Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Plaster Characterization at the PPNB Site of Yiftahel (Israel) Including the Use of 14C: Implications for Plaster Production, Preservation, and Dating

The Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) site of Yiftahel, Israel, contains abundant plaster floors. We surveyed the states of preservation of the plasters using an infrared spectroscopic assay that characterizes the extent of disorder of the atoms in the calcite crystal lattice. We identified the 3 best-preserved plaster samples that had disorder signatures most similar to modern plaster. We then studied the surface layers, fine-grained matrices, and large aggregates of these samples using micromorphology, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microscopy, stable carbon and radiocarbon concentrations. Even though some of the plaster components have a geogenic appearance in micromorphology slides and in FTIR spectra, the 14C analyses show that all components were exposed to high temperatures and as a result were equilibrated with the 14C content of the atmosphere ∼10,000 yr ago. This implies that the plasters at Yiftahel were produced entirely from heat-altered calcite. We also show that these plasters have undergone significant diagenesis. The plaster component with the most disordered atomic signature, and hence the most similar in this respect to modern plaster, did indeed produce a 14C date close to the expected age.
New tab page recommendations cause a strong suppression of exploratory web browsing behaviors

Through a combination of experimental and simulation results, we illustrate that passive recommendations encoded in typical computer user-interfaces (UIs) can subdue users' natural proclivity to access diverse information sources. Inspired by traditional demonstrations of a part-set cueing effect in the cognitive science literature, we performed an online experiment manipulating the operation of the 'New Tab' page for consenting volunteers over a two month period. Examination of their browsing behavior reveals that typical frequency and recency-based methods for displaying websites in these displays subdues users' propensity to access infrequently visited pages compared to a situation wherein no web page icons are displayed on the new tab page. Using a carefully designed simulation study, representing user behavior as a random walk on a graph, we inferred quantitative predictions about the extent to which discovery of new sources of information may be hampered by personalized 'New Tab' recommendations in typical computer UIs. We show that our results are significant at the individual level and explain the potential consequences of the observed suppression in web-exploration.
Prescribed burning of logging slash in the boreal forest of Finland: emissions and effects on meteorological quantities and soil properties

Abstract. A prescribed fire experiment was conducted on 26 June 2009 in Hyytiala, Finland, to study aerosol and trace gas emissions from prescribed fires of slash fuels and the effects of fire on soil properties in a controlled environment. A 0.8 ha forest near the SMEAR II measurement station (Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations) was cut clear; some tree trunks, all tree tops and branches were left on the ground and burned. The amount of burned organic material was ~46.8 tons (i.e., ~60 tons ha−1). The flaming phase lasted 2 h 15 min, the smoldering phase 3 h. Measurements were conducted on the ground with both fixed and mobile instrumentation, and in the air from a research aircraft. In the middle of the burning area, CO2 concentration peaked around 2000–3000 ppm above the baseline, and peak vertical flow velocities were ~9 m s−1, as measured with a 10 Hz 3-D sonic anemometer placed within the burn area. In the mobile measurements the peak particle number concentrations were approximately 1–2 × 106 cm−3 in the plume at a distance of 100–200 m from the burn area. On the ground at the SMEAR II station the geometric mean diameter of the mode with the highest concentration was 80 ± 1 nm during the flaming phase and in the middle of the smoldering phase, but, at the end of the smoldering phase, the largest mode was 122 nm. In the volume size distributions, geometric mean diameter of the largest volume mode was 153 nm during the flaming phase and 300 nm during the smoldering phase. The lowest single-scattering albedo of the ground-level measurements was 0.7 in the flaming-phase plume and ~0.9 in the smoldering phase. Elevated concentrations of several volatile organic compounds (VOC) (including acetonitrile, a biomass burning marker) were observed in the smoke plume at ground level. Measurements at the forest floor (i.e., a richly organic layer of soil and debris, characteristic of forested land) showed that VOC fluxes were generally low and consisted mainly of monoterpenes, and VOC flux peaked after the burning. After one year, the fluxes had nearly stabilized close to the level before the burning. The clear-cutting and burning of slash increased the total long-term CO2 release from the soil, and altered the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil, such as increased the available nitrogen contents of the soil, which in turn, affected the long-term fluxes of greenhouse gases.
On Fujita invariants of subvarieties of a uniruled variety

We show that if $X$ is a smooth uniruled projective variety and $L$ a big and semiample $\mathbb{Q}$-divisor on $X$, then there exists a proper closed subset $W\subset X$ such that every subvariety $Y$ satisfying $a(Y,L)> a(X,L)$ is contained in $W$.
The Influence of Positive Behavioural Changes on HIV/AIDS Prevalence amongst Adolescents and Youths in Niger State, Nigeria

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which causes the disease, Acquired Immunodeficiency Diseases Syndrome, is a public health challenge that is yet to have a cure and still contributes to the global disease burden. This descriptive study was carried out to examine the effect of positive behavioural factors on the prevalence of HIV/AIDs amongst adolescent and youths attending the antiretroviral clinics of four general hospitals in Niger State, Nigeria. These were the general hospitals in Bida, Minna, Suleja and Kontagora. A total of 268 participants took part in the study in which a multistage (2-stage) random sampling technique was used (Bamise, Bamise and Adedigba, 2011). First stage involved the random selection of the four general hospitals used for the study whilst the second stage involved the random selection of participants at the various general hospitals selected for the study. In order to participate in the study, the participants must be within the age bracket of adolescent and youths and must be retroviral positive. The instrument for data collection was a pretested semistructured questionnaire. Data analysis was carried out using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: A total of 268 respondents were interviewed. More male participated in the study and majority of the participants were concentrated within the age bracket (21 – 25) years. The awareness of the participants about HIV/AIDs is high with 98.2 percent participants believed that condom use prevented HIV/AIDs. About 66 percent of respondents had only one sexual partner, 56.3 percent used condom and other preventive method as a form of positive life style change in behaviour whilst 51.1 percent of respondents practiced abstinence from sexual intercourse. Conclusion: The study showed there was high level of awareness about HIV/AIDs and positive life style behaviour was found to have effect on prevalence of HIV/AIDs among the target group for the study. From the finding, more awareness programs about HIV/AIDs should be carried out among adolescent and youths. Government and Nongovernmental organization should partner with the community, faith based organization, schools to implement these findings.
Interactions between Earnings and Share Prices in Nigeria Brewery Industry

The aim of the study is to determine the direction and significance of the interactions between earnings per share and market price of ordinary shares in the Nigeria brewery industry from 2000 to 2013. Engle and Granger 2-step cointegration and correlation approach was adopted in the analysis with an estimation of an error correction model. Stationarity of time series data were tested with the adoption of Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) and Phillips-Perron (PP) procedures. All the study variables were integrated of the same order I(1), signaling a cointegration. Market Price of Shares has a short term positive and significant effect on Earnings Per Share while the long run coefficient shows a negative and insignificant influence in line with our initial expectations. The error correction mechanism suggests that deviations from equilibrium could be corrected at approximately 7% per annum, implying that the distortions affecting EPS in the long term could be corrected in approximately 14 years and three months (approximately 171 months). There is a unidirectional causality running from MPS to EPS at lag 1 period, implying that MPS granger causes EPS in the short run. The result further reveals that a very strong relationship exists between MPS and EPS at approximately 80%. Firms in the brewery industry should, therefore, pursue strategies geared towards cost reduction, elimination of wastes, integrations, full automation of production lines, attractive packaging and production of low sugar alcoholic drinks in order to push up earnings and ultimately enhance the market price of their shares. Keywords: EPS, MPS, Granger, Brewery, Cointegration, Nigeria.
Factors Considered in Dividend Payout Decisions - The Case For Listed Companies in Kenya

The dividend decision is one of the fundamental financial decisions in the management of a firm. To most investors, the value of an investment is assessed primarily on the basis of returns received usually in form of dividend and interest. Thus, a firm’s dividend decision carries significant information value to investors. On the other hand, the expanding investment market in Kenya has placed an increased challenge on managers to accumulate sufficient funds for growth. This situation has further limited managers’ discretion on the dividend payment. A balance between the various competing interests is critical for sustainable growth of a firm. Considering that quoted companies in Kenya enjoy public trust and investor confidence due to the stringent governance and reporting requirements, which in most cases are reflected in the positive earnings and growth that they generate for their shareholders, it would be useful to study the key factors that drive their dividend policies. These considerations may be replicated in other firms and sectors so that they too may achieve sustainable growth while addressing the needs of their diversified investors. This study therefore seeks to examine the factors considered by management of quoted companies in Kenya in determining the dividend payout ratios. The study goes further to assess whether the ranking of these factors is influenced by the nature of industry, size and age of a company. The research is exploratory in nature and adopts a survey approach. For this purpose, primary data is obtained through a questionnaire administered on the management of the companies while secondary data is obtained from published financial statements over an eight year period from January 1998 to December 2005. The results indicate that the current and future profitability of a company, the cash flow position, the financing requirements and the availability of profitable investments, in that order are the main considerations in the dividend payout decision of a firm. On the other hand, the size of a firm, the number of years of operation (age) and the nature of the industry do not significantly affect a company’s dividend policy in relation to payout. Keywords: Dividends, payout, determinants, dividend theories, Nairobi Securities Exchange.
Studies on acute toxicity of lindane (gamalin 20) exposed to Hetrobrancus bidorsalis juveniles

A The study was carried out to determine the acute toxicity of lindane (gammalin 20) exposed to Heterobrancus bidorsalis juveniles using static bioassays. The mean weight and total length of the fish samples were 2.5 g and 8.6 cm, respectively. Six groups of the experimental units were set up containing 10 fish individuals in each bowl with 20 L water capacity. Gammalin 20, organochlorine pesticide was distillated and the active ingredient lindane was condensed and collected. The stock solution was prepared with graded concentration of 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 and 0.10 mL/L. The fish juveniles of 10 individuals were put in each of the bowls and exposed to the different concentration of the lindane with a control experiment where the toxicant was not introduced. The experimental set was replicated three times. The exposed fish were observed daily and dead fish were removed immediately and mortality was recorded for 24 and 48 h exposure period. The LC50 was determined to be 0.06 mL/L for the 24 and 48 h exposure period. The obtained result was transformed to Probit analysis which was plotted against the graded concentration of lindane for the 24 and 48 h exposure period. The R2 values of 0.76 and 0.80 were obtained for the 24 and 48 h respectively indicating a strong relationship of lindane with mortality. The result of the water quality was, pH: 7.80 8.46, temperature: 28.39 28.42 0C, DO: 5.06 5.17 mg/L, conductivity: 462 482 μS/cm and TDS: 231 241 mg/L. The water quality parameters increase with increase in the lindane concentration; however they were within the maximum permissible level and did not have any effect on the fish and its death. The death of the fish may be due to the toxic potential of lindane. It was recommended through this study that gammalin 20 is very toxic and persistent in the aquatic environment and its use should be greatly discouraged.
Oxidant and antioxidant compounds, gas exchange and growth of young Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum plants under high boron and calcium concentrations

Boron (B) and Calcium (Ca) unbalance in plants during early stages can generate oxidative stress and consequently to interfere negatively on growth and quality of seedlings. This study aims to evaluate the gas exchange and measure the biochemical responses, responding how high concentrations of B and Ca can affect the growth and quality of young Schizolobium parahyba plants. The experimental design used was completely randomised with four treatments [1 - 25 µM B + 5 mM Ca (control); 2 - 25 µM B + 50 mM Ca (Ca high); 3- 250 µM B + 5 mM Ca (B high) and 4 - 250 µM B + 50 mM Ca (B and Ca high)]. Negative impacts on gas exchange, photosynthetic pigments and total glutathione were obtained, besides increases in hydrogen peroxide and electrolyte leakage were verified in plants treated with B and Ca high, indicating oxidative stress. Thus, application 250 µM B combined with 50 mM Ca promoted disorders in plant metabolism, decreasing the growth and quality of young Schizolobium parahyba plants.
Evolving Narratives of Low-Carbon Futures in Transportation

Abstract Scenarios of low-carbon transport demonstrate that a vast range of different outcomes is possible and contingent on policy, technology and cultural developments. But a closer look indicates that different schools of thought suggest possible pathways diverging in their fine structure. This perspective reveals how three different scientific communities — integrated assessment modelers, transport-sector modelers, and place-based modelers — emphasize distinct solution domains. While integrated assessment models focus on fuel composition, transport-sector models put slightly higher emphasis on efficiency measures; in turn place-based research specifies idiosyncratic behavioral and infrastructural mitigation options that are likely to be beneficial in realizing local co-benefits. These specific local approaches could mitigate urban transport emissions by 20–50%, higher than that revealed in aggregate global models. We discuss differences in approach, possibilities for reconciliation, and the implications of normative assumptions. Targeted three-directional interactions would foster comprehensive understanding of possible low-carbon transportation futures.
Predictability of Total Ozone Using a Global Three-Dimensional Chemical Transport Model Coupled with the MRI/JMA98 GCM

A global three-dimensional chemical transport model is being developed for forecasting total ozone. The model includes detailed stratospheric chemistry and transport and couples with a dynamical module of the Meteorological Research Institute/Japan Meteorological Agency 1998 (MRI/JMA98) general circulation model, which can yield realistic atmospheric fields through a meteorological assimilation system. Its predictability on total ozone is investigated for up to 4 weeks from 1997 to 2000. Global root-mean-square errors (rmses) of a control run are approximately 10 DU (3% of total ozone) throughout a year; the control run results are used as initial values for hindcast experiments. Rmses of the hindcast experiments globally range from 10 to 30 DU. The anomaly correlation between the 5-day forecasts and satellite measurements is approximately 0.6 throughout a year in the mid- and high latitudes of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Thus, the model has potential for utilization on total ozone forecasts up to 5 days. In the northern mid- and high latitudes, the model produces better total ozone forecasts than the persistence up to 2 weeks, indicating that the deterministic limit of the total ozone forecasts is durationally comparable to that of weather forecasts. Good correlations between changes in total ozone and 100-hPa geopotential height reveal that the predictability of the dynamical field in the lower stratosphere critically affects the predictability of total ozone.
Relationships between hornblende K–Ar ages, chemical composition and hydrogen isotopes, Connemara, western Ireland: evidence for a massive extinct hydrothermal system

Major element compositional analyses, K–Ar ages, δD‰ and δ18O‰ values for 30 zoned and unzoned hornblendes from Dalradian amphibolites and metagabbros, mostly in north Connemara are reported. Although the cooling ages are expected from previous U–Pb zircon studies to be c. 475–450 Ma, the results obtained are from 556±6 to 410±9 Ma with an average of 470 Ma. Fluid movements, probably at 275±15°C, i.e. much below Ar closure temperature for hornblende, erratically reset the ages, as is shown by a negative correlation of hornblende δD and age and a wide scatter of ages even within 2 m. The changes were implemented by H–D exchange between fluid and hornblendes in which ionic porosity, Z, influenced the loss of Ar and possibly its gain from the fluid to give the excess Ar found in some samples. Z is controlled by hornblende chemical composition. High Mg, Si and Mg/Fe and low Fe, Al, Ti, Na and particularly low K, amphiboles giving low Z values retained Ar more firmly and gained Ar more readily than compositions which had higher Z values, which gave younger ages. These range down to c. 400 Ma, being the age of the intrusion of the Galway Granite suite that initiated the fluid circulation. The scatter of ages is a consequence of incomplete equilibration, mainly because of the slow H–D exchange rate below 350°C and partly because the fluid permeated erratically in different areas and down cracks of all kinds, promoting irregular Ar movement. The meteoric fluid circulated through Connemara, the Galway Granite and at least some of the contiguous Silurian sediments of the South Mayo trough. These overlying sediments may have contributed to the water circulated in north Connemara which was slightly less negative δD than in central Connemara. For hornblende K–Ar ages to be a reliable measure of times of uplift and cooling, they need to be demonstrated to be free from the influence of hot fluids by showing no correlation of age with δD.
The necessity of the Hadamard condition

Hadamard states are generally considered as the physical states for linear quantized fields on curved spacetimes, for several good reasons. Here, we provide a new motivation for the Hadamard condition: for ‘ultrastatic slab spacetimes’ with compact Cauchy-surface, we show that the Wick squares of all time-derivatives of the quantized Klein–Gordon field have finite fluctuations only if the Wick-ordering is defined with respect to a Hadamard state. This provides a converse to an important result of Brunetti and Fredenhagen. The recently proposed ‘S-J (Sorkin–Johnston) states’ are shown, generically, to give infinite fluctuations for the Wick square of the time-derivative of the field, further limiting their utility as reasonable states. Motivated by the S-J construction, we also study the general question of extending states that are pure (or given by density matrices relative to a pure state) on a double-cone region of Minkowski space. We prove a result for general quantum field theories showing that such states cannot be extended to any larger double cone without encountering singular behaviour at the spacelike boundary of the inner region. In the context of the Klein–Gordon field this shows that even if an S-J state is Hadamard within the double cone, this must fail at the boundary.
CORI: Explicit Reading Instruction to Enhance Informational Text Comprehension and Reading Engagement for Thai EFL Students.

The study aimed to examine the effect of explicit reading instruction as an approach to ConceptOriented Reading Instruction (CORI) framework on EFL students’ informational text comprehension and engagement. The explicit reading instruction was implemented with 39 first-year Thai undergraduate students over a 10-week period. It was found that the students improved their reading comprehension and engagement after the implementation. There were also significant differences between the students’ pre-test and post-test mean scores. The results from the Reading Engagement Index (REI) and Reading Engagement Checklist indicated positive changes in behavioral, affective and cognitive engagements. However, the social engagement was unnoticeable. Three instructional practices were videotaped and 68 | PASAA Vol. 49 (January – June) 2015 transcribed to analyze students’ performances and engagement processes in reading. The study suggests that EFL reading educators should encourage students to involve more in social interactions in order to enable them to see perspectives and to socially construct information from texts. Discussion and implications provided the guidelines for engaging readers in the reading process.