Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Availability of School and Distance to School on Children's Time Allocation in Ghana

In this paper we present evidence on the impact of distance to school and school availability on households’ decisions concerning time allocation of primary-age children between work, schooling, and household chores activities using data from the Ghana Living Standard Survey 1998–99. Our results indicate that the increased and eased access to school has a well-defined impact on children’s time use. In particular, reducing the distance to primary school encourages children school attendance and reduces children work. Interestingly, the distance to middle school discourages children’s work and boosts household chores activities. Moreover, the availability of both primary and middle schools has a positive effect on schooling decisions, and having a primary school nearby discourages household chores activity. Our results are robust to controlling for the endogeneity of school placement and per capita expenditures. We also find that household decisions about children’s time use differ by children’s sex, suggesting that girls may be differently responsive to policy measures aimed at reducing work and household chores activities and at increasing their school attendance.
Comparative analysis of regulatory elements in different germin-like protein gene promoters

Germin and germin-like proteins (GLPs) the members of cupin superfamily of proteins, which are functionally most diverse proteins. Germin and GLPs have some unique features as they are highly resistant to proteases and to degradation by heat, high pH and detergents like Sodium dodecyl Sulphate (SDS). They are water soluble extracellular enzymatic protein that may also have Oxalate Oxidase (OxO), Superoxide dismutase (SOD) or ADP-glucose pyrophosphate or phosphodiestrase (AGPPase) activities. At the moment seven GLP gene promoter from different organisms have been studied and published. These all promoter sequences have been analyzed in this study. It was observed that these promoters have important regulatory elements, which are involved in various important functions. These elements have been compared on the basis of location, copy number, and distributed on positive and negative strands. It was also observed that some of these elements are common and remained conserved among all GLP promoters during evolution. Such regulatory elements are commonly observed in seed storage proteins, dehydration in response to light, senescence observed on exposure to dark and in elements specific for expression in pollen. Moreover, these common elements are reported to be expressed under environmental stresses (salt and pathogen attack) and to growth regulators.
Calculated pressure induced fcc-hcp phase transition in aluminum

The linear-muffin-tin-orbital method within the local density approximation is used to calculate the total-energies, partial occupation numbers and density of states for aluminum as a function of reduced atomic volume. It is concluded that p›d electron transfer constitutes the driving force for the fcc›hcp transition in Al.
A fast SEVIRI simulator for quantifying retrieval uncertainties in the CM SAF cloud physical property algorithm

Abstract. The uncertainties in the cloud physical properties derived from satellite observations make it difficult to interpret model evaluation studies. In this paper, the uncertainties in the cloud water path (CWP) retrievals derived with the cloud physical properties retrieval algorithm (CPP) of the climate monitoring satellite application facility (CM SAF) are investigated. To this end, a numerical simulator of MSG-SEVIRI observations has been developed that calculates the reflectances at 0.64 and 1.63 μm for a wide range of cloud parameter values, satellite viewing geometries and surface albedos using a plane-parallel radiative transfer model. The reflectances thus obtained are used as input to CPP, and the retrieved values of CWP are compared to the original input of the simulator. Cloud parameters considered in this paper refer to e.g. sub-pixel broken clouds and the simultaneous occurrence of ice and liquid water clouds within one pixel. These configurations are not represented in the CPP algorithm and as such the associated retrieval uncertainties are potentially substantial. It is shown that the CWP retrievals are very sensitive to the assumptions made in the CPP code. The CWP retrieval errors are generally small for unbroken single-layer clouds with COT > 10, with retrieval errors of ~3% for liquid water clouds to ~10% for ice clouds. In a multi-layer cloud, when both liquid water and ice clouds are present in a pixel, the CWP retrieval errors increase dramatically; depending on the cloud, this can lead to uncertainties of 40–80%. CWP retrievals also become more uncertain when the cloud does not cover the entire pixel, leading to errors of ~50% for cloud fractions of 0.75 and even larger errors for smaller cloud fractions. Thus, the satellite retrieval of cloud physical properties of broken clouds as well as multi-layer clouds is complicated by inherent difficulties, and the proper interpretation of such retrievals requires extra care.
Multiple criteria-based real-time decision making by autonomous city vehicles

This paper addresses the topic of real-time decision making for autonomous city vehicles, i.e. the autonomous vehicles’ ability to make appropriate driving decisions in city road traffic situations. After decomposing the problem into two consecutive decision making stages, and giving a short overview about previous work, the paper explains how Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) can be used in the process of selecting the most appropriate driving maneuver.
Ameliorative Effect of Ammonium Sulfate on Salt Tolerance and Ion Homeostasis in Lemon (C. limon) Seedlings

To investigate interaction effects of salinity and nitrogen on growth, mineral composition and salinity tolerance of lemon seedlings, a greenhouse experiment with four sodium chloride concentrations (0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg kg-1 soil) and four nitrogen levels (0, 50, 100, and 200 mg kg-1 soil ammonium sulfate) was carried out. Experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications. Sodium and chloride ions in plant tissues were increased to toxic levels with increase in salinity which resulted in a significant reduction of plant dry weight. Nitrogen consumption up to 100 mg kg-1 soil increased plant dry weight. As the concentration of sodium chloride was increased, the improvement effect of nitrogen on plant growth was decreased. Although nitrogen had no considerable effect on sodium concentration in root and shoot, it made a decrease in chloride concentration in shoot and an increase in root concentration of this element. Salinity decreased essential nutrients concentration in plant shoot. Therefore, it can be concluded that adverse effect of salinity is to some extent due to reduction of required elements to suboptimal ranges in plant tissues. Nitrogen improved the adverse effects of salinity on plant nutrients by increasing their concentration in plant tissues. Therefore it can be inferred that part of the ameliorative effects of nitrogen on salinity adverse effects is related to the maintenance of essential nutrient concentrations in plant tissues. The results of the present study indicate that nitrogen can be applied in amounts higher than optimal level to reduce the harmful effects of salinity.
How Physical Environment Impacts Visitors’ Behavior in Learning-Based Tourism—The Example of Technology Museum

Visiting a museum is a popular activity in the tourism industry, especially in cultural and learning-based tourism. To help plan museums effectively, this study investigated the underlying motivations and constraints and their impact on the perceived physical environment and visitor satisfaction toward a museum. The results suggest that the physical environment of museums serves as an axial mediator among motivations, constraints and visitor satisfaction. Six essential factors of physical environment are affected by motivations and constraints, further affecting visitor satisfaction in various patterns, in which architectural planning, exhibition, external environment, and entrance are clearly affected by basic motivations and constraints. Under motivations, family education and self-development are the most two profound influences on enhancing visitor satisfaction through the physical environment. Shops and café are worth special attention in meeting motivation of attractiveness, occasion and social interaction. The results could support the planning and design of a satisfactory museum.
Selection criteria of recruitment for information systems employees: Using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method

The information systems (IS) department is made up of employees in different information technology/information system (IT/IS) skills. Recruitment should therefore use different selection criteria for personnel in different roles. This study used the IT/IS skills examined in past literature as guidelines for recruitment. Expert review and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) were then used to analyze the selection criteria used in recruitment for five different IS roles. The five roles were: project manager, systems analyst, database administrator, programmer and systems engineer. The results highlighted the importance of selection criteria by showing that each role differed greatly in the professional skills required. This study can therefore provide human resource departments with fair and objective selection criteria. A practical recruitment strategy can also be designed to reduce the chances of personnel not performing as expected after being employed. Key words: Information systems employees, information technology/information system (IT/IS) skills, recruitment, recruiter selection criteria, analytic hierarchy process (AHP).
COMPARISON OF STUDENTS WITH NON-VERBAL LEARNING DISABILITIES AND STUDENTS WITH ASPERGER SYNDROME IN SOLVING WORD ARITHMETIC PROBLEMS

This study compares the performance of students with Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities (NVLD) and students with Asperger Syndrome (AS) in Solving Arithmetic Problems (SAP). The participants were 15 students with NVLD and 12 students with AS, who were asked to solve 15 word problems of various arithmetic operations. The results showed that both groups faced significant difficulties in SAP. Difficulties have appeared in all phases of the SAP. More intense difficulties appeared in the phase of forming the necessary coherent mental representation of the problem, which is the prerequisite for the activation of cognitive schemata and the choice of the appropriate arithmetic operation. The two groups showed more similarities than differences. Results are discussed in terms of the methodological choices for their instructional support. Article visualizations:
Extent of chondrule melting: Evaluation of experimental textures, nominal grain size, and convolution index

Abstract— Dynamic crystallization experiments on the ordinary chondrite Queen Alexandra Range (QUE) 97008 document textural features that occur in partially melted chondrules with changes in the degree of partial melting and cooling rate. We carried out a matrix of experiments, at peak temperatures of 1250, 1350, 1370, and 1450 °C, and cooling rates of 1000, 100, and 10 °C/h, and quenched. All experimentally produced textures closely resemble textures of porphyritic chondrules. Because peak temperatures were well below the liquidi for typical chondrule compositions, the textural similarities support an incomplete melting origin for most porphyritic chondrules. Our experiments can be used to determine the extent of melting of natural chondrules by comparing textural relationships among the experimental results with those of natural chondrules. We used our experiments along with X‐ray computerized tomography scans of a Semarkona chondrule to evaluate two other methods that have been used previously to quantify the degree of melting: nominal grain size and convolution index. Proper applications of these methods can result in valid assessments of a chondrule's degree of melting, but only if accompanied by careful interpretation, as chondrule textures are controlled by more than just the extent of melting. Such measurements of single aspects of chondrule textures might be coupled with qualitative analysis of other textural aspects to accurately determine degree of melting.
An Overview of Distributed Energy-Efficient Topology Control for Wireless Ad Hoc Networks

A wireless ad hoc network is composed of several tiny and inexpensive device such as wireless sensor networks (WSNs) which have limited energy. In this network energy, efficiency is one of the most crucial requirements. Data transmitting in minimum power level is one way of maximizing energy efficiency. Thus, transmission power level of nodes should be managed in a smart way to improve energy efficiency. Topology control is one of the main algorithms used in a wireless network to decrease transmission power level while preserving network connectivity. Topology control could improve energy efficiency by reasonably tuning the transmission power level while preserving network connectivity in order to increase network capacity and lifetime. In pursuit of energy efficiency and connectivity, nodes can be selfish and are conflicting with each other. Therefore to overcome the conflict, game theory is used to construct energy efficient topology, as well as minimizing energy consumption. In this paper, the main goal and most recent energy efficient topology control algorithms in WSNs and ad hoc network are classified and studied according to their specific goals.
Phylogenetic Position of Eptatretus chinensis (Myxinidae: Myxiniformes) Inferred by 16S rRNA Gene Sequence and Morphology

Analysis of the present dataset indicated variations in external and internal taxonomic morphological characters of Eptatretus chinensis occurring in the South China Sea. Molecular evidence from its 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated a close relation of E. chinensis with Paramyxine sheni and other species of Paramyxine with crowded gill apertures. This species is similar to E. burgeri and P. sheni in the lack of some slime pores in the branchial region. On the other hand, it shares branching of the ventral aorta close to the heart (a derived character state for the Eptatretinae) with some other congeners (but not E. burgeri) and P. sheni.
Ultra-Compact Electromagnetic Metamaterial Transmission Line and Its Application in Miniaturized Butler Matrix

A novel super compact electromagnetic metamaterial transmission line (EM-MTM TL) is proposed in this paper by using the structure of symmetric double spiral lines (SDSLs). The investigation results indicate that the proposed EM-MTM TL not only has controllable resonant frequency, but also has very compact size, and the circuit area is only 8. 8m m× 7. 2m m (equal toλ0/32.16 × λ0/39.31, where λ0 is the free space wavelength at the resonant frequency) without the feed lines. Using the proposed structure, a 3-dB branch-line coupler and a 0-dB crossover operated at 0.86 GHz have been designed, fabricated and measured; the measured and simulated results are in good agreement. The two microwave devices realize 84.8% and 85.7% size reduction, respectively. Then, a compact Butler matrix is obtained by optimizing the combination of the branch-line couplers, 0 dB crossovers and 45-degree phase shifters. The measured and simulated results of the proposed Butler matrix agree well, showing that the proposed device operates at 0.86 GHz with very good electromagnetic performances. Moreover, the circuit area of the proposed Butler matrix is 109. 0m m× 89.3 mm, which realizes at least 80.9% size reduction in comparison with the conventional one (whose circuit area is at least 226. 2m m× 226.2 mm), and the miniaturization is considerable. Besides, these designed microwave devices, without any lumped elements, bonding wires, defected ground structure (DGS), and via-holes, are more suitable for modern wireless communication systems.
The Recardian Theory of Comparative Advantage Between South Africa and the Usa in the Manufacturing Sector

Abstract This study focuses on the Ricardian model of comparative advantage with one factor of production and two countries, but in a multi-goods dimension. This is used to explain the pattern of trade that exists between South Africa and the United States’s manufacturing industries. The empirical test of the Ricardian model is carried out using a panel data approach on 23 manufacturing industries. The estimations were performed using both a one-way and two-way error component model and a stationary panel technique were applied to the equations. The advantages of progressing from cross-sectional estimations to a panel data estimation technique is that the efficiency of estimating the parameters will be improved. It also gives more informative data, more variability, less collinearity, more degrees of freedom and the effect of omitted variable bias is reduced. The results show that the pattern of trade between South Africa and the United States conforms to the Ricardian theorem.
THE EFFECT OF COOKING AND STORAGE ON FLORFENICOL AND FLORFENICOL AMINE RESIDUES IN EGGS

the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of storage conditions (room temperature, refrigerator) and cooking methods (frying, boiling) on florfenicol (FF) and florfenicol amine (FFA) residue levels in eggs. Without any significant difference between storage conditions at 20˚c and +4˚c, residue levels decreased within days, but were still present on day 28. Frying and boiling for 1 and 5 min yielded similar results to the storage conditions just described; there was a significant decrease in residue levels, but still not enough for decomposing. these findings indicate that FF and FFA residues are heat-labile.
Direct simulation Monte Carlo method for gas flows in micro-channels with bends with added curvature

Gas flows in micro-channels are simulated using an open source Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) code dsmcFOAM for general application to rarefied gas flow written within the framework of the open source C++ toolbox called OpenFOAM. Aim of this paper is to investigate the flow in micro-channel with bend with added curvature. Results are compared with flows in channel without added curvature and equivalent straight channel. Effects of micro-channel bend was already thoroughly investigated by White et al. Geometry proposed by White is also used here for refference.
AUTONOMOUS DRUG-ENCAPSULATED NANOPARTICLES: TOWARDS A NOVEL NON-INVASIVE APPROACH TO PREVENT ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Introduction This paper proposes the concept of autonomous drug-encapsulated nanoparticle (ADENP) as a novel non-invasive approach to prevent atherosclerosis. ADENP consists of three simple units of sensor, controller (computing), and actuator. The hardware complexity of ADENP is much lower than most of the nanorobots, while the performance is maintained by the synergism in the swarm architecture. Materials and Methods Since high accumulation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) macromolecules within the arterial wall plays a critical role in the initiation and development of atherosclerotic plaques, the task of the swarm of ADENPs is autonomous feedback control of LDL level in the interior of the arterial wall. In this study, we consider two specific types of ADENPs with distinguishing capabilities. The performance of each type is evaluated and compared on a well-known mathematical model of the arterial wall through computer simulation. Results Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach can successfully reduce the LDL level to a desired value in the arterial wall of a patient with very high LDL level that is corresponding to the highest rates of cardiovascular disease events. Moreover, it is shown that ADENP is capable of distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy arterial walls to reduce the drug side effects. Conclusion The proposed approach is a promising autonomous non-invasive method to prevent and treat complex diseases such as atherosclerosis.
Analysis of undergraduate students ’ reflections when working on non-formal science activities Student reflections in non-formal science activities

1. ABSTRACT: Dues activitats no formals de ciència van ser escollides com a plataforma per als estudiants universitaris per millorar les seves competències comunicatives. Els estudiants van respondre a una llista de preguntes per a la reflexió. Quatre unitats completes van ser inferides després d'analitzar les respostes dels estudiants i es van classificar en dues categories: metodològica (descripció, argumentació i contribució) i reflexiva(comprensió, reflexió i reflexió crítica).
Structure and Symmetrization of Hydrogen Bonding in Ices VIII and X at High Pressure: A Density Functional Theory Approach

We study the change in structural properties of ice by taking initial structure of “ice VIII”, with space group symmetry I41/amd , as a function of elevating pressure up to 120 GPa in density-functional theory (DFT) level of calculations implemented by Quantum ESPRESSO package. Consistent with the standard laws of thermodynamics, our calculations show that the physical size (volume and cell parameters) of the unit cell compresses monotonically on increasing pressure. We also compare our DFT results of these parameters with the available experimental values performed at finite temperature. The comparison shows good agreement between the quantities, within 5%, with slightly higher experimental values. At 100 GPa of pressure, hydrogen atom comes exactly at the midpoint of two boneded oxygens, called hydrogen-bonded symmetrization, which at low pressure remains nearby one of the oxygens. This symmmetrized structure is characterized by a new phase of the system known as “ice X” and the boundary pressure, 100 GPa, defines the transition pressure (P0) for changing phase from “ice VIII” to “ice X”. The transition pressure (P0) of the present work agrees well within 2% of previously reported results. Journal of Institute of Science and Technology, 2014, 19(2): 14-19 Journal of Institute of Science and Technology, 2014, 19(2): 14-18
Adherence to the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and associated factors among Portuguese older adults: results from the Nutrition UP 65 cross- sectional study

Introduction Portuguese population is ageing. The inadequacy of their food habits is considered the main factor responsible for years of prematurely lost life. Therefore it is important to study the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern (MDP), reported as a model of healthy eating for a successful ageing. Objective To evaluate adherence to the MDP and its associated factors in Portuguese older adults from the Nutrition UP 65 study. Design Cross-sectional observational study Population and methods A national cluster sample of 1407 Portuguese individuals ≥65 years old was analised. Participants were divided by adherence or not adherence to MDP that were evaluated with the Portuguese version of the Prevention with Mediterranean Diet tool. The association between individuals’ characteristics and the adherence to this pattern was analysed through logistic regression analysis. Results Education level was the factor more positivly related with adherence to the MDP. Furthermore, marital status and body mass índex (BMI) had markedly positive increased odds of adherence to the MDP. Otherwise, in this study, participants who rated their health as moderate and as bad/very bad had less possibility of adherence to the MDP than those rated their health as good/very good. Subjects who lived in Madeira and Azores had less possibility of adherence to the MDP than those who lived in the North. Participants with higher levels of calf circumference (CC) had less possibility of adherence to the MDP. Conclusions The results of this study enables the identification of groups with lower adherence to the MDP: individuals living in Madeira and Azores, rating their heath as moderate and as bad/very bad and having higher levels of CC.