Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bredon cohomology and robot motion planning

In this paper we study the topological invariant ${\sf {TC}}(X)$ reflecting the complexity of algorithms for autonomous robot motion. Here, $X$ stands for the configuration space of a system and ${\sf {TC}}(X)$ is, roughly, the minimal number of continuous rules which are needed to construct a motion planning algorithm in $X$. We focus on the case when the space $X$ is aspherical; then the number ${\sf TC}(X)$ depends only on the fundamental group $\pi=\pi_1(X)$ and we denote it ${\sf TC}(\pi)$. We prove that ${\sf TC}(\pi)$ can be characterised as the smallest integer $k$ such that the canonical $\pi\times\pi$-equivariant map of classifying spaces $$E(\pi\times\pi) \to E_{\mathcal D}(\pi\times\pi)$$ can be equivariantly deformed into the $k$-dimensional skeleton of $E_{\mathcal D}(\pi\times\pi)$. The symbol $E(\pi\times\pi)$ denotes the classifying space for free actions and $E_{\mathcal D}(\pi\times\pi)$ denotes the classifying space for actions with isotropy in a certain family $\mathcal D$ of subgroups of $\pi\times\pi$. Using this result we show how one can estimate ${\sf TC}(\pi)$ in terms of the equivariant Bredon cohomology theory. We prove that ${\sf TC}(\pi) \le \max\{3, {\rm cd}_{\mathcal D}(\pi\times\pi)\},$ where ${\rm cd}_{\mathcal D}(\pi\times\pi)$ denotes the cohomological dimension of $\pi\times\pi$ with respect to the family of subgroups $\mathcal D$. We also introduce a Bredon cohomology refinement of the canonical class and prove its universality. Finally we show that for a large class of principal groups (which includes all torsion free hyperbolic groups as well as all torsion free nilpotent groups) the essential cohomology classes in the sense of Farber and Mescher are exactly the classes having Bredon cohomology extensions with respect to the family $\mathcal D$.
Cognitive and Trait Creativity in Relation with Academic Achievement

The focused objective of this work is to compare cognitive creativity with trait creativity in relationship with academic achievement. The development relating to creativity concerns the mental creativity as the influential factor in academic achievement while recent findings highlight the priority of personality creativity and emotional creativity in this link. This interpretation is based on the results of researches done in these areas of study. Despite the current attitude, mental dimension of creativity contributes to academic achievement as a more significant factor than its nonmental aspect. Concentration on trait and cognitive creativity affects educational system as the means for presenting and fostering creativity and innovation. Moreover, this trend influences the contemporary insight to creativity and its prerequisites not only in higher education but also in all levels of educational system.
Effect of Memantine on Brain Metabolic Activity and Perfusion in Drug-naïve Moderate Alzheimer’s DiseasePatients

Objective: Memantine is a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)ant agoni st that im proves or stabilizes cognitive impairment in moderate to severeAlzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the effects of memantine on regional brain metabolic activity and perfusion are not fully known. To clarify these effects, we investigated the efficacyof memantine monotherapy using multimodal neuroimaging in drug-naive patients withmoderate AD. Methods: This was a prospective open-labeled study of patients with drug- naive modera teAD ( Mini-Mental State Examination scores of 14-19) before and after 12 weeks of treatmentwith memantine, conducted between April 2015 and December 2016. Imaging was performedusing 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) and 99mTcethylcysteinate dimer-single photon emission computed tomography (99mTc-ECD-SPECT),to assess brain metabolic activity and perfusion, respectively. The imaging data, registered toa probabilistic anatomical atlas, were evaluated by voxel-based analysis. Results: A total of 20 patients were enrolled and 17 patients’ datasets were a nalyzed. T heaver age Mini-Mental State Examination was 16.6 (1.8) at baseline and 16.9 (4.1) posttreatment.The average Neuropsychiatric Inventory score was 2.8 (7.6) at baseline and 3.9(9.2) post-treatment. Brain regions with increased metabolic activity following memantinetreatment in previously drug-naive AD patients included a wide range of cerebral cortexes, particularly the right inferior pari etal lobule, right supramarginal gyrus, right angular gyru s,and right paracentral lobule (p < 0.01, paired t-test). Only small regions had increased brainperfusion (p < 0.01, paired t-test). Conclusion: We believe this is the first stu dy focusing on brain metabolic activity and perfusioni n the same drug-naive moderate AD patients before and after memantine treatment. Therewere inconsistencies between the regions with increased metabolic activity and perfusionafter memantine treatment in drug-naive AD patients, suggesting that brain metabolism mayincrease without a concurrent increase in blood perfusion. This study may help elucidate themechanism of action of memantine.
Onshore-offshore variations in copepod community structure off the Oregon coast during the summer upwelling season

During the summer of 1994, 1996, and 1997, we conducted hydrographic and plankton surveys of the upper 70 m in the nearshore, the continental shelf, and off-shelf oceanic waters off Oregon, USA. Copepod densities and biomass were estimated along 4 transects from each cruise. The on-shelf copepod biomass was 2.8 times greater than off-shelf biomass. Nonmetric multidimen- sional scaling identified an on-shelf and an off-shelf copepod community. The change in community composition usually occurred at or slightly offshore of the continental shelf break, defined here as 180 m water depth. Indicator-species analysis identified the subarctic neritic species, Calanus mar- shallae, Pseudocalanus mimus, and Acartia longiremis, as good indicators of continental shelf waters. 'Warm water' species Mesocalanus tenuicornis, Calocalanus styliremis, Clausocalanus spp. , and Ctenocalanus vanus were indicators of off-shelf waters. The copepod communities off the coast of Oregon during the summer upwelling season reflect the origins of the dominating currents within each habitat. The coastal copepod community is subarctic neritic in origin, consistent with southward coastal flows. The offshore copepod community is a mixture of species with origins in the Transition Zone as well as species that are typical of the coastal region of the California Current off central and southern California. We speculate that the central and southern California Current species are pre- sent in offshore waters of Oregon in summer because they are transported north with the Davidson Current in winter but, with the initiation of the upwelling season in spring, they are transported into offshore waters where they establish viable populations.
Past and present assessments of bird life in Uummannaq District, West Greenland

From 1905 to 1920 Alfred Bertelsen documented 210 avian breeding sites for 32 species in the Uumman- naq District, Greenland, between 70o03' and 72o03' N and 50o20' and 55o40' W, a land area of about 12 000 km 2 . In 2000 we re-surveyed 207 of those sites and the remainder of the coastal area, providing results for 25 species, our aim being to determine presence/absence and density of coastal nesting species. For 10 species reported by Bertelsen as common and with quantified numbers (breeding sites and population) at his locations, we found the number of occupied sites was the same for one species (Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis) while nine others had declined. Assuming some species may have relocated breeding sites over time and including all locations where we found those species, when compared to Bertelsen's results, the number of sites remained the same for two species and declined for eight. Comparing the total observed population numbers (birds present) between Bertelsen's and our 2000 survey, one species remained about the same or slightly increased (Northern Fulmar) and nine decreased. The species with the most dramatic declines were the Thick-billed Murre Uria lomvia (from 8 sites and over 500 000 pairs to zero), Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla (27 sites and 268 000 birds to 7 sites and c. 1100 birds), Razorbill Alca torda (17 sites to 3), Common Eider Somateria mollissima (26 sites to 16), and Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus (28 sites to 7). The Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo and Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus are the only species we could determine with certainty that had increased in number of breeding sites (1 to 12 and 0 to 4 sites, respectively). Population declines appear to be a combination of human persecution and human-caused reduction in prey and habitat quality. Unless further conservation measures are taken, continued avian declines are probable.
Delay-dependent Stabilization for Systems with Multiple Unknown Time-varying Delays

This paper deals with the delay-dependent and rate-independent stabilization of systems with multiple unknown time-varying delays and time-varying structured uncertainties. All the linear matrix inequalities based conditions are derived by employing free-weighting matrices to express the relationships between the terms in the Leibniz-Newton formula. The criteria do not require any tuning parameters. Numerical examples demonstrate the validity of the method.
Impact of slurry application method on phosphorus loss in runoff from grassland soils during periods of high soil moisture content

Abstract Previous studies have reported that the trailing shoe application technique reduces phosphorus (P) in the runoff postslurry application when compared to the traditional splash-plate application technique. However, the effectiveness of the trailing-shoe technique as a means of reducing P losses has not been evaluated when slurry is applied during periods of high soil moisture levels and lower herbage covers. To address this issue, three treatments were examined in a 3 × 4 factorial design split-plot experiment, with treatments comprising three slurry treatments: control (no slurry), splashplate and trailing-shoe, and four slurry application dates: 7 December, 18 January, 1 March and 10 April. Dairy cow slurry was applied at a rate of 20 m3/ha, while simulated runoff was generated 2, 9 and 16 days later and analysed for a range of P fractions. Dissolved reactive P concentrations in runoff at day two was 41% lower when slurry was applied using the trailing-shoe technique, compared to the splash-plate technique (P < 0.05). In addition, P concentrations in runoff were higher (P < 0.05) from slurry applied in December and March compared to slurry applied in January or April, coinciding with periods of higher soil moisture contents. While the latter highlights that ‘calendar’-based non-spreading periods might not always achieve the desired consequences, the study demonstrated that further field-scale investigations into the trailing shoe as a mitigation measure to reduced P loss from agricultural soils is warranted.
Impact of Managerial Overconfidence and Government Intervention on Firm Leverage Decision: A MARS Model Approach

This paper investigates the impact of managerial overconfidence and government intervention on a firm’s leverage decision. The Motivation, Ability, Roles and Situation Factors (MARS) model is employed to examine its impact on leverage decision. Dynamic panel models are applied to examine the relationship between managerial overconfidence, government intervention and leverage decision of publicly listed companies in Malaysia for the period 2004-2013. The findings are as follows. (1) When CEOs are motivated, their overconfidence is significantly and positively related to debt; (2) The CEOs’ ability is significantly and positively related to leverage decision; (3) The CEOs’ role is significantly and negatively related to leverage decision. (4) Government ownership moderates the relationship between managerial overconfidence and firm leverage decision. (5) Malaysian public listed firms adjust debt towards an optimal level and the speed of adjustment is approximately 21% to 26% per annum. The findings a so pave the way for further study of antecedent conditions in predicting the extent of firm leverage decision from the behavioural perspective.
A new species of mesonychian mammal from the lower Eocene of Mongolia and its phylogenetic relationships

We describe Dissacus zanabazari new species from a partial skeleton collected from the early Eocene Bumban Member of the Naran Bulak Formation at Tsagaan Khushuu (Omnogov Province, Mongolia). The holotype includes most of the skull with basicranium, mandibles, well preserved upper and lower dentitions, partially articulated left manus and right tarsus, and most of the long bones in the limbs. The presence of a rudimentary 1st metatarsal is confirmed in mesonychids, and the relatively unworn lower incisors display an unexpected trilobed morphology. Autapomorphies of this new species are short face, absence of diastemata between the lower premolars (except between p1 and p2), m3 metaconid subequal to protoconid, and foramen for superior ramus of stapedial artery entirely within the petrosal. A phylogenetic analysis of 89 characters scored for 14 mesonychians and 5 outgroups resulted in 8 most parsimonious trees. Dissacus zanabazari is in a clade with D. navajovius, but this genus is otherwise paraphyletic. The strict consensus of the eight trees has a mono− phyletic Mesonychia, Hapalodectidae, and Mesonychidae; Dissacus and Ankalagon as the most basal mesonychid gen− era; and paraphyly of Pachyaena.
Lasing action in water vapor induced by ultrashort laser filamentation

The water vapor fluorescence in air from filaments generated by intense ultrashort Ti:sapphire laser pulses is experimentally studied. The backscattered fluorescence from OH shows an exponential increase with increasing filament length, indicating amplified spontaneous emission. By measuring the intensity inside the filament and the fluorescence intensity of OH, a high degree of nonlinearity is obtained, indicating a highly nonlinear field dissociation of H2O molecule.
The Impact of Dividend Policy on Share Price Volatility: Empirical Evidence from Jordanian Stock Market

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between dividend policy and share price volatility with a focus on companies represent four sectors listed in Jordanian stock market. For this purpose, a sample of 53 companies listed in main market of Bursa Amman were selected and the relationship between share price volatility with two main measurements of dividend policy, dividend yield and payout ,were examined by applying multiple regression for a period of 13 years from 2001 to 2013. The primarily regression model was expanded by adding control variables including size, stock repurchase, and stock dividend. The empirical results of this study showed significant negative relationship between share price volatility with dividend payout and a very weak positive relationship between dividend yield and share price volatility. Moreover, a significant positive relationship between share price volatility and size is found. Based on findings of this study, dividend payout and stock dividend have most impact on share price volatility amongst predictor variables . Keywords: Price volatility, dividend yield, dividend payout ratio, size, stock repurchase, and stock dividend.
Interactive comment on “Effects of internal mixing and aggregate morphology on optical properties of black carbon using a discrete dipole approximation model” by B. Scarnato et al

The authors greatly appreciate the constructive comments from the reviewer. The reviewer notes that our results are very useful to the study of aerosol climate effects and improving the accuracy of aerosol remote sensing retrieval. The referee recommended publication of our manuscript after revision that addresses the following comments. Our response to each comment is discussed below. We revised our manuscript in a number of locations in response to the reviewer’s comments. The specifics are listed below.
Socio-Demographic Determinants of Reproductive Tract Infection and Treatment Seeking Behaviour in Rural Indian Women

Introduction In developing countries, women are high risk for several reproductive health problems especially reproductive tract infection/sexual transmitted infection (RTI/STI). These problems arise primarily as a result of early marriage, high fertility, higher number of pregnancy and unsafe sex. Reproductive morbidity is an important public health issue as well as social problem. The issues of reproductive and sexual health, especially RTI/STI, have attracted attention since the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held at Cairo in 1994. Many developing countries have paid more attention on reproductive health service to all the population. In India, the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) programme that was introduced in 1997, through the network of health centers all over the nation, has addressed the matter of reproductive health directly which was largely ignored by the public health services earlier. Reproductive morbidity refers to the diseases that affect the reproductive system, although not necessarily as a consequence of reproduction. Reproductive morbidity can be classified into three categories: obstetric morbidity, gynaecological morbidity and contraceptive morbidity. This study mainly focuses on gynaecological morbidity especially RTI. Gynaecological morbidity is defined as any condition, disease or dysfunction of the reproductive system, which is not related to pregnancy, abortion or childbirth, but it may be related to sexual behaviour (WHO, 1989).
Population Uncertainty in Voluntary Contributions of Public Goods

I examine how uncertainty in the size of the relevant population affects the voluntary contribution of public goods. I analyze a case where the marginal production of public goods is decreasing and convex, and agents’ social preferences are irrelevant to the population size. The voluntary contribution level in Nash equilibrium is higher when the number of players is random than when the number of players is fixed at the mean of the population distribution. The findings from a controlled experiment are consistent with this theoretical prediction. I also analyze a case where the production function is linear and the agents’ social preferences are modeled in the form of a warm-glow utility function which could be increasing concave in the population size. The experimental findings reject the hypothesis that warm glow is congestible: when the public-goods production function is linear, uncertainty in the population size does not lead to changes in the contribution level.
The mechanical properties of materials with interconnected cracks and pores

SUMMARY This paper studies the effect on the overall properties of a cracked solid of the existence of connections between otherwise isolated cracks and of small-scale porosity within the ‘solid’ material. The intention is to provide effective medium models for the calculation of elastic wave propagation with wavelengths greater than the dimensions of the cracks. The method follows that of earlier papers in which the overall elastic properties are directly related to parameters governing the microstructure, such as crack number density and the mean radius and spacing distance of the cracks. Expressions derived by the method of smoothing are evaluated to second order in the number density of cracks, thereby incorporating crack-crack interactions through both the strain field in the solid and the flow field of fluids in the pores. Flow of interstitial liquids tends to weaken the material; the limit of zero flow is equivalent to isolating the cracks and the limit of free flow is equivalent to dry (gasfilled) cracks. It also introduces additional attenuation. The inclusion of small-scale porosity gives a model of ‘equant porosity’ which is more closely constrained by the details of crack dynamics than earlier models.
Neighborhood Change, One Pint at a Time: The Impact of Local Characteristics on Craft Breweries

Cities have recognized the local impact of small craft breweries, altering municipal codes to make it easier to establish breweries as anchor points of economic development and revitalization. However, we do not know the extent to which these strategies impact change at the neighborhood scale across the U.S. In this chapter, we examine the relationship between the growth and locations of craft breweries and the incidence of neighborhood change. We rely on a unique data set of geocoded brewery locations that tracks openings and closings from 2004 to the present. Using measures of neighborhood change often found in the gentrification literature, we develop statistical models of census tract demographic and employment data to determine the extent to which brewery locations are associated with social and demographic shifts since 2000. The strongest predictor of whether a craft brewery opened in 2013 or later in a neighborhood was the presence of a prior brewery. We do not find evidence entirely consistent with the common narrative of a link between gentrification and craft brewing, but we do find a link between an influx of lower-to-middle income urban creatives and the introduction of a craft brewery. We advocate for urban planners to recognize the importance of craft breweries in neighborhood revitalization while also protecting residents from potential displacement.
Diesel Exhaust Exposure Enhances the Persistence of Endometriosis Model in Rats

Diesel exhaust (DE) is known to be one of the main causes of air pollution. Several studies have suggested that DE causes lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, abnormal reproductive function, and central nervous system damage as well as type I allergy in the airway. Type I allergy also plays a role in pathogenesis of endometriosis. In the present study, we examined the effect of exposure to DE on a rat model of endometriosis. Endometriosis was induced by autotransplantation of endometrium to the peritoneum in female Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to DE during prenatal and postnatal periods. Endometriotic lesions, normal peritoneum, and blood samples were obtained on days 4, 7, and 14 after autotransplantation. The extent of stromal proliferative lesions in the endometriosis model was greater in the rats of the DE exposure group than in those of the control group on day 14. Serum monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1levelwas significantlyhigher in ratswithendometriosis in the DE exposure group than in those in the control group on day 14. Results of this study suggest that DE exposure enhances the histologic and molecular pathology of endometriosis in rats.
On the mechanism of wall turbulence

In this paper an attempt is made to formulate a model for the mechanism of wall turbulence that links recent flow-visualization observations with the various quantitative measurements and scaling laws established from anemometry studies. Various mechanisms are proposed, all of which use the concept of the horse-shoe, hairpin or ‘A’ vortex. It is shown that these models give a connection between the mean-velocity distribution, the broad-band turbulence-intensity distributions and the turbulence spectra. Temperature distributions above a heated surface are also considered. Although this aspect of the work is not yet complete, the analysis for this shows promise.