Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of regional subsidence and earthquakes on architectural monuments in Mexico City

Mexico City is mostly located over extremely soft lacustrine clays that have been undergoing a consolidation process due to the exploitation of the aquifers underlying these soils. Therefore, the city has been sinking and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future; resulting differential settlements have constantly damaged most of the city’s architectural heritage. Mexico City is located within a high seismicity zone. Earthquakes have also damaged the city’s architectural treasures and will continue to be threatened by them in the future. In this paper it is described the way in which these two hazards have affected monuments in the past, and at the ways in which they may as well be combined in the future to pose further threats. In order to do that, it is considered the change of the properties of the subsoil as a result of the futures changes of pore pressures within the clays, and of the resulting effective stress increments in the seismic response of the soft lacustrine clay deposits.
Strengthening contrast between precipitation in tropical wet and dry regions

The wet‐gets‐wetter, dry‐gets‐drier paradigm (WWDD) is widely used to summarize the expected response of the hydrological cycle to global warming. While some studies find that changes in observations and climate models support the WWDD paradigm, others find that it is more complicated at local scales and over land. This discrepancy is partly explained by differences in model climatologies and by movement of the wet and dry regions. Here we show that by tracking changes in wet and dry regions as they shift over the tropics and vary in models, mean precipitation changes follow the WWDD pattern in observations and models over land and ocean. However, this signal is reduced and disappears in model dry regions, when these factors are not accounted for. Accounting for seasonal and interannual shifts of the regions and climatological differences between models reduces uncertainty in predictions of future precipitation changes and makes these changes detectable earlier.
Sampling of elementary school playground equipment for total coliforms and E. coli

Background and Purpose: Outbreaks of enteric diseases in schools and daycares are common. It is possible that these outbreaks could be propagated via fomites in school settings, such as playground equipment that is not regularly cleaned. Studies thus far have provided conflicting results on the level of contamination present on fomites in the school setting. This project is intended to assess the level of microbial contamination present on elementary school playground surfaces as a result of hand contact from school children. Methods: Two categories of elementary school playground equipment were sampled in this study; those that are likely to see regular hand contact from children and those that were not likely see hand regular hand contact from children. 30 surfaces of each category were swabbed and the media will be plated and incubated to enumerate total coliforms and E. coli. Results: The mean number of total coliforms on high hand contact surfaces was 0.2333 cfu/100cm, while the mean number of total coliforms on low hand contact surfaces was 0.2667 cfu/100cm. The t-test analysis of total coliform results produced a p-value of 0.5566. The mean number of E. coli on high hand contact surfaces was 1.1333 cfu/100cm, while the mean number of E. coli on low hand contact surfaces was 4.9000 cfu/100cm. The t-test analysis of E. coli results produced a p-value of 0.8019. Discussion: Neither results for total coliforms or E. coli indicated significantly different numbers on high or low hand contact surfaces. This indicates that these total coliform and E. coli may not be present as a result of hand contact. Conclusion: These results do not support the deposition of coliforms or E. coli on playground equipment as a result of hand contact. However, there is still concern due to the number of samples positive for E. coli. These results suggest the need for practices such as regular hand washing in the school setting after using the playground, regular cleaning of playground materials and EHO inspections of school grounds.
STATISTICAL AND KINETIC STUDIES OF ACID PROTEASE BY ASPERGILLUS SPP. ISOLATED FROM SOIL CONTAMINATED WITH ABATTOIR WASTE

Objective : Aim of the present investigation was to optimize the acid protease production from Aspergillus spp. through statistical method in solid state fermentation and to study the inhibitory enzyme kinetics. Methods: To fulfill above mentioned aim, seven solid substrates were screened though using PBD (Plackett-Burman Design) and concentrations of three significant were determined by using one of the Response surface methodologies (RSM), Box-Behnken design (BBD). Inhibitory enzymatic effects were carried by using previously developed models. Results : From PBD, wheat bran, soybean meal, and dried potato peel (DPP) were screened as major influencing nutritional factors for enzyme production. Better optimal values were determined by BBD as wheat bran: 8.841 g, soybean meal: 4.557 g, and DPP: 0.661 g with predicted protease activity as 817.83 U/g (±44.047 U/g). Linear, interactive, and quadratic effects of aforesaid substrates on enzyme activity were formulated by quadratic model through multiple regression model (R 2 Adj :Adjusted R square = 94.78%; R 2 Pre :Predicted R square = 98.13%). Partial substrate inhibition to crude acid protease activity was notified with casein concentration higher than 0.4 mmol and inhibitory constant, K N , was computed with previous developed mathematical models. Ratio of reaction rate constants, k 4 /k 2 , was found to be 0.233 that had confirmed partial casein inhibition to enzyme velocity. Improved activity and kinetics of caseinolysis make amicable for industrial applications. Conclusion: Quick optimization was performed with statistical methodology over conventional approach. Inhibitory enzyme kinetic studies were important for industrial applications of acid protease.
The Impact of Performance-based CEO Compensation on Company Performance and Valuation: A Study of Finnish Stock Listed “New Economy” Companies (Available on Internet)

This thesis investigates whether CEO performance-based compensation has an impact on performance and valuation of listed “new economy” companies in Finland. Data for this study was received from various sources. Company performance, valuation and control variables were received from Bureau Van Dijk’s Amadeus database. CEO cash compensation data was received from Finnish tax authorities and option and bonus information was collected from both companies’ annual reports and directly from companies. Options were valued with Black and Scholes formula. Bonus ratio was estimated with 2008 data when information for the whole period was not available. After excluding several companies due to data availability issues, the data totalled 19-20 yearly observations. Company performance was measured by ROE and ROA and valuation was measured by P/BV. The hypotheses were tested by estimating a set of multiple regression models. The results suggest a positive relation between company performance (ROA and ROE) and CEO option compensation. Similarly, there is a positive relation with company valuation and CEO option compensation. The results also suggest a positive relation between ROE and performance-based compensation. No significant relation was found between CEO performance-based compensation and ROA or P/BV. The results are indicative and do not allow making further conclusions due to the small data set. In addition, due to data-availability issues bonuses are estimated and thus results with regard to performance-based compensation may be biased.
Detection of a large Be circumstellar disk during X-ray quiescence of XTE J1946+274

Aims: We present a multiwavelength study of the Be/X-ray binary system XTE J1946+274 with the main goal of better characterizing its behavior during X-ray quiescence. We also aim to shed light on the possible mechanisms which trigger the X-ray activity for this source.Methods: XTE J1946+274 was observed by Chandra-ACIS during quiescence in 2013 March 12. In addition, this source has been monitored from the ground-based astronomical observatories of El Teide (Tenerife, Spain), Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma, Spain) and Sierra Nevada (Granada, Spain) since 2011 September, and from the TUBITAK National Observatory (Antalya, Turkey) since 2005 April. We have performed spectral and photometric temporal analyses in order to investigate the quiescent state and transient behavior of this binary system.Results: Our optical study revealed that a long mass ejection event from the Be star took place in 2006, lasting for about seven years, and another one is currently ongoing. We also found that a large Be circumstellar disk is present during quiescence, although major X-ray activity is not observed. We made an attempt to explain this by assuming the permanently presence of a tilted (sometimes warped) Be decretion disk. The 0.3-10 keV X-ray spectrum of the neutron star during quiescence was well fitted with either an absorbed black-body or an absorbed power-law models. The main parameters obtained for these models were kT = 1.43 +/- 0.17 and Gamma = 0.9 +/- 0.4 (with N-H similar to 2-7 x 10(22) cm(-2)). The 0.3-10 keV flux of the source was similar to 0.8-1 x 10(-12) erg(-1) cm(-2) s(-1). Pulsations were found with P-pulse = 15.757(1) s (epoch MJD 56 363.115) and an rms pulse fraction of 32.1(3)%. The observed X-ray luminosity during quiescent periods was close to that of expected in supersonic propeller regimen.
Frictionless contact problem with adhesion and finite penetration for elastic materials

The paper deals with the problem of quasistatic frictionless contact between an elastic body and a foundation. The elasticity operator is assumed to vanish for zero strain, to be Lipschitz continuous and strictly monotone with respect to the strain as well as Lebesgue measurable on the domain occupied by the body. The contact is modelled by normal compliance in such a way that the penetration is limited and restricted to unilateral contraints. In this problem we take into account adhesion which is modelled by a surface variable, the bonding field, whose evolution is described by a first-order differential equation. We derive a variational formulation of the mechanical problem and we establish an existence and uniqueness result by using arguments of time-dependent variational inequalities, differential equations and the Banach fixed-point theorem. Moreover, using compactness properties we study a regularized problem which has a unique solution and we obtain the solution of the original model by passing to the limit as the regularization parameter converges to zero.
Effect of Bank Capital Requirements on Bank Risk-taking and Financial Stability

This paper reviews theoretical and empirical studies on the way that capital requirements influences bank capital structure, risk-taking and lending. Deposit insurance, when not fairly priced, give incentives for excessive risk-taking. To alleviate this problem regulator found as necessary the use of certain requirements such as capital requirement. Based on this, it is obligatory for banks to hold more capital that means to have more of their own funds at risk. The theoretical literature related to the way how capital regulation influences banks on their decision for the capital structure and portfolio risk says more than that. Capital requirements were supposed to enhance financial stability and economic growth. Regarding economic growth, the effects of capital requirements can influence it directly or indirectly. Changes that capital requirements bring to the credit supply, costs of capital and to the bank asset risks affect indirectly the economic growth. Higher capital requirements reduce credit supply and decreases credit demand which in turn may slow down economic growth. Nevertheless, well-capitalized banks make provision of credit more consistent and enhance financial stability. Suggestions given from the theoretical literature and lessons learned from empirical researches are going to be used in analyzing effects of bank capital requirements on the relation between efficiency, capital and risk-taking in Albanian banking system DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016. v7n1p340
Overview of the Fracture Network at Different Scales Within the Granite Reservoir of the EGS Soultz Site (Alsace, France)

In EGS concepts like the one at Soultz, knowledge of the fracture network is essential to understand reservoir behavior and plan further stimulations and long term hydraulic circulation. At Soultz, the targeted reservoir is located at a 5km depth within the granite basement of the Upper Rhine Graben near the western border of France. This granite underwent a complex tectonic history including the Hercynian and Alpine orogeneses, leading to the currently observed fracturing. This fracturing is dominated by steeply dipping fracture sets which are distributed at various scales in the granite basement. This structural work presents the characterization of the fracture network at different scales in order to understand and model the hydro-thermo-mechanical behavior of the granite geothermal reservoir through hydraulic stimulation and subsequent circulation tests. The small-scale fracture network has been characterized based on several kilometers of high resolution borehole image logs, allowing the characterization of different sets. There was a focus on large-scale fracture zones, which are the major fluid pathways. A total of 39 fracture zones have been described in detail based on borehole data. They have been compared to large-scale geophysical investigations using Vertical Seismic Profile (VSP) and passive microseismicity in order to build an extended fracture network in 3D. Hydraulically active fractures have been investigated in more detail in the different open-hole sections based on image logs, flow logs and temperature logs. These near-well borehole fractures represent potential fluid pathway for connecting the borehole to the far-field geothermal reservoir. The fracture network in the granite Soultz reservoir is constituted by large-scale fracture zones, which are connected to a dense network of small-scale fractures. However, fluid pathways are more complex, with channelized structures, because only a limited number of fractures support fluid flow.
The new leadership model of university management for innovation and entrepreneurship

Today‟s ever-changing educational environment has created a need for new leadership styles that encourage positive change and improvement. In Turkish universities, the most commonly used leadership models are the classic and/or traditional ones, which lead to stagnation in innovation and entrepreneurship. Only a limited number of universities are actively engaged in innovative research activities and achieve success in terms of entrepreneurship and cooperative work with industry. A broad effort is needed to improve cooperation and encourage leadership development
Reaction norms models in the adjusted weight at 550 days of age for Polled Nellore cattle in Northeast Brazil

The objective of this study was to evaluate the genotype-environment interaction (GEI) in the body weight adjusted to 550 days of age (W550) of Polled Nellore cattle raised in Northeastern Brazil using reaction norms (RN) models. Hierarchical RN models included fixed effects for age of cow (linear and quadratic) and random effects for contemporary groups (CG) and additive genetic RN level and slope. Four RN hierarchical models (RNHM) were used. The RNHM2S uses the solutions of contemporary groups estimated by the standard animal model (AM) and considers them as environmental level for predicting the reaction norms and the RNHM1S, which jointly estimate these two sets of unknowns. Two versions were considered for both models, one with a homogeneous (Hm) and another with a heterogeneous (He) residual variance. The one-step homogeneous residual variance model (RNHM1SHm) offered better adjustment to the data when compared with other models. For the RNHM1SHm model, estimates of additive genetic variance and heritability increased with environment improvement (260.75±75.80 kg2 to 4298.39±356.56 kg2 and 0.22±0.05 to 0.82±0.01, for low- and high-performance environments, respectively). High correlation (0.97±0.01) between the intercept and the slope of RN shows that animals with higher genetic values respond better to environment improvement. In the evaluation of breeding sires with higher genetic values in the various environments using Spearman's correlation, values between 0 and 0.98 were observed, pointing to high reclassification, especially among genetic values obtained by the animal model in comparison with those obtained via RNHM1SHm. The existence of GEI is confirmed, and so is the need for specific evaluations for low, medium and high level production environments.
The size-density relation of extragalactic H II regions

Aims. We investigate the size-density relation in extragalactic H ii regions, with the aim of understanding the role of dust and different physical conditions in the ionized medium. Methods. First, we compiled several observational data sets for Galactic and extragalactic H ii regions and confirm that extragalactic H ii regions follow the same size (D)–density (n) relation as Galactic ones (n ∝ D −1 ), rather than a relation with constant luminosity (n ∝ D −1.5 ). Motivated by the inability of static models to explain this, we then modelled the evolution of the size-density relation of H ii regions by considering their star formation history, the effects of dust, and pressure-driven expansion. The results are compared with our sample data whose size and density span roughly six orders of magnitude. Results. The extragalactic samples cannot be understood as an evolutionary sequence with a single initial condition. Thus, the sizedensity relation does not result from an evolutionary sequence of H ii regions but rather reflects a sequence with different initial gas densities (“density hierarchy”). We also find that the size of many H ii regions is limited by dust absorption of ionizing photons, rather than consumption by ionizing neutral hydrogen. Dust extinction of ionizing photons is particularly severe over the entire lifetime of compact H ii regions with typical gas densities of >10 3 cm −3 . Hence, as long as the number of ionizing photons is used to trace massive star formation, much star-formation activity could be missed. Such compact dense environments, the ones most profoundly obscured by dust, have properties similar to “maximum-intensity starbursts”. This implies that submillimeter and infrared wavelengths may be necessary to accurately assess star formation in these extreme conditions both locally and at high redshift.
Stakeholders perceptions of pig effluent management in Thai Binh Province

This paper provides an analysis of the perception of local stakeholders (people, organizations, institutions) in relation to the issues of pig effluents management in Thai Binh, Vietnam, and identifies courses of action on the basis of these perceptions and an institutional analysis. Three main types of stakeholders concerned by pig waste management were identified: those affected by the situation, those directly influencing the situation, and those indirectly influencing the situation. The results of the institutional analysis conducted by the PACT (Pro-Active Conciliation Tool) method are also presented, highlighting the key stakeholders, the favoured points of access and areas of possible consensus to initiate a collective process of change aimed at responding to the identified issues. The interest, difficulties and limitations of the main identified courses of action area discussed. In addition, the principle of patrimonial analysis and the PACT method, and the notions and means of calculation in the PACT programme are also discussed.
Kyranou I, Krasoulis A, Erden MS, Nazarpour K, Vijayakumar S. Real-Time Classification of Multi-Modal Sensory Data for Prosthetic Hand Control. In: 2016 6th IEEE International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob). 2016, Singapore: IEEE

Recent work on myoelectric prosthetic control has shown that the incorporation of accelerometry information along with surface electromyography (sEMG) has the potential of improving the performance and robustness of a prosthetic device by increasing the classification accuracy. In this study, we investigated whether myoelectric control could further benefit from the use of additional sensory modalities such as gyroscopes and magnetometers. We trained a multi-class linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifier to discriminate between six hand grip patterns and used predictions to control a robotic prosthetic hand in real-time. We recorded initial training data by using a total number of 12 sEMG sensors, each of which integrated a 9 degree-of-freedom inertial measurement unit (IMU). For classification, four different decoding schemes were used; 1) sEMG and IMU from all sensors 2) sEMG from all sensors, 3) IMU from all sensors and, finally, 4) sEMG and IMU from a nearly optimal subset of sensors. These schemes were evaluated based on offline classification accuracy on the training data, as well as with task-related metrics such as completion rates and times for a pick-and-place real-time experiment. We found that the classifier trained with all the sensory modalities and sensors (condition 1) attained the best decoding performance by achieving a 90.4% completion rate with an average completion time of 41.9 sec in real-time experiments. We also found that classifiers incorporating sEMG and IMU information outperformed on average the ones that only used sEMG signals, even when the amount of sensors used was less than half in the former case. These results suggest that using extra modalities along with sEMG might be more beneficial than including additional sEMG sensors.
The Healthcare Beliefs and Trust in Healthcare Providers of Rural Kenyans

Introduction: While extensive research has been done on the role of trust in western medicine, its role is largely unknown in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa. This study examined the construct of trust regarding medical providers and factors influencing this trust among rural Kenyans. Methods: Participants were 139 adults (53% females and 47% males) who resided in the village of Tawa. They were asked to complete a 19-item survey which measured levels of trust in medical providers as a function of age, gender, education, and nationality. Results: In terms of overall trust levels, younger adults (18-35) and more educated individuals (high school or more) were less trusting (p < .05) of medical providers compared to their counterparts. Respondents were more likely to trust medical providers who spoke their language (p <.01). However, neither the gender (p = .39) nor the nationality (p = .80) of medical providers were factors. All groups were generally very trusting. Moreover, there were no group differences on interest in receiving healthcare or importance of nutrition. Conclusion: Collectively, the results suggest that while trust may vary, Kenyans are very interested in receiving healthcare. These findings will provide additional information for healthcare providers serving in sub-Saharan Africa.