Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Geographical variation in egg size of the Great Tit Parus major : a new perspective

A recent study on geographical variation in egg size of Great Tits Parus major concluded that: (1) mean egg size tended to increase with increasing latitude; and (2) mean egg size was positively correlated with mean clutch size. Including new data on both egg and clutch size, we reanalysed the relationships between egg size, clutch size and latitude, and investigated the possible effects of habitat type, female body size and egg shape on these relationships. We found that (1) egg volume showed minimum values around 51 ° N, increasing both north and southwards; (2) female body size increased linearly with increasing latitude; (3) female body size was positively correlated with egg breadth, but not with egg length or egg volume; (4) the sphericity index of the eggs (breadth to length ratio) was largest at medium latitudes, and eggs were more elongated towards the north and the south; (5) the relationship between clutch size and latitude was curvilinear, with the largest clutch sizes at intermediate latitudes; (6) egg size was not correlated with clutch size when the complete latitudinal range was considered, but egg size was negatively correlated with clutch size between 40 and 51 ° N; and (7) egg size did not differ among habitat types. We suggest that female body size (which probably limits egg breadth), and the pressure for producing large eggs (which in turn increases the reproductive success) are the main determinants of geographical variation in egg size and shape. Populations of small-bodied Great Tits seem to escape from the limits of their size, producing relatively elongated eggs, so that from a certain latitude southwards, egg volume does not decrease in spite of a decrease in female body size. Moreover, the negative relationship between egg and clutch size at low latitudes suggests that energetic trade-offs may also contribute to determine egg size in the south.
Aspect-specific Sentiment Classification Method Based on High-dimensional Representation

Aspect-specific sentiment classification is a fine grained sentiment classification task. The traditional coarse-grained sentiment analysis methods only identify the consumers’ sentiment polarity towards the product as a whole, but ignores the important attribute information, which leads to the inability to refine consumer preferences and clarify the advantages and disadvantages of commodity attributes. To solve this problem, we use the review text and its specific aspect information to construct a multi-level, high-dimensional deep neural network model. First, the clause segmentation algorithm is used to divide the review text into several clauses; secondly, the words in the clause are encoded by the bidirectional long short term memory neural network, and the vector representation of the clauses is obtained. Finally, the vector representation of the whole review text is obtained by using the bidirectional long short term memory neural network to code all the clauses. And then the sentiment polarity of review text is obtained by the softmax layer. The experimental result shows that the proposed method can effectively improve the performance of sentiment classification. 1
Optimization Aspects of the Reflector Antenna for the Digital Beam-Forming SAR System

The digital-beam forming (DBF) SAR system utilizing a reflector antenna is a novel concept allowing better performance while being of a lower complexity level compared to the system based on a planar antenna. However the reflector based DBF SAR is still a complex system which has a number of performance parameters and characteristics influenced by the antenna design. This paper discusses a relation between reflector antenna design options and an overall performance of the DBF SAR system. As a result the performance parameters of the systems based on the considered antenna configurations are compared.
On the suitability of state-ofthe-art music information retrieval methods for analyzing , categorizing and accessing non-Western and ethnic music collections F

With increasing amounts of music being available in digital form, research in music information retrieval has turned into a dominant field to support organization of and easy access to large collections of music. Yet, most research is focussed traditionally on Western music, mostly in the form of mastered studio recordings. This leaves the question whether current music information retrieval approaches can also be applied to collections of non-Western and in particular ethnic music with completely different characteristics and requirements. In this work we analyze the performance of a range of automatic audio description algorithms on three music databases with distinct characteristics, specifically a Western music collection used previously in research benchmarks, a collection of Latin American music with roots in Latin American culture, but following Western tonality principles, as well as a collection of field recordings of ethnic African music. The study quantitatively shows the advantages and shortcomings of different feature representations extracted from music on the basis of classification tasks, and presents an approach to visualize, access and interact with ethnic music collections in a structured way. & 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V. 63 65 67 69 71 NC O
Corporate Investment and Analyst Pressure Job Market Paper

This paper empirically investigates whether executives alter capital budgeting decisions to meet or exceed analysts’ earnings per share (EPS) consensus forecasts. I find that (i) firms reduce investment when analyst pressure to increase EPS is high and that (ii) firms increase their likelihood to meet or beat analyst EPS consensus forecasts by reducing investment. Investment has a direct impact on EPS through depreciation expenses and collateral costs. The observed reduction in investment to meet forecast targets occurs primarily within firms with better investment opportunities. This pattern is consistent with the passing up of valuable investment opportunities in response to analyst pressure. *HEC School of Management, Paris, 1 rue de la Libération, 78351 Jouy en Josas, Cedex, France, and Swiss Finance Institute, University of Lugano, Via G. Buffi 13, 6904 Lugano, Switzerland. Email: sebastien.michenaud@mailhec.net. I am especially indebted to François Degeorge, and Ulrich Hege, my advisors, for their support and guidance, and to François Derrien, and René Stulz for detailed comments and suggestions. I would also like to thank Darwin Choi, Marina Druz, Thierry Foucault, Francesco Franzoni, Thomas Jeanjean, Frédéric Palomino, Frans de Roon, David Thesmar and seminar participants at HEC School of Management, the 6th Swiss Doctoral Workshop in Finance in Gerzensee, the EFM 2007 “Merton Miller” doctoral seminar in Vienna, and the EFA 2007 doctoral seminar in Ljubljana for helpful comments and suggestions. All errors are my own. Financial support from NCCR-FINRISK is gratefully acknowledged.
Electrospun Nanofibers prepared with CdTe QDs, CdTeSe QDs and CdTe/CdS Core-shell QDs

In this study, a novel method is used to prepare water-soluble CdTe, CdTeSe quantum dots (QDS) and CdTe/CdS core-shell QDs by using Te, Se, NaBH 4 , and CdCl 2 as precursors. Electrospinning method is used to obtain polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/QDs composite nanofibers. A series of PVA/QDs nanofiber mats with three different QDs content are prepared. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) have been used to characterize QD nanoparticles. In addition, for characterization of the composite nanofibers, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) have been used. QDs have a good dispersed crystalline structure with an average crystalline size between 2-4 nm. Morphology analyses reveal that the composite nanofibers with an average diameter ranging from 50 to 250 nm are prepared using the electrospinning technique.
The Future of Open Innovation

Institutional openness is becoming increasingly popular in practice and academia: open innovation, open R&D and open business models. Our special issue builds on the concepts, underlying assumptions and implications discussed in two previous R&D Management special issues (2006, 2009). This overview indicates nine perspectives needed to develop an open innovation theory more fully. It also assesses some of the recent evidence that has come to light about open innovation, in theory and in practice.
Evaluation of the Physical Fitness Level in Physical Education Female Students Using "Eurofit-Test"

This work is based on the results of Cross-sectional experimental study results, which was implemented in Study-Year 2015/2016 within female students of the third year of Basic Academic Studies (BAS) at the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education (FSPE), University of Nis. This pilot study is for the first time realized with application of “Eurofit-Test" by [1] during the course of Rhythmic gymnastics (RG), on the end of sixth semester of the study year 2015/2016 (3+3 classes weekly / 45+45 Theory + Practice in Total/per semester). The testing was carried out in the framework of the teaching practice, as one of the pre-exam requirement, based on which the student can achieve a maximum 10 out of 60 possible points. Other pre-exam obligations include the mandatory RG compositions, implemented in form of three practical exams, followed by seminar work, regular presence at the theoretical and practical lessons, including lectures with bonus points for interactive teaching. The total sample of examinees includes 28 PE female students especially selected at the entrance exam course (as compared to the assumed above average motor status), turned them into the regular curriculum in accordance with the Bologna Declaration. For the purpose of this study nine items of the “Eurofit-Test" battery was applied in regard to the physical fitness status evaluation. The research results were compared within the sample of PE female student’s and analyzed as individual case studies and Total sample with the graphical presentation of the Figures for each test item separately.
Mutual Funds and Information Diffusion: The Role of Country-Level Governance

We hypothesize that poor country-level governance, which makes public information less reliable, induces fund managers to increase their use of semi-public information. Utilizing data from international mutual funds and stocks over the 2000-2009 period, we find that semi-public information-related stock rebalancing can be five times higher in countries with the worst quality of governance than in countries with the best. The use of semi-public information increases price informativeness but also increases information asymmetry and reduces stock liquidity. It also intensifies the price impact and liquidity crunch during the recent global financial crisis. This paper led to a publication in the Review of Financial Studies , 2014, 27,(11), 3343-3387.
Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV: Mapping the Milky Way, Nearby Galaxies, and the Distant Universe

We describe the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV (SDSS-IV), a project encompassing three major spectroscopic programs. The Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment 2 (APOGEE-2) is observing hundreds of thousands of Milky Way stars at high resolution and high signal-to-noise ratios in the near-infrared. The Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) survey is obtaining spatially resolved spectroscopy for thousands of nearby galaxies (median ). The extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) is mapping the galaxy, quasar, and neutral gas distributions between and 3.5 to constrain cosmology using baryon acoustic oscillations, redshift space distortions, and the shape of the power spectrum. Within eBOSS, we are conducting two major subprograms: the SPectroscopic IDentification of eROSITA Sources (SPIDERS), investigating X-ray AGNs and galaxies in X-ray clusters, and the Time Domain Spectroscopic Survey (TDSS), obtaining spectra of variable sources. All programs use the 2.5 m Sloan Foundation Telescope at the Apache Point Observatory; observations there began in Summer 2014. APOGEE-2 also operates a second near-infrared spectrograph at the 2.5 m du Pont Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory, with observations beginning in early 2017. Observations at both facilities are scheduled to continue through 2020. In keeping with previous SDSS policy, SDSS-IV provides regularly scheduled public data releases; the first one, Data Release 13, was made available in 2016 July.
Changing conceptions of students' career development needs

This paper takes as its starting point a brief review of a range of theoretical assumptions about the nature of career learning and decision-making and plots the emergence of the notion of ‘employability’ as a predominant paradigm for the organisation and delivery of career guidance services in UK higher education. The acquisition of employability skills in students is essentially a deficit paradigm that the provision of work-oriented learning opportunities seeks to address. A key driver for the development of employability as an institutional priority is policy-making by governmental agencies that foregrounds university-business partnerships as a component of economic generation. The development of workbased learning (WBL) and work placements as part of higher education courses is shown to exemplify how responsibility for students’ employability development is increasingly shared between institutions and (prospective) employers. The paper draws upon recent research findings that explore issues of quality assurance in WBL and work placements and poses questions for institutional services aimed to support students’ transition from higher education to the labour market. Access to WBL and work placements appears to be stratified and different types of opportunity are taken up by particular groups of students. A relatively new way of conceptualising career learning as ‘career adaptability’ has been developed out of theories of career ‘constructivism’ and is suggested to provide a return to a more student-centred paradigm which has the potential to be more inclusive. Career adaptability is exemplified by the use of the career adaptability scale to support students’ selfassessment of their career learning and development.
Saving energy and improving performance in SDN using rate adaptation technique

Energy efficiency in wired networks has received considerable attention over the past few years for its heavy economic impact. Energy consumption in such network is becoming a challenging issue. Among all these wired networks Software Defined Networking (SDN) is considered as an intelligent network in which use of programmability provides the best solution for network operation. The logical separation of data plane and control plane enhances its network functionality. Despite of all these mechanisms, energy consumption is also an alarming issue in SDN. Various researchers propose many approaches in order to utilize the energy in its best way. Herein we consider the normal scenario of a data center network, and propose a new energy efficient routing algorithms to improve the performance in SDN, called SERAT. In this work, we focus on discrete of data rate of the link in order to minimize energy consumption in the network. In wired network the underutilized links are even operated in high data rate, increasing energy consumption. In order to reduce energy consumption of the network the links must be operated as per their utilization factor. We have used an output buffer queue with two levels of threshold values in order to monitor the performance of the network. Simulation result shows that the proposed technique leads to major amount of energy savings without mush affecting the throughput.
Reducing measurement uncertainty of instruments based on the phenomenon of surface Plasmon resonance

Considered in this paper are mechanisms of temperature influence on the results of optical measurements based on the surface Plasmon resonance phenomenon. It has been ascertained that the error of measurement results is related with the temperature influence on the refraction index of substances under study as well as on elements of optical setup in measuring equipment. The authors have experimentally demonstrated the influence of thermal stabilization of measuring equipment on dispersion of results obtained in optical measurements.
Genetic cohesion of Eresus walckenaeri (Araneae, Eresidae) in the eastern Mediterranean

The eresid spider genus Eresus is morphologically and ecologically conservative. At least three species occur in Europe. However, deep genetic divergence among geographical samples within two species, E. cinnaberinus and E. sandaliatus, may suggest more cryptic species. In the present study we investigate the genetic cohesion of the third species, Eresus walckenaeri, throughout its eastern Mediterranean distribution range, relative to the E. cinnaberinus–E. sandaliatus species complex. Eresus walckenaeri specimens were monophyletic. Genetic discreteness of E. walckenaeri in a region of sympatry with its sister species in Greece provides evidence for species integrity of E. walckenaeri within the European Eresus species complex. Eresus walckenaeri exhibited high concordance between geographical location and mtDNA genealogy. Two major phylogeographical clades were found in the Greek–Turkish and Syrian–Israel parts of the investigated area, respectively (∼6.5% sequence divergence). Concordance between geography and genetic divergence was further observed between Aegean island samples and their corresponding Greek and Turkish mainland samples, suggesting regional subdivision with gradual but potentially high dispersal propensity. Monophyly and limited regional distribution indicate Mediterranean endemic origin. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 86, 1–9.
Study 1 : Fitting categorization models to human behavior using CNN representations Design

Over the last few decades, psychologists have developed sophisticated formal models of human categorization using simple artificial stimuli. In this paper, we use modern machine learning methods to extend this work into the realm of naturalistic stimuli, enabling human categorization to be studied over the complex visual domain in which it evolved and developed. We show that representations derived from a convolutional neural network can be used to model behavior over a database of >300,000 human natural image classifications, and find that a group of models based on these representations perform well, near the reliability of human judgments. Interestingly, this group includes both exemplar and prototype models, contrasting with the dominance of exemplar models in previous work. We are able to improve the performance of the remaining models by preprocessing neural network representations to more closely capture human similarity judgments.
Working papers series WP ECON 06 . 04 Migration Flows and Intra-Industry Trade Adjustments

In this paper we analyse the link between trade and migration. Focusing in the experience of Spain, we relate a marginal index of intra-industry trade with the stock of foreign workers classified according to their country of origin and their situation in the Spanish labour market. We focus on the possibility that existing networks of foreign workers and their connections with their countries of origin could stimulate trade with the host country. Our results show a significant impact of the number of immigrants with work permits on intra-industry trade adjustment. However, this impact being positive or negative depends on whether foreign workers are employees or selfemployed, the duration of the work permits and the type of job they occupy.
Mobile station position and velocity estimation using smart antennas

The increasing demand for mobile communication services without a corresponding increase in radio frequency (RF) spectrum allocation motivates the need for new techniques to improve spectrum utilization. An approach that shows real spectrum utilization for substantial capacity enhancement is the use of smart antennas. The smart antennas are capable of automatically forming beams in the direction of the desired signal and steering nulls in the directions of the interfering signals. Another approach that satisfies the demand for quality of services in a mobile communication system is the capability of the communication system to estimate and "predict" the location of a mobile user. In this paper we provide a system that tracks the position and estimates the velocity of a mobile user, using smart antennas on the base stations.
Using Semantic Similarity In Automated Call Quality Evaluator For Call Centers

: Conversation between the agent and client are being evaluated manually by a quality assurance officer (QA). This job is only one of the responsibilities being done by a QA and particularly eat ups a lot of time for them which lead to late evaluation results that may cause untimely response of the company to concerns raised by their clients. This research developed an application software that automates and evaluates the quality assurance in business process outsourcing companies or customer service management implementing sentence similarity. The developed system includes two modules: speaker diarization, which includes transcription and question and answer extraction, and similarity checker, which checks the similarity between the extracted answer and the answer of the call center agent to a question. The system was evaluated for Correctness of the extracted answers, and accurateness of the evaluation for a particular call. Audio conversations were tested for the accuracy of the transcription module which has an accuracy of 27.96%. The Precision, Recall and F-measure of the extracted answer was tested as 78.03%, 96.26% and 86.19% respectively. The Accuracy of the system in evaluating a call is 70%.
Global high-resolution mapping of ocean circulation from TOPEX/Poseidon and ERS-1 and -2

This study focuses on the improved estimation of mesoscale surface ocean circulation obtained by merging TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) and ERS-1 and -2 altimeter measurements between October 1992 and May 1998. Once carefully intercalibrated and homogenized, these data are merged through an advanced global objective analysis method that allows us to correct for residual long wavelength errors and uses realistic correlation scales of ocean dynamics. The high-resolution (0.25°×0.25°) merged T/P+ERS-1 and -2 sea level anomaly maps provide more homogeneous and reduced mapping errors than either individual data set and more realistic sea level and geostrophic velocity statistics than T/P data alone. Furthermore, the merged T/P+ERS-1 and -2 maps yield eddy kinetic energy (EKE) levels 30% higher than maps of T/P alone. They also permit realistic global estimates of east and north components of EKE and their seasonal variations, to study EKE sources better. A comparison of velocity statistics with World Ocean Circulation Experiment surface drifters in the North Atlantic shows very good agreement. Comparison with contemporary current meter data in various oceanic regimes also produces comparable levels of energy and similar ratios of northward and eastward energy, showing that the maps are suitable to studying anisotropy. The T/P + ERS zonal and meridional components of the mapped currents usually present comparable rms variability, even though the variability in the Atlantic is more isotropic than that in the Pacific, which exhibits strong zonal changes. The EKE map presents a very detailed description, presumably never before achieved at a global scale. Pronounced seasonal changes of the EKE are found in many regions, notably the northeastern Pacific, the northeastern and northwestern Atlantic, the tropical oceans, and the zonally extended bands centered near 20°S in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans and at 20°N in the northwestern Pacific.