Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extension of a Martian general circulation model to thermospheric altitudes: UV heating and photochemical models

[1] A fast method to incorporate the UV heating and the photochemistry of the neutral upper atmosphere of Mars into general circulation models (GCMs) is presented. On the basis of more detailed one-dimensional (1-D) models, the scheme we propose makes use of a division of the UV spectrum in 36 subintervals of 20 nm average width. Photoabsorption coefficients are computed allowing for overlapping and are tabulated as a function of suitable column abundances. The photochemistry proposed includes 12 compounds and uses the approximation of photochemical equilibrium for the three fastest species, OH, O(1D), and HO2. The behavior of the fast scheme is shown against detailed 1-D calculations. The resulting acceleration is about a factor 200 in the UV heating, while in the photochemistry it is about a factor 100 at 120 km and much larger below. The proposed scheme has already been implemented into the GCM developed at the Laboratoire de Meteorologie Dynamique-CNRS in Paris (LMD), which therefore becomes the first single Martian GCM to cover the whole range of altitudes from the planet surface to the upper thermosphere. We present typical results of the Martian thermosphere obtained with the present scheme and the LMD-GCM, in order to illustrate its behavior and stability. In particular, we show the sensitivity of the Martian upper atmosphere's thermal structure to the local photochemistry. Comparisons with previous models are also presented, as first steps in an ongoing validation study, necessarily extensive for this kind of GCM, which will include more detailed comparisons with recent and future data from space missions.
Bandgap-Graded Cu2Zn(Sn1–xGex)S4 Thin-Film Solar Cells Derived from Metal Chalcogenide Complex Ligand Capped Nanocrystals

We demonstrate organic residue free, bandgap-graded Cu2Zn(Sn1–xGex)S4 (CZTGeS) thin-film solar cells based on metal chalcogenide complex (MCC) ligand capped nanocrystals (NCs). The bandgap of the CZTGeS films is tuned by varying the amount of Sn2S64– MCC ligand absorbed on the surface of the Cu2ZnGeS4 (CZGeS) NCs, without an undesirable postselenization process. Using CZGeS NCs inks with three different Sn/(Ge+Sn) ratios, bandgap-graded CZTGeS thin films are obtained via multicoating and annealing procedures. Compositional and spectroscopic analyses along the film thickness confirm that the band-graded CZTGeS absorber layer, with a gradually increasing bandgap from the back contact to the p–n junction, is successfully accomplished. Compared with an ungraded band structured CZTGeS cell, this normal grading structure facilitates both higher short circuit current and open-circuit voltage, facilitating a power conversion efficiency of 6.3%.
Reconstruction de scène dynamique à partir de plusieurs vidéos mono- et multi-scopiques par hybridation de méthodes « silhouettes » et « multi-stéréovision »

La reconstruction precise d’une scene 3D a partir de plusieurs cameras offre un contenu synthetique 3D a destination de nombreuses applications telles que le divertissement, la television et la production cinematographique. Cette these propose une nouvelle approche pour la reconstruction 3D multi-vues basee sur l’enveloppe visuelle et la stereovision multi-oculaire. Cette approche necessite en entree l’enveloppe visuelle et plusieurs jeux d’images rectifiees issues de differentes unites multiscopiques constituees chacune de plusieurs cameras alignees et equidistantes. Nos contributions se situent a differents niveaux. Le premier est notre methode de stereovision multi-oculaire qui est fondee sur un nouvel echantillonnage de l’espace scenique et fournit une carte de materialite exprimant la probabilite pour chaque point d’echantillonnage 3D d’appartenir a la surface visible par l’unite multiscopique. Le second est l’hybridation de cette methode avec les informations issues de l’enveloppe visuelle et le troisieme est la chaine de reconstruction basee sur la fusion des differentes enveloppes creusees tout en gerant les informations contradictoires qui peuvent exister. Les resultats confirment : i) l’efficacite de l’utilisation de la carte de materialite pour traiter les problemes qui se produisent souvent dans la stereovision, en particulier pour les regions partiellementoccultees ; ii) l’avantage de la fusion des methodes de l’enveloppe visuelle et de la stereovision multi-oculaire pour generer un modele 3D precis de la scene.
Nonlinear bio-imaging and detection with ultrafast lasers

Apres une introduction theorique (Chapitre 1) et le passage en revue du materiel experimental utilise (Chapitre 2), les differentes experiences sont regroupees en trois chapitres distincts selon leur thematique. Tout d'abord, l'utilisation de nano-cristaux non-lineaires comme marqueurs pour la microscopie est demontree (Chapitre 3). Puis, le developpement d'un nouveau faconneur d'impulsions laser et l'application d'un nouveau algorithme aux problemes de controle optimal sont decrits (Chapitre 4). Pour finir, la question de la conservation de la phase des impulsions laser lors de leur propagation au travers d'une atmosphere turbulente est abordee (Chapitre 5).
PKA-mediated Autophagy in Aspergillus fumigates

Autophagy is a ubiquitous, non-selective degradation process in eukaryotic cells that is conserved from yeast to man. Autophagy research has increased significantly in the last ten years, as autophagy has been connected with cancer, neurodegenerative disease and various human developmental processes. Autophagy also appears to play an important role in filamentous fungi, impacting growth, morphology and development. In this review, an autophagy model developed for the Aspergillus fumigatus is used as an intellectual framework to discuss autophagy in filamentous fungi. Studies imply that, similar to yeast, fungal autophagy is characterized by the presence of autophagosomes and controlled by the target of rapamycin (Tor) kinase. Autophagy is highly regulated and is under the control of a number of signaling pathways, including the Tor pathway, which coordinates cell growth with nutrient availability. The data shows that autophagy in A.fumigatus is also controlled by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) pathway. Elevated levels of PKA activity inhibited autophagy and inactivation of the PKA pathway is sufficient to induce a robust autophagy response. In addition, fungal autophagy is apparently involved in protection against cell death and has significant effects on cellular growth and development. However, the only two putative autophagy proteins characterized in filamentous fungi are Atg1 and Atg8. Here we will discuss various strategies used to study and monitor fungal autophagy as well as the possible relationship between autophagy, physiology, and morphological development.
Estimating dynamic income responses to tax reforms: Swedish evidence

We study income responses to income tax changes by using a large panel of Swedish tax payers over the period 1991–2002. Changes in statutory tax rates as well as discretionary changes in tax bracket thresholds provide exogenous variations in tax rates that can be used to identify income responses. We estimate dynamic income models which allow us to distinguish between short-run and long-run effects in a straightforward fashion. For men, the estimates of the long-run elasticity of income with respect to the net-of-tax rate hover in a range between 0.10 and 0.30. The estimates for women are imprecise and statistically insignificant. We simulate the fiscal consequences of a tax reform that reduces the top marginal tax rate by five percentage points. Such a reform may have negligible effects on tax revenues even for relatively small elasticities when the interactions between income taxes and other taxes are taken into account.
Organizational learning among senior public‐service executives: An empirical investigation of culture, decisional latitude and supportive communication

For several years, organizational learning has been a concept of interest in the search for efficiency, innovation, and knowledge management in both the private and public sectors. In general, three determinants of organizational learning are identified in the literature: the organizational learning culture as a major determi- nant, the control or decisional latitude that individual employees have over their work, and the impact of supportive supervisor communication. However, little empirical research has been offered to substantiate the relationship between these variables. As part of the national Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada (APEX) study on work and health, a representative sample of 1,822 public-service executives were surveyed. Results showed that organizational learn- ing culture and decisional latitude played an important role in the acquisition of organizational learner attitudes and behaviour. Supportive supervisor communica- tion was not significantly related to individual organizational learning. This article offers unique empirical evidence concerning the relationship between organizational learning culture, decisional latitude and individual learning attitudes and behaviour. The discussion emphasizes the contribution of theoretical models of organizational learning and suggests future avenues of research.
The Effects of Prudential Regulation, Financial Development and Financial Openness on Economic Growth

This paper studies the effects of prudential regulation, financial development, and financial openness on economic growth. Using both existing models and a new OLG framework with banking and prudential regulation in the form of capital requirements, the first part presents an analytical review of the various channels through which prudential regulation can affect growth. The second part provides a reduced-form empirical analysis, based on panel regressions for a sample of 64 advanced and developing economies. The results show that growth may be promoted by prudential policies whose goal is to mitigate financial risks to the economy. At the same time, financial openness tends to reduce the growth benefits of these policies, possibly because of either greater opportunities to borrow abroad or increased scope for cross-border leakages in regulation.
Inducing salt tolerance in sweet corn by magnetic priming

This study evaluates seed germination and growth of sweet corn under NaCl stress (0, 50, and 100 mM), after exposing the seeds to weak (15 mT) or strong (150 mT) magnetic fields (MF) for different durations (0, 6, 12, and 24 hours). Salinity reduced seed germination and plant growth. MF treatments enhanced rate and percentage of germination and improved plant growth, regardless of salinity. Higher germination rate was obtained by the stronger MF, however, the seedling were more vigorous after priming with 15 mT MF. Proline accumulation was observed in parallel with the loss of plant water content under 100 mM NaCl stress. MF prevented proline accumulation by improving water absorption. Positive correlation between H 2 O 2 accumulation and membrane thermostability (MTI) was found after MF treatments, which revealed that MF primed the plant for salinity by H 2 O 2 signaling. However, over-accumulation of H 2 O 2 after prolonged MF exposure adversely affected MTI under severe salt stress. In conclusion, magnetic priming for 6 hours was suggested for enhancing germination and growth of sweet corn under salt stress.
Phylogeny, Biogeography, and Revision of the Subfamily Dallatorrellinae (Hymenoptera: Liopteridae)

Abstract A recent cladistic study suggested that the parasitoid wasp subfamily Dallatorrellinae is a monophyletic clade within the cynipoid family Liopteridae. The subfamily currently includes only four known species belonging to two genera, i.e., the monotypic genus Mesocynips Cameron, 1903 and the genus Dallatorrella Kieffer, 1911. The present study presents a revision of the subfamily, including descriptions of five new species in the genus Dallatorrella: D. maculata, D. maxima, D. pulla, D. ronquisti and D. sinica A key to the species of the subfamily is provided. Cladistic analysis of the subfamily at species level is undertaken and the biogeographic history of the subfamily Dallatorrellinae is reconstructed with respect to phylogeny. Contrary to an earlier assumption that the Dallatorrellinae originated in the Australian region, the phylogeny indicates that the Dallatorrellinae originated in southeastern Asia and dispersed to Australia at a later date. Consequently, the divergence between the Dallatorrellinae and the stem species of two other liopterid subfamilies, Liopterinae and Oberthuerellinae, corresponds with the separation between Laurasia and Gondwanaland.
Economic, Political and Institutional Determinants of Budget Deficits in the European Union

Using an extended data set of EU countries ranging from 1971-2006 and relevant econometric methods, we investigate the economic, political, and institutional determinants of government deficits in the EU. The results show a strong opportunistic behaviour of policymakers which leads to political business cycles. We find that political fragmentation does not play a significant role in government deficits. Partisan behaviour has a weak effect. The stability of the government has a significant negative impact on the size of the budget deficit. The paper also shows the significant effects of the Maastricht Treaty on fiscal consolidation.
What Determines the Duration of Stay of Immigrants in Germany? Evidence from a Longitudinal Duration Analysis

Purpose – Because of the increasing importance of immigration for Germany due to the ageing population and the lack of highly skilled in some industries, the purpose of this paper is to analyse the return‐migration of German immigrants.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses the German Socio‐economic Panel to conduct an event‐history analysis of return‐migration.Findings – The analysis reveals that return migration is heavily influenced by country of origin. Individuals from countries with free labour movement agreements with Germany show a considerably higher likelihood of leaving Germany relative to the other countries. The main finding is, with respect to the self‐selection process, that highly skilled are more likely to remigrate than those who are less skilled. In addition, the results give substantial information considering the design of German immigration policy.Originality/value – This paper conducts the first remigration analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model with years of residen.
Assessment of farmer willingness to pay for quality planting materials of biofortified and non-biofortified varieties of sweetpotato

The current fight against Vitamin A deficiency has focused on promoting biofortified staples that are rich in beta carotene, such as Orange Fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP). These efforts usually entail providing quality planting materials to vulnerable households accompanied by sensitization about the benefits of OFSP. Most such interventions heavily subsidize the planting materials, with subsidies ranging from 50-100%. The subsidies are often premised on the hope that farmers will eventually absorb the full cost of the planting materials once they experience the benefits of consuming OFSP. This study uses data from 481 farmers drawn from different regions that benefited from a sweetpotato project, and the ANOVA and descriptive statistics, to examine farmers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for OFSP planting materials. It specifically compares the WTP for quality planting materials of OFSP and non-OFSP varieties and assesses differences in WTP by region and agroecology. It finds a higher WTP for clean planting materials of a non-OFSP variety than for all OFSP varieties studied. It also finds that WTP differs by region and agroecology. The study concludes that there is higher demand for quality planting materials of some of the non-OFSP varieties of sweetpotato than for OFSP varieties, and that WTP for differs by intervention area. These findings imply that farmers’ demand for clean planting materials of non-OFSP varieties is higher than for the OFSP varieties. They suggest the need for sweetpotato breeding to continue considering some of the attributes that make local varieties popular, e.g., taste and dry matter content, in their breeding programs.
Higher-Order Comprehension Processes in Struggling Readers: A Perspective for Research and Intervention

Many children struggle to learn to read, and these difficulties can persist well into adulthood. To address this problem, researchers have investigated the processes that underlie reading. An informative body of work has thus identified basic skills (e.g., decoding, vocabulary knowledge) as necessary for successful reading. Researchers also have begun to examine comprehension skills and their contributions to the reading process. In this article we describe research from the cognitive sciences on the processes that underlie higher-order, coherence-oriented comprehension to provide an empirically and theoretically driven perspective for investigating struggling readers' difficulties. We show that this perspective is particularly beneficial in the development and assessment of instructional approaches by relating it to existing, effective interventions. Finally, we demonstrate how our own research activities have derived from this perspective and how preliminary findings extend our understanding of readers' difficulties. This work seeks to address existing challenges in the field of reading comprehension while also suggesting new ways of investigating the plight of struggling readers.
THE LINKAGE BETWEEN MANUFACTURING STRATEGIES AND STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN MALAYSIA

Rapid development and changes brought about by the global business environment should be accompanied by human resource management (HRM) practices which are progressive and forward looking to avoid failure for firms due to inability to properly manage their human capital. This study was undertaken in an attempt to identify which manufacturing strategies are significantly related to strategic HRM practices in Malaysia. This is based on the contingency theory which holds that certain HRM practices are implemented in accordance with type of competitive strategy adopted by the firms. The results of the study show that quality and flexibility based strategy is still a dominant concern for manufacturing firms. Through this study, the information gathered is useful for strategy formulation and how it leads to improved strategic HRM, specifically among Malaysian organizations and other parts of the world in general. Moreover the study is unique as it took place in a heterogeneous socio-political, cultural and economic environment. JEL classification: L60, M12 Key words: Manufacturing Strategies, Human resource Management, Malaysia.
Contribution of perindopril to cardiology : 20 years of success

Cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes are known to initiate a chain of events that include oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and vascular remodelling, and that if left to progress unchecked, will eventually culminate in end-stage cardiovascular disease. Perindopril is a long-acting lipophilic inhibitor of tissue angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) that has been studied in a variety of patient populations, ranging from those with hypertension to more advanced-stage cardiovascular disease. Although the role of ACE inhibitors is well established for patients with hypertension or heart failure, large morbidity–mortality trials have proved the efficacy of perindopril in a comparatively wide range of patients at risk of cardiovascular events, including patients with a history of stroke or transient ischaemic attack, irrespective of whether hypertension was present, and patients with stable coronary artery disease without heart failure or substantial hypertension. In addition, relative to a standard antihypertensive regimen based on a b-blocker/ diuretic, a calcium antagonist/perindopril-based regimen has been shown to provide more effective broad-spectrum prevention of cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients. Early studies revealed that, in addition to sustained 24 h antihypertensive activity with once-daily dosing, perindopril is able to reverse arterial remodelling in hypertensive patients. Furthermore, subanalyses of data from morbidity–mortality trials have shown that reversal of abnormal endothelial function and reductions in central aortic pressure may help to account for benefits observed with perindopril that extend beyond those expected from reductions in brachial blood pressure alone. In summary, although it is already a well-established antihypertensive drug, pivotal clinical trials are still helping to unravel the true potential of perindopril across the cardiovascular continuum.
Towards design guidelines for work related learning arrangements

Purpose – The purpose of the study is to produce design guidelines based on insights from both practice and theory that will enable teachers and educational developers to execute the design, implementation and evaluation of their work‐related learning arrangements with stakeholders involved.Design/methodology/approach – The first study reported in this paper can be characterised as an exploratory design study. The second and third study can be described as design‐oriented research.Findings – The case studies showed that to realize work related learning arrangements mutual understanding between stakeholders is needed to decide what has to be learned by the students and to create learning situations that have a high similarity with real working situations.Research limitations/implications – The ultimate evaluation question whether students indeed show high levels of learning outcomes on the levels of the framework when they followed work‐related learning arrangements that are arranged according to the desig.
On the welfare impacts of an immigration amnesty

This paper aims to assess the effects of an immigration amnesty on agents' welfare by using a simple two-period overlapping generations model. Given that illegal immigrants play a role in the economy even before being regularized, an amnesty differs from new immigration. In the presence of labor market discrimination, capital holders are harmed as the acquisition of legal status increases the wage bill that they pay. The net fiscal effect strongly depends on the discrimination that illegal workers face ex ante. A calibration of the model on Germany and the United Kingdom highlights overall limited economic consequences of amnesty which can be contrasted to the effects of deportation and new legal immigration. In particular, when public welfare expenditures are low, amnesty and new immigration can increase native's welfare in the long run while deportation might harm less-educated agents.
The bullwhip effect on product orders and inventory: a perspective of demand forecasting techniques

Demand forecasting is one of the key causes of the bullwhip effect on product orders. Although this aspect of order oscillation is not ignored, the current study focuses on another critical aspect of oscillation: the bullwhip effect on inventory, i.e. the net inventory variance amplification. In particular, this paper studies a two-level supply chain in which the demand is price sensitive, while the price follows a first-order autoregressive pricing process. We derive the analytical expressions of the bullwhip effect on product orders and inventory using minimum mean-squared error, moving average and exponential smoothing forecasting techniques. We also propose the conditions under which the three forecasting techniques would be chosen by the retailer to minimise the sum of the bullwhip effect on product orders and inventory under different weightings. These observations are used to develop managerial insights regarding choosing an appropriate forecasting technique after considering certain distinct characteristics of the product.