Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lanice conchilega structures carbon flows in soft-bottom intertidal areas

Biogenic reefs constructed by the tube-building ecosystem engineer Lanice conchilega (Terrebilidae, Polychaeta) have profound structuring impacts on the benthic environment in that they alter the biogeochemical and physical properties of the sediment. This study provides new insights into the functioning and effects on food webs of L. conchilega reefs in intertidal sediments using linear inverse models to quantify the carbon flows in the food webs in the presence and absence of the tubeworm. The inverse food web models were based on an empirical dataset from 2 study sites, which provided biomass and stable isotope data, and information on general physiological constraints from the literature. Results of the model showed that the carbon input into reef food webs (mean ± SE; 191 ± 50 mmol C m -2 d -1 ) is ca. 40 times higher compared to bare sand areas (5 ± 2 mmol C m -2 d -1 ) and is mainly derived from organic matter (OM) in the water column. Most of the OM input towards these reefs is consumed by suspension-feeding macrofauna, particularly L. conchilega ; however, the worm is not an important source of carbon for other macrofaunal organisms. The ratio of OM input to primary production indicates that the OM needs to be produced in an area at least 15 times larger than the reef area, demonstrating significant OM ‘focussing’ within the reef food web. The reef structures created by L. conchilega act as a trap for OM, resulting in an overall higher macrofaunal biomass and much more diverse food webs than in the absence of the tubeworm.
Doubling of sensitivity and bandwidth in phonon-cooled hot-electron bolometer mixers

NbN hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers are at this moment the best heterodyne detectors for frequencies above 1 THz. However, the fabrication procedure of these devices is such that the quality of the interface between the NbN superconducting film and the contact structure is not under good control. This results in a contact resistance between the NbN bolometer and the contact pad. We compare identical bolometers, with different NbN - contact pad interfaces, coupled with a spiral antenna. We find that cleaning the NbN interface and adding a thin additional superconductor prior to the gold contact deposition improves the noise temperature and the bandwidth of the HEB mixers with more than a factor of 2. We obtain a DSB noise temperature of 950 K at 2.5 THz and a Gain bandwidth of 5-6 GHz. For use in real receiver systems we design small volume (0.15x1 micron) HEB mixers with a twin slot antenna. We find that these mixers combine good sensitivity (900 K at 1.6 THz) with low LO power requirement, which is 160 - 240 nW at the Si lens of the mixer. This value is larger than expected from the isothermal technique and the known losses in the lens by a factor of 3-3.5.
Integration of a prognostic sea surface skin temperature scheme into weather and climate models

[1] A prognostic skin sea surface temperature (SST) algorithm is included in the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM3.1). With this algorithm, the model produces a mean diurnal cycle of 0.5 K primarily in tropical and subtropical oceans of the summer hemisphere with isolated areas of >2 K. The diurnal cycle in air temperature is substantially increased over regions with large skin SST diurnal cycles, and the enhanced diurnal cycle agrees better with the TAO buoy data over the equatorial Pacific. There is also a significant effect on the diurnal cycle in precipitation particularly in the increased hourly maximum precipitation over the Bay of Bengal and the western Pacific in boreal summer. These changes to the diurnal cycle in SST affect the seasonal climatologies in the model with improved seasonal mean precipitation mainly in the tropics following similar patterns to the hourly maximum precipitation rates. The near-surface flow across the Indian subcontinent is also increased during the summer monsoon resulting in higher seasonal precipitation over the Bay of Bengal.
Geochemical and isotopic disequilibrium in crustal melting: An insight from the anatectic granitoids from Toledo, Spain

In the Hercynian Anatectic Complex of Toledo (ACT) the anatectic granitoids include leucogranitic leucosomes, leucogranitic massifs, and restite-rich granites. They show a broad range of initial Sr and Nd isotope ratios from 0.711 to 0.720 and 0.51164 to 0.51203, respectively, which clearly indicate the absence of isotopic homogenization in the melts. Broadly, the ranges reflect the isotopic variation of the metapelitic protoliths. If crustal melting occurs under water-undersaturated conditions, as is the case of the ACT, the generated melts do not isotopically and chemically equilibrate with the granulitic residuum. The preservation of heterogeneities could arise through a number of processes. (1) duration of the process:in which the presence of melts with disequilibrium features, and the high solid content of several of the granites in the ACT point to a very short-lived magmatic system, (2) limited diffusion in which poorly segregated and volatile undersaturated granitoids have a very restricted opportunity for isotopic and chemical homogenization, and (3) magma dynamics in which the low melting rates, the high restite and low water contents, and the silica-rich composition of these granites, together with the small volume and high viscosity values of the melts, seriously restrict the physical processes leading to homogenization.
Generation of Mars Helicopter Rotor Model for Comprehensive Analyses

1 The present research is aimed at providing a performance model for the Mars Helicopter (MH), to understand the complexity of the flow, and identify future regions of flow simulation improvement. The low density of the Martian atmosphere and the relatively small MH rotor, result in very low chord-based Reynolds number flows ( 𝑅𝑒 𝑐 ≈ 10 3 to 𝑅𝑒 𝑐 ≈ 10 4 ). The low density and low Reynolds numbers reduce the lifting force and lifting efficiency, respectively. The high drag coefficients in subcritical flow, especially for thicker sections, are attributed to laminar separation from the rear of the airfoil. In the absence of test data, efforts have been made to explore these effects using prior very low Reynolds number research efforts. The rotor chord-based Reynolds number range is observed to be subcritical, which makes boundary layer transition unlikely to occur. The state of the two-dimensional rotor boundary layer in hover is approximated by calculating the instability point, laminar separation point, and the transition location to provide understanding of the flow state in the high Mach-low Reynolds number regime. The results are then used to investigate the need for turbulence modeling in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) calculations. The goal is to generate a performance model for the MH rotor for a free wake analysis because of the low cost for design. In this study, a Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) based approach is used to generate the airfoil deck using C81Gen with experimental data for very high angles of attack. A full Grid Resolution Study is performed and over 4,500 cases are completed to create the full airfoil deck. The laminar separation locations are predicted within the accuracy of the approximate method when compared with the CFD calculations. The model is presented through airfoil data tables (c81 files) that are used by comprehensive rotor analysis codes such as CAMRADII or the mid-fidelity CFD solver RotCFD
FTIR ANALYSIS OF PROTEIN SECONDARY STRUCTURE IN SOLID AND SOLUTION STATES

Currently there are a number of experimental methods for determination of secondary structure of polypeptides and proteins [1, 2]. Of all analytical tools, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is recognized as one of the most useful methods allowing characterization of proteins’ secondary structure in aqueous solutions [2, 3], as well as lyophilized samples [4]. The determination of secondary structure of proteins using FTIR is based on the analysis of the amide absorption bands [1]-[6]. In this study, the percentage of the secondary structure elements of nine different proteins consisting of mainly α-helical structure (bovine serum albumin (BSA), hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL), xylose isomerase from Streptomyces rubiginosus), mixed α/β structure (albumin from chicken egg white, L-asparaginase from Escherichia coli, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)), and β-sheet structure (human α-1-microglobulin (protein HC), βlactoglobulin from bovine milk and human cystatin C) was estimated for lyophilized samples and in solution. FTIR data were collected in the transmission mode (proteins in KBr pellets) and using Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) for protein solutions in H2O. KBr pellets were made by grinding ca. 1 mg of protein with 200 mg of KBr and pressing the mixture using hydraulic press at 15 ton load. Protein solutions of at least 20 mg/ml were prepared by dissolving the appropriate amount of protein in H2O. Infrared spectra were obtained from 500 co-added interferograms run on Bruker Tensor 27 FTIR spectrometer. All spectra were recorded from 400 cm−1 to 4000 cm−1 at both 2 cm−1 and 4 cm−1 spectral resolution. Fourier self-deconvolution (FSD) was applied to amide I region (1705 – 1595 cm−1) of protein spectra assuming an initial Lorentzian line-shape function with a FWHM of 13 cm−1 [5]. Composite bands were assigned to helical segments, β-sheets, turns or unordered structures based on previous experimental work [6] or calculated values [7]. The relative areas of the individual peaks were determined by an iterative curve-fitting procedure that assumed Gaussian (KBr samples) or Voigt (proteins in solution) band envelopes for the deconvolved components. Integrated peak areas were used to estimate secondary structure content for each of the nine proteins studied.
Intrinsic Stokes parameters for 3D and 2D polarization states

The second-order characterization of a three-dimensional (3D) state of polarization is provided either by the corresponding 3D coherency matrix or (equivalently) by the associated 3D Stokes parameters. The analysis of the polarization properties that are invariant under orthogonal transformations of the laboratory reference frame allows to define a set of six intrinsic Stokes parameters which provides a simplified interpretation of 3D states of polarization in terms of meaningful physical properties. The rotationally invariant properties of 2D states of polarization are straightforwardly retrieved in a consistent way, so that the 2D intrinsic Stokes parameters are constituted by the intensity, the degree of linear polarization and the degree of circular polarization.
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Eating Plan: Beyond the Hypertension

A B S T R A C T Background and Objectives: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating pattern, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy with a reduced content of sodium, saturated fat, and total fat is introduced as an appropriate diet for hypertension. This eating pattern was basically designed to normalize blood pressure in patients with hypertension, and a large body of data could confirm its beneficial effects on blood pressure level. Here, we are going to discuss about the other aspects of this diet. Materials and Methods: PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases were searched for relevant publications up to November 2014. No limitation was considered regarding the language or publication date. Results: Some studies have proposed more useful effects of this dietary approach, other than lowering blood pressure, such as reducing insulin resistance, and controlling the fasting blood sugar and lipid profiles, proposing it as a good dietary pattern to prevent cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). There is some evidence in prospective cohorts regarding the effect of DASH-style diet on CVDs or their major subclasses like coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and heart failure (HF). A meta-analysis also showed the effects of this pattern on the indices of the glycemic control. Adherence to the DASH diet was inversely related to central obesity and metabolic syndrome features in observational studies in Iran. Furthermore, DASH is suitable for gestational diabetes mellitus, can have a role in the growth of the fetus, and may affect pregnancy outcomes. Conclusions: It is emphasized that DASH diet is suitable for whole life span. Evidence also confirms the beneficial effects of DASH on obese children. Consumption of DASH diet for 6 weeks could reduce the circulating levels of hs-CRP among adolescents with MetS. Based on the existing facts, we can conclude that DASH is a good dietary pattern for both controlling the metabolic risk factors and being healthy.
Trends in Cerebral Palsy Infant Mortality from 1981 to 2011 in Spain

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is due to a defect or lesion of the immature brain and it is the most common form of chronic motor disability in children. In general, the health care system and, especially, perinatal and neonatal care, are considered to influence the prognosis of CP. The aim of this study was to analyze the trend in CP infant mortality in Spain in a 31-years period (1981-2011). Methods: Data on CP deaths of children up to 1 year old were drawn from the National Statistics Institute of Spain, using the International Classification of Diseases. Crude CP infant mortality rates per 100000 live births were calculated, overall and by gender. Joinpoint regression models were used to describe changes in trend and an annual percentage change was calculated for each trend. Results: The CP overall infant mortality rate was 0.94 in 1981 and 0.42 in 2011. By gender, infant mortality rates were 1.41 and 0.00 per 100000 male life births and 0.39 and 0.87 per 100000 female life births, in 1981 and 2011, respectively. The overall and male infant mortality rate showed a statistically significant decrease from 1981 to 2011. In female, the infant mortality rate decreased, although it was not statistically significant. Conclusions: We support the impression that improvements in CP prognosis, in particular the decrease in infant mortality rates observed in this study, are more likely to reflect medical practices than changes affecting all the population.
Anti-candidal activity of Piper betle (L.), Vitex negundo (L.) and Jasminum grandiflorum (L.)

The discovery of antimicrobials from traditional medicinal plants is gaining importance. The objectives of this study were to determine the anti-candidal activity of young and mature leaves of Piper betle collected from dry and wet zones of Sri Lanka, leaves and roots of Vitex negundo and leaves of Jasminum grandiflorum and the determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC). Water and ethanolic extracts of plant material were tested against standard cultures of Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis and Candida tropicalis. The MICs of active extracts were determined. Ethanolic extracts of young leaves of P. betle showed significantly higher (p 0.05). Water extracts of leaves of P. betle and water and ethanolic extracts of leaves and roots of V. negundo and leaves of J. grandiflorum did not show a significant anti-candidal activity. Hence, young leaves of P. betle can be used as an anti-candidal agent since betel leaves are used in masticatory mixtures. Key words: Candidiasis, Piper betle, young and mature leaves, MIC.
Focused and Model Average Estimation for Regression Analysis of Panel Count Data

Panel count data arise in many fields and a number of estimation procedures have been developed along with two procedures for variable selection. In this paper, we discuss model selection and parameter estimation together. For the former, a focused information criterion (FIC) is presented and for the latter, a frequentist model average (FMA) estimation procedure is developed. A main advantage, also the difference from the existing model selection methods, of the FIC is that it emphasizes the accuracy of the estimation of the parameters of interest, rather than all parameters. Further efficiency gain can be achieved by the FMA estimation procedure as unlike existing methods, it takes into account the variability in the stage of model selection. Asymptotic properties of the proposed estimators are established, and a simulation study conducted suggests that the proposed methods work well for practical situations. An illustrative example is also provided. © 2014 Board of the Foundation of the Scandinavian Journal of Statistics
Subhalo abundance matching and assembly bias in the EAGLE simulation

Subhalo abundance matching (SHAM) is a widely used method to connect galaxies with dark matter structures in numerical simulations. SHAM predictions agree remarkably well with observations, yet they still lack strong theoretical support. We examine the performance, implementation, and assumptions of SHAM using the ‘Evolution and Assembly of Galaxies and their Environment’ (EAGLE) project simulations. We find that Vrelax, the highest value of the circular velocity attained by a subhalo while it satisfies a relaxation criterion, is the subhalo property that correlates most strongly with galaxy stellar mass (Mstar). Using this parameter in SHAM, we retrieve the real-space clustering of EAGLE to within our statistical uncertainties on scales greater than 2 Mpc for galaxies with 8.77 < log 10(Mstar[M⊙]) < 10.77. Conversely, clustering is overestimated by 30 per cent on scales below 2 Mpc for galaxies with 8.77 < log 10(Mstar[M⊙]) < 9.77 because SHAM slightly overpredicts the fraction of satellites in massive haloes compared to EAGLE. The agreement is even better in redshift space, where the clustering is recovered to within our statistical uncertainties for all masses and separations. Additionally, we analyse the dependence of galaxy clustering on properties other than halo mass, i.e. the assembly bias. We demonstrate assembly bias alters the clustering in EAGLE by 20 per cent and Vrelax captures its effect to within 15 per cent. We trace small differences in the clustering to the failure of SHAM as typically implemented, i.e. the Mstar assigned to a subhalo does not depend on (i) its host halo mass, (ii) whether it is a central or a satellite. In EAGLE, we find that these assumptions are not completely satisfied.
Three-Dimensional Simulation of High Reynolds Turbulent Flows in a Rectangular Open Channel with the Presence of a Disruptive Element (Obstacles) Transversely

Abstract This study aims at describing a three-dimensional simulation of a turbulent flow with a high Reynolds number in a rectangular open channel with the presence of a disruptive element (obstacles) transversely. The numerical study is based on measuring the flow velocity in two directions, i.e., horizontal and vertical, in four planes located near the obstacle built across a simulated channel. For the modeling of the free surface, a Volume Of Fluid (VOF) multiphase flow model is used. In the present case, namely a study of turbulence, three numerical models are compared, a k-ε standard, a k-w standard and a Reynolds Stress Model (RSM). The verification of the simulation results has allowed us to show the advantages of the Reynolds stress model. This model is more representative of the phenomena of an intense vortex flow in the presence of obstacles, especially in drainage systems.
Financial Valuation and Risk Management Working Paper No . 742 Multi-Stock Portfolio Optimization under Prospect Theory

We study how a behavioral agent allocates her portfolio. We consider a cumulative prospect theory investor in a single period setting with one riskless bond and multiple risky stocks, which follow a multivariate elliptical distribution. Our main result is a two-fund separation between the riskless bond and a mean-variance-portfolio. This portfolio, which we derive explicitly, is the same for all agents. Individual risk preferences are mirrored only in the participation in this portfolio. This dependence is illustrated by considering empirical returns. Furthermore we solve ill-posed optimization problems by imposing a regulatory risk constraint. Finally we address specific parameterizations of the value function by studying power, linear, and exponential utility.
Effects of The Strategies For Customer Satisfaction On The Performance Of Insurance Firms In Enugu Metropolis

Amidst double barrel reforms of the insurance sector by government of Nigeria, the sector still suffers dwindling customer patronage and poor image. This paper is an assessment of the “Effects of the Strategies for Customer Satisfaction on the Performance of Selected Insurance Firms in Enugu Metropolis”. The objectives of the study were to determine the strategies mostly adopted by insurance firms in Nigeria for customer satisfaction, to assess how each of the strategies adopted contributes to the performance of the insurance industry in Nigeria and to ascertain the overall effects of these strategies on the performance of the insurance industry in Nigeria. Survey research design was adopted for the study, 20 out of the 49 insurance firms quoted in the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) were selected for study. Convenience sampling method was used for the selection. Data was collected from 20 managers, and 128 customers who have been with the insurance company for over three years. Questionnaire was used for data collection. Chronbach’s Alpha method was used for assessing the internal consistency of the questionnaire and the reliability test of the instrument shows 0.83 standard alpha. Principal Component and Multiple Linear Regression tools were used to test the hypotheses formulated for the study. Findings show that out of the 15 strategies studied, ten (10) were mostly adopted for customer satisfaction. Second, out of the ten (10) factors adopted 7 had significant influence on the insurance industry’s performance. These are: prompt settlement of claims, quality insurance products, fair premium, prompt attendance to customer complaints, timely communication of policy renewal notices, thorough explanation of policies, explanation of product benefits and understandable policy documents. Third, the strategies used by insurance firms had a significant influence on the performance of the insurance firms (R 2 =0.766, P < 0.001 at 5% significance level). The study recommends that managers should capitalize on those seven strategies that have strong positive influence on customer satisfaction to improve the seemingly battered image and performance of the insurance industry in Nigeria while deemphasizing expenditures in money, time and human resources on the less important variables.