Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nonparametric Tests of Conditional Independence for Time Series

We propose consistent nonparametric tests of conditional independence for time series data. Our methods are motivated from the difference between joint conditional cumulative distribution function (CDF) and the product of conditional CDFs. The difference is transformed into a proper conditional moment restriction (CMR), which forms the basis for our testing procedure. Our test statistics are then constructed using the integrated moment restrictions that are equivalent to the CMR. We establish the asymptotic behavior of the test statistics under the null, the alternative, and the sequence of local alternatives converging to conditional independence at the parametric rate. Our tests are implemented with the assistance of a multiplier bootstrap. Monte Carlo simulations are conducted to evaluate the finite sample performance of the proposed tests. We apply our tests to examine the predictability of equity risk premium using variance risk premium for different horizons and find that there exist various degrees of nonlinear predictability at mid-run and long-run horizons.
The effects of three micro-catchment practices on erosion and runoff dynamics for a typical soil slope on the Loess Plateau of China

Abstract: Three micro-catchment measures that are named fish-scale pits (FSPs), artificial digging (AD), and contour plowing (CP) for soil erosion prevention are widely used in the Loess Plateau. To clarify the effectiveness of these measures in intercepting runoff and reducing erosion and the mechanism of water flow movement, intermittent simulated rainfall events was carried out in the 15° slopes with FSPs, AD, CP, and control slope (CK). The results demonstrated the following. (1) For cumulative rainfall <83 mm, three measures effectively intercepted runoff and reduced sediment compared with the CK. The runoff and sediment reduction effect of three measures gradually disappeared when cumulative rainfall increased to 83, 99, and 108 mm, and the sediment generation of the three measures successively exceeded that of the CK and was more than two times higher. (2) Laminar or transition flow occurred for the CK, and the flow pattern changed from subcritical to supercritical at 101 mm of cumulative rainfall. For three measures, the flow patterns became turbulent within a short time but remained subcritical. (3) A correlation analysis showed that the soil detachment rate, hydraulic shear stress, and stream power in the micro-catchment measures can be described using linear functions, which reduced the rill erodibility and enhanced the soil’s resistance to concentrated flow erosion. This research has important guiding significance on the rational and effective implementation of micro-catchment practices to prevent severe soil erosion and increase water storage for crop production on the Loess Plateau of China.
Quantitative and qualitative analysis of some firewood trees and shrubs of Eastern India

Quantitative and qualitative analysis of 31 indigenous firewood tree/shrub species of Eastern India was carried out to identify the species with potential for firewood production based on firewood properties. The highest calorific value (20.24 kJ/g dry wt) was exhibited by Adina cordifolia. The emission factors of CO2, CO, and hydrocarbon (HC) of wood species was recorded 356–1814, 5.2–110.5, and 0.71–2.28 g/kg, respectively. Among various firewood species, Holarrhena antidysenterica Wallich ex A. DC and Dillenia pentagyna L. emitted less CO2 (356.0 ± 20) and CO (5.2 ± 0.2), whereas A. cordifolia (Roxb.) Hook. f. ex Brandis (0.71 ± 0.04), Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Persoon (0.71 ± 0.01), and Semecarpus anacardium L. f. (0.71 ± 0.03) showed efficient in terms of low HC‐emitting species. The results showed that A. cordifolia followed by Terminalia tomentosa, L. speciosa, Anogeissus latifolius, H. antidysenterica, D. pentagyna, and S. anacardium are suitable fuelwood species on account of fuelwood value index and EF. © 2019 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 38:e13146, 2019
Impact of Combustion Modeling on the Spectral Response of Heat Release in LES

ABSTRACT This work assesses the effect of using different closure concepts for the spatially filtered mean reaction rate on the resolved spectral response of turbulent heat release in large eddy simulations (LESs). Two well-known combustion models, the turbulent flame speed closure (TFC) and the dynamically thickened flame (DTF) models have been applied to a premixed turbulent jet flame with otherwise identical numerical setups. Although the flame front is artificially thickened in the DTF model, it reproduces a thinner flame and, hence, stronger flame–turbulence interactions compared to the TFC model. As the time-averaged quantities from both methods are comparable, the DTF approach shows overall higher fluctuations of local and integral heat release rates in the spectral domain compared to the TFC model, particularly in the high-frequency range. A better agreement with measured sound pressure density is observed for TFC in the low-frequency range and for DTF in the high-frequency range. TFC simulations with different source formulations, that is, , showed comparable flame thicknesses and spectra of heat release, but the averaged flow quantities calculated with , however, deviate largely from measured data for the current setup. In the second step, the same formulations for the mean rate are applied to an excited plane-jet flame (two-dimensional (2D)) using equidistant grid cells and forced inflow conditions, thereby excluding the influence of varying grid resolution and broadband turbulent fluctuations. This setup is specifically tailored for a detailed analysis of flame response to flow unsteadiness and grid resolution. The formulation of the reaction rate according to the TFC approach again results in a considerably thicker flame compared to results obtained from the DTF model and direct numerical simulation, even on a sufficiently fine mesh. Therefore, the DTF formulation of the reaction rate shows overall stronger responses of heat release rates to forced fluctuations than the TFC formulation. Differences are smaller in the low-frequency range, indicating a stronger damping of heat release fluctuations with increasing frequency for the TFC formulation. Coarsening the grid leads to a much stronger damping of heat release fluctuations in the DTF formulation compared with the TFC formulation, so that the benefit of the DTF formulation decreases with decreasing grid resolution. This reflects the different sensitivity behavior of these models with respect to unsteady flows and grid resolutions, which is of great importance for computing thermoacoustic problems with LES, for example, combustion noise.
Experimental investigation of reattachment behavior of turbulent lifted diffusion jet flames induced by repetitive DC electric pulse discharges with conditional PIV

ABSTRACT Among the recently prevailing flame stabilization enhancement by electric field and plasma, repetitive DC electric pulse discharge is applied to a turbulent lifted diffusion jet flame to improve the reattachment in this study. The main objectove of this study is to characterize experimentally the stability and the reattachment behaviors of lifted flames under the electric pulse effect with a proposed electrode configuration. The effects of pulse repetition frequency (PRF) and voltage polarity on flame are investigated. The reattachment velocity increases by increasing PRF. The time history of flame base trace and absolute flame speed with positive-voltage-pulse are illustrated. The electric corona discharge is observed during upstream propagation process, and its role in flame acceleration is discussed. In addition, 2D-PIV measurement conditioned by high speed sequence images is conducted. Finally, the conditionally instantaneous flame propagation speed is enhanced and exceeds 3 times that of stoichiometric laminar flame speed, which leads to lifted flame reattachment.
Sarah D’Hertefelt. 2018. Insubordination in Germanic. A Typology of Complement and Conditional Constructions (Trends in Linguistics. Studies and Monographs 318). Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter Mouton. 235 S.

Für weite Zweige der Linguistik waren bestimmte syntaktische Phänomene, vor allem der gesprochenen Sprache, lange Zeit kein Thema. Ein Beispiel hierfür sind sicherlich Fragmente bzw. unvollständige Sätze. Mit anderen Worten: Der Untersuchungsgegenstand der Syntax war (und ist noch heute häufig) der „vollständige Satz“ – auch wenn dieser in der sprechsprachlichen Realität vielleicht weniger verbreitet ist, als man vermuten möchte (vgl. Bergs 2017). Ein exzellentes und vor allem sehr frequentes Beispiel für scheinbar unvollständige Sätze ist die in der vorliegenden Arbeit diskutierte Insubordination, also der konventionalisierte Gebrauch von (formal gesehen) Nebensätzen als freie Hauptsätze, wie etwa in Beispiel (1).
Einfluss von pH-Wert und Viskosität sowie der Co-Diffusion auf die Wirkstoffpermeation durch Rindereuterhaut und Silikonmembran

The aim of the present study was to investigate different influences of galenics on transdermal permeation in in-vitro experiments with Franz-type diffusion cells and bovine udder skin. Experiments were performed about the influence of pH, viscosity (increased by hydroxyethylcellulose) and co-diffusion of substances. As accompanying examination the solubility of the substances and as a model for partition into stratum corneum the octanol-water-partition coefficient were determined. Silicone membranes were used comparative in the diffusion experiments. Model substances comprised caffeine, diclofenac, flufenamic acid, ibuprofen, ketamine, salicylic acid and paracetamol. The investigation demonstrates that galenics have an extensive impact on transdermal absorption of drugs. Formulation pH determines the ionization of weak acids and bases, by what the concentration of the mainly permeating unionized fraction is determined. The usage of the polymer hydroxyethylcellulose influences not only the viscosity of the formulation, but also the release and permeation of substances. Surprisingly there are also substances existing, which were not influenced as expected by these factors. Paracetamol permeation was independent of ionization and the caffeine permeation was independent of viscosity. In the co-diffusion experiments two substances were applicated simultaneously. The permeation of diclofenac and flufenaminc acid showed a decrease through combination with caffeine. Since saturation of these substances in the solution was decreased by caffeine, the experiment showed that the thermodynamic activity is a permeation determing factor. Besides this there is a correlation of permeability coefficients of the combined substances for bovine udder skin. The permeation of lipophilic substances through bovine skin and silicone membranes with a log PO/W > 1 is qualitative comparable, whereas there are quantitative differences. For the examination of formulation effects and for their optimization silicone membranes can be used. The present study demonstrates that the permeation of topical applied substances underlies a complex interrelation of several factors. Besides the choice of a suitable substance the vehicle has to be optimized for application.
Measuring Quantitative Situated User Experience with a Mobile Galvanic Skin Response Sensor

Real-time emotion sensing is now a reality due to computing power of mobile phones and portability of sensors. Sensing emotions in real-time supports a multitude of fields as health care, driving, fitness, decision support systems, among others. This paper presents a prototype of a low-cost mobile Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) sensor and two case studies exploring its use, namely: (1) a cloud-based support application designed to help speakers during talks when a stress event is identified; (2) a quantitative User eXperience (UX) analysis during the gameplay of a popular tower defense multiplayer mobile game (Clash Royale), comparing arousal events of winning and losing matches. The proposed mobile GSR sensor enables the detection of signal peaks indicating stress/arousal events during interaction and opens multiple possibilities of quantitatively measuring UX in mobile contexts. With the presented results, one expects to motivate Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) practitioners to explore quantitative measures of situated UX or to design support systems considering the Biocybernetic Loop.
Affecting User's Self-esteem: Analysis under the Self-determination Theory Perspective and Design Recommendations

Self-esteem is a concept which refers to a person's evaluation of himself/herself that can be related to his/her success in interacting with other people and the world around them. The self-esteem of a person is built along his/her lifetime, influenced by experiences, social interactions and sense-making of the world from his/her self-perception of life. As people, technology and society are increasingly connected, technology may also influence the technology user's self-esteem. In this paper we investigate the subject through the lens of the Self-Determination Theory, by analyzing literature work addressing the relation between technology design and self-esteem impact. As a result of this analysis, we present 18 design recommendations to digital and physical artefacts solutions based on a meta-analysis of 21 papers previously selected from literature. With these recommendations we aim at providing technical support to guide designers in improving the system towards users' motivation and self-esteem, favoring the designer's reflection about how the systems they develop may affect the user's life.
Image Descriptions' Limitations for People with Visual Impairments: Where Are We and Where Are We Going?

Image descriptions aim to transcribe the visual content and are essential for people who do not have eyesight. Such image descriptions are generated manually or by Artificial Intelligence (AI) models. Despite its relevance, the emergence of automatic image descriptions was not motivated by people with visual impairments; thus, they still cause dissatisfaction in this audience. This paper provides a snowballing review of the limitations of image descriptions for people with visual impairments. We encountered thirteen image description issues, including those analogous to the ethics, such as people's appearances, gender, race, and disability. We identified five reasons why sighted people do not write image descriptions for the content they share, exposing the necessity of accessibility campaigns to awareness people of the social importance of image descriptions. Moreover, we discussed recommendations found in the literature that may support automated tools and sighted people for writing high-quality image descriptions. We hope our results will highlight the social significance of image descriptions and encourage the community to pursue further interdisciplinary researches that could potentially minimize the issues pointed out in our study.
Morphological and electrophysiological specializations of photoreceptors in the love spot of hover fly Volucella pellucens

Abstract Studies of functional variability in the compound eyes of flies reveal superior temporal resolution of photoreceptors from the frontal areas that mediate binocular vision, and in males mate recognition and pursuit. However, the mechanisms underlying differences in performance are not known. Here, we investigated properties of hover fly Volucella pellucens photoreceptors from two regions of the retina, the frontal-dorsal “love spot” and the lateral one. Morphologically, the microvilli of the frontal-dorsal photoreceptors were relatively few in number per rhabdomere cross-section, short and narrow. In electrophysiological experiments involving stimulation with prolonged white-noise and natural time intensity series, frontal-dorsal photoreceptors demonstrated comparatively high corner frequencies and information rates. Investigation of possible mechanisms responsible for their superior performance revealed significant differences in the properties of quantum bumps, and, unexpectedly, relatively high absolute sensitivity of the frontal-dorsal photoreceptors. Analysis of light adaptation indicated that photoreceptors from two regions adapt similarly but because frontal-dorsal photoreceptors were depolarized much stronger by the same stimuli than the lateral photoreceptors, they reached a deeper state of adaptation associated with higher corner frequencies of light response. Recordings from the photoreceptor axons were characterized by spike-like events that can significantly expand the frequency response range. Seamless integration of spikes into the graded voltage responses was enabled by light adaptation mechanisms that accelerate kinetics and decrease duration of depolarizing light response transients.
Differential effects of resource scarcity and pathogen prevalence on heterosexual women's facial masculinity preferences

Abstract Abstract The present research focused on how environmental harshness may affect heterosexual women's preferences of potential male mates’ facial characteristics, namely masculinity–femininity. The evidence on this issue is mixed and mostly from Western samples. We aimed to provide causal evidence using a sample of Turkish women and Turkish male faces. A video-based manipulation was developed to heighten environmental harshness perceptions. In the main experiment, participants were primed with resource scarcity, pathogen prevalence or neither (control). They then saw masculinised vs. feminised versions of the same faces and indicated the face that they would prefer for a long-term relationship and separately rated the faces on various dimensions. In general, masculinised faces were perceived as slightly more attractive, slightly healthier and much more formidable. A multilevel Bayesian model showed that pathogen prevalence lowered the preference for masculinised faces while resource scarcity weakly elevated it. The overall drop in attractiveness ratings in cases of high perceived pathogen prevalence, one of the strongest effects we observed, suggests that during epidemics, the formation of new relationships is not a favourable strategy. Implications for evolutionary theories of mate preference are discussed.
PACKAGING OF HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN VACCINE AND MORINGA OLEIFERA EXTRACT INTO CHITOSAN NANOPARTICLES

Objective: Oftentimes, the recombinant antigen for the use of vaccines is less immunogenic than live attenuated or inactive vaccines. Hence, a potent adjuvant is needed to enhance the immune response. Moreover, the role of vector design is also important to facilitate the improvement of the immune response. The aim of this research was to develop hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-loaded nanoparticles and Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extracts as an adjuvant using chitosan polymer. Methods: Chitosan nanoparticles were prepared by the ionic gelation method using sodium tripolyphosphate as the cross-linking agent. A system was composed of chitosan core in which HBsAg and M. oleifera extracts were incorporated. The concentration of HBsAg used in this combination was 10 μg/ml, and the concentrations of extracts were 10, 50, and 100 μg/ml, respectively. In this study, three types of nanoparticles were produced: HBsAg-loaded nanoparticles, M. oleifera-loaded nanoparticles, and combination of HBsAg–M. oleifera-loaded nanoparticles. The nanoparticles formed were characterized by the particle size, HBsAg entrapment efficiency using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the entrapment efficiency of extracts using the total flavonoid method. Results: The results showed that the particle size was between 111 and 245 nm. The entrapment efficiency of HBsAg in the separate formula was 79%, while that in the combined formula was approximately 96–98%. Furthermore, the entrapment efficiency of the extracts in the separate formula was around 64–91%, while that in the combined formula was 55–82.5%. Particularly, HBsAg–M. oleifera-loaded chitosan nanoparticles with the extract concentrations of 50 μg/ml showed the highest entrapment efficiencies of HBsAg and M. oleifera extracts of approximately 98 and 82.5%, respectively. Conclusion: Collectively, the system has been successfully developed, so it is then plausible to determine the function of the devices to enhance the immune response in the future.
The performance of Quantum blue phytase at different pH levels using wheat based diet in an in vitro simulation of poultry crop

An experiment was carried out to investigate the impact of different dietary pH levels as stimulate the efficacy of Quantum blue phytase in an in vitro simulation of poultry crop. The experiment consisted of two parts; an acid trial and an in vitro experiment. In the acid trial, four organic acids; propionic acid, formic acid, acidic acid and citric acid were tested separately on two kinds of diet mixtures that made by 4g of barleybased diet or wheat-based diet with 12ml distilled water. Water to feed ratio was 3:1. Each acid was titrated on a diet modal to reach either pH 5.5, 4.5 or 3.5, respectively. The required dosages were noted. Then, modals prepared with corrected pH (5.5, 4.5 and 3.5) were incubated in 40 °C water bath for 1 hour. The pH ranges were recorded during incubation at 5min, 10min, 30min and 1hour to observe acids stabilities. As result, the formic acid was applied in the in vitro experiment. In the in vitro experiment, the treatments were divided into four groups according to the pH values (pH 6.2, 5.5, 4.5 and 3.5). At each group, identical 6 models (include 2 control groups) were prepared by 4 g ground wheat-based diet with 12ml distilled water. The diet models were then corrected the pH by formic acid with 0 μl (pH6.2), 6.5 μl (pH5.5), 43 μl (pH 4.5) and 170 μl (pH3.5), respectively. After that, 4000 μl of 5000 FTU/g Quantum blue phytase was added in each model (except from control groups), mixed well, vortexed and incubated in thermal bath 40 °C for 2 hours with shaken every five minutes. The pH measuring was done occasionally during incubation. Samples were collected from each modal during incubation at 10, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min. Then, all the 120 samples were stored in freezer at -21 °C and analysed the phosphate concentrates by colorimetric method. The findings showed that the Quantum blue phytase have a better efficacy at a lower pH condition at pH 3.5 than at higher. The capability of the phytase showed a significant increase at pH 3.5 during 30min and 1hour, and no further increase after 1 hour.