Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Temporal and spatial characteristics of positive and negative Indian Ocean dipole with and without ENSO

[1] The differences in the temporal evolution and spatial characteristics of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) between positive and negative events with and without ENSO have been investigated using observations for the period 1948–2002. To document such differences is particularly important for climate forecasts over far east Asia, since distinctly different monsoon activities over China, Korea, and Japan for different types of IOD are found in the composite maps of precipitation anomalies. The composite map of SST and wind during various stages of IOD and the ocean mixed layer heat budget showed that the IOD with and without ENSO has a large difference in its temporal evolutions and their triggering mechanisms. In both negative and positive IOD events without ENSO, the wind anomaly in the eastern Indian Ocean seems to be responsible for the formation of sea surface temperature anomalies, while the anomaly in the western Indian Ocean seems to be the oceanic dynamical response to the anomaly in the east. During the ENSO years, the temporal and spatial contrast of the asymmetry of the IOD evolution is smaller, and the SST anomaly is driven by the anomalies in incoming radiation due to changes in cloudiness caused by the ENSO associated anomalous atmospheric circulations and not by the local wind anomalies.
Cosmological simulations of the formation of the stellar haloes around disc galaxies

We use the Galaxies-Intergalactic Medium Interaction Calculation (GIMIC) suite of cosmological hydrodynamical simulations to study the formation of stellar spheroids of Milky Way mass disc galaxies. The simulations contain accurate treatments of metal-dependent radiative cooling, star formation, supernova feedback and chemodynamics, and the large volumes that have been simulated yield an unprecedentedly large sample of ≈400 simulated ∼L∗ disc galaxies. The simulated galaxies are surrounded by low-mass, low surface brightness stellar haloes that extend out to ∼100 kpc and beyond. The diffuse stellar distributions bear a remarkable resemblance to those observed around the Milky Way, M31 and other nearby galaxies, in terms of mass density, surface brightness and metallicity profiles. We show that in situ star formation typically dominates the stellar spheroids by mass at radii of r 30 kpc, whereas accretion of stars dominates at larger radii and this change in origin induces a change in the slope of the surface brightness and metallicity profiles, which is also present in the observational data. The system-to-system scatter in the in situ mass fractions of the spheroid, however, is large and spans over a factor of 4. Consequently, there is a large degree of scatter in the shape and normalization of the spheroid density profile within r 30 kpc (e.g. when fitted by a spherical power-law profile, the indices range from −2.6 to −3.4). We show that the in situ mass fraction of the spheroid is linked to the formation epoch of the system. Dynamically, older systems have, on average, larger contributions from in situ star formation, although there is significant system-to-system scatter in this relationship. Thus, in situ star formation likely represents the solution to the long-standing failure of pure accretion-based models to reproduce the observed properties of the inner spheroid.
On Static Analysis of Composite Plane State Structures viaGDQFEM and Cell Method

This study deals with structural modeling of composite structures by using Generalized Differential Quadrature Finite Element Method (GDQFEM), compared with Cell Method (CM) and Finite Element Method (FEM). In particular, results on stress and strain at fiber/matrix interface of the composite material are here provided. The GDQFEM is based on the classic Generalized Differential Quadrature (GDQ) technique applied to simple geometries [1]. A GDQ rule is applied upon each subdomain, or element, in which the problem domain is divided. When the problem domain is not regular, the mapping technique is used to transform the fundamental system of equations, the compatibility conditions of the adjacent sub-domains and the boundary conditions defined on the physical sub-domain, into the regular master element in the computational domain. Pursuing the following GDQFEM, a differential problem can be turned into an algebraic system. With respect to the very well-known Finite Element Method (FEM), the GDQFEM is based on a different approach: the direct derivative calculation is performed by using the GDQ rule. The imposition of the compatibility conditions between two boundaries are also used in the CM for solving contact problems [4,5]. Since the GDQFEM is an higher-order tool connected with the resolution of the strong form, the compatibility conditions must be applied at each disconnection in order to capture the discontinuity between two boundaries, without losing accuracy. A comparison between GDQFEM, CM and FEM is presented and very good agreement is observed.
Multiframe Superresolution Reconstruction Based on Self-Learning Method

One category of the superresolution algorithms widely used in practical applications is dictionary-based superresolution algorithms, which constructs a single high-resolution (HR) and high-clarity image from multiple low-resolution (LR) images. Despite the fact that general dictionary-based superresolution algorithms obtain redundant dictionaries from numerous HR-LR images, HR image distortion is unavoidable. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a multiframe superresolution reconstruction based on self-learning methods. First, multiple images from the same scene are selected to be both input and training images, and larger-scale images, which are also involved in the training set, are constructed from the learning dictionary. Then, different larger-scale images are constructed via repetition of the first step and the initial HR sets whose scale closely approximates that of the target HR image are finally obtained. Lastly, initial HR images are fused into one target HR image under the NLM idea, while the IBP idea is adopted to meet the global constraint. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm produces more accurate reconstructions than those produced by other general superresolution algorithms, while, in real scene experiments, the proposed algorithm can run well and create clearer HR images from input images captured by cameras.
Matching Higher Education with the Labour Market in the Knowledge Economy

It is argued that in the knowledge economy and in the context of the current restrictions on public finance, matching the output of higher education with the needs of the labour market is not simply one of many key issues for policy makers addressing the sustainability of higher education: it is ‘the’ issue. As the sources of funding for universities are almost entirely domestic and, in most countries, primarily governmental, politicians are expected to ensure that increasing public investment in higher education is justified in terms of the benefits accruing to the domestic workforce and investors. In so doing, they must avoid disrupting the international, free community of scholars and students engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and, thus, destroying the historical source of wealth creation that academia represents. This article considers the current debate in Europe and recent research on the interactions between universities and labour markets. The reform of university governance in Italy, regarded as much-needed and overdue, is evaluated in this context; and the assumptions on which such reform might be based, and the potential for aligning higher education more closely to the labour market, are examined.
Soil biological indicators associated to the phosphorus cycle in a Cerrado soil under no-till and conventional tillage systems

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of no-till, conventional tillage and cover crops on biological indicators associated to the P cycle. The work was carried out on three adjacent areas on a RedYellow Oxisol: area I, a two-year experiment comparing the two management systems; area II, a six-year experiment, and area III, a native Cerrado vegetation. The soil was sampled at two depths (0–5 cm and 5–20 cm) in July/1998 and January/1999. The biological indicators evaluated were microbial biomass P, acid phosphatase activity, phosphate-solubilizing and total soil fungi and bacteria. Acid phosphatase activity and number of phosphatesolubilizing microorganisms, at the 0–5 cm depth, were significantly greater in the no-till soil, as compared to the conventional tillage. Differences between the tillage systems, regarding the biological indicators evaluated, were more pronounced in area II in which the no-till system had been established for a longer period. Microbial P decreased in the no-till Raphanus sativus treatment. P-solubilizing fungi increased in the presence of Cajanus cajan and Raphanus sativus, whereas the P-solubilizing bacteria increased in the presence of C. cajan. Highest activities of acid phosphatase were detected in the soil under native vegetation, evidencing the importance of organic P mineralization in this ecosystem.
Study on spatial and temporal variations in single cell rheology measured by atomic force microscopy

Title Study on spatial and temporal variations in single cell rheology measured by atomic force microscopy [an abstract of dissertation and a summary of dissertation review] Author(s) 蔡, 萍根 Issue Date 2015-03-25 Doc URL http://hdl.handle. net/2115/58979 Rights(URL) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.1/jp/ Type theses (doctoral abstract and summary of review) Additional Information There are other files related to this item in HUSCAP. Check the above URL. File Information PingGen_Cai_abstract. pdf (論文内容の要旨)
Spatial patterns and covariates of heart disease death rates in Michigan, 1998-2004

Using the 1998 through 2004 data from the Michigan Resident Death Files, this paper examined the changing spatial patterns of heart disease death across Michigan counties and assessed the association between heart disease deaths and selected socioeconomic risk factors among people aged 50 years and older. Methods: Tertiles of low, medium, and high rates were derived for 3-year moving averages of heart disease death rates for the counties. Results: Overall, the mortality rates declined over time. Areas of low mortality rates expanded over time while the number of counties with high rates decreased. The regression analyses showed that primary level of education or less, unemployment rate, median household income, poverty rate, and lack of health insurance were each significantly associated with heart disease mortality. Conclusion: The difference in the spatial pattern of heart disease deaths across the counties suggests a significant difference in the distribution of the underlying factors in Michigan communities. While our results indicate that the socio-economic environment plays a significant role in heart disease mortality in the state, more researches are needed to investigate these factors at the individual level.
Spatio‐temporal sedimentation patterns in beaver ponds along the Chevral river, Ardennes, Belgium

With the recovery of the European beaver (Castor fiber) and their capacity to engineer fluvial landscapes, questions arise as to how they influence sediment transport, including the spatio‐temporal trends and patterns of sedimentation in beaver ponds. The Chevral river (Ardennes, Belgium) contains two beaver dam sequences, which appeared in 2004. Volumes of sediment deposited behind the dams were measured, and grain‐size distribution patterns were determined. Flow discharges and sediment fluxes were measured at the inflow and outflow of each dam sequence. Between 2004 and 2011, 1710.1 m3 of sediment was deposited behind the beaver dams, with an average sediment thickness of 25.1 cm. The thickness of the sediment layer was significantly (p < 0.001) related to the area of the beaver ponds. Along the stream, beaver pond sediment thickness displayed a sinusoidal deposition pattern, in which ponds with thick sediment layers were preceded by a series of ponds with thinner sediment layers. A downstream textural coarsening in the dam sequences was also observed, probably because of dam failures subsequent to surges. Differences in sediment flux between the inflow and outflow at the beaver pond sequence were related to the river hydrograph, with deposition taking place during the rising limbs and slight erosion during the falling limbs. The 7‐year‐old sequences have filtered 190.19 ton of sediment out of the Chevral river, which is of the same order of magnitude as the 374.4 ton measured in pond deposits, with the difference between the values corresponding to beaver excavations (60.24 ton), inflow from small tributaries, and runoff from the valley flanks. Hydrogeomorphic effects of C. fiber and Castor canadensis activity are similar in magnitude. The detailed analysis of sedimentation in beaver pond sequences confirms the potential of beavers to contribute to river and wetland restoration, and catchment management. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Customer perceived quality, relationship quality and business loyalty:An example of B2B organization

The rapidly growing field of services has a strong focus on relationship marketing. Numerous researches are carried out on the effect of paradigm shift in marketing principles from transactional marketing to relationship marketing, but not many been discussed within industrial services and manufacturing environment. This study aims to examine how relationship quality can influence customer loyalty in the business-to-business (B2B)context. By targeting a Malaysian wooden product manufacturer as case organisation, tailored questionnaire surveys were sent with responses of 36 business customers. The study proposes a theoretical framework of relationship quality, customer perceived quality (using a modified GrA¶nroosâ€™s model of bi- imensional service quality theory involving both product and services aspects) as antecedent of relationship quality and business loyalty as ultimate dependent variable. The findings of this study suggest that customer satisfaction towards service provider can be improved by focusing on their perceived quality on both service and product. Consequently, customer loyalty and relationship quality can be enhanced by increasing customer satisfaction. Furthermore, this study reinforces the belief that relationship satisfaction has an important role to play in the manufacturing environment. It puts forward one possible causal explanation of the elusive link between satisfaction and relationship. The study concluded with theoretical and managerial implications of the findings.
Indicators of the Internal Environment of Beef Cattle during Fattening and their Correlation to the Quality of Beef

Pavlik A. , R. Filipcik, P. Jelinek, M. Bjelka, Z. Havlicek, J. Subrt: Indicators of the Internal Environment of Beef Cattle during Fattening and their Correlation to the Quality of Beef. Acta Vet. Brno 2008, 77: 539-546. The objective of the study was to determine selected indicators of the internal environment in individual cattle categories during the period of fattening to evaluate the relation of the individual blood components to the growth intensity and qualitative indicators of the meat. The trial involved half-siblings - bulls, heifers and steers housed in one stable. The threesome always had a common father. During the trials the live weight was monitored and blood samples were taken on days 310, 403, 448, 479, 512, 554 and 618 of age. The concentrations of total proteins, glucose, total cholesterol, urea and catalytic concentrations of ALP, ALT, AST, calcium, inorganic phosphorus, magnesium and copper in the blood plasma were assessed. In all cases the levels of indicators of the internal environment were within the range of the physiological values for the respective age category. Compared to bulls and steers, the concentration of total plasma cholesterol of the heifers was significantly higher (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). The last samples were taken prior to slaughter of the animals and the individual components were correlated with the nutritional values and meat indicators; the correlation between the amount of glucose and urea in the blood serum and the tenderness of the meat was significant (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01). The correlation between the concentration of proteins in the blood plasma, the level of nitrogen or total protein in the muscles, the water-holding capacity and meat tenderness was positive. The study provides a basis for implementing helpful adjustments in current cattle management practises. Blood indicators presented in this paper can be added to existing knowledge to benefit veterinary research and clinical evaluations. Growth, cattle, blood, enzymes, total proteins, glucose, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, cholesterol, water-binding capacity, shearing tests
Whether Companies Need to be Concerned about Corporate Social Responsibility for their Financial Performance or Not? A Perspective of Agency and Stakeholder Theories

Present study used the theoretical framework of both the Agency and Stakeholder theories in order to empirically investigate the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the financial performance (FP) of firm both in the short and long run. According to the agency theory approach core motive of the company’s existence is to maximize their owner’s wealth and therefore spending on other stakeholders in the form of CSR is an additional cost that leads to decrease in the FP. Contrary to this, Stakeholder theory argues that firms should satisfy the social needs of various stakeholders and perform CSR as it protects the firm from negative confrontations and boycotts of their stakeholders that reduces the operating cost and boosts the financial performance. A sample of 76 Pakistani manufacturing firms listed at Karachi Stock Exchange has been used for the time period ranged from 2009-2012. A series of tests like F-test, LM-test and Hausman-test have been applied to identify optimum panel data model and Random model found to be the appropriate one. Results of Generalized Least Square Regression results revealed that CSR has a positive impact not only on the short term financial performance of Pakistani manufacturing firms but also helped them to maintain the sustainable long term financial performance.
Bond Covenants and Institutional Blockholding

We document a significant and positive relation between institutional block ownership and the number of bond covenants. This finding is robust to different measures of blockholding, alternative regression models, and endogeneity considerations. The positive association between blockholding and covenants is stronger for active as well as for short-term blockholders, suggesting that covenants are employed ex ante to mitigate incentive conflicts between shareholders and bondholders. While both covenants and blockholding are positively related to borrowing costs, their interaction implies that covenants attenuate the increase in borrowing costs resulting from more concentrated block ownership.
Dipolar Excitation of a Perfectly Electrically Conducting Spheroid in a Lossless Medium at the Low-Frequency Regime

The electromagnetic vector fields, which are scattered off a highly conductive spheroid that is embedded within an otherwise lossless medium, are investigated in this contribution. A time-harmonic magnetic dipolar source, located nearby and operating at low frequencies, serves as the excitation primary field, being arbitrarily orientated in the three-dimensional space. The main idea is to obtain an analytical solution of this scattering problem, using the appropriate system of spheroidal coordinates, such that a possibly fast numerical estimation of the scattered fields could be useful for real data inversion. To this end, incident and scattered as well as total fields are written in a rigorous low-frequency manner in terms of positive integral powers of the real-valued wave number of the exterior environment. Then, the Maxwell-type problem is converted to interconnected Laplace’s or Poisson’s equations, complemented by the perfectly conducting boundary conditions on the spheroidal object and the necessary radiation behavior at infinity. The static approximation and the three first dynamic contributors are sufficient for the present study, while terms of higher orders are neglected at the low-frequency regime. Henceforth, the 3D scattering boundary value problems are solved incrementally, whereas the determination of the unknown constant coefficients leads either to concrete expressions or to infinite linear algebraic systems, which can be readily solved by implementing standard cut-off techniques. The nonaxisymmetric scattered magnetic and electric fields follow and they are obtained in an analytical compact fashion via infinite series expansions in spheroidal eigenfunctions. In order to demonstrate the efficiency of our analytical approach, the results are degenerated so as to recover the spherical case, which validates this approach.
Bearing performance degradation assessment and prediction based on EMD and PCA-SOM

Bearings are used in a wide variety of rotating machineries. Bearing vibration signals are non-stationary signals. According to the non-stationary characteristics of bearing vibration signals, a bearing performance degradation assessment/prediction and fault diagnosis method based on empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and principal component analysis (PCA)-self organizing map (SOM) is proposed in this paper. First, vibration signals are decomposed into a finite number of intrinsic mode functions, after which the EMD energy feature vector, which is composed of all the IMF energy, is obtained. PCA is then introduced to reduce the dimension of feature vectors. After that, the reduced feature vectors are selected as input vectors of the SOM neural network for performance degradation and fault diagnosis. Finally, the degradation trend of bearing is predicted by Elman neural network. The analysis results from bearings with different fault degrees or degradation trend and fault patterns show that the proposed method can assess and predict the degradation of bearing suitably and achieve a fault recognition rate of over 95 % for various bearing fault patterns.