Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improving Antarctic Total Ozone Projections by a Process-Oriented Multiple Diagnostic Ensemble Regression

Accurate projections of stratospheric ozone are required because ozone changes affect exposure to ultraviolet radiation and tropospheric climate. Unweighted multimodel ensemble-mean (uMMM) projections from chemistry–climate models (CCMs) are commonly used to project ozone in the twenty-first century, when ozone-depleting substances are expected to decline and greenhouse gases are expected to rise. Here, the authors address the question of whether Antarctic total column ozone projections in October given by the uMMM of CCM simulations can be improved by using a process-oriented multiple diagnostic ensemble regression (MDER) method. This method is based on the correlation between simulated future ozone and selected key processes relevant for stratospheric ozone under present-day conditions. The regression model is built using an algorithm that selects those process-oriented diagnostics that explain a significant fraction of the spread in the projected ozone among the CCMs. The regression model with observed diagnostics is then used to predict future ozone and associated uncertainty. The precision of the authors’ method is tested in a pseudoreality; that is, the prediction is validated against an independent CCM projection used to replace unavailable future observations. The tests show that MDER has higher precision than uMMM, suggesting an improvement in the estimate of future Antarctic ozone. The authors’ method projects that Antarctic total ozone will return to 1980 values at around 2055 with the 95% prediction interval ranging from 2035 to 2080. This reduces the range of return dates across the ensemble of CCMs by about a decade and suggests that the earliest simulated return dates are unlikely.
Environment and Sustainability Education in a Changing South Africa: A critical historical analysis of outline schemes for defining and guiding learning interactions

This paper examines how, in response to emerging risk, methodological narratives for conservation (CE), environmental (EE) and now sustainability education (ESD) were constituted in diverse settings within a changing South African state. After documenting an awareness creation perspective underpinning early extension and experiential activities, the study examines shaping social processes and changing outline schemes for defining and guiding planned learning interactions (methodology) within the broadening field into the present day. The critical historical analysis developed in the study reflects a well-documented shift from early topdown (intervention/extension) to more participatory approaches (collaborative engagement/stewardship). A situated process-mapping of changing orientations also reveals characterising methodological features across the contours of an increasingly diverse field of conservation, environment and sustainability education. The maps resonate with and reflect situated learning interactions that involve: • Clarifying risk and associated information in context (situating story) • Close review of an issue as a concern (moral proximity) • Asking questions to understand the issue in context (enquiry) and • Trying out ways of doing things differently (practical engagement) The review concludes that these open-ended processes are seldom found together in community and school curriculum contexts. It thus points to a need to examine: • Learner access to available knowledge resources • Processes of close purposeful engagement and • Practice-based deliberation in the mediation of socially responsible choices Finally the study examines processes of exclusion across the outline schemes for education. Noted is the knock-on effect of the separation of people and nature at the fences of nature reserves. Here ecology developed as a conservation science of interdependence that was deployed in early awareness programmes against the unawareness of rural land management. Later perspectives reflect landscapes as intermeshed social-ecological systems at risk. Here it is somewhat ironic that the indigenous knowledge practices of rural people are often deployed as idealised models of sustainability against the wasteful practices of modern age. The analysis recasts environment and sustainability education as open processes of situated re-search and deliberative meaning-making interaction, notably reflexive social learning processes that are planned and undertaken in response to risk within in a community of practice.
Characterizing the fungal and bacterial microflora and concentrations in fitness centres

Fitness centres are special places where conditions for microbiological proliferation should be considered. Moisture due to human perspiration and water condensation as a result of human physical activities are prevalent in this type of buildings. Exposure to microbial contaminants is clinically associated with respiratory disorders and people who work out in polluted environments would be susceptible to contaminants. This work studied the indoor air contamination in three gymnasiums in Lisbon. The sampling was performed at two periods: at the opening (morning) and closing (night) of the three gymnasiums. The airborne bacterial and fungal populations were sampled by impaction directly onto Tryptic Soy Agar (for bacteria) and Malt Extract Agar (for fungi) plates, using a Merck MAS-100 air sampler. Higher bacterial concentrations were found at night as compared to the morning but the same behaviour was not found for fungal concentrations. Gram-negative catalase positive cocci were the dominant bacteria in indoor air samples of the studied gymnasiums. In this study, 21 genera/species of fungal colonies were identified. Chrysosporium sp. , Chrysonilia sp. , Neoscytalidium hialinum, Sepedonium sp. and Penicillium sp. were the most prevalent species identified in the morning, while Cladosporium sp. , Penicillium sp. , Chrysosporium sp. , Acremonium sp. and Chrysonilia sp. were more prevalent at night. A well-designed sanitation and maintenance program for gymnasiums is needed to ensure healthier space for indoor physical activity.
Evolution of the ion environment of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko - Observations between 3.6 and 2.0 AU

Context. The Rosetta spacecraft is escorting comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from a heliocentric distance of >3.6 AU, where the comet activity was low, until perihelion at 1.24 AU. Initially, the solar wind permeates the thin comet atmosphere formed from sublimation. Aims. Using the Rosetta Plasma Consortium Ion Composition Analyzer (RPC-ICA), we study the gradual evolution of the comet ion environment, from the first detectable traces of water ions to the stage where cometary water ions accelerated to about 1 keV energy are abundant. We compare ion fluxes of solar wind and cometary origin. Methods. RPC-ICA is an ion mass spectrometer measuring ions of solar wind and cometary origins in the 10 eV–40 keV energy range. Results. We show how the flux of accelerated water ions with energies above 120 eV increases between 3.6 and 2.0 AU. The 24 h average increases by 4 orders of magnitude, mainly because high-flux periods become more common. The water ion energy spectra also become broader with time. This may indicate a larger and more uniform source region. At 2.0 AU the accelerated water ion flux is frequently of the same order as the solar wind proton flux. Water ions of 120 eV–few keV energy may thus constitute a significant part of the ions sputtering the nucleus surface. The ion density and mass in the comet vicinity is dominated by ions of cometary origin. The solar wind is deflected and the energy spectra broadened compared to an undisturbed solar wind. Conclusions. The flux of accelerated water ions moving from the upstream direction back toward the nucleus is a strongly nonlinear function of the heliocentric distance.
Global Spillover Effects of Us Uncertainty

Spillover effects of US uncertainty shocks are studied in a panel VAR of fifteen emerging market economies (EMEs). A US uncertainty shock negatively affects EME stock prices and exchange rates, raises EME country spreads, and decreases capital inflows into them. It decreases EME output and consumer prices while increasing net exports. Negative effects on output and asset prices are weaker, but effects on external balance stronger, for Latin American EMEs. We attribute such heterogeneity to differential EME monetary policy response to US uncertainty shocks. Analysis of central bank minutes shows Latin American EMEs pay less attention to smoothing capital flows.
EFL Learners’ Attitude towards Developing Speaking Skills at the University of Taif, Saudi Arabia

Speaking is the most difficult as well as the most complex of all the four skills, as it requires expertise in, and exposure to, the target language. Different factors are found responsible for poor speaking skills among EFL learners in general and Saudi EFL learners in particular. The current study investigates the influence of various factors related to teachers, learners, and learning environment on the students’ attitude towards learning speaking skills. The questionnaire survey was employed to elicit responses from 184 undergraduate EFL male and female students in Taif University. Data analyzed through SPSS reveals that out of five variables only one was insignificant, whereas all other variables showed significant positive effect. In the light of the findings, it could be inferred that lack of measures on the part of teachers and learners as well as the classroom setting/environment do not fully facilitate both the male and female students to learn speaking skills in a better way. The poor level of their skills in English is attributed to the variety of teachers’, learners’, and environment related factors. And these factors affect negatively on the attitude of learners towards learning speaking skills.
Migratory behaviour and ocean survival of escaped out-of-season smolts of farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar

A large proportion of farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. smolts are produced under intensive rearing conditions. They reach smolt size and are transferred to net pens in sea- water during their first autumn under a short natural daylength, instead of being synchronised with the natural period for seawater entry of wild smolts under increasing daylength the next spring. Escapes of cultured salmon may threaten the genetic integrity of wild salmon, but there is little information about the impact of escaped out-of-season smolts. Do they display normal migra- tory behaviour typical of spring smolts, and can they survive at sea and return as mature adults? To answer these questions, about 23 000 spring smolts (1 yr old) and a similar number of autumn out-of-season smolts were tagged with T-bar anchor tags and released from net pens in Masfjord on the west coast of Norway in 2007, 2008 and 2009. A further 43 out-of-season smolts were equipped with acoustic transmitters in 2008. A quarter of the acoustically tagged smolts migrated rapidly out of the 22 km long fjord, while the rest disappeared in the fjord. Predation by pollack Pollachius pollachius contributed to this loss. One tagged out-of-season smolt (0.004% recapture rate) and 39 (0.17%) spring smolts were recaptured as adults. Escaped out-of-season smolts appear to be capable of normal smolt migratory behaviour if they escape during their first autumn, but their survival rate in the sea appears to be very low. The risks of negative environmental impacts are probably much lower for autumn smolts than for smolts that escape from net pens dur- ing spring and summer.
Mercury Retrograde Effect in Capital Markets: Truth or Illusion?

Abstract From the most ancient times, the astrological beliefs have played an important role in human history, thinking, world-views, language and other elements of social culture. The practice of relating the movement of celestial bodies to events in financial markets is relatively newer but despite the inconsistency between financial astrology and standard economic or financial theory, it seems to be largely spread among capital market traders. This paper evaluates one of the astrological effects on the capital market, more precisely the Mercury retrograde effect on US capital market. Despite the fact that it is just an optical illusion the astrological tradition says that Mercury retrograde periods are characterized by confusion and miscommunications. The trades could be less effective, the individuals more prone to make mistakes so there is a long-held belief that it is better to avoid set plans during Mercury retrograde, signing contracts, starting new ventures or open new stock market positions. The main findings of this study are lower return’s volatilities in the Mercury retrograde periods, inconsistent with the astrologic theories assumptions but consistent with the idea that trader’s beliefs in Mercury retrograde effect could change the market volatility exactly in the opposite sense than the predicted one.
The potential of unintended effects in potato glycoalkaloids

Unintended changes have long been considered as byproducts associated with genetic improvement of crop plants. The issue has been hotly debated during recent years following the identification of some unwanted characters in genetically engineered crop plants. In this context, the subject of unintended effects of plant transformation on known toxic compounds has been an area of immense interest. Compositional changes in these toxins may have a profound impact on human and animal health. Potato glycoalkaloids are known toxic compounds to humans and animals. These days, food safety evaluation tests of transgenic potato varieties are conducted on routine basis to keep the glycoalkaloid levels below a threshold level. Some transgenic potato varieties have been found with altered glycoalkaloid levels, which have created doubts on the process of transformation and tissue culture conditions. In this review, we summarize recent work on unintended effects in crop plants with special emphasis on compositional changes in potato glycoalkaloids as a result of genetic transformation.
Exact analysis of entanglement in gapped quantum spin chains

We investigate the entanglement properties of the valence-bond-solid states with generic integer spin $S$. Using the Schwinger boson representation of the valence-bond-solid states, the entanglement entropy, the von Neumann entropy of a subsystem, is obtained exactly and its relationship with the usual correlation function is clarified. The saturation value of the entanglement entropy, $2\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{log}}_{2}(S+1)$, is derived explicitly and is interpreted in terms of the edge-state picture. The validity of our analytical results and the edge-state picture is numerically confirmed. We also propose an application of the edge state as a qubit for quantum computation.
AMERICA'S UNDERCLASS AND CRIME: THE INFLUENCE OF MACROECONOMIC FACTORS

Throughout America there has been a growing concern over criminal activity. Until the 1990’s there was a consistent increasing trend in the crime rate that has been interspersed with a pattern of fall offs since the late 1960’s. Crime is an activity with great economic importance. Not only does it produce negative effects on economic activity such as higher prices due to theft, crime also reduces the quality of life for citizens within society who must deal with its physical and emotional consequences. Though the net social benefit of criminal activity is negative there do exist some social benefits such as new jobs in crime prevention from increased government expenditure on crime. The determinants of crime are often viewed in both theoretical and empirical terms. Many theories have been formed to explain the trends evidenced in the crime rate primarily including cost benefit analyses. This paper will discuss possible benefits and costs a person may face when opting to participate in criminal activity and attempt to discover a relation between the underclass, specifically income disparity in terms of the standard deviation of income, and crime. All data was obtained from the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, The Administration for Children and Families Statistics, and the Federal Reserve. An ordinary least squares time-series analysis of the index crime rate in comparison to the possible decision factors will be employed to determine significance. In this paper, section II covers a brief and selective review of previous literature on determinants of criminal activity. Section III imparts both the theory behind the data chosen and the hypothesis. The regression and an analysis are presented in section IV followed by conclusions in section V.
A comparative study between single incision multiport laparoscopic appendicectomy and conventional laparoscopic appendicectomy in tertiary care hospital, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu, India

Background: To compare the outcome of single incision multiport laparoscopic appendectomy versus conventional laparoscopic appendicectomy in terms of patient recovery time, post-operative pain in Karpaga Vinayaga Medical College and Hospital, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu, India. Methods: A randomized control study was done by alternation with sample size of 50 which divided into two groups (study group 25 and control group 25) and study period is from August 2012 to September 2014. Results: Patient in single incision laparoscopy group show less post-operative pain in the first 6 and 12 hours compared to the conventional laparoscopy group, but no difference was noticed between the two groups after 24 hours. No significant difference in operating times was noted between the procedures. Conclusions: One patient in 25 who underwent single incision laparoscopy had wound infection, but no wound complications were noted in the conventional appendicectomy group. Patients underwent Single incision laparoscopy are happier with scar when compared with conventional laparoscopy group. No difference noted in the duration of post-operative hospital stay.
33. OXIC VS. ANOXIC DIAGENETIC ALTERATION OF TURBIDITIC SEDIMENTS IN THE MADEIRA ABYSSAL PLAIN, EASTERN NORTH ATLANTIC 1

Upon deposition, downward diffusing oxygen results in the “burn-down” of the upper part of organic-rich turbidites in the Madeira Abyssal Plain. This oxidation front is terminated after a few thousand years, on average, at the moment of deposition of the next turbidite. These initially homogeneous sediments form an excellent setting for studying long-term organic matter re mineralization processes to establish the extent and possible selectivity of oxic vs. anoxic degradation of organic matter in a natural environment. Samples for this study have been taken from the oxidized upper part and the unoxidized lower part (from 42 to 280 meters below seafloor) of 13 organic-rich turbidites 1.2‐14 m.y. old. The organic fraction in the lower part of organicrich turbidites has remained virtually unchanged for periods as long as 14 m.y. under suboxic to anoxic conditions. In contrast , dramatic changes have occurred during the post-depositional oxidation of sediments in the tops of the same turbidites by oxygen. This has resulted in a large decrease in the organic carbon ( -80%) and total nitrogen content (-50%) of the upper, relative to the lower, parts of these turbidites. In addition, this oxidation process has resulted in a 13 Corg that is, on average, 1.5‰ more negative and a 15 Ntot that is 1.3‰ more positive in the upper oxidized samples than it is in the lower unoxidized ones from within the same turbidite. The seemingly selective preservation of organic matter that is low in C/N and has a relatively negat ive 13 C org is usually interpreted as being indicative of better preservation of terrestrial organic matter relative to marine organic mat ter. However, it could equally be explained by the different preservation of certain marine compounds with, on average, distinctly different 13 Corg and C/N ratios. Furthermore, a decrease is observed in the total carbonate content, which is related in part to the oxidation of organic matter and S-compounds. For some samples, however, it may also be related to a more shallow carbonate compensation depth and/or some bioturbation during the downward oxidation process. Major and minor element compositions of sediments do not seem to be affected by the oxidation process if they are normalized to Al. Sulfur is the main exception. Upon oxidation, the reduced (mostly pyrite) S-compounds produce acid and sulfate, which dissolves carbonate and diffuses away in the pore water, respectively.
Methodology for hydrodynamic model selection.: Case study spatial variability of the thermal structure in the Riogrande II tropical reservoir, Colombia

espanolEste articulo propone una metodologia para la seleccion guiada de un modelo hidrodinamico para el estudio de los procesos fisicos en un embalse, fundamentada en criterios cualitativos y cuantitativos, la cual fue aplicada para estudiar la variabilidad espacial de la estructura termica en el embalse tropical de Riogrande II. La metodologia considera tres etapas: i) definicion y busqueda, ii) preseleccion y iii) seleccion. Como resultado los modelos DELFT3D y MIKE3 fueron implementados y se compararon los perfiles de temperatura simulados con aquellos medidos entre el 23 y el 27 de marzo de 2010. ELCOM fue definido como modelo de referencia para comparar las series de tiempo de la profundidad media de la termoclina, la profundidad media de la capa de mezcla y su temperatura media. Para apoyar la seleccion final se utilizo tres estadisticos: i) el indice de concordancia (d1), ii) el MAE y iii) RMSE, cuyos resultados indicaron que el modelo DELFT3D es para este caso la mejor alternativa. EnglishThis article presents a methodology for a guided selection of a hydrodynamic model to study physical processes in a reservoir. It is based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that are applied in order to study the spatial variability of the thermal structure in the Riogrande II tropical reservoir. The method consists of three main stages: i) definition and search, ii) pre-selection, and iii) selection. As a result, the DELFT3D and MIKE3 models were implemented, and the simulated temperature profiles were compared to field data that was collected between March 23rd and 27th, 2010. ELCOM was defined as a reference model, and the time series of the thermocline depth, the mixing layer depth, and its average temperature were compared with the selected models. The final selection was supported by using three different statistical parameters: the index of agreement (d1), the MAE, and the RMSE. The quantitative analysis showed that the DELFT3D model behaves better than MIKE 3.
Estimated time of seroconversion in antibody titre in the diagnosis of Legionnaires’ disease

In Legionnaires’ disease (LD), seroconversion is assumed to occur relatively late in the course of disease. The aim of our study was to assess the time to seroconversion of three different antibody tests. Acute phase and convalescent sera of 45 outbreak-related patients with LD caused by L. pneumophila serogroup 1 were tested with three commercially available assays (IFAT, ELISA, and RMAT). Time to seroconversion was estimated using a Bayesian nonparametric estimation procedure. According to this estimation procedure, 90% of patients seroconverted within 3 weeks of onset of disease when using the IFAT. The results of the ELISA showed an estimated seroconversion of 60% after 3 weeks for IgG as well as IgM, with only a slight increase in seroconversion thereafter. Combining IgG and IgM raised the seroconversion rate to 75%. The RMAT showed a slowly increasing seroconversion rate, with an estimated maximum of 60% reached after 7 weeks. We concluded that the IFAT performed better than the ELISA or the RMAT and that seroconversion can be expected within 3 weeks of the onset of disease.