Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ubiquity of organic nitrates from nighttime chemistry in the European submicron aerosol

In the atmosphere nighttime removal of volatile organic compounds is initiated to a large extent by reaction with the nitrate radical (NO3) forming organic nitrates which partition between gas and particulate phase. Here we show based on particle phase measurements performed at a suburban site in the Netherlands that organic nitrates contribute substantially to particulate nitrate and organic mass. Comparisons with a chemistry transport model indicate that most of the measured particulate organic nitrates are formed by NO3 oxidation. Using aerosol composition data from three intensive observation periods at numerous measurement sites across Europe, we conclude that organic nitrates are a considerable fraction of fine particulate matter (PM1) at the continental scale. Organic nitrates represent 34% to 44% of measured submicron aerosol nitrate and are found at all urban and rural sites, implying a substantial potential of PM reduction by NOx emission control.
Temporal shifts of nitrite reducing communities in a rice field soil in Ibague (Colombia)

Denitrification and nitrification are microbial processes that regulate the cycle of nitrogen and nitrous oxide, which is considered an important greenhouse gas. Rice field soils have been known to have strong denitrifying activities; however, the microorganism structure that is responsible for denitrification and the temporal variation of these communities in the agricultural soils of Ibague (Colombia) is not well known. In this study, the denitrifying community composition was compared between a rice field soil and an uncultivated soil at three different times during the year using a terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the nirS functional gene, which codes the enzyme that reduces nitrite, one of the key steps in the denitrification process. The results showed changes in the richness, relative abundance and diversity of the operational taxonomic units between the soils and sampling times. The canonical correspondence analysis indicated that the moisture and the pH were the environmental factors that explained the observed changes in the nirS-type denitrifiers' community composition in the studied soils.
Comparison Between Conventional and Azimuthing Podded Propulsion on Maneuvering of A Ferry Utilizing Matlab Simulink Program

The aim of the paper is to describe the influences of conventional and azimuthing podded propulsion on passenger ferry maneuvering, particularly turning circle and zig-zag maneuvers. The MATLAB-simulink program was used to simulate the turning circle and the zig-zag maneuvers. The program was developed based on the mathematical model for ferry maneuvering. The model involved the setting-up of a 4-DOF in a modular of the Mathematical Modelling Group (MMG) of the hull, propellers-rudder or pod system. The simulation includes separating components of the hull equations, propeller-rudder or pod systems as well as the interaction between them. The results indicated that the azimuthing podded propulsion has an advantage for turning circle performance, meanwhile conventional propulsion is beneficial for zig-zag maneuvers. The 1 st and 2 nd overshoot times of conventional propulsion of the sea trial are higher than the simulation; but the turning cirles of the sea trial are lower.
Enhanced Emotional Memory

Memory for emotional events is typically more vivid and accurate than memory for neutral ones. The modulation model focuses on the consolidation of memory traces to provide a partial account of enhanced emotional memory. Mediation theory focuses on encoding and retrieval to explain the selective enhancement of memory for emotional aspects of a complex event and why emotional memory also can be enhanced immediately after the experience, before consolidation has occurred. Mediation theory can therefore complement the modulation model, and together they may provide a more comprehensive account of human emotional memory.
Correlates of insight among patients with obsessive compulsive disorder

INTRODUCTION: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients have been traditionally described as patients with real insight. However, in fact, the insight exists on a continuum, ranging from a good understanding of nonsensicality the obsessions and compulsions to lack of insight with considering them to be rational and appropriate. METHOD: A computerized search of the literature published from 1966 to July 2013 was conducted on Medline and Web of Science using words “obsessive compulsive disorder” and “insight”. No language constraints were used. Lists of references of the articles identified by this computer database search were examined manually to find other studies. RESULTS: Poor insight has been linked to a greater symptom severity, an increased risk of comorbid symptoms, worse adaptive functioning, and worse treatment outcomes for OCD. Reduced insight is related to longer duration of illness, early onset of symptoms, chronic course, and increased family history of OCD. Poor insight is also linked to comorbid diagnoses. CONCLUSION: Impaired insight is prevalent in OCD and may contribute to both medical presentation and treatment outcome.
Genetic influences on level and stability of self-esteem

We attempted to clarify the relation between self-esteem level (high vs. low) and perceived self-esteem stability (within-person variability) by using a behavioral genetics approach. We tested whether the same or independent genetic and environmental influences impact on level and stability. Adolescent twin siblings (n = 183 pairs) completed level and stability scales at two time points. Heritability for both was substantial. The remaining variance in each was attributable to non-shared environmental influences. Shared environmental influences were not significant. Level and stability of self-esteem shared common antecedents via genetic and non-shared environmental influences. Nonetheless, stability was influenced by substantial unique genetic and non-shared environmental influences. The results validate the notion that level and stability are partially autonomous components of self-esteem.
Examining the Phenomenon of Xenophobia as Experienced by African Immigrant Entrepreneurs in Johannesburg, South Africa: Intensifying the Spirit of "Ubuntu"

South Africa is a rainbow nation composed of various racial groups from all facets of the earth. Nevertheless, xenophobia has become a major issue of social debate in South Africa and abroad. This is due to the most recent April 2015 xenophobic attacks on foreigners, especially African immigrant entrepreneurs residing in South Africa. This study explored on xenophobia as a serious challenge hampering African immigrant entrepreneurs in Johannesburg, South Africa. In this study literature on immigrant entrepreneurs, immigrant entrepreneurship, ubuntu and xenophobia was reviewed. An exploratory, qualitative approach was adopted using semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus groups.
Use of Rhizobacteria for the Management of Soft Rot Disease of Potato

Potato is an important vegetable crop all over the world. It is vulnerable to many pathological problems, among these, potato soft rot caused by Erwinia carotovora has been reported to be most prevalent and destructive. Controlling the plant diseases by pollution free bio-control antagonists (Rhizobacteria) is desirable now a days. Samples of potato wilting plants were collected from different locations. Erwinia carotovora pv Carotovora was isolated, purified and identified. Rhizobacteria were also isolated using serial dilution method. Purified isolates were evaluated for their ability to antagonize the rot pathogen in vitro. These bacteria were selected for further biochemical and tests. After completion of the tests, these bacteria were evaluated for their possible ability for percentage disease reduction under storage conditions by applying Rhizobacteria as bio-control agents. Moreover, percentage loss in weight was calculated and change in the disease level and growth of the plant in the presence of pathogen and Rhizobacteria were also computedThe application of Rhizobacteria in combinations was proved to be the best one, which was represented by the reduction in the disease of potato.
Approximate boundary conditions for a fluid-loaded elastic plate

Approximate boundary conditions for an infinite elastic layer immersed in a fluid are derived. By using series expansions in the thickness coordinate of the plate fields, the displacements fields are eliminated, adopting the three-dimensional equations of motion. The sums and differences of the boundary pressure fields and their normal derivatives are related through a set of approximate boundary conditions, one symmetric and one antisymmetric. These equations involve powers in the layer thickness together with partial derivatives with respect to time as well as the spatial variables in the plate plane. The approximate boundary conditions can be truncated to an arbitrary order, and explicit relations are presented including terms of order five. Comparisons are made with effective boundary conditions using classical plate theories. The numerical examples involve reflection and transmission of plane waves incident on the plate at different angles, as well as the pressure fields due to a line force. Three fluid-loading cases are studied: modest, heavy, and light loadings. The results using truncated approximate boundary conditions are compared to exact and classical plate solutions. The examples show that the accuracies of the power series approximations of order three and higher are very good in the frequency interval considered.
On probabilities of large and moderate deviations for L-statistics : a survey of some recent developments

A survey of some new results on Cramér type large and moderate deviations for trimmed L-statistics and for intermediate trimmed means will be presented. We discuss a new approach to the investigation of asymptotic properties of trimmed L-statistics proposed in the reviewed papers that allowed us to establish certain results on large and moderate deviations under quite mild and natural conditions.
Electronically competing phases and their magnetic field dependence in electron-doped nonsuperconducting and superconducting Pr 0.88 LaCe 0.12 CuO 4 ± δ

We present comprehensive neutron scattering studies of nonsuperconducting and superconducting electron-doped Pr0.88LaCe0. 12CuO4 +/-delta (PLCCO). At zero field, the transition from antiferromagnetic (AF) as-grown PLCCO to superconductivity without static antiferromagnetism can be achieved by annealing the sample in pure Ar at different temperatures, which also induces an epitaxial (Pr, La, Ce)(2)O-3 phase as an impurity. When the superconductivity first appears in PLCCO, a quasi-two-dimensional (2D) spin-density-wave (SDW) order is also induced, and both coexist with the residual three-dimensional (3D) AF state. A magnetic field applied along the [(1) over bar, 1, 0] direction parallel to the CuO2 plane induces a "spin-flop" transition, where the noncollinear AF spin structure of PLCCO is transformed into a collinear one. The spin-flop transition is continuous in semiconducting PLCCO, but gradually becomes sharp with increasing doping and the appearance of superconductivity. A c-axis aligned magnetic field that suppresses the superconductivity also enhances the quasi-2D SDW order at (0.5, 0.5, 0) for underdoped PLCCO. However, there is no effect on the 3D AF order in either superconducting or nonsuperconducting samples. Since the same field along the [(1) over bar, 1, 0] direction in the CuO2 plane has no (or little) effect on the superconductivity, (0.5, 0.5, 0) and (Pr, La, Ce)(2)O-3 impurity positions, we conclude that the c-axis field-induced effect is intrinsic to PLCCO and arises from the suppression of superconductivity.
Appraisal of Artificial Neural Network and Response Surface Methodology in Modeling and Process Variable Optimization of Oxalic Acid Production from Cashew Apple Juice: A Case of Surface Fermentation

This study assessed the effects and interactions of cashew apple juice (CAJ) concentration, pH, time, methanol concentration, and NaNO3 concentration on oxalic acid fermentation in a central composite design. The efficacies of artificial neural network (ANN) and response surface methodology (RSM) in modeling and optimizing the process were evaluated using correlation coefficient (R), coefficient of determination (R2), and absolute average deviation (AAD). The highest oxalic acid production observed was 120.66 g/L under optimum values of a CAJ concentration of 291 g/L, pH of 6.9, time of 10.82 days, methanol concentration of 2.91% (v/v), and NaNO3 concentration of 1.05 g/L that were numerically predicted by the developed RSM quadratic model. Using the developed ANN model coupled with rotation inherit optimization, the highest oxalic acid production observed was 286.75 g/L under the following optimum values: CAJ of 291 g/L, pH of 6.5, time of 12.64 days, methanol concentration of 3.82% (v/v), and NaNO3 concentration of 2.41 g/L. The results showed that the ANN model (R = 0.9996, R2 = 0.9999, AAD = 0.21%) was better than the RSM model (R = 0.9986, R2 = 0.9973, AAD = 1.00%) for optimizing oxalic acid fermentation. The use of the ANN model led to a 2.4-fold increase in oxalic acid yield over the RSM model.
How unusual are the Shapley Supercluster and the Sloan Great Wall

We show that extreme value statistics are useful for studying the largest structures in the Universe by using them to assess the significance of two of the most dramatic structures in the local Universe – the Shapley supercluster and the Sloan Great Wall. If we assume that the Shapley concentration (volume � 1.2 × 10 5 h −3 Mpc 3 ) evolved from an overdense region in the initial Gaussian fluctuation field, with currently popular choices for the background cosmological model and the shape and amplitude σ8 of the initial power spectrum, we estimate that the total mass of the system is within 20 percent of 1.8× 10 16 h −1 M⊙. Extreme value statistics show that the existence of this massive concentration is not unexpected if the initial fluctuation field was Gaussian, provided there are no other similar objects within a sphere of radius 200h −1 Mpc centred on our Galaxy. However, a similar analysis of the Sloan Great Wall, a more distant (z � 0.08) and extended concentration of structures (volume � 7.2 × 10 5 h −3 Mpc 3 ) suggests that it is more unusual. We estimate its total mass to be within 20 percent of 1.2 × 10 17 h −1 M⊙ and we find that even if it is the densest such object of its volume within z = 0.2, its existence is difficult to reconcile with the assumption of Gaussian initial conditions if σ8 was less than 0.9. This tension can be alleviated if this structure is the densest within the Hubble volume. Finally, we show how extreme value statistics can be used to address the question of how likely it is that an object like the Shapley Supercluster exists in the same volume which contains the Sloan Great Wall, finding, again, that Shapley is not particularly unusual. Since it is straightforward to incorporate other models of the initial fluctuation field into our formalism, we expect our approach will allow observations of the largest structures – clusters, superclusters and voids – to provide relevant constraints on the nature of the primordial fluctuation field.
Therapy of Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Treatment of MDS depends on patient age, prognostic risk, and comorbid conditions. The availability of these options has resulted in an increase in the documented incidence of MDS from 12,000 cases per year in the US to more than 20,000 cases. This is because more bone marrow studies are now performed in elderly patients with mild cytopenias to obtain a precise diagnosis, which may document MDS and allow early interventions.
WP / 18 / 039 Governance and social media in African countries : an empirical investigation 1 Forthcoming : Telecommunications Policy

This study assesses linkages between social media and governance dynamics in 49 African countries for the year 2012. The empirical evidence is based on ordinary least squares and quantile regressions. Ten bundled and unbundled governance dynamics are used, notably: (i) political governance (entailing “voice & accountability” and political stability/no violence); (ii) economic governance (involving regulation quality and government effectiveness); (iii) institutional governance (comprising the rule of law and corruption-control) and (iv) general governance (entailing political, economic and institutional governance). Social media is measured with Facebook penetration. The findings show that Facebook penetration is positively associated with governance dynamics and these positive nexuses differ in terms of significance and magnitude of significance throughout the conditional distribution of the governance dynamics. JEL Classification: G20; O38; O40; O55; P37
Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalytic Activity of Glancing Angle Deposited Platinum Nanorod Arrays

The electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity of vertically-aligned Pt nanorods has been evaluated utilizing cyclic voltammetry (CV) and rotating-disk electrode (RDE) techniques in a 0.1 M HClO4 solution at temperatures ranging from 20 to 60 � C. A glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique was used to fabricate Pt nanorod arrays on glassy carbon (GC) electrodes. GLAD catalyst nanorods, without any carbon support, have been produced at different lengths varying between 50 and 400 nm, corresponding to 0.04–0.32 mg/cm 2 Pt loadings, with diameter and spacing values ranging from about 5 up to 100 nm. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results reveal that Pt nanorods are well-isolated, vertically aligned, and single-crystal. Crystal orientation analysis demonstrates that large surface area Pt nanorod sidewalls are mainly dominated by Pt(110) planes, which is known to be the most active crystal plane of Pt for the ORR. Compared to a commercial high-surface-area-supported Pt (Pt/C) catalyst, the CV results show that the Pt-nanorod electrocatalyst exhibits a more positive oxide reduction peak potential, indicating that GLAD Pt nanorods are less oxophilic. Moreover, the nanorods exhibit enhanced stability against loss of electrochemically-active surface area as a result of potential cycling in acidic electrolyte as compared to the Pt/C catalyst. Specific ORR activities determined by the RDE technique for GLAD Pt nanorods of different lengths are analyzed and compared to literature values for polycrystalline Pt, nano-structured thin film Pt (3M NSTF Pt), and to those measured for Pt/C. RDE results reveal that Pt-nanorod electrocatalysts exhibit higher area-specific activity, higher electron-transfer rate constant, and comparable activation energy for ORR than those of Pt/C due to their larger crystallite size, single-crystal property, and dominance of the preferred crystal orientations for ORR. However, Pt nanorods show lower mass specific activity than that of Pt/C electrocatalyst due to the large diameter of nanorods. V C 2011 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3599901] All rights reserved.
Enhanced low-latency speaker spotting using selective cluster enrichment

Low-latency speaker spotting (LLSS) calls for the rapid detection of known speakers within multi-speaker audio streams. While previous work showed the potential to develop efficient LLSS solutions by combining speaker diarization and speaker detection within an online processing framework, it failed to move significantly beyond the traditional definition of diarization. This paper shows that the latter needs rethinking and that a diarization sub-system tailored to the end application, rather than to the minimisation of the diarization error rate, can improve LLSS performance. The proposed selective cluster enrichment algorithm is used to guide the diarization system to better model segments within a multi-speaker audio stream and hence detect more reliably a given target speaker. The LLSS solution reported in this paper shows that target speakers can be detected with a 16% equal error rate after having been active in multi-speaker audio streams for only 15 seconds.
Genetic variation of four goat breeds in Malaysia using microsatellite polymorphism markers.

The characterisation of animals using PCR-based microsatellite markers is informative, economical and useful to elucidate genetic diversity within and among breeds. The determination of genetic variability in four goat breeds found in Malaysia, namely the indigenous Katjang goat and the exotic Jamnapari, Boer and Savanna goats, was successfully analysed using 30 microsatellite markers. Low levels of allelic variations were found in the four goat breeds. The mean numbers of observed alleles per locus were relatively low with values of 5.43, 5.73, 5.90 and 5.70 in Katjang, Jamnapari, Boer and Savanna goats, respectively. The mean observed heterozygosity was lower than the mean expected heterozygosity for the all four goat breeds. Katjang goats showed the lowest observed heterozygosity with a value of 0.36. The results showed that the Katjang goat population had a high level of inbreeding compared to the other goat breeds.
Transport near the Ising-nematic quantum critical point of metals in two dimensions

We consider two-dimensional metals near a Pomeranchuk instability which breaks ${90}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ lattice rotation symmetry. Such metals realize strongly coupled non-Fermi liquids with critical fluctuations of an Ising-nematic order. At low temperatures, impurity scattering provides the dominant source of momentum relaxation and, hence, a nonzero electrical resistivity. We use the memory matrix method to compute the resistivity of this non-Fermi liquid to second order in the impurity potential, without assuming the existence of quasiparticles. Impurity scattering in the $d$-wave channel acts as a random ``field'' on the Ising-nematic order. We find contributions to the resistivity with a nearly linear temperature dependence, along with more singular terms; the most singular is the random-field contribution which diverges in the limit of zero temperature.
An Observational Perspective of Transitional Disks

Transitional disks are objects whose inner disk regions have undergone substantial clearing. The Spitzer Space Telescope produced detailed spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of transitional disks that allowed us to infer their radial dust disk structure in some detail, revealing the diversity of this class of disks. The growing sample of transitional disks also opened up the possibility of demographic studies, which provided unique insights. There now exist (sub)millimeter and infrared images that confirm the presence of large clearings of dust in transitional disks. In addition, protoplanet candidates have been detected within some of these clearings. Transitional disks are thought to be a strong link to planet formation around young stars and are a key area to study if further progress is to be made on understanding the initial stages of planet formation. Here we provide a review and synthesis of transitional disk observations to date with the aim of providing timely direction to the field, which is about to undergo its next burst of growth as ALMA reaches its full potential. We discuss what we have learned about transitional disks from SEDs, color-color diagrams, and imaging in the (sub)mm and infrared. We then distill the observations into constraints for the main disk clearing mechanisms proposed to date (i.e., photoevaporation, grain growth, and companions) and explore how the expected observational signatures from these mechanisms, particularly planet-induced disk clearing, compare to actual observations. Lastly, we discuss future avenues of inquiry to be pursued with ALMA, JWST, and next generation of ground-based telescopes.