Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synchronization of coupled stick-slip oscillators

Abstract. A rationale is provided for the emergence of synchronization in a system of coupled oscillators in a stick-slip motion. The single oscillator has a limit cycle in a region of the state space for each parameter set beyond the supercritical Hopf bifurcation. The two-oscillator system that has similar weakly coupled oscillators exhibits synchronization in a parameter range. The synchronization has an anti-phase nature for an identical pair. However, it tends to be more in-phase for a non-identical pair with a rather weak coupling. A system of three identical oscillators (1, 2, and 3) coupled in a line (with two springs k12=k23) exhibits synchronization with two of them (1 and 2 or 2 and 3) being nearly in-phase. These collective behaviours are systematically estimated using the phase reduction method.
The Effect of Content Familiarity and Gender on EFL Learners' Performance on MC Cloze Test and C-Test

The present study has investigated the effects of familiar and unfamiliar content on Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ performance on Multiple- choice (MC) cloze test and C-test. Also, it has intended to compare the effects of gender on the learners’ performance on MC cloze test with familiar and unfamiliar content as well as its effects on their performance on C-test with familiar and unfamiliar content. During the testing period, 107 examinees took an Oxford quick placement test and a homogeneous sample including 30 males and 30 females was selected. They were from Islamic Azad University Najafabad Branch ranged in age from 20 to 35. The first session of the research process was dedicated to MC cloze test with familiar and unfamiliar content and a week later, the second session to C-test with familiar and unfamiliar content. The results showed that the participants had more successful performance on two tests with familiar content. Moreover, the results indicated that gender had no significant effect on the participants’ performance on two tests.
A High Resolution Line Survey of IRC+10216 with Herschel/HIFI⋆ First Results: Detection of Warm Silicon Dicarbide (SiC2)

We present the first results of a high-spectral-resolution survey of the carbon-rich evolved star IRC+10216 that was carried out with the HIFI spectrometer onboard Herschel. This survey covers all HIFI bands, with a spectral range from 488 to 1901 GHz. In this letter we focus on the band-1b spectrum, in a spectral range 554.5-636.5 GHz, where we identified 130 spectral features with intensities above 0.03 K and a signal-to-noise ratio >5. Detected lines arise from HCN, SiO, SiS, CS, CO, metal-bearing species and, surprisingly, silicon dicarbide (SiC2). We identified 55 SiC2 transitions involving energy levels between 300 and 900 K. By analysing these rotational lines, we conclude that SiC2 is produced in the inner dust formation zone, with an abundance of similar to 2 x 10(-7) relative to molecular hydrogen. These SiC2 lines have been observed for the first time in space and have been used to derive an SiC2 rotational temperature of similar to 204 K and a source-averaged column density of similar to 6.4 x 10(15) cm(-2). Furthermore, the high quality of the HIFI data set was used to improve the spectroscopic rotational constants of SiC2.
Subjective and Objective Effects of Natvia and Whey-Low Sugar Substitutes on a Frozen Hot Chocolate Beverage

The substitution of sugar substitute ingredients in a frozen hot chocolate beverage experiment measured the taste, mouth feel, overall acceptability, hardness, melting time, and nutrient content of three variations of frozen hot chocolate recipes. One recipe was the control recipe, the second recipe utilized the sugar substitute called Natvia instead of white granulated sugar and brown sugar, and the third recipe contained the sugar substitute Whey-Low instead of white granulated sugar and brown sugar. The sensory testing of each variation measured the taste, mouth feel, and acceptability with a convenience panel of 30 non-trained college students. The objective testing measured the hardness and melting time of each variation. The nutrients analysis of each variation analyzed the total calories, total fat, protein, and sugar. Participants rated the Nativa variation significantly lower in taste, mouth feel, and overall acceptability. The Control measured the hardest and had the longest melting time. Whey-Low received the highest ratings for overall acceptability and mouth feel. The nutrient analysis verified the low sugar values for the Natvia and Whey-Low variations. The results from the study revealed sensory, objective, and nutritive evaluations on a control frozen hot chocolate beverage recipe and two variations using Natvia and Whey-Low as sugar substitutes
The consolidation of the ® nancial services industry : Causes , consequences , and implications for the future

This article designs a framework for evaluating the causes, consequences, and future implications of ®nancial services industry consolidation, reviews the extant research literature within the context of this framework (over 250 references), and suggests fruitful avenues for future research. The evidence is consistent with increases in market power from some types of consolidation; improvements in pro®t eciency and diversi®cation of risks, but little or no cost eciency improvement on average; relatively little eect on the availability of services to small customers; potential improvements in payments system eciency; and potential costs on the ®nancial system from increases in systemic risk or expansion of the ®nancial safety net. Ó 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. JEL classi®cation: G21; G28; G34; E58; L89
Survival analysis for the unemployment duration

In this paper are used concepts of the survival analysis in order to estimate the unemployment duration in some counties of Romania and to find some factors that influence the probability of leaving unemployment. The results of our estimation shows that survival rates in unemployment are influenced by age, education, gender and also that each county has a different survival function.
Non Chlamydial Acute Bacterial Conjunctivitis in Sudanese Children

In children there is a paucity of data in recent literature on the prevalence of infective conjunctivitis and almost it is absent from an area like Sudan. This research was aimed to study the point prevalence of a cute bacterial conjunctivitis in Sudanese children and put light on causative bacterial pathogens. Acute bacterial conjunctivitis is a common infection in children and it may be extremely contagious and easily spread in day care centres and school class rooms leading to absences or lost time from work for parents, outbreaks may occur. Common presenting symptoms are red eye and eye discharge. Commonly involved bacteria are Staphylococcus aureus and Haemophilus influenzae. Generally it is a mild disease but more serious complications may occur. Methods: Hundred children with clinical presentation of acute conjunctivitis were included in this study. For each patient a sample for bacterial culture and sensitivity to commonly used antibiotics was obtained by a thin cotton micro swab, isolation and identification of pathogens was done by conventional methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to method standardized by CLSI. Data was analyzed by SPSS computer program. Results: The most common presenting symptom is the red eye. Bacterial pathogens were detected in 65% of the studied sample. Predominant bacterial pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus and Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae is a cause in small number of patients. All isolates are sensitive to Gentamycin. Conclusion: Acute bacterial conjunctivitis is a common infection in children, muco purulent discharge points to bacterial cause in acute infective conjunctivitis. Staphylococcus aureus is a common pathogen and it is sensitive to Gentamycin.
A Model for Viscoelastic Consolidation of Wood-Strand Mats. Part II: Static Stress-Strain Behavior of the Mat

A solid mechanics model is developed to predict the static stress-strain behavior of randomly formed wood-strand mats during pressing. The procedure includes a Monte Carlo simulation for reconstructing the mat structure. During the early stages of mat displacement, the model computes the cumulative stress development from strand bending. As consolidation continues, the overlapping strands form solid columns. Hooke's Law, modified by a nonlinear strain function, governs the stress development in a finite number of these imaginary columns comprising the mat. Experimental results showed good agreement with the predicted stress response.
C-Peptide : A NewMediator of Atherosclerosis in Diabetes

Diabetes type 2 and insulin resistance are the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. It is already known that atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease, and a lot of different factors are involved in its onset. C-peptide is a cleavage product of proinsulin, an active substance with a number of effects within different complications of diabetes. In this paper we discuss the role of C-peptide and its effects in the development of atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetic patients.
Abundance and habitat use by herons (Ardeidae) in the Axios Delta, northern Greece

Habitat use, abundance and changes in number of herons were studied in the Axios Delta during a year cycle. At least seven different man-made and natural habitat types were distinguished in an area of 99.06 km 2 ; rice fields (44.5% of the study area), seacoast (20.6%), salt marshes (19.0%) and fresh water habitats (2.5%). Nine heron species were recorded (five breeding, two wintering and two staging). Little egret was the most opportunistic species using almost equivalently all habitat types. Great white and grey herons mostly exploited the salt marshes and seacoast. Squacco, purple and night herons exploited rice fields, especially during the chick-rearing period (May-June). Fresh water marshes were valuable for almost all species, particularly during the breeding season. Canals were occasionally attractive to heron species, especially in the spring. Interspecific competition may occur in the feeding areas and especially in the freshwater marshes, but both, biological and behavioural segregation among the species probably reduced the negative effects. The conservation of freshwater habitats alongside the enforcement for less intensive agricultural practices at rice fields is considered essential for heron protection in the Axios delta.
Microhabitat selection and distribution of functional feeding groups of mayfly larvae (Ephemeroptera) in lotic karst habitats

Research examining mayfly ecology in karst streams and rivers has increased in recent years, though microhabitat preferences remain poorly characterized. We examined mayfly assemblage taxonomy, functional feeding groups and microhabitat preferences in two contrasting lotic Dinaric karst catchments, one pristine and one anthropogenically impacted. At monthly intervals over a one-year period, all major microhabitats (i.e. dominated by boulders, cobbles, sand, silt, mosses, or angiosperms) were sampled at sites spanning springs, upper, middle and lower river reaches, and tufa barriers. In both catchments, mayfly species richness was comparable among microhabitats, while mayfly abundance was highest on mosses and lowest on silt. NMDS ordination did not group assemblages according to microhabitat type, which may reflect the greater influence of physical and chemical water properties. In both catchments and all microhabitats, mayfly assemblages were dominated by grazers/scrapers at upstream sites and by detritivores at downstream sites. Active filter feeders were more abundant in microhabitats with silt substrates and lower current velocities. This study demonstrated that certain mayfly species strongly preferred a specific microhabitat type, reflecting their water current preferences and feeding strategies, while other species shifted between microhabitats, likely in search of food resources and shelter. The results emphasize the importance of habitat heterogeneity in supporting diverse communities in karst rivers.
Copula-based Semiparametric Modeling of Intergenerational Earnings Mobility

In this paper, we estimate the joint distribution of son’s and father’s log-earnings in the United States for examining non-linear intergenerational earnings mobility. We model the joint distribution semiparameterically by a copula function. Conditional means and probabilities of son’s log-earnings given father’s log-earnings and their derivatives are derived from the estimated copula-based joint distribution. We further compare alternative methods of investigating the non-linear association, the OLS with higher order polynomials and the nonparametric local polynomial estimation, to the copula-based conditional mean estimation. Using the PSID data, we find that the earnings of son-father pairs exhibits a weak lower tail dependence. This result suggests that the US society is more mobile at the poorer population groups. JEL classification numbers: C14; D31; J62.
Developmental expression of esophageal gland antigens and their detection in stylet secretions of Meloidogyne incognita

Summary - Immunofluorescence microscopy with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) was used to demonstrate developmentally­ regulated synthesis of esophageal gland antigens in MeloicWgyne incognita during parasitism of plants and the secretion of sorne of these antigens through the nematode's stylet. Several esophageal gland antigens were temporally expressed in the subventral and dorsal glands of preparasitic second-stage juveniles 02), parasitic J2, and adult female life stages. Two MAbs that bound to the subventral glands of]2, and one MAb that bound ta the dorsal and subventral glands ofJ2, also bound to stylet secretions produced byJ2. Two MAbs that bound to the dorsal gland in adult females, and one MAb that bound to the subventral glands in adult females, bound ta stylet secretions produced by adult females. These resuJts demonstrate that secretions from the dorsal and subventral esophageal glands can be secreted through the stylet of M. incognita, and that their expression is developmentally regulated. Resume - Expression d'antigenes des glandes œesophagiennesdurant le developpement de Meloidogyne incognita et leur detection dans les secretions du stywt - La microscopie en immunofluorescence a ete utilisee avec des anticorps monoclonaux pour montrer que la production d'antigenes dans les glandes œsophagiennes de MeloicWgyne incognita est regulee par le developpement durant la phase parasite et que quelques-uns de ces antigenes peuvent etre excretes au travers du stylet. Plusieurs antigenes des glandes œsophagiennes sont temporairement exprimes dans les glandes subventrales et dorsale des juveniles prepara­ sites de deuxieme stade 02), des juveniles parasites 02) et des femelles adultes. Deux anticorps monoclonaux reconnaissant les glandes subventrales de J2 et un anticoprs monoclonal reconnaissant la glande dorsale et les glandes subventrales de J2, re­ connaissent egalement les secretions passant au travers du stylet des J2. Deux anticorps monoclonaux reconnaissant la glande dorsale des femelles adultes, et un anticorps monoclonal reconnaissant leurs glandes subventrales, reconnaissent aussi les secretions passant au travers du stylet des femelles adultes. Ces resultats montrent que les secretions des glandes dorsale et subventrales peuvent passer au travers du stylet de M. incognita et que leur expression est regulee par le developpement.
Eating habits and lifestyle in a group Turkish primary education children

Background: The prevalence of child obesity is increasing rapidly worldwide as well as Turkey due to skipped main meals and increased snacking. The objectives were to study the prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in a group of Turkish children, and to analyze the relationship between eating habits and lifestyle and obesity. Methods: The study was carried out in 6 schools in urban regions in the city of Eskisehir, Western Turkey between February and May2008. Atotal of 1421 students aged 7 - 14 years (708 boys and 713 girls) were examined. Eating habits and life-style were obtained by evaluation of a standard set of 15 questions prepared using the literature. Results: Most obese students reported having a snack in the afternoon, not spending at least five hours of leisure time per week in physical activities, being high income level, that their mother’ education level was university, eating less fruits, eating less vegetables, having more dessert after any meal, eating more potato chips, watching television more, living a physically active life less, less breast feeding, that their father consumed alcohol, that their father was overweight/ obese, their mother wase overweight/obese (statistically important relationships for each one). Conclusions: A small portion of 7 - 14-year-old Turkish children are at increased health risk owing to overweight and obesity in an urban po- pulation in a developing country.
Effects of Habitat Fragmentation on Pollinator Diversity and Plant Reproductive Success in Renosterveld Shrublands of South Africa

Abstract: We examined the effects of habitat fragmentation on the pollinator diversity and reproductive success of seven perennial plant species in renosterveld shrublands in South Africa. We sampled pollinators in small (0.5–2 ha), medium (3–10 ha), and large (>30 ha) habitat fragments during the peak flowering period in spring and summer. We also compared fruit set and seed set in the seven plant species on different‐sized fragments. Hand‐pollinated controls were used to determine pollination deficits in three species. Seed‐germination studies were done on two species to determine the effect of reduced seed set on reproductive output. Overall, the species richness of bees, flies, and butterflies did not vary significantly among different‐sized fragments. However, the abundance of particular species of bees and monkey beetles (Scarabaeidae: Hopliini) was significantly affected by fragment size, together with other factors such as vegetation cover and the ratio of grass to shrubs. Fragment size and distance to large remnants of vegetation had a significant influence on seed or fruit set in four of the seven plant species examined. One species failed to set any seed in small‐ and medium‐sized fragments. Comparisons of fruit and seed set among hand‐pollinated and naturally pollinated plants confirmed that seed set was pollinator‐limited in the orchid Pterygodium catholicum. Our results suggest that perennial plant species respond in different ways to fragmentation, and that populations on small fragments do not always experience pollination deficits. Existing classifications of pollination systems, in relation to their vulnerability to fragmentation, do not adequately explain our results. We argue that there needs to be a greater focus on the habitat requirements of pollinators to predict the effects of habitat fragmentation on pollination systems and plant reproductive success.
STUDIES ON EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY ON BIOLOGY OF RICE MOTH CORCYRA CEPHALONICA (STAINTON) UNDER LABORATORY CONDITION

Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton), popularly known as the “Rice meal moth” or the “Flour moth”, belongs to family Pyralidae of order Lepidoptera. The earlier reference of this insect was made by Stainton (1866), who provisionally named it Melissoblaptes cephalonica giving a brief description. Later a new genus, Corcyra was erected by Rogonot (1885) to accommodate this insect, the name being derived from the ancient name of “Corfu”, where it was presumed to have been imported into England.According to Chittenden (1919), though Corcyra is known to occur in many parts of Europe, Asia and America, it is not a true cosmopolitan insect. This view cannot be readily accepted, since none of the so called cosmopolitan insects, as it was found ever in all parts of the world mainly because of lack of suitable environmental condition for a continued existence. According to Durant and Beveridge (1913), Corcyra is apparently of eastern origin and has been introduced into Europe and elsewhere by the rice trade.
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Communication and performance in teams

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Aging of secondary organic aerosol from small aromatic VOCs: changes in chemical composition, mass yield, volatility and hygroscopicity

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is transformed after its initial formation, but this chemical aging of SOA is poorly understood. Experiments were conducted in the Carnegie Mellon environmental chamber to form and transform SOA from the photo-oxidation of toluene and other small aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of NOx. The effects of chemical aging on organic aerosol (OA) composition, mass yield, volatility and hygroscopicity were explored. Higher exposure to the hydroxyl radical resulted in different OA composition, average carbon oxidation state OSC) and mass yield. The OA oxidation state generally increased during photo-oxidation, and the final OA OS C ranged from -0.29 to 0.45 in the performed experiments. The volatility of OA formed in these different experiments varied by as much as a factor of 30, demonstrating that the OA formed under different oxidizing conditions can have significantly different saturation concentration. There was no clear correlation between hygroscopicity and oxidation state for this relatively hygroscopic SOA.
Ant-related oviposition and larval performance in a myrmecophilous lycaenid

We experimentally assessed ant-related oviposition and larval performance in the Miami blue butterfly (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri). Ant tending had sex-dependent effects on most measures of larval growth: female larvae generally benefitted from increased tending frequency whereas male larvae were usually unaffected. The larger size of female larvae tended by ants resulted in a substantial predicted increase in lifetime egg production. Oviposition by adult females that were tended by C. floridanus ants as larvae was similar between host plants with or without ants. However, they laid relatively more eggs on plants with ants than did females raised without ants, which laid less than a third of their eggs on plants with ants present. In summary, we found conditional benefits for larvae tended by ants that were not accompanied by oviposition preference for plants with ants present, which is a reasonable result for a system in which ant presence at the time of oviposition is not a reliable indicator of future ant presence. More broadly, our results emphasize the importance of considering the consequences of variation in interspecific interactions, life history traits, and multiple measures of performance when evaluating the costs and benefits of mutualistic relationships.