Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Logic System for Heavy Metal Sorption in Aquatic Environments

In this paper, adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system ANFIS is used to assess conditions required for aquatic systems to serve as a sink for metal removal; it is used to generate information on the behavior of heavy metals (mercury) in water in relation to its uptake by bio-species (e.g. bacteria, fungi, algae, etc.) and adsorption to sediments. The approach of this research entails training fuzzy inference system by neural networks. The process is useful when there is interrelation between variables and no enough experience about mercury behavior, furthermore it is easy and fast process. Experimental work on mercury removal in wetlands for specific environmental conditions was previously conducted in bench scale at Concordia University laboratories. Fuzzy inference system FIS is constructed comprising knowledge base (i.e. premises and conclusions), fuzzy sets, and fuzzy rules. Knowledge base and rules are adapted and trained by neural networks, and then tested. ANFIS simulates and predicts mercury speciation for biological uptake and mercury adsorption to sediments. Modeling of mercury bioavailability for bio-species and adsorption to sediments shows strong correlation of more than 98% between simulation results and experimental data. The fuzzy models obtained are used to simulate and forecast further information on mercury partitioning to species and sediments. The findings of this research give information about metal removal by aquatic systems and their efficiency.
THE EFFECT OF SERVICE DELIVERY IN PUBLIC ‘COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTRES’: A CASE OF AN EMERGING ECONOMY

How to cite this paper: Ngobese, N. , Mason, R. , Maharaj, M. (2017). The effect of service delivery in public ‘community service centres’: A case of an emerging economy. Risk governance & control: financial markets & institutions, 7(3), 44-54. doi:10.22495/rgcv7i3p5 How to access this paper online: http://dx.doi. org/10.22495/rgcv7i3p5 Copyright © 2017 The Authors This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b
STUDIES ON BYPASS TRANSITION OF A BOUNDARY LAYER SUBJECTED TO LOCALIZED PERIODIC EXTERNAL DISTURBANCES

This study aims at clarification of wake-induced bypass transition process of a boundary layer on a flat plate with no pressure gradient. Special attention is paid to inception as well as growth of a turbulent spot created by the incoming wake as an external disturbance. To meet this goal a unique wake generator is invented to create an isolated turbulent spot. A multi-probe sensor with seven single-hot-wire probes is used to measure wake-affected boundary layer. The wake generator consists of a disk, pillars and a very thin wire with a small sphere on it. The sphere on the wire generates periodic wakes behind it when it passes across the main flow in front of the test flat plate. These sphere wakes impinge the flat plate in a spatially and timewisely localized manner so that the wakes periodically leave narrow affected zones inside the boundary layer. The observations confirm that an isolated turbulence spot emerges from each of those wake-affected zones. It is also found that the turbulent spot observed in this study bears a close resemblance to the conventional turbulent spot that takes a shape of arrowhead pointing downstream.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Welfare Reform in Australia , 1999-2006 : A Brief Overview

Recent reforms to the Australian system of income support for the unemployed have been designed to encourage the welfare to work transition. Mutual obligation measures have been accompanied by an easing of the income test taper rate and by less generous indexation arrangements for unemployment benefit levels than for most other payments. These changes have made passive receipt of unemployment benefit less attractive and less feasible for those who are unemployed. At the same time, the labour market has been growing strongly and the unemployment rate has reached its lowest level for three decades, so that the prospects of finding a job if unemployed have greatly improved. This paper uses data from two comparable social surveys to examine whether the impact of unemployment on the well-being of those in the labour force changed between 1999 and 2006. The results indicate that being unemployed is associated with lower levels of well-being on all available indicators in both years, with the effects statistically stronger in the later year. However, the evidence is mixed on whether the size of the well-being penalty associated with being unemployed increased over the period. There is no clear evidence that the penalty was greater in the later year, although this may reflect changes in the composition of the unemployed and/or the role of omitted factors.
Genome analysis of Elusimicrobium minutum, the first cultivated representative of the Elusimicrobia phylum (formerly Termite Group 1)

Genome analysis of Elusimicrobium minutum, the first cultivated representative of the Elusimicrobia phylum (formerly Termite Group 1) D. P. R. Herlemann 1 , O. Geissinger 1 , W. Ikeda-Ohtsubo 1 , V. Kunin 2 , H. Sun 2 , A. Lapidus 2 , P. Hugenholtz 2 and A. Brune 1 * Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse, 35043 Marburg, Germany US DOE Joint Genome Institute, 2800 Mitchell Drive B100, Walnut Creek, CA 94598-1698, USA Running title: Genome analysis of Elusimicrobium minutum * Corresponding author: Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch- Strasse, 35043 Marburg, Germany. Phone: +49-6421-178701, Fax: +49-6421-178709. E- mail: brune@mpi-marburg.mpg. de
Engine fault feature extraction based on order tracking and VMD in transient conditions

A method based on order tracking and Variational Mode Decomposition was proposed to solve the problem of non-stationarity and background noise in the vibration signal of engine. For the vibration signal of diesel engine crankshaft bearing fault and Connecting rod bearing of gasoline engine, the non-stationary signal in the time domain was converted into a pseudo stationary signal on the angular domain based on order tracking. Then the reconstructed signal was decomposed by several components by VMD, and the component that contains fault information was selected. The three-dimensional spectral array of order, speed and power spectrum was calculated, and the fault feature was extracted. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by simulation and experiment.
Constraint of soil moisture on CO 2 efflux from tundra lichen, moss, and tussock in Council, Alaska, using a hierarchical Bayesian model

The tundra ecosystem is quite vulnerable to drastic climate change in the Arctic, and the quantification of carbon dynamics is of significant importance regarding thawing permafrost, changes to the snow-covered period and snow and shrub community extent, and the decline of sea ice in the Arctic. Here, CO 2 efflux measurements using a manual chamber system within a 40 m × 40 m (5 m interval; 81 total points) plot were conducted within dominant tundra vegetation on the Seward Peninsula of Alaska, during the growing seasons of 2011 and 2012, for the assessment of driving parameters of CO 2 efflux. We applied a hierarchical Bayesian (HB) model – a function of soil temperature, soil moisture, vegetation type, and thaw depth – to quantify the effects of environmental factors on CO 2 efflux and to estimate growing season CO 2 emissions. Our results showed that average CO 2 efflux in 2011 was 1.4 times higher than in 2012, resulting from the distinct difference in soil moisture between the 2 years. Tussock-dominated CO 2 efflux is 1.4 to 2.3 times higher than those measured in lichen and moss communities, revealing tussock as a significant CO 2 source in the Arctic, with a wide area distribution on the circumpolar scale. CO 2 efflux followed soil temperature nearly exponentially from both the observed data and the posterior medians of the HB model. This reveals that soil temperature regulates the seasonal variation of CO 2 efflux and that soil moisture contributes to the interannual variation of CO 2 efflux for the two growing seasons in question. Obvious changes in soil moisture during the growing seasons of 2011 and 2012 resulted in an explicit difference between CO 2 effluxes – 742 and 539 g CO 2 m −2 period −1 for 2011 and 2012, respectively, suggesting the 2012 CO 2 emission rate was reduced to 27% (95% credible interval: 17–36%) of the 2011 emission, due to higher soil moisture from severe rain. The estimated growing season CO 2 emission rate ranged from 0.86 Mg CO 2 in 2012 to 1.20 Mg CO 2 in 2011 within a 40 m × 40 m plot, corresponding to 86 and 80% of annual CO 2 emission rates within the western Alaska tundra ecosystem, estimated from the temperature dependence of CO 2 efflux. Therefore, this HB model can be readily applied to observed CO 2 efflux, as it demands only four environmental factors and can also be effective for quantitatively assessing the driving parameters of CO 2 efflux.
ON DEFINING SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM: EXPLORING THE TERRAIN FOR RESEARCH

It is crucial to clarify the concept of shareholder activism for the study of shareholder activism. So far a couple of scholars (Black, 1990, 1998; Gillan and Starks, 1998; Hernández-López, 2003) have defined shareholder activism but still there is a room for more clarification. This paper tries to clarify the current definition of shareholder activism by introducing three dimensions of the concept – target, actor and action. Finally it will discuss implications of this clarification for future research, especially from the perspective of representativeness and generalizability.
Deposition Technologies of High-Efficiency CIGS Solar Cells: Development of Two-Step and Co-Evaporation Processes

The two-step process including the deposition of the metal precursors followed by heating the metal precursors in a vacuum environment of Se overpressure was employed for the preparation of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) films. The CIGS films selenized at the relatively high Se flow rate of 25 Å/s exhibited improved surface morphologies. The correlations among the two-step process parameters, film properties, and cell performance were studied. With the given selenization conditions, the efficiency of 12.5% for the fabricated CIGS solar cells was achieved. The features of co-evaporation processes including the single-stage, bi-layer, and three-stage process were discussed. The characteristics of the co-evaporated CIGS solar cells were presented. Not only the surface morphologies but also the grading bandgap structures were crucial to the improvement of the open-circuit voltage of the CIGS solar cells. Efficiencies of over 17% for the co-evaporated CIGS solar cells have been achieved. Furthermore, the critical factors and the mechanisms governing the performance of the CIGS solar cells were addressed.
How dual‐polarization radar observations can be used to verify model representation of secondary ice

In this paper it is discussed how dual‐polarization radar observations can be used to verify model representations of secondary ice production. An event where enhanced specific differential phase, Kdp, signatures in snow occur at the altitudes where temperatures lie in the range between −8 and −3°C is investigated. By combining radar and surface‐based precipitation observations it is shown that these dual‐polarization radar signatures are most likely caused by ice with concentrations exceeding those expected from primary ice parameterizations. It is also shown that the newly formed ice particles readily aggregate, which may explain why Kdp values seem to be capped at 0.2–0.3°/km for a C band radar. For the event of interest, multiple high‐resolution (1 km) Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model simulations are conducted. When the default versions of the Morrison microphysics schemes were used, the simulated number concentration of frozen hydrometeors is much lower than observed and the simulated ice particle concentrations are comparable with values expected from primary ice parameterizations. Higher ice concentrations, which exceed values expected from primary ice parameterizations, were simulated when ad hoc thresholds for rain and cloud water mixing ratio in the Hallett‐Mossop part of the Morrison scheme were removed. These results suggest that the parameterization of secondary ice production in operational weather prediction models needs to be revisited and that dual‐polarization radar observations, in conjunction with ancillary observations, can be used to verify them.
Effect of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Burkholderia pyrrocinia on the growth improvement and physiological responses in Brachiaria brizantha.

The use of beneficial microorganisms in forage grasses is a potentially advantageous technique for a more sustainable pasture management by decreasing the need for chemical fertilization. Our aims were to determine the best method of microorganism inoculation on Brachiaria (Syn. Urochloa) brizantha cv. BRS Piata, compare the responses of inoculated plants of this forage grass with fertilized and unfertilized controls and examine its effect on some morphological, physiological and biochemical responses. On the first experiment, three inoculation methods were tested: in the seed, seed and soil, and soil, with Pseudomonas fluorescens (BRM-32111) and Burkholderia pyrrocinia (BRM-32113). In the second experiment, fertilized and unfertilized plants were either inoculated with BRM-32111, BRM-32113 and co-inoculated (BRM-32111 + BRM-32113). In a final experiment, B. brizantha was inoculated by soil drenching with BRM-32111, BRM-32113 and co-inoculated (BRM-32111 + BRM-32113), and compared to fertilized- and unfertilized-controls. The inoculation by soil drenching, at seedling stage, was more effective than inoculation only in the seed or both in the seed and by soil drenching. The fertilizer may have suppressed the beneficial bacterial effects on the growth of B. brizantha. P. fluorescens and B. pyrrocinia co-inoculated increased nitrate, protein, nitrogen concentration, Spad index (chlorophyll content), leaf area, number of tillers, net photosynthesis and total biomass production of B. brizantha plants. Our results point out to a potentially valuable source of practical information in the search of an eco-friendlier approach to increase pasture productivity.
Conceptual Research on Decision Making Meetings for Urban Water Management

We will introduce an integrated model of Online Decision Making Meetings (ODMM) for sustainable management of water resources, which combines online meetings with an agent-based simulation function. This model is able to supply the decision makers with visualized simulation results of different policy scenarios and then support them to have online discussions, communication and make final decisions. The model consists of a remote server, a simulation model for background processing and clients. We assume that several departments related to water resource management will join this meeting and make proposals based on their data and policy. These departments are clients in our model and they are granted with special authority according to their departments. During an online meeting, the clients can choose global parameters for a simulation model that relates to their department based on their roles. Afterwards, simulations for different scenarios can be conducted by the model and the simulation results will be displayed for and visualized by the clients through the server on time. Thus, the government planners can easily view the simulation results regarding different policy scenarios using this tool, thereby making informed decisions and policy implementations.
Relative Control of Paleoceanography, Climate, and Eustasy over Heterozoan Carbonates: A Perspective from Slope Sediments of the Marion Plateau (ODP LEG 194)

In this paper we explore the relative control of paleocean- ography, eustasy, and water temperature over the evolution of a car- bonate slope system deposited on the Marion Plateau (Northeastern Australia). Growth of several carbonate platforms started in the early Miocene on this plateau, and although they occurred in low-latitude subtropical waters they are composed mainly of heterozoan organisms. We investigated an upper to distal slope transect drilled during ODP Leg 194 and located close to the Northern Marion Platform. We re- constructed mass accumulation rates of carbonate as well as the evo- lution in the ratios of carbon and oxygen stable isotopes. Power spec- trum analysis of the carbon isotope record revealed the existence of cycles with main frequencies centered around 409 Kyr and 1800 Kyr. We interpret the 409 Kyr cycle as being paced by changes in the ec- centricity of the Earth orbit, and we suggest that the 1800 Kyr cycle could be linked to long-term eustatic changes. Finally, on the basis of the timing of changes in mass accumulation rates of carbonate we infer that the strength and direction of oceanic currents affected sedimen- tation on the Marion Plateau by shifting depocenters of slope sedi- mentation, a process probably further modulated by sea-level changes. We argue that the evolution and demise of the heterozoan carbonate systems present on the Marion Plateau were controlled mainly by the evolution of strong benthic currents, and that eustasy and water tem- perature alone did not account for the drowning of the platforms in the mid Miocene.
Mechanical and tribological studies on nano particles reinforced hybrid aluminum based composite

Hybrid metal matrix composites are new class of materials due to their better mechanical properties which can be achieved through proper selection and combination of materials. The work reported in this paper is based on fabrication of hybrid composites by using nano particles as reinforcements. The hybrid composites were fabricated by reinforcing them with nano sized SiC and Al 2 O 3 particles in order to study mechanical and tribological properties of these enhanced materials. A stir casting method was used to obtain hybrid composites. LM 6 aluminum alloy was used as a matrix material. The results shown increase in hardness as well as in ultimate tensile strength of the composites with small wt. % of nano-sized hybrid reinforcements. The composites produced also exhibit better tribological properties.
A 1.1muW 2.1muVrms Input Noise Chopper Amplifier for Biomedical Applications

A 1.1uW 2.1uVrms Input Noise Chopper Amplifier for Biomedical Applications Christopher J. Mandic Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Professor David J. Allstot Electrical Engineering Micropower amplifiers for neural sensing and other biosignals are becoming increasingly relevant in cutting edge biomedical research. This thesis presents a complete 1.1uW two stage subthreshold low-noise amplifier configured for measuring local field potentials (brain signals used in neuroprosthetics). The first stage chopper amplifier is a 700nW folded cascode topology with three low-impedance node mixers that allow different sections of the amplifier to be chopped at different frequencies for lower noise levels. With a simulated NEF (noise efficiency factor) of 3.28 the first stage amplifier has the potential for incorporating many recording channels on an implanted IC; making efficient use of both silicon area and battery power.
GENETIC INVOLVEMENT OF INTERLEUKIN 4 FOR ASTHMA AND IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL PHYTOCHEMICAL SCAFFOLD THROUGH MOLECULAR DOCKING STUDIES

Objective: Interleukin 4, an important cytokine, has the major role in the immunomodulatory responses associated with asthma. The present study focused on the involvement of single nucleotide polymorphism variation (SNP) of interleukin 4 (IL4) in the development of disease, asthma and designing small molecules for the inhibition of IL4 through in silico strategy. Methods: Identification of disease causing SNP will be a wise approach towards the phenotype specific treatment. A human origin deleterious no synonymous SNP of IL4 were found out in the chromosome region 5q31-q33 (rs199929962) (T/C). Proteins of the corresponding nucleotide variation were identified and were subjected to characterization studies for selecting the most appropriate one for further mutational analysis and molecular docking studies. Results: Influence of microbes on SNP variation of IL4 gene leading to asthma was found to be insignificant by metagenomic studies. Gene responsive drugs were identified through environmental factor analysis. The drug candidates including corticosteroids were subjected to protein interaction studies by in silico means. The pharmacophoric feature derived from drug receptor interaction was utilized for virtual screening on a dataset of anti-inflammatory phytomolecules. The scaffolds of ellagic acid and quercetin were identified as potential nonsteroidal entities which can shield the asthmatic activities. Conclusion: Developing small molecules using these scaffolds taking interleukin 4 as a target will be an adequate solution for steroid resistant asthma.
Effects of Lifestyle Modification on Pregnancy Success in Obese and Overweight Women with PCOS

The present review approaches the pregnancy success after lifestyle modification in obese infertile women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Lifestyle modification including hypocaloric diet, structured exercise and counseling, in combination with medical intervention, where necessary, is effective on the resumption of menstruation, the amelioration of the reproductive profile and the success of spontaneous pregnancy. Pregnancy rates vary a lot among the studies. There are limitations due to the heterogeneity in the design of the studies, the diagnosis of the syndrome and the type of the intervention. The number of the studies is restricted and raises the need for further evaluation through well designed, controlled trials. Despite the controversies, the evidence supports the lifestyle modification as first line therapy in obese and overweight women with PCOS.
New perspectives in monitoring water resources in large tropical transboundary basins based on satellite imagery and radar altimetry.

The combined use of remote sensing and radar altimetry is offering entirely new perspectives for the monitoring of water resources in large tropical trans-boundary basins. Based on a study conducted mostly in the region of the Llanos de Mojos, a large complex of wetlands located within the southernmost extension of the Amazon Basin, at the Brazilian border with Bolivia and Peru, but also based on previous studies, we give some results that will illustrate this point of view. First, the results are showing the current limitations of the radar altimetric missions, which were designed primarily for ocean level or ice caps studies: essentially the revisit time, the size of the water bodies that can be monitored, and the lack of reliable data in presence of relief. Nevertheless, they also show that the data processing and the tools we developed to select appropriately the data, allow retrieving quite accurately the seasonal variability of the water elevation within the basin selected. Second, we are stating the absolute necessity of coupling these data with remote sensing images, in order to retrieve useful information on the hydrologic behaviour of this very complex system. The common altitudinal reference of the radar altimetry missions is opening new modelling opportunities, as the river slope is a key parameter for hydrodynamical studies. Last, the spatial distribution reachable nowadays, and the perspectives offered by the future sensors, are going forward a global, detailed capability of monitoring wetlands and floodplains, as well as their relationship with the river flow. The applications resulting from these monitoring tools are of primarily importance for tropical poorly gauged basins, and we will review as a conclusion some of them, as infrastructure monitoring and planning, flood and drought monitoring and forecast, fluvial waterway monitoring and transport planning, fluvial dynamics of the riverbed and discharge modelling.