Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Interactions between Groundwater and Vadose Zone Using the HYDRUS‐Based Flow Package for MODFLOW

In the past, vadose zone processes in groundwater flow models were dramatically simplified (or even neglected) due to constraints on computational resources. The one‐dimensional unsaturated flow package HYDRUS, recently developed for the groundwater model MODFLOW, was evaluated and compared with other contemporary modeling approaches used to characterize vadose zone effects in groundwater models. Being fully incorporated into the MODFLOW program, the HYDRUS package provides MODFLOW with recharge fluxes at the water table, while MODFLOW provides HYDRUS with the position of the groundwater table that is used as the bottom boundary condition in the package. The performance of the HYDRUS package was analyzed for three case studies of increasing complexity: (i) a one‐dimensional infiltration experiment; (ii) a two‐dimensional water table recharge experiment; and (iii) a hypothetical regional‐scale groundwater flow problem. The computational need and modeling efficiency of the HYDRUS package was compared with other relevant MODFLOW packages (VSF, UZF1, and REC‐ET). For smaller scale problems (up to two dimensions), the VSF process and the HYDRUS and UZF1 packages performed comparably well in terms of modeling efficiency and simulation times. Because of the high computational demand, it was not feasible to use the VSF process on a typical personal computer for the hypothetical large‐scale groundwater problem. The HYDRUS package provided a much more efficient alternative to VSF for this large‐scale groundwater problem and could better account for vadose zone processes than the UZF1 and REC‐ET packages. For large‐scale groundwater problems, the HYDRUS package provides an optimal tradeoff between computational effort and accuracy of model simulations for coupled vadose zone–groundwater problems.
Advertising Practitioner Perceptions of HDTV Advertising: A Diffusion of Innovations Perspective

Abstract A nationwide online survey of advertising agency executives was conducted to investigate attitudes toward high-definition television (HDTV) diffusion. The survey was completed by 70 practitioners. The majority of respondents (85.9%) had viewed HDTV, but only 18.6% owned an HDTV set. Among non-owners of HDTV sets, 50% said they would not be acquiring 1 for at least 24 months. More than one half of the respondents believed that HDTV would not become the norm for 5 or more years. Respondents recognized the benefits of HDTV, but were not yet comfortable recommending HD advertising to clients. Factors inhibiting greater support of HDTV advertising include perceptions of insufficient HDTV programming, low HDTV diffusion among viewers, and greater cost of producing HD ads. Agency executives feel under-informed about HDTV, and would like to learn more about it. Industry groups interested in promoting greater acceptance of HDTV among advertising practitioners need to educate executives about the actual rate of HDTV diffusion to convince them that the medium is capable of attaining critical mass.
WEAK TURBULENCE IN THE HD 163296 PROTOPLANETARY DISK REVEALED BY ALMA CO OBSERVATIONS

Turbulence can transport angular momentum in protoplanetary disks and influence the growth and evolution of planets. With spatially and spectrally resolved molecular emission line measurements provided by (sub)millimeter interferometric observations, it is possible to directly measure non-thermal motions in the disk gas that can be attributed to this turbulence. We report a new constraint on the turbulence in the disk around HD 163296, a nearby young A star, determined from Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Science Verification observations of four CO emission lines (the CO(3-2), CO(2-1), 13CO(2-1), and C18O(2-1) transitions). The different optical depths for these lines permit probes of non-thermal line-widths at a range of physical conditions (temperature and density) and depths into the disk interior. We derive stringent limits on the non-thermal motions in the upper layers of the outer disk such that any contribution to the line-widths from turbulence is <3% of the local sound speed. These limits are approximately an order of magnitude lower than theoretical predictions for full-blown magnetohydrodynamic turbulence driven by the magnetorotational instability, potentially suggesting that this mechanism is less efficient in the outer (R ≳ 30 AU) disk than has been previously considered.
Greatest common divisors of $u-1, v-1$ in positive characteristic and rational points on curves over finite fields

In our previous work [4] we proved a bound for gcd(u − 1, v − 1), for S-units u, v of a function field in characteristic zero. This generalized an analogous bound holding over number fields, proved in [3]. As pointed out by Silverman [15], the exact analogue does not work for function fields in positive characteristic. In the present work, we investigate possible extensions in that direction; it turns out that under suitable assumptions some of the results still hold. For instance we prove Theorems 2 and 3 below, from which we deduce in particular a new proof of Weil’s bound for the number of rational points on a curve over finite fields (see §4). When the genus of the curve is large compared to the characteristic, we can even go beyond it. What seems a new feature is the analogy with the characteristic zero case, which admitted applications to apparently distant problems.
Quantum corrections to the Mukhanov-Sasaki equations

Recently, a lot of attention has been paid to the modifications of the power spectrum of primordial fluctuations caused by quantum cosmology effects. The origin of these modifications are corrections to the Mukhanov-Sasaki equations that govern the propagation of the primeval cosmological perturbations. The specific form of these corrections depends on a series of details of the quantization approach and of the prescription followed to implement it. Generally, nonetheless, the complexity of the theoretical quantum formulation is simplified in practice appealing to a semiclassical or effective approximation, in order to perform concrete numerical computations. In this work, we introduce technical tools and design a procedure to deal with these quantum corrections beyond the most direct approximations employed so far in the literature. In particular, by introducing an interaction picture, we extract the quantum dynamics of the homogeneous geometry in absence of scalar field potential and inhomogeneities, dynamics that has been intensively studied and that can be integrated. The rest of our analysis focuses on the interaction evolution, putting forward methods to cope with it. The ultimate aim is to develop treatments that increase our ability to discriminate between the predictions of different quantization proposals for cosmological perturbations.
Current and emerging biomarkers of hepatotoxicity

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is of great concern to human health. Generally, liver function and injury is evaluated based upon clinical signs, a select group of serum clinical biomarkers, and occasionally liver biopsies. While alanine aminotransferase, the most commonly used biomarker of hepatocellular injury, is a sensitive marker of liver injury, it is not necessarily specific for liver injury. Furthermore, alanine aminotransferase levels may not always correlate with the extent of injury. Therefore, new hepatotoxicity biomarkers are needed that are more predictive and specific indicators of liver injury and altered function. In addition, no current biomarker provides prognostic information about ultimate outcome once injury occurs, and any new biomarker filling this need is desperately needed. The omics technologies, including genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, are being used in preclinical animal studies as well as clinical studies to evaluate markers of hepatotoxicity in easily obtained biofluids, such as urine and serum. Recently, the evaluation of circulating microRNAs in urine and blood has also shown promise for the identification of novel, sensitive markers of liver injury. This review evaluates the current status of proposed biomarkers of hepatotoxicity from the omics platforms, as well as from analysis of microRNAs. A brief description of the qualification of proposed biomarkers is also given.
Iran or Persia: what's in a name, the decline and fall of a tourism industry?

The future of tourism in Iran depends on the tenor of the government, whether it be Islamic traditionalist or Islamic liberalist. In Iran religion and politics are inescapably intertwined and inseparable, with the priority of religion over politics. This is highlighted in the changing emphasis of the UNESCO list where cultural heritage is being reshaped according to religious and political ideology. President Jimmy Carter, during a State dinner in Tehran in late December 1977, described Iran 'an island of stability in one of the more troubled areas of the world'; this serves as a salient warning to those tempted to make predictions about the future of Iran. Anti -Israeli rhetoric, holocaust denial, uncertain nuclear aims and ambitions, pollution, traffic, false imprisonment, hangings and stoning all serve to undermine the attractiveness of Iran as a destination.
The evaluation of oxidative stress in lambs with Pestivirus infection

This study was carried out to measure the plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in lambs with Pestivirus. Sixty lambs aged between 2.5-3 months old were included in the study. Blood and faeces samples were examined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, using pan-Pestivirus primers. Clinical and virological examinations revealed that the numbers of non-infected and Pestivirus -infected animals were 20 (Group 1) and 40 (Group 2), respectively. Plasma MDA levels were found significantly higher in lambs with Pestivirus than that of controls (p<0.05) whilst the erythrocyte GSH-Px, CAT and SOD activities were significantly lower in lambs with Pestivirus (p<0.05) than in the controls. The determination of increased plasma MDA levels and decreased erythrocyte GSH-Px, CAT and SOD activities in the infected lambs confirms that oxidative stress is observed in Pestivirus. The presence of oxidative stress in Pestivirus indicates that the equilibrium between oxidants and antioxidants is shifted towards oxidants in lambs with
Long-term monitoring of air pollution effects on selected forest ecosystems in the Bucegi-Piatra Craiului and Retezat Mountains, southern Carpathians (Romania)

Abstract: The monitoring studies carried out in the southern Romanian Carpathians (Retezat and Bucegi - Piatra Craiului Mts) provide a scientific support for long term ecosystem research (LTER). Their general objective is to characterize the air pollution and its potential effects upon forest ecosystems’ status and biodiversity in close connection with climatic changes. Two monitoring networks were placed in selected forest ecosystems for each LTER site (11 plots in Retezat and 22 plots in Bucegi - Piatra Craiului, respectively). Both in Retezat and Bucegi - Piatra Craiului Mts, the distribution of mean ozone (O3) concentrations are significantly correlated with altitude. The location (plot) has a significant influence on ozone concentration and in some cases the exposure period along the growing season has an influence. Ambient ozone (O3) and ammonia (NH3) concentrations were below toxicity levels for forest trees, their health status (crown condition) and volume growth being insignificantly affected. More than 45% of the rain events were acidic with pH≤5.5, thus contributing to an increased N deposition on forest stands. In Retezat Mts crown condition was relatively better than in Bucegi - Piatra Craiului Mts. As a consequence, in 2009 European beech (Fagus sylvatica) was the least affected species, with a percentage of damaged trees (crown defoliation higher than 25%) between 8.0% (Retezat) and 9.8% (Bucegi - Piatra Craiului), followed by Norway spruce (Picea abies) with 12.9% (Retezat) and 27.7% (Bucegi - Piatra Craiului). The most affected species was Silver fir (Abies alba) with 31.6% of damaged trees (Bucegi-Piatra Craiului). In the last period, both European beech and conifers (Norway spruce and Silver fir) with high defoliation (damaged trees) had lower annual relative increment than trees with low defoliation (healthy trees). A definite trend regarding rapid environmental modifications is not evident and no significant reduction of biodiversity occurred. In addition, all the vegetation biodiversity components of the forest ecosystems are specific to the stand type’s structures and local climate conditions, and no quantifiable consequences of specific air pollutants on ecosystems’ diversity occurred.
Thoughts , attitudes , and intentions under personal nostalgia

Nostalgia is often examined in the marketing literature as a „single‟ response. However, Personal nostalgia as a specific type of nostalgic response is experiencing an increase in investigation within the marketing literature. This nostalgic appeal is also frequently utilized in the marketplace for a range of product categories. Important consumer behavior reactions such as cognitive, attitudinal, and purchase intent responses are all expected to be significantly influenced as a result of the specific nostalgic appeal type used. This research uses regression to examine cognition, attitude towards the advert, attitude towards the brand, and intention to purchase the brand, in consumers experiencing a personal nostalgic response. Although the association between consumer‟s cognitive, attitudinal and purchase intent responses to advertising appeals is widely examined, the connection between these reactions when experiencing specifically personal nostalgia have not been empirically examined. The results further the understanding of how this specific type of nostalgia influences these important consumer behavior responses. For mangers, the possible benefits and detrimental effects of using personal nostalgia are examined.
Jeounghee Kim Taking More Time to Graduate ? National High School Graduation Rate : Are Recent Birth Cohorts

Debates about the national high school graduation rate have heated up as various national high school graduation estimates based on the Common Core of Data (CCD) and the Current Population Survey (CPS) do not coincide with one another partially due to different assumptions about graduation age. This study found that (a) while graduation rate by age 18 declined, the rate by age 24 remained relatively constant, creating larger differences between the CCDand CPS-based rates and that (b) males and minorities particularly take more time to obtain a high school degree among the recent birth cohorts.
Biology of pyrrhocorid predator, Antilochus conqueberti Fabr. (Hemiptera: Pyrrhocoridae) and its predatory potential on Dysdercus cingulatus Fabr. (Hemiptera: Pyrrhocoridae)

The prey stage preference and the functional response of a pyrrhocorid predator, Antilochus conqueberti on Dysdercus cingulatus were studied in the laboratory along with the predator’s biology under controlled conditions. The functional response shown by the predator were of type II, since the number of prey consumed per predator initially rises quickly as the density of prey increases but then levels off with further increase in prey density. The stage preference experiments suggests that the third instars of Dystercus cingulatus were preferred by II and III instars of the predator, Antilochus conquebberti. The V instars of A. conqueberti fed minimum on all the stages of the pest D. cingulatus. The biology of the predator were studied in the laboratory conditions and it was found that the eggs of Antilochus coqueberti were of light brown colour and laid in clusters which hatched into pale, fuscrus and testaceous nymphs. The first generation and second generation reared in the laboratory were found to have an incubation period of 8.00±0.00 days and 7.55±0.08 days respectively and the organism has to cross five instars to become an adult. The stadial period of first instar in the first and second generation ranged from 1.46±0.008 and 2.56±0.08 respectively, the second instar, 6.86±0.47 and 10.14±0.23, the third instar, 5.94±0.55 and 7.83±0.20, the fourth instar, 7.80±0.243 and 4.79±0.18, the fifth instar, 9.13±0.64 and 7.00±0.30, the adult, 31.88±0.30 and 39.00±0.30. The sex ratio of the first generation and second generation was found to be 1:0.50.
Relationship between calorie intake, physical activity, and dopamine D2 receptor Taq1A gene polymorphism in normal-weight, overweight, and obese students of the faculty of medicine of university of Sumatera Utara

Introduction: Obesity is one of the risk factors that cause degenerative diseases such as diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, and hypertension. The cause of obesity is an imbalance of energy between consumed calories and expended calories in a long term influenced by environmental and genetic factors. The aim of this study is to see the relationship between calorie intake, physical activity, and dopamine D2 receptor Taq1A (DRD2 Taq1A) gene polymorphism in normalweight, overweight, and obese students of the Faculty of Medicine of University of Sumatera, Utara. Research Design and Methods: Data of calorie intake were taken by an interview using 24-hour food recall questionnaire. Body weight and height measurement are taken using digital scales and microtoise. Physical activity is measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. DRD2 gene Taq1A polymorphism was visualized with 3% agarose gel after RFLP was digested with Taq1 restriction enzyme. Results: Our study included 48 normal-weight, 16 overweight, and 75 obese students. HWE analysis yielded a significance of p > 0.05 in normal-weight, overweight, and obese students. There is a relationship between calorie intake, physical activity, and dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene Taq1A polymorphism in normal-weight, overweight, and obese students (p = 0.011, p = 0.032, p = 0.004). Conclusion: Calorie intake, physical activity, and DRD2 Taq1A gene polymorphism modulate overweight and obesity in students’ of the Faculty of Medicine of University of Sumatera Utara, with equilibrium population from time to time in this subjects.
Physiology of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) production by Alcaligenes eutrophus growing in continuous culture.

Alcaligenes eutrophus was grown in continuous culture (34 °C, pH 6.8) under various conditions with respect to dilution rate, nutrient limitation and carbon substrate. Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) content, the rate of PHB production (q PHB) and the rate of carbon substrate utilization (q s) during growth on glucose were maximum at low dilution rate under ammonia limitation (ammonia limitation > potassium/oxygen limitation > glucose limitation). PHB content decreased in a linear manner as a function of dilution rate, from approximately 80% at D 0-025 h-1 during ammonia-limited growth to approximately 5% during growth at the maximum specific growth rate (μmax) in batch culture. PHB content, q PHB and qs varied with the nature of the carbon substrate during ammonia-limited growth at fixed dilution rate, and were maximum during growth on lactate [lactate>pyruvate>glucose/gluconate>fructose; highest q PHB 0.38 g PHB (g non-PHB biomass)-1 h-1]. qPHB was related in an approximately linear manner to the q s in excess of that required solely for the production of non-PHB biomass. This surplus q s was higher during growth on lactate than on glucose because q s was approximately equal to the maximum rate of carbon substrate utilization (q smax) during growth on lactate, but much lower than q smax during growth on glucose. The relationship between q PHB and surplus q s was confirmed by the effect of adding formate (as an additional source of NADH and/or ATP) and the uncoupling agent carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) to ammonia-limited cultures. It is concluded that A. eutrophus is unable to regulate the rate at which it takes up excess carbon substrate to match that required solely for growth, particularly during growth on lactate at low dilution rate, and thus produces PHB as a means of avoiding the potentially deleterious effects of generating high concentrations of intracellular metabolites. Possible ways of further increasing PHB production are discussed.
Observation-based modelling of permafrost carbon fluxes 1 with accounting for deep carbon deposits and thermokarst 2 activity 3 4

14 High-latitude soils store vast amounts of perennially frozen and therefore inert organic matter. 15 With rising global temperatures and consequent permafrost degradation, a part of this carbon 16 stock will become available for microbial decay and eventual release to the atmosphere. We have 17 developed a simplified, two-dimensional multi-pool model to estimate the strength and timing of 18 future carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes from newly thawed permafrost carbon 19 (i.e. carbon thawed when temperatures rise above pre-industrial levels). We have especially 20 simulated carbon release from deep deposits in Yedoma regions by describing abrupt thaw under 21 newly formed thermokarst lakes. The computational efficiency of our model allowed us to run 22 large, multi-centennial ensembles under various scenarios of future warming to express 23 uncertainty inherent to simulations of the permafrost-carbon feedback. 24 Under moderate warming of the representative concentration pathway (RCP) 2.6 scenario, 25 cumulated CO2 fluxes from newly thawed permafrost carbon amount to 20 to 58 petagrams of 26 carbon (Pg-C) (68% range) by the year 2100 and reach 40 to 98 Pg-C in 2300. The much larger 27
The Search and Matching Equilibrium in an Economy with an Informal Sector: A Positive Analysis of Labour Market Policies

This paper contributes to the theoretical analysis of the informal sector through the search and matching framework. Building upon the work of Albrecht, Navarro and Vroman (2009), where the informal sector consists of unregulated selfemployment, I describe the search and matching equilibrium in an economy with an informal sector where workers are risk neutral and the government is able to see whether a worker is in the formal sector or in the informal one. In this case, I solve the matching equilibrium by introducing three policies: unemployment benefits, a formal lump sum tax, and a job creation subsidy. I analyse the effects of these policies on unemployment rates, formal employment and informal employment. I show that these policies affect the incentives of workers insofar as joining the formal or informal sectors, changing the composition of these two types of workers in the labor market.
R&D Productivity and Firm Size in Semiconductors and Pharmaceuticals: Evidence from Citation Yields

Using firm level panel data from the U.S., I explore the relationship between firm size and R&D productivity for two important and R&D-intensive industries: Semiconductors and Pharmaceuticals. I employ two measures of a firm's R&D performance: the number of citations received per patented innovation, and the number of citations received per dollar of R&D expenditures. The former is a measure of the average quality of a firm's patents, and the latter is a measure of total R&D output obtained per dollar of investments. I find that the average quality of patents (citations received per patent) falls with firm size in Pharmaceuticals, but there is no relationship between patent quality and firm size in Semiconductors. Citations received per R&D dollar decrease with size in both industries, which is due to the well-documented negative relationship between patents per R&D and firm size.