Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Monumental heritage exposure to urban black carbon pollution

26 In this study, aerosol light-absorption measurements obtained at three sites during a 27 winter campaign were used to analyse and identify the major sources of Black Carbon 28 (BC) particles in and around the Alhambra monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site 29 that receives over 2 million visitors per year. The Conditional Bivariate Probability 30 Function and the Aethalometer model were employed to identify the main sources of 31 BC particles and to estimate the contributions of biomass burning and fossil fuel 32 emissions to the total Equivalent Black Carbon (EBC) concentrations over the 33 monumental complex. Unexpected high levels of EBC were found at the Alhambra, 34 comparable to those measured in relatively polluted European urban areas during 35 winter. EBC concentrations above 3.0 μg/m, which are associated with unacceptable 36 levels of soiling and negative public reactions, were observed at Alhambra monument 37 on 13 days from 12 October 2015 to 29 February 2016, which can pose a risk to its 38 long-term conservation and may cause negative social and economic impacts. It was 39 found that road traffic emissions from the nearby urban area and access road to the 40 Alhambra were the main sources of BC particles over the monument. However, 41 biomass burning emissions were found to have very small impact on EBC 42 concentrations at the Alhambra. The highest EBC concentrations were observed during 43 an extended stagnant episode associated with persistent high-pressure systems, 44 reflecting the large impact that can have these synoptic conditions on BC over the 45 Alhambra. 46
Perceptions and Demand for Health Insurance services offered under National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) Scheme among Civil Servants in Tanzania

This paper examines the perceptions and demand for health insurance services offered under NHIF scheme in Tanzania. It examines the perceptions of civil servants, the factors influencing perceptions and their implications to the demand for health insurance services. The study used a cross sectional survey design which allowed collection of data in a particular place at once and within a short time. A sample of 250 civil servants from two strata (secondary school teachers and National Audit Office of Tanzania (NAOT) employees constituting 117 and 133 respectively) was obtained using stratified random sampling technique. The study used descriptive and econometric techniques to analyse the data. The results indicate that age, marital status and education have an influence on the perceptions of the quality of health services. Furthermore, sex, education and distance were found to influence the perceptions on the availability of health services. For the demand for health insurance services, age, sex, education, waiting time and perception on the quality of health services were found to be significant. Moreover, the findings show that most of the respondents (75.6 percent) reported poor health services offered under NHIF scheme. This means majority of the civil servants in Tanzania receive relatively poor health services at the accredited health facilities. The study recommends a review of the Act 8 of 1999 that established NHIF scheme in order to make civil servants enjoy the freedom of choosing the health insurance scheme of their test. It is imperative for the scheme to improve the quality of health services rendered in order to encourage new entrants and preserve customers’ royalty. The services offered should be not only inviting and attractive but also should meet the customers’ needs. To achieve this, the scheme should allow all accredited health facilities with the capacity (in terms of both material and human resources) to offer the services to NHIF customers. Keywords : Health Insurance Services, civil servants, quality of health services, employees’ perceptions, demand for health insurance service
Crossing the Line(s): A Dual Threshold Model of Anger in Organizations

We present a theoretical model of contextualized anger expression to challenge prominent antisocial, aggression, and individual actor perspectives reflected in the current literature, and we assert that organizational observers’ judgments and reactions help determine whether anger results in more negative or positive outcomes. The dual threshold model includes an expression threshold, which is crossed when individuals communicate rather than suppress anger, and an impropriety threshold, which is crossed if expressed anger violates organizational emotion display norms.
Measuring Student Support for Participative Assessment and Related Strategies: Development and Testing of the Beliefs about Participative Assessment Instrument (BAPAI)

Participative assessment is well established in higher education. However, students' concerns about the appropriateness of participative assessment create resistance to successful implementation. Strategies for addressing student concerns are needed because participative assessment practices appear to improve learning outcomes. The literature lacks validated scales to measure the subjective support for participative assessment. Presented are validated scales measuring support for self- and peer-assessment, group assignments and a proposed correlate, support for a discussion-oriented classroom derived from the responses of 213 pre-service teachers (both first year under-graduates and graduates). Graduates were more supportive of self- and peer-assessment than first year undergraduates and level of support for group assignments and self-assessment were the best predictors of support for peer-assessment. The scales provide: a measure to determine student support prior to participative assessment implementation; and, systematically collected data to initiate dialogue with students about their concerns.
Surfing the Capital Waves: A sector-level examination of surges in FDI inflows

We examine episodes of large gross FDI inflows – surges – at the sectoral level between 1994 and 2009 for 95 emerging-market and industrial countries. We find that surges in the primary and manufacturing sectors are less cyclical and associated with lower macroeconomic volatility than surges in the business and finance sectors. The likely explanation for this result seems to be the expansion of credit associated with these flows. Turning to the determinants of surges, we find that global and contagion factors have a stronger effect in the services than the manufacturing sector; surges in financial sector FDI are particularly contagious in emerging market countries. With regard to domestic factors, we find that (i) high public debt reduces the likelihood of experiencing FDI surges in the manufacturing and trade/transport sector, that (ii) high growth pulls in FDI in the manufacturing sector and that (iii) privatization is strongly associated with FDI surges in the manufacturing and financial sector. Finally, we document a role for capital controls: they tend to increase the likelihood of FDI surges in the manufacturing, other services, and financial sector.
The Evaluation of the Odour Emission Rate for Passive Area Sources: a New Approach

Usually the Odour Emission Rate (OER) for passive area sources is evaluated by means of a ventilated hood: a forced air flow is insufflated from an air cylinder in the hood in order to mimic the action of the wind and obtain a value for the emissivity of the source. The obtained OER is therefore estimated at a fixed speed – the predetermined rate of the airflow – so it is necessary to recalculate it at the proper wind speed for every instant of the time domain of the simulation. This can be done exploiting the dependence of the Odour Emission Rate on the flow rate and thus the speed; generally the speed used for this operation is the one obtained from the meteorological station. In the present work a new approach is discussed, arguing the legitimacy of the procedure just described, since for several reasons the wind speed detected at the station level may be significantly different from the one at the level of the source. In the paper it will be discussed how to obtain a better procedure capable of computing more reliable OER terms so to provide better final results. The discussion will revolve around the different classes of formulas to evaluate the wind speed at the desired height – namely logarithmic or power law – and will conclude with an overview of the most promising correlations.
Enzymatic efficiency of plant and microbial phytase in cereal-rapeseed diets for growing pigs

The experiment was carried out on 24 growing Polish Landrace pigs. The apparent digestibility of P from cereal grains (maize, barley, wheat, triticale, rye or mixture of barley with rye) and from diets containing cereals and 25% rapeseed meal (RSM) or 40% soyabean meal (SBM) was determined. The diets were unsupplemented or supplemented with microbial phytase (1000 FTU/kg). The digestibility of P was measured by an indirect method (with Cr 2 0 3 as an indicator) in 129 individual collections. The activity of intrinsic phytase in maize and oil meals was low (no more than 180 FTU/kg DM) and was considerably higher in other cereals (from 750 FTU in barley to 2077 FTU/kg DM in rye). The apparent digestibility of P in barley, wheat, triticale and rye did not differ between species (average 37.1%) and was about 17% percentage points higher (PO.01) than in maize. Although it was estimated that the effect of intrinsic and microbial phytase on digestibility of P was additive, plant phytase was 32 and 41% less effective than microbial phytase in diets with RSM and SBM, respectively. The intrinsic phytase content in cereal improved P digestibility in diets with RSM or SBM by 9.3-9.6% per 1000 FTU. Supplementation of diets with microbial phytase (1000 FTU) increased P digestibility by 13.7 and 16.3% in RSM and SBM diets, respectively. However, the increase in the content of digestible P by microbial phytase was similar (about 1 g/kg) in diets with both protein sources.
Competition and market structure of banking sector: a panel study of Jordan and GCC countries

This paper examines the market structure and competitiveness of the banking industry in Jordan and the GCC countries during the period 2003-2010, using a method proposed by Panzar and Rosse (1987). Using a static and dynamic panel data framework for a sample of 90 commercial banks, the empirical results revealed that banks in Jordan and the GCC countries have generated their revenue under monopolistic competition. This finding indicates that banks in Jordan are able to compete with the banking sector in the GCC countries. Therefore, the Jordanian government should seriously consider joining the GCC group of countries in the future.
VOC measurements within a boreal forest during spring 2005: on the occurrence of elevated monoterpene concentrations during night time intense particle concentration events

Abstract. In this study we present measurements of selected trace gases and aerosols made in a boreal forest during the BACCI-QUEST IV intensive field campaign in Hyytiala, Finland in April 2005. Springtime diel and vertical variations of VOCs are discussed in connection with the variations in other trace gases and with the prevailing meteorological conditions. A daytime and a nighttime event have been analysed in detail. The nighttime particle event occurred synchronously with huge increases in monoterpenes, while the second event type involved nucleation and was anti-correlated with sulphuric acid. Here we discuss the possible origins of these two distinct forms of aerosol production at the Hyytiala site using the measurement data, air mass back trajectories and the optical stereoisomery of monoterpenes. Optical stereoisomery is used in source identification to distinguish between unnatural and natural monoterpene emissions.
Technological Innovations: Slumps and Booms

This paper documents the delayed adoption of a major technological innovation: the adoption of the diesel locomotive in the US railway industry. Contrary to other instances of major technological innovations, the delay in the adoption of the diesel locomotive was not associated with an initial slump in output. We provide a theoretical model which is consistent with both an increase and a decrease in output following the invention of a new technology. Within this model we identify the key factors that make a slump in output unlikely.
Effects of salt and water stress on leaf production, sodium and potassium ion accumulation in soybean

Leaf traits of three soybean genotypes viz., Galarsum, BD 2331 and BARI Soybean 6 were evaluated for their salt and water stress tolerance under the salinity levels of 0, 50 and 75 mM NaCl and water stress with 70% depletion of available soil water at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Salna, Gazipur, Bangladesh. The treatment were imposed in plants on 21 days after emergence and continued up to 56 days of age. The results of this study indicated that leaf traits like leaf number, leaf area and its dry weight of the soybean genotypes were sharply decreased when the plants were exposed to water stress, salt stress and, combined salt and water stress conditions. Least reduction in leaf traits was observed in Galarsum in all stress conditions. All leaf traits decreased more in 75 mM NaCl salinity combined with water stress treatment. The leaf dry weight was decreased to 39.72, 38.58 and 39.43% of the control in Galarsum, BD 2331 and BARI Soybean 6, respectively. The genotype Galarsum also accumulated lower amount of Na+ and higher amount of K+ in leaf tissues under salt stress and, combined salt and water stress environments as compared to others.
Informing principal policy reforms in South Africa through data-based evidence

In the past decade there has been a notable shift in South African education policy that raises the value of school leadership as a lever for learning improvements. Despite a growing discourse on school leadership, there has been a lack of empirical based evidence on principals to inform, validate or debate the efficacy of proposed policies in raising the calibre of school principals. Drawing on findings from a larger study to understand the labour market for school principals in South Africa, this paper highlights four overarching characteristics of this market with implications for informing principal policy reforms. The paper notes that improving the design and implementation of policies guiding the appointment process for principals is a matter of urgency. A substantial and increasing number of principal replacements are taking place across South African schools given the rising age profile of school principals. In a context of low levels of principal mobility and high tenure, the leadership trajectory of the average school is established for nearly a decade with each principal replacement. Evidence-based policy making has a strong role to play in getting this right.
Arsenic: an alarming global concern

Arsenic, a metalloid is omnipresent in the environment in both organic and inorganic forms, the most common form being arsenopyrite. Inorganic forms of arsenic namely arsenite and arsenate show more toxicity in humans than their organic counterparts. Arsenic is commonly referred to as king of poisons and poison of kings because it is potent, discreet, easily available, odorless and tasteless; hence it can be easily camouflaged in food (Hughes et al., 2011). This metalloid is mainly present naturally in local bedrocks. It is introduced into the soil during weathering of rocks and minerals, their leaching and runoff or from anthropogenic sources. The source of inorganic arsenic is primarily geological, while organic arsenic is found in abundance in marine life. Surface water gets contaminated when geothermal fluids, rich ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 3 Number 10 (2014) pp. 34-47 http://www.ijcmas. com
The impact of information and familiarity on public attitudes toward the eastern hellbender

Despite their ecological significance, rare and uncharismatic but threatened species are less often the focus of research and conservation efforts than more familiar and charismatic threatened species. The eastern hellbender, a salamander threatened by human activities, is believed to be negatively perceived by or unknown to the general public. Through a survey of 541 (response rate 40.1%) residents in southern Indiana, this study assessed public familiarity and attitudes toward the hellbender. Overall attitudes were found to be relatively neutral. There were significant differences between the attitudes of respondents who were familiar with hellbenders compared to those who were not familiar, with familiar respondents reporting more positive attitudes overall. Providing survey respondents with just a small amount of additional information about the rarity and locality of the hellbender resulted in more positive attitudes toward this species. Respondents who were unfamiliar with the hellbender expressed significantly more positive attitudes when given the additional information, while the attitudes of respondents familiar with hellbenders were more established and remained stable despite the additional information. The measurement instruments and findings from this study could inform future efforts to protect little‐known and threatened species by identifying attitudes and beliefs for social interventions to address.
Controversy and Consensus on the Scholarship of Teaching

Once downplayed as an amorphous and elusive term devoid of any clear meaning, the scholarship of teaching has gained much clearer contours over the past few years. Programmes that support and foster the scholarship of teaching now exist on many campuses and the implications for staff development have been recognised. Yet, to what extent do scholars in the field agree upon present conceptualisations of the term and the potential problems associated with it? Following the Delphi survey method, this study identified the extent to which a panel of 11 'experts' in teaching and learning in higher education agree on the features and unresolved issues associated with the scholarship of teaching, and how these compare to perspectives discussed in the relevant higher education literature.
Ensiled Wet Storage Accelerates Pretreatment for Bioconversion of Corn Stover

Organic acids produced during ensiled wet storage are beneficial during the storage process, both for biomass preservation, and to aid in mild in-situ pretreatment. However, there is concern these acids could later have negative impacts on downstream processes, especially microbial fermentation. Organic acids can inhibit microbial metabolism or growth, which in turn could affect biofuel productivity or yield. This study investigated the interaction of organic acids produced during ensiled storage with subsequent pretreatment of the resulting corn stover silage, as well as the potential for interference with downstream ethanol fermentation. Interaction with pretreatment was observed by measuring xylan and glucan removal and the formation of inhibitors. The results indicated that organic acids generally do not impede downstream processes and in fact can be beneficial. The levels of organic acids produced during 220 days of storage jar tests at 23°C or 37°C, and their transformation during pretreatment, remained below inhibitory levels. Concentrations of individual acids did not exceed 6 g per liter of the pretreated volume, and < 5% on a dry matter basis. Whereas, unensiled corn stover required 15 min of 190°C pretreatment to optimize sugar release, ensiled corn stover could be treated equally effectively at a lower pretreatment duration of 10 min. Furthermore, the different organic acid profiles that accumulate at various storage moisture levels (35–65%) do not differ significantly in their impact on downstream ethanol fermentation. These results indicate biorefineries using ensiled corn stover feedstock at 35–65% moisture levels can expect as good or better biofuel yields as with unensiled stover, while reducing pretreatment costs.
Calcium Ionophore A 23187 and Peanut Oil as Deciduogenic Agents in the Uterus of Pseudopregnant Mice : Effects of Tranylcypromine , Indomethacin , Iproniazid aIid Propanolol

Intraluminal injections of lectins, including concanavalin A (Con A), wheatgerm lectin, and soybean lectin, Con A-Sepharose 4B beads, calcium ionophore A23187 or peanut oil into the left uterine horns of mice on day 4 of pseudopregnancy induced the formation of deciduomata and significantly increased the weight and alkaline phosphatase activity of uterine tissue on day 7 of pseudopregnancy. In contrast, injections of these materials into the uterine horns of non-pseudopregnant mice that had not been previously mated failed to induce similar responses. Tranylcypromine blocked the decidual cell reaction artificially induced by lectins, calcium ionophore A23187 and peanut oil in pseudopregnant mice. However, uterine responses observed after individual and concurrent injections with indomethacin, iproniazid, propanolol or progesterone indicated that this deciduoma-blocking effect may not be solely related to the ability of tranylcypromine to inhibit prostacyclin biosynthesis but may also involve catecholamines and luteolytic prostaglandins which interfere with decidualization on day 4 and day 6 of pseudopregnancy, respectively. A role for prostaglandins and uterine ft-adrenergic receptors, however, was implicated in the induction of decidualization because both indomethacin and propanolol blocked the response to peanut oil. The results suggested that the embryonic signal responsible for the induction of the decidual cell reaction in mice may involve surface interactions between the embryo and uterine luminal epithelium resulting in a stimulation of the uterus via glycoprotein receptors. A role for calcium was implicated in this phenomenon.
Intensive care management of organophosphorus poisoning patients: an experience from tertiary care centre

Background: Organophosphate (OP) insectide poisoning results from occupational, accidental and intentional exposure. The mortality rate of OP poisoning is high. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment is often lifesaving. Methods: This study “Intensive care management of organophosphorous poisoning in Govt. medical college Srinagar (Sgr) hospital was a prospective one and was conducted over a period of two. All the patients with a provisional diagnosis of Organophosphorous poisoning who reported to the medical casualty and intensive care unit of SMHS hospital Sgr were included in this study. Results: Out of a total of 1258 Organophosphorous poisoning cases, males were (34.5%) and females were (65.5%). Suicidal mode of poisoning was most common in our patients and constituted 63.20%. Out of 254 Organophosphorous poisoned patients admitted in ICU, 184 survived and 70 expired. Therefore, mortality rate for Organophosphorous poisoned patients who needed mechanical ventilation was 27.55. Conclusions: OP poisoning is a serious problem in Kashmir Valley. Efforts should be directed towards rapid diagnosis and management of this condition. Additionally, close intensive monitoring of these patients for early recognition of respiratory failure which is one of the serious complication of OP poisoning with intensive care support will help in decreasing the mortality rate in these patients.