Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Motivations for Proactive Environmental Management and Innovative Pollution Control

Madhu Khanna and Cameron Speir The corporate approach to environmental protection has been evolving from a regulation-driven reactive mode to a more proactive approach involving an internally motivated organizational change in corporate culture and management practices towards environmental self-regulation. A growing number of firms are taking a strategic view towards environmental management and adopting environmental management practices (EMPs) that establish formal procedures and organizational routines that can help to achieve environmental goals. These practices represent internal efforts at establishing environmental policies and goals, setting environmental standards for suppliers, training employees, undertaking environmental auditing and environmental cost accounting and publishing environmental information in reports made available to the public. Many firms are also taking a holistic view of pollution control and treating it as synonymous with minimizing waste streams associated with the design, manufacture, use and disposal of products and materials. Such firms are modifying processes and products, substituting raw materials and recycling waste products to reduce end-of-pipe disposal. We refer to such activities as pollution prevention or P2 activities. Both the adoption of EMPs and P2 activities are forms of environmental management and both represent effort rather than actual environmental performance outcomes. However, P2 activities may require a greater degree of integration of environmental concerns in the operational decisions of the firm and efforts that may mitigate a firm’s impact on the environment more directly. Adoption of EMPs and P2 activities is voluntary since there are no regulations mandating their adoption. Firms have considerable flexibility in the EMPs and/or P2 activities they adopt and the degree to which each is implemented within the organization. The motivations for firms
Could marten become the spotted owl of eastern Canada

Resum6 Conservation of spotted owl habitat in western North America La prCsewation de l'habitat de la chouette tachetCe dans I'ouest illustrates the difficult decisions that must be taken and the con- de 1'AmCrique du Nord est un exemple des difficiles dkcisions flicts that can arise in land-use planning. In eastern North qui doivent &tre prises et des conflits qui peuvent surgir dans America, spotted owls are absent but marten, an animal spe- la planification de I'utilisation du territoire. La chouette tachetCe cies which prefers old-growth forest, has become rare in some ne se retrouve pas dans l'est de 1'AmCrique du Nord, mais la areas as a result of habitat loss. The marten is a threatened spe- martre, un autre animal qui prCfere les for& surannCes, est cies in Newfoundland, exists in small numbers in Nova Scotia, devenue rare dans certaines regions par suite de la destruction and has been extirpated in Prince Edward Island. Lack of long- de son habitat. La martre est une espkce menacCe B Terre-Neuve, term integrated forest resource planning, short rotations, and dont on retrouve quelques individus en Nouvelle-Ecosse, et qui silvicultural practices that produce sub-optimal habitat may a CtC chassCe de 1'Ile du Prince Edouard. La manque de planifieliminate the species in Atlantic Canada. Two cases are discussed cation B long terme intCgr6e des ressources forestikres, les courtes from Newfoundland and New Brunswick where unbalanced rotations et les pratiques sylvicoles qui produisent des habitats forest age structures suggest a bleak future for the marten. Other sous-optimaux pourraient Climiner la martre des Maritimes. larger jurisdictions in Canada should closely examine their forest Deux exemples sont tirCs de Terre-Neuve et du Nouveauland management plans in view of the Atlantic experience. Brunswick oh les classes d'bge irrigulikes des for& laissent entrevoir un avenir sombre pour la martre. Les autres juridictions plus importantes au Canada devraient Ctudier attentivement leurs plans de gestion des terres forestikres B la lumikre de I'expCrience des Maritimes.
COMPARISON CFD AND SYSTEM-BASED METHODS AND EFD FOR SURF-RIDING , PERIODIC MOTION , AND BROACHING OF ONR TUMBLEHOME

CFD and systems-based nonlinear dynamics approaches are used to predict broaching, surfriding, and periodic motion for the ONR Tumblehome surface combatant, including captive and free model test validation studies. Froude-Krylov calculation of wave induced surge force in following waves provided good agreement for high Fr number, but significantly overestimated for Fr<0.2, whereas CFD successfully reproduces the decrease of the wave-induced surge force near the Fr of 0.2 probably because the CFD can capture the 3D wave pattern. CFD showed close agreement with EFD for resistance and fairly close agreement for static heel except for Y and N and static drift except for K. CFD prediction of static heel in following waves are fairly close to EFD except for X, Y and θ. System-based simulations are carried out based on inputs from EFD, CFD and Froude-Krylov for a dense grid of speed and heading and no significant changes were observed in prediction of instability map. CFD free model simulations are performed for several speeds and headings and validated for the first time for surf-riding, broaching and periodic motions.
Crowd Activity Change Point Detection in Videos via Graph Stream Mining

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in detecting anomalous behavioral patterns in video. In this work, we address this task by proposing a novel activity change point detection method to identify crowd movement anomalies for video surveillance. In our proposed novel framework, a hyperspherical clustering algorithm is utilized for the automatic identification of interesting regions, then the density of pedestrian flows between every pair of interesting regions over consecutive time intervals is monitored and represented as a sequence of adjacency matrices where the direction and density of flows are captured through a directed graph. Finally, we use graph edit distance as well as a cumulative sum test to detect change points in the graph sequence. We conduct experiments on four real-world video datasets: Dublin, New Orleans, Abbey Road and MCG Datasets. We observe that our proposed approach achieves a high F-measure, i.e., in the range [0.7, 1], for these datasets. The evaluation reveals that our proposed method can successfully detect the change points in all datasets at both global and local levels. Our results also demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of our proposed algorithm for change point detection and segmentation tasks.
An Investigation of Collaboration Processes in an Online Course: How Do Small Groups Develop over Time?.

This study investigated communication patterns and behavior in problem-solving groups in a graduate online course. An inductive qualitative analysis method was employed to analyze 732 messages that were retrieved from small group forums. The current study identified a temporal pattern of group development was in comparison with existing theoretical models: the traditional group development model (Tuckman, 1965; Tuckman & Jensen, 1977) and the punctuated equilibrium model (Gersick, 1988; 1991). All the groups had two working phases and three decision-making points. The temporal pattern of group behavior was close to the phase transition concept of Gersick’s model. Some groups tended to undergo Tuckman’s stages, but their development stages were not necessarily sequential or hierarchical. Thus, it is concluded that Gersick’s model could be more useful for researchers and instructors to better understand and assist online students in problem solving collaborative activities.
Liquidlike correlations in single-crystalline Y2Mo2O7: An unconventional spin glass

The spin glass behavior of Y2Mo2O7 has puzzled physicists for nearly three decades. Free of bulk disorder within the resolution of powder diffraction methods, it is thought that this material is a rare realization of a spin glass resulting from weak disorder such as bond disorder or local lattice distortions. Here, we report on the single crystal growth of Y2Mo2O7. Using neutron scattering, we present unique isotropic magnetic diffuse scattering arising beneath the spin glass transition despite having a well-ordered structure at the bulk level. Despite our attempts to model the diffuse scattering using a computationally exhaustive search of a class of simple spin Hamiltonians, we were unable to replicate the experimentally observed energy-integrated (diffuse) neutron scattering. A T^2-temperature dependence in the heat capacity and density functional theory calculations hint at significant frozen degeneracy in both the spin and orbital degrees of freedom resulting from spin-orbital coupling (Kugel-Khomskii type) and random fluctuations in the Mo environment at the local level.
MAS-AODV : Mobility Aware Secure AODV to Prevent Gray Hole Attack in MANETs

Security in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) is still a crucial issue as the protocols devised till now are still under experimental RFCs and thus no protocol could be standardized to date to stand against the weaknesses of MANETs. In this paper we present Mobility Aware Secure AODV referred to as MAS-AODV, which is an AODV based routing algorithm, to protect MANETs from a selective forwarding attack known as gray hole attack. MAS-AODV uses the speed of movement of nodes for the detection of gray hole nodes and thus termed as mobility aware. If a node moves around in the network with speed greater than the threshold, the node is identified as gray hole node. Apart from this, an added security in the algorithm is through digital signature. All the nodes taking part in the path formation are first verified using digital signature so that no malicious nodes can interfere the transmission of data. Simulation of MAS-AODV shows that the algorithm performs better than AODV in terms of packet delivery ratio (PDR) and throughput at a cost of routing overhead and delay in some cases.
Business Process and Motivation of Objectives in One Model

The Object Management Group predicts that the Business Proc ess Modelling Notation will be eventually merged with the Business Motivation Model to be implemented in integrated tool suites. However, conventional modelling semantics have asynchronous semantic s and therefore have difficulties to accommodate motivation of objectives specified on the basis of synchrono us semantics. This paper shows how Protocol Modelling semantics can be used both for business process mo delling and motivation modelling corresponding to objectives. Protocol Modelling uses synchronous com p sition and this synchronization gives to Protocol Modelling the expressive means needed to accommodate motiv ati n of objectives and business processes in one model.
Effect of multi axis vibration and subject postures on sketching distortion

Sedentary activities such as reading, writing, sketching, etc. are affected due to the train vibrations. Therefore, the present study investigates the extent of perceived difficulty and distortion in a sketching task by seated subjects in two postures under low frequency, multi axial random vibrations. Thirty male voluntary subjects sketched geometric figures such as rectangles, circles and triangles in two sitting postures while exposed to multi-axis stimuli of vibration magnitudes 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 m/s2 r.m.s. in 1–20 Hz frequency range. Performance was evaluated both subjectively and objectively by two specifically designed objective methods. The deviation in distortion with respect to the given figures is represented in terms of percentage distortion. The percentage distortion and sketching difficulty increased with an increase in vibration magnitudes and was affected more while sketching on table. The sketching difficulty was found independent of geometric figures.
Brain economics: housekeeping routines in the brain

Frequency tagging has been often used to study intramodal attention but not intermodal attention. We used EEG and simultaneous frequency tagging of auditory and visual sources to study intermodal focused and divided attention in detection and discrimination performance. Divided-attention costs were smaller, but significant, in detection than in discrimination. The auditory steady-state response showed no effects of attention at frontocentral locations, but did so at occipital locations where it was evident only when attention was divided between audition and vision. Similarly, the visual steady-state evoked potentials at occipital locations were substantially enhanced when attention was divided across modalities. Both effects were equally present in detection and discrimination. We suggest that both effects reflect a common cause: An attention-dependent influence of auditory information processing on early cortical stages of visual information processing, mediated by enhanced effective connectivity between the two modalities under conditions of divided attention.
Process optimization for sugars production from rice straw via pretreatment with sulfur trioxide micro-thermal explosion

The effects of sulfur trioxide micro-thermal explosion (STEX) and enzyme loading on reducing sugars conversion of STEX-treated rice straw and enzymatic hydrolysates were researched. Important process parameters in the pretreatment of biomass were identified by a Plackett-Burman design, and parameters with significant effects were optimized using a Box-Behnken design (BBD) and response surface methodology (RSM). The optimal conditions were a temperature of 80 °C and a treatment time of 30 min when only single factors were considered. Meanwhile, glucose and xylose were primary components in the enzymatic hydrolysates. Subsequently, STEX time, liquid-solid ratio, and soaking temperature were the main factors governing the enzymatic saccharification of rice straw. The optimum pretreatment conditions were STEX time 23.3 min, liquid-solid ratio 13.3 (V/m), and soaking temperature 62.2 °C. The chemical composition analysis of straw further demonstrated that STEX collaborative dilute lye pretreatment could remove lignin and hemicellulose.
Multi-parameter extraction from SOI photonic integrated circuits using circuit simulation and evolutionary algorithms

We propose a procedure to extract multiple parameters from the spectral characteristic of a single photonic integrated circuit. We applied the method on high order silicon Mach-Zehnder lattice filters:1 these filters are realized by cascading delay stages and directional couplers of different length. Because of their cascaded nature and steep roll-off properties, these devices can be used to accurately extract properties of the waveguides and the directional couplers. The spectral transmission is measured between the inputs and the outputs. This result is compared to a full CAPHE optical circuit simulation with parametric behavioral models for the waveguide and the directional couplers. An evolutionary fitting algorithm based on the covariance matrix adaptation method is used to match the circuit simulation with the measurement. This black box approach gives us fast and accurate parameter extraction with a reduced number of iteration steps. The quadratic error between measurement and simulation of each iteration is used as feedback for the evolutionary algorithm that adapts the test values for the following step. The objective of our analysis is an accurate, wavelength-dependent model for the waveguide group index and the directional couplers. The proposed method has been used for wafer scale parameter extraction. Our fast method makes it possible to extract the parameters in real time, and correlate the functional parameters of the waveguides with process statistics collected during fabrication. The obtained parameters are in substantial agreement with the results of the simulations used in the design, and can be used to further improve behavioral models that correlate the manufacturing process data with the optical performance.
Alert Correlation System with Automatic Extraction of Attack Strategies by Using Dynamic Feature Weights

With the growth in popularity of the computer technology and Internet, new vulnerabilities of systems and unknown risks continuously increase. Some methods based on the known system environment have been unable to deal with the attacks generated by unknown vulnerabilities. Moreover, it is hard to find potential vulnerabilities for virtual machines generated by the server in the cloud environment. Therefore, it is very important to automatically extract attack strategies in the alert correlation system. In this paper, we proposed an alert correlation system with automatic extraction of attack strategies. We estimate the correlation cell value between two alerts by using equality constraints sets (ECS) and records them in the alert correlation matrix (ACM). Our system does not need to create the predefined knowledge base and training data. Moreover, our system also needs not to reestablish the modules due to the different environments. We extract the attack scenarios from attackers by observing the connectivity and relationship among the receiving alerts.
Reinforcement, arousal and temporal factors in procedural learning: A test of Eysenck's and Gray's personality theories

An experiment examining the effects of reinforcement and personality on a procedural learning task tested H. J. Eysenck’s (1968, 1979) incubation theory of the development of fear, relating to a “reminiscence” effect during a rest pause. Eysenck’s arousal-based personality predictions for enhanced learning were contrasted with J. A. Gray’s reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) of personality. Measures of Extraversion (E) and Neuroticism (N) and Trait Anxiety were taken. Participants completed six blocks of a procedural learning task, under either punishment or control (no reinforcement) in one of two training conditions: (a) spaced training (four blocks of the task in the first session followed by retest on one block in two subsequent sessions, 24 h and 5 days later); or (b) massed training (six blocks of the task in a single session). Results showed that, under punishment, high trait anxiety led to enhanced learning in both training conditions; however, this increase was not predicted by Eysenck’s arous.
Annotation of Argument Components in Political Debates Data

In this paper, we present the annotation guidelines we defined for annotating arguments in political debates. In our guidelines, we consider each argument as being composed of a claim and one or more premises. The annotation process has started with defining the guidelines for three annotators containing examples from the data, and continued as cyclic process of evaluation and revision on the annotation to resolve the ambiguities in the guidelines. In this paper, we briefly discuss the resulting annotated dataset and give some examples of the annotation scheme. The quality of the annotated dataset is assessed by computing inter-annotator agreement using Krippendorf’s α coefficient on a portion of the dataset.
Convex optimisation method for matching filters synthesis

In this paper, a certified synthesis technique is presented for the design of matching filters that combines convex optimisation with the Fano-Youla matching theory. This technique is applicable to any rational load and provides lower hard bounds for the best matching level, as well as a practical synthesis of a matching filter approaching those bounds. Furthermore, if the load is a rational function of degree 1, the optimal matching filter is synthesized, yielding in this case an extension of the classical filter synthesis for resistive loads. As example, a dual-band matching filter is conceived for a dual-band antenna. Additionally a single-band filter is implemented in SIW technology to match a single-band antenna.
Assembling an experimentalist regime: Transnational governance interactions in the forest sector

Transnational governance initiatives increasingly face the problem of regime complexity in which a proliferation of regulatory schemes operate in the same policy domain, supported by varying combinations of public and private actors. The literature suggests that such regime complexity can lead to forum shopping and other self-interested strategies, which undermine the effectiveness of transnational regulation. Based on the design principles of experimentalist governance, this paper identifies a variety of pathways and mechanisms, which promote productive interactions in regime complexes. We use the case of the EU's Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) initiative, interacting with private certification schemes and public legal timber regulations, including those of third countries such as the US and China, to demonstrate how an increasingly comprehensive transnational regime can be assembled by linking together distinct components of a regime complex. We argue that it is the experimentalist features of this initiative and its regulatory interactions, which accommodate local diversity and foster recursive learning from decentralized implementation experience, that make it possible to build up a flexible and adaptive transnational governance regime from an assemblage of interconnected pieces, even in situations where interests diverge and no hegemon can impose its own will.
Radar Remote Sensing of Waves and Currents in the Nearshore Zone

Abstract : Our long-term goal is to contribute to our understanding of processes in the upper ocean and lower atmosphere through the conception, development, and application of novel microwave, acoustic, and optical remote sensing techniques. The objectives of this effort are to determine the extent to which Doppler radar techniques are useful for nearshore remote sensing applications. Of particular interest are estimates of surf zone location and extent, surface currents, waves, and bathymetry. To date, optical (video) techniques have been the primary remote sensing technology used for these applications. A key advantage of the radar is its all weather day-night operability.
Evaluation of fatigue in semi-professional football players: association between overtraining and physical fitness

Summary Study aim: overtraining (OT) has a detrimental effect on sport performance, but it is not clear to what extent it influences physical fitness. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between OT and physical fitness in football players. Material and methods: a sample of semi-professional male football players (n = 124) performed a series of anthropometric and physical fitness measurements, and completed the 54-item OT questionnaire of the French Society of Sports Medicine. Results: the OT score was significantly correlated with sit-and-reach test (SAR; rho = −0.20, p < 0.05), theoretical maximal velocity (v0; rho = −0.23, p < 0.05), theoretical maximal force (F0) of the force-velocity test (F-v test; rho = 0.25, p < 0.01) and mean power (Pmean) in W · kg−1 of the Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT; rho = −0.20, p < 0.05). The comparison between OT quartiles revealed that the first quartile scored higher than the third quartile in SAR and in v0 (p < 0.05). The fourth quartile scored higher in F0 than the first, second and third quartiles (p < 0.05). The magnitude of these differences among groups was medium. Conclusions: the negative correlations between OT and physical fitness and the highest scores in fitness for the first OT quartile indicate a negative effect of OT on physical fitness (anaerobic capacity, maximal velocity and flexibility) of football players. In addition, because there is very limited prior relevant research on football players’ OT, our data can be used as reference for future research.