Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Variation in blade morphology of the kelp Eisenia arborea: incipient speciation due to local water motion?

The southern sea palm kelp Eisenia arborea produces wide, bullate (bumpy) blades in low-flow areas, whereas in adjacent high-flow areas blades are flat and narrow. Here we determine if morphological differences in these 2 closely associated populations are correlated with physical factors in the environment, and whether this response is a genetically fixed or plastic trait. Both phenotypes were subjected to morphometric analysis, field and laboratory transplant experiments, and genetic analysis (M13 DNA fingerprinting). Physical variables (water motion, temperature, and light) were monitored simultaneously in the field. Results indicate that the 2 populations, separated by <10 m, are genetically distinct and transplants in the field and lab remained similar to individuals from the original collection location, regardless of the imposed flow environment. Water motion varied significantly between the 2 populations and was the single physical variable that correlated with morphology. Based on bump heights and water velocities in the field, bullate blades could increase turbulent transport of nutrients 4-fold that of flat blades. The thicker blades and large holdfasts of the flat morph may impart higher survivorship under high-flow conditions. This suggests water motion selects for 2 distinct morphotypes of E. arborea that represent adaptations to enhance fitness under different nutrient availability and drag force regimes. Thus, blade morphology is not a plastic response to the local environment but a genetically fixed trait and may be indicative of nascent speciation in the face of strong selection by water motion over spatial scales smaller than observed previously in kelps.
A Large Parameter Pseudo-spectral Perturbation Method for Nonlinear Systems of Partial Differential Equations that Models Boundary Layer Flow Problems

In this paper, a new approach for solving coupled systems of nonlinear boundary layer partial differential equations that are defined over a large time interval is presented. The method, called the large parameter spectral perturbation combines asymptotic analysis, and the Chebyshev spectral collocation method. The LSPM is based on using the Chebysev spectral collocation method to solve the sequence of differential equations generated by the asymptotic series approximation. The LSPM is tested on a coupled three-equation system that models the problem of natural convection heat transfer flow past a magnetized vertical permeable plate for liquid metals. The accuracy of the LSPM is tested against the multi-domain bivariate spectral quasilinearisation method (MD-BSQLM) which is an approach that is based on applying the quasilinearisation technique to simplify the nonlinear PDEs first and thereafter decomposing the time domain into smaller non-overlapping sub-intervals which are discretized using the spectral collocation method. The MD-BSQLM combines the accuracy, computational efficiency of spectral method together with guaranteed fast convergence of the approximate solution to the required solution. The approximate numerical result shows that the LSPM is an accurate and computationally efficient method for solving coupled nonlinear systems of PDEs defined over a large time interval. The obtained results are presented in graphical and tabular forms. We remark also, that this study corrects the published test equations by giving the correct transformation, transformed equations and expansion.
Shear Flow Induced Alignment of Carbon Nanotubes in Natural Rubber

A new procedure for the fabrication of natural rubber composite with aligned carbon nanotubes is provided in this study. The two-step approach is based on (i) the preparation of mixture latex of natural rubber, multiwalled carbon nanotubes, and other components and (ii) the orientation of carbon nanotubes by a flow field. Rubber composite sheets filled with variable volume fraction of aligned carbon nanotubes were fabricated and then confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy studies. An obvious increase in thermal conductivity has been obtained after the alignment of carbon nanotubes. The dynamic mechanical analysis was carried out in a tear mode for the composite.
What is in the neighborhood of a tonal syllable? Evidence from auditory lexical decision in Mandarin Chinese

Phonological neighborhood effects have been found in spoken word recognition, word production and phonetic variation (Gahl, Yao, & Johnson, 2012; Luce & Pisoni, 1998; Vitevitch, 2002). Overall, words from dense neighborhoods are harder to recognize but easier to produce. However, most previous studies have focused on English, while evidence suggests that these effects may not generalize cross-linguistically due to language-specific configurations of the lexicon (Michael S Vitevitch & Stamer, 2006, 2009). In the current study, we investigate the effects of phonological neighborhoods in Mandarin Chinese, which has a vastly different lexicon structure from that of English. Results from an auditory lexical decision experiment showed that phonological neighborhood density and neighbor frequency (defined by the one-phoneme/tone difference rule) are predictive of the speed and accuracy of lexical decision. Homophone density also has a facilitative effect on the accuracy of lexical decision. The implications of the current findings are discussed in the framework of the lexicon model proposed by Zhou & Marslen-Wilson (1994, 2009).
Sex-specific temperature distribution in four populations of American plaice Hippoglossoides platessoides

In the American plaice Hippoglossoides platessoides, the sexes differ in size at age in most populations, with females being larger. Because of the links between growth, ration and tem- perature, differences in temperature selection might be expected between the sexes in species with dimorphic growth, with the sex with the higher growth rate selecting higher temperatures. Temper- ature selection has also been predicted to be density-dependent in fishes, with fish occupying colder temperatures at higher levels of abundance. We examined these aspects of temperature selection in 4 populations of American plaice: the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence population and 3 populations off Newfoundland (Labrador and NE Newfoundland, Grand Bank and St. Pierre Bank). Throughout the 1970s and most of the 1980s plaice occupied cold water relative to that available in all of the areas surveyed. In all 4 populations, females tended to occupy warmer water than males. Differences between the sexes in temperature selection and in length at age both tended to be greatest in the southern Gulf population during this period. However, there was no correspondence among popula- tions in these differences in the early 1990s, when distribution of the Grand Bank and St. Pierre Bank populations shifted sharply into warm water and the difference in temperature distribution between the sexes increased dramatically in these populations. These shifts to warmer water may be related to density-dependent effects on temperature preference. There was a strong negative relationship between the temperatures occupied by plaice and their relative abundance in the 3 Newfoundland populations but not in the southern Gulf population. Densities appear to have remained higher in the southern Gulf population than in the Newfoundland populations, suggesting that density-dependent effects on temperature preference only occur when densities fall below some threshold level.
Political cycles in Greece’s municipal employment

We consider the politically motivated fluctuations in Greece’s municipal employment, constructing a data-set from primary data and focusing on the composition of municipal employment in terms of employment relationship forms. Our analysis produces strong evidence of pre-electoral manipulation through increases in the number of contract employees. Considering a number of control variables and robustness checks does not affect the key results. Such variables include whether mayors run for reelection, incumbents’ political alignment with central government, partisan shifts, general elections, mayors’ turnover rate, and timing patterns. Our evidence provides insights into Greece’s political economy in the run-up to the current economic crisis.
New developments in understanding of pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of severe acute pancreatitis

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) remains being a clinical challenge, carrying significant burden of morbidity, mortality and patient related cost. In general, acute pancreatitis may vary in severity, from mild, self-limiting pancreatic inflammation to life-threatening pancreatic necrosis. Gallstone induced obstruction and alcohol abuse are the most common causes of pancreatitis in adults. Continuing interest in new biological markers and predictive models for timely identification of severe acute pancreatitis cases emphasizes clinical importance of early severity prediction. Among those markers, IL-6, IL-10, procalcitonin, and trypsinogen activation peptide are most likely to be used in clinical practice. Although all scoring systems had reliable accuracy in predicting pancreatitis severity and outcome, SOFA score performed. The treatment of mild disease is mainly supportive, while severe episodes require management by a multidisciplinary team including gastroenterologists, interventional radiologists, intensive care specialists, and surgeons. There are some unresolved issues pertinent to treatment, including indications for antibiotic prophylaxis, optimal route for nutritional support, selective intestinal decontamination and surgical management of pancreatic infection. The purpose of this review is to present advances in pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of SAP.
Morphometric characteristics of spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris (Gray,1828) from Bay of Bengal

Morphometric characteristics of the spinner dolphin Stenella longirostris were analysed based on samples (n=16) collected from two centres along the east coast of India (Bay of Bengal). The total length of the samples ranged from 84 to 170 cm. Of the 11 characteristics related to the anterior part of the body, the ratio of 10 characteristics to the total length is higher for calf male than that of adult male. There are also a few conspicuous differences between adult male and female. The Bay of Bengal form appears to differ from the other forms of world oceans, confirming that the morphometric characteristics of the spinner dolphin vary greatly geographically.
Robust Control for Systems with Bounded-Sensor Faults

In this study an observer-based novel design of robust control system with an estimate scheme of sensor states to accommodate extended bounded-sensor faults is proposed. The sensor faults are, in general, modeled as polytopic bounds in robust control framework and are usually given as a priori assumption. But, in practice, the sensors that are subject to faults are especially vulnerable to variant conditions, such as high temperature, and humidity. Thus, their faults may fall outside the presumed polytopic bounds easily. An estimate scheme of sensor states integrated into the observerbased control system captures the sensor faults outside the presumed region. The notion of quadratic stability stabilizes the overall system and guarantees a robust performance measure of an output error signal in the presence of a set of extended admissible sensor faults. A numerical example shows the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.
Analysis of Feature Extraction Algorithms Used in Brain-Computer Interfaces

A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a system for communication between humans or animals and computers, which sends messages or commands from brain activities to the external devices without peripheral nerves and muscles activities. Feature extraction is crucial in a BCI system, for it determines whether the user's intent can be interpreted as an accurate command. We examined the performance of the representative algorithms including Fast Fourier transform (FFT), Wavelet transform (WT) and Independent component analysis (ICA). Experimental results show that these algorithms are effective to identify the target characteristics. Improvements of these methods or their integrations can contribute to enhance the efficiency of the BCI systems.
Numerical simulation of two tool turning process

Double tool turning process is used to improve productivity. A 2D finite element model was developed using commercially available finite element analysis software Abaqus 6.13. The workpiece and the cutting tool materials are modelled as elasto-plastic and elastic material respectively. Johnson-Cook damage criterion was used for chip separation. The friction between the cutting tool and the workpiece is modelled based on penalty contact approach. The coefficient of friction between the chip and the first and second cutting tool was taken as 0.8 and 0.6 respectively. In this numerical investigation the effect tool separation distance over the cutting force, feed force and cutting temperature were studied. Three different tool separation distances were considered. The simulation result shows that cutting force and feed force of the front cutting tool and the rear cutting tool do not change appreciably with the variation of the tool separation distance. It was revealed that the temperature rise of the work material due to machining by two cutting tool is well below the recrystallization temperature. Hence the forces on front and rear cutting tool remain same for various tool separation distances. It was also observed that the cutting temperatures remained unchanged for the various tool separation distances.
Glass sponge reefs as a silicon sink

Glass sponge reefs concentrate large amounts of biological silicon (Si) over relatively small areas of the seafloor. We examined the role of glass sponges in biological silicon (Si) cycling by calculating a Si budget for 3 glass sponge reefs (Howe, Fraser, and Galiano) in the Strait of Georgia (SOG), British Columbia, Canada. The main reef-forming glass sponge Aphrocallistes vas- tus is heavily silicified, with 80% of its dry weight composed of biogenic silica (bSi). We used a com- bination of field sampling and surveys with a remote-operated vehicle to estimate the volume, mass, and bSi content of the reefs. BSi content ranged from 7 to 11 kg m �2 among reefs, amount- ing to a total of 915 t of bSi locked in the exposed portion of the 3 reefs. Water column measurements of dissolved Si (dSi) indicated that the SOG is a region of high dSi, with average dSi concentrations of 50 µmol l �1 in waters over the reefs. The skele- tons of glass sponges showed very little dissolution after 8 mo immersion in seawater, as determined by changes in dSi in samples and scanning electron microscopy of the spicules. In contrast, diatom frustules, the main source of bSi in surface waters of the SOG, were ~200 times more soluble. Our calculations of Si flux suggest that glass sponge reefs can equate to 65% of the dSi reservoir (3.6 × 10 9 mol Si) in the SOG and represent a substantial Si sink in the continental shelf waters of the north- eastern Pacific Ocean.
The Nature of the Business Corporation: Its Legal Structure and Economic Functions

There is a fundamental difference in legal structure between the classical firm and the business corporation. While the former consists of a single ownership relation between owners and assets, the latter consists of two overlapping ownership relations - one between shareholders and the corporation and the other between the corporation and corporate assets. The legal relation between shareholders and assets is indirect and only through the intermediary of the corporation that legally performs the dual role of a thing and a person. The main purpose of this paper is to show how such two-tier ownership structure of the business corporation has fundamental effects on the form of its organization, the ways and means of its governance, and the efficiency of its performances.
DIVERTER UNCERTAINTY LESS THAN 0 . 01 % FOR WATER FLOW CALIBRATIONS

We describe the primary water flow standard at NIST and tests that determined the uncertainty of a new diverter design called a “uni-diverter”. The tests compared the flow measurement results for the unidiverter (operated with the collection / bypass unit) and the diverter operated in the traditional manner with a time correction (as described in ISO 4185). The uni-diverter introduces less than 0.01% into the total flow uncertainty.
Pathways to the Professoriate: Women Midlife Career ChangersA Literature Review of Prior Career Experts to New Career Novices

The purpose of the study is to investigate the career transitions and strategies of women midlife career changers to the professoriate. As part of the study, the purpose of this paper is to discuss a completed literature review of adult transitions from prior career expert to new career novice. Higher education is changing as so are faculty. Two changing faculty dimensions include increasing numbers of newer faculty with prior careers and women faculty. For example, in doctoral granting institutions, 20% of newer faculty (<=10 years) are job or career changers to postsecondary education (National Center for Education Statistics, 2004). In addition, women faculty at higher education institutions have reached record-breaking numbers. From 1992 to 2011, women increased from 38% to 44% of faculty (National Center for Education Statistics, 2011; 2012a). Despite the narrowing gap, however, they continue to experience the professoriate differently than men, as evidenced by fewer assistant, associate, full, and tenured women professors and, on average, lower salaries (National Center for Education Statistics, 2012a; 2012b; 2012c). We know little about women’s experiences during midlife career transition to the professoriate, including their transitions from prior career expert to new career novice and subsequent journeys to new career expert. Conceptual Framework and Purpose Traditional theory may not explain the intersection and transitions of increasing numbers of faculty with prior careers and women faculty in examination of higher education careers. Situated in the adult development, career development, and expert to novice literature, this study’s conceptual framework comprises an adult transition and career development model. Originally published in 1981, Schlossberg’s (Anderson, Goodman, & Schlossberg, 2012)adult transition model has evolved over the years and provides an examination framework. In the area of adult transitions, adult and career development converged during the last half of the previous century (Hansen, 2001). Responding to this convergence, Hansen (2001; 2011) created the integrative life planning model. The first part of the career development model, integrative, emphasizes the integration of body, mind, and spirit, and the second part, life planning, recognizes life’s multiple and interrelated aspects and adults’ responsibility to plan within the career development process. The purpose of the study is to investigate the career transitions and strategies of women midlife career changers to the professoriate. As part of the study, the purpose of this paper is to discuss a completed literature review of adult transitions from prior career expert to new career novice and subsequent journey to new career expert. Based on the conceptual framework, a three-part research question guided the literature review: Within the context of expert to novice, what were prior career experts’ (a) motivations, (b) supports, and (c) strategies as they transitioned to new career novice?
Stock Return and Trading Volume - An Application of the Markov Switching Model

The relationship between stock return and trading volume has been extensively documented by earlier studies. Financial academics unveiled some potential reasons of this phenomenon, but it still left for several inconclusive evidences. This paper employs the Markov switching model (MSM) to investigate the relationship. The results identify that second regime exist and persist, which is consistent with earlier study indicating that there are complex influences in stock return and trading volume. One possible explanation would be that people are not always rational; their financial decisions are influenced by behavioral biases. If people change their beliefs or preferences, then the regime switches. This leads to the conclusion that, the results are strongly in favor of a non-linear relation between stock return and trading volume. Also, it is interesting to find that industry play an important role. The deviations of the regime parameters are different across industries, which stands for risk-varying and is fit to the conventional wisdoms. This paper further tests the glamour (value) stock effect by the MSM; the result shows that the factor does affect the probabilities of the expected regime duration periods.
Greece withdraws from Euro and runs on Bitcoin; April Fools Prank or Serious Possibility?

This paper assesses whether the way in which the Greek crisis was communicated by media and social networking increase the debt deal uncertainty and the possibility of abandoning the euro in favor of Bitcoin. Through an improved frequency approach, we attempt to disentangle short-, medium- and long-run causality between Google Trends (search queries) and Twitter (social media) data related to the Greek crisis and Bitcoin unconditionally and conditioning upon relevant control variables. Our results unambiguously show a short-run unidirectional causality running from search queries and the number of tweets to the use of Bitcoin. These findings remain meaningful when a number of control variables are accounted for, while the cycle length becomes shorter. These results change substantially by the arrival of the left-wing Syriza party in power, on January 25th, 2015, with its radical approach to debt negotiations. The cycle becomes longer (short- and medium-run). Not surprisingly, doubts have increased as to whether Athens can appropriately settle its debt repayment obligations. This study indicates that Greece’s withdrawal from euro and running on Bitcoin is likely to be an April fool’s joke rather than serious possibility. It also proves a sharp distinguishability among Googlers and Twitters.
PRUB: A Privacy Protection Friend Recommendation System Based on User Behavior

The fast developing social network is a double-edged sword. It remains a serious problem to provide users with excellent mobile social network services as well as protecting privacy data. Most popular social applications utilize behavior of users to build connection with people having similar behavior, thus improving user experience. However, many users do not want to share their certain behavioral information to the recommendation system. In this paper, we aim to design a secure friend recommendation system based on the user behavior, called PRUB. The system proposed aims at achieving fine-grained recommendation to friends who share some same characteristics without exposing the actual user behavior. We utilized the anonymous data from a Chinese ISP, which records the user browsing behavior, for 3 months to test our system. The experiment result shows that our system can achieve a remarkable recommendation goal and, at the same time, protect the privacy of the user behavior information.