Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inability of stratospheric sulfate aerosol injections to preserve the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

Injection of sulfate aerosols into the stratosphere has the potential to reduce the climate impacts of global warming, including sea level rise (SLR). However, changes in atmospheric and oceanic circulation that can significantly influence the rate of basal melting of Antarctic marine ice shelves and the associated SLR have not previously been considered. Here we use a fully coupled global climate model to investigate whether rapidly increasing stratospheric sulfate aerosol concentrations after a period of global warming could preserve Antarctic ice sheets by cooling subsurface ocean temperatures. We contrast this climate engineering method with an alternative strategy in which all greenhouse gases (GHG) are returned to preindustrial levels. We find that the rapid addition of a stratospheric aerosol layer does not effectively counteract surface and upper level atmospheric circulation changes caused by increasing GHGs, resulting in continued upwelling of warm water in proximity of ice shelves, especially in the vicinity of the already unstable Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica. By contrast, removal of GHGs restores the circulation, yielding relatively cooler subsurface ocean temperatures to better preserve West Antarctica.
Shareholder Wealth Effects and Bid Negotiation in Freeze-Out Deals: Are Minority Shareholders Left Out in the Cold?

This paper examines the shareholder wealth effects of bids by controlling shareholders seeking to acquire the remaining minority equity stake in a firm - deals commonly referred to as minority freeze-outs. Minority claimants in freeze-out offers receive an allocation of deal surplus at the bid announcement that exceeds their pro-rata claim on the firm. An analysis of bid outcomes and renegotiation indicate that minority claimants and their agents exercise significant bargaining power during freeze-out proposals. Overall, our results suggest that legal standards and economic incentives are sufficient to deter self-dealing by controllers during freeze-out bids.
The Koundoum sheep breed in Niger: morpho-biometric study and description of the production system

The diffusion of highly productive breeds across developing countries goes along with a neglect of indigenous breeds, which are well suited to their environment but often show low yields. Thus, in Niger, the flock of Koundoum sheep are rapidly decreasing. The Koundoum is one of the few wool sheep breeds of Africa and shows important adaptive feature to its native environment, i.e. the humid pastures on the banks of the Niger River. To characterise the breed and to understand its production context, a survey has been conducted in 104 herds in four communes along the Niger River (Kollo, Tillabery, Say and Tera). Nine body measurements, including live weight, were taken on 180 adult sheep (101 females and 79 males). The herds varied from 2 to 60 heads, with a median size of eight animals and two thirds of the herds having less than 10 animals. Mainly fed on natural pastures, 85.6% of the herds received crop residues. Only natural mating was practiced. Veterinary care was restricted to anti-helminthic and some indigenous treatments. The frequent affiliation of breeders to professional unions appeared as favourable to the implementation of a collective conservation program. The Koundoum sheep were white or black coated, with the black colour being most frequent (75.6%). Wattles were present in both sexes at similar frequencies of around 14%. All biometric variables were significantly and positively correlated between them. The thoracic perimeter showed the best correlation with live weight in both males and females. Three variables were selected for live weight prediction: thoracic perimeter, height at withers and rump length. From the present study, it is expected that the in situ conservation of the Koundoum sheep will be highly problematic, due to lack of market opportunities for wool and the willingness of smallholders to get involved in pure Koundoum rearing.
Explaining Voluntary Sector Behaviour: An Empirical Test Using NSW Non-Profit Social Service Provider Data

Non-profit organisations represent an important institutional avenue for delivering social services in contemporary Australia. Moreover, a voluminous theoretical literature exists on the voluntary sector in advanced countries. However, relatively little effort has thus far been expended on the empirical assessment of the main models of non-profit organisational behaviour. Using 2003 survey data drawn from selected NSW non-profit social service providers, this paper seeks to replicate Lester Salamon's (1992) seminal American empirical investigation of stylised versions of demand-side theories, supply-side theories, organisational theories, and Salamon's (1987) own model of voluntary sector failure. In common with Salamon's (1992) earlier findings, our results suggest that the theory of voluntary sector failure possesses the greatest explanatory power of the four main models under investigation.
Financial Inclusion and Human Capital in Developing Asia: the Australian connection

Abstract The Australian government as part of its aid programme allocates large funds to improve financial inclusion in developing countries. However, this does not take into account low educational levels in these countries. The existing literature on financial inclusion also treats the issue as mainly supply-centric and does not take cognisance of the fact that poor human development and high illiteracy levels in developing economies may prevent a large section of the population from benefitting from financial inclusion efforts, because of low awareness and comprehension of the financial services available. This study uses a detailed three-stage methodological approach to examine the relationship between financial development and human capital in 21 countries of developing Asia. The results show that a significant negative relationship exists between financial development proxied by M2/gdp and pupil:teacher ratios and a strong positive relationship exists between physical access to banks and expected years of schooling. Further, our financial development and educational development indices also show no clear pattern in the selected countries' financial and educational development.
Pre-service science teachers' views of the ecological footprint: The starting-points of sustainable living

In this study, pre-service science teachers’ opinions about the concept of the ecological footprint were investigated before and after activities about sustainable life and their ecological footprints were calculated. A total of 49 pre-service science teachers (31 male, 18 female) who attend third class in the science education department participated in this study. In the research, qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. After the sustainable life education, it was observed
A review on predicted mean vote and adaptive thermal comfort models

This paper presents a literature review of the Fanger’s predicted mean vote and adaptive thermal comfort models developed in different buildings and climates. An important premise of this paper is the fact that Fanger’s model underestimates the thermal impression in the actual case and thus is no longer valid for use in certain climates. As a consequence, many researchers have developed adaptive models from field studies for different climates and countries. However, there is still no adaptive model that can be applied in designing air-conditioning systems for different buildings in all tropical climate countries. Based on this comprehensive review, an internationally recognized adaptive model is needed to achieve better thermal conditions in a variety of buildings such as hospitals, offices, factories, lecture halls, museums, hotels and libraries in the tropics. Practical application: The new conclusions from the comprehensive review on an adaptive thermal comfort model in buildings in the tropics could be used as an important guide for building service engineers and researchers. Their intentions are to minimize energy usage in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in buildings such as hospitals, offices and lecture halls operating in the tropics while maintaining an acceptable thermal comfort level and thus improving the performance and well-being of the occupants.
Investigation of Relationships between Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity and Thermal Conductivity Coefficient in Foam Concretes

Investigation of Relationships between Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity and Thermal Conductivity Coefficient in Foam Concretes M. Davraz, Ş. Kilinçarslana,∗, M. Koru and F. Tuzlak Süleyman Demirel University, Natural and Industrial Building Materials Application and Research Center, Isparta, Turkey Süleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Technology, Energy Systems Engineering Department, Isparta, Turkey Süleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Engineering, Civil Engineering Department, Isparta, Turkey
Fiscal Supervision and the Soft Budget Constraint: Evidence from Germany

We study the effectiveness of local borrowing regulations in maintaining fiscal sustainability and the effect of supervision over municipal budgeting on local debt using a panel on municipalities in Germany's most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia from 2003 to 2011. The identification strategy relies on a differences-in-differences approach and exploits the fact that a reform making it temporarily more likely to prevent financial supervision was implemented gradually across municipalities. We find that relaxing supervision temporarily leads to higher dept per capita.
On the origin of stars with and without planets - Tc trends and clues to Galactic evolution

We explore a sample of 148 solar-like stars to search for a possible correlation between the slopes of the abundance trends versus condensation temperature (known as the Tc slope) with stellar parameters and Galactic orbital parameters in order to understand the nature of the peculiar chemical signatures of these stars an d the possible connection with planet formation. We find that the Tc slope significantly correlates (at more than 4σ) with the stellar age and the stellar surface gravity. We als o find tentative evidence that the Tc slope correlates with the mean galactocentric distance of t he stars (Rmean), suggesting that those stars that originated in the inner Galaxy have fewer refractory elements relative to the volatiles. While the average Tc slope for planet-hosting solar analogs is steeper than that of their counterparts without planets, this difference probably reflects the di fference in their age and Rmean. We conclude that the age and probably the Galactic birth place are determinant to establish the star’s chemical properties. Old stars (an d stars with inner disk origin) have a lower refractory-to-volatile ratio.
Effect of LASER irradiation on the shear bond strength of zirconia ceramic surface to dentin

نيكس رتكد ه دازكين 1 يرذآ سابع رتكد 2 ليلخ ناسحا دمحم رتكد 3 ينلاصا ايوپ رتكد 4 يباهش اميس رتكد 5 1 شناد راي هورگ يشزومآ ،ينادند ياهزتورپ ،يكشزپنادند هدكشناد پ مولع هاگشناد يكشز خ و د ينامرد يتشادهب تام نارهت 2 يداتسا را هورگ يشزومآ ،ينادند ياهزتورپ خ و يكشزپ مولع هاگشناد ،يكشزپنادند هدكشناد د نارهت ينامرد يتشادهب تام 3 كشزپنادند 4 يصصخت رايتسد هورگ يشزومآ ينادند ياهزتورپ ، خ و يكشزپ مولع هاگشناد ،يكشزپنادند هدكشناد د يتشادهب تام نارهت ينامرد 5 رايشناد هورگ يشزومآ ينادند داوم و يكشزپنادند رد رزيل تاقيقحت زكرم ، ،يكشزپنادند هدكشناد ينامرد ،يتشادهب تامدخ و يكشزپ مولع هاگشناد نارهت
Addiction Counselors in Recovery: Perceived Barriers in the Workplace

In the 1970’s when the substance abuse treatment field was still developing as a discipline, there was a great deal of workers needed to help with the large amount of substance abusers wanting help. And since specific credentials were not yet established for the field of addictions, individuals with sobriety were hired on and given on the job training. The literature has described many barriers that the counselor in recovery has been faced with over the decades. A common theme throughout the literature is that these individuals usually enter the field at an older age and have less formal education than the non-recovering counsellor. The role of the counsellor in recovery is often distorted within the field by the second-class citizen status to which they are sometimes subjected. By writing this paper we hope to resurrect topics that might be perceived as barriers by counsellors in recovery that were briefly discussed in the literature decades ago. To begin this process of reform, this paper reviews the literature in an attempt to examine the perceived barriers associated with the recovering addict working in the addiction field. It also addresses the limitations of the studies conducted to date, provides recommendations for further research and proposes that this topic be explored using a qualitative approach, so that this unique group of counsellors can construct their own narratives.
Modeling infiltration during a steady rain

Few of the infiltration models in current use are suitable for the situation in which the rainfall intensity is initially less than the infiltration capacity of the soil. In this paper a simple two-stage model is developed for infiltration under a constant intensity rainfall into a homogeneous soil with uniform initial moisture content. The first stage predicts the volume of infiltration to the moment at which surface ponding begins. The second stage, which is the Green-Ampt model modified for the infiltration prior to surface saturation, describes the subsequent infiltration behavior. A method for estimating the mean suction of the wetting front is given. Comparison of the model predictions with experimental data and numerical solutions of the Richards equation for several soil types shows excellent agreement.
Empowering People with Autism. The Effect of an Integrated Daily Structure as Well as Improved Communication on the Lives of People with Autism

The main objective of this study is to analyze the quality of life of autistic adults in the practice of the human service. Classical models for dealing with people with autism were the initial position for developing a long-term intervention program for this client group. The aim of this intervention is to improve upon the quality of life, derived from studies of Schalock und Verdugo [1], by structuring their day to get orientation and by improving their skills to understand and to use basic communication structures. The program is constructed step by step. The first is to understand simple communication structures with gradual increase in complexity. The second is independently using the newly acquired knowledge to communicate and understand more complex structures. Daily observations are recorded in writing. In addition, assessment sheets are used. Each proband items were defined which were trimmed to capture for individual behavior and were scored several times a day. Our hypothesis that the quality of life of our autistic probands can be increased by enhancing them to understand communication structures and to use these structures for their own needs was confirmed by the results. Negative behavior like aggression which stands for low quality of life could also be decreased as a result. Self determination and inclusion also increased as a result of handling more communication structures.
Project Finance: Determinants of the Bank Loan Spread

This paper proposes an empirical study of the lender’s strategy in the specific context of the Project Finance approach. More specifically we focus on the banks loans as they represent the major part of financing sources. The main goal is to define, through a global analysis, the main factors that have a significant impact on the bank loan cost, called spread. The results have shown that the loan spread in the context of Project Finance is mainly affected by the presence of guarantees and also the level of the country risk.
Exploration of public spending and agricultural growth. Comparative analysis of Nigerian and Malaysian agricultural growth (1970-2010).

Public expenditure in the form of budget is making a provision for development for today and in the future. Over the year’s sustainable budget provisions has been a contentious issue in Economic development. Public expenditure is a fiscal instrument that government uses to sustain the economy. The question is “what is to be sustained” and “what is to be developed”. This is the rationale for this study. Literature has revealed that Nigeria and Malaysia are comptemporaries in terms of development in the 1960s, recent findings revealed that Malaysia is advanced in economic development than Nigeria. The study answer two precise questions: policy settings under which public spending contributes to agricultural growth? and public spending mechanisms that have a clearer and longer-lasting influence on agricultural growth? The study aim to establish a link to public spending in Malaysia and provide lessons regarding the level and composition of public spending that can be useful for Nigeria. Secondary data used and sourced from FAOSTAT and International Monetary Fund's Government Finance Statistics (various issues) from 1970 to 2010. Simple version endogenous growth theory adopted. Government expenditures as a percentage of GDP in Nigeria witnessed massive public funding in Agriculture in the 1960s-1980s but decline in 1990s-2010, while Malaysian experienced consistency, both in public funding in agriculture and growth. Malaysia as the better manager in terms of components of growth than Nigeria. Malaysia reflects a clear predominance of productive spending, which is sustained through the decades of analysis, while Nigeria predominance of unproductive spending.
iPod Touch for Literacy

This study examined the benefits of using an iPod Touch with literacy learners. Research was conducted in the households of four early elementary students as they used an iPod Touch for recreational and literacy activities. Data was collected through interviews, preand post-testing, and video analysis of student interaction with the iPod Touch. The findings showed the students were capable of independently using the iPod Touch and were engaged when using it. In order to access the educational potential of the iPod Touch, educators must understand that the it is a tool which requires carefully and conscientiously software selection based on solid learning theory. Document Type Thesis Degree Name MS in Literacy Education Department Education First Supervisor Joellen Maples Subject Categories Education This thesis is available at Fisher Digital Publications: http://fisherpub.sjfc. edu/education_ETD_masters/27 iPod Touch for Literacy By Rafael Chamberlain Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree M.S. Literacy Education
Microbial diversity and ecology of the Soda Lakes of East Africa

Soda lakes are highly alkaline aquatic environments where evaporative concentration results in carbonate as a major dissolved anion. In these very productive environments prokaryotic photo-synthetic primary production is probably the driving force behind all nutrient recycling in these lakes. The major trophic groups responsible for cycling of carbon and sulphur have in general now been identified. Although there are many parallels with athalassohaline salt lake systems, systematic studies have shown that the microbes are obligately alkaliphilic or alkali-tolerant and many appear to represent separate alkaliphilic lineages within recognized taxa, indicating they may have evolved separately within the alkaline environment. As evaporative concentration continues, chloride ions also dominate in solution. As a consequence, a quite different population of prokaryotes is present in the trona (sodium sesquicarbonate) beds and concentrated lagoon brines of hypersaline lakes (Magadi-Natron basin) compared with more dilute lakes elsewhere in the East African Rift Valley.
Chapter 26 Healthy Life Expectancy

Historically, mortality data have been used to monitor the health of populations, because they are relatively easily collected and comparable across countries. Thus, decreasing mortality rates have been seen as reflecting improving population health. While this was a reasonable assumption when the burden of ill-health was due to acute, infectious diseases, the substantial increases in life expectancy that have taken place over the previous century, but particularly in the last 30 or 40 years, have seen a shift to more long-standing, chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, and dementia, as our populations age. So mortality rates no longer correlate as well with the burden of ill-health in the population, necessitating new measures, such as health expectancies, that capture the quality rather than or as well as the quantity of life. During the 1970s, a number of theories began to emerge on the relationship between the quantity and quality of remaining life. Kramer (Kramer 1980) reasoned that the increases in life expectancy were a result of medical technology prolonging the life of the frail and sick who would previously have died, resulting in an expansion of morbidity. Fries (1980, 2000), on the other hand, proposed that there was a natural limit to life and that prevention could delay the onset of disease and disability to minimize the gap between the
Bayes-Nash Equilibrium of the Generalized First-Price Auction

We analyze the generalized first-price auction under incomplete information setting. Without setting a reserve price, the efficient symmetrical Bayes-Nash equilibrium is characterized and found to be increasing as the number of bidders is sufficiently large. Then, the explicit expression for the expected revenue of the search engine is found and the effect of the click rates of all the positions on the expected revenue is obtained. Finally, with setting of the reserve price, we have found the optimal reserve price and examine how the difference of the search engine’s revenues with setting reserve price and without setting reserve price varies with the reserve price.
Formation of galactic nuclei with multiple supermassive black holes at high redshifts

We examine the formation of groups of multiple supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in gas- poor galactic nuclei due to high merger rate of galaxies at high redshifts. We calculate the relative likelihood of binary, triple and quadruple SMBH systems, by considering the time- scales for relevant processes and by combining merger trees with N-body simulations for the dynamics of stars and SMBHs in galactic nuclei. Typical haloes today with mass M0 ≈ 10 14 Mhave an average mass of Mz =6 = 5 × 10 11 Mat z ∼ 6, while rare haloes with current mass M0 10 15 Mhave an average mass of Mz =6 = 5 × 10 12 Mat that redshift. These cluster-size haloes are expected to host single galaxies at z ∼ 6. We expect about 30 per cent galaxies within haloes with present-day mass M0 ≈ 10 14 Mto contain more than two SMBHs at redshifts 2 z 6. For larger present-day haloes, with M0 10 15 M� , this fraction is almost 60 per cent. The existence of multiple SMBHs at high redshifts can potentially explain the mass deficiencies observed in cores of massive elliptical galaxies, which are up to five times the mass of their central BHs. Multiple SMBHs would also lead to an enhanced rate of tidal disruption of stars, modified gravitational wave signals compared to isolated BH binaries and slingshot ejection of SMBHs from galaxies at high speeds in excess of 2000 km s −1 .