Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Glasnost and the Art of Conversation

Despite extensive research in the field of self-disclosure, little is known about the impact of a formerly repressive regime on disclosure or the manner in which culture, demographic variables, and individual worldviews combine to affect disclosure. Building on the previous literature on social penetration processes and uncertainty reduction, the authors generated nine hypotheses about the impact of these variables on intimate disclosure. Worldview and disclosure data were collected from 450 participants in three cultures (Russia, Georgia, and Hungary) and from three occupational groups (manual workers, business people, and students). Significant effects on disclosure were found for culture, interaction target, age of respondent, and their level of fatalism, with interaction effects for the topic discussed and the occupation and gender of the respondent. Results are discussed in terms of the development of personal relationships in the emerging economies of Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the context of a wider debate about the contribution of different levels of variables in understanding close personal relationships.
HOM damped NC passive harmonic cavities at BESSY

HOM damped normal conducting passive harmonic cavities are developed and installed at the BESSY II storage ring. The mechanical and electrical parameters and the operation modes are described. The operational parameters are presented, showing good agreement of bunch lengthening, synchrotron frequency shift and increase of Touschek lifetime. Measured data of the transient shift of the synchronous phase driven by the harmonic cavities are presented. Due to the HOM dampers no coupled bunch modes of the beam are driven by the harmonic cavity.
Preclinical studies of N 3O-toluyl-fluorouracil-loaded lipid-based nanosuspensions in h 22-bearing mice

License. The full terms of the License are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. Permissions beyond the scope of the License are administered by Dove Medical Press Limited. Information on how to request permission may be found at: http://www.dovepress. com/permissions.php International Journal of Nanomedicine 2014:9 2741–2751 International Journal of Nanomedicine Dovepress
A Threshold Autoregressive Asymmetric Stochastic Volatility Strategy to Alert of Violations of the Air Quality Standards

Air quality is a topic of crucial importance, because air pollution is one of the most important pollution problems in the world. In particular, predicting or detecting a future extreme air pollution episode or predicting the violation of an air quality standard, is of crucial interest in the field of pollution control. There have been a variety of attempts to reach this purpose both from the perspective of the extreme value theory and the time series analysis, but as far as we know there is none successful strategy to alert of violations of the standards. This is why in this article we propose a new strategy, a threshold autoregressive asymmetric stochastic volatility strategy to alert of an immediate violation of the particulate matter quality standards, which take into account the different answer of the volatility to a positive or negative, but equal in magnitude, relative variation of the level of the pollutant in the previous period. Particulate matter is one of the still uncontrolled pollutants in big cities. This novel approach has been applied in Madrid City (Spain), the thirdmost populous municipality in the European Union, and it is able to predict a great percentage of violations of the standard.
Effect of Aerobic Training on Percentage of Body Fat, Total Cholesterol and HDL-C among Obese Children

The aim of the present research was to determine the effect of aerobic training on Percentage of Body Fat, total Cholesterol (TC) and High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) among obese Children. For this purpose, 20 obese Children (age17-25) were selected. The subjects received endurance training only one session in the morning between 6-7 am for three alternate days a week for six weeks. To analyse the collected data,'t'-ratio was used at 0.05 level of confidence. The results showed that there were significant changes in Percentage of Body Fat, TC and HDL-C. It was concluded that the aerobic training is widely believed to induce changes in the lipid profiles and Percentage of Body Fat of Children.
Assessment of the condensed tannin concentration in a collection of Leucaena species using 14 C-labelled polyethylene glycol (PEG 4000)

Condensed tannin (CT) in 26 Leucaena accessions (14 species and 3 hybrids) grown near Townsville, north Queensland was measured using 14 C-labelled polyethylene glycol. Results showed a wide range in the amount of PEG bound (PEG-b) (0–167 mg/g DM) both between and within species, confirming other results indicating that selection and breeding for low CT levels is possible. Lowest PEG-b values ( 120 mg/g) were measured in L. pulverulenta, L. involucrata, L. diversifolia K156 and OFI 82/92, and L. trichandra CPI 46568. L. pallida, L. diversifolia CPI 33820, L. trichandra OFI 53/88, L. macrophylla istmensis , the KX2 F1 hybrid between L. pallida and L. leucocephala and L. leucocephala had intermediate values. The cultivars Cunningham and Tarramba and the L. pallida × L. leucocephala F1 hybrid had similar values (81–87 mg/kg). The results were compared with reported values from the same species grown in south-east Queensland and in Honduras where the CT was measured by different techniques (Dalzell et al . 1998; Stewart and Dunsdon 1998). For the Honduran data, with 12 common accessions, there was an excellent linear relationship between PEG-b and total tannin estimated by radial diffusion protein-precipitation assay (r 2 = 0.881), but a poorer relationship with CT estimated by a butanol/HCl assay (r 2 = 0.649). For the south-east Queensland data, the linear relationship between CT estimated by a butanol/HCl method and PEG-b was significant (r 2 = 0.60), but there were notable departures from the relationship. Reasons for these are discussed.
The Relationship between the Heat Disorder Incidence Rate and Heat Stress Indices at Yamanashi Prefecture in Japan

In recent years, the risk of heat disorder in daily life has increased dramatically because the thermal environment has been deteriorating. The main objective of this study was to examine regional differences in the relationship between heat disorder incidence rate and heat stress indices at Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. Daily maximum air temperature and daily maximum WBGT were used as heat stress indices in each region. Nonlinear regression analysis was used to examine the regional difference in the relationship between the heat disorder incidence rate and heat stress indices in each region. The heat disorder incidence rate was correlated with both indices of heat stress in all regions. However, the more appropriate heat stress index for heat disorder prevention differed among regions. The distributions of heat stress indices, such as the slope of regression curve and the temperature threshold, differed in each region, irrespective of the index used. Therefore, the criteria for thermal conditions for heat disorder prevention need to be determined for each region, considering the regional characteristics of the relationship between the heat disorder incidence rate and heat stress indices.
Methane emission by alpaca and sheep fed on lucerne hay or grazed on pastures of perennial ryegrass/white clover or birdsfoot trefoil

Based on the knowledge that alpaca (Lama pacos) have a lower fractional outflow rate of feed particles (particulate FOR) from their forestomach than sheep (San Martin 1987), the current study measured methane (CH4) production and other digestion parameters in these species in three successive experiments (1, 2 and 3): Experiment 1, lucerne hay fed indoors; Experiment 2, grazed on perennial ryegrass/white clover pasture (PRG/WC); and Experiment 3, grazed on birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) pasture (Lotus). Six male alpaca and six castrated Romney sheep were simultaneously and successively fed on the forages either ad libitum or at generous herbage allowances (grazing). CH4 production (g/day) (using the sulphur hexafluoride tracer technique), voluntary feed intake (VFI), diet quality, and protozoa counts and volatile fatty acid concentrations in samples of forestomach contents were determined. In addition, feed digestibility, energy and nitrogen (N) balances and microbial N supply from the forestomach (using purine derivatives excretion) were measured in Experiment 1. Diets selected by alpaca were of lower quality than those selected by sheep, and the voluntary gross energy intakes (GEI, MJ) per kg of liveweight0·75 were consistently lower (P<0·001) for the alpaca than for the sheep (0·74 v. 1·36, 0·61 v. 1·32 and 0·77 v. 2·53 on lucerne hay, PRG/WC and Lotus, respectively). Alpaca and sheep did not differ (P>0·05) in their CH4 yields (% GEI) when fed on lucerne hay (5·1 v. 4·7), but alpaca had a higher CH4 yield when fed on PRG/WC (9·4 v. 7·5, P<0·05) and Lotus (6·4 v. 2·7, P<0·001). When grazing on Lotus, the sheep had very high protozoa counts in their forestomach contents, compared with those with the other forages and those in the alpaca. On lucerne hay and Lotus, but not on PRG/WC, the alpaca had higher (P<0·01) acetate/propionate ratio in their forestomach fluid than sheep. When fed on lucerne hay, alpaca and sheep did not differ (P>0·05) in diet N partition or microbial N yield, but alpaca had higher (P<0·05) neutral detergent fibre digestibility (0·478 v. 0·461) and lower (P<0·01) urinary energy losses (5·2 v. 5·8 % GEI) than sheep. It is suggested that differences between these species in forestomach particulate FOR might have been the underlying physiological mechanism responsible for the differences in CH4 yield, although the between-species differences in VFI and diet quality also had a major effect on it.
2D Finite Element modelling of plane-wave diffusive time-harmonic electromagnetic fields using adaptive unstructured grids

Summary We present a new adaptive unstructured triangular grid Finite Element approach for effectively simulating electromagnetic fields in two-dimensional anisotropic conductivity structures. This requires the elaborate generation of huge irregular grids and their expensive administration to model nearly arbitrary geometries including surface topography. To characterise the diffusion of the electromagnetic fields, a second order elliptic boundary value problem is solved. The appropriate inhomogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions are calculated analytically for a 1D stratified ground. The accuracy of the Finite Element solution is mainly influenced by mesh parameters, in particular the size of the triangles. However, fine meshes and thus large grids require great effort in computing time and memory. Adaptively refined meshes generate fine discretisations only where necessary and therefore obtain optimum tradeoff between computational expense and quality. Comparisons to analytical solutions and numerical calculations illustrate the robustness and flexibility of our FE approach with respect to model geometry and topography.
Preservice Science Teachers' Beliefs about Astronomy Concepts

The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice science teachers' conceptual understanding of astronomy concepts. Qualitative research methods were used. The sample consists of 118 preservice science teachers (40 freshmen, 31 sophomores, and 47 juniors). The data were collected with Astronomy Conceptual Questionnaire (ACQ) that includes 13 open-ended questionnaires, and measured various aspects of astronomy such as sun, planets, and moon. Moreover, semi-structured interviews were carried out in order to examine further thoughts of the participants. The results indicate that preservice science teachers have several misconceptions about astronomy concepts. Each misconception is generally based on a common incorrect astronomy knowledge. They have also difficulties with basic definitions and interpret visuals of astronomy concepts. Moreover, there is no difference among the levels of students concerning understanding of astronomy concepts.
ON-FARM ASSESSMENT OF CLONAL INTRODUCTION OF ROOT CROPS DIVERSITY IN VANUATU, MELANESIA

SUMMARY Ex-situ collections of vegetatively propagated root crops are difficult to maintain in developing countries. On-farm conservation could be a solution but is more complex for vegetatively propagated than for sexually propagated species. In Vanuatu, a Melanesian archipelago where yam, taro, sweet potato and cassava are staples, a study was undertaken to develop an on-farm conservation system based on the geographic distribution of allelic diversity. Two years after the introduction of new varieties, a survey was conducted with 449 farmers located on 10 different islands. In order to evaluate on-farm conservation efficiency, qualitative and quantitative investigations were conducted and data were analysed. The conclusion was that farmers do enrich their varietal portfolios with introduced exotic genotypes thus broadening the narrow genetic bases of some species. Nevertheless, no local varieties were lost. Significant geographic distribution of clones of new varieties throughout the archipelago also took place via spontaneous, informal distribution to farmers' relatives. These encouraging results point to the potential impact of the geographic distribution of allelic diversity on smallholders' varietal portfolios. On-farm conservation appears to be an appropriate strategy for the conservation of root crop germplasm diversity in Vanuatu. Potential applications for transfer of the methodology to other locations are discussed.
Increased Chromosomal Aberrations in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Traffic Policemen of Amritsar City

Abstract Chromosomal aberrations were investigated in cultured Lymphocytes of 21 traffic policemen occupationally exposed to automobile exhaust and 13 residents of Amritsar city not occupationally exposed to automobile exhaust to assess the genotoxic effects of increasing air pollution of Amritsar city, Punjab (India). The mean percentage frequency of total aberrant metaphases (31.12±10.12), metaphases with numerical aberrations (4.39±2.62), structural aberrations including gaps (2.38±1.91), structural aberrations excluding gaps (2.24±1.68) and acrocentric associations (24.40±7.36), was significantly higher in traffic policemen as compared to controls (13.02±1.97, 2.39±0.80, 1.30±0.96, 1.12±0.68, 9.41±2.23, respectively). The mean percentage frequency of total aberrant metaphases (40.03±7.84), metaphases with numerical aberrations (5.65±2.58), structural aberrations including gaps (3.62±1.71), structural aberrations excluding gaps (3.34±1.34), and acrocentric associations(30.76±6.09) was also significantly higher in traffic policemen working more than 10 years as compared to traffic policemen working less than 10 years (24.52±5.72, 3.44±2.49, 1.45±1.47, 1.42±1.27 and 19.63±3.72, respectively). The result indicates increased chromosomal aberrations and acrocentric associations due to occupational exposure to polluted air having increased concentration of automobile exhausts, and these effects increased with increasing duration of exposure.
Effectiveness of Strengthening Approaches for Existing Earthen Construction

Earthen structures in the form of adobe masonry are found widely around the world in reflection of the inherent low cost, material availability and ease of construction. However, adobe structures are highly vulnerable to horizontal forces. Therefore, retrofitting is often required to provide structural robustness and prolong service life, particularly in regard to extreme environmental loads. In this paper, 3dimensional finite element analysis is conducted to study the structural performance of unreinforced and reinforced C-shaped adobe masonry wall assemblies under out-of-plane forces. The materials examined as reinforcement include steel wire mesh, bamboo, Polypropylene (PP-bands) and glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) strips. The effectiveness of each strengthening technique on enhancing structural behaviour is presented, with each method being directly compared using a consistent set of mechanical properties for the adobe material. In addition, further comparisons and evaluations are carried out for each strengthening technique based on the additional factors of sustainability, cost and buildability. The results show that load enhancements of 2 to 4 times that of the unreinforced case are possible depending on the method employed.
Jump Spillover in International Equity Markets

In this article we study jump spillover effects between a number of country equity indexes. In order to identify the latent historical jumps of each index, we use a Bayesian approach to estimate a jump-diffusion model on each index. We look at the simultaneous jump intensities of pairs of countries and the probabilities that jumps in large countries cause jumps or unusually large returns in other countries. In all cases, we find significant evidence of jump spillover. In addition, we find that jump spillover seems to be particularly large between countries that belong to the same regions and have similar industry structures, whereas, interestingly, the sample correlations between the countries have difficulties in capturing the jump spillover effects.
Bio-Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles using the Brown Seaweed, Dictyota dicotoma

Introduction Nano science and technology is developing into one of the most important areas of research in the recent years. Nanotechnology implies the creation of nanoparticles in size, shape, chemical compositions and controlled diversity and their potential uses for human benefits [1]. Nanoparticles are produced by chemical and physical methods are expensive, nonreliable and potentially dangerous to the environment. Alternatively, nanoparticles produced by biological methods seem to gain interest as they are supposed to be inexpensive and eco-friendly. Biosynthesis of nanoparticles is a kind of bottom up approach and mainly by oxidation and reduction technique [2]. Nanotechnology has a wide range of applications mainly in the field of biomedical applications, drug delivery system, ultra-sensitive disease detection, etc. [3,4].
Expected Equity Risk Premium: Survey Approach in the Case of a Small Emerging Market

Estimating the equity risk premium is difficult in the case of developed economies with mature stock markets, and it is even harder in the case of emerging markets with short and volatile history of the stocks exchange. In this paper it will be shown the attempt to estimate the expected ERP as a key parameter for financial theorist and practitioners using the survey approach in the case of the Republic of Macedonia as a small and open emerging market economy. It will be shown that the risk-return trade-off holds. Namely, the estimated ERP for the Republic of Macedonia for 2013 amounts 10.84% and 10.92% on average for the next 10 years. It is higher and similar as in the case of the other emerging and developing markets which are perceived by the investors as a riskier markets comparing to the developed markets where the expected ERP is lower.
MRSA and PVL positive Staphylococcus aureus are rarely found in community- acquired osteoarticular infections in children in Portugal, a country with high MRSA prevalence

Twenty-one children with community acquired Staphylococcus aureus osteoarticular infections were analyzed (2005-2008). One isolate was methicillin resistant S. aureus, presented spa type t008, a unique pulsed-field gel electrophoretic profile and was associated with pyomyositis. Two Panton-Valentine leukocidin positive isolates presented spa types t665 and t1848 and similar pulsed-field gel electrophoretic profiles. The outcomes were independent of methicillin resistance or Panton-Valentine leukocidin positivity. methicillin resistant S. aureus isolates showed diverse genetic lineages, similar to methicillin susceptible clones described in Europe, with spa types t002, t012, t015, t127, t008. Our data suggest that methicillin resistant S. aureus and Panton-Valentine leukocidin are not major factors influencing the outcome of these infections in Portugal.
Title Anaerobic soil disinfestation ( ASD ) : a strategy for control of soil borne diseases in strawberry production Permalink

Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), a biological alternative to soil fumigation, has been shown to control a range of soil-borne pathogens and nematodes in numerous crop production systems. Current work is focusing on how to optimize ASD (in terms of carbon source used, temperature and degree of anaerobiosis attained) to control specific sets of pathogens for California strawberries. A series of on-going field and greenhouse trials are testing the effect of soil temperature, carbon source (e.g., rice bran, grape pomace, molasses) and cumulative anaerobic conditions (Eh in mV h below 200 mV) on suppression of Verticillium dahliae, Macrophomina phaseolina and Fusarium oxysporum. Earlier work found that numbers of viable microsclerotia of V. dahliae in soil can be reduced with ASD using rice bran as a carbon source by 80 to 100% providing soil temperatures are above 18°C and a cumulative Eh of 50,000 mV h below 200 mV is achieved. Yields equivalent to those achieved with soil fumigants can be obtained, and use of ASD with rice bran (RB) eliminates the need for pre-plant fertilizer in strawberry systems. Shifts in soil microbial communities and associated production of organic acid and volatiles during the anaerobic phase may all be associated with disease suppression. In an organic field trial, we observed that ASD not only reduced V. dahlia severity in strawberry plants, but also resulted in lower numbers of microscleotia in the soil almost two years after treatment following an untreated lettuce crop. Temperature and Eh thresholds for other pathogens are being determined. When soil temperatures are high, ASD with RB as a carbon source shows promise for reducing Fusarium and Macrophomina, but did not provide complete control in field trials. Trials are being repeated with refinements to see if greater pathogen control can be achieved. In 2014-15, 400 ha of commercial strawberry and raspberries in California were planted using ASD, and in one field demonstration organic strawberry yields were doubled using ASD relative to grower standard practices.