Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On Complete Convergence and Strong Law for Weighted Sums of i.i.d. Random Variables

We improve and generalize the result of Stout (1974, Theorem 4.1.3). In particular, the sharp moment conditions are obtained and some well-known results can be obtained as special cases of the main result. The method of the proof is completely different from that in Stout. We also improve and generalize Li et al. (1995) strong law for weighted sums of i.i. d. random variables.
Effect of Seasons on the Reproductive Performance of Bovan Nera and Isa Brown Parent-stock Chickens in a Hot Humid Environment

Seasons play an important role in the performance of breeder chickens, but lack of adequate records on its specific effects in specific seasons could influence the efforts of breeders to improve on local ecotypes of chicken for standardization into breeds. This is why Nigeria still depends mainly on imported breeds of chicken for commercial production of chicken. In this study, the influence of Early Wet (EW), Late Wet (LW) and Early Dry (ED) and Late Dry (LD) seasons on reproductive parameters of Bovan Nera (BN) and Isa Brown (IB) parent-stock chickens were studied in the humid South-West Nigeria. Ten-year data on both genotypes were obtained from Ajanla Farms Hatchery Ibadan and analysed for Eggs Set (ES), Egg Fertility (EF), Egg Hatchability (EH), Pullet Day-old Chicks (PDC) and Hatching Rejects (HR) to study the effect of seasons on these parameters. ANOVA (p<0.05) showed that seasons have significant influence on EF, EH and HR in BN; and ES, EH and HR in IB. Late wet season gave the best results on reproduction thus making it potentially the most favorable season for hatching activities in both genotypes, and therefore may signal good fortune in commercial chicks production enterprises of breeder chickens in hot humid regions.
Reactions to a Large Increase in Admission Price to State Parks

Substantial price increases were enacted in Texas state parks on May 1, 1996. Data for the study reported here were taken from three surveys that were subsequently undertaken to monitor the impact of these price increases. The data were collected in May 1996 (data set 1), September 1996 (data set 2), and September 1997 (data set 3). The sampling for data set 3 was derived from data sets 1 and 2, so it was possible to monitor the reaction of a panel of respondents over time. Three research questions were addressed: (1) did the impact of the substantial price increase decay over time? (2) was there a difference in response to the price increases by TCP [annual pass] holders and per visit payers? (3) was there a difference in response to the price increases among those with different levels of income? The concept of a visitor adjustment period suggests there is likely to be a decay in the resistance to price increases over time. However, the analyses revealed only narrow and limited support for decay in resistance over time among per visit payers. Much stronger evidence of decay was apparent among Texas Conservation Passport (TCP) holders, but this finding was tempered by some concern over sample mortality. The analyses addressing research question 2 indicated a generally consistent pattern of per visit payers being significantly more resistant to the price increases than were TCP holders. Finally, analyses relating to research question #3 confirmed the economic aphorism that there is likely to be a higher level of resistance toward price increases by lower income cohorts than by higher income groups.
Exploring Factors That Influence Students’ Behaviors in Information Security

Due to the ever-increasing use of the Internet, information security has become a critical issue in society. This is especially the case for young adults who have different attitudes towards information security practices. In this research, we examine factors that motivate college students’ information security behaviors. Based on the concept of fear arousal in the presence of a threatened event, a well-founded theory known as Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) is adopted in the research model. Social norms and habit factors are integrated to the model as a means to assess students’ behaviors of information security. A survey of 202 responses is used to test the designed model using structural equation modeling to analyze relationships among variables. Results indicated that students are very motivated to practice information security if they perceive high levels of severity, response efficacy, response costs and self-efficacy. Their intentions, however, are not affected by perceived vulnerability or by social influence. Our findings suggest that PMT is a valuable model for predicting students’ attitudes towards information security and that their motivation is influenced by education in security awareness and understanding severity of such issues.
The interdecadal worsening of weather conditions affecting aerosol pollution in the Beijing area in relation to climate warming

The weather conditions affecting aerosol pollution in Beijing and its vicinity (BIV) in wintertime have worsened in recent years, particularly after 2010. The relation between interdecadal changes in weather conditions and climate warming is uncertain. Here, we analyze long-term variations of an integrated pollution-linked meteorological index (which is approximately and linearly related to aerosol pollution), the extent of changes in vertical temperature differences in the boundary layer (BL) in the BIV, and northerly surface winds from Lake Baikal during wintertime to evaluate the potential contribution of climate warming to changes in meteorological conditions directly related to aerosol pollution in this area; this is accomplished using NCEP reanalysis data, surface observations, and long-term vertical balloon sounding observations since 1960. The weather conditions affecting BIV aerosol pollution are found to have worsened since the 1960s as a whole. This worsening is more significant after 2010, with PM 2.5 reaching unprecedented high levels in many cities in China, particularly in the BIV. The decadal worsening of meteorological conditions in the BIV can partly be attributed to climate warming, which is defined by more warming in the higher layers of the boundary layer (BL) than the lower layers. This worsening can also be influenced by the accumulation of aerosol pollution, to a certain extent (particularly after 2010), because the increase in aerosol pollution from the ground leads to surface cooling by aerosol-radiation interactions, which facilitates temperature inversions, increases moisture accumulations, and results in the extra deterioration of meteorological conditions. If analyzed as a linear trend, weather conditions have worsened by ~ 4 % each year from 2010 to 2017. Given such a deterioration rate, the worsening of weather conditions may lead to corresponding amplitude increase in PM 2.5 in the BIV during wintertime in the next five years (i.e., 2018 to 2022). More stringent emission reduction measures will need to be conducted by the government.
Occult Papillary Carcinoma Thyroid presenting as Lateral Cystic Neck Mass. – A Case Report & Review of Literature.

The appearance of a lateral cervical cystic mass as the only initial presenting symptom of occult thyroid carcinoma is uncommon. Its presence is often misdiagnosed due to the more frequent branchial cyst in young people. Although oronasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma has been reported as the main cause of lymph neck node metastasis, thyroid papillary carcinoma may be responsible for cervical cystic masses as the initial manifestation of the disease. This situation has been rarely reported, although solid masses are much more frequent. In most of these cases all such lesions may initially be considered as metastatic foci from a primary thyroid lesion. However, an alternative explanation by means of which ectopic thyroid tissue is associated with branchial cyst has to be considered, especially if no primary tumor is observed in the histological examination of thyroid gland. We present a rare case of cystic lymphnode metastasis of occult papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. We also discuss possible etiology for lateral papillary carcinoma in lateral neck cysts.
CHARACTERIZATION OF SOIL TRICHODERMA ISOLATES FOR POTENTIAL BIOCONTROL OF PLANT PATHOGENS

Various fungal strains belonging to genus Trichoderma act as biological control agents for soil born plant pathogens. Two new strains of Trichoderma harzianum (T.h.) and Trichoderma viride (T.v.) were isolated from forest soils in Ilfov county and their morphological aspects, enzymatic and antagonistic activity were examined. Current chemical fungicides had constantly, in time, less influence on pathogens due to their diversity, adaptability and increasing resistance. The paper present the morphological characterization of two strains of Trichoderma isolated from forest soils. Growth rate was higher in strain T.v. SP456 (0,675mm/h) than in strain T.h. P8 (0,505mm/h) when fungi were grown on Czapek culture medium. Morphological description is completed with photographs of colonies in Petri plates and microscopical aspects of fungal structures belonging to Trichoderma strains SP456 and P8. Comparative aspects concerning the level of main enzymes released by T.h. isolate P8 and T.v. SP456 in liquid culture media showed differences as a function of genetic structure of each fungal isolate. The optimum culture media for inducing peroxidase, polyphenol-oxidase, β-1,3-glucanase activity in T.v. SP456 isolate was Czapek and PDA for phenil-alanin-ammonium-oxidase and chitinase. T.v. SP456 was more efficient than T.h. P8 concerning enzymes activity. The interaction between Trichoderma fungal strains SP456 and P8 and strawberry plant pathogen strains, three belonging to Botrytis cinerea (S1, P1, P2) and one to Phytophtora spp. were examined, also. Both Trichoderma strains act as mycoparasites for plant pathogens. The inhibition percent of radial growth was higher for T.v. SP456 when compared with T.h. P8 for almost all pathogenic isolates.
SEC/MALLS measurement of the branched structure of methyl methacrylate + ethylene glycol dimethacrylate copolymers synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization

In the last few years, atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of acrylate and methacrylate monomers in the presence of a small amount of cross-linker has been investigated in order to produce branched polymers and gels with applications in microelectronics, coatings industries or biomedicine (Wang and Zhu, 2005; Gao et al., 2007). In this context, it is being explored the production by ATRP of branched/crosslinked polymers with a lower degree of heterogeneity than that obtained by conventional free radical polymerization (FRP). This work reports an experimental study on the ATRP of methyl methacrylate (MMA) + ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) initiated by MBPA (methyl -bromophenylacetate) and mediated by copper bromide (CuBr) ligated with HMTETA (1,1,4,7,10,10hexamethyltriethylenetetramine). The synthesized copolymers were analyzed by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) with simultaneous detection of refractive index (RI) and multi-angle laser light scattering (MALLS) signals. Important details of the molecular architecture of these materials can therefore be measured, namely absolute molecular weights and z-average radius of gyration. Different experimental runs were performed in order to investigate the influence of the operating conditions (e.g. temperature and initial molar ratios MMA/EGDMA/MBPA/CuBr/HMTETA) on the structure of the products.
Influence of Floodplain Area on Fish Species Richness in Waterbodies of the Chao Phraya River Basin, Thailand

River-floodplain ecosystems are in delicate balance and are impacted by even minor changes in water availability. In this study, we surveyed fish assemblages and investigated environmental and landscape parameters in a total of 135 floodplain waterbodies (rivers, diversion canals, ponds, irrigation ditches, paddy fields, and wetlands) in the Chao Phraya River Basin in rainy (September 2014) and dry (March 2015) seasons. Factors affecting fish species richness in each type of waterbody were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models. Floodplain area around each surveyed waterbody was a major factor determining fish species richness in rivers, diversion canals, and ponds in the region. The contribution of floodplain area was equivalent to that of hydrology (current velocity, water depth) and water quality (dissolved oxygen, turbidity) in the waterbodies. The population of juvenile fishes was increased in temporarily connected floodplain waterbodies to main rivers compared with isolated waterbodies, and fluvial and lacustrine fishes were observed in the temporary inundated floodplain waterbodies during the rainy season. The high dependence of fish species richness on floodplain area in the region appeared to be a result of the use of inundated floodplains by fish species to forage and breed. Our results highlight the impact of flood control measures that reduces floodplain area. These measures must be reviewed to ensure the conservation of fish biodiversity in the Chao Phraya River Basin, one of the world’s most threatened floodplain systems.
Applications and Modelling in Mathematics Teaching A Review of Arguments and Instructional Aspects

The aim of this paper is a comprehensive presentation of some important basic and general aspects of the topic applications and modelling, with emphasis on the secondary school level. Owing to the review character of this paper, some overlap with the survey paper Blum and Niss (1989) for ICME-6 in Budapest is inevitable. The paper will consist of three parts. In part 1, I shall try to clarify some basic concepts and remind the reader of a few application and modelling examples suitable for teaching. In part 2, I shall formulate some general aims for mathematics instruction and, on that basis, summarise the most important arguments for and against applications and modelling in mathematics teaching. Finally, in part 3, I shall discuss some relevant instructional aspects resulting from the considerations in part 2.
Field errors introduced by eddy currents in Fermilab main injector magnets

The Fermilab Main Injector ramps from 8 GeV to 120 GeV in about half a second. The rapidly changing magnetic field induces eddy currents in the stainless steel vacuum tubes, which in turn produce error fields that can affect the beam. Field calculations and measurements are presented for the dipole and quadrupole magnets.
Numerical Modeling of Heat-Mass Transfer in Radial Flow Plasma-Chemical Reactor with Multicomponent Kinetics CF4/02

Abstract : The binary gas mixture CF4/O2 is widely used in industrial production of semiconductor devices to increase the etching rate of silicon wafers. The number of papers devoted to mathematical modeling of silicon etching in CF4/O2 plasma is relatively small. Moreover, the numerical modeling of silicon etching with simplifying kinetics of the gas phase and heterogeneous chemical reactions predicts a maximum of the etching rate near the 50% fraction of O2 in the parent gas mixture 1. This is inconsistent with experimental data where the maximum etching rate detected was at the 15-30% range of O2. In this paper, the results of numerical optimization of a radial flow plasma-chemical reactor depending on the binary gas composition CF4/O2 are presented. Quantitative estimations of oxygen chemisorption and adsorption of CF2 CF3 contributions to the etching rate are obtained.
The Profile of Inelastic Collisions from Elastic Scattering Data

Using the unitarity relation in combination with experimental data about the elastic scattering in the diffraction cone, it is shown how the shape and the darkness of the inelastic interaction region of colliding protons change with increase of their energies. In particular, the collisions become fully absorptive at small impact parameters at LHC energies that results in some special features of inelastic processes. Possible evolution of this shape with the dark core at the LHC to the fully transparent one at higher energies is discussed that implies that the terminology of the black disk would be replaced by the black toroid. The approach to asymptotics is disputed. The ratio of the real to imaginary parts of the nonforward elastic scattering amplitude is briefly discussed. All the conclusions are only obtained in the framework of the indubitable unitarity condition using experimental data about the elastic scattering of protons in the diffraction cone without any reference to quantum chromodynamics (QCD) or phenomenological approaches.
FOOD HABITS, ONTOGENETIC DIETARY PARTITIONING AND OBSERVATIONS OF FORAGING BEHAVIOUR OF MORELET'S CROCODILE (CROCODYLUS MORELETII) IN NORTHERN BELIZE

We studied the food habits and size-related dietary patterns of Morelet's crocodile(Crocodylus moreletii) in freshwater wetlands of northern Belize (1992-2000). Crocodiles (n=420) were classified as hatchlings, small juveniles, large juveniles, subadults or adults based on total length. Stomach contents were obtained primarily by stomach flushing. Prey items included aquatic and terrestrial insects, arachnids, aquatic gastropods, crustaceans, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Based on the percent occurrence of recovered prey items, we concluded that the smallest size classes feed largely on insects and arachnids. Large juveniles broadened their diet to include aquatic gastropods, crustaceans, fish and non-fish vertebrates. Insect and arachnid consumption declined sharply among subadults, and increasing amounts of aquatic gastropods and fish were recovered from this size class. The adult diet consisted mainly of aquatic gastropods, fish and crustaceans. Dietary diversity was greatest among large juveniles and subadults. Conversely, hatchlings and small juveniles had the most specialized (least diverse) diet owing to a reliance on insects and arachnids. Dietary overlap was greatest between adjacent size classes, and lowest between the smallest and largest size classes. We also provide field observations of prey-specific foraging behaviours.
Ammonium Polyphosphate Intercalated Layered Double Hydroxide and Zinc Borate as Highly Efficient Flame Retardant Nanofillers for Polypropylene

We found in our previous study that layered double hydroxides (LDHs) which undergo aqueous miscible organic solvent treatment (AMOST) can tune the hydrophobicity surface of LDHs to be hydrophobic, and then the solvent mixing method can be used to prepare polymer/LDH nanocomposites. However, flame retardant property is not very high if LDHs are only used. In this present work, ammonium polyphosphate (APP) intercalated LDHs and zinc borate (ZB) was incorporated into a polypropylene (PP) matrix using the solvent mixing method. The structures, morphologies, and performance of the composites were characterized carefully. The peak heat release rate (PHRR) reduction of PP containing 10 and 20 wt % APP-LDH reached 27% and 55%, respectively, which increased up to 63% compared with PP/CO3-LDH. After incorporating 2 wt % ZB in the PP/APP-LDH system, the flame retardant property was further improved. Polypropylene composites with 20 wt % APP-LDH and 2 wt % ZB showed a 58% PHRR reduction. In addition, thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) results indicated that the addition of APP-LDH and ZB improved the temperature at 50% weight loss (T50%) and the char formation of the materials significantly.
The Shape of Mid-IR PAH Bands in the Universe

A large number of galactic and extragalactic sources exhibit a mid-IR spectrum that is dominated by PAH emission. Looking at these spectra in more details reveals a strong variability in the shape/position of the observed features, depending on the observed source, or even the region within a source. In this article, we present the results of an analysis that has allowed us to decompose these spectra into components having a physical meaning. Most, if not all PAH dominated mid-IR spectra of HII regions, PDRs, protoplanetary disks, galaxies etc. can be fitted efficiently using a combination of these components. The results of these fits provide further insight in the composition of the emitting material and the local physical conditions. In the frame of the future IR space missions (JWST, SPICA), this approach can be very useful to probe the physical conditions in distant galaxies.
Four perspectives on climate feedbacks

The spatial pattern of climate feedbacks depends on how the feedbacks are defined. We employ an idealized aquaplanet simulation with radiative kernels diagnosed for the precise model setup and characterize the meridional structure of feedbacks under four different definitions: local feedbacks, global feedbacks, nondimensional feedback factors, and relative humidity feedbacks. First, the spatial pattern of the reference response (i.e., the Planck feedback) is found to vary with definition, largely as a consequence of polar‐amplified warming, which affects other high‐latitude feedbacks as well. Second, locally defined feedbacks allow for decomposition of the surface temperature response as a function of feedbacks, forcing, and heat transport. Third, different insights into the dynamical and thermodynamical underpinnings of the subtropical moisture response are gained by comparing different versions of humidity feedbacks. Thus, alternative approaches to the conventional, global definition of feedbacks offer several advantages for understanding patterns of warming and, ultimately, regional climate predictability.
Work-Family Conflict in Nursing: An Integrative Review of Its Antecedents and Outcomes

The aim of this paper is to provide an integrative review of the literature on work-family conflict (WFC) in nursing, assessing the antecedents and consequences of nurses’ productivity, physical and psychological health, and well-being. We searched electronic databases, focusing on articles published in English and Italian during the period of 2005 to 2017. From the 1,180 studies found, we selected 28 papers for this integrative review. The findings, expressed as narrative synthesis, show that WFC is a stressor in nursing and most analyzed risk factors centered on the workplace. Some shortcomings of our review include methodological aspects and depth, although our synthesis of the 28 studies provides an evidence base for further insights into WFC in nursing.
Performance Improvement of a Centrifugal Compressor by Passive Means

The present experimental investigation deals with performance improvement of a low-speed centrifugal compressor by inexpensive passive means such as turbulence generator placed at different positions and partial shroud near the rotor blade tip. The experiments are carried out at three values of tip clearance, namely 2.2%, 5.1%, and 7.9% of rotor blade height at the exit. Performance tests are carried out for a total of 13 configurations. From these measurements, partial shroud is found to give the best performance. The improvement in the compressor performance may be due to the reduction of tip leakage flows by the small extension of partial shroud (2 mm on the pressure surface side). Although there is nominal change in performance due to turbulence generator (TG), TG has beneficial effect of increased operating range.