Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the Political Determinants of Environmental Quality

We study the determinants of environmental quality, with an emphasis on political variables, using data on sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) concentrations from the Global Environment Monitoring Projects for 107 cities located in 42 countries for the period 1971 to 1996. We find that democracy contributes to higher environmental quality. The relationship between civil liberties and environmental quality is more complex: An increase in civil liberties translates into lower pollution in less liberal and more pollution in more liberal countries. This finding suggests that civil liberties, particularly in democratic countries, might proxy for the influence of special interest groups that do not favor “green” policies. One indication for this is that labor union power is systematically, negatively related to environmental quality. We also find support for the proposition that presidential democracies are better environmental performers than parliamentarian democracies, and that environmental quality increases with the size of the winning electoral coalition.
Emotional Intelligence, Work Engagement, and Organizational Commitment of Indonesian Army Personnel

The aim of this study was to empirically test the relationship between emotional intelligence, work engagement, and organizational commitment Indonesian Army personnels. A quantitative research method was used, utilizing scales of organizational commitment, emotional intelligence, and work engagement. Indonesian Army personnels of KOREM XX, KODIM, YY, and KODIM ZZ were the population of this study. Data analysis using regression techniques revealed an R value of . 482 (p < .001). This showed a significant relationship between emotional intelligence, work engagement, and organizational commitment. In addition, partial correlation analysis showed a significant relationship between work engagement and organizational commitment (r = .447 and p < .001), but there was no significant relationship between emotional intelligence and organizational commitment (r = .129 and p > .05). Effective contribution of work engagement on organizational commitment of the Indonesian Army personnel was 23.2%.
Effect of Water Vapor on High-Temperature Corrosion under Conditions Mimicking Biomass Firing

The variable flue gas composition in biomass-fired plants, among other parameters, contributes to the complexity of high-temperature corrosion of materials. Systematic parameter studies are thus necessary to understand the underlying corrosion mechanisms. This paper investigates the effect of water (H2O) vapor content in the flue gas on the high-temperature corrosion of austenitic stainless steel (TP 347H FG) under laboratory conditions, to improve the understanding of corrosion mechanisms. Deposit-coated and deposit-free samples were isothermally exposed for 72 h in a synthetic flue gas atmosphere containing either 3 or 13 vol % H2O vapor. Comprehensive characterization of the corrosion products was carried out by the complementary use of microscopic, spectroscopic, and diffraction-based techniques. To evaluate the effect of the exposure time, results were compared to previous results with longer isothermal exposure over 168 h and indicated that the development of a Ni-rich layer as a result of selective.
Organizing Processes and the Construction of Risk: A Discursive Approach

This study examines the organizing processes through which products “become” risky. Drawing on a case study of chemical risk assessment and management processes in Canada and comparing two chemicals, it identifies a series of enacted practices that bundle into two forms of social ordering: “normalizing” and “problematizing. ” By bringing the past to bear differently on organizing processes, these two forms of social ordering structure the discursive work of actors in both their attempts to stabilize and their attempts to destabilize and change meanings of risk objects. As a result, objects “become” risky or safe in different ways.
Evidence-Based Medicine for Gallstone Disease Screening: An Experience at Cheng-Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Epidemiologic and clinical studies have shown that gallstone disease is a common gastrointestinal disease; more than 14% of adults are affected by this disorder. From the preventive medicine perspective, the most crucial topic for preventing gallstone disease is how to achieve early detection and early treatment by using effective screening tools. To understand the morbidity rate of gallstone disease and to prevent its occurrence requires considering the progression of the disease. Early prevention of gallstone disease necessitates understanding the relevant risk factors of gallstone disease occurrence and its transitional influence. This paper discusses the epidemiologic and economic evaluation of gallstone disease based on a hospital- based screening experience in Taipei, Taiwan. This screening experience will hopefully provide additional information for establishing screening strategies and health management programs for gallstone disease.
Running head: CONSOLIDATION AND MIXED-MODEL OBSERVATION Examining the effects of different model types on consolidation and motor learning

v Acknowledgements . vii Chapter 1: Introduction . 1 Chapter 2: Review of Literature . 7 Performance stabilization . 9 Offline learning . 10 Sleep and consolidation . 12 Skill type and consolidation . 12 Observation and consolidation . 13 Observation and motor learning . 16 Skilled models . 17 Unskilled models . 18 Mixed-models . 19 Mixed-models and consolidation . 21 Chapter 3: Method . 25 Participants . 26 Materials . 26 Modeling Videos . 26 Task and apparatus . 28 Procedure . 29 Pre-test . 30 Acquisition 1 . 31
A Novel Offline PLI-RWA and Hybrid Node Architecture for Zero Blocking and Time Delay Reduction in Translucent Optical WDM Networks

In this paper, we contrive a model that underpins the offline Physical Layer Impairment-Routing and Wavelength Assignment (PLI-RWA) issue in translucent networks. We introduce an innovative PLI-Signal Quality Aware RWA (PLI-SQARWA) algorithm that (a) guarantees zero blocking due to signal degradation and wavelength contention and (b) aims at minimizing the total required number of network components i.e. regenerators and all-optical wavelength converters (AOWCs). Further, in view of reducing the time delay due to optical-electrical-optical (OEO) conversions, we propose a novel electro-optical hybrid translucent node architecture. We show that PLI-SQARWA outperforms a recent heuristic for RWA and regenerator placement (RP) in terms of capital expenditure (CapEx) and time delay; while demonstrating superior blocking performance at all traffic loads. In addition, at high traffic loads, PLI-SQARWA also starts to provision savings on operational expenditure (OpEx). We proceed to the performance comparison of network equipped with the proposed hybrid node and existing translucent and transparent node architectures. The results clearly show that use of the hybrid node incurs less time delay at a similar blocking performance shown by nodes which use OEO conversion for both, regeneration and/or wavelength conversion. The results presented also highlight the significance of equipping the PLI-RWA routing phase with signal quality awareness in order to reduce the network component count and the use of AOWCs to minimize time delay due to OEO conversions.
Qualidade física de um latossolo vermelho acriférrico sob diferentes sistemas de uso e manejo

Agricultural management systems can cause degradation of the soil physical quality, with consequences to the environment and crop yields. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the physical quality of an anionic Acrustox in Guaira, Sao Paulo state, under the following treatments: no-tillage with irrigation, no-tillage without irrigation, croppasture rotation, conventional tillage, and native forest. The organic matter content, aggregate stability, soil bulk density, porosity and index S were evaluated. Results showed that human intervention reduced the soil quality and that no-tillage led to no increase in organic matter contents, but it did increase aggregation indices as compared with conventional tillage. In the no-tillage system plus irrigation, the aggregate stability increased in all evaluated soil layers and there also was gains in macropore volume in the 0-0.10 m soil layer over time. The use of crop-pasture rotation did not improve the soil physical quality and the index S varied according to the systems, although it was always higher than the value suggested as limit for good soil physical quality.
Effects of the Abdominal Drawing-in Maneuver and the Abdominal Expansion Maneuver on Grip Strength, Balance and Pulmonary Function in Stroke Patients

【Purpose: The purpose was to determine whether the application of the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) and abdominal expansion maneuver (AEM) to stroke patients would affects their trunk stability, balance, pulmonary function, and grip strength. Methods: The subjects were 36 stroke patients who were randomly and equally assigned to an ADIM group (n=12), an AEM group (n=12), and a control group (n=12). The intervention was applied to each group three times per week, 30 minutes each time, for four weeks. Outcome measures were grip strength, modified functional reach test (mFRT) and pulmonary function. Pulmonary function were measured force expiratory volume at one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC and peak expiratory flow (PEF) values. Results: The results of the three groups showed statistically significant improvements in grip strength. The AEM group showed significantly greater differences in grip strength than either the ADIM group or the control group. In the anterior mFRT, the ADIM group showed significantly improvements than the control group. The ADIM and AEM groups were showed statistically significant greater improvements in PEF between the baseline and post-intervention and the post-analysis revealed that the AEM group showed significantly greater improvements than the control group. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the ADIM and AEM were effective in improving the PEF of pulmonary function. The ADIM was more effective than AEM in trunk stabilization. 】
Exploring Critical Determinants in Deploying Mobile Commerce Technology

Problem statement: The research's problem lies in the fact that deploying m-commerce technology in Jordan represent the first serious trail to understand and explore the critical determinants that affect deploying mobile commerce technology. Approach: This research applied TAM model using the following variables: Perceived trust, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social and cultural values and economic issues to explore determinants. Results: The result of the distributed 210 questionnaires to mobile commerce users in Amman Stock Exchange (Brokers and Investors) and 179 were returned correct and studied, reveal that perceived trust, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social and cultural values have significant association with intention to deploy mobile commerce technology while economical issue is not significant. Conclusion: The results of the research indicate that TAM have capability in exploring critical determinants that affecting the intention to deploy mobile commerce technology in Jordanian marketplace, therefore, further studies are recommended to explore the critical determinants of deploying mobile commerce technology in other economic sectors.
Effects of Mind-Body Exercise on Cognitive Function in Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract To quantify the effects of mind-body exercise on cognitive function in older adults with cognitive impairment, we systematically searched five databases. Findings were analyzed according to the mean change of global cognition, memory, and executive function. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on the level of cognitive impairment and types of exercise. Thirteen studies were included. Analyses revealed that mind-body exercise was effective in promoting global cognition in individuals with cognitive impairment (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.61; 95% confidence interval, 0.21–1.00; p = 0.003), as well as in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (SMD = 0.46; 95% confidence interval, 0.06–0.85; p = 0.02) or dementia; dance was effective in promoting global cognition (SMD = 0.84; 95% confidence interval, 0.23–1.46; p = 0.007) and memory (SMD = 0.27; 95% confidence interval, 0.02–0.52; p = 0.04) in individuals with cognitive impairment, but tai chi was not. Nevertheless, additional well-designed randomized clinical trials are further needed.
Probiotics and Oral Health

Man is the most intelligent animal on the earth, as he is the only species gifted with the power of thinking and reasoning. He always manages to come up with solutions for most problems on earth. Ironically, most problems on earth are directly or indirectly created by Man himself. That’s the reason he is most often referred to as an intelligent fool. The man-made problem prevailing across the field of medicine is the development of antibiotic resistance, largely contributed by us, the health professionals. The indiscriminate and reckless use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of multi-resistant strains of bacteria. This unfortunate development has led scientists to seek other means of fighting infections. [1] The good-old but forgotten concept of bacteriotherapy seem to offer innovative tools for the treatment of infectious diseases. Hence, rightly quoted “All great thoughts have already been thought; what is necessary is only to try to think them again”. Bacteriotherapy is the administration of naturally occurring bacteria of human origin as a therapeutic manipulation of the bacterial microenvironment in the patient’s body. [1] The Basic principle is to use good bacteria to compete against pathogenic bacteria. Bacteriotherapy has been studied and tested to control infectious diseases, particularly in the GI tract. Recent studies have shown that this therapeutic method may be used to influence body function in other systems too, beyond the intestine. [1, 2, 3]
Dynamics of Entrepreneurship Under Incomplete Markets

An entrepreneur faces non-diversifiable business risk and liquidity constraints. We provide a unified framework that embeds these frictions to study interdependent business start-up/entry, capital accumulation/asset sales, portfolio allocation, consumption/saving, and business exit decisions. Liquid wealth mitigates financial constraints and critically influences the entrepreneur's decision making. An entrepreneur invests less in business, consumes less, and allocates less to the market portfolio in order to preserve liquidity for precautionary purposes. We develop the counterpart of the q theory of investment for firms run by non-diversified entrepreneurs, and propose corresponding measures for average q and marginal q. Corporate investment depends on both marginal q and the marginal value of wealth. The wedge between average q and marginal q is non-monotonic in liquidity. With illiquid capital stock, the endogenous liquidation option provides significant flexibility for the entrepreneur to manage downside risk, causes firm value to be convex in liquidity and investment to decrease in liquidity near the endogenous exit boundary. The flexibility to accumulate wealth before entering entrepreneurship is highly valuable, and the wealth effect is significant for entrepreneurship. The optimal entry decision critically depends on the outside option, the start-up cost, risk aversion, and wealth. Heterogeneity among entrepreneurs is thus important. Our model yields an operational framework to calculate the private equity idiosyncratic risk premium. Quantitatively, the interactive effects of incomplete-markets frictions and capital illiquidity on investment and value are significant.
Validação de um programa semiautomática para a avaliação de microcalcificações em um phantom de mama

A fim de garantir de garantir que o rastreamento e diagnostico mamografico sao feitos corretamente e de forma eficiente, a Vigilância Sanitaria do governo de Minas Gerais, no Brasil criou o 'Programa de Monitoramento Mensal de Qualidade em Mamografia dos servicos publicos e privados do Estado de Minas Gerais' no Brasil, Imagens do phantom do Colegio Brasileiro de Radiologia sao enviadas para a Agencia Governamental onde sao avaliadas visualmente. O objetivo deste trabalho e desenvolver um programa para a avaliacao semiautomatica das microcalcificacoes presentes nas imagens do phantom. Tecnicas de processamento digital foram aplicadas nas imagens, com o objetivo de caracterizar cada objeto de interesse presente no phantom de mama. Os algoritmos foram desenvolvidos em MATLAB e a avaliacao dos objetos teste foi feitas de acordo com parâmetros estabelecidos pelo Ministerio da Saude do Brasil. O nivel de concordância entre a avaliacao visual e computacional e considerado "razoavel", de acordo com o estatistico “coeficiente kappa” o qual determina a forca de concordância entre os metodos, o valor de kappa foi de 0,291. O programa pode se tornar uma boa ferramenta na automacao das avaliacoes das imagens do phantom.
Microscale heterogeneity in the activity of coastal bacterioplankton communities

Microscale sampling techniques and flow cytometry were employed to measure the distribution patterns of 8 subpopulations of bacteria separated according to variations in cell fluores- cence and light scatter properties. Subpopulations of bacteria defined on the basis of these para- meters have recently been shown to represent cells exhibiting dissimilar activity levels, and we therefore assume that the subpopulations of bacteria identified here represent metabolically diverse groups. Microscale distribution patterns of these subpopulations were measured at a resolution of 4.5 and 12 mm, within 2 dissimilar coastal habitats. A mean 2-fold change in the abundance of the total bacterial community across sample sets was observed. However, levels of spatial heterogeneity were consistently higher for the cytometrically defined subpopulations than total counts. In most samples, the population of bacteria exhibiting the highest levels of green fluorescence, or DNA content, and hence assumed to represent the most active bacteria in the community, also showed the highest lev- els of microscale spatial variability, with a maximum change in abundance of 14.5-fold observed across a distance of 9 mm. Where Zipf rank-size analysis was conducted, the microscale distributions of subpopulations differed significantly (p < 0.05) in 79% of cases, implying that bacterial communi- ties are made up of physiologically distinct compartments, perhaps influenced by different microscale features of the environment. We suggest that these results provide the first evidence for the existence of microscale heterogeneity in the metabolic activity of aquatic bacterial communities.
Movement and deletion after syntax : Licensing by inflection reconsidered

In this paper we study the interaction between ellipsis and inflectional morphology and put forward a generalization about ellipsis blocking the application of some morphological operations. Working in the Distributed Morphology framework, we will demonstrate this generalization in the realm of NP ellipsis. We will show that NP ellipsis can lead to stranded affix filter violations, and that there are various strategies languages can resort to in order to resolve problems of convergence that stranded affixes cause at the PF interface. The resolution of the stranded affix filter configuration is responsible for the well-known observation that heads preceding NP ellipsis sites need to show overt inflection in languages that inflect these heads (Lobeck 1995)
Impact of varying the complexity of the land surface energy balance on the sensitivity of the Australian climate to increasing carbon dioxide

This study explores whether regional climate model scenarios are sensitive to uncertainty in the representation of surface energy balance (SEB) complexity. Simulations with the Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre climate model and the CHAmeleon Surface Model (CHASM) were used to explore the sensitivity of changes in air temperature (T), evaporation (E), precipitation (P) and soil moisture (W) over Australia resulting from a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide (∆CO2). The 1 × CO2 and the 2 × CO2 simulations of T, E, P and W were sensitive to the complexity of the SEB, even though the grand mean of these quantities was almost always insensitive to SEB complexity. Seasonal variations in T, E, P and W at 1 × CO2 and 2 × CO2 were sensitive in terms of the point-by-point temporal mean and temporal variance. The overall spatial and temporal variances of T and P were insensitive to SEB complexity, but E and W were sensitive during periods of drying. The simulated seasonal change in T, E, P and W was insensitive to the SEB, and uncertainty in SEB parameterisation does not limit the reliability of existing climate change scenarios for Australia. However, the temporal variance of E, P and W was sensitive to the SEB complexity during periods of drying. Use of temporal variances of these quantities in future impact assessments are therefore likely to be very limited until uncertainty in the representation of SEB in climate models is reduced. To simulate the climate over Australia at either 1 × CO2 or 2 × CO2, a reasonably complex representation of the SEB, including a temporally and spatially variable surface resistance and an explicit representation of canopy interception, is required. Finally, our results say nothing about the importance of the land surface in general, since our analysis is restricted to a consideration of the SEB alone.
Chap 1.pmd

Sarcopenia is age-associated loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength which develops slowly over decades and becomes a significant factor to disability among the elderly population. Although several mechanisms of sarcopenia have been proposed, they all seem to affect the balance between muscle protein synthesis and breakdown, resulting in the net muscle loss. In present article, the most recent findings regarding the role of nutritional intake on muscle protein metabolism in the elderly will be reviewed. Particular focus will be given to dietary protein requirement for elderly, acute anabolic response of amino acids and protein intake, age-associated changes in the response of muscle protein to a meal intake, and the role of insulin resistance of muscle protein metabolism among the elderly. Finally, possible benefits and risks of protein and amino acid supplements for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia will also be reviewed.
Detection of Pharmacological Active Compounds of the Asteraceae Family and their Chemotaxonomical Implications

It can be assumed that sesquiterpene lactones and natural phytosteroids (ecdysones) are the characteristic compounds of the plants from the Asteraceae family. They display certain pharmacological properties and thus are helpful in chemical descriptions of the Asteraceae tribes, subtribes and species. Also some phenolic glycosides found in genus Klasea Cass, and in genus Centaurea L. may be of medical and chemotaxonomical significance. Our studies on the species of the aforementioned taxons and the isolation of several compounds allowed for interesting conclusions of phytochemical and taxonomical nature.