Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Resolving Intertemporal Conflicts: Economics vs Politics

Intertemporal conflicts occur when a group of agents with heterogeneous time preferences must make a collective decision about how to manage a common asset. How should this be done? We examine two methods � an `Economics� approach that seeks to implement efficient allocations, and a `Politics� approach in which agents vote over consumption plans. We compare these methods by varying two characteristics of the problem: are agents� preferences known or are they hidden information, and can they commit to intertemporal collective plans or not? We show that if commitment is possible the Economics approach always Pareto dominates the Politics approach, in both full and hidden information scenarios. By contrast, without commitment the group may be better off if the Politics approach is adopted. We investigate when Politics trumps Economics analytically, and then apply our model to a survey of economists� views on the appropriate pure rate of time preference for project appraisal. For a wide range of model parameters, and under both full and hidden information, the Politics approach is supported by a majority of agents, and leads to higher group welfare.
Arc volcanism, carbonate platform evolution and palaeo-atmospheric CO 2 : Components and interactions in the deep carbon cycle

Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) liberated at arc volcanoes that intersect buried carbonate platforms plays a larger role in influencing atmospheric CO 2 than those active margins lacking buried carbonate platforms. This study investigates the contribution of carbonate-intersecting arc activity on palaeo-atmospheric CO 2 levels over the past 410 million years by integrating a plate motion model with an evolving carbonate platform development model. Our modelled subduction zone lengths and carbonate-intersecting arc lengths approximate arc activity with time, and can be used as input into fully-coupled models of CO 2 flux between deep and shallow reservoirs. Continuous and cross-wavelet as well as wavelet coherence analyses were used to evaluate trends between carbonate-intersecting arc activity, non-carbonate-intersecting arc activity and total global subduction zone lengths and the proxy-CO 2 record between 410 Ma and the present. Wavelet analysis revealed significant linked periodic behaviour between 75–50 Ma, where global carbonate-intersecting arc activity is relatively high and where peaks in palaeo-atmospheric CO 2 is correlated with peaks in global carbonate-intersecting arc activity, characterised by a ~ 32 Myr periodicity and a 10 Myr lag of CO 2 peaks after carbonate-intersecting arc length peaks. The linked behaviour may suggest that the relative abundance of carbonate-intersecting arcs played a role in affecting global climate during the Late Cretaceous to Early Paleogene greenhouse. At all other times, atmospheric CO 2 emissions from carbonate-intersecting arcs were not correlated with the proxy-CO 2 record. Our analysis did not support the idea that carbonate-intersecting arc activity is more important than non-carbonate intersecting arc activity in driving changes in palaeo-atmospheric CO 2 levels. This suggests that tectonic controls are more elaborate than the subduction-related volcanic emissions component or that other feedback mechanisms between the geosphere, atmosphere and biosphere played larger roles in modulating climate in the Phanerozoic.
Financial Constraints and Investment: The Swiss Case

We study the empirical link that exists between investment-cash flow sensitivities and financial constraints in the Swiss financial market. We follow the standard approach introduced by FAZARRI, HUBBARD and PETERSON (1988), but improve it by using a dynamic classification of firms, a new estimation procedure, while paying particular attention to information asymmetry indicators. We observe that investment-cash flow sensitivities are homogeneous among firms during boom periods, as in KAPLAN and ZINGALES (1995), but heterogeneous during recession periods. The link between investment-cash flow sensitivities and the intensity of financing constraints is monotonically increasing, as in FAZARRI, HUBBARD and PETERSON (1988).
Numerical modelling of erosion processes in the Himalayas of Nepal: effects of spatial variations of rock strength and precipitation

Abstract The interplay between tectonics and erosion has a predominant control on the evolution of the morphology of mountain belts. Here we investigate the modalities of deformation in Central Nepal on a c. 100 ka time scale in response to tectonic and external forcings, through the use of a finite-element thermomechanical model coupled with an integrative denudation formulation that accounts for fluvial incision and hillslope landsliding. We study the complex coupling existing between tectonics and erosion, with special emphasis on the influences of rock strength and rainfall distributions. Our results underline the key role played by lithologic variations in the elevation of both rivers and mean topography. We show that the location of the Main Frontal Thrust is mainly controlled by the low erodability of the unconsolidated sandstone in the Siwaliks Hills. As previously suspected (Burbank et al. 2003), our simulations demonstrate that the pattern of uplift in Nepal is mainly dependent on both erodability and fault geometry, rather than on rainfall distribution.
ISSN 2320-5407 International Journal of Advanced Research (2014), Volume 2, Issue 7, 735-745

Yosry A. Okdah The present study was aimed to assess the effect of aqueous saffron extract (Crocus sativus L.) on sodium valporate (SVP) hepatotoxicity in albino rats. Treating rats with SVP induced many histological changes in the liver including cytoplasmic vacuolization of the hepatocytes, fatty degeneration and congestion of blood vessels. Biochemical results showed an increase in serum ALT and SAT. Moreover, SVP caused a reduction in total carbohydrates, total proteins and DNA in the hepatocytes. Animals treated with SVP and aqueous saffron extract revealed an improvement in the histological, histochemical and liver function enzymes,ALT and AST induced by SVP. These results indicated that saffron extract improved hepatotoxicity of SVP through inhibition of oxidative stress and enhancing the antioxidant defense system.
Development of a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model for cyclosporine in Asian children with renal impairment

This study aimed to assess the pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine A (CsA) in Asian children with renal impairment (RI) by developing a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model with Simcyp Simulator. The PBPK model of Asian children with RI was developed by modifying the physiological parameters of the built-in population libraries in Simcyp Simulator. The ratio of healthy and RI populations was obtained for each parameter showing a difference between the populations. Each ratio was multiplied by the corresponding parameter in healthy Asian children. The model verification was performed with published data of Korean children with kidney disease given multiple CsA administrations. Simulations were performed with different combinations of ethnicity, age, and renal function to identify the net impact of each factor. The simulated results suggested that the effect of RI was higher in children than adults for both Caucasian and Asian. In conclusion, the constructed model adequately characterized CsA pharmacokinetics in Korean children with RI. Simulations with populations categorized by ethnicity, age, and renal function enabled to assess the net impact of each factor on specific populations.
OMAE 2012-83861 RESPONSE BASED IDENTIFICATION OF CRITICAL WAVE SCENARIOS

In the last years the identification and investigation of cri tical wave sequences regarding offshore structure response s became one of the main topics in the ocean engineering communit y. Thereby the area of interest covers the entire field of applic ation spectra at sea from efficient and economic offshore operati ons in moderate sea states to reliability as well as survival in e xtreme wave conditions. For most cases, the focus lies on limiting c riteria for the design, such as maximum global loads, maximum relative motions between two or more vessels or maximum accelerations, at which the floating structure has to operate o r to survive. These criteria are typically combined with a limit ng characteristic sea state ( Hs, Tp) or a rogue wave. For the investigation of offshore structures as well as the identification o f critical wave sequences, different approaches are available mo st of them are based on linear transfer functions as it is an efficie nt procedure for the fast holistic evaluation. But, for some ca ses the linear method approach implies uncertainties due to non linear response behavior, in particular in extreme wave condit i s. This paper presents an approach to these challenges, a response based optimization tool for critical wave sequence d etection. This tool, which has been successfully introduced for the evaluation of the applicability of a multi-body system b ased on the linear method approach, is adjusted to a nonlinear tas k the vertical bending moment of a chemical tanker in extreme wave conditions. Therefore a nonlinear strip theory solver is introduced into the optimization routine to capture the nonli near effects on the vertical bending moment due to steep waves act ing on large bow flares. The goal of the procedure is to find a worst case wave sequence for a certain critical sea state. Th is includes intensive numerical investigation as well as mode l test validation.
Effect of Combinative Pretreatments on Cellulose-to-Glucose Conversion of Empty Palm Fruit Bunch (EFB)

Various methods of pretreatments were investigated to their effect on cellulose to glucose conversion efficiency on enzymatic hydrolysis of a tropical agro-industrial waste residue (empty palm fruit bunch, EFB). Four different kinds of combinative pretreatments (autohydrolysis with and without naphthol, dilute acid prehydrolysis, soda prehydrolysis and enzymatic prehydrolysis) were tested for delignification during the first and the second steps of pretreatment. Each prehydrolysis step was seconded by the organosolv delignification with the same conditions of pretreatment. It was observed that all the combinative methods were far more efficient in delignification and enzymatic hydrolysis ability as compared to its one step counter parts. The combinative pretreatment method involving dilute acid prehydrolysis followed by organosolv delignification revealed the best result with respect to lignin removal and enzymatic hydrolysis. The resultant pulp contained very low Klason lignin (~5%) with high sugar conversion ratio (64% total reducing sugars). DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3126/jfstn.v7i0. 10613 J. Food Sci. Technol. Nepal, Vol. 7 (81-85), 2012
The First Year : Assistant Principals in Title I Schools

In this collective case study, we explore the experiences of first year assistant principals at secondary schools near turnaround status in Colorado. In order to better understand their experiences, we employed resiliency theory. We found that assistant principals’ daily experiences were characterized by overwhelming responsibilities and a consistent focus on discipline that detracted from the assistant principals’ desire to focus on improving curriculum and instruction. Further, in applying the resiliency framework, two new sources of resilience emerged: motivation and diversity of perspective.
The Use of the Tangential Differential Operator in the Dual Boundary Element Equation

The kernels of integrands are usually differentiated to obtain the general boundary integral equation (BIE) for stresses and its corresponding traction equation. An alternative BIE for stresses can be obtained when the tangential differential operator is introduced in problems using Kelvin type fundamental solutions. The order of the singularity is reduced with this strategy and the Cauchy principal value sense or the first order regularization can be used in the resultant BIE. The dual boundary element formulation with the BIE for tractions using the tangential differential operator is analyzed in the present study. Shape functions with same expressions for conformal or non-conformal interpolations are adopted and conformal interpolations were applied on the crack surface without losing the accuracy of the dual formulation. The results obtained are compared with solutions available from the literature to evaluate the formulation. keyword: Tangential Differential Operator, Dual Boundary Element Method, Stress Intensity Factor.
Homoptera : Aphididae ) infestation level and damage on grass pea , Lathyrus sativus L . , in West Gojam , Ethiopia

Once a minor pest, the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum has already become a major pest of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus), in Ethiopia, particularly in the northwestern region. The effect of two levels of chemical treatment on pea aphids and their natural enemies was investigated in a field experiment in Achefer, northwestern Ethiopia from September 2010 to March 2011. Plant height, plant density per 0.25 m2, number of pea aphids and parasitoids per plant, ladybird beetles per plot, and finally grain yield per plot were recorded. Based on the results of the ANOVA, plant height was significantly different between treated and untreated plots especially after the vegetative stage. The density of the plant did not significantly vary between treatments (P=0.99). Pea aphid population significantly varied between treated and untreated plots and between the different growth stages of the crop (P<0.0001). many of the natural enemies of pea aphid, i.e., ladybird beetles and parasitoids, were recorded on untreated plots. Generally, natural enemies increased as number of aphids increased. Significantly more yield was obtained from treated than untreated plots but there was no difference in yield between doses. Yield and aphid density were inversely related and grain yield loss due to pea aphids increased as high as 82.4%. This loss is very high necessitating appropriate control measures.
Structural, thermal, and electrical properties of PVA-sodium salicylate solid composite polymer electrolyte

Structural, thermal, and electrical properties of solid composite polymer electrolytes based on poly (vinyl alcohol) complexed with sodium salicylate were studied. The polymer electrolytes at different weight percent ratios were prepared by solution casting technique. The changes in the structures of the electrolytes were characterized by XRD, which revealed the amorphous domains of the polymer which increased with increase of sodium salicylate concentration. The complexion of the polymer electrolytes were confirmed by FTIR studies. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to study the thermal stability of the polymer below 523 K. The decomposition decreases with increasing sodium salicylate concentration. The conductivity and dielectric properties were measured using an impedance analyzer in frequency range of 20Hz to 1MHz and narrow temperature range of 303 to 343 K. The conductivity increased with increase of sodium salicylate concentration and temperature. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss increased with the increase in temperature and decreased with the increase in sodium salicylate concentration.
Machine Translation Summit XVII Proceedings of The 8th Workshop on Patent and Scientific Literature Translation

Reduction of training time is an important issue in many tasks like patent translation involving neural networks. Data parallelism and model parallelism are two common approaches for reducing training time using multiple graphics processing units (GPUs) on one machine. In this paper, we propose a hybrid data-model parallel approach for sequence-to-sequence (Seq2Seq) recurrent neural network (RNN) machine translation. We apply a model parallel approach to the RNN encoder-decoder part of the Seq2Seq model and a data parallel approach to the attention-softmax part of the model. We achieved a speed-up of 4.13 to 4.20 times when using 4 GPUs compared with the training speed when using 1 GPU without affecting machine translation accuracy as measured in terms of BLEU scores.
Privatized Keynesianism or Conspicuous Consumption? Status Anxiety and the Financialization of Consumption in Chile

Why do people acquire consumer debt? In this article, I draw on the case of Chile and call into question the explanatory power of both the "trickle-down" and "privatized Keynesianism" hypotheses. I argue that these narratives fail to explain why, in the context of wage improvements, consumers use credit to finance "ordinary" forms of consumption that do not aim to protect lifestyles or signal status to others, but rather reflect a subtler expansion of the standard of living. Building on the idea that consumer debt is used to fill a gap between income and a socially constructed standard of living, I show that financialization might be explained by two subtler mechanisms in the case of Chile and, arguably, other developing countries: spurious upward mobility and relative deprivation. In both cases, families consume beyond their means in order to perform their class identities and meet the consumption standards to which they feel entitled. Instead of imitating the rich, consumers seek to perform their belonging to an "imaginary middle class. "
Discovering Strengths and Competencies in Female Domestic Violence Survivors: An Application of Roberts' Continuum of the Duration and Severity of Woman Battering

This paper describes a solution-focused approach for treating domestic violence female survivors and discusses the implications of Roberts' Continuum of Duration and Severity of Women Battering for therapists and researchers working within a solution-focused frame. Building on a strengths perspective, a solution-focused approach holds a person accountable for solutions instead of focusing on problems. The ultimate goal of the therapy is to provide a therapeutic context for domestic violence female survivors to rediscover and reconnect with their own resourcefulness in resisting, avoiding, escaping, and fighting against the abuse, develop a vision of a life free of violence, and empower women to re-experience their personal power in bringing positive changes to their lives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract)
Matching Auctions: Experimentation and Cross-Subsidization∗

We study mediated many-to-many matching in dynamic two-sided markets in which agents’ valuations for potential partners evolve over time, as the result of shocks, learning through experimentation, or a preference for variety, by which valuations for current partners drop with the number of past interactions. The matching dynamics that maximize either the platform’s profits or welfare can be sustained through a sequence of matching auctions in which agents bid for all possible partners and where the matches with the highest bilateral score are implemented. Each score is either myopic or takes the form of an index, accounting for the endogenous changes in the partners’expected match values. In equilibrium, bidding is straight-forward and myopic. The analysis also sheds light on the merits of regulating, taxing, or subsidizing such markets. When all agents benefit from interacting with all other agents from the opposite side, profit maximization involves fewer and shorter interactions than what is effi cient, for all agents, including those at the top of the distribution. This conclusion, however, need not extend to environments where certain agents dislike certain interactions. JEL Classification Numbers: D82, C73, L1.
“If Chemists Don’t Do It, Who Is Going To?” Peer-driven Occupational Change and the Emergence of Green Chemistry

We investigate the emergence and growth of “green chemistry”—an effort by chemists to encourage other chemists to reduce the health, safety, and environmental impacts of chemical products and processes—to explore how occupational members, absent external triggers for change, influence how their peers do their work. Using extensive interviews, archival data, and observations, we find that advocates simultaneously advanced different frames that specified the utility of making the change: (1) a normalizing frame, positioning green chemistry as consistent with mainstream chemistry innovation; (2) a moralizing frame, positioning it as an ethical imperative; and (3) a pragmatizing frame, positioning it as a tool that could help chemists tackle problems they encountered in their day-to-day work. Each frame resonated differently with chemists in their various occupational roles. Though this pluralistic approach generated broad acceptance of the change effort, it also exposed tensions, which threatened the coherence of the change. Advocates’ diverse responses to these tensions contribute to a persistent state of pluralism and dynamism in the change effort. We uncover a process through which occupational members generate and sustain change, show how occupational heterogeneity can enable and delimit change, and show how well-meaning efforts to “moralize” occupational work can heighten resistance, inhibiting the very changes that enable experts to address urgent societal problems.
Emotional intelligence among nurses

Malaysia has more than 78 thousand registered nurses working at the government and private hospitals.Nurses who make up 75% of the total healthcare workforce play important parts in providing healthcare services to patients and working with other healthcare professionals. Emotional intelligence allows people to understand the complexity of human interaction and manage his/her own emotions as well as others.Hence, emotional intelligence seems a relevant concept in healthcare, where it is considered vital for nurses to understand patients’ perspectives and engage in relationships that will facilitate successful care management. This article examines the emotional intelligence profiles of nurses. In additions, it also examines the differences in the level of emotional intelligence of nurses based on selected demographic factors.A study had been conducted in four government hospitals using The Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory: Short (EQ-i:S) by Bar-On (1997). Three-hundred and ninety-five male and female nurses were involved as respondents. Results showed that the majority of respondents had high level of emotional intelligence and there were no significant differences of emotional intelligence based on demographic factors.It is hoped that the results and implications of the study will enhance the service quality of healthcare professionals.