Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
UVB effects on a plankton community: results from a large-scale enclosure assay

The long-term effects of natural and enhanced ultraviolet-B (UVB) exposure on picocyanobacteria, size-fractionated chlorophyll a (chl a) , primary production (photosynthesis-irradiance parameters) and grazing activity on phytoplankton were investigated over a 20 d period in a mesotrophic lake in central Ontario, Canada. Large volume enclosures (20000 1) open to the sediments were installed in the littoral zone and sampled at 6 d intervals. Four radiation treatments were run: UVB-screened giving 0 % incident UVB, natural ambient (100% UVB), and 2 lamp-enhanced treatments giving 112 % biologically weighted UVR (range of 109 to 126 % depending on cloud cover) and 118% biologically weighted UVB (114 to 138%) The light utilization efficiency of the phytoplankton (a) decreased under enhanced UVB, but there was no significant decrease in biomass (chl a or cell counts). Populations of the nanoflagellate Ocl~romonas sp. significantly increased under enhanced UVB; after 20 d the cell concentration of this species was ca 3.6 times higher relative to the natural UVB control. However, differences between treatments in picocyanobacteria, <2 pm chl a, other nanoplanktonic groups, maximum photosynthetic rates, sensitivity to photoinhibition and grazing activity were generally small relative to the variab~lity between duplicate enclosures. These results indicate a low impact of natural and increased levels of incident UVB on the inshore plankton community in this type of lake environment.
Antimaximum principle for elliptic problems with weight

Thispaperisconcernedwiththeantimaximumprincipleforthelinear problem withweight u=m(x)u+h(x),underDirichlet orNeumann boundaryconditions. Weinvestigatethefollowingthreequestions: Where exactly can this principle hold? If it holds, does it hold uniformly or not? If it holds uniformly, what is the exact interval of uniformity? We will in particular obtain a variational characterization of this interval of uniformity.
Artists, Aestheticisation and the Field of Gentrification

Gentrification involves the transition of inner-city neighbourhoods from a status of relative poverty and limited property investment to a state of commodification and reinvestment. This paper reconsiders the role of artists as agents, and aestheticisation as a process, in contributing to gentrification, an argument illustrated with empirical data from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Because some poverty neighbourhoods may be candidates for occupation by artists, who value their afford ability and mundane, off-centre status, the study also considers the movement of districts from a position of high cultural capital and low economic capital to a position of steadily rising economic capital. The paper makes extensive use of Bourdieu's conceptualisation of the field of cultural production, including his discussion of the uneasy relations of economic and cultural capitals, the power of the aesthetic disposition to valorise the mundane and the appropriation of cultural capital by market forces. Bourdieu's thinking is extended to the field of gentrification in an account that interprets the enhanced valuation of cultural capital since the 1960s, encouraging spatial proximity by other professionals to the inner-city habitus of the artist. This approach offers some reconciliation to theoretical debates in the gentrification literature about the roles of structure and agency and economic and cultural explanations. It also casts a more critical historical perspective on current writing lauding the rise of the cultural economy and the creative city.
The E ffec t of Niche Occupations on Standard of Living: A Closer Look at Chinese, Filipino, and Asian Indian Immigrants

This study aims to examine Chinese, Filipino, and Asian Indian immigrants who were part of the U.S. labor force in 2009. The goal of this research is to identify the variables which most accurately influence the standard of living among these three groups once they are a part of U.S. labor market. I hypothesize that those immigrants who receive work in their ethnic niche occupations will have higher standards of living than those who do not work in the niche occupations. This study will focus narrowly on ethnic groups that come to the United States with relatively high levels of educational attainment. While many researchers have focused on immigration collectively, this research will add to existing literature by focusing narrowly on these three unique immigrant groups: Chinese, Filipino, and Asian Indians; and their associated standards of living in relation to occupation. I hypothesize that those immigrants who work in their ethnic niche occupations will have higher standards of living, ceteris paribus, than immigrants who do not. This article is available in The Park Place Economist: http://digitalcommons.iwu. edu/parkplace/vol19/iss1/11
Epstein–Barr virus-encoded protein kinase BGLF4 mediates hyperphosphorylation of cellular elongation factor 1δ (EF-1δ): EF-1δ is universally modified by conserved protein kinases of herpesviruses in mammalian cells

Translation elongation factor 1δ (EF-1δ) is hyperphosphorylated in various mammalian cells infected with alpha-, beta- and gammaherpesviruses and EF-1δ modification is mediated by viral protein kinases, including UL13 of herpes simplex virus type 1 and UL97 of human cytomegalovirus. In this study, the following is reported. (i) BGLF4 encoded by the prototype gammaherpesvirus Epstein–Barr virus was purified as a fusion protein that was labelled with [γ-32P]ATP and labelling was eliminated by phosphatase. (ii) The ratio of the hyperphosphorylated form of human EF-1δ was increased both in Sf9 cells after infection with baculoviruses expressing GST–BGLF4 fusion proteins and in COS-7 cells after transfection with a BGLF4 expression plasmid. These results indicate that purified BGLF4 possesses protein kinase activity and mediates EF-1δ hyperphosphorylation. These data also support the hypothesis that the protein kinases that are conserved by herpesviruses universally mediate EF-1δ modification in mammalian cells.
Trade Policies, Investment Climate, and Export Performance

International trade is a significant source of dispersion in income levels and growth. Although trade liberalization policies during the past 60 years has led to an almost 30fold growth in the volume of international trade, the increase has been unequal among countries. This study investigates how improvements in the investment climate relate to increased export performances of countries. It shows that improvements in regulatory quality, customs efficiency, quality of infrastructure, and access to finance are associated with the competitiveness of firms in international markets. Furthermore, it shows that countries that are relatively more constrained in accessing to foreign markets benefit more from improvements in investment climate. Hence, policies that improve the investment climate have a greater benefit for export sales of countries with lower foreign market access.
Impact of ocean acidification on a key Arctic pelagic mollusc ( Limacina helicina )

Abstract. Thecosome pteropods (shelled pelagic molluscs) can play an important role in the food web of various ecosystems and play a key role in the cycling of carbon and carbonate. Since they harbor an aragonitic shell, they could be very sensitive to ocean acidification driven by the increase of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. The impact of changes in the carbonate chemistry was investigated on Limacina helicina, a key species of Arctic ecosystems. Pteropods were kept in culture under controlled pH conditions corresponding to pCO2 levels of 350 and 760 μatm. Calcification was estimated using a fluorochrome and the radioisotope 45Ca. It exhibits a 28% decrease at the pH value expected for 2100 compared to the present pH value. This result supports the concern for the future of pteropods in a high-CO2 world, as well as of those species dependent upon them as a food resource. A decline of their populations would likely cause dramatic changes to the structure, function and services of polar ecosystems.
Severe anemia and adverse pregnancy outcome in a tertiary care hospital in North India

Anaemia is the most common nutritional deficiency disorder in the world. In India anaemia antedates pregnancy, is aggravated by increased requirements during pregnancy and blood loss at delivery, infections in the antenatal and postnatal periods, and the early advent of next pregnancy perpetuates it. It causes direct as well as indirect deaths from cardiac failure, hemorrhage, infection and preeclampsia. Women go through a variety of physiological changes during pregnancy. Changes in the blood circulatory system are particularly notable, permitting normal fetal growth. Even in normal pregnant women, the hemoglobin concentration decreases with dilution according to the increase in the volume of circulating blood. Anemia is commonest medical disorder in pregnancy with 88% prevalence in India mainly due to ignorance, poverty and gender bias. 40-60% of maternal death in developing countries. ABSTRACT
Shaking table tests of structures with hysteretic dampers: experimental results vs. prediction using non-linear static methods

The use of seismic hysteretic dampers for passive control is increasing exponentially in recent years for both new and existing buildings. In order to utilize hysteretic dampers within a structural system, it is of paramount importance to have simplified design procedures based upon knowledge gained from theoretical studies and validated with experimental results. Non-linear Static Procedures (NSPs) are presented as an alternative to the force-based methods more common nowadays. The application of NSPs to conventional structures has been well established; yet there is a lack of experimental information on how NSPs apply to systems with hysteretic dampers. In this research, several shaking table tests were conducted on two single bay and single story 1:2 scale structures with and without hysteretic dampers. The maximum response of the structure with dampers in terms of lateral displacement and base shear obtained from the tests was compared with the prediction provided by three well-known NSPs: (1) the improved version of the Capacity Spectrum Method (CSM) from FEMA 440; (2) the improved version of the Displacement Coefficient Method (DCM) from FEMA 440; and (3) the N2 Method implemented in Eurocode 8. In general, the improved version of the DCM and N2 methods are found to provide acceptable accuracy in prediction, but the CSM tends to underestimate the response.
Will Fire Danger Be Reduced by Using Solar Radiation Management to Limit Global Warming to 1.5 °C Compared to 2.0 °C?

The commitment to limit warming to 1.5 °C as set out in the Paris Agreement is widely regarded as ambitious and challenging. It has been proposed that reaching this target may require a number of actions, which could include some form of carbon removal or Solar Radiation Management in addition to strong emission reductions. Here we assess one theoretical solution using Solar Radiation Management to limit global mean warming to 1.5 °C above preindustrial temperatures and use the McArthur fire danger index to evaluate the change in fire danger. The results show that globally fire danger is reduced in most areas when temperatures are limited to 1.5 °C compared to 2.0 °C. The number of days where fire danger is “high” or above is reduced by up to 30 days/year on average, although there are regional variations. In certain regions, fire danger is increased, experiencing 31 more days above “high” fire danger.
Assimilation of land surface temperature into the land surface model JULES with an ensemble Kalman filter

Land surface models have uncertainties due to their approximation of physical processes and the heterogeneity of the land surface. These can be compounded when key variables are inadequately represented. Land surface temperature (LST) is critical as it forms an integral component in the surface energy budget, water stress evaluation, fuel moisture derivation, and soil moisture-climate feedbacks. A reduction in the uncertainty of surface energy fluxes, and moisture quantification, is assumed to be achievable by constraining simulations of LST with observation data. This technique is known as data assimilation and involves the adjustment of the model state at observation times with measurements of a predictable uncertainty. In this paper, the validity of LST simulations in a regionalized parameterization of the land surface model Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES) for Africa is assessed by way of a multitemporal intercomparison study with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), the Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR), and the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) thermal products, with a two-thirds reduction in model bias found when soil properties are reparameterized. A data assimilation experiment of SEVIRI LST into the JULES model via an ensemble Kalman filter shows an improvement in the modeled LST, soil moisture, and latent and sensible heat fluxes. This paper presents the first investigation into reducing the uncertainty in modeling energy and water fluxes with the United Kingdom's most important land surface model, JULES, by means of data assimilation of LST. (Less)
Cultural analysis of factors affecting customers’ online shopping behavior in Finland and Morocco

The study relies on UTAUT model to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis to understand the factors influencing the Moroccan and Finnish people in adopting online shopping. Then, it uses Hofstede theory to understand the relationship strength between the different variables. In this study, a total of 153 people were surveyed. They were drawn from two universities, Al Akhawayn University in Morocco and Oulu University in Finland. The questions of the survey were not designed to understand the use of any products or services. But, they were interned only to reveal the general behavior of online shopping among the citizen of both countries. This master study presents the finding of the study and validates the UTAUT model in both countries. Moreover, this study provides some practical solutions that could be used in marketing to influence people to use online shops. Moreover, it also demonstrates the reliability and validity of UTAUT scales and suggests further analysis to improve this model
The effect of corporate social responsibility disclosures on financial performance in the banking industry: empirical study on Egyptian banking sector

The aim of this paper to establish the relationship between corporate social responsibility disclosure and financial performance in the Egyptian banking sector. Only three banks were included in the study because Corporate Social Responsibility is a new concept that has not yet been fully established in the banking sector in Egypt. Secondary data were obtained from the annual financial reports of the banks for the period from 2008 to 2011. Corporate social responsibility score was obtained using content analysis of reports of the companies on various components of corporate social responsibility as reported in their annual financial reports. The present study identified four dimensions in the pilot study: Environment, Community, Customer, and Employee. Descriptive analysis was used to describe data collected such as Pearson correlation method. The authors used regression analysis to study the relationship between the dependent variables and the independent variables and the bank age and bank size were used as control variables in the analysis. The results indicated an insignificant relationship between the independent variables (corporate social responsibility toward environment, community, customer, and employee) used in the model and the dependent variables Corporate Financial Performance as measured by (ROA, ROE, NPM, and EPS). The results of the study proved the absence of a significant relationship between the dependent and the independent variables as a whole. Yet, some relationships were found concerning individual measures. The major limitation of this paper is the sample size. In addition, failure of corporations to disclose CSR in the annual reports will have a material effect on these findings. The findings of this paper have practical implications on the management of Banks in Egypt to re-think and re-strategize their CSR policies that incorporate social and economic performance to improve their CFP.
New advances in the knowledge of the structure of Tenerife volcanic island derived from seismic attenuation tomography

This manuscript shows a new multidisciplinary interpretation approach of the internal structure of Tenerife island. The cental core of this work is the determination of the three dimensional attenuation structure of the region using P-waves and the Coda Normalization (CN) method. This study has been performed using 45303 seismograms recorded in 85 seismic stations from an active experiment (air-gun shots) conducted in January of 2007. The interpretation of these new results is done combining the new images with previous studies performed in the area such as seismic velocity tomography, magnetic structure, magnetotelluric surveys or gravimetric models. Our new 3D images indicate the presence of seismic attenuation contrasts, with areas of high and low seismic attenuation patterns. High seismic attenuation zones are observed both in shallow and deeper areas. The shallowest area of Las Cañadas Caldera complex (1-3 km thick) is dominated by high attenuation behavior and it is interpreted as the combined effect of sedimentary and volcanoclastic deposits, multifracturated systems and the presence of shallow aquifers. At the same time, the deeper analyzed area, beyond 8 km below sea level, is dominated by high attenuation pattern and it is interpreted as the consequence of the effect of high temperature rocks in the crustal-mantle boundary. This interpretation is compatible and confirmed by previous models that indicate the presence of underplating magma in this region. On the contrary, some low attenuation bodies and structures have been identified at different depths. A deep low attenuation central body is interpreted as the original central structure associated to the early stage of Tenerife island. At shallower depths, some low attenuation bodies are compatible with old intermediate magmatic chambers postulated by petrological studies. Finally, in the North of the island (La Orotava valley) we can interpreted the low attenuation structure as the headwall of this valley supporting the idea that Las Cañadas Caldera and this valley resulted from two different destructive processes. This first 3D attenuation structure is an important evidence that seismic attenuation tomography studies are essential to better understand the structure of volcanoes and will allow us to better identify the main constraints on the dynamics of active volcanoes.
Effectiveness of Agricultural Extension Activities

Problem statement: Jordan’s agricultural extension service is seriously under-staffed and its effectiveness is consequently compromised. Reservations are being expressed about the performance and capability of the agricultural extension system in Jordan. The performance of this sector has been disappointing and has failed to transfer agricultural technology to the farmers. The main objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of Jordan’s agricultural extension services. Approach: The effect of extension services on olive productivity in the study area was investigated. A total number of 60 olive producers were selected to be interviewed for this study. This number was enough to achieve the study objectives. The interviewed producers were distributed almost equally within olive production locations in the study area. The sample obtained through the simple random sampling technique. The two groups had been chosen and distributed randomly into an experimental group (30 farmers; 10 for each source of extension service) and control group (30 farmers). The experimental group received extension services and the control group received no extension services. Two interview-cum-structured questionnaires were designed and used to collect information and data for this study. The first instrument was designed for farmers who received extension services and the second from farmers who received no extension services. Another questionnaire was designed for administrators of extension organizations concerned with providing extension services to farmers. To find the differences that may exist between two studied groups, One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), t-test and LSD test via Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (SPSS) were used. The average net profit obtained from an area of one dynamo of olive farm was the main item to be considered in determining the effectiveness of agricultural extension activities. Results and Conclusion: The results of the study revealed that the net profit of farmers who received extension services is almost the same as those who do not receive any extension services. The provided extension services made no difference in the achievement of farmers regarding their production and consequently their net profits. The three main investigated sources of extension services provide inadequate and less effective extension services. To overcome most of the obstacles facing extension programs in Jordan the government should impart extensive in-service agricultural trainings to train the extension personnel to cope with the growing needs of farmers. The establishment of field demonstration sites, pilot sites on farmers’ fields around the demonstrations is another important issues to be covered.
Using caregivers’ perceptions of rehabilitation services for children with Cerebral Palsy at public sector hospitals to identify the components of an appropriate service

Despite a growing body of evidence favouring a family-centred approach to rehabilitation services for children with cerebral palsy (cp), the essential components for a quality service for children with disabilities and their families living in poorly-resourced South African (SA) settings remains unknown. The study aimed to identify key components of an appropriate rehabilitation service which would meet the needs of children with CP and their caregivers at SA public sector hospitals. This cross-sectional descriptive study used the modified Measure of processes of care (Mpoc-20) questionnaire together with two open-endedquestions with a convenience sample of caregivers attending therapy at CP Clinics in gauteng and limpopo hospitals. A total of 263 caregivers attending cerebral palsy clinics at 31 public sector hospitals in gauteng and limpopo were interviewed. Kind and caring attitudes, exercises or “training” for the child, and practical assistance (handling ideas and suggestions, assistive devices, food supplements, nappies, advice) were components of care most valued. The most frustration was caused by long queues waiting for files or at the pharmacy and being treated disrespectfully whilst providing caregivers with information and explanations regarding treatment choice were services that could be improved. Key components for an appropriate therapy service include caring and respectful attitudes, hands-on therapy, handling suggestions and practical assistance. Logistical and administrative procedures together with disrespectul and unhelpful attitudes negatively impact rehabilitation service delivery.