Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Control of Uncertain Dynamical Systems with Spatial and Temporal Constraints

The overarching objective of this dissertation is the development of feedback control frameworks for uncertain dynamical systems that are subject to spatial and/or temporal constraints. These spatiotemporal constraints usually arise from the physical and/or performance characteristics associated with a considered dynamical system in safety-critical applications, where synthesis and analysis of feedback control laws are not trivial. Specifically, the proposed control architectures in this dissertation mainly contribute to the model reference adaptive control and finite-time control literature. In particular, unlike existing model reference adaptive control approaches that are not capable of enforcing user-defined performance guarantees without an ad-hoc tuning process, the proposed control architectures utilize an error-dependent learning rate that enables a control designer to assign a user-defined performance bound to the system trajectories. In addition, the convergence time of the existing finite-time controllers either depends on the initial conditions of the system or the upper bound on the system uncertainties; hence, this convergence time cannot be strictly assigned by the control designer. The proposed finite-time control algorithms in this dissertation utilize a time transformation technique to address this challenge, where the resulting convergence time is independent of the initial conditions and the knowledge of upper bound of the system uncertainties. Research in adaptive control theory has demonstrated the capabilities of these feedback algorithms in suppressing the effects of adverse conditions resulting from exogenous disturbances, imperfect system modeling, degraded modes of operation, and changes in system dynamics. Yet, not only standard adaptive controllers usually yield to conservative performance bound on the system error signal, but also they require the knowledge of the upper bound on the system uncertainties to specify such a bound. Therefore, a major challenge in standard adaptive control algorithms is their inability to address control problems with a-priori given spatial constraints. In this dissertation, this critical issue is addressed by introducing the set-theoretic model reference adaptive control architecture. This approach utilizes so-called generalized restricted potential functions by incorporating a system error-dependent learning rate in the adaptation process. The resulting control architecture ensures that the system error signal evolves in a user-defined compact set for
Early learning and speciation : the effects of early experience on sexual and aggressive behaviour in Lake Victoria cichlid fish

The great Lakes of East Africa are inhabited by a great number of haplochromine cichlid species, which form a diverse group in both ecology and nuptial coloration. The large number of sympatrically occuriring closely related species has raised questions about the underlying mechanism for reproductive isolation. In this thesis I describe experiments that test for the effects of early experience on their species assortative behaviour in the contexts of mate choice and male territorial interactions. The maternal care in haplochromine cichlids provides the opportunity for early learning, but do the young cichlids take this opportunity to learn:? And, if so, can this promote reproductive isolation under sympatric conditions? With cross-fostering experiments, I found that young female cichlid fish are affected by experiences with their mothers’ phenotype in their later mate preferences. Maternal imprinting proved to be a mechanism favourable for sympatric speciation in a mathematical comparison of female preference development. This indicates that the propensity that the Lake Victoria cichlid fish appear to have for assortative mating may be fuelled by learning. The behaviour of the males, in contrast, was not affected by learning about their mothers’ phenotype, but male-male interactions were influenced by experiences with siblings.
Variability and similarity of soils in Rajkot district, Gujarat

The physical and chemical characteristics of eleven soil series identified during reconnaissance survey of Rajkot district in Gujarat state were used to measure the soil variability in five geomorphologically defined survey units and then to assess their similarities for subsequent identification of soil subgroups. The variability of individual soil properties as defined by coefficient of variation was found to be varying widely in soils occurring in upper piedmonts and in flood plains. The marked differences in soil properties in geomorphic units indicated that the level of sampling intensity is inadequate to estimate mean soil conditions in different survey units. The estimated similarity index values were used to construct dendogram for identifying three distinct soil groups relating closely with the Soil Taxonomy. High degree of similarity was noticed in soil subgroups of Vertisols occurring in lower piedmonts and flood plains as compared to soils occurring in higher topographic units. Examination of soil groups indicated that clay, electrolyte concentration, calcium carbonate and exchangeable sodium contents are considered as diagnostic properties for classification. Results suggested that these soil properties which vary widely may be considered and tested in land evaluation programmes.
Reproductive Effects on JP-8 Jet Fuel on Male and Female Sprague-Dawley Rats after Exposure by Oral Gavage

Abstract : The jet engine fuel designated JP-8 is the standardized fuel for the US military, which has resulted in exposure to both male and female personnel. Limited information is available on the reproductive effects of JP-8 jet fuel in humans and animals. In this report data are presented from two reproductive studies. In the first study male rats were given 0, 750, 1500 or 3000 mg/kg neat JP-8 daily by gavage for 70 days prior to mating with naive females to assess fertility and sperm parameters. After 70 days of dosing, body weights in the 3000 mg/kg group were over 30% lower than control weights. There were no significant changes for pregnancy rate, gestation length or sperm parameters as compared to control values. In the second study female rats were dosed with neat JP-8 (0, 325, 750, 1500 mg/kg) daily by gavage for a total of 21 weeks (90-day plus mating with naive males, gestation and lactation) in an effort to assess general toxicity, fertility and reproductive endponts. Results of the general toxicity segment revealed a significant dose-dependent decrease in body weights of the female rats. Significant organ weight ratio increases were seen for the liver: body, liver:brain and kidney:brain weights. Corresponding histopathologic changes and increase in liver enzymes (ALT, AST) were not observed although there was an increase in liver weight. Significant pathological changes were limited to squamous hyperplasia of the stomach and perianal dermatitis. In the reproductive and fertility segment, there were no statistically significant changes from control values for gestation length, pregnancy rate and number of pups per litter. There was a trend for decreased pup weight with increasing dose from postuat days 4 through 21 with the 1500 mg/kg pups statistically and biologically significantly lower on these days.
Age and Sex Distribution of Intestinal Parasitic Infection Among HIV Infected Subjects in Abeokuta, Nigeria

Intestinal parasitic infection has been a major source of disease in tropical countries especially among HIV patients. The distribution of intestinal parasite among two hundred and fifteen (215) subjects with mean age of 32 years, comprising of 35 HIV-seropositive and 180 HIV seronegative patients was carried out using microscopic method to examine their stool specimens for presence of trophozoites, ova, cysts, larvae and oocysts of intestinal parasites. Overall parasitic infection rate was 28.4%. Infection rate among HIV seropositve subjects (42.9%) was statistically higher than that among HIV seronegative subjects (25.6%) (P 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the parasitic infection between HIV-seropositive males and females and among the various age groups (P>0.05). Adequate treatment, proper health education and good hygiene will help in reducing intestinal parasitic infection
Effect of water temperature on early life history of African sharp‐tooth catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Summary Early life history of Clarias gariepinus from egg fertilization to full yolk sac resorption was studied at 33 temperatures within the thermal range 17.4–35.6°C. The viable temperature range for embryonic development; temperature at which ontogeny is hypothetically arrested (15.4°C); viable temperature range for larval development; and the number of effective day-degrees for the embryonic and larval periods were determined. The early life history of C. gariepinus was found to be temperature-dependent in terms of the onset of key ontogenetic events, developmental rate, survival rate, and size of larvae. The length of the incubation period, hatching period, size of larvae at hatching, time to first intake of exogenous food, and time to full yolk sac resorption with and without exogenous feed supply, were inversely proportional to the temperature within the optimal temperature range. In terms of survival, the zone of thermal tolerance for early life history of C. gariepinus ranged from 18.9 to 33.2°C with the thermal optimum from 22.9 to 30.3°C, typical for thermophilous species. Temperature ranges of 20.6–22.9°C and 30.2–33.2°C were found to be suboptimal. Temperatures below 17.5 and above 35.1°C may be considered lethal during the embryonic period, and those below 18.9 and above 33.2°C are lethal during the larval period.
Urban agriculture in Santarém, Pará, Brazil: diversity and circulation of cultivated plants in urban homegardens

Urban agriculture, including urban homegardens, is vital for urban survival of many people in various cities around the world, including those in the Amazon region of Brazil. These spaces, through daily praxis, become important for incidental agrodiversity conservation as food plants are cultivated and their plant material circulated. Utilizing data from a year-long intensive qualitative study of 25 rural-urban migrant households, this article considers the diversity of plant material in urban homegardens in the Amazonian city of Santarem, Para, Brazil. The purpose of the study was to understand the social systems that maintain cultivated plant diversity in homegardens. Our objectives in this article are twofold: a) to demonstrate that plant agrodiversity in homegardens persists in a setting which is located 'at the market'; and b) to document the ways in which flows of plant material help maintain this agrodiversity.
Komunitas fitoplankton di perairan Danau Laut Tawar Kabupaten Aceh Tengah, Provinsi Aceh

Abstract. The aims of the present study was to evaluate community structure and biomass of phytoplankton based on the depth stratification in the waters of Lake Laut Tawar. Sampling was conducted during March and April 2010. The results showed that 43 species of phytoplankton belonging to five classes were found in Lake Laut tawar. The most common class was Chlorophyceae with 20 genera, followed by Bacillariophyceae (diatoms) by 9 genera, Cyanophyceae (10 genera), Dinophyceae (2 genera), and Euglenophyceae (2 genera). The highest species composition was found at II with 15 m depth (24 genera), while the highest abundance of phytoplankton was occured at station with 10 depth (155600 cells/l), while the lowest abundance was obtained at 15 depth (12745 cells/l). Overall the phytoplankton population in Lake Laut Tawar was dominated by Bacillarophyceae. In addition, the diversity index of phytoplankton was in moderate level (2.34), while the evenness index was ranged from 0.43 to 0.87, indicate the distribution of the individuals of each species was varied, however there was no predominant species detected.Keywords. Phytoplankton, structure community, Laut Tawar Lake.
Is partial tail loss the key to a complete understanding of caudal autotomy

Autotomy, the self-amputation of limbs or appendages, is a dramatic anti-predator tactic that has repeatedly evolved in a range of invertebrate and vertebrate groups. In lizards, caudal autotomy enables the individual to break away from the predator's grasp, with the post-autotomy thrashing of the tail distracting the attacker while the lizard makes its escape. This drastic defensive strategy should be selectively advantageous when the benefit (i.e. survival) exceeds the subsequent costs associated with tail loss. Here, we highlight how the position of autotomy along the length of the tail may influence the costs and benefits of the tactic, and thus the adaptive advantage of the strategy. We argue that most studies of caudal autotomy in lizards have focused on complete tail loss and failed to consider variation in the amount of tail shed, and, therefore, our understanding of this anti-predator behaviour is more limited than previously thought. We suggest that future research should investigate how partial tail loss influences the likelihood of surviving encounters with a predator, and both the severity and duration of costs associated with caudal autotomy. Investigation of partial autotomy may also enhance our understanding of this defensive strategy in other vertebrate and invertebrate groups.
COMMUNITY STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS OF PHYTOPLANKTON IN LAKE UZARZEWSKIE

Summary. Lake Uzarzewskie (surface area 10.6 ha, maximum depth 7.3 m) is a hypertrophic lake located on Cybina River (right tributary of Warta River). In the past the lake received a large amount of domestic and industrial sewage. In the year 2008, in order to increase redox potential in the sediments of Lake Uzarzewskie, two tributaries (with a high nitrate concentration) were directly inserted to the hypolimnion. The aim of the study was to analyse the dynamics of the phytoplankton of Lake Uzarzewskie in the year 2008 during restoration. The qualitative and quantitative changes in the phytoplankton community taking place in 2008 in Lake Uzarzewskie were studied. The samples were taken without concentration from two points from the surface, and the depth of 2, 4 and 6 m. All taxonomical groups were counted with an Olympus microscope after sedimentation in a Sedgwick-Rafter chamber of 0.67 cm 3 in volume. The most abundant, in terms of the number of taxa, were green algae. The most numerous were Cyanobacteriae, especially in summer and autumn. The most numerous species observed in Lake Uzarzewskie were Planktothrix agardhii, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, Anabaena flos-aquae and Limnothrix redeckei. The maximum density of diatoms was noted in autumn and winter. The most abundant were Cyclotella, Stephanodiscus, Fragilaria ulna var. acus or Nitzchia acicularis. Chrysophyceae and Cryptophyceae were the most numerous groups in the cold period. During spring and summer the most numerous species were Rhodomonas lacustris and Rh. lens, and also Cryptomonas marssonii and C. reflexa. The number of green algae increased especially during the spring months, when Oocystis lacustris, Tetraedron minimum, Coelastrum astroideum, Actinastrum hantzshii, Monoraphidium contortum, Koliella spiculiformis and Scenedesmus communis were mainly noted.
A new and three known species of the genus Tylencholaimellus Cobb in M.V. Cobb, 1915 (Nematoda: Dorylaimida) from Changbai Mountain, China

A new and three known species of the genus Tylencholaimellus Cobb in M.V. Cobb, 1915 are described from ChangbaiMountain, Northeast China. Tylencholaimellus sinensis n. sp. species is characterized by having a medium sized body (L=1.1–1.3 mm); outer cuticle with fine transverse striations; inner layer distinctly striated; radial refractive elementsabundant; labial disc absent; lip region offset by constriction; lips rounded and amalgamated; odontostyle 18–19 µm,odontophore 7–8 µm, combined length 25–27μm; anterior uterine sac 0.8–1.6 mid body diameters long; mono-opisthodelphic female genital system with small anterior uterine sac; transverse vulva and short conoid tail. Tylencholaimellus striatus Thorne, 1939, T. montanus Thorne, 1939 and T. cinctus Orr & Dickerson, 1965 are described for the first time from this region of the world.
GENETSKA RAZLIČITOST GERMPLAZME OZIME KRUŠNE PŠENICE (Triticum aestivum L. ssp. vulgare)

Ispitana je genetska različitost na temelju agronomskih podataka, morfoloških svojstava i molekularnih podataka. Ciljevi istraživanja bili su: 1. procijeniti različitost germplazme pšenice pomoću agronomsko-morfoloških svojstava i molekularnih markera, 2. istražiti postojanje genetske erozije unutar ispitivane germplazme ozime pšenice i 3. ispitati mogućnost korištenja kombinacije agronomsko-morfoloških svojstava i molekularnih markera u procjeni genetske različitosti u oplemenjivačke svrhe. U istraživanje je uključeno 40 sorata ozime pšenice podrijetlom iz Hrvatske, Austrije, Francuske, Italije i Rusije. Poljski je pokus postavljen po slučajnome blok rasporedu u tri ponavljanja tijekom dvije vegetacijske godine (07./08., 08./09.). U analizu, na temelju agronomskih i morfoloških podataka, uključeno je po 10 svojstava. Sastav visokomolekularnih podjedinica glutenina (HMW GS) utvrđen je za 16 genotipova, a za ostale podaci su dobiveni na temelju literaturnih podataka. Analiza sastava škroba temeljila se na izdvajanju amiloze i amilopektina te njihove količine i omjera. Za SSR analizu korišteno je 26 mikrosatelita, a za AFLP korištene su četiri kombinacije početnica. Analizom varijance (ANOVA) utvrđene su statistički visoko opravdane razlike (p<0,001) između svih genotipova za sva ispitivana agronomska svojstva te za količinu amiloze i amilopektina. Utvrđena je velika varijabilnost HMW GS između ispitivanih genotipova. Procijenjena je genetska udaljenost na temelju morfoloških i molekularnih podataka. Obavljene su analize skupina, na temelju kojih su sastavljeni dendogrami, a na temelju genetske udaljenosti molekularnih podataka obavljena je analiza molekularne varijance (AMOVA). Unutar i između ispitivanih genotipova utvrđena je genetska različitost za morfološke i molekularne podatke. SSR i AFLP markeri pokazali su visok stupanj polimorfizma između ispitivanih genotipova te sposobnost razlikovanja vrlo srodnih genotipova. Utvrđena je značajna korelacija između dvije molekularne metode, koje su se pokazale učinkovitije u utvrđivanju genetske različitosti u odnosu na agronomska i morfološka svojstva.
Screening of Some Indigenous and Exotic Mulberry Varieties against Major Foliar Fungal and Bacterial Diseases

Fifty-six indigenous and twenty nine exotic mulberry varieties were screened against powdery mildew, Myrothecium leaf spot, Pseudocercospora leaf spot, sooty mold and bacterial leaf spot for a period of three years under field condition. The percent disease index (PDI) was recorded during peak season of the foliar diseases. Out of eighty-five varieties studied, ten varieties were highly resistant and eight were resistant to powdery mildew; six varieties were immune and seventy-eight varieties were highly resistant to Myrothecium leaf spot; sixty varieties were highly resistant and 21 were resistant to Pseudocercospora leaf spot; forty four varieties were highly resistant to sooty mold and two varieties were immune and fifty-eight were highly resistant to bacterial leaf spot. Lowest cumulatative disease index was observed in M. multicaulis (7.28) followed by Thailand lobed (7.85) and Italian mulberry (8.06).
Investigations into the relationship between evolutionary rate variation, protein structure and codon usage

Not all of the processes behind molecular evolution are known. In this report the nonsynonymous and synonymous rates of evolution are examined with respect to the synonymous codon usage and the protein secondary structure in E. coli K12 and Homo sapiens. By applying a model selection step it is first shown that synonymous variation is much more widespread on mammalian genes. It is also shown that there is evidence of selection on the synonymous codon usage in a non-negligible amount of genes, for both organisms. A relationship between the synonymous codon usage and the secondary structure has been reported by several researchers. However, the datasets analyzed here show only a weak relationship. A much stronger relationship is shown to exist between the evolutionary rates and the protein structure. Similarly, a strong relationship exists between preferred and unpreferred codons and the evolutionary rates. These results show that different secondary structures are under different evolutionary pressures. Furthermore, it shows that preferred codons experience different selective constraints to unpreferred codons. Acknowledgements First and foremost I would like to thank Maria Anisimova, who suggested the project, supervised me, and was always available to answer my many questions. I would also like to extend my thanks to Sergei Kosakovsky Pond who replied very promptly to all my questions and readily offered explanations and advice. Special thanks also to Melissa Wu and Tamarisk Scholtz who helped out with proofreading the manuscript. Further I would like to thank all my friends and family who have supported me every step of the way. Finally, I would like thank the ETH Zürich Foundation and the committee of the Excellence Scholarship and Opportunity Programme without whose assistance I would not have been able to do my Masters degree at the ETH Zürich.
Moderating effect of organization culture on the relationship between quality management system adoption and performance of public universities in Kenya

The capacity of higher education institutions (HEIs) to serve as drivers to economic competitiveness has been negatively impacted due to the exponential growth and numerous constraints which interfere with their quality. In Kenya, HEIs, in their attempt to cater for the 28% increase in number of students, 6% government capitation cut and 14.3% of the 28 weeks, academic year time waste between 2014 and 2015, have encountered many challenges caused by overcrowding, crumbling infrastructure, inadequate human capital with 1:500 lecturers to student ratio and financial resources and declining quality of the professional courses on offer. They have raised concerns about the quality of public university education. The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of organization culture on the relationship between Quality Management System (QMS) adoption and organization performance of public universities in Kenya. The study was guided by structural contingency theory and equity theory; using a census survey with a Bureau of Standards. The study results revealed organization culture (β=0.492 p=0.030) moderated the relationship significantly implying the interactive effect of organization culture improved organization Performance by 0.7% (Δ R2 .007p=0.030). The study concluded that organization culture increases the effect of QMS adoption on organizational performance. response at 94.41% on a population 215 top management personnel of 11 public universities certified by the Kenya Key words: Quality Management System (QMS), Universities, organizational culture, performance.