Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pupil clustering in English secondary schools: one pattern or several?

Previous international work has shown that clustering pupils with similar characteristics in particular schools yields no clear academic benefit, and can be disadvantageous both socially and personally. Understanding how and why this clustering happens, and how it may be reduced, is therefore important for policy. Yet previous work has tended to focus on only one kind of clustering at a time. In the USA, for example, black:white segregation of pupils has been the key issue. In the UK, and across Europe, the focus has been on social background, especially on the segregation from their peers of pupils living in poverty. With access to high-quality national data sets in England, it is now possible to track the between-school segregation of numerous pupil characteristics over a 14-year period. This paper uses school-level figures for all state-funded secondary school pupils in England from 1996 to 2009, including free school meals, special needs, ethnicity, and first language. The paper investigates, more fully than has been attempted before, whether segregation in terms of these indicators has a common pattern. It presents evidence for the existence of at least three different processes of between-school segregation over this period, and proposes a possible determinant for each, and some future work that could be done to clarify the situation. The paper therefore provides an important corrective to previous work that sought explanation for only one type of segregation. In the allocation of school places, pupils are being clustered in several distinct ways. The standard previous explanations for pupil clustering such as selection by ability or housing, faith-based enrolment, and increased parental choice, apply only to some of these forms of segregation.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE: A RISK MANAGEMENT APPROACH

Risk management committees are now required for all U.S. financial institutions that are regulated by the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank. All U.S. public companies must now report their risk management activities for both Board of Directors and top management in their 10 K annual reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This paper analyzes one approach to risk management for public companies and their Boards of Directors. Since 2011, Disclosure Insight Inc. has issued risk ratings for over 1500 public companies in US. Its risk rating is based on the number, nature, and timing of 100 risk factors, which are across major categories, such as the SEC investigative activity, auditor issues, capital market events, and corporate governance issues. Our study finds significant positive abnormal risk-adjusted returns for companies with lower risk ratings and these companies also outperform the S&P500. Thus, this paper should be of interest to investors, company executives, and risk management committees, as well as SEC and other regulators. Alternatively, risk management committees in public companies could just establish their own rating systems, based upon their own key factors, as opposed to using the Disclosure Insight Inc. aggregate rating approach for all 100 risk factors.
The Costs of Outside Equity Control: Evidence from Motion Picture Financing Decisions

Recent theoretical work suggests that outside equity monitoring and control come with costs as well as benefits, especially in small, entrepreneurial firms. These costs arise when outside investors undervalue any private benefits of control that may accrue to an entrepreneur. The resulting hold-up problems may reduce the entrepreneur's incentives to invest personal effort into the firm. This paper investigates the financing of individual motion pictures in light of a tradeoff between better monitoring and better creative effort. Filmmakers have the choice of using studio funds (and giving up control) or of obtaining independent financing (and retaining control.) Consistent with arguments in the literature on investor control, I find that independent motion picture finance is more common when a filmmaker's private artistic stake in the film is high and for films requiring a high level of creative effort. This paper also investigates the role of several other factors, the most important of which is reputation, in financial contracting. I find that a filmmaker's commercial reputation affects the amount of resources independent investors, without control, are willing to provide. In contrast, studio investors, who maintain high levels of monitoring and control, appear relatively less concerned about reputation.
Interactive lighting art installation in virtual environments as a stimulus for public Ownership in urban development – Brighter Brunnshög

Urban development projects are often 1 opposed by residents due to a lack of sense of ownership over the project. This study is a methodological approach in creating interactive lighting art installations in virtual environments to stimulate this sense of ownership. The study is part of the Brighter Brunnshog project, which is the initial stage of the urban development plan for new research centres in Brunnshog, Sweden. The main goal of this research is to explore the impact of virtual lighting art installations on residents´ attitudes toward the urban development of their area. The research is based on qualitative field studies and focus group interviews, and was assessed with questionnaires. The design itself is based on the results of the research data and consists of three criteria; awareness, mutuality, and adaptability. The results of the assessment indicate that interactive lighting art installations in virtual environments have the potential to create awareness of areas under urban development, which is a fundamental condition for creating place attachment, and by extension, a sense of ownership over the project.
Effects of land use on fish assemblages in Patagonian low order streams

We assessed the effects of land use on the structure of stream fish assemblages in Northwest Patagonia, Argentina. To this end, a total of 18 sites distributed in 15 streams were sampled during the low water period. At each site, 26 regional and local scale variables were used to describe the environmental conditions. The macroinvertebrate density, and the composition and abundance of fish were then recorded. Statistical associations between local assemblage structures and environmental variables were quantified by canonical correspondence analyses. The results revealed that, at a regional scale, the fish assemblages were primarily determined by watershed features like altitude and catchment area, and by land use effects (exotic forest and pasture). Assemblage compositions were also related to some local-scale features such as water velocity, food availability (density of benthic macroinvertebrates), instream characteristic and riparian features. Also, the observed fish species richness was low. Overall, exotic salmonids largely dominated in the samples both in numbers of individuals (98.9%) and in biomass (99.9%), whereas native fish (Hatcheria macraei and Odontesthes hatcheri ) were scarcely represented. Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss ) was the most abundant fish, and was present in all streams. Native species were restricted to five streams located in the ecotone between the Andes and the steppe, where salmonids were also present. Salmonids were the only fish at Andean streams which suggest the existence of a strong geographic segregation between native and exotic species. Some aspects related to the incidence of the introduced species in the structure of fish assemblages are discussed.
Influence of irrigation on wheat crop

O uso da irrigacao na triticultura tem aumentado significativamente nos ultimos anos no Brasil. Neste trabalho, objetivou-se avaliar a influencia da irrigacao na produtividade, na qualidade tecnologica da farinha e no sistema radicular do trigo. Em experimento de campo no IAPAR, em Londrina, Parana, a cultivar IPR 118 foi cultivada sob irrigacao por aspersao convencional (Tratamento Irrigado) e sem irrigacao (Tratamento Sequeiro). A produtividade foi determinada, colhendo-se tres amostras de 25 m2 por tratamento. Nestas mesmas amostras, procedeu-se a analise da qualidade tecnologica da farinha, sendo avaliada, entre outros parâmetros, a forca de gluten (W). A avaliacao do sistema radicular foi realizada apos a colheita, no perfil de 0 a 45 cm de profundidade do solo, amostrando-se oito plantas em cada tratamento. O metodo da parede do perfil foi utilizado para determinar o numero de raizes (NR) e o metodo do monolito para determinar a massa seca de raizes (MSR). A irrigacao aumentou em tres vezes a produtividade do trigo, porem diminuiu o W na farinha. Ainda assim, o valor de W encontrado no Tratamento Irrigado (249 10-4 J) foi suficiente para manter a classificacao do trigo como tipo-pao, a mesma para o qual a cultivar IPR 118 e classificada. Os valores medidos de NR e a MSR foram iguais ou maiores no Tratamento Sequeiro.
Opto-electric particle manipulation on a bismuth silicon oxide crystal

High-throughput manipulation of microparticles can be efficiently accomplished using electrokinetic effects. In this contribution, we demonstrate the two-dimensional investigation of internal space-charge fields inside a bismuth silicon oxide (BSO) crystal and their use for optically mediated particle trapping. The magnitude of the internal fields as well as the time constant for its build-up are measured by Zernike phase contrast and digital holography. The fast response time of a BSO crystal at very low light powers enables real-time generation of high electric field gradients. We demonstrate that this photoconductive material facilitates both electrophoretic and dielectrophoretic trapping of particles on an accessible surface.
Temporal variation in sex allocation in hermaphrodites of gynodioecious Thymus vulgaris L.

1 Theory predicts that hermaphrodites adjust sex allocation in relation to the relative fitness contributions of male and female functions. Few studies have, however, focused on temporal variation in sex allocation within individuals. 2 We quantified temporal variation in allocation to male and female function of hermaphrodites of gynodioecious Thymus vulgaris across a single flowering season, in families from four natural populations grown in an experimental garden. 3 Allocation to pollen production and to seed set and germination varied significantly among sample dates, with male function highest when female function was lowest, and a significant negative correlation between pollen production and seed set among families indicated a trade‐off between male and female function. 4 Females and hermaphrodites showed gender‐specific flowering phenology: female plants achieved peak flowering later and flowered for a significantly shorter period than hermaphrodites. 5 The number of open female flowers was significantly positively correlated with pollen production by hermaphrodites. Hermaphrodite male function was maximized at the time of peak flowering by females in all four populations. 6 These results fit theoretical predictions that across‐season variation in the mating environment could select for a temporal variation in hermaphrodite sex allocation, but other factors (e.g. variation in the selfing rate or resource levels) may also contribute to the observed pattern.
High-resolution global topographic index values for use in large-scale hydrological modelling.

Modelling land surface water flow is of critical im- portance for simulating land surface fluxes, predicting runoff and water table dynamics and for many other applications of Land Surface Models. Many approaches are based on the popular hydrology model TOPMODEL (TOPography-based hydrological MODEL), and the most important parameter of this model is the well-known topographic index. Here we present new, high-resolution parameter maps of the topo- graphic index for all ice-free land pixels calculated from hy- drologically conditioned HydroSHEDS (Hydrological data and maps based on SHuttle Elevation Derivatives at multi- ple Scales) data using the GA2 algorithm (GRIDATB 2). At 15 arcsec resolution, these layers are 4 times finer than the resolution of the previously best-available topographic in- dex layers, the compound topographic index of HYDRO1k (CTI). For the largest river catchments occurring on each continent we found that, in comparison with CTI our revised values were up to 20 % lower in, e.g. the Amazon. We found the highest catchment means were for the Murray-Darling and Nelson-Saskatchewan rather than for the Amazon and St. Lawrence as found from the CTI. For the majority of large catchments, however, the spread of our new GA2 index val- ues is very similar to those of CTI, yet with more spatial variability apparent at fine scale. We believe these new index layers represent greatly improved global-scale topographic index values and hope that they will be widely used in land surface modelling applications in the future.
Evaluation of biological activities of Piper nigrum oil against Tribolium castaneum

The essential oil of Piper nigrum (L.) was evaluated for its repellent, insecticidal and developmental inhibitory activities against an important wheat grain pest Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). Adults of T. castaneum were repelled significantly by P. nigrum at 0.2% concentration (v:v) and above in filter paper test. The LC50 values for larvae and adults were calculated to be 14.022 µl and 15.262 µl respectively. The oil had shown a dose response relationship as the larval and adult mortality increased while the larval survival and adult emergence decreased with increase in the concentration of essential oil. Effective concentration (EC50) of P. nigrum oil to reduce the number of larvae transformed to pupae to 50% was found to be 6.919 µl.
What Germany and Romania have in common: The impact of university prestige on graduate employability

The current paper focuses on analysing the impact of university prestige on the employment process of graduates. Representatives of recruitment companies and employers were interviewed to understand the ramifications of university prestige while selecting candidates for job openings. The research takes place simultaneously in Romania, as a representative of a peripheral higher education system, and Germany, as a representative of a higher education system located at the centre of the academic world. By exploring the difference in prestige between individual institutions and the higher education systems of the two countries, this paper aims to better understand the transnational significance of university prestige. With the help of thematic analysis, three main themes were extracted and revealed as relevant for both countries: (1) skills represent the core variable of relevance in the employment process, (2) university prestige is viewed as a contributing variable and (3) the selection process itself is becoming increasingly complex. Additionally, Romanian employers demonstrated a preference for graduates from German universities, highlighting the centre-periphery dichotomy in higher education.
A Study of Cirrus Ice Particle Size Distribution Using TC4 Observations

Abstract An analysis of two days of in situ observations of ice particle size spectra, in convectively generated cirrus, obtained during NASA’s Tropical Composition, Cloud, and Climate Coupling (TC4) mission is presented. The observed spectra are examined for their fit to the exponential, gamma, and lognormal function distributions. Characteristic particle size and concentration density scales are determined using two (for the exponential) or three (for the gamma and lognormal functions) moments of the spectra. It is shown that transformed exponential, gamma, and lognormal distributions should collapse onto standard curves. An examination of the transformed spectra, and of deviations of the transformed spectra from the standard curves, shows that the lognormal function provides a better fit to the observed spectra.
Effects of low-fluence-rate PDT on glioma spheroids

The effectiveness of low-fluence rate PDT on human glioma spheroids incubated in 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) or hexyl- ALA, is investigated. Spheroid survival is monitored following PDT at representative drug concentrations, light fluences and fluence rates. It is shown that, for above threshold fluences, significant PDT response can be obtained at a fluence rate of 5 mW cm-2. At this fluence rate, the response of human glioma spheroids to PDT with lipophilic ester derivatives, such as hexyl-ALA, is equivalent to that obtained with ALA, however, this equivalency is observed for ester concentrations 20 times lower than the parent compound. The efficacy of PDT is significantly reduced at a sub-threshold fluence of 25 J cm-2. Spheroid response appears to be somewhat fluence rate dependent at sub-threshold fluences - survival is marginally poorer at the higher fluence rate (25 mW cm-2) investigated. In addition, the efficacy of PDT at 25 J cm-2 depends significantly on photosensitizer concentration at the lowest fluence rate investigated (5 mW cm-2).
Change of nuclear configurations in the neutrinoless double ß decay of 130Te→130Xe and 136Xe→136Ba

The change in the configuration of valence protons between the initial and final states in the neutrinoless double-$\beta$ decay of $^{130}$Te $\rightarrow$ $^{130}$Xe and of $^{136}$Xe $\rightarrow$ $^{136}$Ba has been determined by measuring the cross sections of the ($d$,$^3$He) reaction with 101-MeV deuterons. Together with our recent determination of the relevant neutron configurations involved in the process, a quantitative comparison with the latest shell-model and interacting-boson-model calculations reveals significant discrepancies. These are the same calculations used to determine the nuclear matrix elements governing the rate of neutrinoless double-$\beta$ decay in these systems.
The enigmatic Betadevario ramachandrani (Teleostei: Cyprinidae: Danioninae): phylogenetic position resolved by mitogenome analysis, with remarks on the prevalence of chimeric mitogenomes in GenBank

Abstract We present the complete mitochondrial genome and a phylogenetic analysis of the danionine cyprinid Betadevario ramachandrani, endemic to the Western Ghats in India. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of all available mitochondrial genomes of Danionina show that B. ramachandrani is the most basal member of a clade also containing Devario, Microdevario and Microrasbora, and this clade is the sister group of Danio. Seven of 20 mitochondrial genomes downloaded from GenBank for phylogenetic analysis were found to be chimeric, including five curated reference genomes, and this did affect our phylogenetic analysis. At least three of these erroneous sequences have been used in other studies. There is reason to suspect that there are numerous chimeric mitogenomes in GenBank.
EATING BEHAVIOUR OF SHEEP FED AT DAY AND/OR NIGHT PERIOD

The aim of this research was to determine the eating behavior of sheep which fed at day and/or night period. Twelve ram average body weight 20.65 + 1.89 kg, CV = 9.15%, and age ranged from 12 to 18 months were used in this study. Rams were daily fed pelleted diet at 5% of body weight (BW) in 100% dry matter base. Animals were assigned to Completely Randomized Design and divided into three groups for different feeding time treatments. The treatments were day feeding time (feeding allowed from 0600 to 1800; T0618), night feeding (from 1800 to 0600; T1806) and whole-day feeding (24 h; T0606), respectively. Parameters observed in this study were duration of eating, rumination, rest, standing and laying activity (minute/day), dry matter intake (DMI, g/day) and eating speed (g/minute). Collected data were analyzed using ANOVA with F-test and if significantly was found were then analyzed with Duncan test. The results showed that eating duration ( 89.71 min/day) and DMI (1034.53 g/day) on T1806 were significantly lower (P<0.05) than T0618 (117.78 min/day; 1208.75 g/day) and T0606 (127.5 min/day; 1281.63 g/day) but, the other observation of ruminating, rest, standing and laying duration and eating speed were found not significantly different in the all treatments. It can be concluded that feeding at night period can reduce eating time significantly compared to feeding during the day period or 24 hours a day, although it results in decreasing feed consumption.
Physicochemical Characterization of Petroleum Fractions: the State of the Art

High-boiling-point petroleum fractions (350°C+ ) are known to be enriched in the most polar compounds such as resins and asphaltenes. Asphaltenes contain molecules of variable aromaticity with different contents of heteroatoms, metals and functional groups. An asphaltene fraction is a complex mixture of polydispersed molecules in terms of size and chemical composition. Such structures cannot be represented by only one model molecule. Several models have been proposed in the literature to describe these structures (continental and archipelago types). Due to this high polydispersity, specific properties such as aggregation are observed. Detailed characterization of such highly complex products is difficult and the choice of analytical techniques that can be used is quite limited. Average structural information has been obtained, but it cannot be representative of all chemical and structural variety that such matrices may contain. The aggregation state of asphaltene macromolecules strongly depends on the experimental conditions (concentration, temperature and solvent). Significant variations in measurement may be induced if the operating conditions used are not similar. The techniques being based on different theories and being run in different experimental conditions are consequently not equivalent. The asphaltenic structures are not measured in the same aggregation state. Heavy product characterizations can be divided into two types: the chemical and colloidal characterizations. The first one gives information on both chemical composition and main functional groups as well as the structural state of metals and heteroatoms in macromolecules. Numerous techniques are used such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (PyGC-MS), 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and spectroscopic techniques (IR, XPS, EXAFS and XANES). Colloidal characterization consists of the investigation of the dispersion of heavy fractions (asphaltenes and resins) as macromolecules in a good solvent or in their natural medium (maltenes). The main parameters that can define the colloidal structure are the molecular weight and the mass or size polydispersity of aggregates. Various techniques may be employed, such as mass spectrometry, scattering techniques (small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering), pulsed-field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance (PFG-1 H NMR), as well as different separation methods (ultracentrifugation, solvent separation and size-exclusion chromatography). As a preliminary step, fractionations have to be carried out in order to simplify these matrices, too complex to be directly characterized.