Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rio de la Plata estuary response to wind variability in synoptic to intraseasonal scales: 2. Currents' vertical structure and its implications for the salt wedge structure

[1] The first acoustic Doppler current profiler current data collected at two locations of the Rio de la Plata salt wedge during a period of around 6 months and salinity profiles gathered at and around those locations are used to study the vertical structure of currents' response to wind variability in synoptic to intraseasonal timescales and its implications for stratification. Results indicate that the estuary rapidly responds to prevailing southwesterlies/northeasterlies with currents that decay toward the bottom with only little rotation in depth. For the less frequent southeasterlies/northwesterlies the estuary develops a strong vertical structure with a defined inversion in current direction between surface and bottom layers. These patterns derive from the estuary's geometry and bathymetry. Results have important implications for the salinity vertical structure that are verified on the analyzed profiles. First, the combination of the bathymetry and coastline with the prevailing wind variability is highly favorable to the maintenance of a salt wedge structure in this estuary. Second, weakening and eventually breakdown of stratification can only occur for intense and/or persistent southeasterly winds, which even can be very strong, are not frequent. This can explain why the Rio de la Plata displays the unusual feature of being an area of spawning and a nursery for a number of coastal species that use the wedge as an essential element for their reproduction. Results show that stratification is highly affected by short-term wind variability, which is its major characteristic in the area, changing the classical concept of summer-winter seasonality as the main feature of estuarine variability.
Longitudinal study on reciprocity between personality traits and parenting stress

Reciprocal associations between the Big Five personality traits and parenting stress—including both parents’ feelings of their distress and perception of their incompetence as parents—were studied with 248 participants (49% of which were males). Longitudinal data, collected at ages 33/36, 42 and 50 years, were used. Cross-lagged path analysis revealed that in case of both mothers and fathers, neuroticism at age 33 predicted high parenting stress, and extraversion at age 33 predicted low parenting stress at age 42. Also, parenting stress at age 36 predicted high neuroticism and low extraversion at age 42. From age 42 to 50, only high parenting stress contributed to low neuroticism. Thus, more significant cross-lagged associations of neuroticism and extraversion with parenting stress were detected in early middle age, i.e., from age 33/36 to 42, as compared to later midlife, i.e., from 42 to 50 years of age. The reciprocal associations between parenting stress and neuroticism and extraversion were similar for both mothers and fathers. High conscientiousness at age 42, however, predicted low parenting stress at age 50 only in fathers.
Matter-wave two-dimensional solitons in crossed linear and nonlinear optical lattices

The existence of multidimensional matter-wave solitons in a crossed optical lattice (OL) with a linear optical lattice (LOL) in the $x$ direction and a nonlinear optical lattice (NOL) in the $y$ direction, where the NOL can be generated by a periodic spatial modulation of the scattering length using an optically induced Feshbach resonance is demonstrated. In particular, we show that such crossed LOLs and NOLs allow for stabilizing two-dimensional solitons against decay or collapse for both attractive and repulsive interactions. The solutions for the soliton stability are investigated analytically, by using a multi-Gaussian variational approach, with the Vakhitov-Kolokolov necessary criterion for stability; and numerically, by using the relaxation method and direct numerical time integrations of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation. Very good agreement of the results corresponding to both treatments is observed.
Why Do Firms Invest in Consumer Advertising with Limited Sales Response? A Shareholder Perspective

Marketing managers increasingly recognize the need to measure and communicate the impact of their actions on shareholder returns. This study focuses on the shareholder value effects of pharmaceutical direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) and direct-to-physician (DTP) marketing efforts. Although DTCA has moderate effects on brand sales and market share, companies invest vast amounts of money in it. Relying on Kalman filtering, the authors develop a methodology to assess the effects from DTCA and DTP on three components of shareholder value: stock return, systematic risk, and idiosyncratic risk. Investors value DTCA positively because it leads to higher stock returns and lower systematic risk. Furthermore, DTCA increases idiosyncratic risk, which does not affect investors who maintain well-diversified portfolios. In contrast, DTP marketing has modest positive effects on stock returns and idiosyncratic risk. The outcomes indicate that evaluations of marketing expenditures should include a consideration of the effects of marketing on multiple stakeholders, not just the sales effects on consumers.
Surface Ruptures and Building Damage of the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake Mapped by Satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometric Correlation

[1] We use the interferometric correlation from Envisat synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images to map the details of the surface ruptures related to the 26 December 2003 earthquake that devastated Bam, Iran. The main strike-slip fault rupture south of the city of Bam has a series of four segments with left steps shown by a narrow line of low correlation in the coseismic interferogram. This also has a clear expression in the field because of the net extension across the fault. Just south of the city limits, the surface strain becomes distributed over a width of about 500 m, probably because of a thicker layer of soft sedimentary material. Another fault north of Bam shows offset and low correlation over a wider zone in the interferograms, but it has no discrete surface rupture, possibly because of a net shortening across this fault. Taking the difference between the interferometric correlation for an interval including the earthquake and an interval before the earthquake separates the changes due to the earthquake from other effects in the partially vegetated city of Bam. We map the damage to buildings by measuring the change from high correlation to low correlation where buildings were destroyed by the earthquake.
NUMERICAL STUDY OF AN IMPULSE WAVE GENERATED BY A SLIDING MASS

In this work, a numerical framework for the direct numerical simulation of tsunami waves generated by landslide events is proposed. The method, implemented on the TermoFluids numerical platform, adopts a free surface model for the simulation of momentum equations; thus, considering the effect of air on the flow physics negligible. The effect of the solid motion on the flow is taken into account by means of a direct forcing immersed boundary method (IBM). The method is available for 3-D unstructured meshes; however, it can be integrated with an adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) tool to dynamically increase the local definition of the mesh in the vicinity of the interfaces, which separate the phases or in the presence of vortical structures. The method is firstly validated by simulating the entrance of objects into still water surfaces for 2-D and 3-D configurations. Next, the case of tsunami generation from a subaerial landslide is studied and the results are validated by comparison to experimental and numerical measurements. Overall, the model demonstrates its efficiency in the simulation of this type of physics, and a wide versatility in the choice of the domain discretization.
Effect of Financial and Political Decentralization on Service Delivery in County Governments in Kenya

In devolution, financial decentralization and political decentralization have been advocated as powerful means for improving the service delivery in many developing countries. This study attempted to examine the association between financial decentralization, political decentralization and service delivery. The data used was derived from 275 government officials drawn from 8 county governments in Kenya. Service delivery was measured by accessibility of services, efficiency of services, quality of services and citizen satisfaction in relation to water, health, rural roads, and sewer services. Using regressions analysis (enter method), the study found significant positive relationship between financial decentralization and service delivery in county governments in Kenya. In addition, the study also revealed that political decentralization significantly and positively influences service delivery in county governments in Kenya. Based on the finding, the paper concluded that financial decentralization and political decentralization positively influences service delivery. This paper recommends that for improved service delivery in a devolved government, there is need to enhance political and financial decentralization. The paper further recommends that there was need for central governments to increase funding to the county governments in order to enhance service delivery.
Optimal control of hepatitis b virus disease in a population with infected immigrants

This paper firstly presents a nonlinear extended deterministic model for assessing the impact of immigration on the spread of the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) pandemic in a population with acute and chronic groups. This model studies the impact of optimal control on the treatment of immigrants and vaccination of HBV on the transmission dynamics of the disease in a homogeneous population with constant immigration. First, we derived the condition in which disease free equilibrium is locally and globally asymptotically stable. Second, we investigated by formulating the costs function problem as an optimal control problem, and we then use the Pontryagins Maximum Principle to solve the optimal control problems. The impact of each control mechanism individually and the combinations of these strategies in the control of HBV is also investigated. Numerical simulation of the model is implemented to investigate the sensitivity of certain key parameters on the treatment and vaccination of infected immigrants on the spread of the disease with acute and chronic group.
ntilipidemic activity of Coriandrum Sativum

yocardial infraction is a most common cause of death all over the world. The high level of blood holesterol is a big risk for heart diseases. The basic purpose of this research work was to etermine the antilipidemic activity of fresh leaves of coriandrum sativum against salbutamol duced cardiac injury in rabbits. Salbutamol administered rabbits (50mg/kg) showed elevated vel of serum lipids (LDL-Cholesterol, Triglyceride) and decreased level of HDL-Cholesterol and ntioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT). Both the preand post treatment of plant extract (100mg/kg) r three weeks exert a significant antilipidemic effect against salbutamol-induced myocardial fraction by lowering the level of serum LDL-Cholesterol, Triglycerides and Peroxidase and creasing the level of HDL-Cholesterol and antioxidant enzymes. The results showed that oriandrum sativum possess antilipidemic activity.
Eff ect of propiconazole and salicylic acid on the growth and photosynthetic pigments in Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench. under drought condition

The present investigations were carried out to estimate the morphological, pigments variation and ameliorating effect of propiconazole (PCZ) and salicylic acid (SA) on drought stress in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench.) Var. CO-30. A 30 days after sowing (DAS), the plants were subjected to 3, 6, and 9 days interval drought stress and drought with PCZ at 1 mM and drought with SA at 1 mM at 30, 40, and 50 DAS. The plants irrigated regularly in alternate day interval were kept as control. The plant samples were collected on 60, 70, and 80 DAS from all the treatments. The root length, shoot length, fresh weight, dry weight, total leaf area, and photosynthetic pigment estimation was carried out in each treatment. Individual and combined drought stress with PCZ and SA treatments increased the root length when compared to control. The PCZ and SA treatments mitigated the drought stress by increasing the morphological and pigment contents and there by the way for overcoming drought stress in S. bicolar plants.
The Relationship between Perceived Value and the Intention of Using Bitcoin

Problem Explaining: Nowadays the financial system has been affected dramatically by the development in the era of information and communication technology. One of these phenomena, is Crypto Currency Bitcoin is the most famous among them. In the reviews of Crypto Currency and Bitcoin, we can pay special attention to the public opinion, because it can have a significant impact on the future of money. Purpose: The aim of this study is to identify the preferences of people using Bitcoin as a novel product introduced by human into the financial system. For this purpose, the important factors in choosing Bitcoin have been checked. In terms of practical purpose and collecting descriptive information, this research is survey - correlation. Design/methodology/approach: In this study the important factors in the selection of Bitcoin through the investigation of the opinions of experts and consumers, offering model by patterning the technology acceptance and innovation publication models, interviewing with experts using a questionnaire and the analysis of the model through PLS partial least square method using Version 2 SMARTPLS software. Findings: The results show that the variables of infrastructure, structural, individualistic and cultural factors through perceived value have a significant and positive impact on the intention of using people. Meanwhile cultural factor has had the largest share, but innovative, political and environmental factors haven’t had any significant effect. The results of this research indicate the effective factors in the users’ tendency to use Bitcoin. Originality/value: The main question in this research is that: Is there any significant relationship between the values perceived by the consumer from Bitcoin and the intention of using it?
Shaping the Reaction: Community Characteristics and Emotional Tone of Citizen Responses to Robotics Videos at TED versus YouTube

When modelling for the social we need to consider more than one medium. Little is known as to how platform community characteristics shape the discussion and how communicators could best engage each community, taking into consideration these characteristics. We consider comments on TED videos featuring roboticists, shared at TED.com and YouTube. We find evidence of different social norms and importantly, approaches to comment writing. The emotional tone is more positive at TED; however, there is little emotional escalation in either platform. The study highlights the importance of considering the community characteristics of a medium, when communicating with the public in a case study of emerging technologies.
Limits of usage of cost-benefit analysis by evaluation of public projects

The article deals with the issue of evaluation of public projects which is based on the method of Cost-benefit analysis. The future social benefits and costs of public projects (financed especially from funds of the European Union) are evaluated by means of this method. We can practically meet the approach of set of social benefits and costs which arise from the assessment of present relevant economies. These economies are consequently predicted on the whole time of life cycle of the project. At the same time we simplify when we assign the present benefits to the particular years of lifetime of the project (we only respect the discount rate). This article proposes to involve the approach of system dynamics in the prediction. The system dynamics searches the reality as the system when the particular items of system are mutual influenced. The feed backs are raised when the result of the activity influences the original cause by return. The integration of the system dynamics into the evaluation of social benefits and costs could improve the prediction. Because the efficiency allocation of public resources is the aim of evaluation of public projects, the usage of system dynamics could support the process of allocation.
A ROBUST NONPARAMETRIC SLOPE ESTIMATION IN LINEAR FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIP MODEL

This paper proposed a robust nonparametric method to estimate the slope parameter of a linear functional relationship model in which both parameters are subject to error. The method is an improvement to the nonparametric method as proposed by Al-Nasser (2005). The performance of the proposed method is compared to the traditional maximum likelihood method using Monte Carlo simulation study. The mean square error of both these two methods gave somewhat similar results when no outlier exists, however as the percentage of outlier increases, the maximum likelihood method seems quite unreliable as its mean square error breaks down easily and became huge. Based on these findings, we can conclude that as the percentage of outlier increases, our proposed method gave significantly smaller mean square error than the nonparametric method (Al-Nasser (2005)). Application of the proposed method is illustrated using two published datasets.
Planning for an Uncertain Future: Climate Change Sensitivity Assessment toward Adaptation Planning for Public Water Supply

AbstractAssessing climate change risk to municipal water supplies is often conducted by hydrologic modeling specific to local watersheds and infrastructure to ensure that outputs are compatible with existing planning frameworks and processes. This study leverages the modeling capacity of an operational National Weather Service River Forecast Center to explore the potential impacts of future climate-driven hydrologic changes on factors important to planning at the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLC). Hydrologic modeling results for the study area align with prior research in showing that temperature changes alone will lead to earlier runoff and reduced runoff volume. The sensitivity of average annual flow to temperature varies significantly between watersheds, averaging −3.8% °F−1 and ranging from −1.8% to −6.5% flow reduction per degree Fahrenheit of warming. The largest flow reductions occur during the high water demand months of May–September. Precipitation drives hydrologic response mor.
Integrated Performance Measurement System in Small and Medium Enterprises: The Role of Leadership and Decision-Making Style

The purpose of this study is to observe the integrated performance measurement system (IPMS) based on the perspective of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Building on the upper echelons perspective, the study investigates the role of SME entrepreneurs/top management leadership in determining the implementation of IPMS to assist them in making decisions. IPMS is a useful managerial tool for measuring and improving the decision-making and control process among the SMEs. Our results, based on a survey administered to 90 SMEs, reveal that leadership style has no direct effect on the IPMS practice. Instead, the decision-making style mediates the relationship between the leadership style and IPMS. Regardless of the different leadership styles, we find that a comprehensive decision approach is the way of making decisions that emphasize the integration between financial and nonfinancial measures, and between internal and external factors.
Management of interdisciplinary project approaches in Engineering Education: a case study

This paper describes project management processes of coordination teams, in the implementation of interdisciplinary project approaches in Engineering Education. These interdisciplinary projects are based on the Project-Led Education (PLE) concept and are being implemented since 2004/2005 in the Industrial Management and Engineering (IME) master degree course (1 and 2 cycle of Engineering Education) at University of Minho. Usually, these approaches involve a coordination team of 10 to 15 members with different roles: teachers, tutors and education researchers. This team is responsible for preparing the project for the semester and forming the students’ teams. The coordination of these two types of teams is centred on a project manager that is responsible for, and supports, all the work developed during the semester, e.g., prepare the initial presentation of the project to the students, prepare the web site that supports the work, establish the communication between students and the rest of the team, prepare the students’ guide, and so on. Managing these projects is an intense task that demands a lot of time and different competencies. In this work it is presented a project management framework based on project management knowledge areas, to aid coordination teams to achieve better results.
The use of ecodesign strategies and tools: State of the art in industrial design praxis - comparing Australian and German consultancies

This paper assesses the use of ecologically sustainable design approaches by industrial design (ID) consultancies in Australia and Germany. Whilst much academic research has focussed on the development of ecodesign strategies and tools, it remains unclear to whatextent these are actually applied by practitioners. This paper investigates the extent to which design consultancies integrate ecodesign into their services and portfolios and their proactive promotion of sustainable design tools and strategies to their clients. This was achieved through a content analysis of commercial websites of ID consultancies in Australia (n=96) and Germany (n=217). The review criteria included: their general awareness of environmental issues related to product design, the share of ecologically responsible products in their portfolio and the kinds of sustainable design expertise that they advertise. The paper concludes that the majority of ID companies in Germany and in Australia do not appear to actively practice ecodesign. Nevertheless, amongst those that were found to practice ecodesign, a broad range of ecodesign strategies is visible; selection of low impact materials was the most prominent strategy used in Australia while reduction of impact during use was most common in Germany. Industrial design consultancies have significant potential to foster ecodesign implementation. A major barrier for ecodesign appears to be the lack of marketing arguments for ecodesign on the behalf of the consultancies. The legislative framework in Germany, often seen as progressive for ecodesign appears to have minor impact on the extent ID consultancies take up ecodesign.