Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the seasonal and synoptic time scale variability of the North Atlantic trades and its low-level clouds

AbstractThe seasonality in large-scale meteorology and low-level cloud amount (CClow) is explored for a 5° × 5° area in the North Atlantic trades, using 12 years of ERA-Interim and MODIS data, supported by 2 years of Barbados Cloud Observatory (BCO) measurements. From boreal winter to summer, large-scale subsiding motion changes to rising motion, along with an increase in sea surface temperature, a clockwise turning and weakening of low-level winds, and reduced cold-air advection, lower-tropospheric stability (LTS), and surface fluxes. However, CClow is relatively invariant around 30%, except for a minimum of 20% in fall. This minimum is only pronounced when MODIS scenes with large high-level cloud amount are excluded, and a winter maximum in CClow is more pronounced at the BCO. On monthly time scales, wind speed has the best correlation with CClow. Existing large-eddy simulations suggest that the wind speed–CClow correlation may be explained by a direct deepening response of the trade wind layer to stron.
HPLC determination of selected flavonoid glycosides and theircorresponding aglycones in Sutherlandia frutescens materials

Sutherlandia frutescens is a popular South African plant commercially available in a range of formulations. However, reference standards for quality and stability assessment are lacking. This work reports the development and validation of a reversed phase HPLC method for the analysis of flavonoid glycosides and their corresponding aglycones in S. frutescens products. Five materials containing either leaf powder (LP) or spray-dried aqueous extract (SDAE) of S. frutescens were analysed for flavonoid content. A primary objective was to isolate non-commercially available flavonoid glycoside compounds (sutherlandins) for use as reference standards. Sutherlandins A, B, C and D were successfully isolated, and used, with other flavonoid compounds for HPLC assay development. The developed HPLC method was linear in the range of 0.2 to 60 μg/ml for quercitrin; 0.2 to 120 μg/ml for quercetin and kaempferol; 0.2 to 200 μg/ml for rutin and kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside; 4 to 180 μg/ml for sutherlandins A and D; and 4 to 200 μg/ml for sutherlandins B and C. Percentage content of sutherlandins A, B, C and D, quercetin and kaempferol in different plant materials were significantly different (P<0.001). The developed HPLC method is simple, precise and robust; and can be employed for the simultaneous determination of flavonoid glycosides and aglycones for quality control of S. frutescens products.
Gonadotropin-Releasing Response to Kisspeptin-10 and Its Modulation by Progesterone in Postpartum Cyclic Cows

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of kisspeptin-10 (Kp10), a shorter variant of kisspeptin retaining full biological activity, on the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in cyclic adult cows, and the effect of plasma progesterone (P4)concentration on the response to Kp10 administration. The experiments were performed using five postpartum cows (4-5 years old) treated with a progesterone-releasing intravaginal device (PRID) for 7 days. The animals received a single intravenous (i.v.) injection of Kp10 (5 μg/kg b.w.: 3.85 nmol/kg b.w.) for three consecutive days after the device’s removal. Plasma concentrations of P4 were higher on the day of the PRID’s removal (day 0: 7.3±1.1 ng/mL) than 1 (day 1: 0.8±0.1 ng/mL) and 2 (day 2: 0.6±0.1 ng/mL) days later (P<0.05). Kp10 did not alter plasma LH concentrations significantly at day 0. However, it significantly stimulated the release of LH on day 1 and day 2 (P<0.05). Kp10 tended to stimulate the release of FSH at day 2; however, it did not alter the concentrations of FSH in plasma significantly throughout the experiment. The results showed that Kp10 stimulates the release of LH in postpartum cyclic cows, and suggested that high concentrations of P4 inplasma may reduce the effect of kisspeptin on the secretion of gonadotropins.
AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF On Admissibility Among1Affine Sets of Liear Estimators Redacted for Privacy

We describe a general finitedimensional inner product space setting for studying the characterization of admissible linear estimators. We extend the results of LaMotte (1982) and derive necessary and sufficient conditions for an estimator to be admissible among an arbitrary affine set of linear estimators when they are compared using quadratic risk in a linear model with general mean and variancecovariance structure. The results are shown to be applicable to linear estimation of vectorvalued parametric functions compared according to total mean squared error. We also present containment results that provide a partial description of the admissible estimators for a problem. Additional results are obtained in specific vector space settings for problems where estimators are compared according to total mean squared error. We explore the admissibility of trans formations of admissible estimators. We show a linear model linear
Evaluation of herd structure of white Fulani cattle holdings in Zaria-Nigeria

A survey of 20 Fulani households in Zaria and environs revealed that the maximum and minimum herd size of Fulani cattle holdings in Zaria was 69 and 16, respectively, with the mean herd size of 42. The cattle stock composition showed a gender imbalance, with a preponderance of the female stock than males. On the average, female animals constitute 60-75% in each herd type. The young animals contributed about 50% of the herd size, with more females (35%) than males (15%). The proportion of breeding cows in the herd was 44% while the proportion of the breeding bulls was 6%, this showed that the proportion of the males in the herd reduced as they reached breeding age. The mean values for the breeding bulls, breeding cows, young males and females per herd were 2.6, 18.5, 5.7 and 14.7 respectively. There was however, high variability amongst the herd structure attributes with respect to herd sizes (CV= 36.8%), number of breeding bulls (CV= 40.2%), breeding cows (CV= 49.1%), young males (CV=42.3%) and young females per herd (CV= 44.5%). The bulls in the Fulani herds reached considerable high age (average of 4.05 years) before breeding. The mean age of the breeding bulls in the Fulani herds was 5.98 years. Although older bulls of up to 12 years were found in some of the herds. A majority of the bulls were within 5 years age bracket. The high percentage of breeding and rearing females in the herd implies that the Fulani herdsmen were conscious of keeping only those animals which were productive for the sake of increasing their herd.
units : LCA with uncertainty analysis Carbon abatement via treating the solid waste from the Australian olive industry in mobile pyrolysis

The olive oil industry in Australia has been growing at a rapid rate over the past decade. It is forecast to continue growing due to the steady increase in demand for olive oil and olive products in the local and regional market. However, the olive oil extraction process generates large amounts of solid waste called olive husk which is currently underutilized. This paper uses life-cycle methodology to analyse the carbon emission reduction potential of utilizing olive husk as a feedstock in a mobile pyrolysis unit. Four scenarios, based on different combinations of pyrolysis technologies (slow versus fast) and end-use of products (land application versus energy utilization), are constructed. The performance of each scenario under conditions of uncertainty was also investigated. The results show that all scenarios result in significant carbon emission abatement. Processing olive husk in mobile fast pyrolysis units and the utilization of bio-oil and biochar as substitutes for heavy fuel oil and coal is likely to realize a carbon offset greater than 32.3 Gg CO2-eq annually in 90% of the time. Likewise, more than 3.2 Gg-C (11.8 Gg CO2-eq) per year could be sequestered in the soil in the form of fixed carbon if slow mobile pyrolysis units were used to produce biochar.
Effect of nitrogen and phosphorous on Farm Plantations in various agroecological zones of Punjab, Pakistan

Against a world average of 25% area under forests, Pakistan has around 5% and Punjab has only 2% area under manageable and productive forests. The present deteriorating condition of the forests in Punjab has bleak prospects of improvement and expansion in near future due to ever increasing demand for agriculture produce. In view of the present situation the best possible solution seems to be offered by Farm forestry/agroforestry that models planting trees and agricultural crops together, which unfortunately, has not been utilized to its full potential. Based on physiographic, climate and ecology, Pakistan is divided into nine major ecological or vegetative zones, which are further sub-divided into 18 habitat types – an arrangement for the development of protected areas system in terms of representative ecotypes. During the survey of farm plantations about 400 soil samples were collected and their physical and chemical analysis was conducted for the comparison of the four Agro ecological zones of the Punjab Province of Pakistan with regards to agroforestry. A comparison of the characteristics of soils taken from various farm plantations necessitated a prior evaluation of nitrogen and phosphorous as well as their composition in order to ascertain whether the soils were texturally similar or not. In case of Agroforestry, the type of soil is one of the major factors for the classification of different suitable species of plants. The results of the soil analysis of various Agro ecological zones and the consequent recommendation of the associated suitable species, aids the agrofarmers to pick out the best possible option. Keywords : Soil analysis, agro-ecological zones, agroforestry, nitrogen and phosphorous.
The influence of interparticle correlations and self-assembly on the dynamic initial magnetic susceptibility spectra of ferrofluids

Using computer simulations and a mean- ﬁ eld theoretical approach, we study how the growth in dipolar interparticle correlations manifests itself in the frequency-dependent initial magnetic susceptibility of a ferro ﬂ uid. Our recently developed theory gives the correct single-particle Debye-theory results in the low- concentration, non-interacting regime; and it yields the exact leading-order contributions from interparticle correlations. The susceptibility spectra are analysed in terms of the low-frequency behaviours of the real and imaginary parts, and the position of the peak in the imaginary part. By comparing the theoretical predictions to the results from Brownian dynamics simulations, it is possible to identify the conditions where correlations are important, but where self-assembly has not developed. We also provide a qualitative explanation for the behaviour of spectra beyond the mean- ﬁ eld limit.
Molecular Cell Noise and H 3 k 9 ac Distinguish between HDACs

Gene expression shows a significant variation (noise) between genetically identical cells. Noise depends on the gene expression process regulated by the chromatin environment. We screened for chromatin factors that modulate noise in S. cerevisiae and analyzed the results using a theoretical model that infers regulatory mechanisms from the noise versus mean relationship. Distinct activities of the Rpd3(L) and Set3 histone deacetylase complexes were predicted. Both HDACs repressed expression. Yet, Rpd3(L)C decreased the frequency of transcriptional bursts, while Set3C decreased the burst size, as did H2B monoubiquitination (ubH2B). We mapped the acetylation of H3 lysine 9 (H3K9ac) upon deletion of multiple subunits of Set3C and Rpd3(L)C and of ubH2B effectors. ubH2B and Set3C appear to function in the same pathway to reduce the probability that an elongating PolII produces a functional transcript (PolII processivity), while Rpd3(L)C likely represses gene expression at a step preceding elongation.
Diversity perspectives and minority nonprofit board member inclusion

Purpose – Using survey data of nonprofit board members from racial/ethnic minority groups, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how the three work group perspectives toward diversity theorized by Ely and Thomas (2001) – discrimination-and-fairness (P1), access-and-legitimacy (P2), and integration-and-learning (P3) – are associated with minority group members’ inclusion experiences. Design/methodology/approach – The paper investigates how an organization's motivations for board diversity, as perceived by racial/ethnic minority board members, drive various organizational- and board-level practices and behaviors, and ultimately impact their experience of inclusion. The paper uses two different operationalizations of the diversity perspectives to assess their impact on minority board members’ inclusion experiences. The hypothesized model was tested using partial least squares analyses on the responses of 403 racial/ethnic minority nonprofit board members. Findings – Regardless of the measure used, raci.
A global spectral study of black hole X-ray binaries

We report on a consistent and comprehensive spectral analysis of the X-ray emission of 25 black hole X-ray binaries. All publicly available observations of the black hole binaries in the RXTE archive were analysed. Three different types of model were fitted to investigate the spectral changes occurring during an outburst. For the population, as well as for each binary and each outburst from each binary, we construct two diagnostic diagrams. The hardness intensity/luminosity diagram (HID/HLD), the X-ray colour against the flux/luminosity of the binary, is most useful when studying a single binary. However, to compare different binary systems, the disc fraction luminosity diagram (DFLD) is more useful. The DFLD uses the luminosities of the disc and power-law components to calculate the ratio of the disc luminosity to the total luminosity, resulting in a more physical value, which is analogous to the X-ray colour calculated for X-ray binaries. The tracks of the outbursts populate the DFLD more evenly than the HLD. We discuss the limitations of both diagnostic diagrams for the study of the X-ray binary outbursts and clearly illustrate how the two diagrams map on to each other for real outburst data. The similarity of the X-ray colour and disc fraction behaviour over time during an outburst originally seen in GX 339? 4 data is seen in other sources' outbursts. We extract the peak luminosities in a single outburst, as well as the luminosities at the transitions away from and returning to the power-law-dominated state for each outburst. The distribution of the luminosities at the transition from the power-law to the disc-dominated state peaks at around 0.3LEdd , the same as the peak of the distribution of the peak luminosities in an outburst. Using the disc fraction to calculate the transition luminosities shows that the distributions of the luminosities for the transitions away from and returning to the power-law-dominated state are both broad and appear to overlap. Using the change in disc fraction to calculate the date when a transition occurred is not drastically different from obtaining the dates from changes in the timing behaviour of the X-ray binary. In addition, we calculate the rate of motion of an X-ray binary through the DFLD during an outburst, a diagnostic which has the potential to be used as a comparison with populations of active galactic nuclei. The fastest rate of motion is on the egress and ingress from the power-law-dominated state. A further region of increased speed through the diagram occurs in the disc-dominated state on the return to the power-law-dominated state. Finally, we compare the measured X-ray luminosities with a small number of contemporaneous radio measurements. Overall, this is the most comprehensive and uniform global study of black hole X-ray binaries to date.
The use of valuation models by European biotechnology analysts

This paper aims at examining the practical use of valuation models by European biotechnology analysts. The study is based on a self-administered questionnaire with 39 sellside analysts, and is complemented with semi-structured face-to-face interviews. We find that most professional analysts prefer the risk-adjusted net present value (rNPV) model. The main reasons to the popularity of the rNPV model seem to be driven by both client-driven preferences and the ability of the analyst not to be restricted in changing its forecasts. We also find evidence, using a non linear variant of the Principal Components Analysis, of four ways of valuing biotechnology firms. These variations in valuation models seems to some extent be driven by the maturity stage of the company, but also by preferences of the users (analysts). The preferences of the users become even more apparent when analysts determine critical input parameters to the valuation models. Some of these clearly deviate from what classical financial theory suggests. We conclude that the stock price determined by analysts‟ valuation models is only part of the entire valuation story and subjective factors play a crucial role in the investment recommendations.
THE IMPACTS OF MAGNETIC FIELDS ON THE THERMOCAPILLARY CONVECTION IN TWO LAYERS FLUID SYSTEM

Under a horizontal temperature gradient along the liquidliquid interface, the developing processes of thermocapillary convection in two layers immiscible fluids system absent gravity were simulated numerically, where the upper layer fluid was encapsulant B2O3, the underlayer fluid was melting InP in this paper. The effects of different direction magnetic field on the developing behaviors of thermocapillary convection were investigated. The results showed that the flow pattern was changed obviously and the thermocapillary convection was damped in some extent and the temperature distributions became more uniform if magnetic fields in X, Y or Z direction were applied. Z direction magnetic field had a stronger effect on the thermocapillary convection and it was enough to suppress convection significantly at Bz between 0.15T and 0.2T. The simulation became numerically unstable when Bz was over 0.2T.
An overview on the small heat shock proteins

In the last 25 years, a huge amount of literature has been accumulated describing the cell’s response to different kinds of environmental stress conditions, such as high temperatures, altered pH, exposure of the cell to toxins, starvation, oxygen, and water deprivation, among others. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are one of the main expressed products of the cell in response to stresses. HSPs can be classified into six structurally conserved classes according to their molecular weight namely, HSP100, HSP90, HSP70, HSP60, small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) and ubiquitin (8.5 kDa). In eukaryotes, different heat shock genes are expressed uncoordinatedly, whereas in prokaryote, heat shock genes form a regulon and appear simultaneously. sHSPs are associated with nuclei, cytoskeleton and membranes. They bind partially to denatured proteins, preventing irreversible protein aggregation during stress. In animals, only one sHSP gene has been located in yeast cells, ten in mammalian, two in birds and four genes have been found in Drosophila . However, in plants more than 20 sHSPs have been reported and they can be divided into 6 classes, of which, 3 classes (CI, CII and CIII) are in the cytosole or in the nucleus and the other three (CIV, CV and CVI) in the plastids, endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. Mitochondrial and chloroplast sHSPs protect electron transport chain. During development in animals, sHSP genes are normally regulated at late neurula and early tailbud stage and in plants during pollen development, seed maturation, seed imbibition and germination. Transcriptional regulation of sHSPs depends on particular activation of heat shock factors (HSF) which recognize the highly conserved heat-shock elements (HSEs). After the heat stress has been released, the sHSPs are quite stable, suggesting that sHSPs may be important for recovery as well.
Numerical study of active galactic nucleus feedback in an elliptical galaxy with MACER

Abstract This paper summarizes our recent works of studying AGN feedback in an isolated elliptical galaxy by performing high-resolution hydrodynamical numerical simulations. Bondi radius is resolved and the mass accretion rate of the black hole is calculated. The most updated AGN physics, namely the discrimination of cold and hot accretion modes and the exact descriptions of the AGN radiation and wind for a given accretion rate are adopted and their interaction with the gas in the host galaxy is calculated. Physical processes such as star formation and SNe feedback are taken into account. Consistent with observation, we find the AGN spends most of the time in the low-luminosity regime. AGN feedback overall suppresses the star formation; but depending on location in the galaxy and time, it can also enhance it. The light curve of specific star formation rate is not synchronous with the AGN light curve. These results put a serious challenge to the observational test of the relation between AGN activity and star formation. We find that wind usually plays a dominant role in controlling the AGN luminosity and star formation, but radiation also cannot be neglected.
Self-control through board control: formalized governance in controlling owner family businesses

Our study examines the role of board control tasks in mitigating self-control problems in controlling owner family businesses. We challenge the common perception that controlling owners do not require and use board control because of the concentration of ownership and management in a single individual. We argue that self-control problems, that is agency problems with oneself, have often been overlooked by existing studies on the relevance of control tasks. By using a multiple case study design, we demonstrate that controlling owners frequently use board control as a self-governing mechanism and develop several propositions on favorable board processes and compositions. Rather than independence, we propose that controlling owners should select their board members based on trust and expertise. Moreover, we propose that probing and challenging behavior by board members in combination with the controlling owner’s willingness to prepare in a formalized manner support the reduction of self-control problems.
PERCEIVED SIBLING COMPATIBILTIY AND THE EFFECTS OF PERSONALITY by CHERYL WARREN NEALE

This exploratory study examined perceived sibling compatibility and the effects of personality factors on 134 sibling pairs of older adolescents. The sibling pairs completed an Internet-based survey with a demographic questionnaire and two measures. The Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale (LSRS; Riggio, 2000) measured perceived sibling compatibility, and the Inventory of Children’s Individual Differences (ICID; Halverson & Havill, et al., 2003) measured personality structure. Results showed that high compatibility sibling pairs were more likely to share in the same levels of certain personality factors and that Agreeableness was most important when predicting perceived sibling compatibility. INDEX WORDS: Sibling relationships, Siblings, Compatibility, Personality PERCEIVED SIBLING COMPATIBILITY AND THE EFFECTS OF PERSONALITY