Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Foreign Investment and Right-to-Work Laws

Abstract In the competition between American states for economic development, about half of American states offer lower levels of labor rights in the form of “right-to-work” (RTW) laws. RTW states often tout their advantages in competing for foreign investment, but do foreign companies really want weaker labor regulation? Many foreign firms locate production in the United States not to lower labor costs but for other reasons, such as proximity to consumers or to employ highly skilled workers, implying that differences across labor regulations within rich countries may be declining in importance. In this article, we investigate the relationship between RTW laws and greenfield foreign direct investments. In particular, we explore recent RTW changes across two states, Indiana and Michigan, controlling for national trends in foreign investment. Adopting RTW increases foreign investment in manufacturing in both states, but Michigan's RTW law is associated with gains in service-sector projects even while Indiana's is not. While RTW may attract more manufacturing, it is not enough to generate broad-based gains across the economy.
T-LOAM: Truncated Least Squares LiDAR-Only Odometry and Mapping in Real Time

We propose a novel, computationally efficient, and robust light detection and ranging (LiDAR)-only odometry framework based on truncated least squares termed T-LOAM. Our method focuses on alleviating the impact of outliers to allow robust navigation in sparse, noisy, or cluttered scenarios where degeneration occurs. As preprocessing, the multiregion ground extraction and dynamic curved-voxel clustering methods are proposed to accomplish the segmentation of 3D point clouds and filter out unstable objects. A novel feature extraction module is tailored to discriminate four peculiar features: edge features, sphere features, planar features, and ground features. As frontend, a hierarchical feature-based LiDAR-only odometry performs precise motion estimates through the truncated least squares method for directly processing various features. The preprocessing model and motion estimation precision have been evaluated on the KITTI odometry benchmark as well as various campus scenarios. The experimental results have demonstrated the real-time capability and superior precision of the proposed T-LOAM over other state-of-the-art algorithms.
Lexical borrowing in the Middle English period: a multi-domain analysis of semantic outcomes

The Middle English period is well known as one of widespread lexical borrowing from French and Latin, and scholarly accounts traditionally assume that this influx of loanwords caused many native terms to shift in sense or to drop out of use entirely. The study analyses an extensive dataset, tracking patterns in lexical retention, replacement and semantic change, and comparing long-term outcomes for both native and non-native words. Our results challenge the conventional view of competition between existing terms and foreign incomers. They show that there were far fewer instances of relexification, and far more of synonymy, during the Middle English period than might have been expected. When retention rates for words first attested between 1100 and 1500 are compared, it is loanwords, not native terms, which are more likely to become obsolete at any point up to the nineteenth century. Furthermore, proportions of outcomes involving narrowing and broadening (often considered common outcomes following the arrival of a co-hyponym in a semantic space) were low in the Middle English period, regardless of language of origin.
Identifying factors influencing attitudes towards species conservation – a transnational study in the context of zoos

Abstract In the past decades, zoos have increasingly developed into conservation and education centers and today make an important contribution to environmental education. In this context, this study investigated which factors influence attitudes towards species conservation. The variables examined were gender, age, the number of visits to zoos in the last 12 months, perception of zoos, interest in animals and the country where the survey was conducted. A total of 3347 participants in seven different countries were surveyed. In the hierarchical multiple regression, it was found that all the variables examined were significant influencing factors with exception of gender. A mediator analysis provided evidence that the number of visits to zoos, in addition to the direct effect on attitudes towards species conservation, also has a relevant indirect effect with interest in animals as mediators. Significant differences in attitudes towards species conservation were found between some of the countries studied, but only with a small effect sizes. Graphical Abstract
Evaluation of Classical Mathematical Models of Tumor Growth Using an On-Lattice Agent-Based Monte Carlo Model

Purpose: To analyze the capabilities of different classical mathematical models to describe the growth of multicellular spheroids simulated with an on-lattice agent-based Monte Carlo model that has already been validated. Methods: The exponential, Gompertz, logistic, potential, and Bertalanffy models have been fitted in different situations to volume data generated with a Monte Carlo agent-based model that simulates the spheroid growth. Two samples of pseudo-data, obtained by assuming different variability in the simulation parameters, were considered. The mathematical models were fitted to the whole growth curves and also to parts of them, thus permitting to analyze the predictive power (both prospective and retrospective) of the models. Results: The consideration of the data obtained with a larger variability of the simulation parameters increases the width of the χ2 distributions obtained in the fits. The Gompertz model provided the best fits to the whole growth curves, yielding an average value of the χ2 per degree of freedom of 3.2, an order of magnitude smaller than those found for the other models. Gompertz and Bertalanffy models gave a similar retrospective prediction capability. In what refers to prospective prediction power, the Gompertz model showed by far the best performance. Conclusions: The classical mathematical models that have been analyzed show poor prediction capabilities to reproduce the MTS growth data not used to fit them. Within these poor results, the Gompertz model proves to be the one that better describes the growth data simulated. The simulation of the growth of tumors or multicellular spheroids permits to have follow-up periods longer than in the usual experimental studies and with a much larger number of samples: this has permitted performing the type of analysis presented here.
Investigating the influence of connecting constraint properties and modeling parameters on vehicle dynamic responses

This paper presents a detailed investigation about the effect of structural damping and modal truncation number on vehicle dynamic characteristics. Finite element method and experimental method are applied to research vehicle’s dynamic response. According to the real vehicle’s structure, the dynamic simulation model of vehicle is established by the substructure modeling method. In order to research the influence of different variables on vehicle’s dynamic responses, the control variable method is adopted. In other words, the parameters of structural damping and mode truncation number are changed respectively. Comparing the dynamic response results, the influence rules of structural damping and mode truncation number on dynamic responses are obtained. Results show that the dynamic responses of vehicle changes significantly with the change of structural damping and mode truncation number. The studying results provide important significance for the determination of parameters. As well as, the correctness and reliability of the analysis results are verified by the experimental method.
Distributed Optimization of High-Order Nonlinear Systems: Saving Computation and Communication via Prefiltering

This brief investigates a distributed optimization problem for high-order strict-feedback nonlinear multiagent systems. A virtual system is built for each agent using a distributed proportional-integral (PI) optimization algorithm to estimate the global optimal solution online. The estimate is then input into a prefilter to generate an alternative estimate and its high-order derivatives. Based on these signals, a backstepping controller is used to make the actual system track the alternative estimate asymptotically, which thereby realizes exact global consensus optimization. Compared to the existing result, the proposed algorithm is fully distributed under undirected topologies with much weaker assumptions on local and global objective functions, lower computation and communication cost. Exact global optimal consensus can also be reached in the cases with directed topologies and intermittent communications. The effectiveness of the method is verified by simulations.
Antagonistic and synergistic effects of carbendazim and flutamide exposures in utero on reproductive and developmental toxicity in rats

Carbendazim (methyl 2-benzimidazolecarbamate) and its parent compound benomyl are systemic fungicides that have reproductive and developmental toxicity in male rats. The major objectives of this study were to determine the ability of carbendazim exposure in utero to alter androgen-dependent development markers in rat offspring and investigate the effects of antiandrogen flutamide on the carbendazim-mediated reproductive and developmental alterations. Pregnant female rats were treated with 6.25, 12.5 or 25 mg/kg carbendazim, 25, 50 or 100 mg/kg benomyl, and 0.6, 2.5 or 10 mg/kg flutamide by gavage once daily from gestational day 0 to 20. Alternatively, another group of female rats was cotreated with 25 mg/kg carbendazim or 100 mg/kg benomyl and 0.6, 2.5, and 10 mg/kg flutamide. The various treatments decreased the survival rates of pups on postnatal day (PND) 1 and 21. In male offspring, 12.5 and 25 mg/kg carbendazim increased anogenital distance (AGD), an androgen-dependent marker, on PND 2. Treatment with benomyl also increased AGD. Cotreatment with 25 mg/kg carbendazim with 0.6, 2.5, and 10 mg/kg flutamide blocked the androgenic effect on AGD induced by carbendazim. The androgenic effects of carbendazim and benomyl on AGD were reversible on PND 22 and later. Carbendazim had no effects on other androgen-dependent markers including testis and epididymis malformations, hypospadias, nipple retention, and organ weights of seminal vesicle and levator ani bulbocavernosus muscle on PND 56. Surprisingly, carbendazim antagonized the antiandrogenic effects on these markers induced by flutamide cotreatment. In female offspring, carbendazim produced synergistic effects on the flutamide cotreatment-mediated increases of organs weights in liver and kidney on PND 56. Carbenazim had no marked effects on female reproductive organs. These findings show that carbendazim exposure in utero displays a transient and weak androgenic effect and reduces flutamide antiandrogenicity in male rats. The fungicide enhances flutamide-mediated liver and kidney weight increases in female rats. The antagonistic and synergistic carbendazim and flutamide interactions in utero warrant further investigations.
THE EFFECT OF THE BIORESORBABLE COLLAGEN MEMBRANE ON THE REGENERATION OF BONE DEFECT BY USING THE MIXTURE OF AUTOGRAFT AND XENOGRAFT BONE

Statement of problem : In cases where bony defects were present, guided bone regenerations have been performed to aid the placement of implants. Nowadays, the accepted concept is to isolate bone from soft tissue by using barrier membranes to allow room for generation of new bone. Nonresorbable membranes have been used extensively since the 1980's. However, this material has exhibited major shortcomings. To overcome these faults, efforts were made to develop resorbable membranes. Guided bone regenerations utilizing resorbable membranes were tried by a number of clinicians. Bio-Gide is such a bioresorbable collagen that is easy to use and has shown fine clinical results. Purpose : The aim of this study was to evaluate the histological results of guided bone regenerations performed using resorbable collagen membrane(Bio-Gide) with autogenous bone, bovine drived xenograft and combination of the two. Surface morphology and chemical composition was analyzed to understand the physical and chemical characteristics of bioresorbable collagen membrane and their effects on guided bone regeneration. Material and methods : Bioresorbable collagen membrane (Bio-Gide), Xenograft Bone(BioOss),Two healthy, adult mongrel dogs were used. Results : 1. Bioresorbable collagen membrane is pure collagen containing large amounts of Glysine, Alanine, Proline and Hydroxyproline. 2. Bioresorbable collagen membrane is a membrane with collagen fibers arranged more loosely and porously compared to the inner surface of canine mucosa : This allows for easier attachment by bone-forming cells. Blood can seep into these spaces between fibers and form clots that help stabilize the membrane. The result is improved healing. 3. Bioresorbable collagen membrane has a bilayered structure : The side to come in contact with soft tissue is smooth and compact. This prevents soft tissue penetration into bony defects. As the side in contact with bone is rough and porous, it serves as a stabilizing structure for bone regeneration by allowing attachment of bone-forming cells. 4. Regardless of whether a membrane had been used or not, the group with autogenous bone and Bio-Oss filling showed the greatest amount of bone fill inside a hole, followed by the group with autogenous bone filling, the group with blood and the group with Bio-Oss Filling in order. 5. When a membrane was inserted, regardless of the type of bone substitute used, a lesser amount of resorption occurred compared to when a membrane was not inserted. 6. The border between bone substitute and surrounding bone was the most indistinct with the group with autogenous bone filling, followed by the group with autogenous bone and Bio-Oss filling, the group with blood, and the group with Bio-Oss filling. 7. Three months after surgery, Bio-Gide and Bio-Oss were distinguishable. Conclusion : The best results were obtained with the group with autogenous bone and Bio-Oss filling used in conjunction with a membrane.
Exploring effective information use in an insurance workplace

As employability has become a more visible graduate attribute, it is becoming recognised that a better understanding of information practices in work may enable a smoother transition from university to employment. This paper discusses the current state of workplace information literacy and presents the findings of research into staff experiences of information use in a City insurance firm. A framework previously developed out of phenomenographic research into nursing is employed to draw parallels and highlight differences between insurance workplace and university student terminology. Context-specific hierarchical statements using the language of the participants are developed from coded interview texts. These statements, which are drawn together in illustrative personae, provide a rich and detailed view of the participants’ experience of effective information use. It is suggested that a better understanding of language use in communities of practice would facilitate transition both between and within the communities.
Optimal Energy-Aware Task Scheduling for Batteryless IoT Devices

Today’s IoT devices rely on batteries, which offer stable energy storage but contain harmful chemicals. Having billions of IoT devices powered by batteries is not sustainable for the future. As an alternative, batteryless devices run on long-lived capacitors charged using energy harvesters. The small energy storage capacity of capacitors results in intermittent on-off behaviour. Traditional computing schedulers can not handle this intermittency, and in this article we propose a first step towards an energy-aware task scheduler for constrained batteryless devices. We present a new energy-aware task scheduling algorithm that is able to optimally schedule application tasks to avoid power failures, and that will allow us to provide insights on the optimal look-ahead time for energy prediction. Our insights can be used as a basis for practical energy-aware scheduling and energy a vailability prediction algorithms. We formulate the scheduling problem as a Mixed Integer Linear Program. We evaluate its performance improvement when comparing it with state-of-the-art schedulers for batteryless IoT devices. Our results show that making the task scheduler energy aware avoids power failures and allows more tasks to successfully execute. Moreover, we conclude that a relatively short look-ahead energy prediction time of 8 future task executions is enough to achieve optimality.
Preliminary Study of the Effects of BEST in CLASS—Web on Young Children’s Social-Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes

Many young children entering early childhood programs demonstrate challenging behaviors that place them at risk for emotional/behavioral disorders (EBDs), which impact their future success in school. The purpose of this study was to conduct a conceptual replication of BEST in CLASS by examining child outcomes from BEST in CLASS—Web, a web-based professional development intervention supporting teachers’ use of effective practices for ameliorating young children’s challenging behaviors. Participants included 29 early childhood teachers and 54 children (ages 3–5 years old) who were identified at-risk for EBD. Positive outcomes were found for both BEST in CLASS—Web and BEST in CLASS in reductions of children’s problem behaviors and conflictual relationships with their teachers as well as increases in social skills, engagement, and closeness with teachers in comparison to children who did not receive the intervention. In some cases, positive child outcomes were greater when teachers received professional development in the web-condition as compared to the onsite condition. Future research directions and implications are discussed.
Effects of Environmental Clutter on Synthesized Chiropteran Echolocation Signals in an Anechoic Chamber

Ultrasonic bat detectors are useful for research and monitoring purposes to assess occupancy and relative activity of bat communities. Environmental “clutter” such as tree boles and foliage can affect the recording quality and identification of bat echolocation calls collected using ultrasonic detectors. It can also affect the transmission of calls and recognition by bats when using acoustic lure devices to attract bats to mist-nets. Bat detectors are often placed in forests, yet automatic identification programs are trained on call libraries using echolocation passes recorded largely from open spaces. Research indicates that using clutter-recorded calls can increase classification accuracy for some bat species and decrease accuracy for others, but a detailed understanding of how clutter impacts the recording and identification of echolocation calls remains elusive. To clarify this, we experimentally investigated how two measures of clutter (i.e., total basal area and number of stems of simulated woody growth, as well as recording angle) affected the recording and classification of a synthesized echolocation signal under controlled conditions in an anechoic chamber. Recording angle (i.e., receiver position relative to emitter) significantly influenced the probability of correct classification and differed significantly for many of the call parameters measured. The probability of recording echo pulses was also a function of clutter but only for the detector angle at 0° from the emitter that could receive deflected pulses. Overall, the two clutter metrics were overshadowed by proximity and angle of the receiver to the sound source but some deviations from the synthesized call in terms of maximum, minimum, and mean frequency parameters were observed. Results from our work may aid efforts to better understand underlying environmental conditions that produce false-positive and -negative identifications for bat species of interest and how this could be used to adjust survey accuracy estimates. Our results also help pave the way for future research into the development of acoustic lure technology by exploring the effects of environmental clutter on ultrasound transmission.
Surface Layer Turbulent Characteristics over the Complex Terrain of the Loess Plateau Semiarid Region

Surface layer turbulence has an important influence on land-air interactions and pollutant dispersion, and studying the characteristics of surface layer turbulence in complex terrain can contribute to understanding land-air interactions, improving model surface layer parameterization, and enhancing pollution prediction capabilities. (e surface layer turbulence observations from the Semi-Arid Climate and Environment Observatory (SACOL) of Lanzhou University in 2008 were processed in this study. High-quality turbulence parameters were calculated, the statistical and transfer characteristics of turbulence were analyzed, and the formation of turbulence was assessed in terms of dynamics and thermodynamics. (e atmospheric stability in the semiarid region of the Loess Plateau is basically dominated by neutral/near-neutral and weakly unstable/weakly stable conditions; this pattern is significantly different from the preponderance of unstable and stable layers at other sites. (e turbulence intensity differs significantly in both the horizontal and vertical directions and basically shows the relationship Iu ≈ Iv > Iw. (e mean values of Iu and Iv are 0.42 and 0.40, respectively, and the mean value of Iw is 0.14, which is different from the general pattern of Iu > Iv > Iw, indicating that the turbulence intensity at SACOL is characterized by a large lateral wind contribution. (e dimensionless standard deviations of the nonneutral wind velocity components satisfy the “1/3rd law,” and the dimensionless standard deviations of u, v, and w components are 3.35, 2.98, and 1.26, respectively, in the semiarid Loess Plateau. (ese values are larger than those over flat terrain. (e contribution of the shear term to the formation of turbulence is greater than that of the buoyancy term, and the mean annual values of the shear term and the buoyancy in the kinetic energy budget equation in SACOL are 47.94×10 m·s 3 and 11.32×10 m·s , respectively. (e annual mean values of themomentum transfer coefficientCD and the heat transfer coefficient CH under near-neutral conditions are 8.54 × 10 − 3 and 2.52×10 , respectively.