Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reassessing the Impact of the US Fiscal Stimulus: The Role of the Monetary Policy Stance

Cogan et al. (2009, 2010) claimed that the stimulus package passed by the United States Congress in February 2009 had a multiplier far below one. However, the stimulus’ multiplier strongly depends on the assumed monetary policy response. Based on official statements from the Fed chairman, the general economic outlook, past behavior of the FOMC, optimal policy considerations, and from financial market expectations, we find that in February 2009, a reasonable prediction of the period of monetary accommodation would have exceeded 9 quarters. This implies that a plausible real time assessment of the stimulus’ effects would have been more optimistic than Cogan et al.’s.
Electron density measurement in atmospheric pressure plasma jets: Stark broadening of hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated lines

Electron density is one of the key parameters in the physics of a gas discharge. In this contribution the application of the Stark broadening method to determine the electron density in low temperature atmospheric pressure plasma jets is discussed. An overview of the available theoretical Stark broadening calculations of hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated atomic lines is presented. The difficulty in the evaluation of the fine structure splitting of lines, which is important at low electron density, is analysed and recommendations on the applicability of the method for low ionization degree plasmas are given. Different emission line broadening mechanisms under atmospheric pressure conditions are discussed and an experimental line profile fitting procedure for the determination of the Stark broadening contribution is suggested. Available experimental data is carefully analysed for the Stark broadening of lines in plasma jets excited over a wide range of frequencies from dc to MW and pulsed mode. Finally, recommendations are given concerning the application of the Stark broadening technique for the estimation of the electron density under typical conditions of plasma jets.
Using Machine Learning to Parameterize Moist Convection: Potential for Modeling of Climate, Climate Change, and Extreme Events

The parameterization of moist convection contributes to uncertainty in climate modeling and numerical weather prediction. Machine learning (ML) can be used to learn new parameterizations directly from high‐resolution model output, but it remains poorly understood how such parameterizations behave when fully coupled in a general circulation model (GCM) and whether they are useful for simulations of climate change or extreme events. Here we focus on these issues using idealized tests in which an ML‐based parameterization is trained on output from a conventional parameterization and its performance is assessed in simulations with a GCM. We use an ensemble of decision trees (random forest) as the ML algorithm, and this has the advantage that it automatically ensures conservation of energy and nonnegativity of surface precipitation. The GCM with the ML convective parameterization runs stably and accurately captures important climate statistics including precipitation extremes without the need for special training on extremes. Climate change between a control climate and a warm climate is not captured if the ML parameterization is only trained on the control climate, but it is captured if the training includes samples from both climates. Remarkably, climate change is also captured when training only on the warm climate, and this is because the extratropics of the warm climate provides training samples for the tropics of the control climate. In addition to being potentially useful for the simulation of climate, we show that ML parameterizations can be interrogated to provide diagnostics of the interaction between convection and the large‐scale environment.
Follicular Dynamics during Estrous Cycle in Murrah Buffaloes

An experiment was conducted to study the follicular dynamics during estrous cycle in Murrah buffaloes. Seven animals of 5 to 10 years were selected for the study. All the animals were synchronized as per the ovsync protocol and the pair of ovary of each animal was scanned by ultrasonography machine on 0, 3rd, 7th, 11th, 14th, 17th and 21st day of estrous cycle. The non-significant difference was observed in antral follicle count of 3 to 5 mm, 5 to 8 mm and follicles count (> 3 mm). Whereas, significantly (p<0.05) lower mean values were recorded on the day of estrus (0.14 + 0.14) as compared to 3rd, 7th, 11th, 14th, 17th and 21st day of estrous cycle. The significant individual variation (p<0.05) was recorded in average mean of 3 to 5 mm and total antral follicle count (>3). However, the difference for 5 to 8 mm and >8 mm was non significant. The positive correlation of low and high antral follicle count was observed in the present study. Two animals of low antral follicle count remained non pregnant and two animals showed three follicular waves during estrous cycle.
An investigation into how low achieving secondary students learn fractions through visual representations

The gap between low and high achievers is a worldwide concern in Education, especially when it comes to mathematics. One way of facing this issue is by investigating the learning processes of those disadvantaged students at a classroom level. Bearing this in mind, I started my research by observing lessons for low achieving students in an underperforming school in England. After getting acquainted with the context, I designed lesson plans to teach fraction addition and subtraction following three design principles: lessons should enable students to build their knowledge about fractions on visual representations, students should have opportunities to solve tasks without being told how to do it beforehand and lesson plans should maintain some coherence with participant teachers’ current practices. The first principle is the most relevant for my findings, and its choice was based on the growing evidence pointing out the relevance of visual representations for mathematical learning and as a potential pathway to overcome some difficulties faced by low achieving students. Three teachers enacted the lesson plans with a different low achieving group each. Data was collected of the pupils’ working out, as registered in the worksheets, and also in the form of audio recordings, taken during the lessons, of my interactions with students about their thinking while solving the tasks. The data analysis revealed aspects of students’ learning through visual representations that were grouped into two major findings. Firstly, the lessons were successful in promoting reasoning anchored in visual representations, and enabled students to extend their knowledge beyond what was explicitly taught to them. Secondly, an apparent lack of visual skills and prior knowledge on multiplication restricted their engagement with some tasks. The final discussion focuses on the role of visual representations in the learning of mathematics in general, but mainly for low achieving students, and how this can be implemented in classrooms.
The association of motor information and verbal information: a new perspective on the mechanism of the SPT effect

ABSTRACT Current perspectives on the mechanism underlying the Subject Performed Task (SPT) effect have not yet reached a consensus. This study investigated whether the association between motor and verbal information is a key factor that explains the SPT effect. Experiment 1 and 2 tested whether motor and verbal retrieval memory performance were different when the association level was varied. Results showed that when subjects used low association learning materials, memory performance in either motor or verbal retrieval condition was significantly better than performance in the combined retrieval condition. Experiment 3 examined whether the level of association between motor and verbal information affects the SPT effect. Results revealed that the SPT effect disappeared when low association learning materials were used. Our findings imply that the high association level between motor and verbal information enables mutual activation of the two information types, leading to improved memory performance.
Plasma cortisol levels as a measure of stress in rumen impaction in sheep

Scavenging ruminants are susceptible to rumen impaction from ingestion of indigestible plastic bags which affects feed intake and digestion, induces stress that compromise their survival. Yet, physiological evidence of stress consequent to impaction is not known, hence the aim of this study. Fifteen sheep divided into 3 groups of 5 each were coded as RIP, RC and C. Each individual in RIP had 166g of plastic bags implanted into its rumen through rumenotomy to simulate impaction while the positive control group (RC) only underwent rumenotomy without plastic bags implanted. The negative control group (C) underwent neither rumenotomy nor plastic bag-implantation. Plasma samples from each individual during the first 72 hours then weekly for 8-week post-impaction period were analyzed for cortisol as a measure of stress using an ELISA kit. Results showed elevated plasma cortisol in RIP by 4-fold (316.0 ± 4.0nmol/L, p <0.0001) to 2-fold (162.6 ± 17.9nmol/L, p = 0.0010) between 6 and 72-hour postimpaction respectively compared to their baseline value (62.3 ± 8.5nmol/L). Group C at 72 hours recorded 85.4 ± 10.7nmol/L. Elevated plasma cortisol in RIP persisted the subsequent 3 weeks (153.6 ± 35.1nmol/L, p <0.0001) compared to C, declining to normal levels by the 8th week. In RC increased levels were noted 6 hours postrumenotomy (174.4 ± 48.6nmol/L, p = 0.0125) compared to C (85.0 ± 3.1nmol/L), but after week 1 declined to normal levels. In conclusion, sheep with impacted-rumen have acutely elevated plasma cortisol, indicative of stress but declines to normal if survived.
Modelling of the Asian Tsunami off the Coast of Northern Sumatra

On December 26, 2004 a major earthquake occurred off the coast of Northern Sumatra measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale. The earthquake triggered a Tsunami that caused more than 250,000 casualties in the region. The historical tragedy revealed a need for urgent management for disaster prevention and/or relief, such as preparation of hazard maps, construction of a Tsunami warning system and education for local people in disaster response. Immediately following the event, DHI Water & Environment (DHI) simulated the propagation of the Tsunami wave using the global setup of the flexible mesh version of MIKE 21, with a zoom in to the areas where the greatest effects were reported during December 26. In the first months of 2005 DHI, in cooperation with our Japanese partner company Alpha Hydraulic Engineering Consultants, have been gathering information relating to both the fault parameters of the quake and the initial shape of the water level displacement, furthermore, as many observations as have been possible. This paper describes the use of the additional information and the advances that has been made in describing the Asian Tsunami wave.
Modeling impacts of changes in temperature and water table on C gas fluxes in an Alaskan peatland

Northern peatlands have accumulated a large amount of organic carbon (C) in their thick peat profile. Climate change and associated variations in soil environments are expected to have significant impacts on the C balance of these ecosystems, but the magnitude is still highly uncertain. Verifying and understanding the influences of changes in environmental factors on C gas fluxes in biogeochemical models are essential for forecasting feedbacks between C gas fluxes and climate change. In this study, we applied a biogeochemical model, DeNitrification‐DeComposition (DNDC), to assess impacts of air temperature (TA) and water table (WT) on C gas fluxes in an Alaskan peatland. DNDC was validated against field measurements of net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE) and CH4 fluxes under manipulated surface soil temperature and WT conditions in a moderate rich fen. The validation demonstrates that DNDC was able to capture the observed impacts of the manipulations in soil environments on C gas fluxes. To investigate responses of C gas fluxes to changes in TA and soil water condition, we conducted a series of simulations with varying TA and WT. The results demonstrate that (1) uptake rates of CO2 at the site were reduced by either too colder or warmer temperatures and generally increased with increasing soil moisture; (2) CH4 emissions showed an increasing trend as TA increased or WT rose toward the peat surface; and (3) the site could shift from a net greenhouse gas (GHG) sink into a net GHG source under some warm and/or dry conditions. A sensitivity analysis evaluated the relative importance of TA and WT to C gas fluxes. The results indicate that both TA and WT played important roles in regulating NEE and CH4 emissions and that within the investigated ranges of the variations in TA and WT, changes in WT showed a greater impact than changes in TA on NEE, CH4 fluxes, and net C gas fluxes at the study fen.
The effect of dry period length reduction to 28 days on the performance of multiparous dairy cows in the subsequent lactation

In a controlled study, the effects of shortened and conventional dry periods (28.2 ± 4.6 vs. 48.8 ± 4 d) on performance of multiparous cow were evaluated. Seventy multiparous Holstein cows were randomly assigned to either a 28- or a 49-d dry period length (DPL). Nine cows were removed from the study and 61 cows were used in the statistical analysis. Cows in the 28-d DPL group were moved to close-up pen and fed only close-up ration during the dry period, whereas those in the 49-d DPL group were given a far-off diet after dry-off until 28 d before expected calving, and then fed the same diet as the cows in the 28-d DPL group. Daily milk yield production was significantly reduced in the 28-d DPL group compared with the 49-d DPL group through 210 d in milk (DIM). Neither milk protein nor milk fat was changed in experimental groups. However, fat yield tended to be greater in the 49 d DPL compared with the 28 d DPL. Cows with 28 d DPL lost less body condition in peripartum and gained more body condition score (.
Convicted Drunk Drivers in an Electronic Monitoring Program: A Preliminary Study

In the United States, electronic monitoring home detention programs were officially started in Palm Beach County, Florida, in 1984. Researchers have been assessing these programs since late 1980s. However, little attention has been paid to the impact of these programs on convicted drunk drivers. This study focuses on drunk drivers sentenced to electronic monitoring home detention program in a southwestern Indiana county from January 2002 to December 2003. Specifically, the objective of this study is to examine the characteristics of program participants and their exit status.
I like you, I like you not: Understanding the formation of context-dependent automatic attitudes

Previous research has shown that automatic evaluations can be highly context dependent. Expanding on past research demonstrating context effects for existing attitudes toward familiar objects, the present research examined basic principles that guide the formation of context-dependent versus context-independent automatic attitudes. Results from four experiments showed that: (a) newly formed attitudes generalised to novel contexts when prior experiences with the attitude object were evaluatively homogeneous; (b) when prior experiences were evaluatively heterogeneous, automatic evaluations became context sensitive, such that they reflected the contingency between the valence of prior experiences and the context in which these experiences occurred; and (c) when prior experiences were evaluatively heterogeneous across different contexts, novel contexts elicited automatic evaluations that reflected the valence of first experiences with the attitude object. Implications for research on automatic evaluation and attitude change are discussed.
Microbiological Quality of Blister Pack Tablets in Community Pharmacies in Jordan

Purpose: To investigate the microbiological quality of blister-packed tablets manufactured and marketed in Jordan in order to assess Good Manufacturing Practice by pharmaceutical industries in the country. Methods: A total of 66 items of 22 registered blister-packed tablet brands were purchased from community pharmacies in Amman. All the items were investigated for total bacterial count and the presence of specified microorganisms using compendial procedures. Results : Out of 66 items purchased, forty eight (72.7 %) products were free from microbial contamination, while 11 (16.7 %) harbored bacteria in counts < 102 cfu/g. The remaining 7 (10.6 %) items contained counts between 102 and < 103 cfu/g. The most commonly encountered contaminant was Bacillus species but specified objectionable bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aereus were not detected. Aspergillus and Penicillium species were isolated in low numbers from few products. Six of the products with the highest stratified bacterial count were manufactured by one company and were also found to be contaminated with Aeromonas species. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that blister-packed tablets produced by Jordanian pharmaceutical companies are within acceptable microbiological quality but the detection of microbial load in some brands close to the maximum allowable limit suggests the need for better adherence to GMP in the country. Keywords : Blister pack, Community pharmacy, Good Manufacturing Practice, Microbial contamination,Quality control, Tablets
A Trophic Structure Model of the Douala-Edea Reserve Mangrove ( Cameroon ) with Consideration of Sustainable Utilization of its Resources

The Douala-Edea reserve mangrove is the largest mangrove area in a national park in Cameroon. It has an area of about 272.79 km2 (Findi, 2015) and is subjected to substantial anthropogenic impact through intensive harvest of mangrove wood and fishery. In order to integrate available information on biomass, catches, food spectrum and dynamics of the main species populations of the system, a trophic steady state model of 21 compartments was constructed using the ECOPATH II software (Christensen & Pauly, 1992). About eighty percent of total system biomass is made up by mangroves (Rhizophora spp), which are assumed to cover about 65% of the total area and contribute about 70% to the system’s primary production. The remaining biomass is distributed between the pelagic and benthic domains in proportions of 10% and 90% respectively. Through litter fall, mangroves inject the main primary food source into the system, which is either consumed directly by herbivores (principally land crabs) or, when already metabolized by bacteria, by detritus (principally fiddler crabs, Uca spp.). According to the model estimates, energy flow through the fish and shrimp compartments is of relatively high importance for the energy cycling within the system, a finding which is similar to the situation in other mangrove estuaries reported in the literature. The dominance of mangrove epibenthos is attributed to the fact that a large part of the system’s production remains within the mangrove forest as material export to the estuary is restricted to spring tides, when the forest is completely inundated. Total system throughput (400.54 t/km2/year) and mean transfer efficiency between trophic levels (13.8%) calculated by the model fit well into the range reported for other tropical coastal ecosystems. The very high gross efficiency of the fishery (catch/net primary production) of 17.4·6% and its low trophic level (2·1) is explained by a high harvesting rate of mangroves and the fact that the main animal resource in the system are the mangrove crabs (Ucides cordatus), which feed at the first trophic level. The model was balanced assuming a turnover rate for the land crabs of P/B=0·44 (P/B: production per unit of biomass) which is possibly low and more realistic, suggesting a situation in which more biomass is being harvested than produced, which hints to an overexploitation of this resource A ranking of the various system components in terms of their contribution to the system function (ascendency sensu Ulanowicz, 1997) revealed that detritus and associated bacteria contribute 27%, mangroves 26%, fiddler crabs and predatory crabs 13%, phytoplankton and zooplankton 10%, mangrove crabs 10%, and the remaining 14 groups 14% to the total ascendency. Summary statistics of the model are given and compared with those of other coastal ecosystems.
A Co-occurrence Based Personal Sense Approach to Opinion Mining

Recent years have seen increasing interest in analyzing the millions of texts published every year in blogs and forums. One of the applications attracting most attention is the automated gathering opinions of people on different products. In this paper, we elaborate a methodology for opinion mining and subjectivity analysis, based on the notion of personal sense. Our hypothesis is that the personal sense of the words that the author uses in a text is reflected their appraisal of a product described in the text. In this preliminary work, we describe a new methodology applied to the polarity classification task, and present and evaluate our the preliminary results.
THE EFFECTS OF ADDING SOY FIBER TO WHEAT SPAGHETTI

This study has evaluated the effects of adding 4%, 6% and 8% soy fiber to wheat pasta for the production of dry wheat spaghetti. The properties of the mixture were evaluated for humidity, falling number, ashes, color, retained gluten, and subjected to farinograph (water absorption, development, stability) and extensograph analyses (resistance and extensibility). The spaghetti was evaluated with cooking tests (performance, increased volume, loss of soluble solids to cooking water) and sensory analysis. The addition of soy fiber to wheat flour resulted in mixtures with rheological and physicochemical characteristics suitable for the production of wheat spaghetti, enhancing performance and reducing the loss of soluble solids to the cooking water. The sensory analysis showed that, for all parameters tested, panelists favored mixtures with up to 6% soy fiber addition.
The Career Dynamics of Self-Employment

Although it might be considered the domain of many research areas, self-employment has not been studied vigorously. We draw upon the ideas of related areas to develop a sound design for the study of self-employment. Using retrospective career life-history data from West Germany, we model the process by which individuals move into and out of episodes of self-employment. Specifically, we examine: (1) the process of entry into self-employment at various stages of the career; and (2) the career differences between the self-employed and the conventionally employed. In general terms, the findings show that those factors which account for one stage of the self-employment experience do not necessarily account for others. More substantively, our findings point to the strong effects of social structural variables, especially those related to the family, as well as to the effects of previous self-employment experience.