Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do Judges Have Tastes for Racial Discrimination? Evidence from Trial Judges

There are numerous studies that find trial judges issue racially disparate sentences; however, whether these patterns reflect tastes for discrimination remains unclear. An alternative explanation is that black-white differences are legally warranted to the extent that racial groups differ along unobserved legal dimensions. Another possibility is that judges engage in statistical not taste-based discrimination. Building on Anwar and Fang (2006), this paper uses an empirical approach that distinguishes taste-based discrimination from these alternative explanations. The intuition is that if ordering of judicial incarceration rates depends on race, then this is symptomatic of taste-based discrimination. I find that in 3 of the 4 largest judicial districts in Kansas, there is evidence that trial judges exhibit tastes for racial discrimination.
Performance Investigation of Batch Mode MicrobialFuel Cells Fed With High Concentration of Glucose

Two-chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC) with Nafion117 as proton exchange membrane (PEM) in the middle of reactors was built to treat the synthetic wastewater containing high concentration of glucose in this work. This MFC can produce 95% removal efficiencies of the maximum chemical oxygen demand (COD) and the highest coulombic efficiency (Ec) of 24.4% at the glucose concentration of 1 g/L. It was found that when the feed of glucose concentration is changed from 0.5 g/L to 4.0 g/L the volumetric power density is decreased from 5.3 W/ m3 to 2.25 W/m3. When the glucose concentration is further increased to 12 g/L, almost no power output was observed. The optimized running concentration of glucose for as-designed MFC is between 0.5-4 g/L at the experimental conditions in this work. This work would pave a way for the direct treatment of wastewater containing high concentration of complex organic contaminants.
Adipose tissue : from obesity to tissue regeneration MODARRESSI GHAVAMI

Nowadays, adipose tissue is considered as a mutli-function organ and more recently a source of regenerative cells. Therefore, adipose tissue has gained significant attention. How to reduce it when it is in excess? How to take advantage of it? And even how to increase it when needed? In this thesis, we will demonstrate a) how adipose reduction by plastic surgery can improve quality of life and weight loss, b) how to improve fat grafting outcome by adding platelet-rich plasma (PRP), c) how to have a safer and more effective technique for in vitro adipose-derived stem cells expansion by using autologous PRP instead of actual cell culture media, and e) finally, how to increase soft tissue by an innovative technique composed of microspheres loaded with lipids, which could increase the adipose tissue volume in situ. MODARRESSI GHAVAMI, Seyed Ali. Adipose tissue: from obesity to tissue regeneration . Thèse de privat-docent : Univ. Genève, 2016 DOI : 10.13097/archive-ouverte/unige:85428
Precipitation over Northern South America and Its Seasonal Variability as Simulated by the CMIP5 Models

Northern South America is identified as one of the most vulnerable regions to be affected by climate change. Furthermore, recent extreme wet seasons over the region have induced socioeconomic impacts of wide proportions. Hence, the evaluation of rainfall simulations at seasonal and interannual time scales by the CMIP5 models is urgently required.Here,we evaluated the ability of seven CMIP5models (selected based on literature review) to represent the seasonalmean precipitation and its interannual variability over northern SouthAmerica.Our results suggest that it is easier formodels to reproduce rainfall distribution during boreal summer and fall over both oceans and land. This is probably due to the fact that during these seasons, incoming radiation and ocean-atmosphere feedbacks over Atlantic and Pacific oceans locate the ITCZ on the Northern Hemisphere, as suggested by previous studies.Models exhibit the worse simulations during boreal winter and spring, when these processes have opposite effects locating the ITCZ. Our results suggest that the models with a better representation of the oceanic ITCZ and the local low-level jets over northern South America, such as the Choco low-level jet, are able to realistically simulate the main features of seasonal precipitation pattern over northern South America.
Green with Envy at Your Kid: The Effects of Two Different Types of Envy on Purchase Intention

Envy is an emotion that “arises when a person lacks another’s superior quality, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it”. Envy has been classified into two types: benign envy and malicious envy. Benign envy emphasizes the brighter side of envy, which is related to moving-up motivation, while malicious envy represents the destructive side of envy, which motivates people to pull down. The purpose of this study is to address research gap by exploring how envy affects purchase intention among mom through experimental design. Participants were recruited by research company, total one hundred and twenty eight moms with 5-7 year old kids were randomized in each study. Envy is manipulated into two types depending on the deservingness of the situation. Participants were given a short scenario which described a friend who has more capital for raising her children. In purchasing economic capital related products, benign envy condition(M=2.57, SD=1.36) reported greater desire for purchasing products than malicious envy condition(M=2.35, SD=1.21)(F=5.392, p<.05). In purchasing cultural capital related products, benign envy condition(M=4.00, SD=0.78) reported greater desire for purchasing products than malicious envy condition(M=3.98, SD=1.08)(F=.235,n.s). The findings confirm that difference depending on type of envy, and benign envy play an important role for Koreans in purchase intention. In result, envy has no influence in purchasing cultural capital related products. It reveals that in Korea, fashion is used as a strategy of cultural capital, and sense of advanced taste are likely to be interpreted as part of cultural capital.
Impact of Dividend Policy on Shareholders' Wealth: A Study of Selected Manufacturing Industries of Pakistan

This study examines the impact of dividend policy on shareholders' wealth in context of Pakistan. Thirty five companies randomly from three sectors; Textile, Sugar and Chemical are observed in the study. The annual data for these companies from 2006 to 2011 is used in the study. Simple OLS technique for analysis is used to derive the results of the study. The findings showed that dividend policy of the firm has significant positive impact on shareholders wealth. Similarly firm growth rate also has significant positive impact on shareholders' wealth. Firm size has significant positive impact on shareholders wealth; indicating that large domain of operations of a business make it more capable to exploit maximum opportunities and in position to earn greater amount of return due to greater growth prospects so it ultimately place greater value to shares of large size companies. The results of study help the corporate management to better decide the level of dividend to be distributed so that shareholders wealth could be maximized.
Tracing the origin of dissolved silicon transferred from various soil-plant systems towards rivers: a review

Silicon (Si) released as H4SiO4 by weathering of Si-containing solid phases is partly recycled through vege- tation before its land-to-rivers transfer. By accumulating in terrestrial plants to a similar extent as some major macronu- trients (0.1-10% Si dry weight), Si becomes largely mobile in the soil-plant system. Litter-fall leads to a substantial re- active biogenic silica pool in soil, which contributes to the release of dissolved Si (DSi) in soil solution. Understand- ing the biogeochemical cycle of silicon in surface environ- ments and the DSi export from soils into rivers is crucial given that the marine primary bio-productivity depends on the availability of H4SiO4 for phytoplankton that requires Si. Continental fluxes of DSi seem to be deeply influenced by climate (temperature and runoff) as well as soil-vegetation systems. Therefore, continental areas can be characterized by various abilities to transfer DSi from soil-plant systems towards rivers. Here we pay special attention to those pro- cesses taking place in soil-plant systems and controlling the Si transfer towards rivers. We aim at identifying relevant geo- chemical tracers of Si pathways within the soil-plant system to obtain a better understanding of the origin of DSi exported towards rivers. In this review, we compare different soil- plant systems (weathering-unlimited and weathering-limited environments) and the variations of the geochemical tracers (Ge/Si ratios and 30 Si) in DSi outputs. We recommend the use of biogeochemical tracers in combination with Si mass- balances and detailed physico-chemical characterization of soil-plant systems to allow better insight in the sources and fate of Si in these biogeochemical systems.
The Influence Of Proactivity On Creative Behavior, Organizational Commitment, And Job Performance: Evidence From A Korean Multinational

Proactivity has emerged as an extremely important behavior in organizations, and has been shown to correlate with very positive organizational and individual outcomes. Proactive personality has been identified as a stable personality attribute that is predictive of several positive work behaviors outcomes. Utilizing a large sample from a well-known and successful Korean multinational employer, this study investigated the influences of proactive personality on three key outcomes in the workplace, namely the level of employee creativity, level of organizational commitment, and in-role job performance. The study also examined whether the contextual factors of quality of leader-member exchange (LMX) and the level of job autonomy affected the influence of proactivity on the three employee outcomes. In the Korean sample, proactive personality was found to be highly correlated with creative behavior, organizational commitment, and in-role job performance. Overall, the results suggest that proactivity along with LMX quality and job autonomy accounted for 53%, 38%, and 23% of the observed variation in employee creativity, organizational commitment, and job performance respectively. In hierarchical multiple regression, proactive personality appeared most influential on variation in creativity and performance. LMX was shown to enhance the impact of proactivity on level of organizational commitment. LMX was also shown to influence the impact of both proactivity and job autonomy on in-role job performance. Theoretical and practical implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research are also presented.
Do season and habitat influence the behaviour of Haflinger mares in a coastal dune area

This study was performed to gain more knowledge about the behaviour and habitat use of Haflinger mares, free-ranging in a low-productivity dune area. Detailed data on these animals' time budgets were collected over a full year, through the focal animal observation technique. On average the Haflinger horses spent 68 % of the daytime grazing, 18 % resting and 8 % walking. Seasonal features influenced horses' behaviour, mainly through a change in grazing time. Shorter grazing time in summer allowed the animals to rest longer than during the other seasons. We suggest that especially the decreased forage quality and quantity of the grazed habitats in the non- growing season account for the increased grazing time in autumn and winter. In all four seasons the horses preferred grazing in the grassy habitat. However, habitat use showed seasonal variation. Grey dunes were grazed more inten- sively in winter and spring, compared to summer and autumn. The contribution of roughage, scrub and woodland to the habitat use was low over the entire year. For several response variables the observed variation could be partly explained by the differences between individual animals.
Effect of Basin Versus Drip Irrigation on Quality Production in Mosambi Sweet Orange

An investigation was undertaken to find out the effect of basin and drip irrigation on growth, production, fruit quality, foliar N, P, K values and soil moisture status in Mosambi sweet orange grown in laterite soil. Treatments included drip irrigation at 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 Epan with and without black polythene mulching, basin irrigation @ 30 liter/plant at 18 days interval + black polythene mulching and control (No watering + black polythene mulching). The plants receiving irrigation at 0.8 Epan + polythene mulching resulted 136 fruits per plant with superior in fruit quality in terms of highest TSS (11.2°B), sugar (8.5%) and vitamin C (47.8 mg/100ml) content. Maximum fruit weight of 166 g and diameter of 7.0 cm were recorded in the fruits of the plants which received irrigation at 1.0 Epan + polythene mulching. Foliar nitrogen content was highest (2.65%) in plants with drip irrigation at 0.8 Epan + polythene mulching while phosphorus and potassium content were non-significant among the treatments. Irrigation (drip or basin) of the plants during dry months resulted lower shoot drying as compared to no irrigation.
Biodiversity and relative abundance of different honeybee species (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Murree-Punjab, Pakistan.

Field investigations were carried out to determine the diversity and relative abundance of various honeybee species during 2011 and 2012. Total 184 samples were collected from 10 different localities in Murree and its vicinity. The majority of specimens (n=156, 84.78%) were from Apis cerana F. The ratio of Apis mellifera L. was 13.04% (n=24) and only 2.17% (n=4) honeybees belonged to Apis dorsata F. Although Apis florea F. is found in most parts of Pakistan but no specimen was observed in the study area.
Differences in C-reactive Protein Level in Patients with Alzheimers Disease andMild Cognitive Impairment

Background: Numerous studies are supporting the hypothesis that neuroinflammation may play an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimerâ€™s disease (AD). Reports on increased serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration as a risk factor for AD are conflicting. We examined the differences in the serum CRP levels in patients with AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and normal controls. Methods: We enrolled 56 subjects with AD, 29 subjects with MCI, and 24 healthy control subjects in the study. A total of 109 subjects agreed to blood sampling to evaluate serum CRP levels. A dementia screening test was performed using the Korean version of the Mini-Mental Status Examination. Inclusion criteria for MCI used the Petersen guidelines Results: Among AD, MCI, and control groups, there were no significant differences in serum CRP levels. There was no association between CRP levels and MMSE scores in AD and MCI groups. Also CRP level did not significantly correlated with age or level of education. Conclusion: We observed no significant association between serum CRP values and the diagnosis of MCI and AD. Further longitudinal studies involving larger study population are needed to clarify possible role of CRP in the pathogenesis of this disease.
Experimental open-air quantum key distribution with a single-photon source

We describe the implementation of a quantum key distribution (QKD) system using a single-photon source, operating at night in open air. The single-photon source at the heart of the functional and reliable set-up relies on the pulsed excitation of a single nitrogen-vacancy colour centre in a diamond nanocrystal. We tested the effect of attenuation on the polarized encoded photons for inferring the longer distance performance of our system. For strong attenuation, the use of pure single-photon states gives measurable advantage over systems relying on weak attenuated laser pulses. The results are in good agreement with theoretical models developed to assess QKD security.
Evaluating the hospitalization costs for elderly patients in teaching hospitals of Kashan university of medical sciences during 2009-10

Background: Considering that hospital costs of the growing elderly population account for a significant share of the health care costs, this study aimed to investigate the elderly hospitalization cost in teaching hospitals of Kashan university of medical sciences. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 2067 patients (age≥60) admitted to teaching hospitals of Kashan university of medical sciences during a one-year period (Sep. 2009–Sep. 2010) were randomly selected using stratified random sampling. Data related to hospitalization charges of cases were obtained from medical records and analyzed. Results: The mean hospitalization charge was 5533529 Rials. The highest cost share was for "bed-day" (26.4%). The highest average hospitalization cost for different diseases were for digestive, neoplastic and respiratory system, respectively. However, diseases of the eye and circulatory system accounted for the largest share of total hospital costs. Regarding the ward, the highest charges were paid for the elderly patients in ICU and CCU, but internal wards had the largest share of total hospital costs. In addition, a significant relation was seen between the cost for each elderly hospitalized and the ward/disease condition (P<0.001), and the comorbidities (P=0.001). Conclusion: To reduce the hospital costs, careful attention should be paid to disease services with the highest costs. Moreover, the preventive measures as well as alternative low-cost services (e.g. home care) and developing long-term care should be provided. Keywords: Elderly, Cost, Hospitalization, Hospital,
Survey, Virulence and Pathogenicity of Root Rot Incidence of Cowpea in Selected Districts of Tamilnadu caused by Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi.) Goid

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.)Walp. ) is a poor men’s protein source. It is one of the most ancient human food sources (Ng and Marechal, 1985) and an important grain legume and hay crop in many tropical and subtropical regions (Fang et al., 2007). Although cowpea is cultivated worldwide, over 75% of the world production is obtained from Africa (Singh et al., 2002). In Africa it is considered the second most important pulse International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 6 Number 3 (2017) pp. 694-705 Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com
Rickettsia influences thermotolerance in the whitefly Bemisia tabaci B biotype

Abstract The whitefly Bemisia tabaci harbors Portiera aleyrodidarum, an obligatory symbiotic bacterium, as well as several secondary symbionts, including Rickettsia, Hamiltonella, Wolbachia, Arsenophonus, Cardinium and Fritschea, the function of which is unknown. In Israel, Rickettsia is found in both the B and Q of B. tabaci biotypes, and while all other secondary symbionts are located in the bacteriomes, Rickettsia can occupy most of the body cavity of the insect. We tested whether Rickettsia influences the biology of B. tabaci and found that exposing a Rickettsia‐containing population to increasing temperatures significantly increases its tolerance to heat shock that reached 40°C, compared to a Rickettsia‐free population. This increase in tolerance to heat shock was not associated with specific induction of heat‐shock protein gene expression; however, it was associated with reduction in Rickettsia numbers as was assessed by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence in situ hybridization analyses. To assess the causes for thermotolerance when Rickettsia is reduced, we tested whether its presence is associated with the induction of genes required for thermotolerance. We found that under normal 25°C rearing temperature, genes associated with response to stress such as cytoskeleton genes are induced in the Rickettsia‐containing population. Thus, the presence of Rickettsia in B. tabaci under normal conditions induces the expression of genes required for thermotolerance that under high temperatures indirectly lead to this tolerance.
Information (Non)Aggregation in Markets with Costly Signal Acquisition

Markets are often viewed as a tool for aggregating disparate private knowledge, a stance supported by past laboratory experiments. However, traders’ acquisition cost of information has typically been ignored. Results from a laboratory experiment involving six treatments varying the cost of acquiring signals of an asset’s value suggest that when information is costly, markets do not succeed in aggregating it. At an individual level, having information improves trading performance, but not enough to offset the cost of obtaining the information. Although males earn more through trading than females, this differential is offset by the greater propensity of males to buy information such that total profit is similar for males and females. Looking at individual skills, we find that higher theory of mind is associated with greater trading profit, greater overall profit, and an increased likelihood of acquiring information while cognitive reflection is associated with greater profit but not a greater propensity to acquire information.
Opinions from tweets as good indicators of leadership and followership status

Scores of public opinion about two popular world leaders collected from tweets based on the sentiment they exhibited were classified using two Machine learning techniques (Naive Bayes and Support vector machines), and four features (Words, unigrams, bigrams and negation) for the classification, we found that the Naive bayes with unigram features attained a high accuracy of up to 90% therefore indicating that tweets can be used to suggest potential candidates in political election and ways to improve a leaders reputation.
Sensitivity of Cosmic Ray Modulation to an Outer Scale of Turbulence

We develop an ab initio modulation model, in which the diffusion tensor is specified by particle transport theory based on observed properties of the turbulence, and the spatial variation is determined by turbulence transport models that specify how turbulence properties vary throughout the heliosphere. Using a recent perpendicular diffusion treatment based upon the Taylor‐Green‐Kubo equation we study the sensitivity of solar wind modulation to an outer scale of turbulence, the “ultrascale”, which is very poorly understood. For larger values of the ultrascale (approximately hundreds of correlation lengths) we find that the radial profile of modulated cosmic ray protons compares well with the observational data from Voyager and IMP for both polarities.