Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
HIGH RESOLUTION AIRBORNE SHALLOW WATER MAPPING

Abstract. In order to meet the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive (EU-WFD), authorities face the problem of repeatedly performing area-wide surveying of all kinds of inland waters. Especially for mid-sized or small rivers this is a considerable challenge imposing insurmountable logistical efforts and costs. It is therefore investigated if large-scale surveying of a river system on an operational basis is feasible by employing airborne hydrographic laser scanning. In cooperation with the Bavarian Water Authority (WWA Weilheim) a pilot project was initiated by the Unit of Hydraulic Engineering at the University of Innsbruck and RIEGL Laser Measurement Systems exploiting the possibilities of a new LIDAR measurement system with high spatial resolution and high measurement rate to capture about 70 km of riverbed and foreland for the river Loisach in Bavaria/Germany and the estuary and parts of the shoreline (about 40km in length) of lake Ammersee. The entire area surveyed was referenced to classic terrestrial cross-section surveys with the aim to derive products for the monitoring and managing needs of the inland water bodies forced by the EU-WFD. The survey was performed in July 2011 by helicopter and airplane and took 3 days in total. In addition, high resolution areal images were taken to provide an optical reference, offering a wide range of possibilities on further research, monitoring, and managing responsibilities. The operating altitude was about 500 m to maintain eye-safety, even for the aided eye, the airspeed was about 55 kts for the helicopter and 75 kts for the aircraft. The helicopter was used in the alpine regions while the fixed wing aircraft was used in the plains and the urban area, using appropriate scan rates to receive evenly distributed point clouds. The resulting point density ranged from 10 to 25 points per square meter. By carefully selecting days with optimum water quality, satisfactory penetration down to the river bed was achieved throughout the project. During the data processing meshes for multiple purposes like monitoring sediment transport or accumulation and hydro-dynamic numeric modeling were generated. The meshes were professionally conditioned considering the adherence of, both, geometric and physical mesh quality criterions. Whereas the research is focused on the design and implementation of monitoring database structures, the airborne hydrographic data are also made available for classical processing means (cross sections, longitudinal section).
Warm Atlantic surface water inflow to the Nordic seas 34–10 calibrated ka B.P.

A number of short-lasting warm periods (interstadials) interrupted the otherwise cold climate of the last glacial period. These events are supposedly linked to the inflow of the warm Atlantic surface water to the Nordic seas. However, previous investigations of planktonic foraminifera from the Nordic seas have not been able to resolve any significant difference between the interstadials and intervening cold stadials, as the faunas are continuously dominated by the polar species Neogloboquadrina pachyderma s. Here we examine the planktonic foraminifera assemblages from a high-resolution core, LINK17, taken at 1500 m water depth off northern Scotland below the warmest part of the inflowing Atlantic water. The core comprises the time period 34–10 calibrated ka B.P., the coldest period of the last glaciation and the deglaciation. The results reveal a hitherto unknown faunistic variability indicating significant fluctuations in both surface water inflow and in summer sea surface temperatures. During the interstadials, relatively warm Atlantic surface water (4–7°C) flowed north into the eastern Norwegian Sea. During the stadials and Heinrich events the surface inflow stopped and the temperatures in the study area dropped to <2°C. The Last Glacial Maximum was nearly as warm as the interstadials, but the inflow was much more unstable. The data reveal two previously unrecognized warming events each lasting more than 1600 years and preceding Heinrich events HE3 and HE2, respectively. By destabilizing the ice sheets on the shelves the warmings may have played a crucial role for the development of Heinrich events HE2 and HE3.
Volatility risk premia and financial connectedness

In this paper we use the Diebold Yilmaz (2009 and 2012) methodology to construct an index of connectedness among five European stock markets: France, Germany, UK, Switzerland and the Netherlands, by using volatility risk premia. The volatility risk premium, which is a proxy of risk aversion, is measured by the difference between the implied volatility and expected realized volatility of the stock market for next month. While Diebold and Yilmaz focus is on the forecast error variance decomposition of stock returns or range based volatilities employing a stationary VAR in levels, we account for the (locally) long memory stationary properties of the levels of volatility risk premia series. Therefore, we estimate and invert a Fractionally Integrated VAR model to compute the cross forecast error variance shares necessary to obtain the index of total connectedness and the net contribution of each series to total connectedness. The results show that, over January 2000-August 2013, the index of total connectedness among volatility risk premia has been relatively stable with an increasing role played by France and with a positive (but decreasing) role played by Germany and the Netherlands. Non EMU countries such as the UK and Switzerland are negative net contributors to the index.
Songs of humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae in the Ryukyu and Bonin regions

Changes in the songs of humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae in the Ryukyu and Bonin regions of Japan were examined, and songs from the two regions were compared. Eighty-four song sessions in the Ryukyu region, from 1991 to 1997, and eleven song sessions in the Bonin region, from 1992 to 1995, were analyzed. The mean number of theme types was 6.9 for the Ryukyu samples and 7.6 for the Bonin samples. Song similarities were higher within winter than between winters and similarity declined as the number of intervening years increased, indicating that in these regions songs change with time. Song similarities for consecutive years varied, suggesting that the rate of change varies annually. Songs in the same year were very similar in both the Ryukyu and Bonin samples, furthermore site-specific theme types were not found. These results suggest there may be acoustic contact between animals using the two regions, supporting a previous photographic study which indicated that humpback whales migrate between these two regions.
Effects of Sub-Lethal Concentrations of Diazinon on Total Protein and Transaminase Activities in Clarias gariepinus

Diazinon-induced changes in the total protein and transaminase activities of Clarias gariepinus, a common Niger Delta wetland fish were assessed. Adult fish (mean length 35.24±2.80 cm) were acclimatized to laboratory conditions for 7 days and then exposed to varying sub-lethal concentrations of diazinon (1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10 .0 mg /L) in semi-static bioassays for 30 d ays. Total protein and the activities of aspa rtate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were determined in plasma, muscle, liver, gills and kidney. The levels of total protein in plasma and muscle were significantly lower (p<0.05) in al l test concentrations in comparison with the control; but no concentration-dependent in depletions were observed. On the other hand, protein concentrations in liver, kidney and gills decreased with increased concentration of diazinon. In addition to significant differences in ALT and AST in liver, kidney, gills and muscle when compared with the control, concentration dependent activities in ALT was observed to in the liver and gills. It is concluded that protein concentration as well as ALT activities in gills and liver of Clarias gariepinus are more useful biomarkers of sub-lethal effects of diazinon than total protein, ALT and AST activities in plasma.
STILL BIRTHS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF BHOPAL: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

BACKGROUND: Death of fetus in - utero is both devastating to the couple and of concern to the clinician. Stillbirth is one of the most common adverse out-come of pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: 1.To study the status of still birth in Sultania Zanana Hospital. 2. To find out the causes and risk factors associated with still birth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross -sectional study was carried out at SZ Hospital Bhopal during 1st August 2011 to 31st July 2012. A predesigned and pretested profarma was used to collect information from the mothers who had stillbirth regarding maternal age, parity, antenatal care, obstetric causes and medical conditions. Analysis was done using proportions and chi-square test. RESULT: There were a total of 10662 deliveries with 473 still births giving a still birth rate of 44.3/1000 total births. Women who had still births 88.73% were in the age group 20-34yrs, 45.66% were nullipara.53. 06% had not taken any antenatal care. The major causes were APH 128 (27.06%), PIH (Preeclampsia, eclampsia) 114 (24.1%) and maternal medical conditions 34 (7.1%) of stillbirths. Majority 293 (61.94%) were ante partum stillbirths. CONCLUSION: Study showed a high rate of stillbirth, the major causes were ante partum hemorrhage, pregnancy induced hypertension and maternal medical conditions.
Formal and Strategic Appropriability Strategies of Multinational Firms - A Cross Country Comparison

International knowledge spillovers, especially through multinational companies (MNCs), have recently been a major topic of discussion among academics and practitioners. Most research in this field focuses on knowledge sharing activities of MNC subsidiaries. Relatively little is known about their capabilities for protecting valuable knowledge from spilling over to host country competitors. We extend this stream of research by investigating MNC appropriability strategies that go beyond formal methods (patents, copyrights, trademarks) to include strategic ones (secrecy, lead time, complex design). We conceptualize the breadth and depth of a firm? s knowledge protection strategies and relate them to the particular situation of MNC subsidiaries. Moreover, we argue that their approaches differ with regard to host country challenges and opportunities. We address these issues empirically, based on a harmonized survey of innovation activities of more than 1,800 firms located in Portugal and Germany. We find that MNCs prefer broader sets of appropriability strategies in host countries with fewer opportunities for knowledge sourcing. However, munificent host country environments require targeted sets of appropriability strategies instead. We deduce that these results are due to a need for reciprocity to benefit fully from promising host country knowledge flows.
Effects of Digging Substrate on Growth and Fur in Blue Versus Shadow Type of Alopex lagopus

Abstract. Our study sought to establish the extent to which digging substrate in the cage affects growth performance and fur properties in farmed foxes (Alopex lagopus) of the shadow white and blue colour types. The plates were on either the wall or the floor; the sandbox was always on the floor. A standard cage without any digging substrate was used as a control. There were 20 foxes in each group (one male and one female per cage). The cage setups were as follows: 1) a standard cage (105 cm long × 115 cm wide × 70 cm high) without digging substrates, which housed the control group; 2) a standard cage (105 cm long × 115 cm wide × 70 cm high) with a solid metal plate (210 × 297 mm) on the wall for digging and scratching; 3) a standard cage (105 cm long × 115 cm wide × 70 cm high) with a solid metal plate (210 × 297 mm) on the floor for digging and scratching; and 4) a standard cage (105 cm long × 115 cm wide × 70 cm high) with a metal sandbox for digging and scratching (80 × 40 × 14 cm, L×W×H). The sandbox had a 10 cm layer of sand (ca. 25 kg, particle size 0-18 mm) on the bottom. All animals grew well and reached normal body weights. No significant growth differences were found between blue and shadow types within the groups. Furthermore, skin length did not differ between colour types or between groups. Skin weight, on the other hand, was heavier in the blue than in the shadow type in the plate floor groups. No differences were recorded in the other groups. Fur quality was poorest in the blue type of the standard group and best in the shadow type of the plate wall group. Cover and mass were also best in the shadow type of the plate wall group. Furs were dirtiest in the sandbox groups, irrespective of colour type. Our findings tempt us to conclude that body growth is highly affected by digging substrate and that a sandbox in the cage causes the dirtiest fur and may, therefore, be avoided in farming practice. Key Words: Alopex lagopus, digging substrate, fur properties, growth performance, colour type
Effect of Dietary Canola Oil Level on Fatty Acid Composition of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss L.)

The effects of different levels of dietary canola oil on fatty acid composition of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were investigated. Five experimental diets with equal protein (47%) and lipid (17%) contents were formulated for rainbow trout with a mean weight of 119±0.17 g. Canola oil was used to replace 0, 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% of the fish oil in the control diet. Fish were fed twice daily to satiation for 70 days. At the end of the study, fatty acid compositions in the trout body mirrored the fatty acid compositions of the experimental diets. The highest fatty acids were palmitic acid (C16:0), oleic acid (C18:1n-9), linoleic acid (C18:2n-6), and docosahexaenoic acids (C22:6n-3). The study showed that, under our test conditions, canola oil can replace 100% of fish oil with no negative effect on the chemical or fatty acid composition of rainbow trout.
Iranian EFL Teachers' and Students' Perceptions towards the First Grade High School English Textbook (Vision1)

In countries where textbooks are considered as the main source of teaching/learning process, textbook evaluation seems to be inevitable and necessary. The current study aimed at evaluating the new English textbook entitled “Vision 1”, developed for the Iranian first grade high school students. To achieve this goal, two groups of participants took part in the study. They consisted of 30 teachers teaching this book in Baghmalek in Khuzestan province and 70 students studying in the first grade high school in the city mentioned. The quantitative data were collected through two questionnaires. The questionnaires were designed to evaluate the book in terms of seven criteria namely, practical considerations, layout and design, activities, skills, language type, subject and content and cultural considerations. The findings showed that teachers and students were interested in the book in all criteria except cultural considerations. The results also showed no significant difference between Iranian teachers' and students' perceptions towards the book. It can be concluded that the book needs to be modified to include some aspects of cultural values to open a window into learning about the target language culture.
Modelling carbon allocation - a review

The problem of allocation of a plant's carbon resources is basically an evolutionary one in which long-term reproductive success is the goal. Analyses of which features maximise seed production have been done on the basis of root: shoot: seed allocation and height growth: seed production. More complex models which focus on many-species interactions along a resource continuum have also been tried. More commonly, however, the problem of allocation is defined in terms of functional (physiological) properties of the plant, with nitrogen availability as a dominant factor. Within this category, some models rely directly on empirical information, others derive root:shoot allocation from various physiological principles such as transport resistance, balance between carbon and nitrogen uptake, or balance between carbon assimilation and consumption. In some cases allocation is calculated from an optimisation scheme. In view of the criteria that should be satisfied by allocation models, we conclude that today there are no allocation models that satisfy all requirements.
Investigating the Influential Factors on Purchase Intention the ‘Gray Market’ Goods in South-East of Iran

One of the main challenges that many of the international markets activists confront, is the phenomenon of ‘gray market’. Regarding the necessity of knowing and controlling this kind of market, the present study has tried to discuss and examine those factors that affects on consumers tendency toward purchasing gray market goods in the south-eastern of Iran. The chosen method of research for this study is a descriptive one based on field survey. The society that has been looked through involved a group of 502 consumers from the south-eastern cities of Iran, chosen randomly. This study is based on structural equations model and for examining the relations between variables and testing hypotheses, after collecting data and information through questionnaires, the AMOS18 and SPSS17 software programs have been used. The results of research indicate that variables such as: price consciousness, perceived risk, perceived value and inference of ‘price-quality’ through attitude, all influence on the consumer’s purchase intention. Besides, the variables like consumption dependency, status consumption and social expenses have direct effects on this attitude. Key words: Gray market; Consumer’s behavior; Iran
Clinical and microbiological profile of necrotizing fasciitis

Necrotizing fasciitis is an infectious disease with mortality rate ranging from 17% to 34%. It is a spectrum of diseases where necrosis of deeper soft tissue is caused by an infective microorganism. Necrotizing fasciitis involves the superficial fascia with extensive deterioration of the surrounding tissue. It has been classified based on different criteria viz. anatomical level of involvement or the requirement of surgical management. However, it is most convenient to categorize necrotizing fasciitis based on the microbiological characteristics of the pathogen involved. It is suggested that the rapid, soft tissue necrosis seen in ABSTRACT
Factors affecting the export participation and performance of Thai manufacturing small and medium sized Enterprises (SMEs)

This paper employed the 2007 Thai Industrial Census to empirically examine the effects of firm-specific and industry factors on a firm’s decision to export and the export performance of 65,111 Thai manufacturing SMEs which are classified into eight submanufacturing groups. Six econometric models are indentified to capture linear and nonlinear effects of firm-specific factors as well as to analyze each industry effect for Thai manufacturing SMEs. Four limited dependent variable models (i.e., the probit model, the logit model, the linear probability model, and the Tobit model) are used to study the factors affecting a firm’s export decision and its export performance. Estimation techniques were used to check the statistical confidence of the results for this study. With regards to firmspecific factors which exert an influence on a firm’s decision to export and its export performance, firm size, firm age, and labour productivity, government assistance, foreign investment (ownership), municipal location, research and development, and skilled labour were found to be significantly and positively related to a firm’s export participation and its export performance. Significant and negative nonlinear results were also found for firm size, firm age, and labour productivity in this study. Focusing on the effects of industry sectors on a firm’s decision to export and its export performance, producer concentration was found to have a significant and positive effect on a firm’s export decision and its export performance but a significant and negative result was found for the capital labour ratio. Finally, evidence-based policies are provided to facilitate improvement in the international competitiveness of Thai manufacturing SMEs and in their export performance.
VITAMIN E EFFECTS ON INTESTINAL DAMAGES IN BURNED RATS

Background: Vitamin E is a fat–soluble agent protecting cells from free radicals damages. Previous studies have shown that oxidative stress plays an important role in mucosal intestinal damages in burn trauma. This study aimed to investigate vitamin E effects on small intestinal mucosal changes in burned rats. Methods: Mature male rats (n=32) weighing 260 ± 10 g were used in this experiment. After induction of deep general anesthesia, a determined area of rats’ back region (10% of body surface) was exposed to 95 oC water for 8 seconds to induce a second-degree wet burn. The evaluated groups in our study were: 8 rats without burning, 8 rats without burning treated with vitamin E, 300 mg/kg/day for 15 days, 8 burned rats without medication and 8 burned rats treated with vitamin E, 300 mg/kg/day for 15 days. All rats were killed on fifteenth day by ether inhalation. The samples were taken from the first part of small intestine and were stained by Hematoxylin & Eosin method. Results: Burned rats receiving vitamin E had a higher intestinal villi height and lower intestinal lumen diameter as compared to burned rats without the vitamin E treatment (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively) and those values were close to the results of unburned ones. There were no significant differences among the study groups regarding the intestinal diameter and muscular layer thickness. Conclusion: Vitamin E can improve intestinal villus height and lumen diameter and its consumption at the time of burning may protect intestine mucosa. A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T
The scaling of the L values in Spanish downstepping contours

Abstract The present study examines the behavior of the lower edge of the tonal space (i.e., the L points or minima found between F0peaks) in Spanish downstepping F0contours as a function of the following four linguistic factors: (1) the F0height of surrounding peaks, (2) the temporal interval from L points to preceding peaks, (3) phrasal length, and (4) phrasal position. In contrast with H values, which are well predicted by a constant ratio of downstep from the previous H peak (Prieto, Shih & Nibert, 1996), L values are shown to be more variable and affected by a variety of contextual factors. The current study reports the results for data collected from three speakers of Mexican Spanish. An adequate fit to the data of all the speakers (between 55% and 80% of the variance explained) can be obtained by multiple regression whenallthese contextual factors are included. Explicit quantitative comparisons strongly suggest that such a full linear model is superior both to linear models that exclude any of these variables and to models that fit a constant-slope falling line from the preceding peak to the L value. Finally, it is found that the L values in utterance-final valleys are also affected byfinal lowering, suggesting that LH pairs behave as domain units for the application of phonological downstep.