Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular analysis of the distributions of the invasive Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea (O.F. Müller, 1774), and threatened native clam, C. leana Prime, 1867, on Kyushu Island, Japan

The invasion of the Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea (O.F. Müller, 1774), has caused serious ecological and economic problems worldwide. In the Japanese archipelago, C. fluminea has been identified using morphological characteristics in most distribution surveys. However, a recent study has shown that morphology alone cannot be used to identify C. fluminea due to its superficial similarity to the related native species C. leana Prime, 1867. Consequently, the present distribution of C. fluminea is still poorly understood. We surveyed the distribution of C. fluminea on Kyushu Island, Japan, by sequencing the cytochrome b region of the mitochondrial DNA, a region that can be used to distinguish the two clam species, and found that C. fluminea was already established throughout the entire island, except at a single site where Corbicula clams comprised solely of C. leana. In response to this serious situation, we suggest using PCR-RFLP method, which was employed here, to distinguish the two clam species for more effective and rapid surveys.
Improved Finite-Element Formulation in Terms of the Magnetic Field Vector for Dielectric Waveguides

An improved finite-element method for the analysis of dielectric waveguides is formulated in terms of all three components of the magnetic field H. In this approach, the spurious, nonphysical solutions do not appear anywhere above the "air-line," and therefore the present formulation is very useful for the analysis of the surface-wave modes of dielectric waveguides. The application of this improved finite-element method to the dielectric waveguides with perfect electric and magnetic conductors is also discussed. In particular, the discussion is how to use the conditions on a boundary surface of a perfect electric or magnetic conductor whose normal direction is not coincident with the direction of a coordinate axis. Application of these boundary conditions for perfect conductors to the dielectric waveguides with planes of symmetry reduces the matrix size. The strength of this approach to boundary conditions is not just the economical use of computer memory but the elimination of spurious solutions through rigorous enforcement of boundary conditions as well.
A 3-Level Secure Histogram Based Image Steganography Technique

Steganography is an art that involves communication of secret data in an appropriate carrier, eg. images, audio, video, etc. with a goal to hide the very existence of embedded data so as not to arouse an eavesdropper's suspicion. In this paper, a steganographic technique with high level of security and having a data hiding capacity close to 20% of cover image data has been developed. An adaptive and matched bit replacement method is used based on the sensitivity of Human Visual System (HVS) at different intensities. The proposed algorithm ensures that the generated stego image has a PSNR greater than 38.5 and is also resistant to visual attack. A three level security is infused into the algorithm which makes data retrieval from the stego image possible only in case of having all the right keys.
Pictures of me: user views on their representation in homelessness fundraising appeals

There is a long-standing ethical debate regarding the ‘right’ representation of recipients in charity marketing materials that are intended to accurately define and represent social problems whilst also prompting the maximum response in voluntary income. The study presented in this article makes a contribution to that debate by highlighting the views of charity beneficiaries regarding their representation in fundraising campaigns. Drawing on data from five focus groups conducted in cities across England, we explore the views of young homeless people regarding the images of homelessness that appeared in major charity campaigns aimed at raising money to fund homelessness services. Participants displayed a high level of reflexivity, demonstrating that they understood the issues involved with homelessness and the perceptions of people like themselves that exist in the public sphere and in the consciousness of potential donors. Although the participants held the view that maximising revenues through the use of simple, eye-catching images is the prime goal of fundraising, they also expressed a desire for more nuanced campaigns that tell the dynamic stories of how people become homeless and the use of imagery that elicits empathy rather than merely arouses sympathy.
Talent Management in Triadic Organizational Architectures

We study a model of team problem-solving over a large solution space. Compared to the existing literature, we allow for heterogeneity both in the organizational architectures and in the agents' cognitive abilities; moreover, we introduce a more expressive performance measure. We find a robust ranking of the triadic architectures with respect to their effectiveness and provide a key recommendation for talent management in partial hierarchies.
Equilibrium conditions for gas hydrates of methane and ethane mixtures in pure water and sodium chloride solution

The equilibrium conditions were experimentally determined for gas hydrate of methane and ethane mixtures in pure water and 3.0 wt% NaCl solution. The present results indicate that the addition of ethane stabilizes gas hydrate and shifts the equilibrium conditions to higher temperature and lower pressure. As ethane concentration increases from 0 vol% to 10 vol%, the equilibrium pressure of gas hydrate decreases non-proportionally with gas composition, which implies a change in the hydrate structure over this range of gas composition. The equilibrium temperature of gas hydrates of methane and ethane mixtures in 3.0 wt% NaCl solution is approximately 1.0 K lower than that in pure water at a constant pressure.
Advanced Methods for Time Series Prediction Using Recurrent Neural Networks

Time series prediction has important applications in various domains such as medicine, ecology, meteorology, industrial control or finance. Generally the characteristics of the phenomenon which generates the series are unknown. The information available for the prediction is limited to the past values of the series. The relations which describe the evolution should be deduced from these values, in the form of functional relation approximations between the past and the future values. The most usually adopted approach to consider the future values ( ) 1 t x + consists in using a function f which takes as input a time window of fixed size M representing the recent history of the time series. ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ] τ − − τ − = 1 M t x , , t x , t x t . x (1) ( ) ( ) ( ) t f t x x = τ + (2)
Fluctuation of Solutions to Linear Elliptic Equations with Noisy Diffusion Coefficients

We consider a linear elliptic equation in divergence form on a bounded domain (or on ℝ d ) in dimension d ≥ 2, whose coefficients are perturbed by a stationary noise of correlation length ϵ > 0. We give estimates on the fluctuation of the solution in function of the correlation length ϵ of the noise, both in terms of strong L 2 and weak L 1 norms. This result can be seen as a quantification of the propagation of uncertainties in linear elliptic partial differential equations.
Community and data integration approach using requirement centric operational data store model (ReCODS-model) for business intelligence applications

Building a Business Intelligence (BI) application is very challenging as it is a young discipline and does not yet offer well-established strategies and techniques for the developments process when compared to the software engineering discipline. Furthermore, information requirements analysis for BI applications which integrate data from heterogeneous sources differs significantly from requirements analysis for a conventional information system. Requirement Centric Operational Data Store Model (ReCODS-M) to build BI application that focuses on operational information to support business operations is proposed. In this model, combination of community interaction and data integration approach were used to identify the requirements for developing BI application. Furthermore, how the operational data store can be used for operational and tactical information and can be transferred to a data warehouse for supporting analytical information and decision making is also presented. Finally, to verify and validate the proposed model, the case study approach using web application development in selected subject areas is elaborated.
How Accounting Accuracy Affects DSGE Models

This paper explores how accounting consistency affects DSGE models. As many DSGE models descended from real business cycle models, I explore a simple labor-only RBC model with an exogenous external sector introduced. The conclusion reached in this paper is that once an external sector is introduced, DSGE models may suffer from accounting inconsistency, unless disequilibrium or some non-orthodox theory of price level, real monetary supply or bonds is accepted.
Demographic Change and Pharmaceuticals' Stock Returns

We analyse how demographic change affected profits and returns across pharmaceutical industries over the last 20 years. Fluctuations in different age group sizes influence the estimated demand changes for age‐sensitive drugs, such as antibacterials for young, antidepressants for middle‐aged, and antithrombotics for old people. These demand changes are predictable as soon as a specific age group is born. We use consumption and demographic data to forecast future consumption demand growth for drugs caused by demographic changes in the age structure. We find that long‐term forecast demand changes predict abnormal annual pharmaceutical stock returns for more than 60 firms over the time period from 1986 to 2008. An increase by one percentage point of annual demand growth due to demographic changes predicts an increase in abnormal yearly stock returns in the size of 3–5 percentage points. Short‐term forecast demand changes does predict negative abnormal stock returns for a time horizon below 5 years. A trading strategy taking advantage of the demographic information earns a significant abnormal return between 6 and 8 percentage points per year. Our results are consistent with the model by DellaVigna and Pollet (2007), where investors are inattentive with extrapolation in the distant future and overreact to information in the near future.
ASSESSMENT OF BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN DRUG INDUCED LIVER TOXICITY AGAINST RAT HEPATOCYTES

Article history Assessment of liver can be made by estimating the activities of ASAT, ALAT, ALP and LDH, which are enzymes originally present in higher concentration in cytoplasm. When there is hepatopathy, these enzymes leak into the blood stream in conformity with the extent of liver damage. Many toxins target the liver and cause hepatotoxic effects that can be observed through some biochemical parameters. Impairment of the liver generally occurs from excessive exposure to xenobiotics, alcohol, chemotherapeutic agents, virus and protozoan infections. Depending upon the severity of toxicant insult, hepatic cell injury can lead from acute to chronic hepatitis, which if left untreated can result in cirrhosis or malignant lesions. In this paper we study of the effect of selected drugs against each toxicant by estimating the biochemical parameters using hepatocytes.
A novel fiber laser development for photoacoustic microscopy

Photoacoustic microscopy, as an imaging modality, has shown promising results in imaging angiogenesis and cutaneous malignancies like melanoma, revealing systemic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, tracing drug efficiency and assessment of therapy, monitoring healing processes such as wound cicatrization, brain imaging and mapping. Clinically, photoacoustic microscopy is emerging as a capable diagnostic tool. Parameters of lasers used in photoacoustic microscopy, particularly, pulse duration, energy, pulse repetition frequency, and pulse-to-pulse stability affect signal amplitude and quality, data acquisition speed and indirectly, spatial resolution. Lasers used in photoacoustic microscopy are typically Q-switched lasers, low-power laser diodes, and recently, fiber lasers. Significantly, the key parameters cannot be adjusted independently of each other, whereas microvasculature and cellular imaging, e.g., have different requirements. Here, we report an integrated fiber laser system producing nanosecond pulses, covering the spectrum from 600 nm to 1100 nm, developed specifically for photoacoustic excitation. The system comprises of Yb-doped fiber oscillator and amplifier, an acousto-optic modulator and a photonic-crystal fiber to generate supercontinuum. Complete control over the pulse train, including generation of non-uniform pulse trains, is achieved via the AOM through custom-developed field-programmable gate-array electronics. The system is unique in that all the important parameters are adjustable: pulse duration in the range of 1-3 ns, pulse energy up to 10 μJ, repetition rate from 50 kHz to 3 MHz. Different photocoustic imaging probes can be excited with the ultrabroad spectrum. The entire system is fiber-integrated; guided-beam-propagation rendersit misalignment free and largely immune to mechanical perturbations. The laser is robust, low-cost and built using readily available components.
GermEval-2014: Nested Named Entity Recognition with Neural Networks

Collobert et al. (2011) showed that deep neural network architectures achieve state-of-the-art performance in many fundamental NLP tasks, including Named Entity Recognition (NER). However, results were only reported for English. This paper reports on experiments for German Named Entity Recognition, using the data from the GermEval 2014 shared task on NER. Our system achieves an F 1 -measure of 75 . 09% according to the ofﬁcial metric.
Patch clamp technique: Review of the current state of the art and potential contributions from nanoengineering

The patch clamp technique permits high-resolution recording of the ionic currents flowing through a cell's plasma membrane. In different configurations, this technique has allowed experimenters to record and manipulate the currents that flow either through single ion channels or those that flow across the whole plasma membrane. Unfortunately, the conventional patch clamp method is laborious, requiring the careful fabrication of electrodes, skillful manipulation of the patch pipette towards a cell, and the clever design of electronics and apparatus to allow low-noise recordings. Advances in microfabrication offer promising technologies for high-throughput patch clamp recordings, particularly suitable for drug screening. This paper provides a review of the advances that have been made in the patch clamp technique over the years and considers where application of nanotechnology might provide significant contributions in the future.
Stein’s method and random character ratios

Stein's method is used to prove limit theorems for random character ratios. Tools are developed for four types of structures: finite groups, Gelfand pairs, twisted Gelfand pairs, and association schemes. As one example an error term is obtained for a central limit theorem of Kerov on the spectrum of the Cayley graph of the symmetric group generated by i-cycles. Other main examples include an error term for a central limit theorem of Ivanov on character ratios of random projective representations of the symmetric group, and a new central limit theorem for the spectrum of certain random walks on perfect matchings. The results are obtained with very little information: a character formula for a single representation close to the trivial representation and estimates on two step transition probabilities of a random walk. The limit theorems stated in this paper are for normal approximation, but many of the tools developed are applicable for arbitrary distributional approximation.
Dynamics of deformation and water flow in heterogeneous porous media and its impact on soil properties

The interaction of geomechanics and flow within a soil body induces deformation and pore pressure change. Deformation may change hydrogeological and elastic properties, which alters the mechanical behaviour and results in non‐linearity. To investigate this interaction effect in a heterogeneous porous medium, a stochastic poroelastic model is proposed. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to determine the mean and uncertainty of the parameter changes, displacement, and change in pore water pressure. Hydraulic conductivity is treated as the only random variable in the coupled geomechanics‐flow system due to its large variation compared to other mechanical and hydrogeological properties in natural environments. The three considered non‐linear models for the interaction between parameters and deformation are those that consider (1) porosity and hydraulic conductivity; (2) porosity and Young's modulus; and (3) a combined effect that includes porosity, hydraulic conductivity, and Young's modulus. Boundary effects on the coupled system are also explored. The relationships between changes of porosity, hydraulic conductivity, and Young's modulus are analytically shown to be non‐linear. Among the considered parameters, the deformation effect induces the largest reduction in hydraulic conductivity. The deformation‐induced change in hydraulic conductivity shows the most significant effect on the mean and variance of the change in pore water pressure and displacement, while changes in Young's modulus have the least effect. When the deformation effect is considered, the superposition relationship does not exist in the mean displacement and mean change in pore water pressure for the three scenarios considered; it exists for the case without deformation effects. Deformation also causes a reduction in the effective hydraulic conductivity for the whole domain. The scenario that considers both loading and discharge boundaries has larger changes in hydrogeological and geo‐mechanical parameters than those in scenarios that consider loading and discharge boundaries separately. The results indicate that the interaction between deformation and changes in parameters has a profound effect on the poroelastic system. The effect of deformation should thus be considered in modelling and practice. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal versus adequate level of international reserves: evidence for Turkey

The determination of international reserve balance for emerging economies is part of the efforts to strengthen the immunity of these economies to crises. However, there is still evidence on crises even for the countries with large foreign reserves. It has usually been experienced that the countries with greatest need for reserves economize more than others on their holdings since they might underestimate the cost of crisis. In this study, the official international reserves of Turkey are tested against optimality and adequacy. During 1988–2002, the actual reserves fell short of both the optimal and the adequate levels. They are only optimal when the expected cumulative contraction is about 5.2% of real GDP under crisis. However, early evidence from emerging economies and Turkey show that crises hit more heavily. Hence, it is found that the current financial structure in Turkey such as the absence of capital controls and a highly dollarized banking system necessitates more foreign reserves for preventing any future economic and/or financial shocks.
Mapping Urban Sprawl and Measuring Urban Density using Shannon Entropy: A Case Study of Salem City and its Environ

Urbanization refers to increase in population of the city which is being influenced by social, political and economic characteristics of the city. As the population of the city increases, the boundary of the city expands to some extent leading to urban fringes. Urban sprawl is the haphazard patchwork of development resulting in an improper development in any city. It is necessary to monitor the growth of the city to prevent this kind of improper development. Identification of urban growth and its density of the city helps in better planning and management of the city. This requires analysis of spatial and temporal data for analyzing the trends over a period of time. The present study uses Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System techniques to monitor the urban growth and Shannon entropy to measure dispersion of built-up land growth in the city. The study area has been divided into concentric circles of 1 km buffer and the urban growth is analyzed based on urban built-up density with respect to each circular buffer zones. The study also proved the potential of RS and GIS techniques in the Spatial-temporal analysis of urban growth trends and their consequences in the lands adjoining to urban areas.
Magnetic white dwarf stars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

To obtain better statistics on the occurrence of magnetism among white dwarfs, we searched the spectra of the hydrogen atmosphere white dwarf stars (DAs) in the Data Release 7 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) for Zeeman splittings and estimated the magnetic fields. We found 521 DAs with detectable Zeeman splittings, with fields in the range from around 1 MG to 733 MG, which amounts to 4% of all DAs observed. As the SDSS spectra has low signal-to-noise ratios, we carefully investigated by simulations with theoretical spectra how reliable our detection of magnetic field was.
ANTI HYPERLIPIDEMIC ACTIVITY OF ACALYPHA INDICA LINN. ON ATHEROGENIC DIET INDUCED HYPERLIPIDEMIA

Objectives: Acalypha indica Linn. L. (family: Euphorbiaceae) is a weed widely distributed throughout the plains of India. It has been reported to be useful in treating pneumonia, asthma, rheumatism and several other ailments. As there is no indication of publications regarding the Anti hyperlipidemic activity of the plant,the present study was designed to investigate the Anti hyperlipidemic activity of ethanolic, aqueous extracts of Acalypha indica Linn. Method: Hyperlipidemia was induced by Atherogenic diet in Wistar albino rats. Drugs were administered in two different dose levels (200mg/Kgbwt, 400mg/ Kgbwt). Results: Though two extracts of Acalypha indica Linn, dose dependently reduced, the elevated levels of TC, TG and LDL-C condition has shown considerable decline. Ethanolic extract (400mg/kg) of Acalypha indica Linn leaves was more significant as compared to aqueous extract. A preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of different phytoconstituents such as lignands, flavonoids, glycosides, sterols, sugars, amino acids and triterpenoids etc which may important for these activity Conclusion: The present result suggests Acalypha indica Linn. improved the serum lipid profile in rats by decreasing serum TC, TG, LDL-C and increasing serum HDL-C, thus improving the atherogenic index. This finding provides some biochemical basis for against hyperlipidemia. Further, studies are required to again more insight in to the possible mechanism of action.