Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cuprous Oxide (Cu2O): A Unique System Hosting Various Excitonic Matter and Exhibiting Large Third-Order Nonlinear Optical Responses

Owing to its unique crystal and coupled electronic structures, a dipole-forbidden direct-gap semiconductor cuprous oxide (Cu2O) has gained considerable attention for studying fundamental exciton physics and relevant coherent phenomena, ultimately aiming at excitonic Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) [Wolfe et al. (1995)]. Despite tremendous experimental efforts, however, excitons in Cu2O undergo mysterious collisional loss at high densities, resulting in a loss rate given by τ−1 A = An, where A is an empirical coefficient for collisional Auger-type loss and n is the exciton gas density [Hulin et al. (1980); O’Hara et al. (1999a;b); O’Hara & Wolfe (2000)]. Detailed analysis based on timeand space-resolved photoluminescence (PL) studies suggested formation of optically inactive excitonic molecules (biexcitons) [Jang & Wolfe (2005; 2006a;c)]. The existence of such “dark matter” seems to explain the long-standing difficulties in achieving BEC of excitons in Cu2O, which severely limits the experimental gas density far below the critical BEC density (nc ≃ 1017 cm−3 at 2 K) and the goal remains still elusive. An exciton polariton (hereafter polariton) has emerged as a new candidate and condensation of polaritons in two-dimensional (2D) quantum-well microcavity structures was recently reported where multilayer Bragg mirrors confined the optical components [Balili et al. (2007); Christopoulos et al. (2007); Deng et al. (2003; 2010); Kasprzak et al. (2006); Lagoudakis et al. (2008); Lai et al. (2007); Utsunomiya et al. (2008)]. Even under strong cavity confinement, however, this “nonequilibrium” polariton BEC lasts only for several picoseconds, basically due to the short-lived excitonic component undergoing efficient dipole transitions in host semiconducting materials. The polariton lifetimes of this time scale is difficult to utilize for future optoelectronic applications. Quadrupole polaritons in Cu2O may offer an alternative route to “long-lived” BEC. Unlike well-studied excitons in this semiconductor, a quadrupole polariton is relatively unexplored since its first discovery using coherent quantum beat spectroscopy [Frohlich et al. (1991); Langer et al. (1995)]. The measured lifetime of quadrupole polaritons is about 2 ns and this much longer lifetime arises from the above noted dipole-forbidden nature of Cu2O. Being a coherent quantum superposition of a quadrupole exciton and a photon, this 5
Rainy Season of the Asian-Pacific Summer Monsoon(.

Abstract To date, the monsoon-research community has not yet reached a consensus on a unified definition of monsoon rainy season or on the linkage between the onsets over the Asian continent and the adjacent oceans. A single rainfall parameter is proposed, and a suite of universal criteria for defining the domain, onset, peak, and withdrawal of the rainy season are developed. These results reveal a cohesive spatial–temporal structure of the Asian–Pacific monsoon rainy season characteristics, which will facilitate validation of monsoon hydrological cycles simulated by climate system models and improve our understanding of monsoon dynamics. The large-scale onset of the Asian monsoon rainy season consists of two phases. The first phase begins with the rainfall surges over the South China Sea (SCS) in mid-May, which establishes a planetary-scale monsoon rainband extending from the south Asian marginal seas (the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the SCS) to the subtropical western North Pacific (WNP). The ra.
Lessons from abroad: whatever happened to pedagogy?

This paper considers attempts to import pedagogic practices from other educational systems. In so doing, it focuses upon policymakers’ attempts to: (a) import interactive whole class teaching approaches to the UK (and, to a lesser extent, the US); and (b) export learner-centred pedagogies, largely derived from Anglo-American theorising and practice, to industrialised and developing countries that often vary greatly in educational performance. The paper explains why such initiatives have largely proven ineffective, yet notes that while UK policymakers have largely moved away from pedagogic concerns to issues of teacher quality and expectation, learner-centred approaches continue to be proffered as a solution to the educational problems of many traditional societies. Finally, the paper concludes by emphasising student academic motivation and engagement, rather than specific pedagogic practices, as key to the differential performance of industrialised countries in international comparisons.
Residue determination for some products used against Varroa infestation in bees

Determination des residus de quelques acaricides utilises contre la varroatose. Pendant une periode de 3 ans, de 1987 a 1989, des experiences ont porte sur des acaricides utilises contre Varroa jacobsoni: le bromopropylate, le thymol, l'amitraze et le fluvalinate (tableau I). Les traitements ont ete realises a l'automne sur 171 colonies situees dans des localites de la plaine d'Italie du Nord
Response to Response Soleve Image-Guided Targeted Hyperstimulation Analgesia Show Promising Clinical Results in Chronic Low Back Pain

The reanalysis presented in our letter to the editor has been executed, reported and sent to the Company by Nijs group. In fact, the graphical presentation, the results and the conclusion are quoted word for word from the report by Nijs group. This reanalysis was performed by Nijs group following a detailed face to face discussion of the findings. Nijs found promising clinical results with the new device, which seems to reduce self-reported pain by approximately 50% in the experimental group, compared to the placebo control-group, thereby contradicting the published data in Pain Physician journal by the same author (1). To avoid any doubt it is quoted here again:
A Review of Modern Computational Algorithms for Bayesian Optimal Design

Bayesian experimental design is a fast growing area of research with many real‐world applications. As computational power has increased over the years, so has the development of simulation‐based design methods, which involve a number of algorithms, such as Markov chain Monte Carlo, sequential Monte Carlo and approximate Bayes methods, facilitating more complex design problems to be solved. The Bayesian framework provides a unified approach for incorporating prior information and/or uncertainties regarding the statistical model with a utility function which describes the experimental aims. In this paper, we provide a general overview on the concepts involved in Bayesian experimental design, and focus on describing some of the more commonly used Bayesian utility functions and methods for their estimation, as well as a number of algorithms that are used to search over the design space to find the Bayesian optimal design. We also discuss other computational strategies for further research in Bayesian optimal design.
Customer Reactions to Acquirer-Dominant Mergers and Acquisitions

This article investigates consumer reactions to acquirer-dominant mergers and acquisitions (M&As) from the perspective of the (smaller) target brand and explores how marketing actions can mitigate negative effects. The findings from five studies show that consumers tend to react negatively to M&As by devaluing the acquirer brand, increasing their intention to switch, and adjusting their attitudes toward the target brand upward. We suggest that psychological reactance is a mediator of the negative effects of merger information on customers' attitudes and switching intentions. We also demonstrate that brand managers can attenuate reactance by involving consumers in merger decisions, thus providing important managerial implications for M&A decisions and processes.
The dynamics of a viscous soap film with soluble surfactant

Nearly two decades ago, Couder (1981) and Gharib & Derango (1989) used soap films to perform classical hydrodynamics experiments on two-dimensional flows. Recently soap films have received renewed interest and experimental investigations published in the past few years call for a proper analysis of soap film dynamics. In the present paper, we derive the leading-order approximation for the dynamics of a flat soap film under the sole assumption that the typical length scale of the flow parallel to the film surface is large compared to the film thickness. The evolution equations governing the leading-order film thickness, two-dimensional velocities (locally averaged across the film thickness), average surfactant concentration in the interstitial liquid, and surface surfactant concentration are given and compared to similar results from the literature. Then we show that a sufficient condition for the film velocity distribution to comply with the Navier–Stokes equations is that the typical flow velocity be small compared to the Marangoni elastic wave velocity. In that case the thickness variations are slaved to the velocity field in a very specific way that seems consistent with recent experimental observations. When fluid velocities are of the order of the elastic wave speed, we show that the dynamics are generally very specific to a soap film except if the fluid viscosity and the surfactant solubility are neglected. In that case, the compressible Euler equations are recovered and the soap film behaves like a two-dimensional gas with an unusual ratio of specific heat capacities equal to unity.
Spatial agglomeration and productivity in Italy: A panel smooth transition regression approach

The paper analyzes the impact of localization, urbanization and competition on firm-level TFP, using a large sample of Italian firm-level data from 1999 to 2007. In particular, the paper explores the nonlinearities of such effects, accounting for the possible presence of critical masses and/or congestion effects. We adopt a panel smooth transition regression model, so that the TFP elasticities are free to vary smoothly across two or more extreme values. Results show that localization economies and Jacobian externalities materialize only for values of, respectively, intra-industry spatial agglomeration and extra-sectoral local diversity above a certain threshold. Data instead shows no evidence of significant diseconomies. As for competition, we find a positive impact of local competition on productivity, even though such impact shrinks at high levels of competition.
Decadal-scale trends in regional aerosol particle properties and their linkage to emission changes

Understanding long-term trends in aerosol loading and properties is essential for evaluating the health and climatic effects of these airborne particulates as well as the effectiveness of pollution control policies. While many studies have used satellite data to examine the trends in aerosol optical depth (AOD), very few have investigated the trends in aerosol properties associated with particle size, morphology, and light absorption. In this study, we investigate decadal-scale (13–15 year) trends in aerosol loading and properties during 2001–2015 over three populous regions: the Eastern United States (EUS), Western Europe (WEU), and Eastern and Central China (ECC). We use observations from MISR (Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer) and MODIS (Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer). Relationships between aerosol property trends and air pollutant emission changes are examined. We find that annual mean AOD shows pronounced decreasing trends over EUS and WEU regions, as a result of considerable emission reductions in all major pollutants except for mineral dust and ammonia (NH3). Over the ECC region, AOD increases before 2006 due to emission increases induced by rapid economic development, fluctuates between 2006 and 2011, and subsequently decreases after 2011 in conjunction with effective emission reduction in anthropogenic primary aerosols, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx). The fraction of small-size AOD (<0.7 μm diameter), Ångstrom exponent and single-scattering albedo have generally decreased, while the fractions of large-size (>1.4 μm diameter), nonspherical and absorbing AOD have generally shown increasing trends over EUS and WEU regions, indicating that fine and light-scattering aerosol constituents have been more effectively reduced than coarse and light-absorbing constituents. These trends are consistent with the larger reduction ratios in SO2 and NOx emissions than in primary aerosols, including mineral dust and black carbon (BC). Over the ECC region, no significant trends are observed with respect to size distribution, morphology, or light absorption, which we attribute to a simultaneous increase in emissions of SO2, NOx, and primary aerosols including BC before 2006, and a simultaneous decrease after 2011. This study demonstrates the importance and usefulness of satellite-borne sensors, particularly MISR, in association with evaluating the effectiveness of air pollution control policies.
ANTI- INFLAMMATORY AND ANALGESIC ACTIVITY OF TAMARIX GALLICA

The methanolic extract from aerial parts of Tamarix gallica was investigated for anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties in animal models. The acute anti-inflammatory study was done using carrageenan and histaminehind paw edema method. The extract was tested at doses between 100 – 300 mg/kg body weight of rats to observe % inhibition of paw edema. The extract administered orally at doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg p.o produced a significant (P < 0.05) dose dependent inhibition of edema formation due to carrageenan and histamine. The observed activity was found comparable to that of 10 mg/kg diclofenac that was used as a reference drug in the study. The Preliminary phytochemical screening conducted on Tamarix gallica confirmed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, alkaloid and saponins. The central and peripheral analgesic activity of Tamarix gallica was also investigated by tail flick, hot plate and acetic acid induced writhing method on swiss albino mice. The analgesic activity of Tamarix gallica was detected by increase in the reaction time and by reduction in number of writhes. The methanol extract at the dose of 300 mg/kg/p.o showed 58.82 % inhibition against carrageenan induced rat paw edema while the standard drug Diclofenac showed 64.26% inhibition after 4 hrs of carrageenan injection.
A hybrid HS-CSS algorithm for simultaneous analysis, design and optimization of trusses via force method

In this paper, a hybrid heuristic method is developed using the harmony search (HS) and charged system search (CSS), called HS-CSS. In this algorithm the use of HS improves the exploitation property of the standard CSS. An energy formulation of the force method is developed and the analysis, design and optimization are performed simultaneously using the standard CSS and HS-CSS. New goal functions are introduced for minimization, and the CSS and the HS-CSS are employed for continuous optimization. An efficient method is introduced using the CSS and HS-CSS for designing structures having members of prescribed stress ratios. Finally, the minimum weight design of truss structures is formulated using the CSS and HS-CSS algorithms and applied to some benchmark problems from literature.
Illness perceptions in mental health: Issues and potential applications

Understanding patients’ perceptions of their condition has proved a useful way of predicting behaviour in patients suffering from physical illness or injury. Now more investigators are examining how illness perceptions can be applied to the mental health area by considering how patient views of their mental health problem relate to psychological and treatment outcomes. We believe this work has potential to lead to improved understanding of behaviour in patients with psychological disorders and may offer new applications and approaches to improve patients’ adjustment to their illness. The work on illness perceptions is based on a self-regulation theory developed by Howard Leventhal. The theory proposes that individuals form common-sense beliefs concerning their illness in order to understand and cope with health threats (Leventhal et al., 1997; Leventhal, Nerenz, & Steele, 1984). Individuals are seen as actively trying to understand their symptoms and illness and it is the nature of this understanding process that drives the patient’s coping and emotional responses to the health threat. The process is a dynamic one where information about the illness or changes in symptoms may cause a re-evaluation of an individual’s perceptions of their illness and a consequent shift in a patient’s coping patterns, help seeking or emotional response. Research has established that patients’ ideas about their illness coalesce around five main components. These components usually form a logically consistent pattern of beliefs about the illness. These components have been well established in physical illness but it is likely there may be some differences in patients with mental disorders. The first of these components are the personal beliefs patients have about what caused their condition. Causal beliefs are often prominent following the diagnosis of an illness as the individual seeks to understand why they have developed the condition and they are often drawn from shared cultural understandings about a particular illness. Research has shown that psychosocial factors are often identified by the public as the likely cause of depression whereas organic disorders such as a genetic problem or a brain disorder are seen as the most likely causes of schizophrenia (Jorm et al., 1997a; Schomerus, Matchinger, & Angermeyer, 2006). Causal
Precipitation from African Easterly Waves in a Coupled Model of the Tropical Atlantic

Abstract A regional coupled climate model is configured for the tropical Atlantic to explore the role of synoptic-scale African easterly waves (AEWs) on the simulation of mean precipitation in the marine intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). Sensitivity tests with varying atmospheric resolution in the coupled model show that these easterly waves are well represented with comparable amplitudes on both fine and coarse grids of the atmospheric model. Significant differences in the model simulations are found in the precipitation fields, however, where heavy rainfall events occur in the region of strong cyclonic shear of the easterly waves only on the higher-resolution grid. This is because the low-level convergence due to the waves is much larger and more realistic in the fine-resolution simulation, which enables heavier precipitation events that skew the rainfall distributions toward longer tails. The variability in rainfall on these time scales accounts for more than 60%–70% of the total variability. As a.
Trends, cycles, interannual variability for three pelagic species west of the Antarctic Peninsula 1993-2008

The Palmer Long Term Ecological Research study region west of the Antarctic Penin- sula is experiencing warming and changing seasonal sea ice dynamics. Abundance patterns of 3 species of pelagic secondary producers were analyzed for trends, cycles, range extensions or shifts in the location of highest density, and for changes in population dynamics over a 16 yr period (1993�2008). Species analyzed represented different hydrographic regimes and are known to have contrasting responses to seasonal sea ice dynamics: krill Euphausia superba, seasonal sea ice zone; tunicates Salpa thompsoni, warmer waters with minimal sea ice; and larval Antarctic silver- fish Pleuragramma antarcticum, cold continental shelf waters. Cycles were observed in grid-wide abundance and recruitment for E. superba. Maximum grid-wide densities did not decrease, but the location of highest densities shifted southward 200 km, away from Adelie penguin rookeries at the northern end. A distinct change post-1999 was apparent in the frequency of occurrence and abundance of S. thompsoni. Mixtures of krill and salps became common, but neither peak densi- ties nor the frequency of peak years for salps increased. As with Antarctic krill, highest salp den- sities shifted southward alongshore. Larval P. antarcticum were abundant in the northern coastal region in the early 1990s, but virtually disappeared in that region after 1999/2000. Possible mech- anisms underlying these observations include the southerly movement of the sea ice edge during spring, changes in proximity of source populations (salps), and changes in transport pathways (larval P. antarcticum). Patterns are compared to those in the SW Atlantic.
Velocity shear stabilization of interchange modes in elongated plasma configurations

Interchange modes in magnetized plasmas can be stabilized by cross-field velocity shear. This effect is re-examined for systems with elongated cross-sections. For large elongations, E, the interchange growth drops asE while the velocity shear scale is still determined by the short scale size. Consequently, velocity shear stabilization of elongated plasmas is shown to be more efficient by E. © 1999 American Institute of Physics. @S1070-664X~99! 02310-1#
(SOCIAL) MEDIA USE AND NEWS: NEWS USAGE PATTERNS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON POLITICAL PARTICIPATORY BEHAVIOR

Mass media use is a crucial determinant of political participatory behavior, which is true both for “traditional” news media as well as for online media. For example, studies have shown a positive relationship between reading newspapers or television news use and political efficacy and engagement (e.g. Eveland & Scheufele, 2000; Moeller, de Vreese, Esser, & Kunz, 2014; Norris, 1996; Zhang & Chia, 2006). However, critical voices have argued that media use provokes political distrust and cynicism and thus ultimately leads to decreased participatory behavior (e.g. McBride, 1998; Putnam, 1995). In the context of online media and the simultaneous utopian and dystopian imaginaries of the internet for civic engagement, the debate about the impact of news media use on political participation and efficacy continues. While some authors emphasize the adverse effects (e.g. Kraut et al., 1998), latest studies find positive effects of online news use in general as well as of social media news use in particular (e.g. Bode, Vraga, Borah, & Shah, 2014; Esser & de Vreese, 2007; Gil de Zuniga, Jung, & Valenzuela, 2012). Just recently, Boulianne (2015) conducted a meta-analysis of research on social media use and participation and found more than 80% of the coefficients to be positive, indicating a positive relationship between social media use and participation in civic and political life. Our goal is to study the relationship between general news use and political participatory behavior more thoroughly and to investigate the effects of different news usage patterns. We define political participatory behavior as online and offline forms of political participation that, for example, include discussing political issues, commenting political news on social networking sites (SNS) or participating in petitions. Since we assume that device use is associated with specific information needs (e.g. Humphreys, von Pape, & Karnowski, 2013), we not only focused on participants’ use of different media for learning and obtaining further information about news events but also on the devices (e.g. TV, laptop, smartphone) that are used for these tasks.