Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hydrologic and land–energy feedbacks of agricultural water management practices

Recent studies demonstrate strong interdependence between groundwater dynamics, land surface water and energy fluxes over some regions, including significant negative correlation between latent heat flux and groundwater depth. Other studies show that irrigation increases latent heat flux and decreases the Bowen ratio (ratio of sensible to latent heat flux), with subsequent feedbacks on local and regional climate. We use an integrated hydrologic model to evaluate impacts of groundwater pumping, irrigation, and combined pumping and irrigation on groundwater storage, land surface fluxes, and stream discharge over the Little Washita River watershed in the Southern Great Plains of North America. Pumping and irrigation are shown to impact simulated water and energy fluxes at local and watershed scales, with the magnitude of impacts governed by local water table depth. When pumping and irrigation are combined, irrigation has a dominant impact on spatially distributed surface energy processes while pumping has a dominant impact on basin-integrated hydrologic conditions.
Diagnosis of cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis in Colombia: a comparison of seven methods.

Seven methods of diagnosing leishmaniasis were compared in 177 patients presenting with lesions of the skin (165) or mucosa (12) in Tumaco and Cali, Colombia. The three methods of visualizing amastigotes in tissue samples (histological staining of tissue sections, impression smears of punch biopsies, and smears of dermal scraping from slits in the lesion margins) were less sensitive than the four Leishmania isolation methods (aspiration of lesion border cultured in biphasic media, aspirate inoculated into hamster nasal tissue, culture of punch biopsy macerate, and hamster inoculation of macerate). The aspirate-culture and biopsy-hamster methods employed in this study proved most sensitive of the four methods for the recovery of parasites. The combined overall sensitivity of the 7 methods was 67% for all enrolled patients and 75% for Montenegro skin test-positive patients. The individual sensitivities for the methods for all patients and Montenegro-positive positive, patients, respectively, were: histopathology 14% and 16%, impression smear 19% and 21%, dermal scraping 22% and 26%, aspirate-culture 58% and 64%, aspirate-hamster 38% and 41%, biopsy-culture 50% and 55%, and biopsy-hamster 52% and 57%. All methods were less sensitive in lesions of greater than 6 months duration than in lesions of more recent onset. Mucosal lesions were best diagnosed by the culture or hamster inoculation of a macerated mucosal biopsy. The diagnosis by inoculation of hamsters was achieved within 2 to 12 weeks, a mean of 34.5 days. Promastigotes were seen on Senekjie's medium within 3-8 days. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The challenge of increasing minority-group professional representation in the United States: intriguing findings

Census statistics highlight the increasing diversity of the populace in the United States. However, minority-group Americans continue to be under-represented in professional occupations. Six propositions for low minority-group professional presence in US organizations are that under-representation is due to leader racial insensitivity, discrimination, the (small) pipeline of minority-group professional employees, (un)equal opportunity theory, rational person economic theory, and low organizational diversity strategic priority. We describe and explore these six arguments with related empirical tests. Results indicated that leader-rated importance of cultural change, above and beyond leader racial awareness, influenced representation. The more specific strategies of diversity recruitment and provision of performance feedback also predicted minority-group representation, while diversity as an organizational strategic priority did not. We discuss the implications of these findings and present directions for future research.
An Experimental Investigation of Auditors' Liability: Implications for Social Welfare and Exploration of Deviations from Theoretical Predictions

This paper reports the results of an experiment designed to investigate how legal regimes affect social welfare. We investigate four legal regimes, each consisting of a liability rule (strict or negligence) and a damage measure (out‐of‐pocket or independent‐of‐investment). The results of the experiment are for the most part consistent with the qualitative predictions of Schwartz's (1997) model; however, subjects' actual choices deviate from the point predictions of the model. We explore whether these deviations arise because: (1) subjects form faulty anticipations of their counterparts' actions and/or (2) subjects do not choose the optimal responses given their anticipations. We find that subjects behave differently under the four regimes in terms of anticipation errors and departures from best responses. For example, subjects playing the role of auditors anticipate investments most accurately under the regime with strict liability combined with out‐of‐pocket damages, but are least likely to choose the op.
Wisdom or Madness? Comparing Crowds with Expert Evaluation in Funding the Arts

In fields as diverse as technology entrepreneurship and the arts, crowds of interested stakeholders are increasingly responsible for deciding which innovations to fund, a privilege that was previously reserved for a few experts, such as venture capitalists and grant? making bodies. Little is known about the degree to which the crowd differs from experts in judging which ideas to fund, and, indeed, whether the crowd is even rational in making funding decisions. Drawing on a panel of national experts and comprehensive data from the largest crowdfunding site, we examine funding decisions for proposed theater projects, a category where expert and crowd preferences might be expected to differ greatly. We instead find significant agreement between the funding decisions of crowds and experts. Where crowds and experts disagree, it is far more likely to be a case where the crowd is willing to fund projects that experts may not. Examining the outcomes of these projects, we find no quantitative or qualitative differences between projects funded by the crowd alone, and those that were selected by both the crowd and experts. Our findings suggest that crowdfunding can play an important role in complementing expert decisions, particularly in sectors where the crowds are end users, by allowing projects the option to receive multiple evaluations and thereby lowering the incidence of "false negatives. "
Coparental and family group-level dynamics during infancy: Early family precursors of child and family functioning during preschool

This study examines longitudinal correlates of coparental and family group-level dynamics during infancy. Thirty-seven couples observed at play with their 8–11-month-old infants (15 boys, 22 girls) rated their child's internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and their own coparenting behavior 3 years later. Teachers also rated child behavior at the 3-year follow-up. Several significant relationships emerged between observed family process (high hostility–competitiveness, low family harmony, and high parenting discrepancies in the triad) at Time 1, and subsequent reports of child and coparenting behavior at Time 2. Larger parenting discrepancies at Time 1 predicted greater child anxiety as rated by teachers; greater hostility–competitiveness and lower harmony forecast higher child aggression. Time 1 family process continued to predict Time 2 aggression even after controlling for individual and marital functioning. Several links were also found between distressed family process and later parental reports of negative coparenting behavior. These parental reports of coparenting also explained unique variance in concurrent child behavior ratings. The significance of coparenting as a distinct family construct is discussed.
An Information-Theoretic Study for Joint Sparsity Pattern Recovery With Different Sensing Matrices

In this paper, we study a support set reconstruction problem for multiple measurement vectors (MMV) with different sensing matrices, where the signals of interest are assumed to be jointly sparse and each signal is sampled by its own sensing matrix in the presence of noise. Using mathematical tools, we develop upper and lower bounds of the failure probability of the support set reconstruction in terms of the sparsity, the ambient dimension, the minimum signal-to-noise ratio, the number of measurement vectors, and the number of measurements. These bounds can be used to provide guidelines for determining the system parameters for various compressed sensing applications with noisy MMV with different sensing matrices. Based on the bounds, we develop necessary and sufficient conditions for reliable support set reconstruction. We interpret these conditions to provide theoretical explanations regarding the benefits of taking more measurement vectors. We then compare our sufficient condition with the existing results for noisy MMV with the same sensing matrix. As a result, we show that noisy MMV with different sensing matrices may require fewer measurements for reliable support set reconstruction, under a sublinear sparsity regime in a low noise-level scenario.
Is the Time-Series Evidence on Minimum Wage Effects Contaminated by Publication Bias?

Publication bias in economics may lead to selective specification searches that result in overreporting in the published literature of results consistent with economists' priors. In reassessing the published time-series studies on the employment effects of minimum wages, some recent research has reported evidence consistent with publication bias, and concluded that the most plausible explanation of this evidence is editors' and authors' tendencies to look for negative and statistically significant estimates of the employment effect of the minimum wage, (Card and Krueger, 1995a, p. 242). We present results indicating that the evidence is more consistent with a change in the estimated minimum wage effect over time than with publication bias. More generally, we demonstrate that existing approaches to testing for publication bias may generate spurious evidence of such bias when there are structural changes in some parameters. We then suggest an alternative strategy for testing for publication bias that is more immune to structural change. Although changing parameters may be uncommon in clinical trials on which most of the existing literature on publication bias is based, they are much more plausible in economics.
Algorithms for the radio link frequency assignment problem

The radio link frequency assignment problem occurs when a network of radio links has to be established. Each link must be assigned an operating frequency from a given domain. The assignment has to satisfy certain restrictions so as to limit the interference between links. The number of frequencies used is to be minimized. Problems of this type were investigated by a consortium consisting of research groups from Delft, Eindhoven, London, Maastricht, Norwich, and Toulouse. The participants developed optimization algorithms based on branch-and-cut and constraint satisfaction, and approximation techniques including a variety of local search methods, genetic algorithms, neural networks, and potential reduction. These algorithms were tested and compared on a set of real-life instances.
Social risk protection in collective agreements: Evidence from the Netherlands

To what extent can collective bargaining compensate for a decline in or absence of welfare state protection against social risks? In this article, we use a comprehensive collective agreement database to analyse social risk coverage in the Netherlands from 1995 to 2009. We compare two forms of social risk, disability and work—life arrangements, analysing the share of collective agreements that offer these arrangements across time. Our results show that collective bargaining differs across the public and private sector but is similar at different levels of bargaining. In general, our findings demonstrate that collective agreements often compensate for declining welfare state coverage or a lack of state provision. As a result, the findings presented here suggest occupational welfare, in the form of collective bargaining, is an important component of welfare provision that is oftentimes overlooked in the current welfare state literature.
Vestibular Stimulation by Multichannel Cochlear Implants

The recipient of a Nucleus 22 multichannel cochlear implant began to experience severe vestibular stimulation related to the implant. This patient's experience initiated a study with the objective of determining the frequency of implant‐related vestibulo‐ocular stimulation. Subjects consisted of 17 randomly selected patients who use cochlear implants. Included in the study were 14 Nucleus 22 and three Med‐El Combi 40‐devices. Stimulation of the implants was performed both by individual channel and with sound field broad‐band 80‐dB noise using the users' normal device settings. Eye movements were monitored with infrared videonystagmography. Only one subject, who used a Med‐El Combi 40, showed a consistent and strong ocular response to cochlear stimulation but had no subjective symptoms. The authors conclude that vestibulo‐ocular activation is possible with multichannel cochlear implants but is infrequent and may not be clinically significant.
Autologous Hamstring Anterior Cruciate Ligament Graft Failure Using the Anteromedial Portal Technique With Suspensory Femoral Fixation

Background: The anteromedial portal technique for drilling of the femoral tunnel during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has been advocated by many surgeons as allowing improved access to the anatomical footprint. Furthermore, suspensory fixation of soft tissue grafts has become popularized because of complications associated with cross-pin fixation. Concerns regarding the use of both have recently arisen. Purpose: To raise awareness of the increased risk of graft failure when using the anteromedial portal technique with suspensory femoral fixation during ACL reconstruction. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: From November 1998 to August 2012, a total of 465 primary ACL reconstructions were performed using quadrupled hamstring autograft tendons, with drilling of the femoral tunnel performed via the transtibial portal. Graft fixation on the femur was achieved with cross-pin fixation, while interference screw fixation was used on the tibia. From September 2012 to October 2013, there were 69 reconstructions performed through an anteromedial portal. While there was no change in graft choice, a change was made to using suspensory femoral fixation. No other surgical or postoperative rehabilitation changes were made. Results: During the 14-year period in which ACL reconstructions were performed via the transtibial portal and with cross-pin fixation, 2 graft failures (0.4% failure rate) were reported. After switching to the anteromedial portal with suspensory fixation, 7 graft failures (10.1% failure rate) were reported over a 13-month period. These were 5 male and 2 female patients, with a mean age of 18.8 years—all elite athletes. The same surgical technique was used in all patients, and all patients had at least an 8 mm–diameter graft. Patients were cleared to return to sport at an average of 8.4 months postoperatively, after completing functional performance tests. Of the 7 patients, 6 sustained a rerupture of the graft within 2 weeks of returning to full competition. The final patient sustained a rerupture 10 months after being cleared to play. Conclusion: Compared with the transtibial technique with cross-pin graft fixation, there is an increased risk of graft failure when performing autologous hamstring ACL reconstructions using the anteromedial portal technique with cortical suspensory fixation.
A randomized study comparing IV 3000 (transparent polyurethane dressing) to a dry gauze dressing for peripheral intravenous catheter sites.

Patients with an intravenous catheter on a cardiology unit were prospectively randomized to receive a transparent polyurethane dressing (N = 49) or sterile gauze (N = 31) dressing to compare security of fixation, dressing condition, skin condition, and rates of inflammation. The mean age of patients was 63 years of age (standard deviation, 12.57), and the average length of cannulation was 18 hours. The only significant difference between the two groups was the dressing condition in the transparent group was significantly better (P = 0.006) than that of the gauze group. The results suggest that gauze dressing may be a viable option to cover i.v. exit sites for patients requiring short-term cannulation.
Model Disagreement and Real Bonds

This paper documents that, since the advent of inflation protected markets, there appears to be very little difference between real and nominal bond risk premia. Motivated by this observation, I argue that bond markets are a natural testing ground to understand the properties of the real stochastic discount factor. I study a simple extension to a Lucas tree economy in which agents hold heterogeneous beliefs about the persistence of growth rate shocks. Empirically, I utilise a cross-section of growth rate forecasts reported by professional market participants to show that disagreement about shock propagation is both economically and statistically plausible. Next, I investigate the theoretical importance of this channel in a setting where multiple agents engage in speculative trade based on their beliefs about the future path of consumption growth. Equilibrium term structures deviate from homogeneous economies along important dimensions and can help us understand a number of stylised features of the data. For example, the model can generate low real short rates, positive real Sharpe ratios, upward sloping term structures, and return predictability due to compensation for real risks. Finally, using survey forecasts, I provide empirical evidence for the model’s testable predictions that lend support for the role of model disagreement in bond markets.
Is it Where You Go or What You Study? The Relative Influence of College Selectivity and College Major on Earnings

All college students must decide where to attend college and what major to study. We estimate how earnings by college major differ at different college selectivity types. We find major-specific earnings vary markedly by college selectivity, with the strongest differences among business majors and the weakest differences among science majors. We also find that when comparing earnings of graduates from top colleges to middle or bottom ranked colleges, the distribution of students across majors can be as important as earnings differences by major in accounting for college selectivity earnings gaps. (JEL I2, J3)
Sexual Violence against Women in Armed Conflicts: Standard Responses and New Ideas

This article aims to assess ways in which different justice schemes may operate together for an improved legal and political response to victims of sexual crimes in the aftermath of armed conflicts. The article will briefly present the problem of sexual violence against women in armed conflict. It will then consider the evolution of criminal justice in regard to this crime, the results of recent attempts to implement truth and reconciliation processes, as well as briefly assess reparation schemes. Finally it will suggest a series of measures for coordinating the various schemes of justice in a way that guarantees women's rights in the aftermath of a conflict.
THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKS ON WORK-TEAM EFFECTIVENESS

Kaisa Henttonen The effects of social networks on work-team effectiveness Lappeenranta 2009 291 p., 4 Appendices Acta Universitatis Lappeenrantaensis 370 Diss. Lappeenranta University of Technology ISBN 978-952-214-869-8, ISBN 978-952-214-870-4 (PDF), ISSN 1456-4491 This is a study of team social networks, their antecedents and outcomes. In focusing attention on the structural configuration of the team this research contributes to a new wave of thinking concerning group social capital. The research site was a random sample of Finnish work organisations. The data consisted of 499 employees in 76 teams representing 48 different organisations. A systematic literature review and quantitative methods were used in conducting the research: the former primarily to establish the current theoretical position on the relationships among the variables and the latter to test these relationships. Social network analysis was the primary method used in identifying the social-network relations among the work-team members. The first and key contribution of this study is that it relates the structural-network properties of work teams to behavioural outcomes, attitudinal outcomes and, ultimately, team performance. Moreover, it shows that addressing attitudinal outcomes is also important in terms of team performance; attitudinal outcomes (team identity) mediated the relationship between the team’s performance and its social network. The second contribution is that it examines the possible antecedents of the social structure. It is thus one response to Salancik’s (1995) call for a network theory in that it explains why certain network characteristics exist. It demonstrates that irrespective of whether or not a team is heterogeneous in terms of age or gender, educational diversity may protect it from centralisation. However, heterogeneity in terms of gender turned out to have a negative impact on density. Thirdly, given the observation that the benefits of (team) networks are typically theorised and modelled without reference to the nature of the relationships comprising the structure, the study directly tested whether team knowledge mediated the effects of instrumental and expressive network relationships on team performance. Furthermore, with its focus on expressive networks that link the workplace to a more informal world, which have been rather neglected in previous research, it enhances knowledge of teams and networks. The results indicate that knowledge sharing fully mediates the influence of complementarities between dense and fragmented instrumental network relationships, thus providing empirical validation of the implicit understanding that networks transfer knowledge. Fourthly, the study findings suggest that an optimal configuration of the work-team social-network structure combines both bridging and bonding social relationships.
Ultrastructure of spermatozoa of Bullacta exarata (philippi) and its significance on reproductive evolution and physio-ecological adaptation

The morphology and ultrastructure of Bullacta exarata spermatozoa observed by light and transmission electron microscopy are presented in this paper. The spermatozoon is composed of head with a simple acrosomal complex and an elongated nucleus, and tail with a midpiece, principal piece and an end piece. The midpiece consists of a mitochondrial ring, and the principal piece is composed of axoneme and lateral fin. The structure of B. exarata spermatozoa differs significantly from that of other gastropods, especially in the lateral fin and the principal piece, which was described scarcely before. A comparison is made between B. exarata and other gastropods, and its significance on reproductive evolution and physio-ecological adaptation is preliminarily discussed.