Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Formation Constraints Indicate a Black Hole Accretor in 47 Tuc X9

The luminous X-ray binary 47 Tuc X9 shows radio and X-ray emission consistent with a stellar-mass black hole (BH) accreting from a carbon–oxygen white dwarf. Its location, in the core of the massive globular cluster 47 Tuc, hints at a dynamical origin. We assess the stability of mass transfer from a carbon–oxygen white dwarf onto compact objects of various masses, and conclude that for mass transfer to proceed stably, the accretor must, in fact, be a BH. Such systems can form dynamically by the collision of a stellar-mass BH with a giant star. Tidal dissipation of energy in the giant’s envelope leads to a bound binary with a pericenter separation less than the radius of the giant. An episode of common-envelope evolution follows, which ejects the giant’s envelope. We find that the most likely target is a horizontal-branch star, and that a realistic quantity of subsequent dynamical hardening is required for the resulting binary to merge via gravitational wave emission. Observing one binary like 47 Tuc X9 in the Milky Way globular cluster system is consistent with the expected formation rate. The observed 6.8-day periodicity in the X-ray emission may be driven by eccentricity induced in the ultra-compact X-ray binary’s orbit by a perturbing companion.
Migrant Consumers' Attitudes towards Homeland Products

This work investigates the determinant factors of migrant consumers’ willingness to buy products originate from their home country. The unit of analysis in this study was Malaysian migrants in the UK and the analysis was based on 330 usable data gathered through an online survey. The results indicate that the migrants’ willingness to buy their homeland products was significantly and positively influenced by the migrants’ levels of national identity. This finding suggests that the stronger the migrant consumers’ association to their origin identity, the higher their willingness to purchase homeland products. The study provides a support that the migrant consumers’ positive attitudes towards homeland products were not determined by the migrants’ degree of ethnocentrism. The present study has implications for consumer behavior and marketing in multicultural societies.
Violence, Responsibility, Friendship and Basic Psychological Needs: Effects of a Sport Education and Teaching for Personal and Social Responsibility Program // Violencia, responsabilidad, amistad y necesidades psicológicas básicas: efectos de un progra

El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar experimentalmente los efectos de una intervencion basada en un modelo pedagogico hibrido (Educacion Deportiva+Responsabilidad Personal y Social) sobre las actitudes hacia la violencia, la responsabilidad, las metas de amistad y las necesidades psicologicas basicas de los adolescentes, comparandolos con un planteamiento tradicional de ensenanza. Accedieron a participar 143 estudiantes de secundaria, 14-17 anos, 78 experimentales y 65 de control. El estudio utilizo un diseno de medidas repetidas pretest-postest con grupo de control. Antes y despues del programa (16 sesiones) se administraron cuatro instrumentos de evaluacion: Escala del Nivel de Actitud hacia la Violencia, Cuestionario de Metas de Amistad, Cuestionario de Responsabilidad Personal y Social y Escala de las Necesidades Psicologicas Basicas. Los MANCOVAs postest revelaron que el programa de intervencion (MED+MRPS) provoco una mejora significativa de las actitudes hacia la violencia, la responsabilidad social, la competencia y la relacion de los participantes. Los resultados muestran la bondad de planteamientos pedagogicos novedosos.
Home-based Strategies Applied to Enhance Students’ Academic Performance in Public Day Secondary Schools in Embu North District, Embu County, Kenya.

The study sought to analyze home-based strategies employed to enhance students’ academic performance of students in day secondary schools in Embu District, Embu County, Kenya. The study was guided by the Capital Theory of School Effectiveness and Improvement based on various interrelated variables such as outcomes, leverage, intellectual capital and social capital. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. Combinations of purposive and stratified random sampling techniques were utilized to draw a sample of 144 respondents constituting 54 BoM members, 36 PTA members, 9 principals and 45 HoDs. Questionnaires were the main instruments used to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistic generated by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Computer programme version 20.0. Qualitative data from interview guides were analyzed using thematic approaches. The study established that the various home based strategies used to enhance students academic performance included : role modeling by prominent parents, inspirational speakers, communication of high expectations goals, parental support of school activities and youth bond with families. Despite these strategies aimed at improving school outcomes, students’ academic performance has remained relatively poor in the study locale. It was recommended that; School managers should undergo in-service training in school management , the youth be sensitized on the importance of basic education to enable them support school programmes , quality assurance and standards officers to intensify enforcement of government policies related to quality education and ensure school principals and their deputies are of mixed gender to serve as school-based role models, amongst others Keywords: Management strategies ,home based variables, enhanced academic performance, Secondary schools, Embu North District, Embu County, Kenya
The Impact of Divorce on Physical, Social, Psychological, and Socioeconomic Well-Being

THE IMPACT OF DIVORCE ON PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND SOCIOECONOMIC WELL-BEING Robyn J. Barrus Department of Sociology Master of Science Divorce brings unprecedented changes. The prevalence of divorce today constitutes a need to thoroughly study the well-being of divorced peoples. This study used a multidimensional definition of well-being to study divorced peoples and other marital statuses. Physical, social, psychological, and socioeconomic well-being were used. This study hypothesized that the married and remarried have higher well-being than the never married who in turn have higher well-being than the divorced or separated. It was also hypothesized that some are pre-disposed to divorce. ANCOVA analysis was used to test these hypotheses in a sample of approximately 9,863 respondents from the NSFH study. Support was found for the hypothesis that the never married have higher well-being than the divorced or separated. This was true in all four aspect analyses. No support was found for the hypothesis that some are pre-disposed to divorce. Further, support was found for married and remarried having higher well-being than the divorced or separated and never married, but only in regards to psychological and socioeconomic well-being. Partial support was found for physical well-being. The divorced or separated had the lowest or close to lowest adjusted well-being mean of all marital statuses except in the social well-being analysis. Marital status and especially divorce does affect wellbeing.
The Influence of End Conditions on Vortex Shedding from a Circular Cylinder in Sub-critical Flow

The effect of end boundary conditions on the three-dimensionality of the vortex shedding from a circular cylinder in sub-critical flow has been studied experimentally, with a focus on the unsteady nature of the vortex filaments. Analysis of the near-wake of the cylinder was undertaken to determine the dependency of the spanwise uniformity of the vortex shedding on the end conditions. Flow visualization was performed downstream of the cylinder, and the temporal variation of the vortex filament angle was observed. Vortex dislocations were found to occur in this Reynolds Number regime regardless of the end boundary conditions. Having a cylinder bounded by two elliptical leading edge geometry endplates at an L/D value of five yielded parallel shedding with a reduction in the time-based variation of the vortex filament angle, and was shown to be the ideal end conditions for modeling an infinite cylinder in a free-surface water channel.
ANALYSIS OF BONE MINERAL DENSITY AND RELEVANT FACTORS IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES

We investigated changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and relevant factors of BMD in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). A total of 47 patients with T1D and 40 healthy controls participated in this study. The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI) were calculated after physical examination. The lumbar spine (L2-L4) BMD and left femoral neck BMD were examined. Blood samples were collected. The BMI, WHR, fasting C peptide (FCP), postprandial C peptide (2hCP), lumbar spine and left femoral neck BMD of the patients with T1D were significantly lower than those of healthy controls, while the fasting plasma glucose (FPG), postprandial plasma glucose (2hPG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were higher (P <0.05). Duration of T1D and HbA1c were negatively correlated with lumbar spine and left femo- ral neck BMD. The FCP and 2hCP were positively correlated with lumbar spine and left femoral neck BMD.
Adapting to Climate Variability: Learning from Past Experience and the Role of Institutions

Adaptation to human-induced climate change is currently receiving a lot of attention in international development circles. But throughout human existence, natural resource-dependent people have exploited and coped with the effects of climate variability on the ecosystems from which they derive a living. Learning from this experience can help inform the design of appropriate policies for responding to human-induced climate change. This paper presents the results of a World Bank study which sought to better understand the role of local institutions in supporting adaptation to climate variability and change in Ethiopia, Mali and Yemen. The study raised three questions. First, what strategies have been adopted by rural households in the past to adapt to climate variability? Second, to what extent do institutions of various sorts assist households in adopting adaptation strategies? And third, what are the factors that prevent households from adopting appropriate adaptation strategies? For the purposes of this paper, institutions are defined as structured, formal or informal organizations. The study followed a three-step approach. First, drawing on original data from field surveys, focus group discussions and institutional stakeholder interviews, household vulnerability to climate variability was characterized in terms of its three constituent elements: exposure to climate-related shocks and stresses, and sensitivity and adaptive capacity in the face of such stressors. Sensitivity refers to the degree to which people are affected by climate variability and change. High levels of exposure and sensitivity and low levels of adaptive capacity generally result in high levels of vulnerability. But a high level of exposure need not necessarily result in a high level of vulnerability if the household's adaptive capacity is also high.
Traffic Safety Evaluation of Video Advertising Signs

Road authorities are under increasing pressure from advertisers to allow video advertising in the right-of-way but are understandably concerned about whether video signs constitute a driving hazard. At the City of Toronto's request, a comprehensive assessment of traffic safety impacts related to such signs was carried out in a series of studies involving three downtown intersections and an urban expressway site. An on-road eye fixation study was carried out to determine if drivers look at video advertising signs. Conflict studies were conducted to determine if there were more conflicts on intersection approaches with visible video signs than on those without such signs. A before-and-after sign installation study of headways and speeds on the urban expressway was carried out. Crashes were compared before and after sign installation at the expressway and three intersection sites. Finally, a public survey was conducted to determine if video advertising was perceived to affect traffic safety. On the basis of the eye fixation study and the public survey data, it is apparent that video advertising can distract drivers inappropriately and lead to individual crashes. However, the evidence from other studies was not consistent and suggests that for the particular signs studied, overall impacts on traffic safety are likely to be small. Further studies, especially prospective ones with larger crash data sets, are required to be certain about the findings. A comparison between this study and an earlier one suggests that there are large differences in driver distraction depending on the placement and the environment in which the sign is seen. Further studies are required to determine factors that minimize driver distraction.
Insulin resistance in adolescents with type I diabetes is related to a failure to suppress lipolysis

INTRODUCTION.1 Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.1 Morbidity and Mortality: the DCCT.1 Insulin Resistance.2 Mechanisms of Insulin Resistance: free fatty acids.4 icrodialysis.8 Statement of Purpose and Hypothesis.10 METHODS.11 Subjects.1 Euglycemic Hyperinsulinemic Clamp.12 Microdialysis.14 Substrate and Hormone Measurements.15 Calculations.15 Statistics.16 RESULTS.17 Glucose Metabolism.17 Fat Metabolis . 18 Glycerol Concentrations in Adipose Microdialysate.19 Glycerol Concentrations in Muscle Microdialysate.20 Insulin-stimulated Glucose Metabolism and Dialysate Glycerol Concentration.20
3D magnetic resonance microscopy of a wounded beech branch

Abstract The pruned part of a beech (Fagus sylvatica) branch was imaged by a 3D spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to visualize change in structure and water content in the tissues. Proton density-weighted MR images of intact tissues confirmed high moisture content (MC) associated with high MRI signal in the pith, xylem rays and earlywood vessels, as well as in the cambial zone with current annual xylem and phloem increment. MRI images derived from the 3D datasets showed a previously unreported moisture-related structural response of the beech branch to wounding. An extensive wound tissue with a high MRI signal at the wound edge was a conspicuous new structure clearly visualized by 3D MRI. MRI revealed that the xylem at the wound was dehydrated in a cone-shaped pattern extending approximately 4.5 mm deep into the branch. Dehydration was delimited from the underlying sound wood by a layer, corresponding to the reaction zone, of tissue with a high MRI signal and hence high moisture content. Moisture content of these reaction zones in beech determined by MRI were greater than in healthy wood by factors of 1.3–1.8. Accordingly, in the margins of wounded beech wood not only cell wall alterations can be observed, but also an intensive water accumulation, which is probably an integral part of the protective mechanism for the underlying sound wood.
Vertical distribution of chlorophyll in dynamically distinct regions of the southern Bay of Bengal

Abstract. The Bay of Bengal (BoB) generally exhibits surface oligotrophy due to nutrient limitation induced by strong salinity stratification. Nevertheless, there are hotspots of high chlorophyll in the BoB where the monsoonal forcings are strong enough to break the stratification; one such region is the southern BoB, east of Sri Lanka. A recent field programme conducted during the summer monsoon of 2016, as a part of the Bay of Bengal Boundary Layer Experiment (BoBBLE), provides a unique high-resolution dataset of the vertical distribution of chlorophyll in the southern BoB using ocean gliders along with shipboard conductivity–temperature–depth (CTD) measurements. Observations were carried out for a duration of 12–20 days, covering the dynamically active regions of the Sri Lanka Dome (SLD) and the Southwest Monsoon Current (SMC). Mixing and upwelling induced by the monsoonal wind forcing enhanced surface chlorophyll concentrations (0.3–0.7 mg m−3). Prominent deep chlorophyll maxima (DCM; 0.3–1.2 mg m−3) existed at intermediate depths (20–50 m), signifying the contribution of subsurface productivity to the biological carbon cycling in the BoB. The shape of chlorophyll profiles varied in different dynamical regimes; upwelling was associated with sharp and intense DCM, whereas mixing resulted in a diffuse and weaker DCM. Within the SLD, open-ocean Ekman suction favoured a substantial increase in chlorophyll. Farther east, where the thermocline was deeper, enhanced surface chlorophyll was associated with intermittent mixing events. Remote forcing by the westward propagating Rossby waves influenced the upper-ocean dynamics and chlorophyll distribution in the southern BoB. Stabilizing surface freshening events and barrier-layer formation often inhibited the generation of surface chlorophyll. The pathway of the SMC intrusion was marked by a distinct band of chlorophyll, indicating the advective effect of biologically rich Arabian Sea waters. The region of the monsoon current exhibited the strongest DCM as well as the highest column-integrated chlorophyll. Observations suggest that the persistence of DCM in the southern BoB is promoted by surface oligotrophy and shallow mixed layers. Results from a coupled physical–ecosystem model substantiate the dominant role of mixed layer processes associated with the monsoon in controlling the nutrient distribution and biological productivity in the southern BoB. The present study provides new insights into the vertical distribution of chlorophyll in the BoB, emphasizing the need for extensive in situ sampling and ecosystem model-based efforts for a better understanding of the biophysical interactions and the potential climatic feedbacks.
Aerosol–radiation–cloud interactions in a regional coupled model: the effects of convective parameterisation and resolution

Abstract. The Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) has been used to simulate a region of Brazil heavily influenced by biomass burning. Nested simulations were run at 5 and 1 km horizontal grid spacing for three case studies in September 2012. Simulations were run with and without fire emissions, convective parameterisation on the 5 km domain, and aerosol–radiation interactions in order to explore the differences attributable to the parameterisations and to better understand the aerosol direct effects and cloud responses. Direct aerosol–radiation interactions due to biomass burning aerosol resulted in a net cooling, with an average short-wave direct effect of −4.08 ± 1.53 Wm−2. However, around 21.7 Wm−2 is absorbed by aerosol in the atmospheric column, warming the atmosphere at the aerosol layer height, stabilising the column, inhibiting convection, and reducing cloud cover and precipitation. The changes to clouds due to radiatively absorbing aerosol (traditionally known as the semi-direct effects) increase the net short-wave radiation reaching the surface by reducing cloud cover, producing a secondary warming that counters the direct cooling. However, the magnitude of the semi-direct effect was found to be extremely sensitive to the model resolution and the use of convective parameterisation. Precipitation became organised in isolated convective cells when not using a convective parameterisation on the 5 km domain, reducing both total cloud cover and total precipitation. The SW semi-direct effect varied from 6.06 ± 1.46 with convective parameterisation to 3.61 ± 0.86 Wm−2 without. Convective cells within the 1 km domain are typically smaller but with greater updraft velocity than equivalent cells in the 5 km domain, reducing the proportion of the domain covered by cloud in all scenarios and producing a smaller semi-direct effect. Biomass burning (BB) aerosol particles acted as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), increasing the droplet number concentration of clouds. However, the changes to cloud properties had negligible impact on the net radiative balance in either domain, with or without convective parameterisation. The sensitivity to the uncertainties relating to the semi-direct effect was greater than any other observable indirect effects. Although the version of WRF-Chem distributed to the community currently lacks aerosol–cloud interactions in parameterised clouds, the results of this study suggest a greater priority for the development is to improve the modelling of semi-direct effects by reducing the uncertainties relating to the use of convective parameterisation and resolution before WRF-Chem can reliably quantify the regional impacts of aerosols.
Characteristics of flow regimes for two plates of rectangular cross-section in tandem

Flow characteristics including velocity fluctuations, acoustic pressure fluctuations and surface pressures have been investigated for two plates in a tandem array at high Reynolds numbers. The plates were of rectangular cross section and of the same thickness, having and a range of chord-to-thickness ratios with a range of gap-to-thickness ratios between them. The flow measurements were complemented with hydrogen-bubble flow visualisation. A classification of possible flow regimes is proposed and confirmed experimentally. For very small separations the two plates behave as a single plate. Symmetrical vortex shedding is detected even for the configurations with larger separation. For the upstream plates in the single plate regime, where frequency components lower than the characteristic shedding frequency are present, these components are amplified in the presence of a downstream plate. They are clearly detectable in velocity and pressure measurements and can become dominant in the acoustic spectra.
Riparian Management of Small Streams: An Experimental Trial at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest

Introduction One of the primary tools used around the world for protecting streams from the impacts of forest harvesting is to leave a strip of native vegetation along the stream, either as a riparian reserve (no harvesting) or buffer (some management activities permitted). Despite the widespread use of riparian reserves, there have been few assessments of their effectiveness, and this is especially true of small streams (except see Kiffney et al. 2003). Small streams in particular have been increasingly appreciated over Riparian Management of Small Streams: An Experimental Trial at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest
CEO Compensation and Firm Performance: Did the 2007-2008 Financial Crisis Matter?

Financial compensation of corporate officers in the context of efficiency of shareholder oversight and control has been an ongoing issue for a number of decades in the U.S. corporate environment. During the financial crisis of 2007-2008, excessive executive compensation became a focal point of criticism. The paper analyzes the effects of the recent financial crisis on the relationship between CEO compensation and firm performance, and examines whether or not the crisis reshaped this relationship between the two factors. Using the Standard and Poor’s ExecuComp database, we find that the relationship between CEO compensation and firm performance demonstrates different patterns in the pre- and post-crisis periods. These results suggest that incentive-based contracts were not effective compensation tools in the aftermath of the crisis.