Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stratospheric aerosol evolution after Pinatubo simulated with a coupled size-resolved aerosol–chemistry–climate model, SOCOL-AERv1.0

Abstract. We evaluate how the coupled aerosol–chemistry–climate model SOCOL-AERv1.0 represents the influence of the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo on stratospheric aerosol properties and atmospheric state. The aerosol module is coupled to the radiative and chemical modules and includes comprehensive sulfur chemistry and microphysics, in which the particle size distribution is represented by 40 size bins with radii spanning from 0.39 nm to 3.2 µm. SOCOL-AER simulations are compared with satellite and in situ measurements of aerosol parameters, temperature reanalyses, and ozone observations. In addition to the reference model configuration, we performed series of sensitivity experiments looking at different processes affecting the aerosol layer. An accurate sedimentation scheme is found to be essential to prevent particles from diffusing too rapidly to high and low altitudes. The aerosol radiative feedback and the use of a nudged quasi-biennial oscillation help to keep aerosol in the tropics and significantly affect the evolution of the stratospheric aerosol burden, which improves the agreement with observed aerosol mass distributions. The inclusion of van der Waals forces in the particle coagulation scheme suggests improvements in particle effective radius, although other parameters (such as aerosol longevity) deteriorate. Modification of the Pinatubo sulfur emission rate also improves some aerosol parameters, while it worsens others compared to observations. Observations themselves are highly uncertain and render it difficult to conclusively judge the necessity of further model reconfiguration. The model revealed problems in reproducing aerosol sizes above 25 km and also in capturing certain features of the ozone response. Besides this, our results show that SOCOL-AER is capable of predicting the most important global-scale atmospheric effects following volcanic eruptions, which is also a prerequisite for an improved understanding of solar geoengineering effects from sulfur injections to the stratosphere.
Strength Modeling of Mechanical Strength of Polyolefin Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composites

Abstract: RCC consumes large quantities of natural resources like gravel stone and steel, and there is a need to investigate on an innovative material that utilizes limited quantities of natural resources but should have good mechanical strength. This study deals with the experimental investigation of strength evaluation of cementitious composites reinforced with polyolefin fibers from 0% to 2.5% (with interval of 0.5%), namely Polyolefin Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composites (PL-FRCC) and developing statistical regression models for compressive strength, splitting-tensile strength, flexural strength and impact strength of PL-FRCC. Paired t-tests (for each PL fiber percentage 0 to 2.5%) bring out that there is significant difference in compressive and splitting-tensile strength when curing periods (3, 7, 28 days) are varied. Also, a strong relationship exists between the compressive and flexural strength of PL-FRCC. The proposed mathematical models developed in this study will be helpful to ascertain the mechanical strength of FRCC, especially, when the fiber reinforcing index is varied. Keywords: Cement-based composites, impact energy, mechanical properties, paired-t tests, regression analysis, sustainability
Electrospun nanofiber membranes as ultrathin flexible supercapacitors

A highly flexible electrochemical supercapacitor electrode was developed with a novel metal oxide-reinforced nanofiber electrode by utilizing a solution-based electrospinning technique. The facile fabrication steps involved the introduction of metal precursors into a polymeric solution, which was subjected to an in situ electrospinning process. The electrospun polymeric web with metallic ingredients was then subjected to an oxidative stabilization process that induced the formation of metal oxide nanoparticles within the polymer structure. Finally, the metal oxide nanoparticles incorporated with nanofibers were obtained using a carbonization process, thus converting the polymer backbones into a carbon-rich conductive nanofiber structure. The fabricated nanofibers were decorated and implanted with metal oxide nanoparticles that had a surface-decorated structure morphology due to the solubility of the precursors in the reaction solution. The electrochemical performance of the fabricated metal oxide reinforced with nanofiber electrodes was investigated as an electrochemical system, and the novel morphology significantly improved the specific capacitance compared to a pristine carbon nanofiber membrane. As a result of the uniform dispersion of metal oxide nanoparticles throughout the surface of the nanofibers, the overall capacitive behavior of the membrane was enhanced. Furthermore, a fabricated free-standing flexible device that utilized the optimized nanofiber electrode demonstrated high stability even after it was subjected to various bending operations and curvatures. These promising results showed the potential applications of these lightweight, conductive nanofiber electrodes in flexible and versatile electronic devices.
Filial norms and family support in a comparative cross-national context: evidence from the OASIS study

The article aims to answer three questions: How strong are the bonds of obligations and expectations between generations? To what extent are different types of support exchanged between generations? What are the impacts of filial norms, opportunity structures and emotional bonds on the exchange of inter-generational support between adult children and older parents across societies? It reports findings from the five-country (Norway, England, Germany, Spain and Israel) OASIS study, which collected data from representative, age-stratified, urban-community samples of about 1,200 respondents in each country. The findings indicate that solidarity is general and considerable although the strengths of its dimensions vary by country. Most respondents acknowledged some degree of filial obligation, although the proportions were higher in Spain and Israel than in the northern countries, and there was greater variation in the tangible forms than in the expressed norms. Adult children were net providers of support, but older parents provided emotional support and financial help. Most support was provided to unmarried older parents with physical-function limitations. The effect of filial norms on help provision by adult children was moderate but significant and variable across the five countries, appearing more prescriptive in the south than in the north, where inter-generational exchanges were more open to negotiation. The findings demonstrate that cross-national analyses provide insights into both country-specific factors and the sometimes unexpected similarities among them.
Using Advanced Far-end Crosstalk Modeling Method for Simulations of Very High Speed Digital Lines

Skaitmeninėmis perdavimo linijomis duomenis galima perduoti didele sparta. Sių sujungimų perdavimo nasumas labai priklauso nuo realių perdavimo linijos aplinkos sąlygų. Pagrindiniai parametrai, lemiantys perdavimo nasumą, yra linijos slopinimas ir sankirtų trukdžiai. Todėl neįmanoma atlikti testų realiai veikianciame tinkle, nes jis yra veikiamas vartotojų duomenų srautų, taigi eksperimentus reikėtų atlikti eksperimentiniame tinkle. Tam reikia daug lėsų, todėl visi testai buvo atlikti modeliuojant. Pateikiami metodai skirti sankirtų trukdžiams tiksliai modeliuoti. Pateikiamos teorinės perdavimo efektyvumo vertės, priklausancios nuo įvairių sąlygų. Il. 10, bibl. 8, lent. 1 (anglų kalba; santraukos anglų ir lietuvių k.). DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.5755/j01.eee. 121.5. 1650
Status of E-Learning in Public Universities in Kenya

The purpose of this study was to assess the status of e-learning in public universities in Kenya. Data were collected using questionnaires administered to both students and lecturers randomly sampled from seven public universities. Questionnaire responses were triangulated with interviews from key informants and focus group discussions (FGDs). Data were analyzed qualitatively and through use of descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that e-learning is at its infant stage in universities in Kenya. Majority of universities lacked senate approved e-learning policies to guide structured implementation. A few lecturers (32%) and students (35%) used e-learning and few courses (10%) were offered online. Majority of online uploaded modules (87%) were simply lecture notes and not interactive. Again, universities in Kenya lacked requisite ICT infrastructure and skills. The study recommends that universities partner with the private sector to improve ICT infrastructure, build capacity, and standardize e-learning programs in the country.
Modeling Impacts of Climate Change on Giant Panda Habitat

Giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) are one of the most widely recognized endangered species globally. Habitat loss and fragmentation are the main threats, and climate change could significantly impact giant panda survival. We integrated giant panda habitat information with general climate models (GCMs) to predict future geographic distribution and fragmentation of giant panda habitat. Results support a major general prediction of climate change—a shift of habitats towards higher elevation and higher latitudes. Our models predict climate change could reduce giant panda habitat by nearly 60% over 70 years. New areas may become suitable outside the current geographic range but much of these areas is far from the current giant panda range and only 15% fall within the current protected area system. Long-term survival of giant pandas will require the creation of new protected areas that are likely to support suitable habitat even if the climate changes.
Micropropagation of Yeheb from Shoot Tip: An Endangered Multipurpose Shrub

﻿The study focuses on in vitro propagation of an endangered species of C. edulis. In vitro propagation has advantages to address low seed viability and over exploitation problems. Thus, the objective of this study is to develop micropropagation method from shoot tip explant. To do so, seeds were de-coated and disinfected using 5% (v/v) Clorox and cultured on growth regulators-free solid MS medium. Shoots were initiated on MS medium containing BAP alone or in combination with IBA. Then, initiated shoots were multiplied on solid MS medium supplemented with various concentration and combinations of BAP and TDZ alone and in combination with IBA or NAA respectively. Shootlets were cultured on full, half and one-third strength MS medium containing 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mg/l IBA and NAA for root induction. As a preliminary test for rooting, B5 and WPM media, both supplemented with 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mg/l IBA, were used. Shootlets were cultured on full strength MS medium containing higher concentration of 3.0 and 5.0 mg/l IBA and 1.0 g/l activated charcoal for four days and then transferred into growth regulators-free MS medium for a month for root induction as preliminary test. The highest percentage of shoot induction (70.8%) was obtained on medium containing 0.5 mg/l BAP in combination with 0.01 mg/l IBA. The highest number of shoots (4.2 ± 0.85) produced per explant was achieved on MS multiplication medium containing 2.0 mg/l BAP. None of the shoots induced roots in any of different MS salt strengths and other media. As conclusion, this is the first try of micropropagation and the existing result is valuable for cryopreservation of this endangered plant.
Effects of National Health Insurance on precautionary saving: new evidence from Taiwan

In this article, we evaluate the crowd-out effects of the National Health Insurance (NHI) on household precautionary saving in Taiwan. Our analysis differs from existing studies in two respects. First, we do not exclude the households with negative saving that are about 18.9% of the entire sample. Second, we conduct a more complete treatment effect analysis. We estimate both average treatment effect (ATE) and quantile treatment effect (QTE) using the difference-in-differences method. We also partition some covariates (household income and the age of household head) into different groups and estimate the group-wise ATEs and QTEs. While supporting the existing finding that the NHI has negative impact on households saving, our empirical result shows that the QTEs are heterogeneous across saving quantiles, such that higher savers tend to have greater reduction in saving after the NHI is enforced. It is also found that the NHI has greater impact on the households with higher income and those with retiring heads, especially on high savers in these groups.
Biochemical screening tests in the urine of mentally retarded children

Background: Inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) are a group of genetically determined disorders caused by mutant genes that in turn produce abnormal enzyme to affect metabolism of a nutrient and a significant association has been found between mental retardation and IEMs. The present study was conducted on mentally retarded children to diagnose IEM using a panel of simple biochemical tests to be confirmed by various chromatographic techniques.Methods: The study was done on 300 mentally retarded children admitted for treatment in the Paediatric Department, Govt R. M. Hospital, Thanjavur. Complete clinical history was collected in a predesigned proforma. 50 ml of urine samples was collected from each patient in a clean sterilized bottle and analysed for a series of biochemical tests using a standard protocol. All the observations were collected and analysed.Results: Male dominance was seen in the study (65.3%). Out of 300, 93 children (31%) of the total were with the family history of consanguinity and the of rest 201 (69%) cases of non-consanguinity, delayed labour was found to be more common (50%). 4 children were affected with metabolic disorders (1.33%) i.e. 1 case was with phenyl ketonuria and other 3 cases with mucopolysaccharidoses.Conclusions: The study identified four cases of IEM in the mentally – retarded children with underlying molecular defects and also paved a path to save the children in the case of phenylketonuria by the treatment i.e. diet low in phenyl alanine.
Major Areas in M&A

The purpose of this paper is to develop a deeper understanding of merger and acquisitions’ field of corporate finance, particularly with reference to value creation in merger and acquisition. Our aim is to provide a review of empirical literature to identify and evaluate the main areas in merger and acquisitions transactions; in particular to shed some light on valuation issues in M&A’s in context of post acquisition performance of the companies. Most of the time researchers tend to evaluate the impact of M&A’s in terms of financial aspects such as profitability etc. but they ignore the human aspect
Secondary school entrance examinations in the Caribbean: Legacy, policy, and evidence within an era of seamless education

Secondary school entrance examinations remain an important feature of education systems within the Anglophone Caribbean. This is at a time when many high-performing school systems have either diversified traditional test-based placement mechanisms or completely postponed early selection and placement. In contrast, high-stakes secondary school selection/placement examinations have persisted in Caribbean nation states, albeit under the guise of reform. Paradoxically, in the postcolonial era of seamless education, some form of test-based selection and/or placement continues with newly added roles, refined purposes, and exotic new names. These high-stakes systems compete strongly with formative classroom assessment and large-scale learning assessments used for monitoring student achievement. This paper argues that the persistence of test-based early selection in the Caribbean points to a widespread and implicit belief in the infallibility of test scores. This naive perception among different publics has remained, even in the face of evidence from early sociological studies demonstrating inequalities on the examination. In the era of seamless education reform, there is need for an explicit measurement focus to better judge fairness, validity, and equality. Unless a fledgling Caribbean measurement community can head in the direction of collecting credible evidence, abuses and test score misuse will continue.
Trivial points on towers of curves

We define and study trivial points on towers of curves over number fields, and we show their finiteness in some cases. We relate these to the unboundeness of the gonality of the curves, which we show under some hypothesis. The problem is related to recent results of Cadoret and Tamagawa, and Ellenberg, Hall and Kowalski.
Repeatability and Reproducibility of the F-Scan System in Healthy Children

This study investigated the repeatability and reproducibility of the F-scan system with regards to Peak Pressure Values (PP) and Pressure Time Integral (PTI) in healthy children, ranging between 5 to 18 years of age. Participants took part in two non-invasive clinical assessments, at baseline and one week later. Standardized footwear was supplied and each child was fitted with the equivalent F-scan insole size. A total of 3 trials of 7 meters distance each were conducted. Plantar pressure analysis was carried out using a novel approach of masking the recordings into 10 different areas; both peak pressure (PP) and pressure time integrals (PTI) values were investigated. The PP and PTI were investigated for the left, right and both feet analysed together. Interclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) test was adopted for statistical analysis. Overall, 30 healthy children were recruited and 60 appointments were completed; 53.3% (n = 16) were female, mean age was 13.3 years (SD = 4.5). Results highlighted that overall the ICC for repeatability was > 0.75 for 95.8% (no = 115) and between 0.5 and 0.75 for 4.2% (no = 5); the ICC for reproducibility was > 0.75 for 85% (no = 51), and between 0.5 and 0.75 for 15% (no = 9). In conclusion, the F-Scan system can be utilised to record repeatable and reproducible data in paediatric gait analysis.
LASER IRRADIATION EFFECTS ON SCORZONERA (Scorzonera hispanica L.) SEED GERMINATION AND SEEDLING EMERGENCE

Laser stimulation is a non-expensive and environmentally safe way of the im- proving of seeds quality. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of He-Ne laser irradiation on the germination parameters of scorzonera seeds. Seeds were character- ized with different quality expressed by germination capacity. Experimental material con- sisted of 4 lots of scorzonera seeds having initial germination capacity between 50.8 and 93.0%. Seeds were treated with laser He-Ne light of surface power density of 3 mW·cm -2 and the time of exposition of 0 (control), 1, 5, 10 and 30 minutes. After pre-sowing stimu- lation of seeds the following parameters were estimated: germination energy, germination capacity, mean germination time, speed of germination, hypocotyl length, length of radi- cle, fresh and dry weight of seedling, field emergence, mean emergence time and speed of emergence. Pre-sowing laser treatment resulted in increasing of the several parameters such as germination energy, germination capacity, speed of germination, hypocotyl and radicle length, as well as fresh and dry weight of seedlings. Laser light stimulation was the most effective in the case of low quality seeds (initial germination capacity of 50.8%). Irradiation of the seeds belonging to this group also resulted in the increase of the seedling emergence and the speed of emergence.
Mergers, Diversification and Financial Intermediation

This work presents an equilibrium model of diversification through merger formation. Due to moral hazard problems, poorly capitalized firms are credit rationed and may seek to alleviate the incentive problem (and thereby raise external funds) by either merging, employing a monitor or a combination of the two. Within this setting, the effects on merger activity of different kinds of capital tightening are studied. In particular, credit crunches, collateral squeezes and savings squeezes are analyzed. The main results are that diversifying merger activity increases during times of economic expansion and is positively related to aggregate economic activity, business incorporations and easing of access to credit (both interest and non-interest terms of credit). Furthermore, the model offers a rationale for diversification that is immune to the diversification neutrality result and furthermore, explains why diversified companies trade at a discount relative to their non-diversified counterparts.
El síndrome de fatiga crónica

Fatiga es la sensación de agotamiento o dificultad para realizar actividades físicas o intelectuales cotidianas. La fatiga es un síntoma y, por tanto, una sensación subjetiva que aprecia el individuo que puede ser expresada o referida de muy diversas maneras. Al igual que sucede en la mayoría de los síntomas, la objetivación de la existencia de fatiga y su valoración cuantitativa es difícil, ya que se basa en un interrogatorio dirigido a sus principales características descriptivas y las situaciones que potencialmente la modifican. En la evaluación de un paciente con fatiga es muy importante para el médico conocer y valorar el contexto particular en que se presenta este síntoma en cada paciente. Aparte de esta sensación subjetiva, es importante valorar la implicación o modificación que supone la fatiga para las tareas cotidianas del paciente, es decir, su repercusión funcional. Existen muchos términos similares al de fatiga. Con frecuencia, el paciente la refiere como cansancio, falta de energía, debilidad, adinamia o intolerancia al ejercicio. Habitualmente la fatiga aparece al realizar una actividad física o mental, no antes, y no es superable con una mayor voluntad o intencionalidad por parte del paciente. Debe diferenciarse claramente la fatiga de la disnea, ya que en la disnea existe una clara sensación de dificultad respiratoria que no suele estar presente en la fatiga. La astenia es una sensación de incapacidad o dificultad para realizar las tareas cotidianas, pero que aparece antes de realizar un esfuerzo y que, al contrario de la fatiga, sería superable. La debilidad es la pérdida de fuerza total o parcial para realizar una actividad, lo que suele estar relacionado con la función muscular. En ocasiones, el término fatiga también puede confundirse o expresarse como desánimo o decaimiento y debe, por tanto, diferenciarse de la sintomatología depresiva u otros trastornos del estado de ánimo.
Knowledge of medicinal plants used by residents in two peripheral districts of Boa Vista, Roraima, Northern Brazilian Amazon: Phytotherapy as a new strategy in collective health

The aim of the study was to describe local knowledge about the use of medicinal plants cited by study participants, as well as to examine how phytotherapy serves as an important strategy of integrative and complementary practice in coping with health problems. The research is characterized as an exploratory study of the descriptive type. Non-probabilistic snowball sampling generated a sample of one hundred and ten participants (n = 110). The study instruments were semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. The data collected were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2007 and summarized with descriptive statistical methods. The study informants presented knowledge of 77 species and 46 plant families, showing the rich variety of medicinal flora present in the Northern Brazilian Amazon. Among the respondents, elderly women had the most diversified knowledge. Preserving this knowledge is essential and can help in the implementation of public health policies. The results showed high richness of the medicinal flora present in Northern Brazilian Amazon. Key words: Medicinal plants, phytotherapy, local knowledge, collective health, Brazilian Amazon