Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Forward modeling of the effects of mixed volatile reaction, volume diffusion, and formation of submicroscopic exsolution lamellae on calcite-dolomite thermometry

Abstract This paper reports the results of several thousand analyses of the Mg content of calcite from 31 samples from the Ubehebe Peak contact aureole, Death Valley, California. All data reported are from metamorphic calcite formed during mixed volatile-mineral reactions in which dolomite remained in the rock. The Mg content generally increases toward the intrusive contact and bend with increasing temperature, but it varies strongly. Indeed, probability distributions for each sample are near Gaussian, possess a relatively small skewness (-1.72 to 3.32), and a variance that is a multiple of the estimated measuring uncertainty. These findings complicate direct application of the Mg content in calcite for use as an accurate thermometer. The purpose of the study presented in the second part of the paper is to explore the significance of these systematic variations of Mg composition of calcite to aid the interpretation of contact metamorphic temperatures recorded in carbonates. We developed forward models to evaluate the effect of growth zoning, volume diffusion, and the formation of submicroscopic exsolution lamellae (<1 μm) on the measured Mg distribution in individual calcite crystals and compared the modeling results to the field data. Modeled Mg distributions were transformed into histograms by taking into account intersection probabilities and random microprobe analyses. Modeling results reveal that the original prograde Mg zoning in calcite crystal will be reset if the calcite crystal is assumed to grow slowly along a prograde path. Original low-Mg compositions can only be preserved if the entire grain forms over a small temperature interval, as can be expected for infiltration-driven mineral reactions. It is shown that all three mechanisms combined give an adequate model for the Mg-content data. We demonstrate that Mg distributions in calcite grains of the Ubehebe Peak contact aureole are the consequence of rapid crystal growth in combination with diffusion and exsolution.
Effects of offline vs. online digital storytelling on the development of EFL learners’ literacy skills

Abstract The present study investigated the effects of offline vs. online digital storytelling on the development of EFL learners’ literacy skills (reading and writing). Forty-two lower intermediate language learners participated in the study as the experimental (n = 21) and control groups (n = 21). The Reading-Writing section of the Key English Test was administered to both groups before the treatment so as to assess their reading and writing skills in English as a foreign language. Process-oriented writing instruction was subsequently given to both groups for a period of five months. The experimental group was trained to undertake the process of writing using an online platform, while the control group benefited an offline content producing program in writing instruction. Both groups’ literacy skills were assessed once more at the end of the intervention. The results of Analysis of Covariance primarily revealed that the literacy skills of those who produced their stories with the online platform improved significantly in comparison to the control group, who had worked with the offline software. Further, the results revealed a positive and significant correlation between the hours members of the experimental group spent on working with computers and the development of their literacy skills.
Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles Using Cannonball Leaves and Their Cytotoxic Activity against MCF-7 Cell Line

Cannonball (Couroupita guianensis) is a tree belonging to the family Lecythidaceae. Various parts of the tree have been reported to contain oils, keto steroids, glycosides, couroupitine, indirubin, isatin, and phenolic substances. We report here the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using cannonball leaves. Green synthesized nanoparticles have been characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, and FTIR. Cannonball leaf broth as a reducing agent converts silver ions to AgNPs in a rapid and ecofriendly manner. The UV-Vis spectra gave surface plasmon resonance peak at 434 nm. TEM image shows well-dispersed silver nanoparticles with an average particle size of 28.4 nm. FTIR showed the structure and respective bands of the synthesized nanoparticles and the stretch of bonds. Green synthesized silver nanoparticles by cannonball leaf extract show cytotoxicity to human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Overall, this environmentally friendly method of biological silver nanoparticles production provides rates of synthesis faster than or comparable to those of chemical methods and can potentially be used in various human contacting areas such as cosmetics, foods, and medical applications.
Vegetation modification and resource competition in grazing ungulates

The prevalence of interspecific competition in animal communities is the subject of a long-running debate, chiefly because the underlying processes of resource exploitation and resource supply are often poorly understood. To provide some insight into these processes within a guild of grazing herbivores, two hypothetical mechanisms of exploitation competition were tested by measuring food intake of topi (Damaliscus lunatus) and wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) when foraging on different sward structures in the Serengeti National Park. According to our bite quantity hypothesis, wildebeest, which have relatively wide mouths, can graze down vegetative swards to a height below that which can be tolerated by topi; and according to our bite quality hypothesis, the narrower-mouthed topi can reduce the leafy component of differentiated swards (i.e. swards in which seed-bearing stems have developed) through selective feeding to a level below that which can be tolerated by wildebeest. On differentiated swards with erect growth form, the topi selected 20% more green leaf in their diet, as measured by a calibrated visual technique, and also obtained higher short-term intake rates. Greater selectivity alone provided topi with a metabolisable energy intake estimated to be 16% higher than that of wildebeest. On vegetative swards, it was estimated that wildebeest could maintain positive energy balance on 2-cm swards, 1 cm shorter than the threshold height for topi. Our findings indicate the conditions under which each ungulate species may limit the other's use of natural pastures through interspecific competition: bite quantity competition may apply on short grazing lawns; bite quality competition is expected on differentiated swards with a limited supply of green leaf. We suggest that herbivory by one species can modify the vegetation in a way that makes it less profitable to competing species. In effect the vegetation is ‘captured’ as a resource by one species. Thus modification of vegetation is argued to be a critical component of resource competition in herbivores.
Ecological niche divergence associated with species and populations differentiation in Erythrophleum (Fabaceae, Caesalpinioideae)

Background and aims – The isolation of populations inside forest refugia during past climate changes has widely been hypothesized as a major driver of tropical plant diversity. Environmental conditions can also influence patterns of diversity by driving divergent selection leading to local adaptation and, potentially, ecological speciation. Genetic and phylogenetic approaches are frequently used to study the diversification of African tree clades. However, the environmental space occupied by closely related species or intra-specific gene pools is barely quantified, though needed to properly test hypotheses on diversification processes.Methods – Using species distribution models, we determined the bioclimatic constraints on the distribution of closely related species and intra-specific gene pools. Our study model, Erythrophleum (Fabaceae – Caesalpinioideae), is a tropical tree genus widespread across Africa, and vastly investigated for genetics. Here, we combined the available phylogenetic data with information on niche divergence to explore the role of ecology into diversification at the species and gene pool levels.Key results – Ecological speciation through climate has probably played a key role in the evolution of the Erythrophleum species. The differential climatic niche of the species indicated adaptive divergence along rainfall gradients, that have probably been boosted by past climate fluctuations. At the gene pool level, past climate changes during the Pleistocene have shaped genetic diversity, though within Erythrophleum suaveolens, adaptive divergence also occurred.Conclusions – We believe that ecological speciation is a key mechanism of diversification for tropical African tree species, since such climatic niche partition exist among many other genera. Modelling the environmental niche of closely related taxa, and testing for niche differentiation, combined with divergence dates offered new insights on the process of diversification.
The Influence of TQM on Organizational Commitment, Organizational Citizenship Behaviours, and Individual Performance

The main aim of this research is to analyze if the adoption of Total Quality Management (TQM) principles is really associated with more favor-able attitudes from collaborators in organiza-tions, specifcally in Higher Education. Empirical data were collected through a questionnaire ap-plied to 82 faculty members at higher education institutions (HEIs). Although the relationship of dependence between TQM and individual perfor-mance was not confrmed, the results obtained do corroborate the idea, according to which the adoption of TQM principles is associated with more favorable attitudes regarding organization-al commitment and organizational citizenship behaviors. Materializing specifc work-related at-titudes cannot be directly imposed or prescribed. The fndings highlight the importance of enhanc-ing its antecedents, and suggest TQM as a po-tential signifcant opportunity to leverage such behaviors most benefcially. This is one of the few studies that focus on the infuence of TQM concerns in work-related attitudes and behaviors in the specifc context of HEIs.
The Cult of the Firm ∗

I develop a model of duopoly competition with network externalities and heterogeneous consumers. The model is the first to treat preferences as endogenous and subject to influence by the firms. Consumers have different valuations of the network, so firms are concerned not only about network size, but about network composition as well. To analyze the market, I import tools from the economics of religion and culture typically used for modeling cults and other close-knit communities. As a result, prices are no longer necessarily monotonic in the size of the installed base. Therefore, profitability can vary inversely with market share. A smaller firm can thus be more profitable than a larger competitor by strategically targeting and cultivating its consumer base, a strategy often employed by strict religious organizations and clubs to build a highly committed community from the population.
The Impact of Economic Agents Perceptions on Stock Price Volatility

This paper studies perceptions of economic subjects and its impact on stock prices. Perceptions are represented by stock market indexes and Facebook activity. The contribution of this paper is twofold. In the first place, this paper analyzes the unique data of Facebook activity and proposes the methodology for employment of social networks as a proxy variable which represents the perceptions of information in society related to the specific company. The second contribution is the proposal of potential link between social network principles and theories of behavioral economics. Overall, the author finds the negative impact of Facebook activity on stock prices and the positive impact of stock market indices. The author points the implications of findings to protection of company reputation and to investment strategy based on the existence of undervalued stocks.
Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography # 11 . 14 The Dynamics of Interfirm Networks along the Industry Life Cycle : The Case of the Global Video Games Industry 1987-2007

In this paper, we study the formation of network ties between Örms along the life cycle of a creative industry. We focus on three drivers of network formation: i) network endogeneity which stresses a path-dependent change originating from previous network structures, ii) Öve forms of proximity (e.g. geographical proximity) which ascribe tie formation to the similarity of actorsí attributes; and (iii) individual characteristics which refer to the heterogeneity in actors capabilities to exploit external knowledge. The paper employs a stochastic actor-oriented model to estimate the ñ changing ñ e§ects of these drivers on inter-Örm network formation in the global video game industry from 1987 to 2007. Our Öndings indicate that the e§ects of the drivers of network formation change with the degree of maturity of the industry. To an increasing extent, video game Örms tend to partner over shorter distances and with more cognitively similar Örms as the industry evolves. JEL codes: D85, B52, O18
Agronomy for canola quality Brassica juncea in modern cropping systems

As canola quality Brassica juncea approaches commercialisation, there is a need to develop appropriate agronomic packages for the crop. The crop will be grown mainly in low rainfall (<350 mm average annual rainfall) with stubble retention and reduced tillage, in what is mainly a cereal based farming system, where it will confer a rotational benefit. There is a need to better define potential production regions and sowing times within those regions. Strategies for crop establishment including seeding rate, row width and seeding depth need to be tested in conservation farming systems along with crop nutritional demand for N, P, S and trace elements. Data on crop safety and residue limits are required to assist with registering crop protection chemicals, and crop protection strategies developed for a range of pests, weeds and diseases. The timing of harvest and its effect on crop quality is also important to achieve a low cost, reliable production system for juncea canola.
Flexion re X ex modulation during stepping in human spinal cord injury

The Xexion reXex modulation pattern was investigated in nine people with a chronic spinal cord injury during stepping using body weight support on a treadmill and manual assistance by therapists. Body weight support was provided by an upper body harness and was adjusted for each subject to promote the best stepping pattern with the least manual assistance required by the therapists. The Xexion reXex was elicited by sural nerve stimulation with a 30 ms pulse train at 1.2–2 times the tibialis anterior reXex threshold. During stepping, stimuli were randomly dispersed across the gait cycle which was divided into 16 equal bins. A long latency (>110 ms) Xexion reXex was present in all subjects, while a short (>30 ms) and a medium latency (>70 ms) Xexion reXex were present only in three subjects. For each response, the non-stimulated EMG was subtracted from the stimulated EMG at identical time windows and bins, normalized to the maximal corresponding EMG, and signiWcant diVerences were established with a Wilcoxon rank-sum test. The long latency Xexion reXex was facilitated at late stance and during the swing-tostance transition phase. A reXex depression was present from heel strike until mid-stance and during the swing-tostance transition phase. The short and medium latency Xexion reXexes were depressed during mid-stance followed by facilitation during the stance-to-swing transition phase. Regardless of the latency, facilitatory Xexion responses during the swing phase coincided with decreased activity of ipsilateral ankle extensors. The Xexion reXex was modulated in a phase dependent manner, a behavior that was absent for the soleus H-reXex in most of these patients (Knikou et al. in Exp Brain Res 193:397–407, 2009). We propose that training should selectively target spinal reXex circuits in which extensor muscles and reXexes are involved in order to maximize sensorimotor recovery in these patients.
Phenetic relationships among bats of the family Rhinolophidae

P h enetic analyses, u sin g the com m on-part-rem oved transform ation o f W ood (1983), w ere perform ed on 2.5 - 6.4% o f the variance th at describes m orphom etric differences am ong bats o f the fam ily R hinolophidae. Tw o ordination m ethods, one clustering tech ­ nique, and a m inim um -spanning tree were em ployed to assess patterns o f sim ilarity am ong 62 species. Tw o m ajor phenetic groups were revealed. One com prised O riental and A ustralian species, whereas the other contained E thiopian and P alaearctic taxa. On the basis o f m orphological sim ilarity, all b ut one species w ere provisionally a r­ ranged in 11 phenetic groups: m egaphyllus, rouxii, euryotis, pearsonii, philippinensis, trifoliaius, fum igatu s, ferrum equinum , capensis, euryale, and hipposideros. M ensural data w ere not su fficien t to clarify the status o f R. m aclaudi. B ased on the m or­ phological dispersion analysis, the Oriental region should be regarded as the center o f origin o f the fam ily. On the basis o f phylogenetic and functional factors, a close ancestor o f rhinolophids probably lived in tropical rain forests, flew slow ly em itting low -frequency sounds, and caught relatively soil b ut large prey.
The Role of Social Cohesion, Neighborhood Disorder and Neighborhood Decline on Internalizing Symptom Development in Children Aged 6 to 18

Aims: Neighborhood characteristics have been implicated as potential risk and protective characteristics in the development of internalizing disorders. However, few studies have used longitudinal designs or included pre -adolescent children. This study evaluates the association between three neighborhood-level characteristics (social cohesion, neighborhood disorder, and neighborhood decline) andthedevelopment of internalizing
Evaluation of the Efficiency of Biosorption of Lead, Cadmium and Chromium by the Biomass of Pequi Fruit Skin (caryocar Brasiliense Camb.)

Effluents containing metals may come from different types of industries, including paper mills, petrochemical plants, inorganic reagents and fertilizers, petroleum refining, steel foundries and metal working, textile mills, leather tanning, and others. These industries produce large volumes of wastewater requiring efficient and low-cost treatment. Pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.) is a fruit native to the Brazilian cerrado, and its skin, which represents about 60% by weight of the fruit, is often overlooked during processing. In this work, pequi skins were used as biosorbent material in solutions containing chromium, lead, and cadmium. Factors such as biomass dose, pH, and biomass size were studied using a factorial statistical design. The results showed that the metal with the highest biosorption in the biomass was lead, with an average biosorption of 16.78 mg.g-1 and up to 80% removal of the solution, while there was less removal of chromium and cadmium. The dose of biomass and pH were found to be the most important factors in the biosorption. The grain size, on the other hand, generally did not influence the adsorption and can be discounted among the factors that act in the process.
Debilitation in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) as result of heat stress

High temperatures cause an array of morpho-anatomical, physiological and biochemical changes in tomato plants, which affect plant growth and development and may lead to a radical reduction in economic yield. The adverse effects of heat stress on tomato can be mitigated by developing crop plants with improved thermotolerance using various genetic approaches. Heat stress affects tomato plant growth throughout its ontogeny, though heat-threshold level varies considerably at different developmental stages. For instance, during seed germination, high temperature may slow down or totally inhibit germination, depending on tomato plant species and the intensity of the stress. At later stages, high temperature may adversely affect photosynthesis, respiration, water relations and membrane stability, and also modulate levels of metabolites. In order to cope with heat stress, plants implement various mechanisms, including maintenance of membrane stability, scavenging of ROS, production of antioxidants, accumulation and adjustment of compatible solutes. The objective of our study was to collect and elaborate the work done by different scientists at different levels and approaches to create heat tolerance in tomato crop.
The Role of In-class Vocabulary Strategies in Vocabulary Retention of Turkish EFL Learners

Vocabulary is an important sub-skill of language that is often found to be challenging to teach by language teachers. Constructed on intentional vocabulary learning through instruction, this study aims to provide insight into the understanding of teaching and learning vocabulary and explores if the vocabulary instruction through in-class vocabulary strategies developed by the researcher were helpful for Turkish 8th grade EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students’ English vocabulary retention in comparison to traditional vocabulary instruction. The data collected through the post-test and retention-test design were analyzed via SPSS 16.0. It was concluded that both in the short and medium term, there was a significant difference between the vocabulary retention scores of the students who were instructed with inclass vocabulary strategies (Experimental Group) and those who were given traditional instruction (Control Group) in favour of the Experimental Group.
Product and Process Innovation in a Growth Model of Firm Selection

Recent empirical evidence based on firm level data emphasizes firm heterogeneity in innovation activities and the different effects of process and product innovations on the productivity level and productivity growth. To match this evidence, this paper develops an endogenous growth model with two sources of firm heterogeneity: production efficiency and product quality.Both attributes evolve endogenously through firms’ innovation choices. Growth is driven by innovation and self-selection of firms and sustained by entrants who imitate incumbents. Calibrating the economy to match the Spanish manufacturing sector, the model enables to quantify the different effects of selection, innovation, and imitation as well as product and process innovation on growth. Compared to single attribute models of firm heterogeneity, the model provides a more complete characterization of firms’ innovation choices explaining the partition of firms along different innovation strategies and generating consistent firm size distributions.