Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Glaucoma Awareness and Knowledge among Jordanian People

Glaucoma, a preventable condition, is the second leading reason behind blindness globally. The asymptomatic type of glaucoma is the most prevalent type, which explains the late presentation and diagnosis. The objective of the study has been developed to assess the levels of awareness about glaucoma among Jordanian people. This is a national study comprising of 511 subjects, aged 20 years and above. The participants were asked to fill the survey forms after signing the consent to the study. The results of the study revealed that 147 individuals (28.77%) were completely unaware of glaucoma, and 249 individuals (48.73%) had low level of knowledge about glaucoma. 77.5% of the subjects were either unaware or partial level of knowledge about the condition; however, they displayed an acceptable level of awareness. The outcomes among Jordanian people explained the delayed diagnosis of this blinding disease in the country. There is a need of proper educational strategies to educate Jordanian people about glaucoma.
DYNAMICO, an icosahedral hydrostatic dynamical core designed for consistency and versatility

DYNAMICO-1.0, an icosahedral hydrostatic dynamical core designed for consistency and versatility Thomas Dubos1, Sarvesh Dubey2, Marine Tort1, Rashmi Mittal3, Yann Meurdesoif4, and Frédéric Hourdin5 1IPSL/Lab. de Météorologie Dynamique, École Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France 2Dept. of Mathematics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India 3IBM India Research Laboratory, New Delhi, India 4IPSL/Lab. de Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, CEA-CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France 5IPSL/Lab. de Météorologie Dynamique, CNRS UPMC, Paris, France
Copulation Duration in Nonterritorial Odonate Species Lasts Longer Than in Territorial Species

ABSTRACT We tested whether long copulation duration is more likely to have evolved in nonterritorial odonate species than in territorial species, given that nonterritorial males do not incur the costs of territory defense. A phylogenetic comparative method that controls for the phylogenetic nonindependence of species was used to compare copulation duration among 46 species of the two main odonate suborders (Anisoptera and Zygoptera). Copulation duration of nonterritorial anisopteran species was longer than for territorial dragonflies; however, this relationship was not found for Zygoptera. Long copulations in Anisoptera may be related to a male's ability to manipulate a female's stored sperm. It is suggested that constraints that prevent a territorial male from lengthening copulation do not seem to operate in Zygoptera. Other selective processes (i.e., cryptic female choice and/or sexual conflict) may also be important determinants of copulation duration in the Zygoptera. To our knowledge, this is the first exploration of the relation copulation duration and mating systems in insects.
Autoregressive Conditional Duration Models: An Application in the Brazilian Stock Market

In recent years, the number of negotiations related to the activities in the financial sector, especially in equities and money markets have grown considerably. With the development of information systems, more people are involved in negotiations with financial instruments, particularly in the form of electronic trading. Financial markets have become a source of high-frequency data. To understand and predict future market developments, the use of high-frequency data has required greater attention and research, both in academia, and financial institutions. The models
Field Investigation of Controlled Sediment Flushing at Sernio Pondage

Sernio barrage (central Italian Alps) dams the Adda river 75 km above its mouth in lake Como. The proj ect diverts water to a run-of-the-river hydropower plan t (30 MW installed capacity, 40 m /s rated discharge). At maximum headwater, a 0.75 Mm 3 pondage develops up to 1.5 km above the barrage. Controlled sediment flushing took place in 2009 and in 2010 during maximum seasonal runoff (late sprin g/early summer) in non-consecutive days to increase the env ironmental sustainability and to meet the requireme nts of the other river stakeholders. In 2009, about 100’00 tons of sediment (predominantly smaller than coar se sand) were flushed in 16 days. About 25’000 tons were eva cuated in 6 days in 2010. During the flushing works , the typical discharge was between 70 and 100 m /s, while minimum flow released below the barrage i s of 2 m/s. Two limits for the Suspended Solid Concentration (S SC) were fixed, i.e. 1.5 g/L (average value on the whole working day) and 3 g/L (alert threshold to adjust t he ongoing activity). SSC control was successful an d constraints were essentially fulfilled. About 5 km below the barrage field surveys were car ried out to quantify the impact on river biota (Add a river below the barrage is characterized by suitable habi tats for grayling and marble trout, both catalogued in the EU Habitats Directive and in the IUCN red list of thre at ned species least concern category). The operation seems overall tolerable and the repor t d values could be useful to plan future sediment management in analogous contexts.
Histological examination of major craniofacial abnormalities produced in rat foetuses with a variety of retinoids

Retinoic acid is a vitamin-A derived compound that plays an important role in craniofacial development. However, numerous studies have shown that exogenously administered retinoic acid analogues have teratogenic effects both in humans and in experimental animals. This paper presents the results of a study where exogenous administration of retinoic acid analogues to pregnant Wistar rats resulted in major craniofacial malformations of most of the foetuses. Seven groups of pregnant rats were exposed to a variety of retinoic acid analogues, administered in different doses on different gestational days. A further control group was not exposed to these compounds. All the rats were impregnated and sacrificed on the same gestational days (GD 0 and GD 18 respectively). Following examination of the 34 foetuses obtained from the retinoic acid-treated litters, 5 were chosen for histological investigation to describe the major, external craniofacial malformations resulting from exposure to the teratogens. These malformations included exophthalmos, anophthalmos, exencephaly, craniofacial asymmetry and facial tags. Also reported here are the incidences of teratomas and absorptions in these litters. Previously, we have reported the incidence of cleft lip and palate in rats subjected to an identical experimental regimen. Our data provide further evidence that retinoic acid analogues, all-trans-retinoic acid in particular, disturb normal craniofacial development in such a way that a spectrum of craniofacial malformations can be induced by embryonic exposure to these compounds.
Morpho-physiological and Yield Contributing Characters and Yield of Sesame with 1-Napthalene Acetic Acid (NAA)

The experiment was undertaken in the Farm laboratory of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU), Dhaka, during Kharif 1 season, April to July 2013 to examine the response of different levels of foliar application of 1-napthaleneacitic acid (NAA) on morpho-physiology, yield contributing attributes and seed yield of sesame using variety BARI Til 4. The treatments of this experiment consisted of four different levels of NAA viz. A0 = 0 ppm, A1 = 25 ppm, A2 = 50 ppm and A3 = 75 ppm. The research was laid out in single factors Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. In this study, NAA significantly increased morphological characters- plant height, leaf number plant-1, branch number plant-1, fresh and dry weight of shoot and root other than leaf and branch number plant-1 of at 30 and 40 DAS. As morphological parameters NAA also significantly improves yield contributing characters of sesame-the number of pod plant-1, diameter and length of pod, seed weight plant-1 and plot-1, thousand seed weight compared to without NAA. The foliar application of 50 ppm NAA increased seed yield of sesame (1.22 t/ha) which is consistent with the results of morph-physiological and yield contributing characters of this study. Separately, the higher dose of NAA, 75 ppm failed to produce better results of this experiment including seed yield. These results suggest that NAA shows a positive consequence to increase the seed yield of sesame by changing the plant architecture and biomass production. Based on the present results, it can be suggested that the 50 ppm NAA is appropriate for higher yield of sesame var. BARI Til 4 under the climatic conditions of SAU.
The meridional transport of salt in the Atlantic ocean is an important process for climate , controlling the stability of the meridional overturning circulation

[1] The meridional transport of salt in the Atlantic ocean is an important process for climate, controlling the stability of the meridional overturning circulation. The contribution of transient eddies to this transport is quantified in an eddy resolving North Atlantic model at 1/12 resolution (NATL12), and compared with lower resolution North-Atlantic and global 1/4 models. In NATL12 between 10 N and 40 N, there is a volume loss by evaporation of 0.6 Sverdrups (Sv). The divergence of the eddy flux of salt (normalized by a reference salinity of 34.8) is 0.2 Sv over the region, a significant fraction of the total air-seawater exchange, but it is compensated by an opposite convergent transport of salt by the mean flow, so that the total transport of salt is small. The compensation between eddy and mean salt transport is almost complete in a multicentury long global model experiment, but less effective in NATL12 because the short integration time does not allow the salt content to equilibrate and the model drift is large. Eddies arising from baroclinic instability contribute to the meridional salt transports at the northern and southern boundary of the subtropical gyre, where they appear consistent with a lateral diffusion acting on the mean salinity gradient. However, the eddy transport of salt is the sum of two terms: an advective contribution (arising from the correlations of velocity and isopycnal thicknesses) and a diffusion along isopycnals. Both components have the same amplitude at the southern boundary of the subtropical gyre, while diffusion is dominant at the northern boundary.
The usefulness of financial statement information in predicting stock returns: New Zealand evidence

This study examines whether financial statement information can be used to implement an investment strategy in order to earn abnormal returns. Using financial statement information, we develop multiple logit models that predict either the year-ahead earnings changes (earnings-based approach) or the direction of stock returns (returns-based approach). The study labels the earnings-based approach as the ‘indirect method’ and the returns-based approach as the ‘direct method’. The coefficient estimates of these models are used to generate Pr measures which are used to formulate investment strategies. Specifically, an investment strategy that involves buying stocks with high Pr values and selling stocks with low Pr values is examined. We find that both approaches generate positive returns for holding periods between six to eighteen months. However, when the influence of stock characteristics was analysed, only the Pr measures generated by the direct method demonstrated a significant influence on the stock returns. These findings remained unchanged across a number of sensitivity tests conducted.
Collusion and Overlending

This study provides a theoretical background for collusion-induced overlending being the main cause of the 1997 Korean financial crisis. Our model consists of a lending institution, a borrowing chaebol of an unknown type, and an informed politician who can influence lending decision. We show that collusion can be formed between a low-type chaebol and the politician, and it may not be the lending institutions best interest to deter such collusion. This equilibrium, however, is possible only when the economic environment is favorable. When the economy deteriorates, the expectations of the fall of the collusion equilibrium can trigger financial crisis.
Helicity inversion in spherical convection as a means for equatorward dynamo wave propagation

We discuss here a purely hydrodynamical mechanism to invert the sign of the kinetic helicity, which plays a key role in determining the direction of propagation of cyclical magnetism in most models of dynamo action by rotating convection. Such propagation provides a prominent, and puzzling constraint on dynamo models. In the Sun, active regions emerge first at mid-latitudes, then appear nearer the equator over the course of a cycle, but most previous global-scale dynamo simulations have exhibited poleward propagation (if they were cyclical at all). Here, we highlight some simulations in which the direction of propagation of dynamo waves is altered primarily by an inversion of the kinetic helicity throughout much of the interior, rather than by changes in the differential rotation. This tends to occur in cases with a low Prandtl number and internal heating, in regions where the local density gradient is relatively small. We analyse how this inversion arises, and contrast it to the case of convection that is either highly columnar (i.e., rapidly rotating) or locally very stratified; in both of those situations, the typical profile of kinetic helicity (negative throughout most of the northern hemisphere) instead prevails.
Minority Status, Social Welfare Status and their Association with Child Participation in Sporting, Cultural and Community Activities

Participation in sporting, cultural and community activities can have significant emotional, physical and social benefits for children. A small literature now exists exploring the factors that promote or inhibit children’s participation in these activities. This paper adds to the literature using a large child-based dataset collected in Ireland, the Growing Up in Ireland dataset. The paper investigates the role of minority status as a barrier to child participation in a range of activities. Minority status in this paper is characterised as being non-Irish born, non-Roman Catholic, or having a family member in receipt of some form of social welfare. The association between such characteristics and child participation in sporting, cultural and community activities is examined using multivariate analyses. The results highlight that these factors are associated with lower participation in structured activities though the impact varies according to activity and minority grouping. The implications of the findings for policy are discussed.
Bracket Creep Revisited: Progressivity and a Solution by Adjusting the Rich Tax in Germany

This paper studies the redistributive and revenue effects of bracket creep in Germany under various inflation scenarios and evaluates the feasibility to charge a rich tax to fight bracket creep for the income distribution in 2009. Using a tax micro-simulation model developed for the newly available PHF data, we document an inverted U-shaped overall redistribution effect of the tax system with respect to the inflation rate, which contrasts Immervoll (2005) who finds that the fiscal drag always enhances the equalizing property. Delaying indexation might not be better off in terms of inequality. A politically in-between approach is proposed to raise the marginal tax rate for the top bracket to compensate the government revenue loss due to indexing the tax schedule in Germany. The rich tax required for fully financing the indexation can be sizable. Under our simulation environment, this rate can reach above 75% with four years’ inaction on 4% annual inflation. When this rich tax can be fiscally possible, it can totally offset the decrease of global redistribution effect from indexation. Our results echo the inequality indexing proposed by Burman, Shiller, Leiserson, Rohaly and Kennedy (2007) by suggesting institutionalizing a joint adjustment of rich tax and bracket creep / inflation indexing which justifies a pro-growth, risk reducing, revenue-neutral and framing effective policy.
Strong and -Convergence Theorems for Common Fixed Points of a Finite Family of Multivalued Demicontractive Mappings in CAT Spaces

Let K be a nonempty closed and convex subset of a complete CAT(0) space. Let , be a family of multivalued demicontractive mappings such that . A Krasnoselskii-type iterative sequence is shown to -converge to a common fixed point of the family . Strong convergence theorems are also proved under some additional conditions. Our theorems complement and extend several recent important results on approximation of fixed points of certain nonlinear mappings in CAT spaces. Furthermore, our method of the proof is of special interest.
Research on the radiation characteristics of aerodynamic noises in the connection position of high-speed trains

To study unsteady aerodynamic noise characteristics in the connection position of high-speed trains, this paper established a computational model for aerodynamic noises in the connection position of high-speed trains based on computational fluid dynamics theories. This model included 2 middle trains and 1 connection structure. The detached eddy simulation (DES) was adopted to conduct a numerical simulation for the flow field around high-speed trains which were running in the open air without crosswind. The acoustic model of Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) was used to conduct an unsteady computation for far field aerodynamic noises in the connection position of high-speed trains. In the meanwhile, the boundary element method (BEM) was also applied to conduct an unsteady computation for the radiation of near field aerodynamic noises in the connection position. When the running speed was 250 km/h, time-domain characteristics, frequency-domain characteristics and sound propagation characteristics of aerodynamic noises in the connection position and the unsteady flow field around the connection position were obtained. Studied results showed that: vortex shedding and fluid separations in the connection position were main reasons for aerodynamic noises. In addition, main aerodynamic noise sources were at the recess and rear (the second train) in the connection position, and the first train was not an aerodynamic noise source. Peak frequencies of aerodynamic noises in the far field were 34 Hz, 79 Hz, 124 Hz and 170 Hz. When observation points were 7.5 m away from the center line of track, the maximum sound pressure level was 83.6 dB. When observation points were 25 m away from the center line of track, the maximum sound pressure level was 75.9 dB.
Comparison of the efficiency of some of the most usual DNA extraction methods for woody plants in different tissues of Vitis vinifera L.

Aim : To compare different methods for extracting DNA from non-recalcitrant and recalcitrant tissues of Vitis vinifera woody plants and propose a modification of a previously published method to reduce the time and cost of extraction. Methods and results : DNA was extracted from young and mature leaves as well as from stems and seeds using some of the most common methods of DNA isolation and two commercial kits. Another commercial kit, which does not require DNA extraction prior to PCR, was also used. Only two methods provided adequate results in all tissues. Other methods were only applicable to some tissues and some did not yield any functional DNA in any tissue. A modification of the method reported by Marsal et al . (2011) is proposed to reduce handling time and cost. Conclusion : All of the methods studied here use a surfactant to improve the extractions. For DNA extraction from recalcitrant tissues to be optimal, it is best to use a combination of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The changes made to the protocol reported by Marsal et al . (2011) enable functional DNA to be obtained from leaves in only 90 minutes and at very low cost (17 €/8 samples). However, this method cannot adequately isolate DNA from recalcitrant tissues (stems and seeds) and so, for this type of sample, we would recommend using the original method. Significance and impact of the study : Nowadays, handling time and cost are key factors in selecting the most suitable DNA extraction method. This study compares not only the effectiveness of the various methods but also the handling time and cost. It also proposes a modification of the fastest and most economic DNA extraction method for leaves so that handling time and processing cost will be reduced even further.
Country Insurance Using Financial Instruments

The availability of financial instruments related to indices that track global financial conditions and risk appetite can potentially offer countries alternative options to insure against external shocks. This paper shows that while these instruments can explain much of the in-sample variation in borrowing spreads, this fails to materialize in hedging strategies that work well out-of-sample during tranquil times. However, positions on instruments such as those tracking the US High Yield Spread, the VIX, and especially other emerging market CDS spreads can substantially offset adverse movements in own spreads during times of systemic crises. Moreover, high risk countries seem to gain more, as their underlying weaknesses makes them more vulnerable to external shocks. Overall, the limited value in tranquil times, coupled with political economy arguments and innovation costs could justify the limited interest for this type of hedging in practice
The roles of computer self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and attribution theory in impacting computer system use

TJte process by which individuals accept or reject information technologies was theoreti­ cally explained in a model employing attributional relationships and computer self-ejficacy and outcome expectancy. The model was empirically tested using structural equations model­ ing and data collected in afield setting. The results provided partial confiirmation of the theory that attributions to ability, effort, luck, and task difficulty impact information system use medi­ ated by computer self-ejficacy and outcome expectancy. The stable attributions of ability and task difficulty had meaningful impacts on computer self-ejficacy. Similarly, task difficulty had a meaningful impact on outcome expectancy. The unstable attributes of effort and luck demon­ strated meaningful impacts on computer self-ejficacy but not outcome expectancy. In addition, these results showed that computer self-ejficacy had a significant impact on both outcome ex­ pectancy and computer system use. INTRODUCTION Numerous factors that impact the success or failure of information technologies (IT) are well known. Examples include user involvement (Baroudi, Olson, & Ives, 1986; Boalnd, 1978; Debrabander & Edstrom, 1977; Mankin, Bikson. & Gutek, 1985; Trait & Vessey, 1988), senior management support (Leonard-Barton, 1988; Zmud, 1984). training (Glass & Knight, 1988), and realistic user expectations (Ginzbert, 1981; Salloway, Counte, & Kjerulff, 1987). Given that these factors have been identified and tested, there should be little resistance to the implementa­ tion and use of IT. However, problems with the acceptance and use of IT in the work place have been observed and documented (Argyris, 1971; Bladder & Brown, 1985; Cancro & Slotnick, 1970; Dowling, 1980; Meier, 1985; Rosen, Sears, & Weil, 1987; Henry & Stone, 1995). These