Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantification of sulfur deposition changes under sulfate geoengineering conditions

Sustained injection of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) in the tropical lower stratosphere has been proposed as a climate engineering technique with the purpose of temporarily mitigating the surface warming predicted for the coming decades. Among several possible environmental side effects, the increase of sulfur deposition at the ground surface still needs to be thoroughly investigated. In this study we present results from a composition-climate coupled model (ULAQ-CCM) and a chemistry-transport model (GEOS-Chem), assuming a sustained lower stratospheric equatorial injection of 8 Tg-SO 2 /yr. Total S-deposition is found to globally increase by 5.2 % when sulfate geoengineering is deployed, with a clear interhemispheric asymmetry (3.8 % and 10.3 % in NH and SH, respectively). The latter is mostly due to the combination of a quasi-homogeneous tropospheric influx of sulfate from the stratosphere, and the highly inhomogeneous amount of anthropogenic sulfur emissions in the boundary layer (mostly located in the Northern Hemisphere). The two models show good consistency in their sulfur species behavior under background and geoengineering conditions, not only for global and hemispheric budgets but also for regional S-deposition values (except over Arctic and Africa). The consistency between models is not limited to time averaged values, but it extends to monthly and inter-annual deposition changes. The latter is driven essentially by the variability of stratospheric large-scale transport associated to the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). According to model-mean values, geoengineering S-deposition percent changes on polar regions range between 7.7 ± 0.7 % over Antarctica and 8.5 ± 1.3 % over the Arctic, where the uncertainty reflects the model-averaged interannual variability. Similar S-deposition changes are found over quasi-clean continental regions of the Southern Hemisphere, and smaller values are calculated over polluted continental regions of the Northern Hemisphere (2 ÷ 4 %). The largest difference between the two models is found over Africa and the Arctic (11 % and 2 %, respectively, for GEOS-Chem, against 2 % and 15 %, respectively, for ULAQ-CCM).
An Adaptive and Responsive Transport Protocol for Wireless Mesh Networks

Wireless meshing has been envisioned as the economically viable networking paradigm to build up broadband and large-scale wireless commodity networks. Several different mesh network architectures have been conceived by both industry and academia; however many issues on the deployment of efficient and fair transport protocols are still open. In this paper, an adaptive and responsive transport protocol (ARTP) is proposed for WMNs in order to fairly allocate the network resources among multiple flows, while minimizing the performance overhead. Compared to the classical end-to-endrate control mechanisms, anhop-by-hopcongestion control approach is designed to keep track of dynamic multi-hop network characteristics in a responsive manner. In addition, a coarse-grained end-to-end reliability algorithm is integrated with the proposed hop-by-hop congestion control mechanism to provide packet level reliability at the transport layer. Performance evaluation via extensive simulation experiments show that the AR-TP protocol achieves high performance in terms of network throughput and fairness.
Attitudes Towards Dreams: and the Relation of these with Relationship Intimacy and Sleep Quality

The present study looked at beliefs/attitudes towards and effects of dreams, in a larger, primarily non-student, adult sample (N=667). On one side, findings supported previous research in that women were more approving towards dreams, they recalled more dreams, read dream literature more often, speculated more frequently about their dreams, and finally shared dreams more often than men. It was also found, that dreams primarily were shared with a partner, and mostly with the purpose of entertainment. In addition, participants generally saw dreams as having a meaningful function, and were especially supportive of the continuity hypothesis, i.e. that waking life events and thoughts are reflected in dream content, and least supportive of “pre-scientific” dream beliefs, e.g. that dreams contain messages from God. When used, dreams primarily served the purpose of gaining personal insight. 8.9% of participants had made “important” actions in their life based on input from dreams. A significant, positive correlation was found between dream sharing frequency in couples and relationship intimacy (r=.24, p<.001). Finally no correlation was found between sleep quality and dream recall, but a positive correlation was found between sleep quality and dream attitude (r=.126, p<.05).
The Effects of an Interdisciplinary Intervention on Cardiovascular Health Indicators of Children with Excess Body Weight: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Bezerra TA, Souza Filho AN, Armstrong AC, Lima DRV, Moraes JFVN, Carvalho FO. The Effects of an Interdisciplinary Intervention on Cardiovascular Health Indicators of Children with Excess Body Weight: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JEPonline 2017;20(5):114122. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an interdisciplinary intervention on cardiovascular health indicators in overweight and obese children. Sixty children with excess body weight and their respective mothers were recruited. Nineteen of the 60 subjects refused to participate in the research. Anthropometric measures as well as cardiorespiratory fitness and a transthoracic echocardiogram were carried out. Ten weeks of physical activity, nutrition, and psychological interventions were applied to the children and their mothers. The data were submitted to the nonparametric Wilcoxon test for verifying the intragroup differences, and the Mann-Whitney U test for the intergroup differences. There were no statistically significant differences for the variables in the experimental group. However, there was a significant decrease in cardiorespiratory fitness in the control group. The findings indicate that while the proposed intervention was not sufficient to improve the children's cardiovascular health indicators, it seems to have provided a protective effect on these indicators.
Financial Valuation and Risk Management Working Paper No . 691 Investing in a Global World

We examine active retail mutual funds and institutional products with a mandate to invest in international equity markets between 1991 and 2009. Using global and regional factor models, we find no reliable evidence of alphas in the aggregate or on average. The right tail of the distribution contains some large alphas. Decomposing stock selection from country selection, we find little evidence of superior stock picking abilities in the extreme right tail. Luck versus skill tests show that funds in the tails are there due to luck. Persistence tests also show little evidence of continuation in superior performance. * We thank seminar participants at Arizona State University, Emory University, University of Rochester, University of Pompeu Fabra, University of Utah, Andrew Karolyi, and especially Narasimhan Jegadeesh for helpful suggestions. We thank Zhiyi Qian for excellent research assistance.
On the Discretization of Some Nonlinear Fokker-Planck-Kolmogorov Equations and Applications

In this work, we consider the discretization of some nonlinear Fokker-Planck-Kolmogorov equations. The scheme we propose preserves the non-negativity of the solution, conserves the mass and, as the discretization parameters tend to zero, has limit measure-valued trajectories which are shown to solve the equation. The main assumptions to obtain a convergence result are that the coefficients are continuous and satisfy a suitable linear growth property with respect to the space variable. In particular, we obtain a new proof of existence of solutions for such equations. We apply our results to several examples, including Mean Field Games systems and variations of the Hughes model for pedestrian dynamics.
Epidemiology of Muscle Mass Loss with Age

The development of new body composition methods in the early 1970s and 1980s led to more research on this topic, including the study of differences in body composition between young and older persons. These initial studies were followed by much larger studies covering a wide age range investigating how body composition varied across the life span. Variations in lean body mass and fat-free mass were described between age groups. These studies served as the important scientific basis for developing the concept Sarcopenia. Sarcopenia was defined as the age-related loss of muscle mass [1]. The term is derived from the Greek words sarx (flesh) and penia (loss). The development of this concept further stimulated research in this specific body composition area. More recently, large-scale studies among older persons have included accurate and precise measurements of skeletal muscle mass. Moreover, these measurements have been repeated over time, enabling the sarcopenia process to be studied. This chapter will discuss the results of epidemiological studies investigating the agerelated loss of skeletal muscle mass. First, several cross-sectional studies will be presented comparing the body composition between younger and older persons. Then prospective studies will be discussed investigating the change in body composition with aging. The chapter will conclude with the results of more recent, prospective studies that precisely measured change in skeletal muscle mass in large samples of older persons.
Brazilian agricultural exports : How quality matters ?

The general objective of this paper was to analyze the relationship between product quality and Brazilian agricultural exports. In addition, it set out to identify the effects of the exporters’ income and distance, and the SPS and TBT measures on the quality of exported products. Brazilian agricultural export data (HS 4-digit) for the main trading partners during the 1997-2016 period were used. The results obtained from analyses in relation to trade with new markets included the identification of negative effects of quality on both the probability of accessing new markets and the share of trade transactions involved. For the intensive margin, the value exported to existing partners, the estimated coefficients showed that the increase in quality is associated with greater quantity exported. In addition, this research showed that quality was positively affected by income and distance, and that the income effect grows as different levels of quality are considered. Finally, the issuance of SPS and TBT measures by Brazilian importers also led to an improvement in the quality of Brazilian agricultural exports.
A review on the potential of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (Btk) inhibitor – Ibrutinib for treatment of Multiple Myeloma (MM)

Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by the over-production of monoclonal plasma cells that eventually become malignant in the bone marrow. MM remains as an incurable cancer, but it can be treated through chemotherapy. Nonetheless, research on novel therapies for effective treatment of MM is ongoing and in this case the involvement of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (Btk) in B-cell malignancies has made it one of the new therapeutic targets. In MM patients, it has been reported that the expression of Btk was elevated and this could potentially contribute to chemoresistance indirectly via enhancement of cell proliferation and survival. Ibrutinib is a highly selective irreversible Btk inhibitor commonly used as treatment for B-cell malignancies such as Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). With reference to the potential involvement of Btk in MM and current treatment of MCL and CLL using ibrutinib, researchers have begun to examine the effect of ibrutinib treatment on MM. This review provides information on the association of MM and Btk in conjunction with the treatment using ibrutinib. To date, clinical trials of ibrutinib as therapeutic alternative for MM have produced promising results, particularly as combination therapy with other agents such as dexamethasone and carfilzomib. However, there is limited evidence on the Btk mechanisms involved in MM, hence, it is important to further investigate the Btk oncogenic signalling pathway(s) in MM cells in order to establish successful and improved treatment of MM.
The fate of hexenuronic acid groups during alkaline pulping

This study conducted detailed characterizations of HexA content in softwood pulps obtained in various alkaline wood pulping processes and conditions. The study found that the maximum HexA formation rate is linearly dependent on hydroxide ion (effective alkali) concentration and the rates of HexA formation and degradation reactions are not affected by the presence of sulfide or AQ. The study also found that the amount of HexA in pulp from onestage cooking is directly related to the amount of effective alkali (EA) consumed, regardless of the pulping processes and conditions. Furthermore, the same maximum amount of HexA was found in various pulps obtained from different pulping processes for a given wood species. The study demonstrated that the amounts of HexA in the pulps obtained in the early stages of pulping are linearly proportional to the amounts of methanol found in the corresponding pulping liquors with a slope close to unity, which validates the accuracy of the rapid HexA measurement method employed in this study.
Species Composition and Habitat Associations of Benthic Algal Assemblages in Headwater Streams of the Sierra Nevada, California

Abstract Despite their trophic importance and potential importance as bioindicators of stream condition, benthic algae have not been well studied in California. In particular there are few studies from small streams in the Sierra Nevada. The objective of this study was to determine the standing crop of chlorophyll-a and benthic algal species assemblages present in the small 1st- and 2nd-order streams of the Kings River Experimental Watersheds (KREW, watersheds of Bull, Providence, Duff, and Teakettle Creeks) and determine the associations of these measures with stream habitat. We collected samples of benthic algae from rock substrata in September 2002 (7 sites) and 2005 (the same 7 sites plus 5 additional sites). Habitat and water-quality data were collected concurrently. Chlorophyll-a values ranged from 0.2 to 3.2 mg ·m−2. Chlorophyll-a in the Bull Creek watershed was generally lower than in the other watersheds. Benthic algal assemblages were dominated by diatoms and cyanobacteria. We collected 79 taxa of diatoms in 2002 and 126 taxa in 2005. Diatom taxa richness in individual samples ranged from 15 to 47. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis of arcsine square-root transformed proportional abundances of diatoms identified 3 groups of sites. Bull Creek sites were generally different from other sites (group 1), and the sites from Bull Creek were different in 2002 (group 2) and 2005 (group 3). Five taxa appeared to be particularly important in distinguishing groups: Achnanthidium minutissimum, Cocconeis placentula, Eunotia incisa, Eunotia pectinalis var. minor, and Planothidium lanceolatum. Elevation, water temperature, pH, specific conductance, and canopy were habitat variables correlated with the differences in diatom assemblages among sites. Our results provide a valuable baseline for future studies of benthic algae in Sierra Nevada headwater streams and will be particularly important in understanding the effects of different forest restoration management strategies being tested in the KREW project.
Inquiry Based Learning Module to Empower Cooperation Skills

The education in the 21 st century focuses on knowledge and encourages students to generate information and encourage developing new skills. The framework of 21 st century learning skill is communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity and innovation. Cooperation skills in the world of education is an important thing to be done in learning. Therefore, a solution is needed to optimize student empower cooperation skills process by using the teaching material in the form of module. The objective of this research is to know the effectiveness of inquiry based learning module to empower cooperation skills. This research was conducted in one of high school in Surakarta, Indonesia. The research method is quasi experiment, used pretest and posttest design by using two randomly selected classes those were experimental class used an inquiry based learning module and control one used a modules made by biology teachers in Surakarta. The results showed that there were significant differences of learning outcomes between the control and the experimental classes based on the independent samples t-test test results, also seen with the n-gain scores that obtained at 0.78 (middle) in the control class and 0.87 (high) in the experimental class. As the study concluded, using inquiry based learning module in the learning process in effective to empower cooperation skills.
The benefits of knowledge sharing and the emergence of structure within evolutionary networks of knowledge spillovers

This thesis proposes several models of knowledge transfers building on the models introduced by Jain & Krishna (1999, 2002, 2003). The main feature of these models is the asymmetric nature of interactions between agents. This is also one of the characteristics of knowledge spillovers that occur within a network of rms. An exhaustive analysis of networks with knowledge spillovers, governed by the Jain Krishna di erential equation, will be presented. Modi cations on the Jain Krishna network will then be introduced in three di erent models. With these models, di erent versions of cooperative behavior could be tested for their e ects on the individual rms and on the network itself. From these tests it appears that cooperative behavior results in higher growth for the overall network, but has no signi cant e ect on the growth or survival of individual nodes. This means that rms in these networks have an indirect incentive for cooperation.
Effect of SoyBeans on Lipid Profile of Female and Male Albino Rats

Isoflavones has the largest impact due to the extensive consumption of soy-foods. Although many studies have focused on the role of soy on human health the results remain controversial. Consequently, the question of whether or not phytoestrogens are beneficial or harmful to human health(lipid profile) remains unresolved. Male and female Wister albino rats were used in the present study. Each sex was randomly divided into four groups control group fed on the basal diet (AIN93 G), three treated groups given 30; 60 and 90 gm cooked soybeans/70 kg human body weight (b.w.) for three month. At the end of the experimental period female and male rats showed that the administration of soybean significantly decreased serum total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoproteins (LDL), triglycerides (TG), leptin hormone and net body weight gain however it showed a significant increase of high density lipoproteins (HDL). These results suggest that soybean play a protective role from cardiovascular diseases by decreasing lipid profile.
Dialect Differences and the BilingualVowel Space in Peruvian Spanish

The quality of Spanish vowels is often described as being relatively stable across Spanish dialects compared to consonants. Quilis & Esgueva (1983) examined vowels in several varieties of Spanish in order to derive a composite description of Spanish vowel quality. Recent laboratory work by Morrison & Escudero (2007) further supports this view. Comparing vowels produced by male and female speakers from Madrid and Lima, significant differences in formant values were not found between the two dialects (with the exception of the second formant (F2) of the vowel /o/). However, Peninsular speakers did employ significantly longer vowel sequences than the Peruvian speakers. Shifts in vowel quality, nonetheless, are observed in a number of contexts. For example, Oliver (2007) observes word-final vowel raising of mid to high vowels (/e/>[i] and /o/>[u]) in Puerto Rican Spanish, a phenomenon also observed in Mexican and Peninsular varieties. In addition, mid vowels in hiatus are raised in diphthong formation ([e.o]>[jo]), for example in Colombian Spanish (Garrido 2007). In Andean Spanish, Delforge (2008) finds that unstressed vowels undergo devoicing as opposed to centralization. Willis (2008) also shows mid-vowel variation in Dominican Spanish, especially with atonic vowels, such that vowels /e/ and /o/ are not equidistant from /i/-/a/-/u/ in the vowel space but rather tend to overlap with the neighboring high vowels. In these examples, the vowel being altered is an unstressed vowel. In addition, Quilis (1993:170-178) describes a number of vowel-related phenomena found in different Spanish dialects, including instability in vowel quality, vowel deletion, labialization and vowel-laxing in word-final position. In cases of language contact, the stressed vowel itself may exhibit a distinct vowel quality. Guion (2003) compared the vowels produced by Ecuadorian Spanish and Quichua bilinguals and found a target-like five-vowel system to be more common with simultaneous, early and some mid bilinguals, compared to a three-vowel system produced by late bilinguals and some mid bilinguals. Acquisition research by Flege, Bohn & Jang (1997) showed that a speaker’s first language (L1) affected production and perception of English as a second language (L2) and that these affects were experience-dependent. Likewise, Baker & Trofimovich (2005) found for English and Korean speakers that the L2 vowels of late bilinguals were influenced by the L1 system, while the influence was bidirectional for early bilinguals. Chen (2007) also found L1 influence in vowel quality for Mandarin Chinese speakers learning Spanish. Last, in a study of Southwest Spanish speakers, Willis (2005) demonstrates regional vowel variation in a contact situation: the /a/ was found to be farther forward, similar to the / / in English, the back vowels /o, u/ were lower and the /u/ also more forward than previous descriptions of Mexican Spanish. In a similar approach, the present study of Peruvian Spanish provides a comparison between monolinguals of two different dialects, Lima and Cuzco, as well as a comparison between Quechua-
Induce Physical and Chemical Mutagenesis for Improvement of Yield Attributing Traits and their Correlation Analysis in Chickpea

In the current scenario of sky high population and widespread food insecurity, there is an urgent need for productivity improvement of major crops like pulses, one of the most climate friendly and accessible foods for the large poor population of the world. Chickpea is an important pulse crop, having high percentage of nutritional content and is widely used as food across the world. Induced mutagenesis has proved over time as a coherent tool for modern plant breeders to improve the productivity for combating the food insecurity and malnutrition across the globe. Dry and healthy seeds of Cicer arietinum L. var. C-235 were treated with individual and combination doses of gamma rays, sodium azide and hydrazine hydrate to raise the M1 generation. M2 seeds harvested from M1 plants were sown in the nest season.Bio-physiological study in M1 generation showed growth inhibition in the order viz. combination treatment>hydrazine hydrate>gamma rays>sodium azide. In M2 generation, comparative observations were recorded for morphological variation and quantitative traits to assess the genetic response of the chickpea variety C-235 toward the different concentrations of mutagens. Observations on isolated mutants in M2 generation revealed that 0.3% HZ + 0.02% SA was most mutagenic while 200 Gy, 0.03% SA and 0.2% HZ were highest in their individual treatment groups. In context to the frequency of morphological mutants studied in M2 generation, dwarf mutants were found to be highest followed by tall and branching pattern mutants. Highly significant correlation coefficient between yield and other traits showed that the selection for high yielding mutants can be done on the basis of these traits undoubtedly.