Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Satellite-monitored movements of humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean

Southern Hemisphere humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae migrate from wintering grounds in tropical latitudes to feeding areas in the Antarctic Ocean. It has been hypo- thesized that the population wintering off eastern South America migrates to feeding grounds near the Antarctic Peninsula (ca. 65° S, 60° W) and/or South Georgia (54° 20' S, 36° 40' W), but direct evi- dence to support this has never been presented. Between 19 and 28 October 2003, 11 humpback whales (7 females and 4 males) were instrumented with satellite transmitters off Brazil (ca. 18° 30' S, 39° 30' W) to investigate their movements and migratory destinations. Mean tracking time for the whales was 39.6 d (range = 5 to 205 d) and mean distance travelled was 1673 km per whale (range = 60 to 7258 km). Movements on the wintering ground showed marked individual variation. Departure dates from the Brazilian coast ranged from late October to late December. Whales migrated south through oceanic waters at an average heading of 170° and travelled a relatively direct, linear path from wintering to feeding grounds. Two whales were tracked to feeding grounds in offshore areas near South Georgia and in the South Sandwich Islands (58° S, 26° W) after a 40 to 60 d long migration. Historical catches and current sighting information support these migratory routes and destinations. This study is the first to describe the movements of humpback whales in the western South Atlantic Ocean.
A search group algorithm for wind and wave farm layout optimization

A Search Group Algorithm (SGA) is presented and applied on both Wind and Wave Farm Layout Optimization. SGA allows calculating the optimal geometric layout of the devices within farms, in order to achieve an optimal power output. At the same time, device interactions are taken into account and the minimal distances between the devices are respected (e.g. necessary for maintenance). The SGA performance is compared to that of other algorithms found in the literature for both wind and wave farms, providing improved solutions for all designs used here as benchmarking cases. However, for complex wind farms with a large number of turbines in a restricted area, the efficiency rates of the optimal farm layouts decrease strongly. Regarding wave farms, we propose the combination of a novel WEC interaction method for deriving the diffraction transfer matrix applied to multi-body interactions in water waves, with the SGA. This combination allows to determine the optimal WEC positions in large farms at a reasonable computational cost. We aim at a further implementation of a cost function to investigate the influence of the farm layout on capital and maintenance costs. With these insights, the optimal power-cost layout can be determined and a comparison can be made between a wind and a wave farm. Other applications of the SGA can focus on farms of floating wind turbines, or co-located wind-wave farms. Keywords— Renewable energy, wind farm/park, wave farm/park/array, layout optimisation, metaheuristic algorithm, floating device interactions within farms
Both a Unique Motif at the C Terminus and an N-Terminal HEAT Repeat Contribute to G-Quadruplex Binding and Origin Regulation by the Rif1 Protein

Rif1 is a key factor for spatiotemporal regulation of DNA replication. Rif1 suppresses origin firing in the mid-late replication domains by generating replication-suppressive chromatin architecture and by recruiting a protein phosphatase. ABSTRACT Rif1 is a key factor for spatiotemporal regulation of DNA replication. Rif1 suppresses origin firing in the mid-late replication domains by generating replication-suppressive chromatin architecture and by recruiting a protein phosphatase. In fission yeast, the function of Hsk1, a kinase important for origin firing, can be bypassed by rif1Δ due to the loss of origin suppression. Rif1 specifically binds to G-quadruplex (G4) in vitro. Here, we show both conserved N-terminal HEAT repeats and C-terminal nonconserved segments are required for origin suppression. The N-terminal 444 amino acids and the C-terminal 229 amino acids can each mediate specific G4 binding, although high-affinity G4 binding requires the presence of both N- and C-terminal segments. The C-terminal 91 amino acids, although not able to bind to G4, can form a multimer. Furthermore, genetic screening led to identification of two classes of rif1 point mutations that can bypass Hsk1, one that fails to bind to chromatin and one that binds to chromatin. These results illustrate functional domains of Rif1 and indicate importance of both the N-terminal HEAT repeat segment and C-terminal G4 binding/oligomerization domain as well as other functionally unassigned segments of Rif1 in regulation of origin firing.
Condition-dependent adaptive phenotypic plasticity and interspecific gene-culture coevolution

Abstract Evolutionary socioecological theory and research proposing linking parasites with human social organization is uncommon and therefore welcome. However, more generally, condition-dependent adaptive phenotypic plasticity requires environmental uncertainty on a small scale, accompanied by reliable cues. In addition, genes in parasites may select among biologically adaptive cultural alternatives directly without necessarily going through human genetic predispositions, resulting in inter-specific gene-culture coevolution.
Chromatin remodeling protein MORC2 promotes breast cancer invasion and metastasis through a PRD domain-mediated interaction with CTNND1

MORC family CW-type zinc finger 2 (MORC2) is a newly identified chromatin remodeling protein with emerging roles in the regulation of DNA damage response and gene transcription, but its mechanistic role in breast cancer development and progression remains unexplored. Here, we show that MORC2 promoted breast cancer invasion and metastasis and these effects depended on a proline-rich domain (PRD) within its carboxy-terminal region spanning residues 601–734. Induced expression of wild-type MORC2 did not significantly affect cell proliferation and cell-cycle progression, but promoted breast cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro and metastatic lung colonization in vivo. The PRD domain was dispensable for the protein stability and subcellular localization of MORC2, but depletion of the PRD domain substantially suppressed MORC2-mediated migration, invasion, and metastasis. Proteomic and biochemical analyses further demonstrated that wild-type MORC2, but not PRD deletion mutant, interacted with catenin delta 1 (CTNND1), a cadherin-associated protein that participates in tumor invasion and metastasis. Moreover, knockdown of endogenous CTNND1 by short hairpin RNAs suppressed the migratory and invasive potential of MORC2-expressing cells. Taken together, these results suggest that MORC2 promotes breast cancer invasion and metastasis through its PRD domain-mediated interaction with CTNND1.
Project-based learning and writing skill in EFL: are they related?

This study aimed at investigating the effect of Project-Based Learning on students’ writing skill of grade 9 at SMPN 3 Kuta Selatan. This study employed embedded mixed method design, in which the quantitative data were considered as the main data. The data were collected through guided interview, observation, and writing test. Paired sample t-test was used for the quantitative data analysis. The result showed that Project-Based Learning has significant effect on students’ English writing skill (sig. = .000 < α = .05). Project-Based Learning also revealed potentially promotes students’ critical thinking, communication, and creativity through collaborative work. In general, it can be concluded that Project-Based Learning significantly improves junior high school students’ writing skill in English as a Foreign Language.
The relationship between liquidity risk and credit risk in Islamic banking industry of Iran

Article history: Received October 28, 2012 Received in revised format 18 February 2013 Accepted 19 February 2013 Available online February 27 2013 An integrated risk management is a process, which enables banks to measure and manage all risks, simultaneously. The recent turbulent chaos on banking industry has increase the relative importance of risk management, more than before. This paper investigates the relationship between credit risk and liquidity risk among Iranian banks. The proposed study includes all private and governmental banks as population over the period 2005-2012. The results Pearson correlation has disclosed a positive and meaningful relationship between credit and liquidity risks. Bank size also impacts on two mentioned risk factors but we there seems to be no relationship between financial chaos and type of ownership with risk factors. © 2013 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Operating Segments (IFRS 8)-Required Disclosure and the Specific-Characteristics of Kuwaiti Listed Companies

The aim of this article is to assess and examine the operating segment required-disclosure of companies listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) and the influence of certain variables that determine their extent of operating segment disclosures. Similar to the previous studies, the degree of operating segment disclosure is tested based on a disclosure index of the compulsory items of the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 8 (Operating segment). A regression model is estimated using Ordinary Least Squares analysis for a sample of 150 Kuwaiti companies listed on the KSE at the end of 2013 to examine the relationship between the degree of operating segment disclosure and the specific characteristics of Kuwaiti listed companies. The results reveal that the average level of operating segment disclosure was 54%, ranging from 3% to 95%. The results revealed that Kuwaiti listed companies with a higher level of compliance with the IFRS 8-required disclosures (Operating segment) were expected to be larger, highly growth and audited by audit firm associated with a Big-4 audit firm. In contrast with the more compliant, Kuwaiti listed companies with a lesser level of compliance with the IFRS 8-required operating segment disclosure were likely to be profitable. In contrast, company age, ownership diffusion, leverage and type of industry, were found to be not influencing the compliance with the IFRS 8-required operating segment disclosure. The findings deliver valuable insights and assistance to the regulatory and enforcement official bodies and to the investors in Kuwait on evaluating the existing operating segment disclosure practice among KSE-listed companies. Since the average level of operating segment disclosure was 54%, this result recommends reviewing the monitoring system of the enforcement of required operating segment disclosure. Additionally, the results provide feedback about the drivers of operating segment disclosures practice.
CEO Compensation and Private Information: An Optimal Contracting Perspective

We consider the joint optimal design of CEOs severance pay and on-the-job pay in a modelin which the CEO has interim private information about the likely success of his strategy. The board faces a tradeoff between reducing the likelihood that the firm forgoes an efficient strategy change and limiting the CEO s informational rents. The optimal truthtelling mech-anism takes a simple form: it consists of fixed severance pay and high-powered, non-linear on-the-job pay, such as a bonus scheme or option grant. Our model makes testable predic-tions linking CEOs severance pay and on-the-job pay to each other as well as to the firm s external business environment, firm size, and corporate governance.
Increasing organic food consumption in Spain An analysis of policy obstacles in national and European policy

Consumption of organic food products in Spain has not kept pace with the expansion of production. Supporting the consumption of locally-produced organic food would increase the sustainability of food consumption in Spain. The objective of this study is to analyse the policy obstacles to an increase in organic food consumption. Data collection is based on a document analysis of governmental measures affecting organic food consumption and relies on both qualitative and quantitative data. The four major issues to consider in regards to organic food consumption in Spain are exports, food prices, consumer knowledge, and availability. National Organic Action Plans show a policy-gap concerning the price-differential between conventional and organic foodstuffs and the scarce availability in key marketing channels. Further, policies to promote locally-produced organic food in Spain are severely constrained by international trade policies. Future policy steps should combine information-based policies with other policy-instruments and support alternative structures of provision. (Less)
Heterogeneous lowermost mantle : Compositional constraints and seismological observables

Several seismological observations indicate the existence of compositional heterogeneities in the lowermost mantle, in particular, the anticorrelation between bulk sound and shear wave velocity anomalies, and anomalously high values (i.e., >2.7) of the ratio R = dinVs/dlnVf. Constraining the composition of such heterogeneous material is fundamental to determine its origin and its possible role on the dynamical evolution of the Earth's mantle. In this paper we propose a new approach to constrain the composition of chemically denser material in the lower mantle. Using geodynamical and seismological constraints, we show that the denser material has to be enriched in both iron and silica with respect to a pyrolitic lower mantle. The required enrichment is reduced if we consider that at high pressure Al-perovskite decreases the iron-magnesium partition coefficient between magnesiowiistite and perovskite. We then apply the estimated composition to the distribution of chemical heterogeneities calculated by our thermochemical convection model. In the deep mantle we predict broad seismic velocity anomalies and strong lateral velocity variations. Moreover, we find that areas of anticorrelation are associated with upwelling mantle flow, in agreement with tomographic studies. The calculated R ratio varies laterally and may locally have values >2.7, often associated with areas of anticorrelation. Our results compare well with seismic observations and provide a way to reconcile apparent discrepancies between global tomographic models. Finally, we suggest that only an enrichment in iron and silica in the lowermost mantle is required to explain seismological observations.
Management accounting development and practices in Bangladesh

The more the development of the market economy, the more the significance of management accounting. To keep pace with this increasing market economy, it becomes imperative for the organizations to adopt new management accounting tools and techniques. It is also important for the Bangladeshi organizations. This paper seeks to obtain an overview of the management accounting practices in the listed manufacturing companies of Bangladesh. Data has been gathered by a questionnaire survey from eight manufacturing sectors. The analysis has revealed that though there is difference in extent of practices among the sectors, all sectors fail to practice some newly developed techniques. If this trend continues, Bangladeshi organizations will lag behind in the race of global competitiveness and comparative advantages. It is therefore, some policy recommendation has been made to improve and fasten the management accounting practices.
Relationship between soil water retention model parameters and structure stability

Studying and modeling the effects of soil properties and management on soil structure and near saturation water retention is vital for the development of effective soil and water conservation practices. The contribution of soil intrinsic properties and extrinsic conditions to structure stability was inferred, in quantitative terms, from changes in water retention curves near saturation (low matric potential, 0-50 cm, macropores > 60 µm) that were obtained by the high energy moisture characteristic (HEMC) method. The S-shaped water retention curves were characterized by the modified van Genuchten model that provided: (i) the model parameters α and n, which represent the location of the inflection point and the steepness of the water retention curve, respectively; and (ii) the soil structure index, SI=VDP/MS, where VDP is the volume of drainable pores, and MS is the modal suction. Model parameters, claculated by the soil-HEMC model, were related to soil properties and hence soil water retention properties were linked to measured characteristics in several field and laboratory experiments. Soil SI increased exponentially with the increase in α and the decrease in n, while the relationship between SI and α/n was linear. An improved description of the water retention and its link to pore and apparent aggregate size distribution, by using the model parameters α and n, could potentially assist in the selection of management practices for obtaining the most suitable type of soil structure depending on the desired soil function.
Diversity and functional composition of alpine grasslands along an elevational transect in the Gran Paradiso National Park (NW Italy)

Elevational gradients in high mountain ranges are particularly suitable to study and understand patterns and drivers of plant community diversity and composition, yet there are only few studies that explicitly addressed this topic for the European Alps. Here we analysed an elevational gradient in grasslands of the Gran Paradiso National Park (NW Italy) from c. 1,700 to 3,100 m a.s. l. We recorded vascular plant species composition in 13 100-m2 plots, each with two series of nested subplots from 0.0001 to 10 m2, as well as a set of environmental parameters (topography, soil). Beta-diversity was assessed via the z-values of power-law species-area relationships, both across all plot sizes and from one plot size to the next bigger one. Diversity-environment relationships were assessed with multimodel inference based on Akaike information criterion (AIC), while scale dependence in z-values across plot sizes was analysed with an ANOVA. Life forms and three major functional traits (specific leaf area = SLA, canopy height, seed mass) were derived from trait databases to calculate fractions of life forms and community-weighted means for the metric traits. Species richness on 100 m2 ranged from 17 to 65, with a mean of 43.5. The z-values were within a typical range known for European grasslands (mean: 0.227), with non-significant scale dependence. The importance of environmental factors for richness changed across grain sizes, with inclination (positive effect), mean soil depth and soil skeleton content (both: negative effect) being most influential at grain sizes of 0.0001–1 m2. By contrast, soil pH was most important (with a unimodal relationship) for 10 and 100 m2. After accounting for the other environmental factors, elevation showed a moderate unimodal relationship only for the two largest grain sizes. By contrast, functional composition showed strong and mostly significant relationships with elevation: hemicryptophytes and geophytes became rarer and chamaephytes more frequent, while community-weighted means of SLA, canopy height and seed mass decreased. Our findings highlight the scale dependence of biodiversity patterns, thus pointing to the need of multi-scale samManuscript received 21 March 2016, accepted 27 April 2016 Co-ordinating Editor: Anikó Csecserits 338 pling to reach comprehensive understanding. Further, we could provide one of the first documentations of biodiversity and functional composition along an elevational gradient in the Alps, some in agreement with expectations, others not. This suggests that more extensive studies with a similar design in this and other regions of the Alps could be a valuable contribution to the understanding of how environmental factors drive components of biodiversity as well a functional community assembly.
Designing Smart Textile Services through value networks, team mental models and shared ownership

The goal of Smart Textile Services is to integrate existing knowledge from the separate domains of textile (soft materials), technology and services. As no single actor can meaningfully understand and realize the creation of Product Service Systems multiple actors need to team up with relevant partners. The contribution of this paper is to describe the initiation of a bottom-up approach aiming to co-design Smart Textile Services in collaboration with partners from the Dutch textile and technology industry, service providers, creative hubs and academic institutes. The concepts of value networks, team mental models and shared ownership are used to design and analyse two co-design workshops that took place within the consortium: a co-reflection and a co-creation workshop. We will use the same concepts to reflect on how a bottom-up approach can be used for designing Smart Textile Services, and how a designer can contribute to this process. Further, we will indicate how we are planning to pursue this bottom-up approach in future research.
A Random Matrix Approach to Dynamic Factors in macroeconomic data

We show how random matrix theory can be applied to develop new algorithms to extract dynamic factors from macroeconomic time series. In particular, we consider a limit where the number of random variables N and the number of consecutive time measurements T are large but the ratio N / T is fixed. In this regime the underlying random matrices are asymptotically equivalent to Free Random Variables (FRV). Application of these methods for macroeconomic indicators for Poland economy is also presented.
Effect of storage on nutrient composition and mycoflora of sundried soyabean (Glycine max .)

Sundried Glycine max were stored for 20 weeks. During storage, monthly analyses were carried out to determine the effect of storage on the nutrient composition, minerals and mycoflora present in the sample. The mycoflora isolated from sundriedGlycine max during storage were Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus glaucus, Aspergillus versicolor, Aspergillus flavus and Rhizopus sp. The results of the proximate of stored sun dried G. max showed that moisture content increased from 6.80 to 8.34%, ash content from 5.07 to 6.45% and crude protein from 40.94 to 42.33% as the storage time increases while the fat decrease from 19.15 to 18.37%, fibre from 5.72 to 5.35% and carbohydrates from 22.33 to 19.18% with the storage time. The results of mineral analysis indicated that all the mineral elements; sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and phosphorus (P) were found to decrease as the storage time increased while potassium (K) and zinc (Zn) increased as the storage time increased but copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) were detected in the first two months of storage in the samples. Some of these isolated fungi play important role in the soil, Aspergillus spp. are common mould found in soil and the second most commonly recovered fungus in opportunistic mycoses whileRhizopus sp. is responsible for the damage of blood vessels, nerves and cause necrosis of the infected tissues. These mineral elements found in the plant serves an important role in the body system, such as teeth formation by calcium, formation of haemoglobin by iron (Fe) and regulation of acid base balance of the body by phosphorus (P). Finally, this work has shown that there is urgent need to develop a better drying method for local use since the drying methods encouraged contamination by air microflora and spores of fungi present in the air. Key words: Mycoflora, crude protein, chemical composition, soya bean, storage