Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Remote sensing and modelling analysis of the extreme dust storm hitting the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean in September 2015

Abstract. The extreme dust storm that affected the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean in September 2015 resulted in record-breaking dust loads over Cyprus with aerosol optical depth exceeding 5.0 at 550 nm. We analyse this event using profiles from the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) and the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO), geostationary observations from the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI), and high-resolution simulations from the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS). The analysis of modelling and remote sensing data reveals the main mechanisms that resulted in the generation and persistence of the dust cloud over the Middle East and Cyprus. A combination of meteorological and surface processes is found, including (a) the development of a thermal low in the area of Syria that results in unstable atmospheric conditions and dust mobilization in this area, (b) the convective activity over northern Iraq that triggers the formation of westward-moving haboobs that merge with the previously elevated dust layer, and (c) the changes in land use due to war in the areas of northern Iraq and Syria that enhance dust erodibility.
Beliefs and Behaviors of First-generation and Low-income Students in Early Engineering Courses

Jennifer Blue is an Associate Professor of Physics at Miami University. She works to give more people access to physics. Sometimes that’s reforming the curriculum for introductory classes, sometimes it’s working with K-12 science teachers, and sometimes it’s advocating for traditionally excluded populations, including women in STEM. Her website can be found here: http://www.users. miamioh.edu/bluejm/.
THE REGIME-SWITCHING VOLATILITY OF EURO AREA BUSINESS CYCLES

We document the strong evidence of time variation in the volatility of Euro Area business cycles since 1970. Then we provide the quantitative sources of these changes using a medium-scale DSGE model allowing time variation in structural disturbance variances. We show that (1) the size of different types of shock oscillates, in a synchronized manner, between two regimes over time, with the high-volatility regime prevailing predominantly in the 1970s, sporadically in the 1980s and 1990s, and during the Great Recession; (2) their relative importance remains, however, unchanged across regimes, where neutral technology shocks and marginal efficiency of investment shocks are the dominant sources of business cycle fluctuations; and 3) these investment shocks, which affect the transformation of savings into productive capital, can be interpreted as an indicator of credit conditions.
Evidence for a cryptic species complex in the ant parasitoid Apocephalus paraponerae (Diptera: Phoridae)

Cryptic species complexes occur in many taxa, in particular in the insect order Diptera. Here we describe a possible new cryptic species complex in the family Phoridae. Three lines of evidence suggest that Apocephalus paraponerae, an ant parasitoid, is actually a complex of at least four genetically distinct but morphologically almost indistinguishable populations attacking at least three different ant hosts. First, the host-location cues used by A. paraponerae to locate two of the host species differ. Second, A. paraponerae attracted to these two ant host species differ consistently in average hind femur length and costal vein length, two measures of body size. Finally, mtDNA sequence comparisons of individuals from a variety of locations and host ant species indicate high sequence divergence between populations and low sequence divergence within populations. We discuss aspects of host location behaviour that may be important in cryptic species formation, and we speculate that many such cryptic complexes may exist in this family and others with similar mechanisms of host location and exploitation.
TAMR effect in (Ga,Mn)As-based tunnel structures

We discuss the results of our experiments on tunnel devices based on (Ga,Mn)As structures. Those include p+-(Ga, Mn)As/n+-GaAs Esaki diodes and laterally defined narrow nanoconstrictions in (Ga,Mn)As epilayers. We found in those structures strong anisotropic magnetoresistance behaviour with features that could be attributed to the novel tunnelling anisotropic magnetoresistance effect. We argue however, that in case of nanoconstricted (Ga,Mn)As wires, some other physics has to be additionally employed to fully explain the observed effects.
HEaD liCE inFEStation in CHilDrEn in DaY-CarE CEntErS anD SCHoolS oF ManaUS, aMaZon, BraZil

Head lice infestation is a public health problem, which, though more prevalent in children, may occur in all age groups. From July 2009 to February 2010 a total of 976 children aged 0-12 years who attended four schools and three day-care centers in Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil, were screened for the presence of head lice. The prevalence rate was 18.5%, with black (X0.05 (1) = 4.655) female children (X0.05(1) = 151.324) with dark hair (X 2 0.05(1) = 9.942) showing the highest prevalence rates. The type (X0.05 (2) = 6.660) and length of hair (X 2 0.05 (2) = 58.042) also significantly influenced the prevalence of this ectoparasitosis. The age group most affected was the 10-12 year-old (X0.05 (3) = 59.891). Questionnaire answers revealed that intense itching of the head was the most frequently observed symptom by the parents/guardians of affected children and that manual scavenging and pesticides are the main methods of controlling lice. Parents/guardians suggest the indicated educational institutions as the main sources of infestations. The results indicate the need to implement an integrated program to control this ectoparasitosis in the majority of the institutions surveyed.
Handling, processing and utilization of milk and milk products in Ezha district of the Gurage zone, Southern Ethiopia

A survey study was conducted in Ezha district of Gurage zone to understand the hygienic practices during production and further handling of milk and milk products; and their utilization. One hundred and twenty households were selected based on ownership of dairy cows, milk processing practice and willingness to participate in the study from two agro-ecologies (Dega and Woyna Dega) within the district. None of the respondents washed udder before milking. The majority of women washed the equipments (90.8%) and their hands (71.5%) before milking. Olea africana and Hygenia abyssinica plant leaves were the most commonly smoking and cleaning plant species in the district. The average volume of milk churned at a time was 6 L. Women preserve butter by mixing with spices such as Nigella sativa, Aframomum angusti-folium, Trigonela fenum and Ocimum hardiense, while Ayib is preserved with the use of O. hardiense. Out of the total monthly milk production (55 L), 13.5 L were consumed, whereas the remaining was accumulated for further processing. Among milk and milk products produced, only butter and Ayib were supplied to local markets. Lack of clean water for cleaning purpose; limited knowledge on hygienic handling of milk and milk products; and unimproved milk processing materials were the three major constraints reported by the respondents according to their importance. Recognizing the importance milk and milk products to the producing household nutrition, health and income, development interventions are required to boost production, improve the quality of the products and efficiency of the traditional milk processing equipment. Key words: Milk and milk products, hygiene, processing, utilization, Ezha, Ethiopia.
Effects of harvesting stage and storage duration on postharvest quality and shelf life of sweet bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) varieties under passive refrigeration system

The cellular-growth curves for distinct cell lines (tumor and non-tumor) were established, evaluating the population of doubling time (DT) and maximum growth rate (µmax). These curves define the growth characteristics for each cell line; they allow determination of the best time range for evaluating the effects of some biological compounds. Subsequently, the biological activities of three ethanolic extracts of Phoradendron californicum were evaluated in these cells lines; two extracts were of Prosopis laevigata (Mesquite tree) from two distinct geographic zones, and the other one was of Quercus ilex (Encino/Oak tree). We also evaluated the cytotoxic activity and nitric oxide (NO) scavenging ability of these extracts. The results showed the RAW 264.7 cell-line had the highest growth rate in all experiments. For the rest of cell-lines, we found µmax in the following order: L929 > A549 > ARPE-19 ≥ 22Rv1; while the DT was in the order: RAW 264.7 > A549 ≥ L929 > ARPE-19 > 22Rv1. With respect to the anti-proliferative activity of the P. californicum ethanolic extracts, we observed that the most sensitive cell line was RAW 264.7 (with all three extracts), and the least sensitive was the ARPE-19 cell line; the first one was the fastest growing and the second was the one of the slowest. The anti-oxidative studies by NO scavenging were evaluated in RAW 264.7 cell-line, the best extracts were the ethanolic extracts of P. californicum from P. laevigata and were geographic zone no-dependent for these biological activities. Key words: Cellular-growth curve, doubling time (DT), P. californicum, anti-proliferative, NO scavenging.
On the dissociation between compound and present/absent tasks in visual search: Intertrial priming is ambiguity driven

Visual search is speeded when the target-defining property (a feature- or dimension difference relative to the distractors) is repeated relative to when it changes. It is thought that automatic and implicit intertrial priming mechanisms underlie this effect. However, intertrial priming has been found to be less robust in compound search tasks (in which the response property is unrelated to the target-defining property) than in present/absent search tasks (in which the response is directly related to the presence of a target-defining property). This study explored the hypothesis that intertrial priming is dependent on the level of ambiguity in a task, with the present/absent task being inherently more ambiguous than the compound search task. The first three of five experiments further established the dissociation between the tasks and excluded alternative explanations. Intertrial priming was strong in present/absent and go/no-go tasks, but absent in compound and compound/absent tasks. The last two experiments supported the ambiguity hypothesis by introducing more uncertainty in the compound task, after which intertrial priming returned.
Total Peroxy Nitrates (ΣPNs) in the atmosphere: the Thermal Dissociation-Laser Induced Fluorescence (TD-LIF) technique and comparisons to speciated PAN measurements

Abstract. Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) and its chemical analogues are increasingly being quantified in the ambient atmosphere by thermal dissociation (TD) followed by detection of either the peroxyacyl radical or the NO2 product. Here we present details of the technique developed at University of California, Berkeley which detects the sum of all peroxynitrates (ΣPNs) via laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) of the NO2 product. We review the various deployments and compare the Berkeley ΣPNs measurements with the sums of PAN and its homologue species detected individually by other instruments. The observed TD-LIF ΣPNs usually agree to within 10% with the summed individual species, thus arguing against the presence of significant concentrations of unmeasured PAN-type compounds in the atmosphere, as suggested by some photochemical mechanisms. Examples of poorer agreement are attributed to a sampling inlet design that is shown to be inappropriate for high NOx conditions. Interferences to the TD-LIF measurements are described along with strategies to minimize their effects.
The Undrained Strength of Soft Clays Determined from Unconventional and Conventional Tests

The laboratory fall cone test, considered an unconventional test, was performed to estimate the undrained shear strength of undisturbed samples of Brazilian coastal soft clays with different plasticity index values. The undrained shear strength determined by laboratory fall cone test was compared with the strength determined by conventional field and laboratory tests commonly used to estimate this parameter in cohesive soils: piezocone test, field vane test, unconfined compression test, unconsolidated undrained triaxial compression test and laboratory vane test. The fall cone test undrained shear strength results presented good agreement with the laboratory vane test strength results and reasonable agreement with unconfined compression test strength results. The strength results obtained by laboratory tests were compared with the continuous strength profile estimated from the piezocone test calibrated using the field vane test, and presented good agreement with fall cone test and laboratory vane test strength results. The normalised undrained shear strength was compared with some empirical correlations reported in the literature based on plasticity index, being verified some behaviour similarity.
Emotional Intelligence: On Definitions, Neuroscience, and Marshmallows

In his timely article, Cherniss offers his vision for the future of "Emotional Intelligence" (EI). However, his goal of clarifying the concept by distinguishing definitions from models and his support for "Emotional and Social Competence" (ESC) models will, in our opinion, not make the field advance. To be upfront, we agree that emotions are important for effective decision-making, leadership, performance and the like; however, at this time, EI and ESC have not yet demonstrated incremental validity over and above IQ and personality tests in meta-analyses (Harms & Crede, 2009; Van Rooy & Viswesvaran, 2004). If there is a future for EI, we see it in the ability model of Mayer, Salovey and associates (e.g, Mayer, Caruso, & Salovey, 2000), which detractors and supporters agree holds the most promise (Antonakis, Ashkanasy, & Dasborough, 2009; Zeidner, Roberts, & Matthews, 2008). With their use of quasi-objective scoring measures, the ability model grounds EI in existing frameworks of intelligence, thus differentiating itself from ESC models and their self-rated trait inventories. In fact, we do not see the value of ESC models: They overlap too much with current personality models to offer anything new for science and practice (Zeidner, et al., 2008). In this commentary we raise three concerns we have with Cherniss's suggestions for ESC models: (1) there are important conceptual problems in both the definition of ESC and the distinction of ESC from EI; (2) Cherniss's interpretation of neuroscience findings as supporting the constructs of EI and ESC is outdated, and (3) his interpretation of the famous marshmallow experiment as indicating the existence of ESCs is flawed. Building on the promise of ability models, we conclude by providing suggestions to improve research in EI.
Attitude-behaviour consistency: the role of group norms, attitude accessibility, and mode of behavioural decision-making

The interplay between two perspectives that have recently been applied in the attitude area-the social identity approach to attitude-behaviour relations (Terry & Hogg, 1996) and the MODE model (Fazio, 1990a)-was examined in the present research. Two experimental studies were conducted to examine the role of group norms, group identification, attitude accessibility, and mode of behavioural decision-making in the attitude-behaviour relationship. In Study I (N = 211), the effects of norms and identification on attitude-behaviour consistency as a function of attitude accessibility and mood were investigated. Study 2 (N = 354) replicated and extended the first experiment by using time pressure to manipulate mode of behavioural decision-making. As expected, the effects of norm congruency varied as a function of identification and mode of behavioural decision-making. Under conditions assumed to promote deliberative processing (neutral mood/low time pressure), high identifiers behaved in a manner consistent with the norm. No effects emerged under positive mood and high time pressure conditions. In Study 2, there was evidence that exposure to an attitude-incongruent norm resulted in attitude change only under low accessibility conditions. The results of these studies highlight the powerful role of group norms in directing individual behaviour and suggest limited support for the MODE model in this context. Copyright (C) 2003 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.
The ROSAT Deep Survey - VI. X-ray sources and Optical identifications of the Ultra Deep Survey

The ROSAT Deep Surveys in the direction of the Lockman Hole are the most sensitive X-ray surveys performed with the ROSAT satellite. About 70-80% of the X-ray background has been resolved into discrete sources at a flux limit of ~10^(-15) erg cm^(-2) s^(-1) in the 0.5-2.0 keV energy band. A nearly complete optical identification of the ROSAT Deep Survey (RDS) has shown that the great majority of sources are AGNs. We describe in this paper the ROSAT Ultra Deep Survey (UDS), an extension of the RDS in the Lockman Hole. The Ultra Deep Survey reaches a flux level of 1.2 10^(-15) erg cm^(-2) s^(-1) in 0.5-2.0 keV energy band, a level ~4.6 times fainter than the RDS. We present nearly complete spectroscopic identifications (90%) of the sample of 94 X-ray sources based on low-resolution Keck spectra. The majority of the sources (57) are broad emission line AGNs (type I), whereas a further 13 AGNs show only narrow emission lines or broad Balmer emission lines with a large Balmer decrement (type II AGNs) indicating significant optical absorption. The second most abundant class of objects (10) are groups and clusters of galaxies (~11%). Further we found five galactic stars and one "normal"emission line galaxy. Eight X-ray sources remain spectroscopically unidentified. We see no evidence for any change in population from the RDS survey to the UDS survey. The photometric redshift determination indicates in three out of the eight sources the presence of an obscured AGN. Their photometric redshifts, assuming that the spectral energy distribution (SED) in the optical/near-infrared is due to stellar processes, are in the range of 1.2 ≤ z ≤ 2.7. These objects could belong to the long-sought population of type 2 QSOs, which are predicted by the AGN synthesis models of the X-ray background. Finally, we discuss the optical and soft X-ray properties of the type I AGN, type II AGN, and groups and clusters of galaxies, and the implication to the X-ray background.
School Performance and Housing Values: Using Non-Contiguous District and Incorporation Boundaries to Identify School Effects

This study examines housing value capitalization of the characteristics and tax costs of public education by exploiting the imperfect congruence of the boundaries of public school districts and elementary enrollment areas with the boundaries of incorporated jurisdictions providing other public services in Monroe County, New York. The study finds, after controlling for student body composition, high school characteristics, and other public services, substantively large effects of elementary school output on housing values using both a standard log-linear specification and a multiplicative specification that estimates indexes of quality-adjusted housing quantity and locational price. The empirical results suggest that housing values in the central city are elastic with respect to improvements in elementary school outputs.
Graduate Students' Perspectives on the Qualities of Innovative Teachers

Bu nitel arastirmanin temel amaci lisanustu ogrencilerin ‘yenilikci ogretmen’ ozelliklerine iliskin bakis acilarini belirlemektir. Arastirmada calisma grubunu, 15 yuksek lisans ve 20 doktora ogrencisi olmak uzere toplam 25 lisansustu ogrenci olusturmaktadir. Acik uclu sorular ile icerik analizi sonucunda elde edilen bulgulara bagli olarak, asagidaki kategoriler olusturulmustur: (1) teknoloji kullanimi (2) kendini yenilemek (3) gelismelere acik olmak (4) motivasyon (5) meslektaslar ile isbirligi (6) ogrenci merkezli dusunmek (7) rehberlik. Ayrica, katilimcilarin cogu kendilerini yenilikci olarak vurgulamislardir. Arastirma sonuclarinin, bu konudaki tartismalara bir bakis acisi saglayacagi umulmaktadir.
Direct Agglutination Test and Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay with Urine Samples for the Diagnosis of Visceral Leishma- niasis

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or Kala azar is an infectious disease caused by various species of Leishmania parasites. The aim of this study was to detect and compare the presence of anti-Leishmania antibodies in the urine of visceral leishmaniasis patients using ELISA and DAT methods. Methods: A total of 30 urine samples were collected from VL patients referred to Shiraz (southeast of Iran) hospitals. Moreover 31 urine samples were collected from healthy individuals and patients with other diseases such as malaria, brucellosis, hydatidosis and cutaneous leishmaniasis. Collected samples were examined to detect anti-Leishmania antibodies in urine, using ELISA and DAT. Results: Anti-Leishmania antibody was detected in urine of 18 out of 30 (60%) VL patients by DAT while ELISA detected anti-Leishmania antibodies in urine of 28 out of 30 (93.3%) of VL cases. Sensitivity and specificity of urine-based DAT was 60% and 83.9%, respectively while sensitivity and specificity of urine-based ELISA were 93.3% and 93.5%, correspondingly. Conclusion: Urine-based DAT and ELISA have a reasonable specificity and sensitivity in diagnosis of VL. Accordingly, urine-based ELISA might be a suitable alternative for serum based assays for diagnosis of VL.
Kinetic and stability studies on phenol andvanillin facilitated transport through aSupported Liquid Membrane (SLM)

The objective of this study is to develop a supported liquid membrane (SLM) system containing a mixture of solvating extractant (tributyl phosphate (TBP)) and suitable organic solvent (kerosene) for the treatment of liquid solutions involving phenol or vanillin. Previous studies of liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) have been conducted to determine the feasibility of phenol and vanillin extraction through a MLS process. The complexing properties of TBP were studied in LLE as well as in the transport through a SLM. On the other hand, the use of TBP- kerosene mixture as organic phase leads to a quantitative extraction of phenol and vanillin. Experimental study results of phenol facilitated transport through a SLM show that the best transport performance was accomplished with a source aqueous solution at pH 2 and receiving aqueous solution of 0.2 M NaOH knowing that the transport efficiency decreases with time during five days of continuous operation. The study of vanillin facilitated transport through a SLM containing TBP- kerosene mixture has also been described. The optimum extraction of vanillin was accomplished using 20 % TBP (v/v) in kerosene as organic membrane mixture, an aqueous source at pH 1 and a receiving aqueous solution of 0.5M NaOH. The extraction efficiency of vanillin was stable at around 63% with the developed SLM system for 5 days of continuous run.