Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Short-term management and stocking rate effects of grazing sheep on herbage quality and productivity of Inner Mongolia steppe

Degradation and decreasing productivity increasingly demand sustainable grazing management practices within Inner Mongolian steppe ecosystems. This study focuses on grazing-induced degradation processes over a wide range of stocking rates and aims to identify short-term sensitive indicators and alternative management practices. Short- term effects of 2 grazing management systems (Mixed System and Traditional System) and 7 stocking rates (SR0, SR1.5, SR3, SR4.5, SR6, SR7.5, and SR9 for 0,1.5, 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, and 9 sheep/ha, respectively) on yielding performance and herbage quality were measured on experimental plots in which moveable exclosures were used on areas chronically grazed by sheep. The experiment was conducted in a typical steppe ecosystem in Inner Mongolia, P. R. China. Results are presented for 2005 and 2006. Sampling time was the main factor affecting yield and quality. Stocking rate also showed considerable effects on yield. HerbagemassdecreasedlinearlyfromSR0toSR9,by85%and82%in2005and2006,respectively.Herbageaccumulation was also affected by stocking rate, and was highest at SR1.5 and clearly reduced at SR9. Grazing effects on relative growth rate indicated grazing tolerance of plants in the short-term, since up to high stocking rates, relative growth rates remained stable. Precipitation also determined plant responses to increasing levels of grazing. The year of higher rainfall generated higher grazing tolerance of plants and higher herbage growth than the drought year. Despite considerable reduction of herbagemass,consistentshort-termresponsesofherbagequalitytograzingin2005and2006werereflectedonlyintermsof crudeproteinandaciddetergentlignin.HerbagecrudeproteincontentwashighestatSR7.5andSR9,whileligninwaslowest at SR7.5 and SR9. Neither productivity nor herbage quality was affected by the management system, suggesting that both systems may be applicable on typical steppe in the short-term.
The struggle to belong : Dealing with diversity in 21 st century urban settings

Northern Ireland has emerged from a protracted, internal armed conflict and entered into its most ‘stable’ period in recent history, but it remains a fact in Northern Ireland that overt and insidious paramilitary violence and criminality still lurks in both Loyalist and Republican communities. The common perception is that loyalism has not benefitted as much in terms of the peace dividend compared to their Nationalist counterparts. The focus of this research is loyalist east Belfast where high levels of deprivation are experienced. The impact that relative deprivation has on Loyalist communities only serves to magnify the other problems faced in these areas, such as that of an ageing population, high crime rates, high unemployment, low educational attainment, poor housing, poor health, and lack of community cohesion. Loyalist communities are further described as having poor social capital, a lack of community infrastructure and poor access to funding. Consequently urban disorder is still rife in these areas, mostly orchestrated by disaffected young people who are too young to remember the Troubles; this can manifest itself in visual disorder, traditional sectarian interface violence. However, following the analysis of fifteen in-depth qualitative semi-structured interviews and fourteen hours of non-participant observation the preliminary findings of this research suggests that much of this disorder actually stems from feelings of disconnection from the current peace process, exclusion from the city and the perceived loss of local Loyalist identity which is fundamentally important for these communities. Therefore this paper challenges the traditional suppositions surrounding the concept ‘urban social disorder’ suggesting that it is much more complex in areas where the struggle to belong has been marred by an ethno-national conflict. It also suggests that the current state response to ‘managing’ this urban disorder is misunderstood and wholly inadequate.
Robust Estimation of Mean Functions and Treatment Effects for Recurrent Events Under Event-Dependent Censoring and Termination: Application to Skeletal Complications in Cancer Metastatic to Bone

In clinical trials featuring recurrent clinical events, the definition and estimation of treatment effects involves a number of interesting issues, especially when loss to follow-up may be event-related and when terminal events such as death preclude the occurrence of further events. This paper discusses a clinical trial of breast cancer patients with bone metastases where the recurrent events are skeletal complications, and where patients may die during the trial. We argue that treatment effects should be based on marginal rate and mean functions. When recurrent event data are subject to event-dependent censoring, however, ordinary marginal methods may yield inconsistent estimates. Incorporating correctly specified inverse probability of censoring weights into analyses can protect against dependent censoring and yield consistent estimates of marginal features. An alternative approach is to obtain estimates of rate and mean functions from models that involve some conditioning to render censoring conditionally independent. We consider three methods of estimating mean functions of recurrent event processes and examine the bias and efficiency of unweighted and inverse probability weighted versions of the methods with and without a terminating event. We compare the methods via simulation and use them to analyse the data from the breast cancer trial.
Occurrence of microcystins along the Guadiana estuary

Blooms of toxic cyanobacteria develop regularly during summer and early autumn in the Guadiana River (South of Iberian Peninsula). Microcystis aeruginosa, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, Oscillatoria spp. and Anabaena spp. have been identified in previous studies as the main toxic cyanobacteria present. With the closure of the Alqueva dam and its new policy of water retention, the present project focused on the effect of these new hydrological conditions to toxic cyanobacteria bloom formations in the Guadiana estuary. This article shows data collected from three sampling stations located along the estuary during the spring of 2002. Physical and chemical parameters (temperature, salinity, turbidity and nutrients (dissolved nitrate, silicate and phosphate)) and biological characteristics of the water (chlorophyll a and phytoplankton composition) were evaluated, as well as microcystin (MC) content in particulate material using HPLC-PDA. Microcystis sp. was the dominant toxic cyanobacteria in the collected water samples. Results suggest the existence of a longitudinal gradient in toxin content directly related to the development of temperature, salinity and nutritional ratio gradients along the estuary, and indirectly related to the turbidity of the water. At least five MC variants were observed and quantified as MC-LR equivalents (MC-LR Equiv.). The total MC concentrations in particulate material varied from 0.0 to above 1.0 μg MCLR Equiv. ·L-1, with higher values always observed at the freshwater station. Finally, higher dissolved silica concentrations were found in the water column when compared to results from previous years. These differences reflect changes in the Guadiana ecohydrological status which are probably related to the Alqueva dam construction.
Australasian ( ACIS ) 2007 Australian Online Newspapers : A Website Content Analysis Approach to Measuring Interactivity

This paper addresses the growth and development of the concept of interactivity in online newspapers from the perspectives of computer-mediated communication, journalism, advertising, and information system. This paper discusses the concept of interactivity that originated in the work of Heeter. The study maps Heeter’s dimensions (content, availability and choice, communication opportunity, effort of users, responsiveness, and customisation and management of information) in the contemporary setting of the Australian online newspaper industry. The researchers reviewed 12 Australian online newspapers in two snapshots using a website content analysis approach. The results are the basis for discussion as to the level of interactivity in Australian online newspapers. Content availability and choice was found to be the most significant element of interactivity. It is noted that, while the majority of Australian online newspapers offer interactive functionality for expressing opinions, blogging, contests and polls, only one online newspaper provided genuine interactive gaming.
In vitro studies of larvicidal effects of some plant extracts against Anopheles gambiae larvae (Diptera: Culicidae)

Larvicidal effects of plant extracts against larvae of Anopheles gambiae were studied in the malaria entomology laboratory at Mendefera. The aim of the study was to evaluate ethanol and hot water extracts from leaves of seven different plants, viz., Azadirachta indica, Eucalyptus globulus, Tagetes minuta, Datura stramonium, Lantana camara, Ricinus communis and Jatropha curcas, as natural larvicides against third instar larvae of An. gambiae. Insecticidal susceptibility tests were carried out using WHO standard method and the mortality was observed after 24 and 48 h (h) of exposure. The experiment was conducted in complete randomized design in three replications. Data were collected on mortality of mosquito larvae in all the treatments and then subjected to statistical analysis using one-way ANOVA. Most of the tested extracts showed more than 50% mortality. J. curcas (100±0.00%) and R. communis (99.44±0.56) gave significantly higher larval mortalities at 1000 ppm concentration after 48 h of exposure. The experiment also showed that ethanol extracts gave higher larval mortality than hot water extracts and the efficiency of the extracts increased with an increase in the exposure period of the larvae. Key words: Mosquito vector, malaria, larvicidal activity, leaf extracts
CREA Discussion Paper 2013-20 Offshore financial centers : Safe or tax havens

This paper explains why and how a small country can be an offshore financial center (OFC). We build a model involving a small and a large country competing for portfolio investments. They use two instruments, taxation and institutional infrastructure. We identify the conditions for an OFC to be a tax haven, a safe haven, or both. The existence of a tax haven need not be as bad as claimed in the media because its presence fosters institutional competition which is beneficial to all investors.
A concept to compare noise perception by adults and children using aurally accurate measurements

Noise exposition in educational institutions is a well-known problem. Not only employees but also children can be highly affected in health and cognitive development due to loud sound environments. So far noise in educational institution has been assessed using approved methods and standards based on research data obtained from adults. However, these methods provide little information about sound and noise perception by children and not enough information on the temporal and spectral structure of noise and sound environment. This is why sound assessment, using child dummy heads, and psychoacoustic parameters should be considered. This paper describes a method to access aurally accurate noise perception data, through the evaluation of two binaural room acoustic parameters in terms of noise perception focusing on differences between adults and children. Furthermore, it proposes a method to evaluate binaural psychoacoustic parameters obtained from measurements during daily activity in educational institutions.
Uptake of Amino Acids by Three Species of Nereis ( Annelida : Polychaeta ) . 11 . Effects of Anaerobiosis N . 0

Uptake of 3 amino acids and release of individual amino acids and ammonia were investigated in the polychaetes Nereis succinea, N. diversicolor, and N. virens during 48 h of anoxic incubation. Uptake rates of alanine, serine, and glutamic acid from 5 @l solutions were reduced to 30-85 % of aerobic rates by 12 h, but then stabilized for the remainder of the incubation period. Net release of amino acids from N. succinea and N. virens was insignificant during the first 4 h of anoxia; however, after 12 h, amino acid release had increased in both species. During additional anoxic incubation, a decrease in net release rates was found. The opposite pattern occurred in N. diversicolor. Release rates of ammonia in all 3 species generally demonstrated tendencies similar to amino acid release rates. This similarity in release rates over time suggests that released amino acids are also metabolic waste products. The composition of the released amino acids varied greatly during incubation and no predominant amino acids were found. The concentration of free intracellular amino acids increased in all 3 species during anaerobiosis; alanine, glycine, and taurine were most abundant. Alanine typically increased dunng incubation, whereas the concentrations of glycine and taurine showed wide fluctuations.
L G ] 2 4 M ay 2 01 7 Depth Creates No Bad Local Minima

In deep learning, depth, as well as nonlinearity, create non-convex loss surfaces. Then, does depth alone create bad local minima? In this paper, we prove that without nonlinearity, depth alone does not create bad local minima, although it induces non-convex loss surface. Using this insight, we greatly simplify a recently proposed proof to show that all of the local minima of feedforward deep linear neural networks are global minima. Our theoretical results generalize previous results with fewer assumptions, and this analysis provides a method to show similar results beyond square loss in deep linear models.
Are Faculty Critical? Their Role in University-Industry Licensing

Understanding the nature of the involvement of faculty in university licensing is im-portant for understanding how technology is transferred through licensing as well as more controversial issues, such as the need for university licensing. Using data from a survey of firms that actively license-in from universities we explore the importance of faculty in the licensing and development of inventions, as well as how and why they are used and how the use of faculty relates to characteristics of firms. In particular we find that the use of faculty through sponsored research in lieu of a license is closely related to the amount of basic research conducted by firms whereas the use of faculty within the terms of a license is related to the prevalence of personal contacts between industry R&D researchers and university faculty.
Co-therapy in a Group Setting: Benefits and Challenges in Facilitating Co-Therapy Music Therapy in a Small Group Setting

This study provides my findings on the issue of co-therapy in music therapy practice with children and young adults, based on my personal experience in placement during my final year as a student practitioner for music therapy. The study discusses co-therapy from the point of view that, like any other example of team work, co-therapy has advantages and benefits, as well as disadvantages, difficulties and challenges. The study looks at the practice of co-therapy in detail, to reach conclusions about those benefits and challenges. It uses examples of co-therapy with small groups of clients with a range of different needs, to provide a wide picture of how co-therapy could be used effectively in music therapy, but also to discuss the issues that occurred when co-facilitating. The results of the analysis are presented in the findings section and discussed in the subsequent section. It is important to note that these results, as in other qualitative research studies, are based on personal interpretations and should not be viewed as facts. They can, however, serve as recommendations and points for consideration for students, new and experienced practitioners who might consider co-therapy as a practice.
Brine micro‐droplets and solid inclusions in accreted ice from Lake Vostok (East Antarctica)

Lake Vostok, the largest Antarctic sub‐glacial lake (14,000 km2), lies beneath nearly 4 km of ice. Sub‐glacial geophysical observations and studies of ice accreting at the lake‐glacier interface are the only means available to obtain information on the environment and dynamics of this huge water body formed several million years ago. Accretion ice has been studied using high‐resolution synchrotron X‐Ray micro‐fluorescence. For the first time, liquid brine micro‐droplets (3–10 μm) are observed, coexisting with large irregular sulfur‐rich aggregates (10–800 μm) containing gases and a mixture of very fine particles. Most of these objects are sequestered inside large crystals that grew slowly after ice formation. Their structure and composition support the existence of hydrothermal activity at the lake bottom and the occurrence of haline water pulses carrying fine solid debris and eventually biota from a deeper evaporitic reservoir into the lake.
A prospective randomized comparative study of the effects of intranasal and transdermal 17 β-estradiol on postmenopausal symptoms and vaginal cytology

Background: Schizophrenia has been associated with a plethora of metabolic changes in the brain that vary with duration and type of psychoses. Additionally, it has been observed that antipsychotics can further alter cerebral glucose metabolism. These changes resulting from antipsychotics have been postulated to be reflective of the duration and mechanism of action of the medication. Aims: We aimed to examine the influence of antipsychotics on brain metabolism in individuals with schizophrenia in a naturalistic setting. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was carried out by the psychiatry department of a tertiary care hospital in collaboration with the Radiation Medicine Centre. Materials and Methods: Eighteen male patients with schizophrenia in different phases of treatment underwent an 18F-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography scan in a resting state 12 hours after the last dose of antipsychotic. Statistical Analysis: The types and duration of treatment were then compared with the regional glucose uptake in 14 predetermined regions of interest. The relative Uptake Values were further compared using SPSS 11.0. Results: An immediate increase followed by a decrease in cortical uptake was noted while the basal ganglia uptake remained high, albeit with a decreasing trend. Typical antipsychotics were associated with lower frontal cortical and higher basal ganglia and cerebellar uptake as compared to atypical antipsychotics. Conclusion: The differential influence of the type and duration of antipsychotic on glucose uptake suggests a possible trend towards long-term side effects with typical medications that were not noted on clinical examination. This however needs to be confirmed with larger, controlled studies.
Venture Capital Pre-Investment Decision Making Process: An Exploratory Study in Malaysia

Venture capital is an alternative source of funding for SMEs in Malaysia. Recognizing the importance of this industry toward economic growth, the Malaysian government has initiated various strategic plans. Despite promising growth of the venture capital market, past empirical findings reveal that the performance of venture capital backed companies (investee companies) over long run has been relatively poor, especially after venture capitalist exit. Thus, there is a need to understand the decision-making process practiced by Malaysian venture capitalists. Most decision making processes evolve from classical decision-making models. The current study purports to find disparity between the current practice and the classical venture capital decision-making model. The current study incorporates an exploratory research survey of 16 venture capitalists. Findings reveal significant similarities in the decision making procedure and investment criteria used to select investment with the classical model. As for investment criteria, greater importance is given to management integrity and exit opportunity rather than to the business idea. Findings also reveal that VCs experience does not correspond to expertise in decision -making.
History of Geo-and Space SciencesOpe

The “ring current” grows in the inner magnetosphere during magnetic storms and contributes significantly to characteristic perturbations to the Earth’s field observed at low-latitudes. This paper outlines how understanding of the ring current evolved during the half-century intervals before and after humans gained direct access to space. Its existence was first postulated in 1910 by Carl Størmer to explain the locations and equatorward migrations of aurorae under stormtime conditions. In 1917 Adolf Schmidt applied Størmer’s ring-current hypothesis to explain the observed negative perturbations in the Earth’s magnetic field. More than another decade would pass before Sydney Chapman and Vicenzo Ferraro argued for its n cessity to explain magnetic signatures observed during the main phases of storms. Both the Størmer and Chapman–Ferraro models had di fficulties explaining how solar particles entered and propagated in the magnetosphere to form the ring current. During the early 1950s Hannes Alfv én correctly argued that the ring current was a collective plasma effect, but failed to explain particle entry. The discovery of a weak but persistent interplanetary magnetic field embedded in a continuous solar wind provided James Dungey with su fficient evidence to devise the magnetic merging-reconnection model now regarded as the basis for understanding magnetospheric and auroral activity. In the mid-1960s Louis Frank showed that ions in the newly discovered plasma sheet had the energy spectral characteristics needed to explain the ring current’s origin. The introduction of ion mass spectrometers on space missions during the 1970s revealed that O + ions from the ionosphere contribute large fractions of the ring current’s energy content. Precisely how cold O + ions in the ionosphere are accelerated to ring-current energies still challenges scientific understanding.
IDA-PBC with Constant Interconnection and Damping Structures

Abstract We introduce a novel approach to the matching problem appearing in the Interconnection and Damping Assignment Passivity-Based Control (IDA-PBC) methodology. We study the advantages of assuming constant interconnection and damping structures, and give verifiable conditions for the existence of a solution to the matching problem. The proposed framework gives a unified approach to addressing existence of a solution as well as equilibrium assignment and stability.
J un 2 01 5 STATISTICAL EFFICIENCY OF STRUCTURED CPD ESTIMATION APPLI ED TO WIENER-HAMMERSTEIN MODELING

The computation of a structured canonical polyadic decompo sition (CPD) is useful to address several important modelin g problems in real-world applications. In this paper, we consider the identification of a nonlinear system by means of a Wiener-Hammerstein model, assuming a high-order Volterra kernel of that system has been previously estimated. Such a kernel, viewed as a tensor, admits a CPD with banded circulant factors which comprise the model parameters. To estimate them, we formulate specialized estimators based o n recently proposed algorithms for the computation of structured CPDs. Then, considering the presence of additive whit e Gaussian noise, we derive a closed-form expression for the Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) associated with this estimation problem. Finally, we assess the statistical performance of the proposed estimators via Monte Carlo simulations, by comparing their mean-square error with the CRB.