Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sea Anemones through X-Rays: Visualization of Two Species of Diadumene (Cnidaria, Actiniaria) Using Micro-CT

ABSTRACT Diadumenidae is a monogeneric family comprised of 10 valid species in the genus Diadumene. Although these species are distributed in all but the Southern Ocean, Diadumene lineata is a cosmopolitan species and one of the most widely distributed marine organisms. Recent phylogenetic analyses with multiple species have recovered Diadumenidae as a monophyletic group with high support. Although generic placement is straightforward, species-level identifications within Diadumene are difficult because species are defined by a mosaic of characters that vary in degree rather than kind. Two species of the genus have been recorded in the southwestern Atlantic: D. paranaensis along the south coast of Brazil and D. lineata along the southeast and northeast coasts of Brazil as well as in Argentina. Here we record D. leucolena for the first time in the southern hemisphere and describe D. manezinha, sp. nov., raising to four the number of species of Diadumene for Brazil and to 11 worldwide. We incorporated microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) into the description of both species in the first application of the method for Actiniaria. We evaluate the utility of micro-CT imaging and its potential to generate fast, low-cost, and high-resolution datasets despite the anemone's low-density soft tissue. We present a protocol for sample handling, chemical staining, and scanning parameters that resulted in satisfactory imaging of the two specimens examined. We also analyze advantages and limitations of using micro-CT over traditional techniques in the study of sea anemones.
Pleistocene plateau ice fields in the High Atlas, Morocco

Abstract Large ice fields (>25 km2) formed over the Tazaghart and Iouzagner plateaus of the High Atlas, Morocco during the Late Pleistocene. The plateau ice fields were drained by large valley glaciers forming a series of moraine assemblages. Four moraine units have been mapped and subdivided on the basis of their morphostratigraphy and the degree of soil weathering. Soil profile development index values indicate that the moraine units are widely separated in time; the oldest moraines are deeply weathered and degraded, whereas soils are absent on the youngest moraines. The highest moraine unit was formed by a small niche glacier that was present as recently as the mid-twentieth century. The Pleistocene glaciers are likely to have been associated with wetter conditions than today and colder air temperatures. Combined with ice in neighbouring areas, such as the Toubkal massif, the SW High Atlas supported some of the largest glaciers in Africa during the Pleistocene. The extent of glaciation, with ice exploiting and breaching drainage divides, has major implications for landscape development. The evolution of the High Atlas has been strongly shaped by glaciation that was closely intertwined with tectonic, fluvial and slope processes.
Efficient Gradient Computation for Structured Output Learning with Rational and Tropical Losses

Many structured prediction problems admit a natural loss function for evaluation such as the edit-distance or $n$-gram loss. However, existing learning algorithms are typically designed to optimize alternative objectives such as the cross-entropy. This is because a na\"{i}ve implementation of the natural loss functions often results in intractable gradient computations. In this paper, we design efficient gradient computation algorithms for two broad families of structured prediction loss functions: rational and tropical losses. These families include as special cases the $n$-gram loss, the edit-distance loss, and many other loss functions commonly used in natural language processing and computational biology tasks that are based on sequence similarity measures. Our algorithms make use of weighted automata and graph operations over appropriate semirings to design efficient solutions. They facilitate efficient gradient computation and hence enable one to train learning models such as neural networks with complex structured losses.
Driver Behavior Analysis for Advanced Driver Assistance System

In order to improve the comfort and acceptance of the advanced driver assistance system, many researchers have spent a lot of effort to study the driver’s driving characteristics in the specific conditions. Unlike previous works, two new basic driving conditions are defined in this paper. In order to analyze the driver behavior, we select the vehicle trajectory data provided by NGSIM. The Spearman correlation coefficients is used to statistically analyze the major factors affecting driver behavior based on screened NGSIM data. Further, this paper discusses the characteristics of driver reaction delay. The work of this paper will benefit the follow-up research on advanced driver assistance system development.
A New Quadruply Lensed Quasar: SDSS J125107.57+293540.5

We report the discovery of a quadruply imaged quasar, SDSS J125107.57+293540.5, selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Follow-up imaging reveals that the system consists of four blue pointlike components in a typical cusp lens geometry surrounding a central red galaxy. The source redshift is 0.802, and the lens redshift is 0.410. The maximum image separation between the lensed components is 1.79″. While the image configuration is well reproduced by standard mass models with reasonable parameter values, the flux ratios predicted by these models differ from the observed ratios in all bands. This is suggestive of small-scale structure in this lens, although a definitive identification of the anomaly requires more accurate photometry and astrometry.
A coupled channel network growth and hillslope evolution model: 1. Theory

This paper presents a model of the long-term evolution of catchments, the growth of their drainage networks, and the changes in elevations within both the channels and the hillslopes. Elevation changes are determined from continuity equations for flow and sediment transport, with sediment transport being related to discharge and slope. The central feature of the model is that it explicitly differentiates between the sediment transport behavior of the channels and the hillslopes on the basis of observed physics, and the channel network extension results solely from physically based flow interactions on the hillslopes. The difference in behavior of channels and hillslopes is one of the most important properties of a catchment. The flow and sediment transport continuity equations in the channel and the hillslope are coupled and account for the long-term interactions of the elevations in the hillslope and in the channels. Sediment transport can be due to fluvial processes, creep, and rockslides. Tectonic uplift may increase overall catchment elevations. The dynamics of channel head advance, and thus network growth, are modeled using a physically based mechanism for channel initiation and growth where a channel head advances when a channel initiation function, nonlinearly dependent on discharge and slope, exceeds a threshold. This threshold controls the drainage density of the basin. A computer implementation of the model is introduced, some simple simulations presented, and the numerics of the solution technique described.
Artificial Bee Colony ( ABC ) Optimization for the Prediction of Coronary Heart Disease

Prediction of deadly disease like Coronary Heart Diseases is quite impressive these days with modern robotic technologies. The medical organization contains a huge amount of data which can pre-processed with the data mining techniques. The revealed information is evaluated with help of soft computing techniques such as fuzzy systems to predict the presence of the disease. The prediction accuracy is computed with Swarm Intelligent optimization such as Artificial Bee Colony Optimization. This accuracy in percentage helps us to diagnosis the disease effectively. Keywords— Artificial Bee Colony Optimization, Coronary Heart Disease, Data Mining, Fuzzy System, Mat lab, Swarm Intelligent Optimization
Analysis of Hydrological Simulation Models Using the Parameter Combinatorial Diagram

The aim of this paper is to present graphically the behaviour of a simulation model to the varying parameters and to establish the suitability of this representation as a valid tool for the analysis of the same parameters. In this paper, we define parameter combinatorial diagram as the joint graphical representation of all box plots related to the adjustment between real and simulated data, by setting and/or changing the parameters of the simulation model. To do this, we start with a box plot representing the values of an objective adjustment function, achieving these results when varying all the parameters of the simulation model. Then we draw the box plot when setting all the parameters of the model, for example, using the median or average. Later, we get all the box plots when carrying out simulations combining fixed or variable values of the model parameters. Finally, all box plots obtained are represented neatly in a single graph. It is intended that the new parameter combinatorial diagram is used to examine and analyze simulation models useful in practice. This paper presents combinatorial diagrams of different examples of application as in the case of hydrologic models of one, two, three, and five parameters.
Characterization of the Brazilian continental shelf adjacent to Rio Grande do Norte state, NE Brazil

B S T R A C T This study focuses on the analysis of high-resolution seismic profiles, integrated with sedimentological, echosounder, SRTM and satellite image datasets, of the Brazilian continental shelf adjacent to the Rio Grande do Norte State, NE Brazil. Located in the northeast of Brazil, the State of Rio Grande do Norte is bounded by two main coastal and shelf systems: the eastern coastal-shelf, from the Sagi River to the Touros High, and the northern coastal-shelf, extending from Touros High to Tibau. This shelf represents a modern, highly dynamic mixed carbonate-siliciclastic system characterized by reduced width and shallow depths as compared with other parts of the Brazilian shelf. It has an average width of 40 km, the shelf-break lying at a depth of ~ 60 m. This shelf is subject to the full strength of the westerly South Equatorial current combined with high winds and moderate to high tides and waves. A sharply defined stratigraphic boundary, probably between the Pleistocene and Holocene deposits, is clearly to be observed in the seismic record. Incised-valleys extending from the main river mouths (e.g.the Potengi, Acu, and Apodi) to the shelf break dominate the area investigated and may indicate periods of lower sea level.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: AN EXPLORATION INTO CURRENT ISSUES by AMANDA D. GRAY

The present study addressed many of the questions raised by I/O psychologists about emotional intelligence. Specifically this research examined the relationship between trait EI and three life outcomes that are expected to be related to EI, life satisfaction, powerlessness, and loneliness. The study also explored the factor structure of the Bar-On EQ-i using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The research also examined the relationship between trait EI and three organizationally relevant variables, job performance, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions with multiple regression. Emotional labor has been identified as a moderating variable in the relationship between EI and organizational outcome variables, so these relationships were explored in light of the degree to which the respondent’s work role requires a measure of emotional labor. Finally, a t-test was used to explore any gender differences that exist in overall trait emotional intelligence. A sample of adults working in management and upper-level management participated in this study. The results indicate that trait EI does have relationships with many of the life and work outcomes suggested by theory. The current study also found support for the moderating role of emotional labor and the existence of gender differences in some trait EI components. However, the BarOn measurement model was not confirmed and an alternate model was used, in addition to the BarOn model, to test the hypotheses.
Gusev crater: Wind‐related features and processes observed by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit

[1] Wind-related features observed by the rover Spirit in Gusev crater, Mars, include patches of soil on the surface, some of which are organized into bed forms. Windblown grains include dust (inferred to be 2 mm in diameter). Microscopic Imager data show the sands and granules to be rounded and relatively spherical, typical of grains transported long distances by the wind. The interior of bed forms exposed by rover operations suggests the infiltration of dust among the grains, indicating that these sands are not currently experiencing saltation. Orientations of 1520 features (such as bed forms and ventifacts) along Spirit's traverse from the landing site (the Columbia Memorial Station) to West Spur in the Columbia Hills suggest primary formative winds from the north-northwest, which correlate with measurements of features seen in orbiter images and is consistent with afternoon winds predicted by atmospheric models. A secondary wind from the southeast is also suggested, which correlates with predictions for nighttime/early morning winds. Wind abrasion is indicated by ventifacts in the form of facets and grooves cut into rocks, the orientations of which also indicate prevailing winds from the north-northwest. Orientations of many aeolian features in the West Spur area, however, have more scatter than elsewhere along the traverse, which is attributed to the influence of local topography on the patterns of wind. Active dust devils observed on the floor of Gusev from the Columbia Hills demonstrate that dust is currently mobile. Sequential images of some dust devils show movement as rapid as 3.8 m/s, consistent with wind velocities predicted by atmospheric models for the afternoon, when most of the dust devils were observed. Sands accumulated on the rover deck in the same period suggest that some sands in the Columbia Hills experience active saltation. “Two-toned” rocks having a light band coating at their bases are considered to represent partial burial by soils and subsequent exposure, while “perched” rocks could represent materials lowered onto other rocks by deflation of supporting soils. Measurements of the heights of the light bands and the perched rocks range from <1 cm to 27 cm, indicating local deflation by as much as 27 cm.
Youth violence prevention in Latin America and the Caribbean: a scoping review of the evidence

Youth violence is reaching epidemic levels in some parts of Latin America. It is also a top priority for the region’s policymakers, with growing investments in youth violence prevention and reduction. Yet the knowledge base on what works and what does not in terms of youth violence prevention is comparatively thin, and there is comparatively limited awareness of existing or planned impact studies. In order to fill this knowledge gap, this report assesses the state of the literature on youth violence impact assessments in 33 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Following a systematic review of published and unpublished articles and interviews with dozens of experts, just 18 studies were detected. And while most of these came from Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Jamaica, several large randomised controlled trials are planned or ongoing in selected Central American and Caribbean countries. Taken together, the report highlights opportunities and limitations in academic, advocacy and policy debates on youth violence prevention. It recommends the application of longer-term and stronger study designs in future research, particularly of early childhood- and family-oriented interventions. What is urgently required are more comprehensive evaluations and the development of standardised metrics to track the many dimensions of youth violence.
Mobility and Navigation among the Yucatec Maya: Sex Differences Reflect Parental Investment, Not Mating Competition

Sex differences in range size and navigation are widely reported, with males traveling farther than females, being less spatially anxious, and in many studies navigating more effectively. One explanation holds that these differences are the result of sexual selection, with larger ranges conferring mating benefits on males, while another explanation focuses on greater parenting costs that large ranges impose on reproductive-aged females. We evaluated these arguments with data from a community of highly monogamous Maya farmers. Maya men and women do not differ in distance traveled over the region during the mate-seeking years, suggesting that mating competition does not affect range size in this monogamous population. However, men ’ s regional and daily travel increases after marriage, apparently in pursuit of resources that benefit families, whereas women reduce their daily travel after marriage. This suggests that parental effort is more important than mating effort in this population. Despite the relatively modest overall sex difference in mobility, Maya men were less spatially anxious than women, thought themselves to be better navigators, and pointed more accurately to distant locations. A structural equation model showed that the sex by marital status interaction had a direct effect on mobility, with a weaker indirect effect of sex on mobility mediated by navigational ability.
Firm Size and Corporate Investment

We provide robust empirical evidence of conditional convergence in corporate investments among US firms. Small firms have significantly higher investment rates than large firms even after controlling for standard empirical proxies of firm investment opportunities and financial status, such as Tobin's Q and cash flow measures. The inclusion of a firm's initial size in a traditional Tobin's Q investment regression is at least as economically and statistically important as the inclusion of cash flow measures in explaining corporate investment dynamics. This finding is robust to measurement errors, sample selection, nonlinear specifications of the investment regression, different estimation horizons, and different proxies of investment opportunities and financial status. We also document convergence in corporate investments in other countries around the world. Accounting for the size dependence in standard empirical investment specifications substantially improves the explanatory power of corporate investments dynamics. Moreover, the empirical evidence suggests that firm size improves the measurement of firms' true investment opportunity set rather than reflecting differences in firms' financial constraints.
The importance of pathological quality control for rectal surgery

Pathologists are an integral member of the colorectal multidisciplinary team and are able to closely interact with surgeons, radiologists and oncologists to facilitate improvements in surgical quality and patient outcomes. Accurate, high quality pathology reports containing all vital prognostic information are essential to ensure the patient receives optimal treatment. These reports should also integrate feedback to all members of the multidisciplinary team on the accuracy of preoperative staging, response to preoperative treatment, and the quality of surgery. Pathologists have played a key role in improving outcomes in patients with rectal cancer by recognising the prognostic importance of an involved circumferential resection margin. In addition, pathologists have described an assessment of the surgical planes of dissection as a marker of surgical quality and thereby a means of quality control. This article will review the current best practice for the pathological assessment of anterior resections and abdominoperineal excisions for rectal cancer and ultimately look at how pathologists can influence quality control in rectal cancer surgery.
Correction of approximation errors with Random Forests applied to modelling of cloud droplet formation

Abstract. In atmospheric models, due to their computational time or resource limitations, physical processes have to be simulated using reduced (i.e. simplified) models. The use of a reduced model, however, induces errors to the simulation results. These errors are referred to as approximation errors. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to correct these approximation errors. We model the approximation error as an additive noise process in the simulation model and employ the Random Forest (RF) regression algorithm for constructing a computationally low cost predictor for the approximation error. In this way, the overall simulation problem is decomposed into two separate and computationally efficient simulation problems: solution of the reduced model and prediction of the approximation error realisation. The approach is tested for handling approximation errors due to a reduced coarse sectional representation of aerosol size distribution in a cloud droplet formation calculation as well as for compensating the uncertainty caused by the aerosol activation parameterization itself. The results show a significant improvement in the accuracy of the simulation compared to the conventional simulation with a reduced model. The proposed approach is rather general and extension of it to different parameterizations or reduced process models that are coupled to geoscientific models is a straightforward task. Another major benefit of this method is that it can be applied to physical processes that are dependent on a large number of variables making them difficult to be parameterized by traditional methods.
A CMOS DCCII with a Grounded Capacitor Based Cascadable All-Pass Filter Application

The differential current conveyor (DCCII) is a versatile current-mode active element, which has a current differencing capability. In this study, a new CMOS DCCII implementation is introduced. As an application example, a novel voltage-mode (VM) first-order all-pass filter (APF) is presented. The proposed VM APF employs two resistors, grounded capacitor and has high-input impedance for cascadability. Simulation and experimental results are given to verify the operation of the circuit.
Total Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Spilanthes Species from Peninsular India

Total Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Spilanthes Species from Peninsular India. Int J Pharm Pharmacol 2017; 1: Abstract Spilanthes is a genus of herbs belonging to Asteraceae family commonly known as '' Toothache plant". The inflorescence is used for treating sore throat, stammering and redness of gums and is known to have anti-malarial, anti-diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been reported that they show high antioxidant activity, in the present study, the antioxidant activity was measured in terms of Ferrous Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) for six species of Spilanthes and total phenolic content. Spilanthes ciliata leaves were found to have highest total phenolic content (21.53 mg/g of GAE). Lowest value was recorded in Spilanthes oleracea. Leaves showed more phenols compared to the other parts. Inflorescence showed moderate activity with maximum recorded in S. oleracea. In roots, the total phenolic content was moderate with the maximum recorded in S. ciliata and minimum in S. radicans. In FRAP assay, the maximum activity was observed in S. ciliata followed by S. calva and minimum was observed in S. radicans. Among inflorescence, S. calva and S. oleracea showed higher activity compared to other parts of all other species. Inflorescence of all the other species showed moderate activity. In roots, the antioxidant activity was maximum in S. ciliata and S. uliginosa recorded least activity with maximum reading in S. calva leaves=0.381, minimum in S. uliginosa, root=0.23, among leaves highest frap reading was obtained in S. calva and in roots S. calva and S. oleracea both showed equal FRAP readings and in Inflorescence maximum was in S. calva followed by S. oleracea. This is the first report of comparison of six species of Spilanthes with different plant parts for total phenolic compounds and FRAP assay.