Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
19. A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF DIAGENETIC PATHWAYS IN SEDIMENTS OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA: HIGHLIGHTS FROM PORE-WATER RESULTS 1

Leg 165 of the Ocean Drilling Program afforded a unique opportunity to investigate organic and inorganic geochemistry across a wide gradient of sediment compositions and corresponding chemical pathways. The solid fractions at Sites 998, 999, 1000, and 1001 reveal varying proportions of reactive carbonate species, a labile volcanic ash fraction occurring in discrete layers and as a dispersed component, and detrital fluxes that derive from continental weathering. The relative proportions and reactivities of these end-members strongly dictate the character of the diagenetic profiles observed during the pore-water work of Leg 165. In addition, alteration of the well-characterized basaltic basement at Site 1001 has provided a strong signal that is reflected in many of the dissolved components. The relative effects of basement alteration and diagenesis within the sediment column are discussed in terms of downcore relationships for dissolved calcium and magnesium. With the exception of Site 1002 in the Cariaco Basin, the sediments encountered during Leg 165 were uniformly deficient in organic carbon (typically <0.1 wt%). Consequently, rates of organic oxidation were generally low and dominated by suboxic pathways with subordinate levels of bacterial sulfate reduction and methanogenesis. The low rates of organic remineralization are supported by modeled rates of sulfate reduction. Site 1000 provided an exception to the generally low levels of microbially mediated redox cycling. At this site the sediment is slightly more enriched in organic phases, and externally derived thermogenic hydrocarbons appear to aid in driving enhanced levels of redox diagenesis at great depths below the seafloor. The entrapment of these volatiles corresponds with a permeability seal defined by a pronounced Miocene minimum in calcium carbonate concentration recognized throughout the basin and with a dramatic downcore increase in the magnitude of limestone lithification. The latter has been tentatively linked to increases in alkalinity associated with microbial oxidation of organic matter and gaseous hydrocarbons. Recognition and quantification of previously unconstrained large volumes and frequencies of Eocene and Miocene silicic volcanic ash within the Caribbean Basin is one of the major findings of Leg 165. High frequencies of volcanic ash layers manifest as varied but often dominant controls on pore-water chemistry. Sulfur isotope results are presented that speak to secondary metal and sulfur enrichments observed in ash layers sampled during Leg 165. Ultimately, a better mechanistic understanding of these processes and the extent to which they have varied spatially and temporally may bear on the global mass balances for a range of major and minor dissolved components of seawater.
Changing Pattern of Corporate Governance and Financing in the Korean 'Chaebols'

The de jure financial system in Korea has moved from mainly R (relationship)-mode financial contracts towards M (market)-mode contracts since the 1997 financial crisis, due largely to reforms introducing Anglo-American style corporate governance and the disintermediation of the larger business groups in corporate financing. Analysis shows that the effectiveness of this change in improving firms' performances has yet to be demonstrated. Unlike the disintermediation of the big-name firms, the affiliates of small and medium business groups and small and medium-sized independent firms have relied heavily on bank loans and internal finance. The impact of a more concentrated banking system and intensified competition on the type of corporate investment has yet to be analysed.
Communicating key labor issues in a global context

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore explanation factors regarding labor communication practices by many of the world's large companies.Design/methodology/approach – The data collection focuses on the 2009 fiscal year sourced from 460 highly visible public companies in 57 separate countries. A total of 14 Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) items are used as the benchmark of labor disclosure checklist.Findings – The authors' results provide evidence that the overall level of labor‐style communication is 66.4 percent. Companies in emerging market jurisdictions have the highest labor disclosure communication. Employment information is the most frequently disclosed set of items. Lesser communication is noted for training and education, and diversity and equal opportunity issues. Statistical analysis indicates that political visibility, jurisdictional, creditor pressure, and corporate governance variables are directly related to labor communication.Research limitations/implications – This study ass.
Experimental investigation into the fault response of superconducting hybrid electric propulsion electrical power system to a DC rail to rail fault

Hybrid electric propulsion aircraft are proposed to improve overall aircraft efficiency, enabling future rising demands for air travel to be met. The development of appropriate electrical power systems to provide thrust for the aircraft is a significant challenge due to the much higher required power generation capacity levels and complexity of the aero-electrical power systems (AEPS). The efficiency and weight of the AEPS is critical to ensure that the benefits of hybrid propulsion are not mitigated by the electrical power train. Hence it is proposed that for larger aircraft (~200 passengers) superconducting power systems are used to meet target power densities. Central to the design of the hybrid propulsion AEPS is a robust and reliable electrical protection and fault management system. It is known from previous studies that the choice of protection system may have a significant impact on the overall efficiency of the AEPS. Hence an informed design process which considers the key trades between choice of cable and protection requirements is needed. To date the fault response of a voltage source converter interfaced DC link rail to rail fault in a superconducting power system has only been investigated using simulation models validated by theoretical values from the literature. This paper will present the experimentally obtained fault response for a variety of different types of superconducting tape for a rail to rail DC fault. The paper will then use these as a platform to identify key trades between protection requirements and cable design, providing guidelines to enable future informed decisions to optimise hybrid propulsion electrical power system and protection design.
Model Evaluation Based on the Distribution of Estimated Absolute Prediction Error

The construction of a reliable, practically useful prediction rule for future response is heavily dependent on the “adequacy” of the fitted regression model. In this article, we consider the absolute prediction error, the expected value of the absolute difference between the future and predicted responses, as the model evaluation criterion. This prediction error is easier to interpret than the average squared error and is equivalent to the mis-classification error for the binary outcome. We show that the distributions of the apparent error and its cross-validation counterparts are approximately normal even under a misspecified fitted model. When the prediction rule is ”unsmooth”, the variance of the above normal distribution can be estimated well via a perturbation-resampling method. We also show how to approximate the distribution of the difference of the estimated prediction errors from two competing models. With two real examples, we demonstrate that the resulting interval estimates for prediction errors provide much more information about model adequacy than the point estimates alone. MODEL EVALUATION BASED ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF ESTIMATED ABSOLUTE PREDICTION ERROR Lu Tian Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611, U.S.A. Tianxi Cai, Els Goetghebeur and L. J. Wei Department of Biostatistics, Harvard University, 655 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, U.S.A.
An on-line signal encryption method

On-line Signal Encryption (OSE) is an efficient free platform interrupt driven and on-line method for encrypting different types of signals (data). The proposed method is a variant-bit block cipher approach, which is independent of the platform. In this paper we have implemented; as a case study, the method based on 64-bit block ciphers on a 8-bit microprocessor. OSE needs three blocks of RAM, and block size depends on the selected specific block cipher method in the peer entities (sender and receiver).
CHANGES IN BLOOD GLUCOSE, TRIGLYCERIDES AND LIPID PEROXIDATION PRODUCTS IN RABBITS AFTER HANGING FIXATION

Summary Sarov, G. M. & T. I. Vlaykova, 2005. Changes in blood glucose, triglycerides and lipid peroxidation products in rabbits after hanging fixation. Bulg. J. Vet. Med., 8, No 3, 157–161. Psycho-emotional stress is one of the risk factors for metabolic syndrome and related diseases. We decided to investigate the changes in glucose and lipids levels, as well as oxidative stress, generated after hanging fixation in rabbits. We used 12 male New Zealand White rabbits (2.5�3.5 kg body weight): 6 animals for hanging fixation and another 6 animals for fixation in box. Blood samples were taken before hanging and at min 15, 30, 90, 180 and serum levels of blood glucose and triglycerides (TG) were measured by commercially available kits. Lipid peroxidation products in plasma were evaluated before hanging and at minute 180 using the thiobarbituric acid method. Blood glucose level rose sharply after hanging (P=0.008) and remained at this level to the end of the experiment. TG also increased significantly after hanging (P=0.007), remained higher up to minute 90 and at minute 180 dropped down to the basal level (P=0.744). Significant increase in malonedialdehyde (MDA) after hanging fixation was also found (P=0.028). Hanging fixation appears to produce significant increase in MDA, blood glucose and triglyceride levels by a not well-established mechanism. Further research is needed to reveal these underlying mechanisms and the rationality of the use of the hanging fixation for investigation of stress-induced homeostatic alterations.
Barriers to tacit knowledge retention: An understanding of the perceptions of the knowledge management of people inside and outside the organisation

Background: Knowledge loss causes challenges for organisations that wish to remain competitive. These organisations must identify the risks that could lead to knowledge loss and become aware of issues that affect knowledge retention. Objectives: The objective of this research was to identify tacit knowledge retention barriers that could cause knowledge loss in an organisation. The paper presents a framework for the assessment of the impact of these barriers and discusses the research findings in order to critique that framework. Method: A quantitative strategy was used to interpret the findings. The target population is information technology (IT) professionals in a government organisation. Interviews were conducted in order to produce a more context-sensitive interpretation of the findings. A quantitative research approach was used to ensure the findings would precisely reflect the target population. Results: The majority of respondents confirmed that career development requires professional development, training prospects and improves the employability of employees. The agreed result was that respondents seek autonomy, that is, the ability to make decisions. Job stress and burnout are experienced because of problems with in filling posts, and the competition between the private and public sectors for experienced IT employees. Conclusion: Certain determinants were found that affect barriers in knowledge management: organisational commitment, job satisfaction, job characteristics and talent management. These need to be measured to prevent barriers from occurring. Implications are drawn from the study; these provide a focus for further research to bridge some gaps in information technology that currently limit the widespread use of knowledge management.
Independent Living of the Elderly in the Home Environment

Objectives. It is a little known fact that just 5% of the elderly aged 65 and more live in institutional settings, all others live at home. The elderly living in the home environment are influenced by many factors: demographic, socio-economic and factors associated with functional status. Equipped with a broad range of strategies, occupational therapists can participate in several areas of addressing this issue. Methods.Among the elderly living at home (N=450), we carried out a quantitative study of the arrangement of the home environment. We investigated the level of independence in performing activities of daily living. With this research, we wanted to check whether there are statistically significant differences in the ergonomics of the home environment among the elderly with varying degrees of independence in their daily activities. Results.The Mann-Whitney test showed statistically significant differences between the genders and independence in carrying out daily activities. The Spearman test showed correlations between environment factors and some activities of daily living. Conclusions.In the home environment, occupational therapists can help the elderly maximise their independence in carrying out daily activities. We can also consult them on improving the quality of life in the home environment. With the help of an occupational therapist, the elderly can assess and plan changes in their existing environments, and enable elderly to perform daily activities and live independently.
Heat Transfer Validation and Comparative Evaluation of Biochar Yield from Pyrolysis Cook Stove

The developing world still largely depends on biomass, such as wood, animal dung and agricultural waste for domestic fuel sources that are typically burned in traditional stoves. Ethiopia has different biomass resource for biochar production, through pyrolysis cook stove co-producing biochar. Coffee husks are the major solid residues from the handling and processing of coffee in the study area. This study was to evaluate the biochar co-producing pyrolysis cook stove with respect to heat transfer through the bed and biochar yield. From allothermal type of pyrolysis cook stove, the stove design was selected for both the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation and experimental measurements. ANSYS 14.5 was used for CFD simulation of the wood combustion. The production of biochar from coffee husk, corncob and sawdust at different heating times, bed and stove surface temperature were undertaken. Bulk density, pH and surface area of the biochar were measured. While good agreement between simulation and experimental result was obtained in the conduction phase during pyrolysis, deviation between the two on account of the effect of volatile gas in changing the temperature trend within the biomass bed was noticed. Within the biomass type, the maximum mean biochar yield (38.91%) was seen from coffee husk. In the case of different stove designs, the minimum mean biochar yield (27.11%) was found from normal Anila stove. The pH of biochar is found to be significantly affected by the type of biomass (9.83 mean for corncob and coffee husk, 6.43 mean for sawdust), heating time (9.19 mean for 90 min and 8.01 mean for 30 min) and stove type (9.52 mean for normal Anila and 8.01 mean for flangeless Anila continuous feeding type). In fact, the type of biomass is observed to significantly affect the bulk density and surface area of biochar.
Melanin, carotenoid and structural plumage ornaments: information content and role in great tits Parus major

The importance of plumage colour as an indicator of individual quality and the basis of sexual selection has long been recognized. Of the three generally distinguished classes of plumage colours, melanin-based ornaments are traditionally considered to provide less reliable information than carotenoid-based traits. However, the role of structural ornaments in multiple signalling systems has rarely been examined, and no study has compared the information content and role of the three ornament types simultaneously. Here we investigated three plumage ornaments in great tits Parus major: the size of the melanin-based breast stripe, the carotenoid-based colour of the yellow breast and the structurally based reflectance properties of the black crown. We worked on both the mechanistic and the functional levels. First, we assessed the dependence of ornaments on body condition during moult using ptilochronology. Second, we estimated assortative mating for these traits, as a measure of mutual sexual selection. Only the spectral attributes of crown feathers correlated with body condition during moult. However, breast stripe size was related to age, while the brightness of the yellow breast indicated body size. Relative crown ultraviolet reflectance was much higher in males than in females. Assortative mating was strongest for crown ultraviolet reflectance, but composite measures suggest that a system of multiple sexually selected traits with different information content may work in this population. These data support the accumulating evidence that the condition-dependence of melanin and carotenoid coloration is not qualitatively different. They also suggest that more research should target the reflectance properties of dark plumage areas in general, and ultraviolet crown ornamentation in tits in particular.
SPATIO-TEMPORAL PATTERNS OF DROUGHT IN MOROCCO

Past climatic moisture adomalies can be reconstructed from climatically sensitive tree-ring chronologies of Cedrus uhntica in Morocco. A map-pattern technique was utilized to derive 10 patterns of variability for the period 1845-1 974. The individual patterns were examined, in space using geostatistical techniques, and in time using correlation coefficients. The results indicate a clear alternation of favourable-unfavourable climatic regimes lasting 2&25 years. The spatial extent of the climatic moisture anomalies can be explained by a combination of three factors of the atmospheric circulation related to the Azores High, local cyclogenesis, and north-eastern perturbations.
HEALTH SECTOR REFORMS : IMPLICATIONS FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IN NIGERIA

Health sector reforms emerged as a major focus in the 1990s covering a wide range of structural and institutional changes. The components of a fundamental health sector reform includes: decentralization of power and resources; improving function of national health ministries; improving the performance of civil service (and managers); broadening health financing mechanism; introducing managed competition; guaranteeing access, redressing equity and pro-poor orientation; as well as broadening ownership and impact. Nigeria’s overall health system performance was ranked 187 among the 191 Member States by the WHO in 2000. The issue of financing and user fees has implications for reproductive health services uptake. Where maternal services are rendered free there was an increase in service uptake where the quality of the services that are being provided are guaranteed. Local authorities or communities should be allowed to set their priorities based on their peculiar needs and problems of their locality, but such should not go against the main objective of the health reform. The approach of “basket funding” should be continued to ensure quality monitoring and evaluation of the health system in general and assuring the quality of health related data.
Identification and characterization of Salmonella typhi isolates from Southwest Sumba District , East Nusa Tenggara based on 16 S rRNA gene sequences

Amarantini C, Sembiring L, Kushadiwijaya H, Asmara W (2011) Identification and characterization of Salmonella typhi isolates from Southwest Sumba District, East Nusa Tenggara based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. Biodiversitas 12: 1-6. The incidence rate of typhoid fever in the Southwest Sumba District, East Nusa Tenggara was approximately about 725/100,000. In spite of such rate, there was not much known-yet about the molecular epidemiology of the disease. Thus, having accurate data and a strong discriminatory ability was crucial to scrutinize the molecular epidemiology of S. typhi with a molecular phylogenetic approach based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. Sixteen isolates representative of S. typhi from different geographical regions in Southwest Sumba District along with the reference strain S. typhi NCTC 786 had been identified and characterized based on 16S rRNA gene sequences using PCR amplification and sequencing. The 16S rRNA sequences data were aligned with the corresponding available S. typhi sequences retrieved from the NCBI database by using CLUSTAL X software. Phylogenetic trees were generated with PHYLIP software package. Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicated that all the isolates belong to S. typhi species were suggested by their relativity with the type strain of S. typhi ATCC19430. It was also found that the isolates which belong to S. typhi species formed several different centers of diversity within the 16S rRNA gene tree. Each clade consisted of the strains from different geographical places in the District. Thus, to conclude the inquiry, there was evident inter-geographical spread of the strains and it tended to spread further into more remote areas in the
Molecular characterization of organic aerosols in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: insights into primary and secondary sources

Abstract. Organic atmospheric aerosols in the Hindu Kush–Himalayas–Tibetan Plateau region are still poorly characterized. To better understand the chemical characteristics and sources of organic aerosols in the foothill region of the central Himalaya, the atmospheric aerosol samples were collected in Bode, a suburban site of the Kathmandu Valley (KV) over a 1-year period from April 2013 to April 2014. Various molecular tracers from specific sources of primary organic aerosols (POAs) and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) were determined. Tracer-based estimation methods were employed to apportion contributions from each source. The concentrations of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) increased during winter with a maximum monthly average in January. Levoglucosan (a molecular tracer for biomass burning, BB) was observed as the dominant species among all the analyzed organic tracers and its annual average concentration was 788±685 ng m−3 (ranging from 58.8 to 3079 ng m−3). Isoprene-SOA (I-SOA) represented a high concentration among biogenic-SOA tracers. For the seasonality, anhydrosugars, phenolic compounds, resin acid, and aromatic SOA tracer showed similar seasonal variations with OC and EC while monosaccharides, sugar alcohols, and I-SOA tracers showed lower levels during winter. BB contributed a significant fraction to OC, averaging 24.9 %±10.4 % during the whole year, and up to 36.3 %±10.4 % in the post-monsoon season. On an annual average basis, anthropogenic toluene-derived secondary OC accounted for 8.8 % and biogenic secondary OC contributed 6.2 % to total OC. The annual contribution of fungal spores to OC was 3.2 % with a maximum during the monsoon season (5.9 %). For plant debris, it accounted for 1.4 % of OC during the monsoon. Therefore, OC is mainly associated with BB and other anthropogenic activity in the KV. Our findings are conducive to designing effective measures to mitigate the heavy air pollution and its impacts in the KV and surrounding area.