Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ecological Characteristics of Streams in the Barrenlands near Lac de Gras, N.W.T., Canada

We examined spatiotemporal variation in the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of pristine streams that represent a range of conditions near Lac de Gras in the Barrenlands region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Principal component analysis organized streams into four groups on the basis of seven physical characteristics. Despite broad differences among groups in physical characteristics, variation in chemical and biological characteristics was generally not large, with only pH and coarse particulate organic matter differing among the four groups. Nevertheless, several chemical and biological variables were correlated with physical characteristics, particularly measures of stream size (bankfull width and depth, drainage area, and stream discharge). Annual variability in climate affected stream temperature and discharge and influenced several biotic characteristics, particularly the growth of young-of-the-year arctic grayling ( Thymallus arcticus ). Barrenland streams share basic characteristics of Alaskan tundra streams, as a result of similar climatic regimes. Key differences between the two areas, however, appear related to the lake-outlet nature of the Barrenland streams, which may contribute to higher growth of young-of-the-year arctic grayling than would be expected from regional climate.
Evaluation of ice and snow content in the global numerical weather prediction model GME with CloudSat

Abstract. The present study evaluates the global numerical weather prediction model GME with respect to the grid-scale parameterization of frozen particles, both ice and snow, focusing on the performance of a diagnostic versus a prognostic precipitation scheme. As a reference, CloudSat Cloud Profiling Radar observations are utilized – the so far only near-globally available data set which vertically resolves clouds. Both the observation-to-model and the model-to-observation approach are applied and compared to each other. For the latter, the radar simulator QuickBeam is utilized. Criteria are applied to further improve the comparability between model and observations. The two model versions are statistically evaluated for a four-month period. The comparison reveals that the prognostic scheme reproduces the shape of the CloudSat frequency distributions for both ice water content (IWC) and reflectivity factor well, while the diagnostic scheme produces no large IWCs or reflectivity factors because snow falls out instantaneously. However, the prognostic scheme overestimates the occurrence of high ice water paths (IWP), especially in the mid-latitudes. Sensitivity tests show that an increased fall speed of snow successfully reduces IWP. Both evaluation approaches capture the general features, but for details, the two together deliver the largest informational content. In case of limited resources, the model-to-observation approach is recommended. Finally, the results indicate that the lack of IWC in most global circulation models might be attributed to the use of diagnostic precipitation schemes, i.e., the lack of snow aloft. Based on its good performance the prognostic scheme went into operational mode in February 2010. The adjusted snow fall speed went operational in December 2010. However, continual improvements of the ice microphysics are necessary, which can be assessed by the proposed evaluation technique.
Free and Forced Vibration Analyses of Hyperbolic Cooling Tower Shell Using Harmonic Solid Ring Finite Elements

This paper discusses free and forced vibration responses of hyperbolic cooling tower shell which is one of the complex real life applications of axisymmetric structures. 9-noded harmonic solid ring finite element is used in the numerical model of the cooling tower. Physically a three-dimensional cooling tower problem is reduced to a two dimensional one by expressing earthquake loading in the form of Fourier series for a single harmonic with the help of harmonic elements. Therefore, the complete solution for the problem is obtained simply for a single load component that makes the model computationally much more efficient. A computer program is coded in Matlab for the purpose and the results obtained in the study are verified with the results available in the literature. A parametric study is also performed for the variations in shell curvature of the tower. The time history analysis method is used for the dynamic response of the cooling tower shell. Acceleration records of Duzce earthquake is used in the study and the results are presented in tabular and graphical formats comparatively for varying shell curvature. It can be concluded that circumferential mode number and shell curvature have significant effects on the dynamic responses of cooling towers.
Digesting the Message about Contaminants and Country Foods in the Canadian North: A Review and Recommendations for Future Research and Action

Communicating the risks of environmental contaminants in the food chain to northern Aboriginal peoples poses significant challenges for communities at risk and environment and health professionals alike. Reported results of poor risk communication practice on this issue include increased fear and confusion in northern communities, changes in the dietary behaviour and traditional lifestyles of their residents, and associated impacts on their society, economy, and health. A review of past communication research and activities on this issue in the Canadian North reveals a general ad hoc “learning by doing” approach to primarily one-way communication events. The lack of focused communication research on an issue that has garnered great focus and effort elsewhere in the country and continent has forced health professionals and communicators to rely on assumptions about the reception and level of comprehension of important health messages previously disseminated. The importance of this information is increasing as research begins to detect subtle health effects from exposure to these substances among newborns in some northern regions. Thus planning and evaluation are needed for risk communication, and possibly changes to the scale at which communication work is done in northern communities.
Complexity of the Yellowstone Park Volcanic Field Seismicity in Terms of Tsallis Entropy

The Yellowstone Park volcanic field is one of the most active volcanic systems in the world, presenting intense seismic activity that is characterized by several earthquake swarms over the last decades. In the present work, we focused on the spatiotemporal properties of the recent earthquake swarms that occurred on December–January 2008–2009 and the 2010 Madison Plateau swarm, using the approach of Non Extensive Statistical Physics (NESP). Our approach is based on Tsallis entropy, and is used in order to describe the behavior of complex systems where fracturing and strong correlations exist, such as in tectonic and volcanic environments. This framework is based on the maximization of the non-additive Tsallis entropy Sq, introducing the q-exponential function and the entropic parameter q that expresses the degree of non-extentivity of the system. The estimation of the q-parameters could be used as a correlation degree among the events in the spatiotemporal evolution of seismicity. Using the seismic data provided by University of Utah Seismological Stations (UUSS), we analyzed the inter-event time (T) and distance (r) distribution of successive earthquakes that occurred during the two swarms, fitting the observed data with the q-exponential function, resulting in the estimation of the Tsallis entropic parameters qT, qr for the inter-event time and distance distributions, respectively. Furthermore, we studied the magnitude-frequency distribution of the released earthquake energies E as formulated in the frame of NESP, which results in the estimation of the qE parameter. Our analysis provides the triplet (qE, qT, qr) that describes the magnitude-frequency distribution and the spatiotemporal scaling properties of each of the studied earthquake swarms. In addition, the spatial variability of qE throughout the Yellowstone park volcanic area is presented and correlated with the existence of the regional hydrothermal features.
Influence of implant-abutment angulations and crown material on stress distribution on central incisor: a 3D FEA

Aim: To investigate the effect of implant-abutment angulation and crown material on stress distribution of central incisors. Finite element method was used to simulate the clinical situation of a maxillary right central incisor restored by two different implant-abutment angulations, 15° and 25°, using two different crown materials (IPS E-Max CAD and zirconia). Methods: Two 3D finite element models were specially prepared for this research simulating the abutment angulations. Commercial engineering CAD/CAM package was used to model crown, implant abutment complex and bone (cortical and spongy) in 3D. Linear static analysis was performed by applying a 178 N oblique load. The obtained results were compared with former experimental results. Results: Implant Von Mises stress level was negligibly changed with increasing abutment angulation. The abutment with higher angulation is mechanically weaker and expected to fail at lower loading in comparison with the steeper one. Similarly, screw used with abutment angulation of 25° will fail at lower (about one-third) load value the failure load of similar screw used with abutment angulated by 15°. Conclusions: Bone (cortical and spongy) is insensitive to crown material. Increasing abutment angulation from 15° to 25°, increases stress on cortical bone by about 20% and reduces it by about 12% on spongy bone. Crown fracture resistance is dramatically reduced by increasing abutment angulation. Zirconia crown showed better performance than E-Max one.
A Framework for Automatic IT Architecture Modeling: Applying Truth Discovery

Modeling IT architecture is a complex, time consuming, and error prone task. However, many systems produce information that can be used for automating modeling. Early studies show that this is a feasible approach if we can overcome certain obstacles. Often more than one source is needed in order to cover the data requirements of an IT architecture model; and the use of multiple sources means that heterogeneous data needs to be merged. Moreover, the same collection of data might be useful for creating more than one kind of models for decision support. IT architecture is constantly changing and data sources provide information that can deviate from reality to some degree. There can be problems with varying accuracy (e.g. actuality and coverage), representation (e.g. data syntax and file format), or inconsistent semantics. Thus, integration of heterogeneous data from different sources needs to handle data quality problems of the sources. This can be done by using probabilistic models. In the field of truth discovery, these models have been developed to track data source trustworthiness in order to help solving conflicts while making quality issues manageable for automatic modeling. We build upon previous research in modeling automation and propose a framework for merging data from multiple sources with a truth discovery algorithm to create multiple IT architecture models. The usefulness of the proposed framework is demonstrated in a study where models using three tools are created, namely; Archi, securiCAD, and EMFTA.
Army Hand Signal Recognition System using Smartwatch Sensors

The organized armies of the world all have their own hand signal systems to deliver commands and messages between combatants during operations such as search, reconnaissance, and infiltration. For instance, to command a troop to stop, a commander would lift his/her fist next to the his/her face height. When the operation is carried out by a small unit, the hand signal system plays a very important role. However, obviously, there is an aspect of limitation in this method; each signal should be relayed by individuals, which while waiting attentively for a signal can cause soldiers to lose attention on the front observation and be distracted. Another limitation is, it takes a certain period to convey signals from the first person to the last person. While the limitations above are related to a short moment, that can be fatal in the field of battle. Gesture recognition has emerged as a very important and effective way for interaction between human and computer (HCI). An application of inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor data from smart devices has lead gesture recognition into the next level, because it means people don’t need to rely on any external equipment, such as a camera to read movements. Especially wearable devices can be more adequate for gesture recognition than hand-held devices because of its distinguished strengths. If soldiers can deliver signals using an off-the-shelf smartwatch, without additional training, it can resolve many drawbacks of the current hand signal system. In the battlefield, cameras to record combatants’ movement for image processing cannot be installed nor utilized, and there are countless obstacles, such as tree branches, trunks, or valleys that hinder the camera to observe movements of the combatants. Because of unique characteristics of battlefield, a gesture recognition system using a smartwatch can be the most appropriate solution for making troops mobility more efficient and secure. For the system to be used successfully in combat zone, the system requires high precision and prompt processing; although accuracy and operating speed are inversely proportional in most of cases. This paper will present a gesture recognition tool for army hand signals with high accuracy and fast processing speed. It is expected that the army hand signal recognition system (AHSR) will assist small units to carry-out their maneuver with higher efficiency.
Development of White Spruce Tree Islands in the Shrub Zone of the Forest-tundra

The growth of four white spruce ( Picea glauca ) clonal islands ranging in age from ca. 98 years to more than 400 years was investigated in the shrub zone of the forest-tundra east of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. The elongation of 20 similar-aged stems in each of the three youngest islands was monitored during 1988 and 1989, along with ground and air temperatures. Stems in the younger islands showed a more flexible response to both daily and annual variation in temperature. Younger islands showed faster recovery from frost events during elongation and longer periods of elongation in cooler years. Early spring warming that caused snowmelt to occur before the growing season appeared to result in moisture stress later in the period of elongation. In stems of spruce shrub, the branches are concentrated near ground level because growth is slow and adventitious buds develop on the stem after repeated loss of stem terminals through snow abrasion. In young trees, shading and increased moisture from trapped snow coincide with feather moss establishment and a deep active layer, resulting in higher ground temperatures and faster tree growth. It is during this early period of development that a tree may be best able to develop an erect stem. In later development, the lowest branches of trees become appressed, grow roots, and become second-order stems, and this process continues outward from the central stem. In older tree islands, peat accumulation and needle abrasion can lead to conditions less favourable for growth and maintenance of needles. Consequently, the canopy may thin, which reduces its ability to trap snow. When snow cover is reduced, lichen-heath establishes and permafrost intrudes into the mound. Subsequent growth of the secondary stems on the mound may be too slow to enable successful development of an erect stem. Thus, island development is largely dependent on changing ground temperatures, which become colder as peat accumulates and frost heaving elevates the mound. Warm spring and summer conditions appear to lead to unfavourable conditions for tree islands.
IMPACT OF BOARD STRUCTURE ON CORPORATE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

AKINYOMI Oladele John (Corresponding Author) Financial Studies Department, Redeemer’s University, Ogun State, Nigeria. E-mail: delejohn21@yahoo.com Abstract Board structure represents one of the core issues in corporate governance. This study investigates the impact of board structure on corporate financial performance in Nigeria. It examines the composition of boards of directors in firms and analyzes whether board structure has an impact on financial performance. Four board characteristics which include: board composition, board size, board ownership and CEO duality (representing the independent variables), were correlated with the financial performance of the selected firms. Regression was used to estimate the relationship between corporate performance and the independent variables. The result indicates that there is strong positive association between board size, outside directors sitting on the board and corporate financial performance. Negative association was observed between directors’ stockholding and corporate financial performance. Furthermore, the study reveals a negative association between ROE and CEO duality, while a strong positive association is observed between ROCE and CEO duality. The results imply that large board size performs effectively. There is also evidence that higher proportion of outside directors on the board have a positive impact on financial performance. However, the effect of directors’ shareholding on performance (measured by ROE) is negative while the relationship between ROCE and directors’ shareholding is strongly positive and significant.
Comparative Study of Incretin Versus Non- Incretin Based Therapies on Type 2 Diabetes Patients in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by hyperglycemia due to defects in insulin secretion or insulin action. Over the years, attempts to regulate diabetics therapeutically through glycemic control have reduced complications and trauma associated with the disease. Aim of this study was to compare efficacy of incretin-based versus non-incretin based therapies on type-2 diabetic patients and a hospital based cross-sectional comparative study was conducted. Sixty type-2 diabetic patients who received non-incretin and thirty who received incretin based therapies were randomly selected for the study. The mean total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein, serum urea and serum creatinine were significantly lower in patients who received incretin-based therapies than those who received non-incretin based therapies. The mean high density lipoprotein was also significantly increased among the incretin based treated group. The mean body mass index and fasting blood sugar were lower in the incretin-based compared to non-incretin based treated patients. Female had insignificantly higher level of blood sugar, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein, serum urea, body mass index and lower level of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein and serum creatinine compared to male in both groups. Incretin-based therapy helps normalize lipid profiles, blood sugar level, body mass index and also improves kidney clearance pattern.
Limits to Sexual Reproduction in Geothermal Bryophytes

Previous research suggests that while sexual reproduction generally increases with environmental stress it may decrease with extreme stress, at the edge of eukaryotic life. In this study, we explored the limits to sexual reproduction in an extremophile, bryophyte system to ultimately understand the processes that limit sexual reproduction. We used field data from geothermal sites at Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, to demonstrate that sexual reproduction, as measured by the number of sporophytes per shoot, decreases with increasing environmental stress. We found that the number of sporophytes per shoot is positively correlated with distance from geothermal features. When Pohlia nutans plants were transplanted to mesic conditions, high numbers of gametoecia and sporophytes were produced, regardless of where along the environmental stress gradient plants originated, suggesting that physiological stress rather than local adaptation is constraining sexual reproduction in this extremophile system. We discuss our results with respect to previous work on sex in extreme environments.
Exosomes and Exosomal RNA – A Way of Cell-to-Cell Communication

Exosomes are nano-sized extracellular vesicles of endocytic origin participating in cell-to-cell communication, partly by the transfer of exosomal RNA between cells. These extracellular vesicles are released by most cells and found in many body fluids including plasma and urine. Exosomes differ compared to their donor cells in RNA, protein and lipid composition, and their molecular content has shown prognostic and diagnostic potential. Uveal melanoma is a tumour arising from melanocytes of the eye and despite successful control of the primary tumour, approximately one third of the patients will develop metastases, predominantly liver metastases, with poor prognosis. The overall aim of this thesis was to evaluate the role of exosomes in cellto-cell communication and the biological role of exosomal RNA. Exosomal RNA has been extracted by different RNA isolation methods and we identified that the RNA size distribution pattern varied in multiple studies. Therefore, we aimed to determine if this RNA variation was a true variation or merely a consequence of the RNA extraction method used. We evaluated seven different RNA isolation methods using a mouse mast cell line (MC/9) that continuously releases exosomes. The results showed that the exosomal RNA yield and size distribution pattern differed substantially between different RNA isolation methods. The mRNA content and function of MC/9 cell-derived exosomes was shown to be altered depending on the culture conditions of the cells. Cells exposed to oxidative stress were shown to have the capacity to send a conditioning signal to other cells, resulting in resistance to oxidative stress in the recipient cells. Moreover, this conditioning signal was shown to be eradicated upon UV-C exposure, indicating a possible role for the exosomal RNA in this biological function. The presence of exosomes in patients with liver metastases from uveal melanoma was established with the isolation, detection and characterisation of exosomes from isolated hepatic perfusion. The results revealed melanoma-specific exosomes, which contained similar microRNA profiles between patients. Furthermore, patients with metastatic uveal melanoma were shown to have a higher concentration of exosomes in their peripheral venous blood compared to healthy
Deciphering the cryptic species diversity of dull-coloured day geckos Phelsuma (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Madagascar, with description of a new species

We describe a new Phelsuma species from the relictual forest of Anja Reserve (13 km south from Ambalavao, on the central high plateau of southern Madagascar). Phelsuma gouldi sp. nov. seems to be an arboreal and possibly rockdwelling species that has been observed in the private Anja Reserve (949 m a.s.l.), and possibly near Betroka almost 160 km further south-west. The species belongs to the P. mutabilis species group and differs from the other three species of the group, P. mutabilis, P. breviceps, and P. borai by a high genetic divergence of more than 10% in the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene, and by a combination of 7–9 subdigital lamellae under the fourth toe, 6–7 supralabials, one internasal, and numerous details of throat scalation. Phelsuma mutabilis comprises three mitochondrial clades with divergences of more than 4% in the 16S rRNA gene, but the lack of distinct morphological differences and absence of a geographical structure among these clades indicate that this pattern is currently best considered as reflecting intraspecific variability.