Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Radiatively inefficient accretion flow simulations with cooling: implications for black hole transients

We study the effects of optically thin radiative cooling on the structure of radiatively inefficient accretion flows (RIAFs). The flow structure is geometrically thick, and independent of the gas density and cooling, if the cooling time is longer than the viscous time-scale (i.e. t(cool) greater than or similar to t(visc)). For higher densities, the gas can cool before it can accrete and forms the standard geometrically thin, optically thick Shakura-Sunyaev disc. For usual cooling processes (such as bremsstrahlung), we expect an inner hot flow and an outer thin disc. For a short cooling time the accretion flow separates into two phases: a radiatively inefficient hot coronal phase and a cold thin disc. We argue that there is an upper limit on the density of the hot corona corresponding to a critical value of t(cool)/t(ff)( similar to 10-100), the ratio of the cooling time and the free-fall time. Based on our simulations, we have developed a model for transients observed in black hole X-ray binaries (XRBs). An XRB in a quiescent hot RIAF state can transition to a cold blackbody-dominated state because of an increase in the mass accretion rate. The transition from a thin disc to a RIAF happens because of mass exhaustion due to accretion; the transition happens when the cooling time becomes longer than the viscous time at inner radii. Since the viscous time-scale for a geometrically thin disc is quite long, the high-soft state is expected to be long-lived. The different time-scales in black hole transients correspond to different physical processes such as viscous evolution, cooling and free fall. Our model captures the overall features of observed state transitions in XRBs.
Subacute exposure of rats by metal oxide nanoparticles through the airways: general toxicity and neuro-functional effects

In order to create an animal model of human inhalational exposure by industrial metal fumes, nanoparticulate metal oxides (MnO 2 , CdO 2 , PbO) were synthesized and instilled into the trachea of rats 5 times a week for 6 weeks (metal doses per kg b.w.: 2.63 and 5.26 mg Mn; 0.04 and 0.4 mg Cd; 2 and 4 mg Pb). At the end, the rats' body weight gain during the treat- ment was determined, the animals had an open field session to investigate their spontaneous motility, and finally spontaneous and stimulus-evoked cortical activity was recorded in urethane anaesthesia. Mn caused decrease of open field ambulation and rearing, Cd had no effect, whereas Pb caused decreased rearing and increased ambulation. Spontaneous cortical activity was shifted to higher frequencies with each metal. Cortical evoked potentials had lengthened latency, mainly with Mn and Cd; and increased frequency dependence with Cd and Pb but hardly with Mn. The effects proved indirectly that the metal content of the nanoparticles had access from the airways to the CNS. Our method seems suitable for modelling human nervous system damage due to inhaled nanoparticles. Acta Biol Szeged 54(2):165-170 (2010) KEY WORDS nanoparticle neurotoxicity manganese cadmium lead rat
Higher Education and Philanthropy Potential in the GCC States: Analysis of Challenges and Opportunities for FDI and Venture Philanthropy in the MENA Region

In this chapter we aim to discuss the opportunities for FDI and venture philanthropy in higher education for the Middle East and North Africa. The MENA region has gathered interest due to the large population and increasing governmental influence on improving higher education in general in the region, and creating partnerships with organizations to better match higher educational options and employment. The GCC plays a large role in the impetus of foreign institutes wanting to invest in the economically developing MENA region. There are many challenges to overcome, some of which are great enough to discourage FDI; but overlooking the initial challenges, there are a wealth of opportunities awaiting exploration.
Isotopomeric characterization of nitrous oxide produced by reaction of enzymes extracted from nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas and produced in denitrification and nitrification by various microorganisms. Site preference (SP) of 15 N in N2O, which is defined as the difference in the natural abundance of iso- topomers 14 N 15 NO and 15 N 14 NO relative to 14 N 14 NO, has been reported to be a useful tool to quantitatively distinguish N2O production pathways. To determine representative SP values for each microbial process, we firstly measured SP of N2O produced in the enzyme reaction of hydroxylamine ox- idoreductase (HAO) purified from two species of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB), Nitrosomonas europaeaand Ni- trosococcus oceani, and that of nitric oxide reductase (NOR) from Paracoccus denitrificans. The SP value for NOR reac- tion ( 5.9± 2.1 ‰) showed nearly the same value as that re- ported for N2O produced by P. denitrificans in pure culture. In contrast, SP value for HAO reaction (36.3± 2.3 ‰) was a little higher than the values reported for N 2O produced by AOB in aerobic pure culture. Using the SP values obtained by HAO and NOR reactions, we calculated relative contri- bution of the nitrite (NO 2 ) reduction (which is followed by NO reduction) to N2O production by N. oceani incubated un- der different O2 availability. Our calculations revealed that previous in vivo studies might have underestimated the SP value for the NH2OH oxidation pathway possibly due to a
Agricultural and oil commodities: price transmission and market integration between US and Italy

Purpose of this article it to get some evidences of market interaction between United States and Italy using the time series analysis of spot prices spanning from January 1999 to May 2012 for crude oil and three ag-commodities: wheat, corn and soybean. These crops have been selected for their relevance in ag-commodity exchanges between US and Italy markets. The integration between US and Italy agricultural markets is hypothesized for the consistent volume of crop traded between these two countries while the price transmission is related to the leading price signals of the CBT (Chicago Board of Trade). The integration between oil and ag-commodity markets is suggested both by the large use of energy intensive inputs, (fertilizer, seed, machinery) in production of these ag-commodities, and their use in biofuel production. The results suggest: a) for US market the evidence of market integration between crude oil and US ag-commodities; b) for Italy the integration with US ag-commodity markets and less evidence of integration with the oil market. These results are valuable information both for the agents and policy makers contributing to improve the information accuracy to predict the price movements used by marketing operators for their strategies and policy makers to set up policies to re-establish conditions of market efficiency and allocate these ag-commodities in alternative market channels.
Removal of Cu (II) and Zn (II) ions from wastewater by cassava ( Manihot esculenta Cranz) waste biomass

The ability of cassava waste biomass (untreated and acid treated) to remove heavy metals (Cu(II) and Zn(II) ) from single-ion solution and wastewater was investigated. All experiments were conducted using 10mM solutions of mixed metal ions of CuSO4.5H2O and ZnCl2. The uptake capacities of the two metal ions tested on the untreated and acid treated cassava waste biomass were 71.3 and 85.2 mg/g for Cu(II), and 43.4 and 58.1 mg/g for Zn(II) in single-ion solution. For wastewater, the uptake capacities of untreated and acid treated biomass was found to be 40.1 and 59.7 mg/g for Cu(II), and 38.6 and 38.7 mg/g for Zn(II), respectively. Metal ion uptake capacities in wastewater were lower than in single-ion solution probably due to competition of metal ions of different sizes on available binding sites. Uptake capacities of these metal ions on the biomass surface increased with acid treatment. Equilibrium sorption studies showed that the extent of metal uptake was enhanced by chemically modifying the cassava waste biomass by thiolation. Cassava waste biomass saturated with metal ions shows remarkable ability for metal recovery by dilute acid treatment, and can be used repeatedly for removal of heavy metals in single-ion solution and in wastewater effluents. Key words : Wastewater, bioremediation, heavy metals, biosorption, cassava waste. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.2(10) 2003: 360-364
Optimization of Water Reservoir Operation to Minimize the Economic Losses Caused by Pollution

The pollution of river water as a result of an accident can cause different types of serious damages to people, aquatic life, agricultural land, plants, and animal ecosystems. Apart from tragic events such as deaths or injuries, the accidental water pollution causes important economic losses. One effective measure is to reduce the concentration of the pollutant in the river water by adding clean water released from reservoirs placed on tributaries of the river. In this paper, we focus on finding an optimal operation of the water reservoirs (such as opening/closing time of the gates) with the goal of minimizing the total cost of the economic damages. Two components of the total cost are defined and quantified: the cost of the water used to achieve dilution and the losses caused by the existence of the pollutant in a certain concentration in the water. This problem is formalized as a non-linear multi-objective simulation-optimization model, subject to constraints. The solution is evaluated for a real use case (Jijia River, respectively, Drăcşani and Hălceni reservoirs in North–East Romania). The results are presented for two experiments. They show that by using the proposed optimization solution, the total cost of economic losses may be reduced by almost six times as compared with an empirical operation of the reservoirs and by almost $10\times $ if no dilution takes place.
Analyzing coastal precipitation using TRMM observations

Abstract. The interaction between breezes and synoptic gradient winds, and surface friction increase in transition from sea to land can create persistent convergence zones nearby coastlines. The low level convergence of moist air promotes the dynamical and microphysical processes responsible for the formation of clouds and precipitation. Our work focuses on the winter seasons of 1998–2011 in the Eastern Mediterranean. During the winter the Mediterranean sea is usually warmer than the adjacent land, resulting in frequent occurrence of land breeze that opposes the common synoptic winds. Using rain-rate vertical profiles from the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) satellite, we examined the spatial and temporal distribution of average hydrometeor mass in clouds as a function of the distance from coastlines. Results show that coastlines in the Eastern Mediterranean are indeed favored areas for precipitation formation. The intra-seasonal and diurnal changes in the distribution of hydrometeor mass indicate that the land breeze may likely be the main responsible mechanism behind our results.
Sewage sludge as nitrogen and phosphorus source for cane-plant and first ratoon crops.

O uso do lodo de esgoto na agricultura brasileira foi normatizado pela Resolucao Conama no 375, de 2006. No entanto, faltam pesquisas para adequar as doses complementares de adubos minerais nitrogenado e fosfatado a serem aplicadas em area agricola tratada com lodo. Avaliaram-se os efeitos de doses de lodo de esgoto e de adubos minerais nitrogenado e fosfatado sobre a produtividade e as caracteristicas tecnologicas da cana-planta e da primeira soqueira (efeito residual), em campo. Foram aplicadas quatro doses de lodo (0, 3,6, 7,2 e 10,8 t ha-1, base seca), de N (0, 30, 60 e 90 kg ha-1) e de P2O5 (0, 60, 120 e 180 kg ha-1), em delineamento em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial, com duas repeticoes. Para avaliar o efeito residual do lodo, foram aplicados 120 kg ha-1 de N e 140 kg ha-1 de K2O em todas as plotas. A aplicacao de lodo no plantio da cana, combinado ou nao com adubo mineral nitrogenado e, ou, fosfatado, aumentou a produtividade de colmos de 84 a 118 t ha-1, sem alterar a qualidade tecnologica da cana-de-acucar, em relacao a adubacao NPK convencional, que produziu 91 t ha-1 de colmo. O estudo de superficie de resposta para a produtividade de colmo, em solo de baixa fertilidade, permitiu estabelecer sugestao de recomendacao de adubo mineral nitrogenado e fosfatado para implantacao de canavial, em funcao da dose de lodo, bem como concluir que a aplicacao de 10,8 t ha-1 de lodo, ou seja, da dose estabelecida pelo criterio do N, conforme Resolucao Conama no 375, pode: reduzir o uso de N mineral em 100 % e o de P2O5 em 30 %, com aumento de produtividade de colmos em 22 %, em relacao a adubacao NPK convencional, como efeito direto do lodo sobre o cultivo da cana-planta; e aumentar a produtividade de colmos da primeira soqueira em ate 12 % e a de acucar em ate 11 %, como efeito residual do lodo aplicado na cana-planta sobre o cultivo da cana-soca.
TAFE-Net: Task-Aware Feature Embeddings for Efficient Learning and Inference.

Learning good feature embeddings for images often requires substantial training data. As a consequence, in settings where training data is limited (e.g., few-shot and zero-shot learning), we are typically forced to use a general feature embedding across prediction tasks. Ideally, we would like to construct feature embeddings that are tuned for the given task and even input image. In this work, we propose Task-Aware Feature Embedding Networks (TAFE-Nets) to learn how to adapt the image representation to a new task in a meta-learning fashion. Our network is composed of a meta learner and a prediction network, where the meta learner generates parameters for the feature layers in the prediction network based on a task input so that the feature embedding can be accurately adjusted for that task. We show that our TAFE-Net is highly effective in generalizing to new tasks or concepts and offers efficient prediction with low computational cost. We demonstrate the general applicability of TAFE-Net in several tasks including zero-shot/ few-shot learning and dynamic efficient prediction. Our networks exceed or match the state-of-the-art on most tasks. In particular, our approach improves the prediction accuracy of unseen attribute-object pairs by 4 to 15 points on the challenging visual attributes composition task.
Increasing Channel Profit in the Sale of Durable Goods

Both time inconsistency and double marginalization are important issues in the sale of durable goods. In particular, when a durable goods manufacturer sells her product through a conventional retail store, the intrinsic double marginalization would alleviate time inconsistency to some extent. However, current research pays no attention on the interaction between both issues under multiple-retailer and manufacturer encroachment scenarios. To fill this gap, in this paper, we study these two channel structures in the sale of durable goods. Our analysis reveals that channel profit in the multiple-retailer structure is always greater than that under integration. On the other hand, the manufacturer encroachment structure can eliminate both bad effects without commitment under some circumstances and the whole channel is well coordinated.
State‐Dependence of the Climate Sensitivity in Earth System Models of Intermediate Complexity

Growing evidence from general circulation models (GCMs) indicates that the equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS) depends on the magnitude of forcing, which is commonly referred to as state‐dependence. We present a comprehensive assessment of ECS state‐dependence in Earth system models of intermediate complexity (EMICs) by analyzing millennial simulations with sustained 2×CO2 and 4×CO2 forcings. We compare different extrapolation methods and show that ECS is smaller in the higher‐forcing scenario in 12 out of 15 EMICs, in contrast to the opposite behavior reported from GCMs. In one such EMIC, the Bern3D‐LPX model, this state‐dependence is mainly due to the weakening sea ice‐albedo feedback in the Southern Ocean, which depends on model configuration. Due to ocean‐mixing adjustments, state‐dependence is only detected hundreds of years after the abrupt forcing, highlighting the need for long model integrations. Adjustments to feedback parametrizations of EMICs may be necessary if GCM intercomparisons confirm an opposite state‐dependence.
SYMMETRICAL SOCIAL RELATION AS A FACTOR IN CONSERVATION TASKS

According to Siegal’s hypothesis, despite having concrete operational abilities some children are not successful in conservation tasks. Social factors, such as repetition of question asked by an adult experimenter alter the manifestation of existing cognitive abilities. This study varied the following aspects of conservation tasks: symmetrical vs. asymmetrical power relation. The children in the study were asked to solve three different conservation tasks (quantity of continued material, length, and number). Each task was repeated twice; once with an adult experimenter and once with a child experimenter. Results show that children’s responses were affected by social factors only in a certain tasks. In other tasks children’s responses remained unaffected in both situations. This suggests that there exists an interaction between the experimenter and the task, and that the affect of social factor is mediated by a particular characteristic of the task. Results indicate that the modifying factor is the task difficulty.
Kinetics of reaction of hydrogenated dimer fatty acid C 36 with 2,7 diamino fluorene and determination of thermodynamic constants

Kinetic studies were carried out on the reaction between 2,7 diamino fluorene and hydrogenated C36 dimer fatty acid in melt phase. The reaction was performed at 135, 150, 160 and 170°C and followed by determining the acid value of the product. The polyamidation reaction was found to be of overall second order with an activation energy of 48.55 kJ/gmol up to 58, 58, 59 and 60% conversion at 135, 150, 160 and 170°C, then the reaction will become overall third order. The Degree of Polymerization, Number Average Molecular Weight, and Weight Average Molecular Weight have been calculated during different times, relationships between the last properties with time is linear until 58, 58, 59 and 60% conversion at 135, 150, 160 and 170°C, respectively. The kinetic of degradation was carried out by using thermal analysis (TGA). Thermodynamic and equilibrium constants have been defined, where the kinetic of degradation was found to be of overall second order. We have found that the result compound is polyamide by use of infra-red spectroscopy.
Strong aerosol-cloud interaction in altocumulus during updraft periods: lidar observations over central Europe

Abstract. For the first time, a liquid-water cloud study of the aerosol–cloud-dynamics relationship, solely based on lidar, was conducted. Twenty-nine cases of pure liquid-water altocumulus layers were observed with a novel dual-field-of-view Raman lidar over the polluted central European site of Leipzig, Germany, between September 2010 and September 2012. By means of the novel Raman lidar technique, cloud properties such as the droplet effective radius and cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC) in the lower part of altocumulus layers are obtained. The conventional aerosol Raman lidar technique provides the aerosol extinction coefficient (used as aerosol proxy) below cloud base. A collocated Doppler lidar measures the vertical velocity at cloud base and thus updraft and downdraft occurrence. Here, we present the key results of our statistical analysis of the 2010–2012 observations. Besides a clear aerosol effect on cloud droplet number concentration in the lower part of the altocumulus layers during updraft periods, turbulent mixing and entrainment of dry air is assumed to be the main reason for the found weak correlation between aerosol proxy and CDNC higher up in the cloud. The corresponding aerosol–cloud interaction parameter based on changes in cloud droplet number concentration with aerosol loading was found to be close to 0.8 at 30–70 m above cloud base during updraft periods and below 0.4 when ignoring vertical-wind information in the analysis. Our findings are extensively compared with literature values and agree well with airborne observations.
Nasal nitric oxide and its metabolites as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and follow-up of allergic rhinitis

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate nasal nitric oxide (nNO) and its metabolites nasal nitrite-nitrate (nNOx) in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), the effects of two different drugs (oral antihistamine and intranasal steroid) on nNOx and the presence of a correlation between nNOx and clinical parameters. Methods: Sixty patients with active symptoms of perennial AR and 25 healthy adults as a control group were enrolled. The patients were randomized into two groups. Half of the patients received fexofenadine 1x120 mg/day orally, and the other half received triamcinolone acetonide 1x2 puff/day intranasally for one month. The amount of nNOx in nasal lavage fluid was measured by using a commercially available kit and the photometric endpoint determination method. Results: Pre-treatment levels of NOx in the nasal lavage fluids (1.92± 1.20 mg/l) of patients with AR were found to be significantly higher when compared with nasal lavage fluid NOx levels of healthy adults (1.38±0.78 mg/l) (p=0.04). The post-treatment nNOx level (1.52±0.85 mg/l) was significantly lower when compared with the pre-treatment value (p=0.028). Conclusion: Nasal nitric oxide metabolites were shown to be good biomarkers for AR, and that oral fexofenadine significantly decreased nNOx levels.
Late Quaternary Climate and Vegetation of the Sudanian Zone of Northeast Nigeria

Abstract The Lake Tilla crater lake in northeastern Nigeria (10°23′N, 12°08′E) provides a ca. 17,000 14C yr multiproxy record of the environmental history of a Sudanian savanna in West Africa. Evaluation of pollen, diatoms, and sedimentary geochemistry from cores suggests that dry climatic conditions prevailed throughout the late Pleistocene. Before the onset of the Holocene, the slow rise in lake levels was interrupted by a distinct dry event between ca. 10,900 and 10,500 14C yr B.P., which may coincide with the Younger Dryas episode. The onset of the Holocene is marked by an abrupt increase in lake levels and a subsequent spread of Guinean and Sudanian tree taxa into the open grass savanna that predominated throughout the Late Pleistocene. The dominance of the mountain olive Olea hochstetteri suggests cool climatic conditions prior to ca. 8600 14C yr B.P. The early to mid-Holocene humid period culminated between ca. 8500 and 7000 14C yr B.P. with the establishment of a dense Guinean savanna during high lake levels. Frequent fires were important in promoting the open character of the vegetation. The palynological and palaeolimnological data demonstrate that the humid period terminated after ca. 7000 14C yr B.P. in a gradual decline of the precipitation/evaporation ratio and was not interrupted by abrupt climatic events. The aridification trend intensified after ca. 3800 14C yr B.P. and continued until the present.