Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Status, trends and management of sturgeon and paddlefish fisheries

The 27 extant species of sturgeons and paddlefishes (Order Acipenseriformes) represent a unique and relict lineage of fishes. Producers of coveted black caviar, sturgeons are one of the most valuable wildlife commodities on earth. The group is among the most endangered fishes with all species listed under Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix I (two species) or II (25 species), only two species considered Lower Risk by IUCN, four of the nine US taxa and one Caspian species protected under the Endangered Species Act, and local extinctions recorded for 19 of 27 species. Despite their well-publicized imperilled status, commercial pressure on 15 species persists. Here, after reviewing the biological characteristics of sturgeons and paddlefishes and their commercial use, an overview of global fisheries is presented. The synopsis demonstrates that, with few exceptions, sturgeon and paddlefish are imperilled across the globe and long-term survival in the wild is in jeopardy. All major sturgeon fisheries have surpassed peak productivity levels, with 70% of major fisheries posting recent harvests <15% of historic peak catches and 35% of the fisheries examined crashing within 7–20 years of inception. Even in Caspian Sea fisheries, the most important globally, present catches are below 10% of historic peak landings. Improved domestic and international fisheries management and attention to habitat and species restoration is now needed. Although captive rearing offers promise for caviar alternatives and endangered species restoration, it must advance cautiously to avoid environmental harm. To ensure a continued supply of caviar and the survival of these unique fishes we offer recommendations for priority conservation action for the future.
New routes to the preparation of [ru3(co)12], [h4ru4(co)12], [rucl2(pph3)3] and [rucl2(cod)]n from anglo platinum refinery

Journal Article,New and improved routes for the preparation of ruthenium complexes are described. [Ru3(CO)12], [H4Ru4(CO)12], [RuCl2(PPh3)3] and [RuCl2(COD)]n have been prepared from [(NH4)2RuCl6] and [H2RuCl6]. Traditionally these ruthenium complexes have been prepared from commercially available RuCl3.3H2O, but here we describe their preparation from refinery materials. ,National Research Foundation, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Catalysis and Anglo Platinum Corporation for funding this project.
Spatial Design for Multicultural Online Game Environments

Current gaming technologies enable players from different cultures to communicate and participate in gameplay within a single game environment. A player from one culture may now inhabit a three-dimensional game environment developed by designers from a different culture. These game environments bypass geographic and cultural boundaries and question differences in Eastern and Western gameplay preferences recognized by the games industry. This paper discusses the effect of cultural knowledge on the spatial design of three-dimensional game environments. A new methodology for the comparative analysis of the design of three-dimensional game environments is established considering cultural models as applied to design thinking. Based on spatial analysis it offers game designers and researchers metrics correlated to human way-finding in the real world that are directly relevant to the forms of game play in these environments. The initial analysis of internationally popular, and culturally specific, game environments indicate areas where cultural differences may be considered through spatial considerations within a design methodology. Recognized cognitive differences between Eastern and Western cultures and the interpretation of the two dimensional visual field are considered within findings that determine the use of spatial metrics is a methodology that can be used by design researchers and game designers as a toolset within the design cycle of online multicultural three-dimensional game environments.
An Empirical Comparison of Linear and Nonlinear Volatility Models for Nordic Stock Returns

This paper examines how volatility in financial markets can preferable be modeled. The examination investigates how good the models for the volatility, both linear and nonlinear, are in absorbing skewness and kurtosis. The examination is done on the Nordic stock markets, including Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Different linear and nonlinear models are applied, and the results indicates that a linear model can almost always be used for modeling the series under investigation, even though nonlinear models performs slightly better in some cases. These results indicate that the markets under study are exposed to asymmetric patterns only to a certain degree. Negative shocks generally have a more prominent effect on the markets, but these effects are not really strong. However, in terms of absorbing skewness and kurtosis, nonlinear models outperform linear ones.
Exploring service quality and customer satisfaction at Library in Malaysia University

Services are intangible and a service represents a process, consequently the quality of a service is more difficult to perceive and its more complicated. In general, the perceived quality is defined as the customer‟s judgment on overall satisfaction.Customer satisfaction is depending on the high quality services.The main objectives of this study was to identify the level of service quality among customers at one library in Malaysia public university and tried to examine the relationship between SERVQUAL and overall quality of service offered.Besides, this study also tried to analyze the dominant factor that affected the relationship between SERVQUAL and overall quality services.
Does foreign ownership impact accounting conservatism adoption in Vietnam

This study investigates the effects of foreign ownership on accounting conservatism adoption in Vietnam. Although foreign ownership is found to have a positive relationship with accounting conservatism in Korea (An, 2015), there is still no general agreement on it. In this regard, the purpose of this study is to shed more light on the association between foreign ownership and accounting conservatism. Using data from Vietnamese firms listed on stock exchanges, the study finds that in contrast to the findings of An, foreign ownership is negatively associated with accounting conservatism. This result supports the transient hypothesis of foreign ownership, indicating that foreign investors with the low level of ownership do not have significant incentives to oversee managers, thus not influencing financial reporting quality.
The impact of deformation strain on the formation of banded clouds in idealized modelling experiments

Experiments are performed using an idealized version of an operational forecast model to determine the impact on banded frontal clouds of the strength of deformational forcing, low‐level baroclinicity, and model representation of convection. Line convection is initiated along the front, and slantwise bands extend from the top of the line‐convection elements into the cold air. This banding is attributed primarily to ΔM adjustment. The cross‐frontal spreading of the cold pool generated by the line convection leads to further triggering of upright convection in the cold air that feeds into these slantwise bands. Secondary low‐level bands form later in the simulations; these are attributed to the release of conditional symmetric instability. Enhanced deformation strain leads to earlier onset of convection and more coherent line convection. A stronger cold pool is generated, but its speed is reduced relative to that seen in experiments with weaker deformational strain, because of inhibition by the strain field. Enhanced low‐level baroclinicity leads to the generation of more inertial instability by line convection (for a given capping height of convection), and consequently greater strength of the slantwise circulations formed by ΔM adjustment. These conclusions are based on experiments without a convective‐parametrization scheme. Experiments using the standard or a modified scheme for this model demonstrate known problems with the use of this scheme at the awkward 4 km grid length used in these simulations. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society
Concurrent Access to Encrypted Cloud Database

Now a days “cloud computing” is a renowned technology. Most of the organizations prefer to store the data on cloud, because every user wants to access their data at any time and at anywhere. Cloud is one of the storage device used to access their data at anywhere through networks. But because of this service, users always worry about privacy and confidentiality for their personal data. This paper gives quick introduction of a new technique that provides data confidentiality and concurrent access of encrypted cloud database, and discuss about cloud computing security issues and their solutions.
Quantitative analysis of SCIAMACHY carbon monoxide total column measurements

This paper presents a first quantitative and systematic analysis of one year of SCIAMACHY Carbon Monoxide (CO) total column retrievals from the IMLM algorithm (v6.3) using a chemistry‐transport model simulation. The global distribution of modeled and measured CO show similar spatial patterns: a north‐south gradient, low CO over mountains, and high CO over emission regions. CO column errors due to instrument noise are closely related to surface albedo and are less than 6% for monthly means at high surface albedo locations, improving to ∼1% for ideal circumstances: cloud‐free pixels, high surface albedo, and spatial averaging (3° × 2°). Quantitative comparison shows that measured and modeled seasonality agree very well at several locations with different types of seasonal cycles. Differences between SCIAMACHY CO and model results are less than 13% except for regions with large instrument‐noise errors. Differences larger than the 2σ instrument‐noise error (95% confidence interval) occur in some regions with small noise errors, for example southern Africa. In this case the SCIAMACHY CO variations are different from the model biomass‐burning emission seasonal cycle and more in agreement with observed fire count seasonality. The comparison with model results indicates that despite unforeseen time‐dependent instrument‐calibration complications, SCIAMACHY CO total column retrievals are of sufficient quality to provide useful new information on the global distribution and variation of CO.
Serological study for TORCH infections in women with bad obstetric history

RESULT: Seropositivity for toxoplasma was 14.66%, rubella 4.66%, cytomegalovirus 5.33% and herpes simplex virus 8.66%. Maximum number of cases of abortion (27.27%), intrauterine growth retardation (9.37%), intrauterine death (17.64%) and preterm labor (18.18%) was associated with toxoplasma infection. Early neonatal deaths (8%) were maximally associated with rubella virus and herpes simplex virus infections while congenital malformations (9.52%) were evident maximally with herpes simplex virus infection. CONCLUSION(S) : Seropositivity in women BOH is significantly higher (P=0.0006) in women with BOH than that in control. A previous history of pregnancy wastage and the serological reaction for TORCH infections during current pregnancy must be considered while managing BOH cases so as to reduce the adverse fetal outcome.
The Exchange Rate Pass-Through in a Cointegrated VAR Model

This paper analyzes the exchange rate pass-through (ERPT) into consumer prices for 12 euro area (EA) countries within a cointegrated VAR (CVAR) framework. Using the Johansen cointegration procedure, results indicate the existence of one cointegrating vectors at least for each EA country of our sample. When measuring the long-run effect of exchange rate changes on consumer prices, we found a wide dispersion of ERPT elasticities, especially between “peripheral” and “core” EA economies. For instance, consumer prices rise by 84% in Portugal following one percent depreciation of exchange rate, while for the German economy the extent of pass-through is not exceeding 0.20%. Besides, the loading factors point out a very slow adjustment of consumer prices towards their long-run equilibrium across EA countries, explaining the weakness of ERPT estimates in the short-run.
Highly Coherent Supercontinuum Generation in the Normal Dispersion Liquid-Core Photonic Crystal Fiber

In this paper, a liquid-core photonic crystal fiber (LCPCF) with small hollow-core filled by chalcogenide material CS2 is designed. The supercontinuum (SC) generation in such a LCPCF with nonlinear coefficient of 3327 W−1·km−1 at 1550 nm and wide normal dispersion regime spanning from 1200 to 2500 nm is numerically studied by solving the generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation. The influences of the pump pulse parameters on the SC spectral width and coherence are demonstrated, and the optimum pump condition for the SC generation is determined. Our study work can provide an alternative way for obtaining highly coherent SC, which is important for the applications in optical coherence tomography, frequency combs, and ultrashort pulse generation.
Technological Intervention in Agriculture Development

Agriculture sector is the single largest employer in the world. Even in Nepal, agriculture sector provides net employment to 60 percent people. In this contexts, this study highlighted importance of technological intervention in agriculture development. However, focus was given to assess socio-economic situations of the farmers and impact of modern technological interventions. In so doing, the survey was conducted in Lele Village of Godavari Municipality. The respondents were randomly selected 152 sample households using modern/traditional agriculture technologies. The necessary primary data collected through households’ survey questionnaires, observation and informal communications whereas secondary data generated from published/unpublished books, journals, inter/national reports and local level profiles. The study found that modern technological intervention has been fostering commercial farming activities in Lele village and increased family income, creating self-employment and generating rural economy in particular and supporting to the rural development process in general. Further, local development stakeholders need to provide technical/financial supports to the farmers for mounting intervention of modern agriculture technology in Lele village. The finding of the study has possibility to replicate in similar situation throughout the country. Nepalese Journal of Development and Rural Studies Vol. 14 (Joint issue) (1&2), 2017, Page: 86-97
Studying Implementation Process Matters: Implementing an Evidence-Based-Intervention in Early Head Start

The present study summarizes lessons from implementing an evidence-based parent-child interaction intervention, Promoting First Relationships, within an Early Head Start (EHS) home visiting program. The study documented seven home visitors’ early experiences and feedback with intervention implementation examining overall experiences in using the intervention, challenges and issues identified during implementation, and recommendations and suggestions for sustainability of the intervention within the EHS program. Findings indicate that overall, home visitors reported positive experiences with the implementation process. Some negative experiences were identified in relation to the lengthy training process and changes in home visiting practice. Challenges included learning about intervention content and managing household issues. Recommendations for sustaining the intervention included providing ongoing support and having flexibility with the training process.
Facilitating creativity in art-science. A methodological experiment

: In this paper we bring together thoughts and experiences of employing facilitation towards creative emancipation in art-science based on our experiences of working on an art-science project. We suggest that this space is a trading zone in which novel links and relationships can be created. We introduce the notion of ‘boundary method’ to describe facilitation as a method that can endure different meaning-making and meanings by stakeholders yet retain its instrumental form of encouraging creativity at a cross-disciplinary interface rather than within a dominant discipline.
A numerical analysis of pollutant dispersion in street canyon: influence of the turbulent Schmidt number

Several approaches have been conducted over the past decades to study the fl ow fi eld, pollutant dispersion and deposition inside urban street canyons. These investigations include physical modeling, CFD and full-scale measurements of the wind fl ow and scalars dispersion within and above the urban canopies. A detailed reviews of the modeling techniques for fl ow fi elds and pollutant transport within street canyons is presented by Vardoulakis, Fisher, Pericleous and Gonzales-Flesca (2003), Ahmad Khare and Chaudhry (2005), Li, Liu, Leung and Lam (2006) and recently Tominaga and Stathopoulos presented in 2013 an overview of CFD modeling procedures used to study wind and pollutant transport in the urban environment. Physical modeling involves simulation of airfl ow and pollutant dispersion using wind-tunnel (Rafailidis & Schatzmann, 1995; Meroney, Rafailidis & Pavageau 1996; Meroney, Leitl & Rafailidis, 1999, Pavageau & Schatzmann, 1999; Kastner-Klein & Plate, 1999; Baker & Hargreaves, 2001; Kovar et al., 2002, Gromke & Ruck, 2007) water channel (Baik & Kim 2000; Caton, Britter & Dalziel, 2003; Kim & Baik, 2005; Li, Leung, Liu & Lam, 2008), where fl ow can be controlled, and complex urban morphology can be simulated in fi ne details, i.e. including facades, arbitrary roof shape, trees and other street furniture. Also, the results obtained from this approach are generally used to validate numerical models. Rafailidis and Schatzmann (1995) proposed and investigated experimentally at the Meteorological Institute of Hamburg University, several idealized 2D building confi gurations, under a simulation of toxic emissions from veScientifi c Review – Engineering and Environmental Sciences (2017), 26 (4), 423–436 Sci. Rev. Eng. Env. Sci. (2017), 26 (4) Przegląd Naukowy – Inżynieria i Kształtowanie Środowiska (2017), 26 (4), 423–436 Prz. Nauk. Inż. Kszt. Środ. (2017), 26 (4) http://iks.pn. sggw.pl DOI 10.22630/PNIKS.2017. 26.4. 41
Environmental effects on the bright end of the galaxy luminosity function in galaxy clusters

Context. The dependence of the luminosity function (LF) of cluster galaxies on the evolutionary state of the parent cluster is still an open question, in particular concerning the formation/evolution of the brightest cluster galaxies. Aims. We study the bright part of the LFs of a sample of very unrelaxed clusters (“DARC” clusters showing evidence of major, recent mergers) and compare them to a reference sample of relaxed clusters that span a comparable mass and redshift range. Methods. Our analysis is based on the SDSS DR7 photometric data of ten massive and X-ray luminous clusters (0.2 z 0.3), � � �
Growth rates of juvenile green turtles Chelonia mydas from three ecologically distinct foraging habitats along the east central coast of Florida, USA

A generalized additive mixed modeling approach was used to assess somatic growth for juvenile green turtles Chelonia mydas at 4 sites in 3 ecologically distinct foraging habitats along the east central coast of Florida, USA. The 3 habitats were a man-made nuclear submarine turning basin (Trident Submarine Basin), an estuary (Indian River Lagoon), and oceanic sabellariid worm rock reefs (Sebastian Inlet and St. Lucie Power Plant). Turtles from the Indian River Lagoon site grew significantly faster than turtles from the Trident Submarine Basin and sabellariid worm rock reef sites. There were no significant differences in growth rates between the sabellariid worm rock reef and Trident Submarine Basin sites. Non-monotonic or dome-shaped growth rate functions reflecting an immature peak in growth rates were observed for all 3 habitats. Growth rates peaked in 1998 for turtles in the Trident Submarine Basin and sabellariid worm rock reef habitats; since then growth rates have declined. This temporal decline in growth rates may reflect density-dependent effects on growth as more juveniles recruit to Florida for aging grounds, a direct result of increases in nest production at the primary rookeries (Costa Rica, Florida and Mexico). Developmental habitats are important for the survival of juvenile marine turtles. This study illustrates the degree to which juvenile growth rates vary among developmental habitats, which ultimately can affect the rate of growth and recovery potential of nesting stocks.
Self-help for stress and burnout without therapist contact: An online randomised controlled trial

ABSTRACT Interventions designed to reduce stress and burnout may be costly and access is limited. This study examined the effectiveness of a self-help book, using Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to target stress and burnout in a randomised controlled online trial without any therapist contact. Participants were recruited through a newsletter of a health insurance company. Participants (N = 119) who reported at least moderate levels of stress were randomly assigned to an immediate intervention (n = 61) or a waitlist group (n = 58). Measures before and after the intervention assessed stress, burnout (primary outcomes), depression, well-being, emotion regulation (secondary outcomes) and ACT-specific constructs. Compared to the waitlist group, participants in the immediate intervention group reported lower stress and burnout and higher psychological flexibility at post-assessment. Effects between groups were large for stress (d = 0.9), moderate to large for burnout (d = 0.5–0.8) and large for psychological flexibility (d = 0.8). All primary and most secondary outcomes and ACT processes continued to improve in the 3-month-follow-up period. Results suggest that an ACT self-help book without any therapist contact is effective in reducing stress and burnout for various occupations. Thus, it may provide a cost-effective public health intervention for reducing stress and burnout.
Endogenous Attrition in Panels

We consider endogenous attrition in panels where the probability of attrition may depend on current and past outcomes. We show that this probability is nonparametrically identified provided that instruments affecting the outcomes but not directly attrition, and whose distribution is identified, are available. We thus complement Hirano et al. (2001)’s framework, which does not rely on such instruments. Contrary to their approach, neither a refreshment sample nor an additive decomposition on the probability of attrition are needed. We also show that the exclusion restriction has testable implications. We propose an efficient estimation and a test of the exclusion restriction when the outcome and instruments are discrete. The continuous case, which shares some similar features with nonparametric instrumental variable additive models, is also investigated. Finally, we apply our results to the French labor force survey, and provide evidence that attrition is related to transitions on the employment status
Financial Friction, Capital Reallocation and News-Driven Business Cycles

In this paper, we show that news on future technological improvement can trigger an immediate economic expansion in a model withnancial friction on capital alloca- tion. The arrivial of good news on future technology reduces such frictions and generates signicant increase in current Total Factor Productivity via capital reallocation. This triggers an immediate boom in output, consumption, investment and hours worked. Our empirical evidence usingrm-level data supports strongly the above mechanisms for news to aect current aggregate productivity.