Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The behavioural ecology of the island fox (Urocyon littoralis)

Insular populations typically occur at higher densities, have higher survivorship, reduced fecundity, decreased dispersal, and reduced aggression compared to their mainland counterparts. Insularity may also affect mating system and genetic population structure. However, these factors have not been examined simultaneously in any island vertebrate. Here we report on the ecological, behavioural and genetic characteristics of a small carnivore, the island fox Urocyon littoralis, from Fraser Point, Santa Cruz Island, California. Dispersal distances in island foxes are very low (mean 1.39 km, sd 1.26, range 0.16‐3.58 km, n = 8). Home-range size is one of the smallest (mean annual home range = 0.55 km 2 , sd 0.2, n =14) and density is nearly the highest recorded for any canid species (2.4‐15.9 foxes/km 2 ). Similar to other fox species, island foxes are distributed as mated pairs that maintain discrete territories. Overlap among mated pairs was always high (mean 0.85, sd 0.05), while overlap among neighbours (mean 0.11, sd 0.13), regardless of sex, was low. Despite this high degree of territoriality, island foxes are not strictly monogamous. Four of 16 offspring whose parents were identified by paternity analysis were a result of extra-pair fertilizations. Mated pairs were unrelated, however, suggesting inbreeding avoidance. Substantial population differentiation was found between the Fraser Point subpopulation and one only 13 km away (Fst = 0.11). We suggest that the primary effect of finite island area is to limit dispersal, which then influences the demography, behaviour and genetic structure of island fox populations.
Recombinant phage probes for Listeria monocytogenes

Monitoring of food and environmental samples for biological threats, such as Listeria monocytogenes, requires probes that specifically bind biological agents and ensure their immediate and efficient detection. There is a need for robust and inexpensive affinity probes as an alternative to antibodies. These probes may be recruited from random peptide libraries displayed on filamentous phage. In this study, we selected from two phage peptide libraries phage clones displaying peptides capable of specific and strong binding to the L. monocytogenes cell surface. The ability of isolated phage clones to interact specifically with L. monocytogenes was demonstrated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by co-precipitation assay. We also assessed the sensitivity of phage–bacteria binding by PCR on phage-captured Listeria cells, which could be detected at a concentration of 104 cells ml−1. In addition, as proof-of-concept, we tested the possibility of immobilizing the affinity-selected phages to a putative biosensor surface. The quality of phage deposition was monitored by ELISA and fluorescent microscopy. Phage–bacterial binding was confirmed by high power optical phase contrast microscopy. Overall, the results of this work validate the concept of affinity-selected recombinant filamentous phages as probes for detecting and monitoring bacterial agents under any conditions that warrant their recognition, including in food products.
Sensory and Objective Evaluation of the Color of Pork Longissimus Dorsi Muscle Heated to 155° and 170°F

The color of longissimus dorsi muscle of 4-6 rib pork roasts was evaluated by sensory tests, by color reflectance, and by myoglobin content, after heating to 155° and 170°F. The color of the raw muscle of 8-9 rib area was evaluated by color reflectance and for myoglobin content. The roasts, procured from eighteen Duree or Hampshire hogs, were classified subjectively into three color groups. Color reflectance measurements on raw muscle indicated that as the subjective color classification increased from slightly pale (2) to slightly dark (4) the color was more dull and more purple. The color differences found by the Color Eye Colorimeter in the raw muscle were associated with the myoglobin content of the raw muscle (r = 0.791, P ~ 0.01). Approximately 7 to 15 percent of the myoglobin remained after heating muscle to 155°F and essentially no myoglobin remained after heating muscle to 170°F. The sensory panel distinguished a difference in color between muscle heated to 155°F and 170°F as demonstrated by triangle tests. The panelists preferred the color of the muscle heated to 170°F. The color reflectance measurements did not distinguish a difference between muscle heated to 155°F and that heated to 170°F.
Speech perception evaluation in hearing aid users after fine tuning with speech mapping in Brazilian Portuguese

Purpose: To evaluate the speech perception of adult hearing aid users pre and post fine tuning based on Speech Mapping in Brazilian Portuguese (SMBP). Methods: Twenty adults aged 18 to 60 years old presenting moderate to severe bilateral symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss and wearing digital hearing aids programmed according to the prescriptive formula National Acoustics Labs, Non-Linear, version 1 (NALNL1) for at least six months participated in this study. The test Lists of Sentences in Portuguese (LSP) has been used to evaluate speech perception. The test was applied in two different moments: T1 before hearing aid fine tuning based on the SMBP and T2 – after fine tuning based on SMBP. The LSP test allowed the Sentence Recognition in Silence (SRTS) and in Noise (SRTN) Threshold calculation and the minimal signal to noise ratio (SNR) required to understand the sentences. Results: There was significant improvement of SRTS and SRTN in moment T2, or after hearing aid fine-tuning, to reach the prescribed targets. In both tests decreased values could be observed; the average SRTS fell from 39.60 dB to 34.41 dB and the signal to noise ratio (SNR) fell from 5.82 dB to 3.34 dB. Conclusion: It was possible to establish a clear link between achieving the prescribed targets and the improvement in speech perception. Hearing aid users performed better on speech perception tests after adjustments of the electroacoustic characteristics of their hearing aids based on the Speech Mapping procedure.
Variable Volatility & Financial Failure

Structural models of corporate default (eg. Merton’s model) typically impose a rigid parametric specication on the volatility of the rm’s assets. This approach fails to recognize that management can exert some limited control on the level of the assets’ risk at every possible level of their rm’s default probability. In this paper, we assume that management chooses the assets’ volatility level as a non-parametric function of the rms’ risk-neutral default probability (RNDP). We develop closed form formulas which relate RNDP and equity value to this asset volatility function and to asset price. We also show how to explicitly determine the implied RNDP and the implied asset value from the market price of the equity and from the market prices of co-terminal calls written on the equity. Remarkably, the RNDP formula is independent of both the initial asset level and the debt level.
Determinants of Corporate Demand for Islamic Insurance in Malaysia

This study is the first attempt to empirically investigate the determinants of corporate demand for Islamic insurance (takaful) using data from main board of public listed companies at Bursa Malaysia. Factors like leverage, growth opportunities, expected bankruptcy costs, company size, managerial ownership, tax considerations and regulated effects have been examined in this study. The data covers a five-year period from year 2002 – 2006. The findings show that leverage, expected bankruptcy costs, tax considerations, company size, and managerial ownership play an important role in determining the corporate demand for Islamic insurance in Malaysia. Our conclusions are robust to alternative specifications model of GLS with Fixed Effects that help us to control for unobservable heterogeneity.
Museums and Related Institutions in Poland Following Political Transformation

Abstract The purpose of the research was to analyze the state of museums and related institutions in Poland, with comments on the market segmentation of these attractions. The research focused on the identification of the objectives set by museums and the programs used to achieve them. A survey questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 300 museums and data obtained from 147 of them (a 49 per cent response rate). Market segmentation was analyzed on the basis of the activities of the museums and resulted in the identification of groups of organizations with similar missions, price strategies and economic features. Four segments were identified: two “leading” (active/recreational and modern) and two “traditional” (traditional and traditional/recreational). Recommendations are provided regarding possible improvements to the operation and facilities that could lead to increasing attendances. The research concluded that the Polish market of museums and related institutions is dominated by institutions with traditional forms of presentation and interpretation, little activity in the community, and a traditional managerial approach to facility management.
Developing an Accountability Disclosure Index for Statutory Bodies: A Proposal

This study proposes a comprehensive disclosure index to measure the extent of disclosure of accountability information in statutory bodies’ annual reports. The index is driven by the public accountability paradigm which establishes that a wide range of information need to be provided to various stakeholders. It is developed primarily based on a comprehensive review of the public sector disclosure literature, various reporting requirements and guidelines and a review of existing reporting practices. A comprehensive disclosure index which may be referred to as Accountability Disclosure Index (ADI) comprising 110 disclosure items was constructed. It consists of five categories (overview, governance, financial, performance and others) and 24 subcategories and adopted a binary and unweighted method of scoring. It has passed through the internal validity, reliability and pilot test.The index-either in its full form or with minor modifications-can be employed by future researchers across other equivalent semi-governmental bodies. The index can also be used by public managers to self-assess their disclosure level and benchmark against other entities. Also, stakeholders can evaluate the level of disclosure of statutory bodies, which in turn suggests the level of transparency and accountability discharged by these entities.
Designing Continuous Multisensory Interaction

We claim that continuous interaction and multisensory feedback are key ingredients for successful interactive artefacts of the future. However, the complex web of sensors, actuators, and control logic that is necessary for exploiting such ingredients opens tremendous challenges to designers, who are used to visual thinking and discrete interactions. A method of research through pedagogical examples, called basic design and developed in some post-Bauhaus design schools, has been proposed as an effective mean to tackle the complexity of contemporary interaction design. Three such exercises, each prototypical for a class of interactions, are proposed here. The sonic feedback is realized through parametric control of sound synthesis algorithms.
Bregman Distance and Strong Convergence of Proximal-Type Algorithms

The purpose of this paper is to discuss some fundamental properties of Bregman distance, generalized projection operators, firmly nonexpansive mappings, and resolvent operators of set-valued monotone operators corresponding to a functionalΦ(∥·∥). We further study some proximal point algorithms for finding zeros of monotone operators and solving generalized mixed equilibrium problems in Banach spaces. Our results improve and extend some recent results concerning generalized projection operators corresponding to Bregman distance.
Electron Injection into Plasma Wake Fields by Colliding Laser Pulses

An injector and accelerator is analyzed that uses three collinear laser pulses in a plasma: an intense pump pulse, which generates a large wake field ({ge}20 GV/m), and two counterpropagating injection pulses. When the injection pulses collide, a slow phase velocity beat wave is generated that injects electrons into the fast wake field for acceleration. Particle tracking simulations in 1D with injection pulse intensities near 10{sup 17} W/cm{sup 2} indicate the production of relativistic electrons with bunch durations as short as 3 fs, energy spreads as small as 0.3{percent}, and densities as high as 10{sup 18} cm{sup {minus}3} . {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Lean product development in practice: Insights from 4 companies

This paper aims to elucidate practitioners’ understanding and implementation of Lean in Product Development (LPD). We report on a workshop held in the UK during 2012. Managers and engineers from four organizations discussed their understanding of LPD and their ideas and practice regarding management and assessment of value and waste. The study resulted in a set of insights into current practice and lean thinking from the industry perspective. Building on this, the paper introduces a balanced value and waste model that can be used by practitioners as a checklist to identify issues that need to be considered when applying LPD. The main results indicate that organizations tend to focus on waste elimination rather than value enhancement in LPD. Moreover, the lean metrics that were discussed by the workshop participants do not link the strategic level with the operational one, and poorly reflect the value and waste generated in the process. Future directions for research are explored, and include the importance of a balanced approach considering both value and waste when applying LPD, and the need to link lean metrics with value and waste levels.
Understanding the Influences on Private Investment in Barbados during the 1966- 1990 Period

This paper employs cointegration theory and the error correction mechanism to examine the influences on private investment behavior in the Barbadian economy during the period 1966-1990. The estimation results indicate that changes in output, government investment and the supply of credit to the private sector are significant in explaining short-run variations in private investment. These variables, along with real interest rates, also have significant influences on private investment in the long run.
Prediction of PM10 concentrations for Bahía Blanca, Argentina

PM10 non-traditional modelling for e-government development is described in detail. Ambient PM10 concentrations were predicted using meteorological variables as inputs, whose relevance for a generated Artificial Neural Network was analyzed by a feature selection method. The work is specially focused on the surroundings of Bahia Blanca city, its petrochemical pole and Ing. White grain port. Its accuracy was tested with time windows ranging from 2004 to 2006. A trustworthy simulation of the physical phenomena was built. As a result, this predictive model will contribute to the local observatory in order to trigger early-alert warnings.
Motility: Mobility as capital

Social and territorial structures form intricate relations that transcend a social stratification or spatial focus. Territorial features and geographic displacements are structuring principles for society, as societal features and social change effect the structure and use of territory. Based on our examination of the conceptual and theoretical links between spatial and social mobility, we propose a concept that represents a new form of inequality. Termed ‘motility’, this construct describes the potential and actual capacity of goods, information or people to be mobile both geographically and socially. Three major features of motility — access, competence and appropriation — are introduced. In this article, we focus on conceptual and theoretical contributions of motility. In addition, we suggest a number of possible empirical investigations. Motility presents us with an innovative perspective on societal changes without prematurely committing researchers to work within structuralist or postmodern perspectives. More generally, we propose to revisit the fluidification debate in the social sciences with a battery of questions that do not begin and end with whether or not society is in flux. Instead, we introduce a field of research that takes advantage of the insights from competing paradigms in order to reveal the social dynamics and consequences of displacements in geographic and social space. Les structures sociales et territoriales forment des relations complexes qui depassent toute stratification sociale ou convergence spatiale. Les caracteristiques territoriales et deplacements geographiques sont, pour la societe, des principes structurants, tout comme les caracteristiques societales et le changement social font naitre la structure et l'usage d'un territoire. A partir d'un examen des liens conceptuels et theoriques entre les mobilites spatiale et sociale, cet article propose un concept traduisant une nouvelle forme d'inegalite: appele‘motilite’, il decrit le potentiel et l'aptitude reelle des marchandises, informations ou individus aetre mobiles sur un plan tant geographique que social. Trois traits essentiels de la motilite— acces, competence et appropriation — sont presentes. Si l'article s'attache aux contributions conceptuelles et theoriques de la motilite, il suggere aussi plusieurs axes possibles d'etudes empiriques. La motilite offre une perspective novatrice sur les changements societaux, sans engager prematurement les travaux de recherches sur des rails structuralistes ou post‐modernes. Plus generalement, il s'agit de revisiter le debat sur la fluidification en sciences sociales a l'aide d'une batterie de questions qui, ni au debut ni a la fin, ne demande si la societe est fluctuante ou non. En revanche, l'article propose un domaine de recherches qui exploite les reflexions tirees de paradigmes concurrents afin de reveler la dynamique sociale et les consequences des deplacements dans l'espace geographique et social.
Do individual differences matter to learners' writing ability?

The purpose of this study was to determine whether individual differences such as gender, interest level in writing an essay, and familiarity with and self-efficacy in writing various genres could account for 103 English-as-a-foreign language learners' writing ability. Learners' interest levels in writing an essay, familiarity with writing various genres, and self-efficacy in writing various genres were measured using four questionnaires that were administered over a period of ten weeks. An average score for each of the above variables was obtained and used for regression analysis. The learners' writing ability was represented by the average of three writing tests scores. Results show that gender, interest level in writing an essay, and familiarity with and self-efficacy in writing various genres contributed to a total of 25% of the learners' writing ability variance. Gender was highly significant and interest level in writing an essay was marginally significant, but familiarity with and self-efficacy in writing various genres were not significant.
Monitoring and modeling the urban growth of mid-size cities in Iran by Markov model: the case study of Zanjan City

Rapid land use change has taken place in many mid-sized cities of Iran such as Zanjan over the past three decades. This research analyzed the land use/cover change Zanjan from 1965 to 2005; identified the patterns of urban growth and the fragmentation of the urban space by applying GIS and remote sensing tools. The main driving forces of the urban changes were analyzed and the model to predict the land use/cover changes was applied. Our results show the importance of monitoring and modeling of rapid urban growth for attaining sustainable mid-sized cities in developing countries that are strongly dependent on export of natural resources. The results indicated that there had been a notable and uneven urban growth and a major loss of cropland loss between 1965 and 2005. Most of the urban growth and loss of agriculture land occurred in inner and outer suburbs. This research analyzed the land use/cover change Zanjan from 1965 to 2005, identified the patterns of urban growth and the fragmentation of the urban space, applying GIS and remote sensing tools. We believe that in urban growth modeling process there has been multi socialeconomical and physical elements in which have key rules in it, and we attempted to use some of them.
Lessons learnt on Requirement Analyses to establish new model systems: Prerequisites to assure model use towards policy outcome

The objective of the paper is to evaluate the applied non-standardised Model Requirement Analysis (MRA). Using the presented methods and results of the MRA, we discuss the suitability for appropriate ways to improve applied methods using the example of the Sustainability Impact Assessment Tools (SIAT). Special focus is given to the prerequisites of project design to assure model use towards model outcome. The applied methods of the MRA consist of evolutionary prototyping, which provides a way to structure the subsequent group discussions with end-users. The results first summarise the conducted interactions with potential end-users and evaluate the usefulness of conducting MRA for each end-user meeting. A direct outcome of the MRA is the identification of four categories of requirements for the SIAT design: (a) Spatial, time and thematic integration, (b) technical performance and system advancements, (c) quality assurance of data and model systems results and (d) organisational linkages for model system embedding. We give a number of reasons why the undertaken development process of SIAT was not sufficient for actual operational use towards outcome at the level of policy decision making. A number of recommendations and rules for stakeholder involvement and development methods are suggested in the conclusions.
Mechanical and thermal properties of crab chitin reinforced carboxylated SBR composites

The addition of small amounts (up to 9 wt%) of chitin microsized particles, originating from shellfish waste, to carboxylated styrene-butadiene rubber (XSBR) matrix (as received and annealed to 100°C) has been studied. In particular, this study concentrated on their mechanical (creep investigation by nanoindentation and dynamical-mechanical analysis), thermal (differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry) and swelling behaviour (toluene absorption) and was completed by morphological characterisation by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The results show that annealing has a limited effect on materials properties, effects which are further reduced by the addi- tion of growing amounts of crab chitin. It should be noted that the limited filler content used in the study does not substan- tially modify the linear creep behaviour of XSBR for sufficiently long loading times. The thermal stability of the system does also appear to be preserved even with the maximum chitin content added, while it serves sufficiently as an effective barrier against aromatic solvent absorption.
Design and Optimization of Highly Sensitive Photonic Crystal Fiber with Low Confinement Loss for Ethanol Detection

In this paper, two highly sensitive photonic crystal fiber (PCF) structures with microstructure core and cladding have been demonstrated for Ethanol sensing. The microstructure core of both proposed PCFs is designed with supplementary holes in an octagonal formation. We have investigated the relative sensitivity and the confinement loss of the proposed PCF structures employing a full vectorial finite element method (FEM). The proposed PCFs work at a wide transmission band covering 0.8 μm to 2 μm and exhibit high sensitivity and low confinement loss simultaneously. The numerical analysis shows that the circular shape of air holes in the first ring is a more salient attribute for increasing sensitivity and the presence of the square shape of air holes in the first ring shows better performance to reduce confinement loss.