Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scuds (Gammaridae) and Darters (Percidae) Dominate Aquatic Communities in a Stream Exhibiting Levels of Specific Conductance Exceeding 4,000 µS/cm

Surface and underground extraction of coal has degraded many landscapes throughout the Appalachian region of the United States. The deleterious effects on steam biota of untreated acidic drainages high in heavy metals from active and abandoned sites have been well-documented. Mitigation strategies frequently include the addition of strong neutralizing agents in order to elevate pH and precipitate toxic metals. The resulting effluents exhibit high concentrations of sulfates, chlorides, carbonates, and other ions which can markedly raise the specific conductance of receiving streams. However, the impacts of such inputs on stream ecosystems are not well-studied. This study documents one such case, Whiteley Creek, a Monongahela River tributary in southwestern Pennsylvania, which receives treated effluents producing in-stream conductivity values in excess of 4,000 µS/cm. Fish and macroinvertebrate communities were sampled at ten sites from its headwaters to its Monongahela River confluence exhibiting conductivity values ranging from 2,400 – 5,400 µS/cm. Specific conductance showed no relationship to taxonomic richness of either community; however fish abundance declined with increasing conductivity, while macroinvertebrates increased. Extant communities dominated by tolerant taxa resulted in low macroinvertebrate and fish Indices of Biotic Integrity scores indicative of community stress. This study underscores the importance of biomonitoring and bioassessment of streams receiving effluents of chemically-treated acid mine drainages.
Level of occupational stress of court probation officers and style of coping with stress

background The relationship between a court probation officer and their ward is a specific one and is frequently connected with enormous individuals costs. This fact is connected with the character of the job, and with the conditions determining its character. Psychosocial threats may influence both mental and somatic health, directly or indirectly, by means of the influence exerted by stress.
PPAD-Completeness Oracle Model Complexity SPERNER 3 D : Papadimitriou ’ 94 [ 43 ] 2 D Lower bound : Crescenzi and Silvestri ’

In this work, we study three discrete fixed point concepts (SPERNER,DPZP,BROUWER) under two different models: the polynomial-time function model and the oracle function model. We fully characterize the computational complexities of these three problems. The computational complexity unification of the above problems gives us more choices in the study of different applications. As an example, by a reduction from DPZP, we derive asymptotically equal lower and upper bounds for TUCKER in the oracle model. The same reduction also allows us to derive a single proof for the PPAD-completeness of TUCKER in any constant dimension d, which is significantly simpler than the recent proof for the 2D case by Pálvölgyi, and for the 3D case and higher dimensions by Papadimitriou.
Gender Influence on Undergraduates Students’ Acceptance of Mobile Learning Instruction using Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

The term mobile learning (m-learning) refers to the use of mobile and handheld IT devices, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), mobile telephones, laptops and tablet PC technologies, in teaching and learning. The use of these devices are gradually increasing and diversifying across every sector of education in both the developed and developing worlds. It is gradually moving from small-scale, short-term trials to a larger more sustained and blended deployment. In this study, 216 undergraduate students of the University of Ibadan were exposed to mobile learning platform using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM Model). The model contained the following variables: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude, peer-influence, behavioural intention to use, interest, technology self-efficacy and acceptance. The paper discussed gender influence on these variables, implications and findings were discussed and recommendations were given.
Morphometric characteristics of Apis cerana from Sri Lanka

mdash; Worker bees from 11 colonies of A cerana collected from different geographical regions of Sri Lanka were examined. The coefficients of variability of 19 morphological characteristics were calculated and a tergite colour classification was carried out. The greatest mean coefficient of variability was 24.41% for tergite colour, and 7.94% for proboscis length, while the least variable was 1% for forewing length. The possibility of using highly variable simple characteristics in tandem selection is suggested.
Artifact Removal for Brain-Computer Interfaces Using Support Vector Machines and Blind Source Separation

1 Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Gartenstr. 29, 72074 Tübingen, Germany 2 Wilhelm-Schickard Institute for Computer Engineering, University of Tübingen, Sand 13, 72076 Tübingen, Germany 3 Computer Engineering, Institute of Computer Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Leipzig, Johannisgasse 26, 04103 Leipzig, Germany 4 National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Human Cortical Physiology Section, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Microscopic analysis of the influence of solar cell process steps on the recombination activity of extended crystal defects

Gettering and passivation steps during solar cell processing influence the recombination activity of grain boundaries in silicon wafers. The purpose of this work is to study the influence of different solar cell processing steps on the recombination activity. Neighbouring wafers of intentionally contaminated multicrystalline ingots were differently processed to solar cells or treated with single POCl3-diffusion, hydrogenation or temperature steps. Therefore, the influence of these solar cell processing steps on recombination activity could be evaluated individually by electron beam induced current (EBIC) measurements. Afterwards these wafers were investigated by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements to determine the crystal orientations and the crystallographic properties of the grain boundaries. Combined EBIC and EBSD results allow the evaluation of the influence of solar cell processing steps on recombination activity in dependence of several grain boundary types. The gained results might be important for defect engineering and the development of an optimized solar cell process on cost effective and impurity-rich silicon material to reduce the recombination activity at grain boundaries in multicrystalline silicon material.
Exploration and Development of Methodology for Accessibility Assessments: Based on the Notion of Person-Environment Fit

To improve population health, it is important to create environments that support activity, participation and health. One crucial aspect concerns the degree to which the built environment is accessible for all people including those with reduced functional capacity. The overarching objective of this thesis was to explore and further develop methodology for accessibility assessments based on the notion of person-environment fit. Type profiles that represent groups characterized by their combinations of functional limitations were explored as an approach to analyze accessibility problems at the group level. To support societal planning and decision procedures, basic simulated accessibility analyses were conducted as a method to identify different sets of housing improvement priorities that are applicable for groups with different functional capacity. Sixty-one core environmental barriers in terms of accessibility problem detection were identified. This represented a preliminary version of an accessibility screening tool, which can be efficient for research and policy interventions focusing on accessibility. Based on a conceptual analysis, techniques for statistically analyzing the variation of agreement data were explored. This approach can identify the most influential sources of disagreement. Finally, a typology of person-environment fit constellations was constructed, which will thereby facilitate an extension of the methodology for accessibility assessments that are applicable in different environmental arenas. The results of this thesis have implications for further research related to the development of tools and methods that can ultimately support societal efforts in achieving a built environment that is accessible for all citizens, regardless of functional capacity. (Less)
Illegal Immigration and Multiple Destinations

This paper examines the efficacy of internal and external enforcement policy to combat illegal immigration. The model features search-theoretic unemployment and policy interdependency among multiple destination countries. With one destination country, internal and external enforcement policy have similar effects. With multiple destination countries, we consider prototypal geographical configurations. In one, all destinations are contiguous with the source country, while in the other only one destination country is contiguous with the source country. In both cases the equilibrium external enforcement policy level is lower than the joint optimum, calling for supranational authorities to implement immigration policy. In the absence of such policy, we consider the effect of delegating border control policy to one destination country and find that delegation of authorities to the largest country can improve each destination country ’s welfare relative to the Nash equilibrium level.
Evolutionary and Phylogenetic Study of the BMP 15 Gene

In recent years, with the development of genetic engineering technology, rapid DNA sequencing has been made possible and a massive amount of nucleotide sequence information from different parts of the genome in different species is growing at a rapid pace. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence data contains a wealth of biologically useful information. The analysis of these sequences can be used by comparing the sequences of the genes with identified functions to specify the characteristics of different regions, such as active sites and functional regions of the DNA to interpret the evolutionary relationships between categorized groups (phylogenetic) and comparing an unidentified sequence with millions of sequences available in DNA information gene banks. Also, new and increasing reports on the sequences of the DNA have provided and created conditions as well as a motivation for evolutionary DNA sequence data contains a wealth of biologically useful information. Recent innovations in DNA sequencing technology have greatly increased our capacity to determine massive amounts of nucleotide sequences. These sequences can be used to specify the characteristics of different regions, interpret the evolutionary relationships between categorized groups, likelihood of performing multiple comparisons between an unidentified sequence and millions of specified sequences existing in DNA information gene banks. This study focuses on bioinformatics analysis of molecular genetic variation of the BMP15 gene of some selected mammalian species with a view to providing relevant genetic information for breeding and selection programs in the studied species using computational methods. A total of twenty-three BMP15 nucleotide sequences and amino acids sequences were retrieved from the NCBI gene bank. Sequence alignment, pair and multi-alignment comparison of the BMP15 gene of the various species were done with MEGA6. High degree of polymorphism of the BMP15 gene was observed among the studied species. Despite high polymorphism in BMP15 similarity between sequences was greater than 98% and differences existing in fertility rates among species may be species-specific due to differences in the processing of BMP15. The mean diversity among populations and the scattering coefficient of evolution in the BMP15 position were calculated to be 2.15 and 1.25 bp, respectively and the mean divergence was calculated to be 1.7 bp. Also, the mean divergence within the species was 4.1, 0.4 and 2.1 bp in sheep, cows and goats, respectively. Bases substitution rate and pattern in BMP15 showed that cows and goats have the minimum genetic distance and human has the maximum genetic distance with sheep. In addition to existing variation in DNA and amino acids sequences between BMP15 in different species, this study highlighted specific segments significantly more conserved in BMP15 from mono-ovulating as compared to super-ovulating species.
Fredholm representation of multiparameter Gaussian processes with applications to equivalence in law and series expansions

We show that every multiparameter Gaussian process with integrable variance function admits aWiener integral representation of Fredholm type with respect to the Brownian sheet. The Fredholm kernel in the representation can be constructed as the unique symmetric square root of the covariance. We analyze the equivalence of multiparameter Gaussian processes by using the Fredholm representation and show how to construct series expansions for multiparameter Gaussian processes by using the Fredholm kernel.
Prediction of Nitrogen Injection Performance in Conventional Reservoirs Using the Correlation Developed by the Incorporation of Experimental Design Techniques and Reservoir Simulation

Enhanced oil recovery using nitrogen injection is a commonly applied method for pressure maintenance in conventional reservoirs. Numerical s imulations can be practiced for the prediction of a reservoir performance in the course of injection process; however, a detailed simulation might take up enormous computer processing time. In such cases, a simple statistical model may be a good approach to the preliminary prediction of the proce ss without any application of numerical simulation. In the current work, seven rock/fluid r eservoir properties are considered as screening parameters and those parameters having the most considerable effect on the process are determined using the combination of experimental design techni ques and reservoir simulations. Therefore, the statistical significance of the main effects and in teractions of screening parameters are analyzed utilizing statistical inference approaches. Finally , the influential parameters are employed to create a simple statistical model which allows the prelimina ry prediction of nitrogen injection in terms of a recovery factor without resorting to numerical simu lations.
Simulador basado en un sistema bípedo simple

Este articulo presenta una plataforma grafica de simulacion desarrollada con los programas de Matlab® y SolidWorks® basado en un sistema bipedo simple cuya base se encuentra en medio de la cadera. El objetivo del simulador es aplicar una estructura de control en lazo cerrado que permita realizar el seguimiento de una trayectoria similar a la marcha humana. Para el desarrollo del simulador se usa el modelo dinamico del sistema bipedo, el cual permite describir matematicamente el comportamiento del sistema a un estimulo especifico. La planificacion de la trayectoria se realiza a traves de polinomios de quinto orden, lo que permite generar las posiciones deseadas que componen la trayectoria deseada.
Multiculturalism in the workplace: Model and test

Orientation: This article addresses the role of multiculturalism in employee attitudes.Research purpose: It proposes a model of positive features of multiculturalism in organisations and tests it in South Africa. The model postulates three levels in multiculturalism: antecedent conditions, such as multiculturalism practices and norms that define the diversity climate; mediators, such as diversity-enhancing employee attitudes; and positive work outcomes.Motivation for the study: South Africans from diverse backgrounds hardly meet in their private spaces. Given this forced contact in the workplace and the calls for national unity and social cohesion, we propose that a workplace that is characterised by mutual respect, accommodation and tolerance for difference could have a positive impact on employee work attitudes.Research approach/design and method: A quantitative approach was adopted using survey questionnaires that were distributed to employees selected on the basis of convenience sampling (N = 299) in various workplaces.Main findings: A multi-group path analysis confirmed the validity of the model for the white, black and mixed race ethnic groups. Although the differences were negligible to medium, white groups seemed to experience a slightly more favourable multicultural environment compared to black and mixed race groups.Practical/managerial implications: All dimension scores were well above the mid-point of the scale, which suggests that psychometrically speaking, the multicultural climate, ethnic integration orientations and employee attitudes are experienced by these employees as favourable.Contribution/value-add: From a conceptual perspective, the model implies that the more distal variable of a multicultural climate influences employee attitudes through a set of more proximal integration attitudes and practices. From a practical perspective, an inclusive climate has more distal characteristics such as the general multiculturalism climate and more proximal characteristics such as ethnic vitality.
Support Vector Machine based Vehicle Make and Model Recognition System

Vehicle analysis is a very useful component in various real world applications. In this paper, we have developed a Vehicle Make and Model Recognition (VMMR) system using Support Vector Machine (SVM). Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) and Speed-Up Robust Transform (SURF) are used to extract local features from an image. Bag-of-Features (BoF) model is used to create visual dictionaries and convert the local image features into global image feature representation. Multiple dictionaries of different sizes are created for both features; SIFT and SURF and the dataset is coded using these dictionaries to determine the best size for the visual dictionary. NTOU-MMR is a publicly available vehicle dataset which we have used to evaluate the performance of proposed VMMR system. 92% recognition rate is achieved by using the proposed VMMR system.
Approximate broadcasting of quantum correlations

Broadcasting quantum and classical information is a basic task in quantum information processing, and is also a useful model in the study of quantum correlations including quantum discord. We establish a full operational characterization of two-sided quantum discord in terms of bilocal broadcasting of quantum correlations. Moreover, we show that both the optimal fidelity of unilocal broadcasting of the correlations in an arbitrary bipartite quantum state and that of broadcasting an arbitrary set of quantum states can be formulized as semidefinite programs (SDPs), which are efficiently computable. We also analyze some properties of these SDPs and evaluate the broadcasting fidelities for some cases of interest.
Effects of Lactose, Ethanol and Cycloheximide on the Translocation Pattern of Radioactive Compounds and on Sclerotium Formation in Sclerotium rolfsii

Summary: Protein synthesis and translocation of l-[14C]leucine, d-[14C]glucose and inorganic 32P were enhanced in cultures of Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. grown on medium supplemented with 0·5% lactose. Ethanol (2%, v/v) inhibited translocation but not protein synthesis. Neither lactose nor ethanol affected the uptake of radioactive substances by the fungal mycelium. Cycloheximide applied to the colony margins prevented sclerotium formation and protein synthesis without inhibiting translocation. It was concluded that translocation and protein synthesis in S. rolfsii are independent processes and are both essential for sclerotium formation.
The water budget of Typhoon Nari (2001) at landfall

Typhoon Nari struck Taiwan on September 16, 2001; it brought heavy rainfall (with three-day-total rainfall of more than 1400 mm), strong wind gusts, fresh flood, and caused severe economical and societal damage, including 92 human lives (Sui et al. 2002). Because of the tremendous rainfall and severe disaster produced by Nari, there are several studies on Nari from both observational and modeling aspects. For example, precipitation efficiency of Typhoon Nari over the ocean was discussed in Sui et al. (2005); the flooding simulation of Nari was examined in Li et al. (2005); and Yang (2008) investigated the essential microphysical processes of Typhoon Nari (2001) at landfall. Yang et al. (2008; hereafter referred to as Part I) conducted a quadruply nested-grid MM5 model simulation with the finest grid size of 2 km for Nari and showed that the model reproduces reasonably well the kinematic and precipitation features as well as the structural changes of Nari, as verified against radar and rain-gauge observations. These include the storm track, contraction and sizes of the eye and eyewall, the spiral rainbands, the rapid pressure rise (~1.67 hPa h) during landfall, and the nearly constant intensity after landfall. In addition, the model captures the horizontal rainfall distribution and some local rainfall maxima associated with Taiwan’s orography.
Embedded Based Wireless Healthcare Monitoring

There is a tremendous growth in VLSI technology and GSM communication now a day. This project mainly deals about an implementation of GSM technology in Medical field with the help of embedded system. Wireless communications used here would not only provide remote monitoring but also safe and accurate monitoring. In this project, ECG, Heart beat rate, Body temperature and Content of Oxygen in body of patient are measured by using various medical sensors as analog signal, then it is converted into digital signal using inbuilt ADC of LPC2138 ARM7TDMI-S controller which is then further processed for suitable wireless communication using paging messages with the help GSM modem. At healthcare monitoring center on a dedicated PC we will get ECG graph along with Heart beat rate, Body temperature and percentage of Oxygen. System is developed for patients that are not in a critical condition but need to be constant or periodically monitored by clinician or family member. During monitoring condition the SMS will be sent to the doctor and family member, so that patient should get monitored at a far
Type synthesis of freedom and constraint elements for design of flexure mechanisms

In this paper, we present the type synthesis of freedom and constraint elements for design of general flexure mechanisms. As an important step in the conceptual design stage, the goal of type synthesis is to qualitatively determine the topology or connectivity of flexure elements and rigid bodies in a mechanism. The synthesis procedure presented here is based on a recently emerging screw theory based approach for flexure mechanisms. We first categorize a list of commonly used atomic flexure primitives including blades, wires, notches and bellow springs etc. We then derive their twist and wrench matrices that mathematically represent their freedom and constraint spaces. The synthesis procedure rigorously follows screw algebra. Freedom elements including R-joints and P-joints are defined as basic motion elements that allow a single rotation or a single translation. By using parallel structures of these flexure primitives, eleven designs of R-joints and eight designs of P-joints are systematically synthesized. As a duality, constraint elements including P-constraints and R-constraints remove a single translation or rotation. In contract to freedom elements, we synthesized serial chains of flexure primitives and obtained six designs of P-constraints and three designs of R-constraints. These freedom and constraint elements form a catalogue of basic building blocks for designing more complex flexure mechanisms. At last we utilize four design examples to demonstrate how to synthesize hybrid structures with serial and parallel combination of these elements.