Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PROCEDURE FOR PREDICTING OCCURRENCE AND SPACING OF THERMAL-SUSCEPTIBILITY CRACKING IN FLEXIBLE PAVEMENTS

The inability of previous models to accurately predict transverse cracking in pavements in the southwestern United States has led to the laboratory validation of the concept of thermal susceptibility of unstabilized base-course material. Thermal susceptibility is the volumetric contraction of a granular base-course materials when it is frozen. This contraction produces cracking in the base course that is highly dependent on the environment in the general area. This paper presents the results of a study that attempted to quantify this mechanism and to predict crack spacings and the rate of crack appearance. The procedure used involves the combination of linear viscoelasticity and linear visco-elastic fracture mechanics. Crack spacings in the base course are calculated by using the results of a finite-element study of the frozen propertions of the base course. The effect of these cracks (i.e., the rate at which they propagate refelction cracks through the asphalt surface layer) is determined by using a fracture mechanics approach. Intensity factors are calculated for the viscoelastic thermal stress in the asphalt caused by a temperature cycle and for the stress caused by the deformation of a crack in the base course caused by a freeze. The integration of these distributions in the Paris equation for crack growth gives the number of cycles to failure. These calculations were assembled into a computer model that uses daily climatic data and appropriate material properties to calculate the damage caused by daily temperature cycles. The behavior of asphalt and of sulfur asphalt are contrasted when placed over several base-course materials in two different environments, Abiliene and Amarillo, Texas, to illustrate the effects of materials-property variation and environmental influence. This model represents an initial theoretical approach to the problem of combining the effects on flexible pavements of environment and traffic to more accurately predict performance. Implications concerning reflection cracking can be drawn directly from the analysis of the effect of thermal susceptiblity of the base course on the rate of reflection crack appearance. /Author/
War across the life course: examining the impact of exposure to conflict on a comprehensive inventory of health measures in an aging Vietnamese population.

BACKGROUND The majority of evidence indicates that exposure to war and other traumatic events continue to have negative impacts on health across the life course. However, existing research on health effects of war exposure primarily concentrates on short-term impacts among veterans in high-income countries sent elsewhere to battle. Yet, most wars situate in lower- and middle-income countries, where many are now or will soon be entering old age. Consequently, the current burden of exposure to war has ignored an important global population. METHODS The Vietnam Health and Aging Study (VHAS) is a longitudinal study designed to examine historical exposure to highly stressful events during the American War. Two modes of data collection, involving a sample of 2447 individuals aged 60+ years in northern Vietnam, took place between May and August 2018. Using this first wave of data, we generate indexed measures of war exposure and analyze their associations with a set of 12 health outcomes, accounting for confounding variables. RESULTS Results indicate that greater exposure to three types of war exposure (death and injury, stressful living conditions, and fearing death and/or injury) in earlier life is associated with worse health in later-life across a large number of health outcomes, such as number of diagnosed health conditions, mental distress, somatic symptoms, physical functioning, post-traumatic stress symptoms and chronic pain. CONCLUSIONS Findings support a life course theory of health and point to long-term effects of war on health that require detailed attention.
A simple non-equilibrium feedback model for galaxy-scale star formation: delayed feedback and SFR scatter

We explore a class of simple non-equilibrium star formation models within the framework of a feedback-regulated model of the ISM, applicable to kiloparsec-scale resolved star formation relations (e.g. Kennicutt–Schmidt). Combining a Toomre-Q-dependent local star formation efficiency per free-fall time with a model for delayed feedback, we are able to match the normalization and scatter of resolved star formation scaling relations. In particular, this simple model suggests that large (∼dex) variations in star formation rates (SFRs) on kiloparsec scales may be due to the fact that supernova feedback is not instantaneous following star formation. The scatter in SFRs at constant gas surface density in a galaxy then depends on the properties of feedback and when we observe its star-forming regions at various points throughout their collapse/star formation ‘cycles’. This has the following important observational consequences: (1) the scatter and normalization of the Kennicutt–Schmidt relation are relatively insensitive to the local (small-scale) star formation efficiency; (2) but gas depletion times and velocity dispersions are; (3) the scatter in and normalization of the Kennicutt–Schmidt relation is a sensitive probe of the feedback time-scale and strength; (4) even in a model where $\tilde{Q}_{\rm gas}$ deterministically dictates star formation locally, time evolution, variation in local conditions (e.g. gas fractions and dynamical times), and variations between galaxies can destroy much of the observable correlation between SFR and $\tilde{Q}_{\rm gas}$ in resolved galaxy surveys. Additionally, this model exhibits large scatter in SFRs at low gas surface densities, in agreement with observations of flat outer H i disc velocity dispersion profiles.
Interactive comment on “ FAIR v 1 . 1 : A simple emissions-based impulse response and carbon cycle model ” by Christopher J

The comparison of the uncertainty bounds for ECS and TCE to those reported in AR5 is worth pointing out, but should be put in context since they are not based on the same type of analysis. The AR5 range takes into account multiple lines of evidence, not just the type of study here, with a simple model constrained by observations. Thank you for this comment. In retrospect the AR5 figures are a “likely” (> 66%) range so we were in fact not comparing the same ranges. This sentence has been updated: “The constrained estimates of equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS), transient climate response (TCR) and transient climate response to cumulative CO2 emissions (TCRE) are 2.93 (2.04 to 4.32) K, 1.59 (1.07 to 2.50) K and 1.44 (0.97 to 2.31) K (1000 GtC)−1 (median and 5–95% credible intervals). These are in good agreement, with tighter uncertainty bounds, than the AR5 likely range, noting that AR5 estimates were derived from a combination of climate models, observations and expert judgement. ” We have also updated the commentary in section 4.1 where these results are discussed. The statement that the range of temperature projections under the RCP scenarios is lower in the FAIR model than those reported in AR5 is a significant out-
Parabolic bursting in an excitable system coupled with a slow oscillation

We investigate the interaction of an excitable system with a slow oscillation. Under robust and general assumptions compatible with the more stringent assumptions usually made about excitable systems, we show that such a coupled system can display bursting, i.e. a stable solution in which some variable undergoes rapid oscillations followed by a period of quiescence, with both oscillation and quiescence continually repeated. Under a further weak condition, the bursting is “parabolic”, i.e. the local frequency of the fast oscillation increases and then decreases within a burst. The technique in this paper involves nonlinear changes of coordinates which transform the equations into ones which are closely related to Hill’s equation.
Assessment of the Potential of High-Performance Buildings to Achieve Zero Energy: A Case Study

Buildings that are designed with aggressive energy performance targets are defined broadly in this study as high-performance buildings. As the technology advances, some of these buildings have the potential to become zero-energy ready through the adoption of cost-effective measures, such as retro-commissioning and occupant behavior techniques. This study demonstrated the viability of an office building to achieve the zero-energy goal and intended to engage the owners of similar facilities. The case building was designed as a very low-energy building with an energy use intensity (EUI) goal of 42 kWh/(m2 a), and the actual EUI was 23.9 kWh/(m2 a). The calibrated simulation approach was employed in the study, and the results indicated that the case building can achieve the zero-energy goal by optimizing the controls of the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system, changing the occupant behavior and improving the performance of the photovoltaic system.
A Practice View of Strategic Leadership in Highly Risky and Ambiguous Environment : The Darwin Expedition in Patagonia

Until now strategic leadership literature has not been seriously taking into account disruptive and fast moving environments in defining strategic leadership. Moreover, the strategic leadership literature has only been able to establish a list of generic roles that strategic leaders must play without examining in detail these roles. And finally, this literature is mainly based on quantitative data gathered retrospectively. In order to fill these major gaps in the strategic leadership literature, the paper first provides a framework for studying the key social competences and skills of leaders in today's highly risky and ambiguous situations. Second, it proposes an innovative methodology in order to study strategic leadership in practice by following an international team of mountain climbers in their project of crossing the Cordillera Darwin, in Tierra del Fuego (Patagonia).
Modulatory Effects of Osthole on Lipopolysaccharides-Induced Inflammation in Caco-2 Cell Monolayer and Co-Cultures with THP-1 and THP-1-Derived Macrophages

Lipopolysaccharydes (LPS) are responsible for the intestinal inflammatory reaction, as they may disrupt tight junctions and induce cytokines (CKs) secretion. Osthole has a wide spectrum of pharmacological effects, thus its anti-inflammatory potential in the LPS-treated Caco-2 cell line as well as in Caco-2/THP-1 and Caco-2/macrophages co-cultures was investigated. In brief, Caco-2 cells and co-cultures were incubated with LPS to induce an inflammatory reaction, after which osthole (150–450 ng/mL) was applied to reduce this effect. After 24 h, the level of secreted CKs and changes in gene expression were examined. LPS significantly increased the levels of IL-1β, -6, -8, and TNF-α, while osthole reduced this effect in a concentration-dependent manner, with the most significant decrease when a 450 ng/mL dose was applied (p < 0.0001). A similar trend was observed in changes in gene expression, with the significant osthole efficiency at a concentration of 450 ng/μL for IL1R1 and COX-2 (p < 0.01) and 300 ng/μL for NF-κB (p < 0.001). Osthole increased Caco-2 monolayer permeability, thus if it would ever be considered as a potential drug for minimizing intestinal inflammatory symptoms, its safety should be confirmed in extended in vitro and in vivo studies.
Linking Representative Household Models with Household Surveys for Poverty Analysis: A Comparison of Alternative Methodologies

The authors compare three approaches to linking representative-household macro models with micro household income data in terms of their implications for measuring the poverty and distributional effects of policy shocks. These approaches are a simple micro-accounting method, an extension of that method to account for changes in employment structure, and the Beta distribution approach. Even though in the authors simulation exercises the three methods do not lead to fundamentally different results in absolute terms, they show that potential differences in the measurement of distributional and poverty effects of policy shocks can be very large.
Tree Growth Variability of Pinus heldreichii at Tree-Line Locations in Kosovo

It is well-known that tree growth at the upper treeline is controlled by low temperatures and limited seasonal growth. The study’s objective was to investigate the climate warming effects on Bosnian pine (BP; Pinus heldreichii Christ.) growth during the 20th century. We hypothesized that, like all the other drought-stressed conifers growing on tree-line locations, BP responds significantly to climate factors that control their growth. Three natural forest stands of BP were selected in Prevalla, Decan and Koritnik. The cores were taken from 98 dominant and co-dominant BP trees at breast height with no sign of human interference. The tree-ring widths were measured at 0.001 mm precision, with a LINTAB 6 (RINNTECH, Heidelberg) system and TSAP-Win Scientific software. A set of three BP tree-ring width chronologies were developed by trees spread on a typical mountain slope at elevations ranging from 1815 to 1945 m above sea level. The tree-ring chronologies from three sites showed significant correlation and this agreement decreased with the distance between sites. The length of the master chronologies varies among sites ranging from 176 years (Koritnik) to 541 years (Decani). The tree growth was controlled by a common climatic signal (local temperatures) and drought during midsummer across the investigated sites. These results confirm the assumption that tree growth at tree-line sites is controlled by low temperatures and drought conditions during the midsummer.
Prioritization-based Layered Multicast for Fixed/Mobile Networks with Fast Convergence and Inter-Session Fairness

Multimedia streaming services are becoming popular in both wired and wireless networks. Layered multicast is a widely accepted approach for streaming multimedia data to a large number of users. Existing layered multicast approaches do not interact well with network dynamics. Indeed, upon a change in network conditions, they require a long time till they can appropriately adjust their data transmission rate. Additionally, they do not achieve fairness when users from different sessions share the bandwidth of a bottleneck link. In this paper, we propose a scheme that allows newly-arriving users to promptly converge their data transmission rates to the most optimal rate that best suit the current conditions of the network without degrading the system fairness. The proposed scheme is based on the fact that layered multicast uses prioritybased packet dropping policies. In the proposed scheme, two newly-defined packet messages are considered: “low priority join” and “normal join” messages. To join a session, a user first subscribes to all corresponding layers by issuing “low priority join” messages. It then computes packet drops experienced on each layer. If packets of a given layer experience a drop rate higher than a predetermined threshold, the user leaves that layer and all higher layers. The user then “officially” joins the remaining layers by transmitting “normal join” messages. This operation helps users to subscrive to only layers whose aggregate bandwidth fits the current network conditions. The performance of the proposed scheme is evaluated through computer simulations and is compared against the Receiverdriven Layered Multicast (RLM) scheme. The results show that the proposed scheme achieves appropriate bandwidth utilization from the start of the session. The results demonstrate also that the proposed scheme is effective in managing handover in mobile networks and achieves better Quality of Service (QoS) in heterogeneous mobile environments.
HOMOGENIZATION AS TECHNIQUES USED IN REMOVING AITACHEQ BACTERIA AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE ASSOCIATED PROTOZOA

During studying of Protozoa in the slow sand filter beds in Ashford Common Water Treatment Work (London, U.K.), it was found necessary to study the interstitial and attached bacterial populations involved with sand particles, due to their vital participating role together with the protozoan populations, in decomposing the organic pollutants from Thames River. Three methods were applied in the present study as they were the most commonly used physical techniques in extracting bacteria. It was found that ultrasonication was very effective in this respect within the first 6 minutes only after which its destructive effect
Multdimensional Poverty in Kenya: Analysis of Maternal and Child Wellbeing

This paper generates multidimensional poverty profiles for women and children over a ten-year period from 1993 to 2003.Data from the national Demographic and Health Survey are used to improve measurement of poverty in Kenya in four ways: First, the paper constructs a composite wealth index (CWI). Second, it applies the Alkire and Foster (2007) approach to the measurement of multidimensional poverty based on the CWI and health status. Third, stochastic dominance approaches are used to make poverty orderings across groups. Fourth, the probability of being poor in assets, health or both is explored using a bivariate probit model. The results show that the distribution of poor women and children differs across groups, space and time. We also find that the CWI and residence in a rural area respectively contribute more to multidimensional poverty than health and residence in an urban area. The results further suggest that understanding the correlates of wellbeing in a multidimensional context can generate policy insights for improving human capital investments.
Cardiac Responses to Prenatal Resistance Exercise with and without the Valsalva Maneuver

Supplemental digital content is available in the text. ABSTRACT Purpose Exercise guidelines recommend incorporating resistance exercise (RE) into a regular aerobic training program during pregnancy. However, few women do so because of uncertainties about the safety of prenatal RE, particularly regarding the Valsalva maneuver (VM). The aim of this study was to determine the acute cardiovascular responses to prenatal RE at different intensities, with and without VM. Methods Healthy pregnant (n = 15; 22.9 ± 5.9 wk of gestation) and nonpregnant women (n = 15) were recruited. Maximal strength over 10 repetitions (10RM) for semireclined leg press was determined. Women underwent standardized assessments of cardiac structure, function and mechanics (echocardiography), heart rate (ECG), and blood pressure (photoplethysmography) at baseline, during RE at 20%, 40%, and 60% 10RM while free-breathing, and at 40% 10RM with VM. Significant differences were identified between subjects at baseline (independent t-tests), between and within subjects during free-breathing RE (general linear model, baseline as a covariate), and between and within subjects for 40% 10RM free-breathing versus VM (mixed-effects model). Results Resting cardiac output, heart rate, and stroke volume were greater in pregnant women, without differences in blood pressure, ejection fraction, or cardiac mechanics. During free-breathing RE, pregnant women had a greater ejection fraction compared with nonpregnant women; however, all other hemodynamic variables were not different between groups. Cardiac mechanics during free-breathing RE across all intensities were not different between groups, with the exception that pregnant women had a lower apical circumferential strain that did not affect global cardiac function. No differences were observed between groups during 40% 10RM RE with and without VM. Conclusions Pregnant women have proportionate cardiac responses to light-moderate RE, both with and without the VM. These findings reinforce the safety of RE in healthy pregnancy.
Universal superconductivity phase diagram for pressurized tetradymite topological insulators

We show that two different superconducting phases exist at high pressures in the optimized tetradymite topological insulators Bi2Te2Se (BTS) and Bi1.1Sb0. 9Te2S (BSTS). The superconducting phases emerge at structural phase transitions, the first at 8.4 GPa for BTS and 12.4 GPa for BSTS, and the second at 13.6 GPa for BTS and 20.4 GPa, for BSTS. Electronic structure calculations show that these phases do not have topological character. Comparison of our results with prior work on Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3 and (Bi,Sb)2(Se,Te)3 allows us to uncover a universal phase diagram for pressure-induced superconductivity in tetradymites, providing a basis for understanding the relationships between topological behavior, crystal structure, and superconductivity for these materials.
High-density electromyography biofeedback during robotic wrist exercises for reducing co-activation of antagonist muscles: a case report.

High-density (HD) electrodes have been introduced in research and diagnostic electromyography. Recent advances in technology offer an opportunity for using the HDEMG signal as biofeedback in stroke rehabilitation. The purpose of this case study was to test the feasibility of using two 5 × 13 electrode arrays for providing real-time HDEMG biofeedback and the preliminary outcome of combining HDEMG biofeedback with robotic wrist exercises over 4 weeks in a person who suffered a stroke 26 months earlier. The isometric wrist flexion/extension task required to keep the paretic agonist activity within variable preset limits with minimal activation of the antagonists. The participant was able to utilize the provided biofeedback interface and after eight sessions significantly decreased co-activation in the antagonist wrist extensor muscles during isometric wrist flexion. The HDEMG biofeedback seems feasible and may be used alone or in combination with robotic therapy for increasing the selectivity of muscle activation after stroke.
LUCERNE IN ARABLE CROPPING SYSTEMS: POTENTIAL OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES ON BIOMASS PRODUCTION AND NITROGEN BALANCE

Lucerne improves yields and quality of subsequent crops by fixing nitrogen and increasing soil organic matter. In the Ukrainian region of Poltava weather conditions have become more difficult for producing legumes over the past decades. While the biomass productivity of modern lucerne varieties is well known, data on the nitrogen fixation capacity are still missing. Therefore biomass and nitrogen fixation capacity of 4 Ukrainian varieties (Lidiya, Poltavchanka, Vira, Zaykevicha) were evaluated in two field trials in two subsequent years. The seasonal average forage yield of lucerne was 10.5-11.4 t ha -1 with no significant differences between the varieties, but with a better performance at 1 st and 2 nd harvest in the second year because of a successful field emergence and water supply. An analysis of the genotype-by-year interaction on two experimental sites indicated that the old varieties Poltavchanka and Zaykevicha were well adapted to the experimental site environment. These varieties gave consistently stable shoot dry matter yields in both vegetation periods. Biological nitrogen fixation (average of 155 kg N ha -1 ) and N-balance (average of -159 kg N ha -1 ) did not differ between the four varieties, therefore the benefit for subsequent crops should be the same or similar.
Optical Nonlinearity Properties of Ag Nanofluid Measurements using a Single Beam Z-scan Technique

Nonlinear refractive index and nonlinear absorption of Ag nano-fluid prepared by γ-radiation method were investigated using a single beam Z-scan technique. Under a CW laser beam excitation operated at 532 nm with the power output of 40 mW, the Ag nano-fluid shows a large thermal- induced nonlinear refractive index and nonlinearity absorption. We measured the nonlinear refraction coefficient of silver nano-fluid for concentrations, 1.170 x 10 -3 and 5.297 x 10 -3 M. respectively. We found the nonlinear refractive index is in the order of 10 -8 cm 2 /W with the negative sign indicates the self-defocusing phenomenon. However for the Ag nano-fluid sample with 1.170 x 10 -3 M, the result shows that the nano-fluid sample has only a nonlinear refractive index property.