Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Resource selection by cougars: Influence of behavioral state and season

An understanding of how a predator uses the landscape can assist in developing management plans. We modeled resource selection by cougars (Puma concolor) during 2 behavioral states (moving and killing) and 2 seasons (summer and winter) with respect to landscape characteristics using locations from global positioning system (GPS)-collared cougars in the Pryor Mountains, Montana and Wyoming, USA. Furthermore, we examined predation-specific resource selection at 2 scales (fine and coarse). When possible, we backtracked from cache sites to kill sites and used a fine-scale analysis to examine landscape characteristics of confirmed kills. At this fine scale, kill sites had less horizontal visibility, were more likely to be in juniper (Juniperus spp.)-mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius), and were less likely to be in grassland vegetation. For the coarse-scale analysis of predation risk, we used the entire dataset of kills by buffering each cache site by 94.9 m, which was the 95% upper cut-off point of the known distances dragged from kill sites to cache sites, thereby creating buffered cache sites that had a high probability of containing the kill site. We modeled seasonal cougar predation site selection by constructing resource selection functions for these buffered cache sites. The top model for summer predation risk consisted of vegetation class, distance to water, and slope. The top model for winter predation risk included vegetation class and elevation. These predation risk models were similar to but simpler than the resource selection models developed from the moving locations. Essentially, the behavioral state (i.e., killing vs. moving) of the cougar had little influence on resource selection, indicating that cougars are generally in hunting mode while moving through their landscape. To potentially reduce cougar predation on mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) in our study area, managers can intersect the cougar predation-risk resource selection functions with deer and sheep habitat to guide habitat modification efforts aimed at increasing horizontal visibility in risky vegetation classes. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.
Partying Before the Party Gets Started: The Effects of Descriptive Norms on Pregaming Behavior

Pregaming (consuming several alcoholic drinks prior to going to a bar or party) has become a common practice on many college campuses. We propose that students often rely on descriptive norms when making decisions about pregaming. In Study 1, we provided undergraduate students with norm information indicating that relatively few college students regularly engage in pregaming behavior. Female students receiving this information engaged in pregaming significantly less often the following week than female students who received no norm information. The rate of pregaming among male students was not affected by the norm information. The effect of norm information on pregaming was replicated in Study 2 using only female students. In addition, providing information about gender-specific norms had a greater impact on pregaming behavior than presenting norm data for the general student body only. The findings indicate that descriptive norms play an important role in pregaming behavior and suggest avenues for intervention programs.
Reflecting on reflection, leadership and social work: Social work students as developing leaders

A strong case for including leadership in social work programs has been articulated since the 1980s. Yet specific leadership courses are not commonly included in Australian social work curriculums. It is argued that there is a difference between 'teaching' leadership and 'teaching about' leadership. Using a critically reflective approach to social work leadership assists students to develop a professional identity that includes future possibilities for leadership in a way that is personally meaningful. This paper reflects on leadership from the perspectives of social work students and educators. A thematic analysis conducted on student reflections completed over one semester and teacher reflections on the findings are presented. A postmodern narrative approach informed the analysis from which three themes, self-transformation, caring for self, and value-based leadership, are discussed. The paper concludes that a critically reflective approach to leadership education in the human services is important to the integration of theoretical knowledge, skill development and individualised contexts.
Towards Robust Evaluations of Continual Learning

Experiments used in current continual learning research do not faithfully assess fundamental challenges of learning continually. Instead of assessing performance on challenging and representative experiment designs, recent research has focused on increased dataset difficulty, while still using flawed experiment set-ups. We examine standard evaluations and show why these evaluations make some continual learning approaches look better than they are. We introduce desiderata for continual learning evaluations and explain why their absence creates misleading comparisons. Based on our desiderata we then propose new experiment designs which we demonstrate with various continual learning approaches and datasets. Our analysis calls for a reprioritization of research effort by the community.
Perceived Ownership of Avatars Influences Visual Perspective Taking

Modern computer-based applications often require the user to interact with avatars. Depending on the task at hand, spatial dissociation between the orientations of the user and the avatars might arise. As a consequence, the user has to adopt the avatar’s perspective and identify herself/himself with the avatar, possibly changing the user’s self-representation in the process. The present study aims to identify the conditions that benefit this change of perspective with objective performance measures and subjective self-estimations by integrating the idea of avatar-ownership into the cognitive phenomenon of spatial compatibility. Two different instructions were used to manipulate a user’s perceived ownership of an avatar in otherwise identical situations. Users with the high-ownership instruction reported higher levels of perceived ownership of the avatar and showed larger spatial compatibility effects from the avatar’s point of view in comparison to the low ownership instruction. This supports the hypothesis that perceived ownership benefits perspective taking.
Perceptual Span in Oral Reading: The Case of Chinese

ABSTRACT The present study explores the perceptual span, that is, the physical extent of the area from which useful visual information is obtained during a single fixation, during oral reading of Chinese sentences. Characters outside a window of legible text were replaced by visually similar characters. Results show that the influence of window size on the perceptual span was consistent across different fixation and oculomotor measures. To maintain normal reading behavior when reading aloud, it was necessary to have information provided from three characters to the right of the fixation. Together with findings from previous research, our findings suggest that the physical size of the perceptual span is smaller when reading aloud than in silent reading. This is in agreement with previous studies in English, suggesting that the mechanisms causing the reduced span in oral reading have a common base that generalizes across languages and writing systems.
Pupillary Responses to Illusions of Brightness in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Previous studies indicate that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do not experience optical illusions in the same manner as individuals with typical development. This study uses pupillary responses as an objective measure of perception of visual illusions, with the hypothesis that adults with ASD will show weaker pupillary constrictions to the illusions than adults without ASD. An eye-tracker was used to investigate the spontaneous pupillary changes to brightness illusions in adults diagnosed with ASD (N = 11) and in a control group (N = 24). Contrary to the hypothesis, the ASD group showed similar pupillary constrictions to the illusory bright stimuli as the control group. Therefore, this study does not support the idea that individuals with ASD have a veridical perception of these types of illusions and instead suggest that atypical perception of illusions does not constitute a universal characteristic of aspect of high-functioning individuals with ASD.
Thermal Conductivity of ZnSe Compound Lattice Bushra

The study surveys the ability of applying the dispersion relation of diatomic lattice provided by Awad, to calculate the lattice thermal conductivity for (ZnSe) compound at temperature range between (2-300K) . Where the study reveals a good agreement between the theoretical and experimental values of the lattice thermal conductivity . Taking into account scatterings of phonon by boundary ,point defect and three phonon scattering.As The results showed the possibility of this function to deal with the high temperature lattice thermal conductivity of ZnSe .
Development of the fire salamander larvae at the altitudinal limit in Lombardy (north-western Italy) : effect of two cohorts occurrence on intraspecific aggression

During 2013, we surveyed the larval population of the fire salamander that inhabits different pseudo-artificial headwater pools in Lombardy, Italy. To understand altitude effects on breeding, larval development and intraspecific aggression, we focused on sites at the altitudinal limit for the spawning of the species in this region (around 1491 m a.s.l.). Sites have been visited two times per month between spring and autumn; in each pool, larvae were collected, weighed, measured and individually recognized. We assessed the density of larvae and the frequency of injured ones. Through pipe-sampling we monitored prey biomass and density. Our study verifies that two cohorts of fire salamander larvae exist in the pools at the altitudinal limit in Lombardy. Moreover, we found the deposition of two eggs with abortive embryos inside. Larvae that were laid in April 2013 reached a total length of 47.0 to 62.5 mm by October. Pools hosted high prey density, but low biomass. The frequency of injured larvae found was generally higher than reported for caves and lower than observed in cases of high predation pressure by Odonata larvae. The deposition of abortive eggs represents the first record of this phenomenon for the populations of fire salamander of the Pre-Alps. Generally, our study provides new data on fire salamander larvae growing at high altitudes.
Some studies on the surface modification of sol-gel derived hydrophilic Silica nanoparticles

In the present investigation surface modification of silica nanoparticles by alumina was carried out by sol-gel process. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) confirmed the synthesis of silica and the surface modification as alumina is anchored to silica surface. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigations observed that alumina doping affected significantly the morphology, particle size distribution and surface area of the synthesized nanoparticles. From N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms studies it was further noted that alumina doping improved the pore volumes of the synthesized silica nanoparticles and the synthesized silica alumina nanoparticles are mesoporous materials. The hydrophobicity test and thermal stability results confirmed the modification and conversion of silica to hydrophobic materials using alumina.
Single Versus Double Intramedullary Fixation of Paediatric Both Bone Forearm Fractures: Radiological Outcomes

Introduction Both bone diaphyseal forearm fractures are common in children. If the reduction is unstable, intramedullary fixation using elastic intramedullary nails (EIN) is an option. Intramedullary fixation may be either of single (S-EIN) or both (double) bones (D-EIN). Some reports have shown poorer outcomes with S-EIN. Our aim was to critically analyse the radiological features of EIN cases, comparing results for single and both bone fixation. Method Retrospective review (two years: November 2014–November 2016) of EIN forearm procedures. Radiological reduction of the radius/ ulna (AP/lateral) was measured on theatre fluoroscopy and six week radiographs. The results were categorised by angulation: (i) <10°, (ii) 10–20°, and (iii) >20°. Results Of 36 patients (19 boys, 17 girls), 13 had S-EIN (mean age 9.6 years, range 7–14) and 23 had D-EIN (mean age 10 years, range 7–14). In the S-EIN group, two and 11 had the ulna and radius fixed, respectively. Intraoperatively, of the 13 S-EIN patients, nine had <10° angulation of the radius or ulna, two had 10–20°and two had >20°. All 23 D-EIN patients had intraoperative radiology showing <10° angulation of both bones and maintenance of reduction of <10° angulation at six weeks post surgery. However, some S-EIN patients had increased deformation: at six weeks, four patients had 10–20° and three patients >20°. No patient in either group had revisional treatment. Time in cast postoperatively was similar in both groups: S-EIN, 6.15 weeks (4–12) and D-EIN, 5.5 weeks (3–8). Operative time was 64 mins (43–82) and 76 mins (45–86) in S-EIN and D-EIN groups, respectively. No other complications were recorded. Conclusion Though there may be particular reasons for selecting single bone fixation, this series shows a propensity to increased angulation of fractures fixed by S-EIN (7/13 in this group). We advise caution in the use of single bone fixation for both bone forearm fractures.
Inertial and barotropic instabilities of a free current in three-dimensional rotating flow

Abstract A current in a homogeneous rotating fluid is subject to simultaneous inertial and barotropic instabilities. Inertial instability causes rapid mixing of streamwise absolute linear momentum and alters the vertically averaged velocity profile of the current. The resulting profile can be predicted by a construction based on absolute-momentum conservation. The alteration of the mean velocity profile strongly affects how barotropic instability will subsequently change the flow. If a current with a symmetric distribution of cyclonic and anticyclonic vorticity undergoes only barotropic instability, the result will be cyclones and anticyclones of the same shape and amplitude. Inertial instability breaks this symmetry. The combined effect of inertial and barotropic instability produces anticyclones that are broader and weaker than the cyclones. A two-step scheme for predicting the result of the combined inertial and barotropic instabilities is proposed and tested. This scheme uses the construction for the redistribution of streamwise absolute linear momentum to predict the mean current that results from inertial instability and then uses this equilibrated current as the initial condition for a two-dimensional simulation that predicts the result of the subsequent barotropic instability. Predictions are made for the evolution of a Gaussian jet and are compared with three-dimensional simulations for a range of Rossby numbers. It is demonstrated that the actual redistribution of absolute momentum in the three-dimensional simulations is well predicted by the construction used here. Predictions are also made for the final number and size of vortices that result from the combined inertial and barotropic instabilities.
Sheared stably stratified turbulence and large-scale waves in a lid driven cavity

We investigated experimentally stably stratified turbulent flows in a lid driven cavity with a non-zero vertical mean temperature gradient in order to identify the parameters governing the mean and turbulent flows and to understand their effects on the momentum and heat transfer. We found that the mean velocity patterns (e.g., the form and the sizes of the large-scale circulations) depend strongly on the degree of the temperature stratification. In the case of strong stable stratification, the strong turbulence region is located in the vicinity of the main large-scale circulation. We detected the large-scale nonlinear oscillations in the case of strong stable stratification which can be interpreted as nonlinear internal gravity waves. The ratio of the main energy-containing frequencies of these waves in velocity and temperature fields in the nonlinear stage is about 2. The amplitude of the waves increases in the region of weak turbulence (near the bottom wall of the cavity), whereby the vertical mean temp.
Team Development Interventions: Evidence-Based Approaches for Improving Teamwork

The rate of teamwork and collaboration within the workforce has burgeoned over the years, and the use of teams is projected to continue increasing. With the rise of teamwork comes the need for interventions designed to enhance teamwork effectiveness. Successful teams produce desired outcomes; however, it is critical that team members demonstrate effective processes to achieve these outcomes. Team development interventions (TDIs) increase effective team competencies and processes, thereby leading to improvements in proximal and distal outcomes. The effectiveness of TDIs is evident across domains (e.g., education, health care, military, aviation), and they are applicable in a wide range of settings. To stimulate the adoption and effective use of TDIs, the current article provides a review of four types of evidence-based TDIs including team training, leadership training, team building, and team debriefing. In doing so, we aim to provide psychologists with an understanding of the scientific principles underlying TDIs and their impact on team dynamics. Moreover, we provide evidence-based recommendations regarding how to increase the effectiveness of TDIs as well as a discussion on future research needed within this domain.
Primal-Dual Wasserstein GAN

We introduce Primal-Dual Wasserstein GAN, a new learning algorithm for building latent variable models of the data distribution based on the primal and the dual formulations of the optimal transport (OT) problem. We utilize the primal formulation to learn a flexible inference mechanism and to create an optimal approximate coupling between the data distribution and the generative model. In order to learn the generative model, we use the dual formulation and train the decoder adversarially through a critic network that is regularized by the approximate coupling obtained from the primal. Unlike previous methods that violate various properties of the optimal critic, we regularize the norm and the direction of the gradients of the critic function. Our model shares many of the desirable properties of auto-encoding models in terms of mode coverage and latent structure, while avoiding their undesirable averaging properties, e.g. their inability to capture sharp visual features when modeling real images. We compare our algorithm with several other generative modeling techniques that utilize Wasserstein distances on Frechet Inception Distance (FID) and Inception Scores (IS).
Activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ improves endothelial dysfunction induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis through the PI 3 K / Akt , ERK and NFκB pathways

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms related to functional improvement of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) after exposure to Porphyromonas gingivalis through the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARγ). Methods: HUVECs were treated with PPARγ agonist (15-deoxyΔ12,14-prostaglandin J2, 10 μM) or antagonist (GW9662 10 μM) and assessed for the levels of nitric oxide (NO), endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), inducible NOS (iNOS), protein kinase B (Akt), p-Akt, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) and p-ERK using Western blots after exposing the cells to P. gingivalis. The nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 was examined using immunofluorescence microscopy. Results: The levels of NO were significantly higher in HUVECs exposed to P. gingivalis or activated for PPARγ than those in controls. The expression of p-eNOS, p-Akt and p-ERK was significantly down-regulated after P. gingivalis exposure but remained unchanged after PPARγ activation. The iNOS expression and activation of NFκB were significantly higher after P. gingivalis infection and PPARγ activation as compared with control. Conclusions: Activated PPARγ improves endothelial dysfunction induced by P. gingivalis through the regulation of the PI3K/Akt and ERK and NFκB pathways.
Hemorrhagic Septicemia in Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Calves Under Sub-Tropical Conditions in Pakistan

In an outbreak of hemorrhagic septicemia in buffalo calves in Pakistan, 31.48% mortality was recorded. Mortality significantly peaked on 8 th day (37%). Elevated body temperature (40.63+0.70°C), profuse salivation, dyspnea, respiratory sound "rales", ocular discharge, mucus nasal discharge and restlessness were observed. Grossly, head, neck and inter-mandible region were congested and edematous. Subserosal petechial hemorrhages throughout the body and blood-tinged fluid in thoracic and abdominal cavities were seen. Lungs showed pneumonic changes. Kidneys were swollen and hyperemic. There were petechial hemorrhages on the epicardium. Histopathologically, extensive lung edema, emphysema, thickened alveolar septa, congestion, and edema fluid in bronchioles were observed. Kidneys exhibited glomerulus atrophy, congestion, presence of casts in tubules along with pyknosis, condensation of nuclei and necrosis of tubular epithelium.