Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electrokinetics in porous media

This thesis presents the PhD research on electrokinetics in porous media. Electrokinetic phenomena are induced by the relative motion between a fluid and a solid surface and are directly related to the existence of an electric double layer between the fluid and the solid grain surface. Electrokinetic phenomena consist of several different effects such as streaming potential, electroosmosis, electrophoresis. The thesis only focuses on streaming potential and electroosmosis effects in porous media. Below is the abstract of the research. Chapter 1 introduces the applications of electrokinetic phenomena in geophysical applications and environmental applications, physical chemistry of the interface between solid grains and fluids, and the theoretical backgrounds of streaming potential and electroosmosis effects happening in porous media. Chapter 2 presents an approach to characterize porous media using dc measurements of streaming potential and electroosmosis effects. In chapter 3, we study permeability dependence of streaming potential including the effects of the variation of the zeta potential and surface conductance due to the difference in mineral compositions between samples. In chapter 4 we have carried out streaming potential measurement as a function of electrolyte concentration and temperature for a set of well-defined consolidated samples. in chapter 5 we study the dependence of the zeta potential on types of electrolytes systematically using streaming potential measurements. In chapter 6, we carry out the streaming potential measurements for an artificial sandstone sample saturated with a binary mixture of triethylamine-water with three different mass fractions. In Appendix A, we present the approaches and setups to determine parameters of porous media. In Appendix B, we derive an expression to calculate the zeta potential for divalent electrolytes that is applied in chapter 5 to explain the experimental data.
Values and Attitudes Towards Innovation Among Canadian, Chinese and Russian Students

This study investigated relations of basic personal values to attitudes towards innovation among students in Russia, Canada, and Nhina. Participants completed a questionnaire that included the SVS measure of values (Schwartz, 1992) and a new measure of attitudes towards innovation (Lebedeva, Tatarko, 2009). There are significant cultural and gender-related differences in value priorities and innovative attitudes among the Canadian, Russian, and Chinese college students. As hypothesized, across the full set of participants, higher priority given to Opennes to change values (self-direction, stimulation) related to positive attitudes toward innovation whereas higher priority given to Conservation values (conformity, security) related negatively. This is compatible with the results reported by other researchers (Shane, 1992, 1995; Dollinger, Burke & Gump, 2007). There were, however, culture-specific variations in some of these associations, which may be explained by cultural differences in value priorities or meanings and in implicit theories of creativity and innovation. Applying the Multiple-Group Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes Model (MGMIMIC) (Muthen 1989) has shown that the type of Values-Innovation mediation is different in the three countries. Whereas in Russia and Canada the effects of gender and age are fully mediated by the values, this is not true for China, where a direct effect of gender on innovation was found. The cultural differences in values, implicit theories of innovation, and their consequences for attitudes to innovation and personal well-being is finally discussed
School Aggression: Effects of Classroom Environment, Attitude to Authority and Social Reputation Among Peers

Several researches have demonstrated the relationship between social environment in the classroom and involvement in aggressive behaviours at school. Little is known, however, about the mechanisms explaining this link and intermediating factors that may be affecting such association. In this line, the aim of the present study was to examine the role played by attitude to authority and social reputation among peers; in other words, we analysed the influence of classroom environment, considering interactions with both teachers and other classmates, on aggressive behaviours at school, and treating attitude to authority and social reputation among peers as intermediating variables. The sample was composed of 1319 adolescents, ranging in age from 11 to 16 years (47% male). Participants were drawn from seven state secondary schools in Valencia (Spain). A structural equation model was tested using the EQS Program in order to analyse interactions among variables. Results revealed an indirect association between classroom environment and aggression through attitude to authority and social reputation, both of which were, in turn, directly related to school aggression. Practical implications of these findings are discussed in relation to school policies, teacher education programs and intervention practices with students in the classroom.
Associations between Alu I Polymorphism in the Prolactin Receptor Gene and Reproductive Traits of Slovak Large White, White Meaty and Landrace Pigs

We investigated the effect of the prolactin receptor gene (PRLR) on total number of born (TNB), number of born alive (NBA) and number of weaned (NW) piglets in Large White (LW), White Meaty (WM) and Landrace (L) sows from six Slovak breeding farms. The frequency of A allele was 0.48, 0.49 and 0.47 in LW, WM and L, respectively. We found numerous highly significant effects of PRLR locus on TNB (; ) in all tested breeds. The most marked difference of + was found between AA and BB genotypes in WM. Within the other breeds the difference between the homozygous genotypes reached up to + and + pigs per litter in LW and L, respectively. We also identified significant differences between AA and AB genotypes related to TNB in L. Similarly NBA, as well as NW traits were significantly affected (; ) by the genotype just in LW and L. The homozygous genotype AA was favourable in all breeds and traits. Our results showed the possibility of PRLR utilization in marker-assisted selection within breeding programs to increase reproductive traits of pigs in Slovakia.
Potential of Spring Barley, Oat and Triticale Intercrops with Field Peas for Forage Production, Nutrition Quality and Beef Cattle Diet

Spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), oat (Avena sativa L.) and triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack) monocrops and their intercrops with two forage varieties (40-10 and Tucker) and one seed variety (Cooper) peas (Pisum sativum L.) were evaluated for forage production, nutrition quality and suitability in the beef cattle diet. Pea + cereal intercrops were compared to respective cereal monocrops in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Plant height of cereals tended to be reduced in intercrops compared to respective monocrops. Taller 40-10 forage type pea tended to cause lodging in 2009 and 2011, not observed with other pea varieties. Fresh forage of pea + cereal intercrops had higher moisture than respective cereal monocrops. Fourteen of the 18 intercrops had less dry matter yield (DMY) than respective cereal monocrops. Shorter Tucker pea had less negative impact on DMY than taller 40-10 pea. Treatments with barley had lower DMY than respective oat and triticale systems. Intercrops improved forage crude protein (CP) content over the respective monocrops, which was enough to overcome the DMY penalty and produce more CP yield than their monocrops. The forage Ca and Mg contents were improved by intercrops over their monocrops, and they were greater with 40-10 pea than other pea varieties and with barley than oat or triticale. The forage P content also tended to be higher in intercrops than corresponding monocrops, without a consistent effect of cereal type or pea variety. The forage K and S contents were not consistently influenced by the cereal types, pea varieties or intercrops. Forage Na content was greater from oat than respective barley and triticale treatments. The monocrops and intercrops had similar forage Cu content, and treatments with barley had more Cu than with oat or triticale. Forage Zn content tended to be intercrops > monocrops; and barley > triticale > oat. Treatments had no influence on the forage Fe and Mn contents. Levels of acid (ADF) and neutral (NDF) detergent fibres in the forage were similar for the corresponding intercrops and monocrops, and greater for oat than barley or triticale treatments. Some of the intercrops improved total digestible nutrients (TDN) content in forage over their monocrops. Monocrop of oat had less TDN than barley or triticale. Drought reduced the ADF, NDF and TDN contents. The forage NEL, NEM and NEG as well as RFV and NFC showed similar trend as the TDN. Overall, the tested pea + cereal intercrops did not increase DMY over the respective monocrops, but they indicated several nutritional quality benefits. These improvements present opportunities to substitute some grain or supplements in the beef cattle diet with better quality forage by intercrops.
MEASURING ORGANIC MOLECULAR EMISSION IN DISKS WITH LOW-RESOLUTION SPITZER SPECTROSCOPY

We explore the extent to which Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) spectra taken at low spectral resolution can be used in quantitative studies of organic molecular emission from disks surrounding low-mass young stars. We use Spitzer IRS spectra taken in both the high- and low-resolution modules for the same sources to investigate whether it is possible to define line indices that can measure trends in the strength of the molecular features in low-resolution data. We find that trends in the HCN emission strength seen in the high-resolution data can be recovered in low-resolution data. In examining the factors that influence the HCN emission strength, we find that the low-resolution HCN flux is modestly correlated with stellar accretion rate and X-ray luminosity. Correlations of this kind are perhaps expected based on recent observational and theoretical studies of inner disk atmospheres. Our results demonstrate the potential of using the large number of low-resolution disk spectra that reside in the Spitzer archive to study the factors that influence the strength of molecular emission from disks. Such studies would complement results for the much smaller number of circumstellar disks that have been observed at high resolution with IRS.
Interactive comment on “Covariance resampling for particle filter – state and parameter estimation for soil hydrology” by Daniel Berg et al

The paper introduces a new resampling method for particle filters, well suited to estimate both state variables and model parameters in a sequential DA approach. The well-known Universal Resampling Approach is modified by assigning new weights to the particles that should be duplicated, without actually duplicating the particles. These weights are proportional to the number of times the particles are selected in the universal resampling. To keep constant the ensemble size, new particles (states and parameters) are then generated by sampling from a multivariate Gaussian distribution having the same mean and covariance of the weighted particles. To avoid the degeneracy of the filter, the covariance is inflated using a multiplicative factor.
Measurement error of spiral CT Volumetry: Influence of Low Dose CT Technique.

Purpose: To examine the possible measurement errors of lung nodule volumetry at the various scan parameters by using a small nodule phantom. Materials and Methods: We obtained images of a nodule phantom using a spiral CT scanner. The nodule phantom was made of paraffin and urethane and its real volume was known. For the CT scanning experiments, we used three different values for both the pitch of the table feed, i.e. 1:1, 1:15 and 1:2, and the tube current, i.e. 40 mA, 80 mA and 120 mA. All of the images acquired through CT scanning were reconstructed three dimensionally and measured with volumetry software. We tested the correlation between the true volume and the measured volume for each set of parameters using linear regression analysis. Results: For the pitches of table feed of 1:1, 1:1.5 and 1:2, the mean relative errors were 23.3%, 22.8% and 22.6%, respectively. There were perfect correlations among the three sets of measurements (Pearson’s coefficient = 1.000, p
Evidence from reindeer herding in Norway By

Livestock as insurance and social status. Evidence from reindeer herding in Norway By Anne Borge Johannesen* and Anders Skonhoft Department of Economics Norwegian University of Science and Technology NO-7491 Trondheim Norway Abstract The theory of livestock as a buffer stock predicts that agropastoralists facing substantial risks typically will use liquid assets, such as livestock, for self-insurance to smooth consumption. This paper examines this hypothesis for reindeer herders in Norway where the herders, in contrast to pastoralists in, say, Sub-Saharan Africa, face well functioning credit markets. Using survey data including slaughtering responses to a hypothetical meat price increase, we test whether keeping reindeer as insurance against risks affects the slaughter response. Furthermore, we study whether status motives for keeping large herds affect the harvest response to a changing slaughter price. As a background for the empirical analysis, a stochastic bioeconomic model describing Saami reindeer herding is formulated.
Title Heterogeneous Distribution of Dynamic Stress Drop and Relative Fault Strength Recovered from the Results of Waveform Inversion : the 1984

The dynamic rupture process of the 1984 Morgan Hill, California, earthquake (M = 6.2) has been investigated on the basis of a three-dimensional (3D) dynamic shear crack model, from previous waveform inversion results. For this purpose, a locking fracture criterion is introduced for rupture propagation, from which a lower bound of the peak shear stress just before rupturing, and hence of the relative fault strength, has been estimated at each fault segment. The distribution of static and dynamic stress drops has also been independently evaluated from that of fault slips by linear and nonlinear inversion procedures, respectively. The results show that large slips located from the hypocenter to about 10 km and 14 to 17 km along the strike at depths between 8 and 12 km result from local dynamic stress drops exceeding 40 and 140 bars, respectively. Negative stress drops down to 1 5 bars are required to explain very low slips over a shallow fault section. If a non-negative stress-drop condition is imposed, somewhat larger slips are obtained there than those from the waveform inversion. The above results suggest that there could be a zone of velocity-strengthening frictional behavior in the shallow crust, which may have arrested slip motion during rupture propagation. The strength excess is found to be generally small but somewhat larger at a small zone that has delayed rupture propagation. The dynamic rupture initiated from a small nucleus zone with a low stress drop, propagated southeastward, breaking the deeper fault section with high stress drop, and then broke a relatively high strength zone after a short time of arrest, with highest stress drop.
Hedging Industrial Metals With Stochastic Volatility Models

The financialization of commodities documented in [Tang and Xiong (2012) Financial Analyst Journal, 68:54–74] has led commodity prices to exhibit not only time‐varying volatility, but also price and volatility jumps. Using the class of stochastic volatility (SV) models, we incorporate such extreme price movements to generate out‐of‐sample hedge ratios. In‐sample estimation on China's copper (CU) and aluminum (AL) spot and futures markets confirms the presence of price jumps and price‐volatility jump correlations. Out‐of‐sample hedge ratios from the [Bates (1996) Review of Financial Studies, 9:69–107] SV with price jumps model deliver the greatest risk reduction on the unhedged positions at 59.55% for CU and 49.85% for AL. But it is the [Duffie, Pan, and Singleton (2000) Econometrica, 68:1343–1376] SV model with correlated price and volatility jumps that produces hedge ratios which yield the largest Sharpe Ratios of 0.644 for CU and 0.886 for AL. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 34:704–730, 2014
Goldstone mode singularities in O(n) models

Monte Carlo (MC) analysis of the Goldstone mode singularities for the transverse and the longitudinal correlation functions, behaving as G_{\perp}(k) \simeq ak^{-\lambda_{\perp}} and G_{\parallel}(k) \simeq bk^{-\lambda_{\parallel}} in the ordered phase at k -> 0, is performed in the three-dimensional O(n) models with n=2, 4, 10. Our aim is to test some challenging theoretical predictions, according to which the exponents \lambda_{\perp} and \lambda_{\parallel} are non-trivial (3/2 \infty. We have also verified and confirmed the expected universality of bM^2/a^2 for the O(4) model, where simulations at two different temperatures (couplings) have been performed.
Women Support Providers Are More Susceptible Than Men to Emotional Contagion Following Brief Supportive Interactions

People in distress often turn to friends for emotional support. Ironically, although receiving emotional support contributes to emotional and physical health, providing emotional support may be distressing as a result of emotional contagion. Women have been found to be more susceptible than men to emotional contagion in certain contexts, but no studies examined the context of providing support to a troubled friend in a naturalistic setting. Our exploratory study aimed to test for gender differences in emotional contagion as a result of offering emotional support to a troubled friend. We studied naturalistic informal supportive interactions among 48 pairs of friends. Following an 8-min interaction with a troubled friend, (a) women were more likely than men to experience a deterioration in their positive emotional state and (b) changes in women’s emotional state were positively correlated with changes in their troubled friends’ emotional state, whereas changes in male support providers’ emotional state were unrelated to changes in their troubled friends’ emotional state. These results suggest that women are more susceptible than men to emotional contagion following brief interactions with a troubled friend, thereby highlighting the importance of conducting additional research into the costs and benefits of exchanging emotional support among friends.
Chicken eggshell powder as dietary calcium source in chocolate cakes

Chicken eggshell powder (CESP) might be an attractive source of Ca for human nutrition. It can be utilized as a dietary calcium source. In this study the effect of eggshell powder supplementation on each of chemical composition, physical and sensorial properties of ESP fortified chocolate cake were studied. To carry out the project necessary ingredients were purchased from Sodepur Market, Kolkata adjacent to the institution. The cake was prepared from wheat flour supplemented with eggshell powder at three levels of supplementation as follows 3, 6 and 9%. The boiling process for 30 min of eggshell kills any microbial growth on the surface. The obtained results indicated that the addition of eggshell powder led to a pronounced increase calcium contents in the supplemented of cakes 504.5, 816.8 and 1364.5 mg/100g at 3%, 6% and 9%, respectively. Eggshell powder formulation results some characteristic change in physicochemical properties and sensorial properties of cakes. With respect to the calcium content, texture and sensory properties, we can suggest that the best way to use chicken eggshell as dietary calcium supplement is powdered to cakeupto6% eggshell supplementation.
IS SIGHT THE MAIN DETERRENT TO RACE PERFORMANCE IN VISUALLY IMPAIRED COMPETITIVE SWIMMERS

A video race analysis was conducted at the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the 100-m freestyle event for three visually impaired classes (S11, S12, & S13) in both males and females. Supplementary information was available in small sub-samples for some physiological and biomechanical parameters. All visually impaired swimmers used race speed patterns similar to Olympic swimmers. These swimmers did not spend more race time starting or turning. The S11 class with greatest impairment swam slowest and was least competitive. Classes S12 and S13 did not differ in this respect. The race patterns of stroke rate and stroke length in visually impaired also matched those of Olympic swimmers although absolute stroke length values differed. Elite visually impaired swimmers achieve high post race lactate levels, and use arm coordination matching elite able-bodied swimmers. Aerobic capacity might, however, be low. Degree of visual impairment does not appear to be the main distinguishing factor of race performance.
Relevance of Cognitive Orientations in Teacher Education and Professional Development of EFL Teachers at the University of Bihać

EFL teachers may differ regarding the knowledge base they use when making professional decisions. In this study two orientations are distinguished: the orientation towards scientific knowledge vs. the orientation towards intuition and subjective experience. As different tracks in early childhood teacher education qualify for professional practice, and as education of early childhood teachers matters with regard to developmental outcomes of children, knowledge orientations of prospective early childhood teachers attending universities and attending vocational schools are investigated and compared. Knowledge orientations were assessed by means of a questionnaire. After propensity score matching of 402 beginners and 402 graduates, multilevel analyses indicate that scientific orientation at the end of teacher education was higher and subjective orientation was lower than at the beginning. Furthermore, scientific knowledge orientation of BA-students was higher, subjective orientation was lower than of students at professional schools. Implications of these results regarding education of early childhood teachers are discussed. Keywords--cognitive orientations, epistemological beliefs, early childhood teacher, teacher education ___________________________________________________________________________________________