run-up and draw-down acting on the structure resulted in distinct flow pattern which were characteristic for the type of flow-structure interaction. Besides bow wave propagating upstream, a standing or partially-standing wave was observed in front of the structure together with a wake formation downstream, while a von Karman vortex street developed during the deceleration phase of the flow motion and during draw-down. Force measurements indicated a sudden increase in the stream-wise total force starting with the arrival of the flow front during initial run-up. Lateral velocities showed significant oscillations in correlation with the von Karman vortex street development. A comparison of the total measured base force with the analytically-calculated share of the drag force revealed that forces were prevailingly drag-dominated.
Computer simulation to guide choice of breeding strategies for maker-aided multiple trait integration in maize

With the rapid rate of adoption by farmers worldwide of crop varieties containing multiple value-added traits, mainly genetically modified traits, as many as 15 to 20 transgenic events may be offered in new maize hybrids by 2030 (Que et al. 2010; Fraley 2012). Multiple Trait Integration (MTI) is designed to integrate the specific transgenic events conferring the value-added trait phenotypes into the elite genetic package represented by the target hybrid, regaining the performance attributes of the target hybrid along with reliable expression of the value-added traits. From a breeding standpoint, MTI involves four steps: Single Event Introgression, Event Pyramiding, Trait Fixation, and Version Testing. We considered the breeding process to introgress 15 transgenic events into a target maize hybrid, incorporating 8 into the female parent and 7 into the male parent, to design a comprehensive and efficient approach to MTI overall. Focusing on the first step, Single Event Introgression which is conducted in parallel streams to convert a given recurrent parent for individual events, the primary breeding goal is to minimize residual non-recurrent parent germplasm remaining from the trait donor, especially in the chromosomal proximity to the event (i.e. linkage drag). Setting a defined lower limit of 96.66% recurrent parent (RP) germplasm recovery (i.e. ≤ 120 cM non-recurrent parent germplasm), conversion for 15 events requires the final selections in Single Event Introgression to have < 8 cM total amount of non-recurrent parent germplasm across the genome with ~ 1 cM non-recurrent parent germplasm in the 20 cM region flanking the event. Using computer simulation, we sought to identify optimal breeding strategies for Single Event Introgression in terms of selection scheme, required population size, and selection intensity.
Animal board invited review: genetic possibilities to reduce enteric methane emissions from ruminants

Measuring and mitigating methane (CH4) emissions from livestock is of increasing importance for the environment and for policy making. Potentially, the most sustainable way of reducing enteric CH4 emission from ruminants is through the estimation of genomic breeding values to facilitate genetic selection. There is potential for adopting genetic selection and in the future genomic selection, for reduced CH4 emissions from ruminants. From this review it has been observed that both CH4 emissions and production (g/day) are a heritable and repeatable trait. CH4 emissions are strongly related to feed intake both in the short term (minutes to several hours) and over the medium term (days). When measured over the medium term, CH4 yield (MY, g CH4/kg dry matter intake) is a heritable and repeatable trait albeit with less genetic variation than for CH4 emissions. CH4 emissions of individual animals are moderately repeatable across diets, and across feeding levels, when measured in respiration chambers. Repeatability is lower when short term measurements are used, possibly due to variation in time and amount of feed ingested prior to the measurement. However, while repeated measurements add value; it is preferable the measures be separated by at least 3 to 14 days. This temporal separation of measurements needs to be investigated further. Given the above issue can be resolved, short term (over minutes to hours) measurements of CH4 emissions show promise, especially on systems where animals are fed ad libitum and frequency of meals is high. However, we believe that for short-term measurements to be useful for genetic evaluation, a number (between 3 and 20) of measurements will be required over an extended period of time (weeks to months). There are opportunities for using short-term measurements in standardised feeding situations such as breath ‘sniffers’ attached to milking parlours or total mixed ration feeding bins, to measure CH4. Genomic selection has the potential to reduce both CH4 emissions and MY, but measurements on thousands of individuals will be required. This includes the need for combined resources across countries in an international effort, emphasising the need to acknowledge the impact of animal and production systems on measurement of the CH4 trait during design of experiments.