Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-term fish monitoring underlines a rising tide of temperature tolerant, rheophilic, benthivore and generalist exotics, irrespective of hydrological conditions

The invasion of exotic species is one of the main threats to worldwide biodiversity and can be aided by changes in environmental conditions. We hypothesized that a temporal trend of decreasing discharge and increasing temperature might have favored the invasion of warm-adapted, lentic exotic fish species in the lower Po River, northern Italy. We used presence/absence data over a long-term period (over 20 years) to investigate the dynamics of exotic fish invasion along water temperature and discharge gradients. Mean annual discharge and temperature did not show a clear trend and did not affect exotic fish species invasion, which progressed with time irrespective of these factors. The total number of species fluctuated without a clear trend, which underlined a progressive substitution of native species with exotic ones. Perhaps surprisingly, the community composition changed over time towards more temperature tolerant but also rheophilic, benthivore and generalist fish species. These results highlight how species interactions could be one of the main factors driving the invasion. Furthermore, our data underlines a continuously rising tide of exotics, which questions the success of past control strategies. Considering the current conservation resources limitations, priority should be given to the development of prevention strategies in order to avoid new species introductions.
EVALUATION FUZZY NUMBERS BASED ON RMS

We suggest a new approach to the problem of defuzzificarion. This approach is a knowledge-based approach in that it uses knowledge in terms of RMS (root mean square) function to help to more intelligently guide the defuzzification process. This approach makes use of a view of the defuzzification process as a kind of clustering problem and uses the basic idea used in the mountain clustering method.
Parallel Machine Scheduling with Nested Processing Set Restrictions and Job Delivery Times

The problem of scheduling jobs with delivery times on parallel machines is studied, where each job can only be processed on a specific subset of the machines called its processing set. Two distinct processing sets are either nested or disjoint; that is, they do not partially overlap. All jobs are available for processing at time 0. The goal is to minimize the time by which all jobs are delivered, which is equivalent to minimizing the maximum lateness from the optimization viewpoint. A list scheduling approach is analyzed and its approximation ratio of 2 is established. In addition, a polynomial time approximation scheme is derived.
Phytochemical profile of the stems of Aeonium lindleyi

Aeonium species are plants rich in phenols and terpenoids and have been widely used in the Canary folk medicine. Following our project concerning bioactive compounds from Macaronesian region, a phytochemical study was carried out to investigate the constituents of the stems of Aeonium lindleyi Webb & Berthel. ,Crassulaceae. Air dried and chopped stems of this plant were extracted with ethanol in a Soxhlet apparatus and the total extract was chromatographed on silica gel to afford sixteen known compounds including, one sterol, four lupane triterpenes and eleven phenolic compounds. Their structures were elucidated by means of 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopic studies and comparison of their spectral data with values in the literature. Both group of isolated metabolites are known by their diverse biological activities and they have been described as antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory. Our results contribute to the knowledge of A. lindleyi as a potential source of bioactive compounds.
New Traffic Signal Controller for Improved Fail-Safe Functions

For the safe and smooth travel of vehicles, motor bikes, bicycles, and pedestrians on the road, traffic signal controllers (TSC) turn traffic lights on and off and manage their durations. Erroneous control of traffic lights can easily lead to serious accidents. This is why a TSC in particular requires the strictest fail-safe functions among the variety of devices used in each traffic control system. We have developed a new TSC, with improved architecture and failsafe functions compared with the previous model. This paper discusses the fail-safe functionality improvements in the new TSC.
Three-way approach to test data homogeneity : An analysis of temperature and precipitation series over southwestern Islamic Republic of Iran

The accuracy and rehabihty of trend analysis and model results in climate change studies vary according to the quality of data used. Non-climatic factors, such as relocation of station, change of instrument, etc. make data unrepresentative of the actual climate variation. This may influence the outcome of climatic and hydrological studies Homogenization of climatic data is therefore, of ma|or importance. The ob)ective of the present smdy v̂ âs to check the homogeneity of temperature and precipitation data of southwestern Iran to find a break m temperature and precipitation series. Three tests for homogeneity The standard normal homogeneity test (SNHT), Pettitt's test, the standard normal homogeneity test by Alexandersson and Moberg were applied to analyse seasonal and annual temperature and precipitation series from 1960-2007 in southwestern part of Iran. Each test was evaluated separately and inhomogeneous stations were determined The series were then grouped into three classes which were categorized as 'useful', 'doubtful' and 'suspect'. It was revealed by the homogeneity analysis that none of the series belonged to the class 'suspect', and therefore, it was concluded that the temperature and precipitation series are homogeneous.
An Examination of Power Differentials and Intimate Partner Violence in Lesbian Relationships

Researchers investigating lesbian intimate partner violence (IPV) encourage a movement from the study of prevalence rates to the examination of the complexities of IPV in lesbian relationships (Ristock, 2003). The current study examined power differentials and their associations with reported physical and psychological violence in lesbian relationships. Additionally, the study sought to determine whether power differentials predict physical and psychological violence within the relationship. Secondary data analysis of the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS; Tjaden & Thoennes, 1998) was used. Overall the sample (N = 80) was primarily White, high school graduates, with an average age of 30. A preliminary exploratory factor analysis of a measure used in the NVAWS revealed two factorsjealousy and control tactics. These factor scores were used in later analyses. Chi-square tests revealed no significant relationships between income, age, race, employment, health status, or education power differentials and the presence of physical and psychological violence (i.e., verbal attack). Significant associations were found between control tactics and age, as well as education differentials. Finally, significant associations were found between control tactics and psychological violence, as well as control tactics and jealousy. Multiple linear regressions (MLR) were used to determine which power differential discrepancy scores and factor scores (i.e., jealousy, control tactics [predictors]) could be used to predict physical and psychological violence (criteria). No significant predictions could be made for physical violence. Presence of
The linear tearing instability in three dimensional, toroidal gyro-kinetic simulations

Linear gyro-kinetic simulations of the classical tearing mode in three-dimensional toroidal geometry were performed using the global gyro-kinetic turbulence code, GKW. The results were benchmarked against a cylindrical ideal MHD and analytical theory calculations. The stability, growth rate, and frequency of the mode were investigated by varying the current profile, collisionality, and the pressure gradients. Both collisionless and semi-collisional tearing modes were found with a smooth transition between the two. A residual, finite, rotation frequency of the mode even in the absence of a pressure gradient is observed, which is attributed to toroidal finite Larmor-radius effects. When a pressure gradient is present at low collisionality, the mode rotates at the expected electron diamagnetic frequency. However, the island rotation reverses direction at high collisionality. The growth rate is found to follow a η1∕7 scaling with collisional resistivity in the semi-collisional regime, closely following the se.
A Simple Technique for Palm Recognition Using Major Lines

Abstract Present manuscript deals with the biometric identification and security. Features exploited for the purpose are the principal lines of the palm of an individual. We developed an algorithm which extracts palm region from a human hand, calculates few palm specific parameters using only principal lines that differentiate one palm from another and then verifies it against a database which contain s the palms of the registered users.
When agents meet: empathy, moral circle, ritual, and culture

Creating agents that are capable of emulating the same kind of socio-cultural dynamics found in human interaction remains one of the hardest challenges of artificial intelligence. This problem becomes particularly important when considering embodied agents that are meant to interact with humans in a believable and empathic manner. We propose a list of basic requirements for these agents to be capable of such behaviour and we introduce a model of the social world intended for implementation in affective agent architectures. In our framework culture alters agents’ social relationships rather than directly determining actions, allowing for a deeper representation of empathy.
Changes in summer sea ice, albedo, and portioning of surface solar radiation in the Pacific sector of Arctic Ocean during 1982-2009

SSM/I sea ice concentration and CLARA black-sky composite albedo were used to estimate sea ice albedo in the region 70°–82°N, 130°–180°W. The long-term trends and seasonal evolutions of ice concentration, composite albedo, and ice albedo were then obtained. In July–August 1982–2009, the linear trend of the composite albedo and the ice albedo was −0.069 and −0.046 units per decade, respectively. During 1 June to 19 August, melting of sea ice resulted in an increase of solar heat input to the ice-ocean system by 282 MJ·m−2 from 1982 to 2009. However, because of the counter-balancing effects of the loss of sea ice area and the enhanced ice surface melting, the trend of solar heat input to the ice was insignificant. The summer evolution of ice albedo matched the ice surface melting and ponding well at basin scale. The ice albedo showed a large difference between the multiyear and first-year ice because the latter melted completely by the end of a melt season. At the SHEBA geolocations, a distinct change in the ice albedo has occurred since 2007 because most of the multiyear ice has been replaced by first-year ice. A positive polarity in the Arctic Dipole Anomaly could be partly responsible for the rapid loss of summer ice within the study region in the recent years by bringing warmer air masses from the south and advecting more ice toward the north. Both these effects would enhance ice-albedo feedback. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The Effect of Relaxation Technique on Physical Activity of Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract Background & Aim : Physical activity has an important role in the length of life of hemodialysis patients. Some complementary interventions such as relaxation technique might be effective on the level of physical activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Benson’s relaxation technique on physical activity of hemodialysis patients. Material & Methods : It was a randomized controlled trial that was carried out in the hemodialysis units of Shiraz University of Medical sciences. Eighty six hemodialysis patients were randomly assigned to Benson’s relaxation technique group (n =43) and control group (n=43). The technique was performed in experimenmtal group for 20 min, twice a day for 8 consecutive weeks. Physical activity was assessed by the "Daily Living Activity (ADL)" and "Instrumental Daily Living Activity (IADL)" scale in both groups at baseline and 8 weeks after intervention. Data were analyzed with independent and dependent samples t–test, and chi–square using SPSS-PC (v.16). Results : Before the intervention, the mean score of ADL in intervention and control groups was 12.53 (2.54) and 12.30 (2.78), respectively. However, at the 8 th week of the intervention, the mean score of ADL in the intervention group was 13.42 (1.44) and in the control was 11.74 (3.45). The results of independent samples t– test showed a significant difference between ADL of the groups (t=2.83, P=0.006). In addition, the mean score of IADL at the beginning of study in intervention and control group was 14.36 (4.36) and 12.04 (6.01) and at 8 th week of intervention, it was 15.62 (3.77) and 12.00 (5.77), respectively. A significant difference was observed between two groups regarding the IADL scale at the 8 th week of the intervention (t=3.29, P=0.001). Conclusion : The findings suggest beneficial effects of Benson’s relaxation technique on the improvement of physical activity in hemodialysis patients. Therefore, teaching relaxation techniques could serve as a resource for improving the levels of physical
Comparing optical sensing using slab waveguides and total internal reflection ellipsometry

The sensitivity of the effective refractive index of slab waveguide sensors to variations in the refractive index of the cladding is compared to that of the ellipsometric parameters. The changes of the effective refractive index of a waveguide and the ellipsometric parameter Δ, due to the index change of the cladding, were derived and plotted as a function of the guiding layer thickness and with the index of the cladding. It is found that these changes almost have the same overall feature but the ellipsometric parameters showed considerable higher sensitivity than the effective index of the conventional waveguide optical sensors.
Advances in cationic photopolymerization

This review discusses cationic UV-curing processes of vinyl ethers, propenyl ethers, and epoxy monomers. Cationic photopolymerization based on photogeneration of acid from onium salts induced by UV light and consecutive polymerization initiated by photogenerated acid was first proposed at the end of the 1970s. The process engendered high interest both in academia and in industry. Cationic photoinduction presents some advantages over comparable radical-mediated processes, particularly the absence of inhibition by oxygen, low shrinkage, and good adhesion, and mechanical properties of the UV-cured materials. Moreover, the monomers employed are generally less toxic and irritant than acrylates and methacrylates, which are widely used in radical photopolymerization. In this overview, particular emphasis is given to our recent contributions to the field of cationic photopolymerization for different classes of monomers.
NONPARAMETRIC INFERENCE FOR UNBALANCED TIME SERIES DATA

This paper is concerned with the practical problem of conducting inference in a vector time series setting when the data are unbalanced or incomplete. In this case, one can work with only the common sample, to which a standard HAC/bootstrap theory applies, but at the expense of throwing away data and perhaps losing efficiency. An alternative is to use some sort of imputation method, but this requires additional modeling assumptions, which we would rather avoid. We show how the sampling theory changes and how to modify the resampling algorithms to accommodate the problem of missing data. We also discuss efficiency and power. Unbalanced data of the type we consider are quite common in financial panel data; see, for example, Connor and Korajczyk (1993, Journal of Finance 48, 1263–1291). These data also occur in cross-country studies.I thank Greg Connor, Esfandiar Maasoumi, Peter Phillips, Peter Robinson, Yoon Whang, and two referees for helpful comments.
A Greek–Turkish peace project: assessing the effectiveness of interactive conflict resolution

This paper evaluates a Greek–Turkish peace project, which was composed of three interactive workshops and was held with university students from Greece and Turkey. We evaluate the project by combining a two-way evaluation methodology. The first is a process evaluation where we examine the project’s ‘theory of change’ through interviews with the organizers and participant observation. A theory of change map has been created as a result depicting the beliefs of the organizers about the conflict, the conditions they see as necessary to transform the conflict, the programmatic activities and macro-level goals. In the second part, we conduct an outcome evaluation measuring empathy and trust towards the members of the other ethnic group. We employ a two-group, post-test experimental design. The findings of this phase suggest that the participant group has significantly higher level of empathy and trust towards the other group than the non-participants. Finally, we compare the results from the two phases of evaluation and draw both practical lessons for peace practitioners and theoretical implications to guide future research.
Supporting IWRM through spatial integrated assessment in the Lake Naivasha basin, Kenya

This study describes the mismatch between required knowledge and efforts by scientists and stakeholders in the Lake Naivasha basin, Kenya. In the basin, integrated water resources management (IWRM) suffers from the absence of critically relevant knowledge. This study further presents a spatial integrated assessment framework for supporting IWRM in the basin. This framework resulted from an ongoing debate between stakeholders and scientists studying the basin's issues. It builds on jointly identified indicators for sustainable governance, and their interdependency, and knowledge gaps. For IWRM in the basin this is a first important step towards a more structured debate on the implementation of IWRM.
Predicting Musical Meaning in Audio Branding Scenarios

This paper describes the concept of applying automatic music recommendation to the audio branding domain. We describe our approach of developing a prediction model for the perceived expressive content of music which is based on a large-scale listening experiment. We present an orthogonal 4-factor model for measuring musical expression as outcome variable, whereas audio- and music features as well as lyric-based features are introduced as prediction variables in the model. Furthermore, we describe Random Forest Regression as a concept for feature selection required to develop a Multi-Level Regression Model, which is taking individual listener parameters into account. Finally, we present first results from a preliminary stepwise regression model for perceived musical expression.
Simulating Correlated Binary and Multinomial Responses under Marginal Model Specification: The SimCorMultRes Package

We developed the R package SimCorMultRes to facilitate simulation of correlated categorical (binary and multinomial) responses under a desired marginal model specification. The simulated correlated categorical responses are obtained by applying threshold approaches to correlated continuous responses of underlying regression models and the dependence structure is parametrized in terms of the correlation matrix of the latent continuous responses. This article provides an elaborate introduction to the SimCorMultRes package demonstrating its design and usage via three examples. The package can be obtained via CRAN.
Simulation Strategy to Enhance Oxygen Uptake and Reaction Forces at Leg Joints and Vertebral Bodies During Ergometer Exercise Under Altered Gravity

Article history: Received: 05 June, 2018 Accepted: 22 June, 2018 Online: 02 July, 2018 Moderate exercise has been implemented in spaceflight programs to prevent muscle and joint damage under extreme circumstances such as microgravity. Although the physical effects of exercise have been investigated experimentally, advanced modeling and simulation techniques are powerful tools that could provide insight into the physical limitations, optimal conditions, and mechanisms that might lead to muscle and joint damage. Ergometers are safe for patients and elderly individuals because exercise intensity can be easily regulated. Moreover, ergometer exercise that removes the load imposed by body weight on leg joints would better reflect training conditions in locations such as the International Space Station or on the surfaces of the Moon and Mars, where the force of gravity is lower than that on the Earth. A hybrid training system (HTS) that combines the electrical stimulation of antagonist muscles and volitional contraction of agonist muscles is an effective training method. Co-contractile motions in the HTS can counteract the reduced effect of gravitational force on leg joints during ergometer exercise. The present study aimed to validate the ability of an ergometer exercise model to measure oxygen uptake and joint reaction forces by comparison with experimental results and create strategies for electrically stimulating leg joint muscles for modulation under altered gravity. The simulation results suggested that the HTS could easily control the magnitude of oxygen uptake and joint reaction forces. Optimal cycling conditions to achieve desirable values for oxygen uptake and joint reaction forces would help to maintain the health of astronauts and appropriate exercise programs could be implemented in constrained space facilities.
‘Bioenergy from cattle manure? Implications of anaerobic digestion and subsequent pyrolysis for carbon and nitrogen dynamics in soil’

Cattle manure can be processed to produce bioenergy, resulting in by‐products with different physicochemical characteristics. To evaluate whether application of such bioenergy by‐products to soils would be beneficial compared with their unprocessed counterpart, we quantified differences in greenhouse gas emissions and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics in soil. Three by‐products (15N‐labeled cattle manure, from which anaerobic digestate was obtained, which was subsequently pyrolysed) were applied to a loess and a sandy soil in a laboratory incubation study. The highest losses of soil C from biological activity (CO2 respiration) were observed in manure treatments (39% and 32% for loess and sandy soil), followed by digestate (31% and and 18%), and biochar (15% and and 7%). Emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) ranged from 0.6% of applied N from biochar to 4.0% from manure. Isotope labeling indicated that manure N was most readily mineralized, contributing 50% to soil inorganic N. The anaerobic digestate was the only by‐product increasing the mineral N pool, while reducing emissions of N2O compared with manure. In biochar treatments, less than 18.3% of soil mineral N derived from the biochar, while it did not constrain mineralization of native soil N. By‐products of anaerobic digestion and pyrolysis revealed soil fertility in addition to environmental benefits. However, the reported advantages lessen when the declining yields of C and N over the bioenergy chain are considered.